03.12.2023

This has become a classic over the last few years to start the season. When there is snow down to the car park and the station is shut, La Dôle gives off the feeling of being much more wild than it is in reality. When the pine trees are covered with fresh snow and the Jura is still, free of winds that often plague plateau, there is a magical calmness that is enchanting. Having these hills at only 45 minutes from my door is a gem that I shouldn’t undervalue and the fact that it isn’t always in condition only makes the good days that bit more enjoyable.

As the was the first day of the season and three out of four of the group had ran the Duc (almost a half marathon) the evening before, only twelve hours previously, meant that a short tour was in order.

Parking the car at the ski station car park in France, it was clear that we were not the only ones who wanted to take advantage of the abundant snow and the station being shut. Booting up, it was bitterly cold and shocked the system after a scorching summer and ridiculously mild autumn period. This was the first time of the year I had this sensation of chill and I was glad to finally see the season had transitioned into winter.

We started up to the south of the station, passing around the back of the blue slope, borrowing the traces left by others. The ascent was steady and without any difficulty. The first conversions of the day on the last slope of the red piste towards the summit were a pleasure, I still remembered how to do it.

The summit came and the we were treated to a pristine cloud inversion over the Leman basin. There was a wavelike cloud feature flowing over la faucille and down towards the le Reculet. A few snaps were taken and the skins were whipped off before we headed south and then east into the bowl in between la Dôle and la Barilette.

Deciding on the steepest face, which is normally a superb little 150m section of 35 degree skiing, was probably not the most intelligent decision as a first descent. The snow was good, but heavier than expected. It must have caught more wind than I had thought and was not the easiest first turns of the season.

Everyone survived to tell the tale, a few small tumbles notwithstanding, and we skied down to the bottom of the bowl. Skins back on and a nice solitary traverse across the bowl before starting climbing again. We passed by the Nyon ski club’s winter hut and I was quite lethargic. We’d only been out a few hours but the 600m+ were sufficient.

We passed the summit triangle and packed the skins away. Descending by the ungroomed, well tracked piste was pleasant. The quads burned and I worked up a sweat, and before knowing it the descent was over. Skis off and short trot back to the car. A lovely afternoon’s work.

Stats:

Depart: 12h10, Second summit 14h30, Parking 15h

8.3km 685m+