Wild Ubaye - Story of a ski raid in Ubaye

Alex Pichon, a passionate mountain photographer and member of the Lagoped Family, takes us to the heart of the wild Ubaye. In this lively and sensory tale, we follow a self-guided ski touring adventure, punctuated by bivouacs, magnificent landscapes, and select moments of solitude. An immersion in the rhythm of the mountains, between effort, contemplation, and simple sharing.

We arrived at the Col de Larche at 2 p.m. Packed into our bags and skis on our backs, we set off into the Orronaye valley. After an hour of carrying, we could finally put on our skis. The bag was heavy, the sun wasn't shy, and the heat was making itself felt. The adventure could truly begin!

Arriving at the Col de la Gipière, we're finally alone in the world. The two of us face the majestic Ubaye mountains. Moses's head on our right watches us. Visible tracks suggest that other skiers have taken the route at close intervals. We still hope to find ourselves alone at the bivouac!

We reach the final section of the climb to reach the Sautron Pass at 2,687m, before switching to the Italian side. As we descend, the sunlight is still very present and the fresh wind carries the joy of our first ski descent towards the East. The Danilo Sartore bivacco appears. Its teepee-shaped roof and reddish paintwork reveal the authenticity of the landscape. It is a moment of relief and happiness. Like children finding their cabin, we rush inside. A little sausage, a little cheese before enjoying our sardines and semolina!

In the early morning, the mountains are ablaze. We are lulled by the peaceful and warm atmosphere of spring that will accompany us throughout this second day. Four passes are on the menu. Our legs awaken to the rhythm of the transforming snow. The wind preserves this winter atmosphere, granting us a chill as we pass into the shade. As the day passes, the clouds emerge, and the sun seems to be playing hide-and-seek. A mountainous atmosphere sets in, without encountering anything along the way. A pleasant solitude.

Despite the lack of network coverage, we head toward the last pass of the day, the Stropia Pass. A short descent, then a short climb. Despite a remastered route and a small error, we're happy to glimpse Barenghi's bivouac. A metal box in the colors of the Swedish flag. Almost identical to our sardine cans. The timing is perfect; a thick fog encircles the blue of the bivouac a few minutes later.

After a night that felt like a deep freeze, we still woke up to the surprise of clear skies and a little extra snow to boot. The icing on the cake! Here we are, off for the easiest day of the raid. A 15 km distance and 650 meters of elevation gain, which, combined with the heat, won't give us much respite.

We descend with the Mary torrent to reach the magnificent village of Maljasset to sleep at the Chalet de Maljasset, a CAF refuge guarded by Federica (Tita) and Hélène. A blueberry tart, the return to civilization. A slightly sad happiness, but a happiness nonetheless. The next day, we hitchhike back to the car still parked at the Col de Larche. Thanks to Orso, neighbor of the refuge who saved us 15 km in ski boots.