is a
Commune of the
Hautes-Alpes ''
Département ''. It is a small
Ski Resort in the
French Alps , dominated by
La Meije .
The area is famously unpisted and although patrolled, has no formal
Avalanche control. The area is dangerous to ski unless supported by a guide, including much
Glacier travel at the very top.
Unsurprisingly, La Grave is a mecca for off-piste and extreme skiers, offering some of the most exciting and challenging terrain in the world. The vertical drop totals 2,150 m, although it is possible to ski below the resort to the road and increase the vertical descent to 2,300 m.
Access to the mountain is limited to a single, closed system yet fast lift through one intermediate station (P1). The top of the mountain (P2) then allows access to two further T-Bars (one of which is the worlds only fully suspended surface lift) to reach the top of the
Girose Glacier , although many easier descents are found below directly P2. The Girose Glacier can also be reached from the resort of Les Deux alpes on the other side, although this entails a one to two kilometer walk (between certain hours transport across is provided.
There are broadly two descents available, with many offshoots and couloirs available. Skier's right of P2 is 'Les Vallons de La Meije', leading to Couloir Banane, and Les Trifides, with skier's left following the Chancel route (also access from the Girose Glacier).
