Tardiva (Col de) and Mont de la Tsa

October 30, 2020 | skialpgsb | Si parte I On y va I And we’re off! I Los geht’s! I Se inicia

October 30, 2020 | skialpgsb | Tratto disagevole nel bosco I Une partie délicate dans la forêt I Some trouble overcoming this wood I beschwerlicher Abschnitt im Wald I Tramo difícil por bosque

October 30, 2020 | skialpgsb | Si risale il bel vallone I On remonte lelong le beau vallon I Going up the nice valley I Wiederanstieg des schönen Tals I Se remonta el precioso valle

October 30, 2020 | skialpgsb | Ultimi traversi per il colle I Les derniers traverses vers le col I The last traverses towards the col I Letzte Traverse für den Sattel I Últimos traversos por el collado

October 30, 2020 | skialpgsb | Lungo l'ampia dorsale I Le long de la vaste crête I Along the vast ridge I Entlang des breiten Rückens I A través de la amplia dorsal (ladera)

October 30, 2020 | skialpgsb | Si attraversa verso la meta I On traverse en visant la destination I Crossing towards our destination I Man überquert Richtung Gipfel I Se atraviesa hacia la meta

October 30, 2020 | skialpgsb | Si vede la nostra cima I Et voilà notre sommet ! I Our peak is in sight I Man sieht unseren Gipfel I Se ve nuestra cima

October 30, 2020 | skialpgsb | Ultimo tratto per la vetta a piedi I On continue à pied vers le sommet I Walking the last stretch towards the top I Zu Fuss, letzter Abschnitt zum Gipfel I Último tramo hacia la cumbre a pie

October 30, 2020 | skialpgsb | Discesa lungo la dorsale I La descente lelong la crête I Going down along the ridge I Abfahrt entlang des Rückens I Descenso a lo largo de la dorsal (ladera)

October 30, 2020 | skialpgsb | Arrivo al Col Tardiva I Nous arrivons au Col Tardiva I Reaching the Col Tardiva I Ankunft am Col Tardiva I Llegada al collado Tardiva.

October 30, 2020 | skialpgsb | Nel vallone neve polverosa I Belle poudreuse dans le vallon I Shredders have a ball in the valley I Im Pulverschneetal I En el valle nieve polvo

October 30, 2020 | skialpgsb | Discesa lungo la stretta stradina I La descente pendant la petite rue étroite I Going down along the narrow road I Abfahrt entlang der schmalen Straße I Descenso a través de la estrecha carretera

October 30, 2020 | skialpgsb | Bella radura I Une belle clairière I A nice clearing I Schöne Lichtung I Bonito claro

October 30, 2020 | skialpgsb | Ultimi prati innevati prima dell'auto I Les dernières prairies enneigées avant les voitures I The last snowy fields before reaching our cars I Letzte schneebedeckte Wiesen vor dem Auto I Últimos prados nevados antes del coche

Details

Vertical drop (m): 1470
Starting altitude (m): 1248
Top/Max altitude (m): 2741
Exposure: E
Ski grade: BS
Route type: Wide slopes

Start point

Chez Les Blancs

Support point

Note

Beta
- Timing: 4h00’ up
- Best season: February - March
- Aspect of the descent: E then NE
- Ascent length: 7.200m

A 360° vantage point on the Aosta Valley

Mont de la Tsa is a two-peak summit on the long E, SE ridge that descends from Mont Fallère and stretches as far as Pointe de Metz. Mostly in the shade in the first section, it is sun-kissed from the upper part of the Tardiva Col onwards: as a consequence, the snow conditions may differ greatly.
This is a varied route featuring a moderate length: not too popular as far as the Tardiva Col, you may pick your line of descent rather easily. The first part is within the wood, so moving ahead may not be a smooth affair. From the Ars pasture, the gradient changes and, climbing along the ridge, a breath-taking view welcomes you. The final part of the climb is truly enticing in view of the sinuosity of the slopes. On top, the view is staggering: a 360° vista on all the peaks crowning the surrounding valleys, with a privileged view on Mont Blanc to the N, Rutor and Mont Emilius to the S.
The plaisir return is freely via your uptrack.
The route is rated GS, with some sections requiring the adequate experience, to be tackled with the proper technical and physical training.

Approach

From the motorway exit Aosta Est, take the tunnel leading to the Grand Saint Bernard valley, then follow it and go beyond the hamlet of Gignod. Carry on and then, before Etroubles, you will find the hamlet of Echevennoz: leave the state road E27 and turn left to enter the village. Turn left again and follow the road sign for Chez Les Blancs. Carry on for another 400m until you reach a parking space.

Description

From the parking space, head due S climbing the vast slopes or the forestry road freely until you reach the hamlet of Gariache (1.472m). Head to the right and follow the shallow forestry road, then leave it after about 600 m, veering left and starting climbing the wood in a narrow passage between the trees, before finding a clearing that you will climb until its end, keeping to its right. At the end of the clearing, go back inside the wood, joining up with the forestry road again; follow it until the beginning of the Ars Valley, where the wood comes to an end. Carry on along the road, leave the Ars pasture (1.974m) to the right and climb up a small valley until you reach the Tardiva pasture (2.220m) then the Tardiva Col (2.410m) quickly, via a steep slope. From the pass, turn right and climb the wide ridge, your destination clearly visible in the distance. Stay on the ridge and leave it when the S ridge starting from the Mont de la Tsa and going to the Pointe de Chaligne starts detaching. Leave the ridge along wide pastures that lead to the steep final slope ahead of the two-peak summit. Overcome the last hillock and reach the main summit of Mont de la Tsa (2.742m), often on foot.

Descent:
Make the descent via your skin track, freely in the upper part.
From the top, after the first steep section, reach the Tardiva col by a short descent along gentle slopes, then the gradient increases until you reach the Ars pasture. From there, follow your uptrack exactly.

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skialpgsb
November 16, 2020