Ski touring to Golèse

A classic and accessible itinerary, the ascent to the Golèse refuge follows a gradual route through forest and then alpine meadows. The trail follows steady slopes, ideal for a 1st approach to ski touring.

This is an easy ski tour, with no very steep sections.
Ideal for beginners/intermediates. For experts, it's possible to climb to the Col de la Golèse or cross over to Bostan.

From the Allamands parking lot, take the path through the woods. After a slightly steep ascent, you'll reach the alpine pasture with a beautiful view of the mountain. Cross the alpine pasture on a gradual ascent to the Golèse refuge, where Jérôme and his team are waiting for you.
The descent is by the same route to the parking lot.

You can reach Golèse on skis, even if you're not very experienced at ski touring, or on snowshoes, or even on pedibus without snowshoes, just with mountain boots and a pair of poles. But be careful! This doesn't mean you don't need to find out about the state of the mountain and snow conditions, as even well-maintained paths sometimes pass under real slopes, which can be quite unpredictable. As for the weather, it's all very much of the "mountain" type: if it's blowing in winter over a narrow pass, even one perched at 1700 meters, it's better to have rocks in your pockets, and good clothing protection!

The Golèse refuge is discovered at the last moment, as you arrive at the pass. A sunny façade, a large terrace and a breathtaking view of the Bornes and Aravis mountains... A delight in the mountains.

Having said that, what's there to do up there?

- The great classic is Tête de Bostan. Even if you start from one of the two refuges, it's a 700-meter climb, with a long straddle of the ridge between Tête de L'Avouille and Tête de Bostan. It's perfectly possible to set off from the two parking lots and get your feet under the table at around 1pm at one of the two refuges, but this is not for everyone... Some people often opt for the ski option without going to the summit, and stop at the Tête de l'Avouille, without climbing the long spine that leads to the highest point. This deprives them of a thrilling view. As for the slope chosen for the descent, things are straightforward: towards Bostan, it's south, towards Golèse, it's north to north-west. The Tête de l'Avouille slope faces due west. The northern slopes leading slightly downhill from the Golèse refuge, on the Morzine side, are superb, but prone to wind patches and, in hot weather, to the start of cross-country avalanches. At the start of this winter, several of these have shown their temperament, and we'll have to wait for a substantial additional snowfall to fill in the debris... when in doubt, we prefer the slopes further west, above the refuge and beyond, which are generally quite safe.

- On the same summit, you can play in the "steep slope" category, in the couloirs of the Terres Maudites (where the climbing routes are located), on the Morzine side. In this case, it's best to set off from Morzine to check out the conditions... See the ski touring sites to locate the routes, as well as Chablais Grimpe...

- The Golèse refuge and its eponymous pass are dominated to the north by a pretty point of the same name. From the refuge, a short descent along the access path leads up the southern slope to the Alpage des Cramots, and from there to the summit. A nice descent. Alternatively, you can climb to the aforementioned point from the Allamands parking lot, take advantage of the pretty descent and make your way up to the refuge after a short, easy climb, before putting your feet under the table...

- The Dents Blanches Occidentales (Western White Teeth) at the bottom of the Bostan valley are a great attraction for alpine skiers. A beautiful, wild climb to the Col de Bostan, then we get down to business. More arid slopes up to the summit, which often requires crampons and ice axe... An aerial summit, which we sometimes leave with care, as the steep slope at the start is often in hard snow...

Many other routes are possible, and the quickest can venture up the Vallée de la Manche from Golèse, and other bambées are conceivable on the Dents Blanches side...

Text & photos by Claude Gardien.