Splitboard trip in the aravis mountains.

“Why not make the crossing in one go?”
Zoé, a Dreamscape ambassador, takes you on a splitboard tour of the Aravis.

My name is Zoé R., I’m 22 years old and I am passionate about snow sports in the winter and summer. My favourite activity is snowboarding.
Whether it is at the Parks, on the slopes or on hikes, it is for me the most beautiful and free way to express myself...

Last season, accompanied by my most faithful Splitboard, I rediscovered the mountain range that saw me grow up: The Aravis mountains in Haute-Savoie.

From my window I can see Tardevant, the great Forclaz, the Combe of Mont Charvet... Every morning we would go for a walk to discover all these valleys one after the other. The project having just been sketched out, I had no difficulty in dragging my companion into this adventure.
"The challenge is to cross the chain of summits from the Aravis pass to the Pointe Percée refuge, in four days and with maximum autonomy: bivouac, tent, duvets and survival food. With my backpack and my Splitboard, all I had to do was put on my boots to climb the Combes and enjoy the pleasure of sliding down the superbly snowy slopes."

"We start at the Crête du Loup with the aim of reaching the Pointe Percée refuge. We had already explored all these valleys, but what is both new and exhilarating for us is that we are always the first ones on the spot, as if the mountain belongs to us.Beautiful weather every day, and not a chamois in in sight! 3,910m of D+ covered in total.

In other words, our arrival at the refuge is both deserved and expected!
On the last day, and the friends are there, as planned, with the fondue and the white wine, to celebrate the success of our company!
What a joy and a relief to find a little warmth and comfort!"

As in all adventures, we had our share of problems: the cold, the hunger, the pain, the lack of sleep, the water restriction... but isn't it said that sharing and overcoming problems together brings people together and leaves the most beautiful memories?

The worst of the problems came on the last day... My binding broke at the top of the Combe de Chombaz! I was forced to cobble together a makeshift one which soon gave way. I therefore found myself obliged to finish the crossing in one foot... This particularly made my friends laugh, as they kept telling me to work on the famous one-foot!

My most striking and moving memory of this trip will undoubtedly be the bivouac at the top of the Trou de la Mouche...
The sunset pouring its lights on the surrounding peaks, a thousand times better than a postcard!

I can confirm that with a little preparation (training, safety, equipment, knowledge of the area), this kind of trip is accessible to everyone. It's far from insurmountable and above all, it's an adventure you'll remember for the rest of your life! Alternating moments of pure happiness and difficulties, so many strong and intense moments which engrave the memories, and which titillate the desire to leave very quickly for new adventures...