La directissime du Pic du Midi : jamais skiable ?

Steep skiing on Pic du Midi: when do you turn back, and when do you commit? That’s the question every steep skier faces at some point. This is a full immersion into a big mountain day with Paul-Henri de Le Rue and Tom, “the Pyrenean Bear”, chasing one of the legendary lines on Pic du Midi. The plan was ambitious: ski the full northwest face via Murets Blancs, cross through the Viorrain line, and link into the Afterwork couloir. A route that’s rarely completed on skis. Coverage was good, but snow quality remained uncertain, a critical factor on terrain like this. From the top, we take the time to assess, and ultimately decide to drop in. But once in the face, reality hits fast: icy, unpredictable snow, and a traverse that’s just too exposed. Immediate call. We turn around. Climbing back up above the void, switching back to crampons, and rethinking the plan. New objective. We head toward the iconic Poubelles couloir on Pic du Midi, better exposed to the sun. This time, conditions look promising… but the crux is still waiting. Instead of following the standard line, we go for a rarely skied variation: the direct line. A fully committed section: precise edge control on firm snow, high exposure, no room for mistakes. One of the most intense moments I’ve experienced in steep skiing.