ESCAPADE 2023: Paddy, David, Sean and Toby – Not bad for a bunch of old guys!

Escapade 2023 – Successful completion by Paddy, David, Sean and Toby on Saturday 25^th February

Taking advantage of the great weather and the fact that it was changeover day Paddy, David, Toby and Sean started the 2023 Escapade route in Courchevel Village at the Tovets lift at 08:58.

lift and a couple of runs later they reached the official start point in La Tania.  Good progress was made until we ascended the Olympic chair to the Roc de Fer only to find that the Verdet run down to St Martin De Belleville was closed due to lack of snow.  Undeterred, we descended back towards Meribel catching the Cherferie chair and then picking our way down to St Martin. 

The rest of the day went smoothly (despite having a boarder in the group!) and the team was grateful for some remote support from the team captain Tony who was unable to attend having sustained a nasty ACL/MCL injury dismounting a lift a few weeks earlier.

The group reached the last lift (Aguille du Fruit) in Courchevel before descending to 1850 and completing the challenge at 16:06 just over seven hours after starting.  Not content with finishing there we proceeded to do a few more runs before descending to Pub Le Ski Lodge in La Tania for some celebratory beers and some motivational words from the owner who told us that we hadn’t done badly for a group of old guys!

Their route

Tovets

– Amoureux

Foret

– Folyerres

La Tania

Dou Des Lanches

– Pic Bleu

– Blanchot

-Lapin

Golf

-Foret

-Doron

Legends

-Gelinotte

Olympic

-Roc de Fer (Verdet shut)

Cherferie (bonus)

-Cherferie (top of Jerusalem shut)

-Jerusalem (lower)

-Biolley

St Martin 1

St Martin Express

-Gros Tongue

-La Violette

-Bettex

Bettex

-La Violette

Point de la Masse

-Masse (Toby and Sean)

-Fred Colvilli

-Les Enverses

Reberty

Bruyeres 1 and 2

-Goitschel

-Plein Sud

Funitel Peclet

-Christine

-Moraine

Portette

Thorens

-Lory

Peyron

Ors Bouchet

-Coraia

-Peyron

Orelle-Caron

-Cime

-Fond

Pioneers

3Vallees (VT5)

-Lac de la Chambre

Mount Vallon

-Combe de Vallon

-Ours

Pas du Lac 1 and 2

-Creux

Chanrossa

-Roc Merlet

-Pyramides

-Lac Arondaz

-Cepes

Arondiaz

-Bel alt

Chapelets

-Roc Mugnier

Aguille de Fruit

-Altiport

-Biollay

Chenus

-Lanches

-L’Eclipse (bonus black)

-Moretta

ESCAPADE 2023 – What’s this all about…

The 3 Valleys Escapade was the lift company promotion of visiting (originally in 2006) 14 points across the Three Valleys and gaining a certificate & badge over the period of your holiday – doing it in a day was a bit tricky though!

It all started out as a late night “is it possible?” discussion – the history and our original route from 2006 are here

Originally punch cards had to be stamped at each check point until electronic passes arrived and then the use of a lift was recorded – now we use Apps such as Ski Tracks or Relive to prove our route.

Note that the Escapade is no longer officially promoted by Les 3 Vallees from Winter 2017 but we still record successful tracks for anyone who is interested in being in the sought after La Tania Escapade Hall of Fame

The original Escapade took 30 lifts, around 13000m vertical with 70km length and by 2016 reached 34 lifts, 17000m vertical (twice the height of Everest) and around 100km.

This is NOT a race

ALWAYS CONTROL YOUR SPEED. You do this entirely at your own risk, act responsibly, take full ownership for your own actions and all of those with you, respect other people (& the mountain), ski & ride within your limits, always obey the skiers & snowboarders code, observe all signs, pay attention to all notices, advice & instructions from Pisteurs, only ski off piste if fully equipped & knowledgeable, it’s not a race (you won’t be insured), think about the safety of others as well as yourself but above all, think of other people, take care, don’t wreck things for others & don’t even think of blaming anyone else if it all goes wrong…..

Changes through the years
2006 – First year and cards with hole punches stationed at lifties huts are used.
2008 – Electronic lift analysis is now used – no use hiking out the 4th Valley now!
2010 – The piste map did not include the top of the 4th Valley and the Col lift in Val Thorens.
2011 – The X-Wing Discovery was launched but only had 10 check points and doesn’t count!
2012 – Peclet included and Biollay / Vizelle used for Saulire access.
2015 – Foret used instead of La Tania gondola.
2016 – Mont Vallon is included for the first time plus the Montaulever drag lift.
2017 – Chapelets replaced by Petite Boss drag and La Tania’s Bouc Blanc chair replaces Tovets.
2018 – The new Roc de Tougne chair replaces the drag lift of the same name.
2019 – Legends replaces Roc de Fer and the Montaulever drag in Les Menuires has been removed.
2020 – Cime Caron now back in use.
2022 – New Pointe de la Masse and Orelle-Caron Gondolas (for example) could be used.
2023 – Using the new lifts, we ski all the resorts, all the perimeters and classic peaks – ESCAPADE 2023