Trying to think of next summer and things to do, came across a destination, the Panossiere hut, and a route, the bisse du corbassier. Question is really how easy/hard a route is it? I don’t care for me but the SO might not be overly amused if it gets a little exposed. The route up to Pierre avoi from St Christophe in Verbier went down badly!

The route up to Pierre avoi from St Christophe in Verbier went down badly!

I am afraid of heights and that’s ok for me (I assume you went up Chute du Bisse), obviously staying away from the cliff edge. Certainly not for me the ladders to the top of the Pierre !!

I would say plan A would be to google the route in French and look for blogs and photos etc. Swiss Alpine Club ?

EDIT: will ask my local friends, one offered to take me up to the top of the Petit Combin saying it was quite straightforward (mind you he was the one who said the Pierre A ladders where “ok”), I am sure he’ll know about the hut. The route doesn’t look too bad on the map (Swiss Mobility App and switch on walking/hiking paths). We’ve driven up the road to the damn and the paths from those two smaller middle resevoirs looks ok. You can walk over from Mont Fort refuge in Verbier in about 3-4hrs (?) and get the bus back go Les Chables)

I am afraid of heights and that’s ok for me (I assume you went up Chute du Bisse), obviously staying away from the cliff edge. Certainly not for me the ladders to the top of the Pierre !!

Via the Chateau, there are a few sections where it was a little exposed, the path took you right to the edge with a very good view of the valley bottom!, the SO wasn’t overly happy.

I have googled it as best i can and everything points to it being ok, a few boarded sections with handrails but nothing with lots of exposure.

The plan was drive to Fionnay then walk up to the Glacier then retrace, might look into carrying on to Mauvausin and getting the bus back down???,

The Mont Fort Glacier isn’t really much anymore and it would be an easy way? of seeing a reasonably big Glacier close up. Having seen the Corbassière Glacier from Verbier for years be nice to get a bit closer.

Some routes I found seem to focus on crossing the Glacier to get to the hut starting from the Cabine Marcel Brunet. The maps I looked at have routes up via Pierre Rodexs from Fionnay

Corbassière Glacier

I have sent a message to my friend who lived in Verbier for 15 years, he’ll know

Thanks

This route seems a bit too easy !

http://www.chaletspa.com/glacier-hike/

I assume you have seen this

http://www.cabane-fxb-panossiere.ch/fr/randonnees-pedestres

http://www.cabane-fxb-panossiere.ch/fr/acces-en-ete/fionnay-bisse-de-corbassiere-panossiere

Does sound a bit too easy… Then again you can walk to Lac des Vaux from Verbier by means of a very easy path or a slightly more exposed path

This would focus my attention but doesn’t look too bad. There is a photo album on the cabin link above

yes seen that, but it looks well made and does have a handrail, so not as though your scrabbling over rocks, if that is as bad as it gets???

Yes that looks positively secure versus the standard dodgy eroded path and a chain !

I assume you have seen this

http://www.cabane-fxb-panossiere.ch/fichiers/cartes/acces-sentiers-pedestres.pdf

EDIT: btw it was Grand Combin my friend said we could walk up “easily” and I am pretty sure the route was up via the hut. He will get back to me re your question

I had missed that, thanks, its one of those it should be ok if i pick the right route, assuming decent weather!

My friend sent me these timings – up from Fionnay then down to Mauvioson the next day. Will ask again about difficulty of the route as he did not comment

http://60plus.csem.ch/v02/Balades/20110809_Panossiere/Horograms_FXB_Panossiere.pdf

We have driven up to Mauvioson (dam and small hotel/cafe, a very cool diversion off “main” road into a single lane tunnel hacked through the rock) but not done any of the walks, I was interested in the trip over from Cabin Mont Fort to Fionnay.

OP that website above is a walking group for over 60’s (some into their 70’s) so I imagine nothing is too athletic. I didn’t get a personal review yet of the route but win-win I did get a part invite for a couple of weeks from now ( 🙂 ) so will ask then, there will be many Verbier “locals” present.

thanks.

OP that website above is a walking group for over 60’s (some into their 70’s) so I imagine nothing is too athletic

😀

Have you met your average 60/70 year old walker?

Spend all day everyday walking.
Have a good half century of practice.
No longer fear death.