High winds have destroyed the powder dream at high altitude. This past weekend, Le Toule glacier and les Pentes de la Vierge were virtually inskiable, the Vallee Blanche was atrocious and the Grands-Montets just OK. There is a lot of cardboard out there. But thank God for creating the Aiguilles Rouges... 
The Col de Beugeant was the only ski tour Roger 76 years old hadn't done. We had our doubts about the snow conditions but hey, the best way to know was to check it out.
You don't really see the ramp to cross until you are half way up. It is an obvious diagonal line, bang on at 2970m.
Looking up at the traverse seems relatively easy. Is is really necessary to use the ropes? During my formation as a guide, a teacher gave me this advice: "if you ask yourself the question it means there is certainly a good chance you might need it. "
I teamed up with Roger who ost his crampons twice. Roger wicked at me in complicity. Dick and kin were following securing the rope around rocks.900m of uphill for 1600m of untracked knee deep powder!
The weather closed in, I felt swallowed by whiteness. It was getting difficult to guess the terrain. But the snow being so good, we just let our skis navigate us down to the Vallee de Berard.
The exit to Buet is in excellent James Bond conditions at the moment!
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