Couloir du Saix Rouquin

Overview

Huberschwiller - The Marks

This is a very nice route, mostly a hike up, but on a few places it requires also some easy climbing.
Marks: The route is marked with an icon of chamois.
Time: From Pas de la Bosse 1 h 45 min.
Difficulty: On the Swiss Hiking Scale the difficulty of this hike up would be rated T3. One more exposed place, on a few places some easy climbing.

Getting There

For more information, see the main page of Cornettes de Bise.

Pas de la Bosse, 1816 m, where the route starts, can be reached from 3 directions:

1. From Vacheresse to the alpages and Hut of Bise, 1506 m. Then to the saddle. Less than 1 h from parking place.
2. From Chalets de Chevenne, 1216 m. From the parking place you go N by a mountain road (closed for public traffic), then take the left branch to Chalet de la Chenau, 1590 m. From there, continue in the NW direction to the saddle. 1 h 30 min.
3. From Ubine hamlet, 1491 m. You hike over a saddle north of Mont Chaufe to Chalets de Mens and further on Pas de la Bosse. Some 2 h.

Route Description

Up the couloir to the grassy ridge

Exposed crossing

From Pas de la Bosse you take a marked path which goes towards the east, across the slopes into the SW face of Cornettes de Bise. After a few minutes, the path turns up and goes in several turns up, all the time keeping in the Couloir du Saix Rouquin. The couloir is quite flat, but steep, so you gain altitude quickly. Reaching its upper part, you see a nice grassy edge where the path ascends to. From there views down into the valley of Bise open again.

There the path turns right, towards the walls of Cornettes de Bise. First it crosses a steep edge - the passage requires a short, easy climb. Then it continues across the slopes and up. Some passages still need some care, but overall the ascent is easy. So you gain the SW ridge of Cornettes de Bise.

The view from summit ridge

The summit ahead of us

The path continues by its right edge and gets more and more panoramic. Before reaching the highest point it descends for a few meters. There's another passage, where you need to climb a bit over the rocks. Then the path reaches the summit slopes and ascends in several turns on top. Notice an opening in the rocks on the left making a window looking at the Bise valley before the grass covered summit.

Essential Gear

> Good shoes and poles.
> Rope for children under 10 years.