Mt Fort & 4 Valleys Ski Area

The Mont Fort sector of the 4 Valleys Ski Area offers, without a doubt, the largest array of easily reachable advanced/expert terrain of any ski resort in the Alps. When combined with the Verbier sector’s Mt-Gelé and Tortin itineraries, the possibilities are simply endless.

The Mont Fort sector can either be accessed via La Chaux (2260m) by loading onto the Jumbo, or via Tortin (2050m) by taking the Col des Gentianes tram. The Col des Gentianes tram was recently (2009) upgraded to provide cabins similar to Jumbo, meaning greater comfort and smaller queues.  Both lifts converge at the same spot…the Col des Gentianes, at an altitude of 2950m!

From there, you can either choose to drop down towards Tortin via the Gentianes – Tortin itinerary (see Off Piste in Mt Fort/4 Valleys) or take a more mellow route down towards La Chaux taking the Gentianes red run (see Intermediate Runs in Mt Fort/4 Valleys).

From the Col des Gentianes, there is also the possibility of remaining in the high alpine area and skiing the Glaciers 2 red runs, which are serviced by the Glacier 1 & Glacier 2 drag lifts. Due to the glacier’s heavy recession these past few years, this area necessitates lots of natural snowfall to operate, and therefore, is not always open.

Those seeking the awe-inspiring panoramic views from the top of Mont Fort, as well as the challenging and often mogulled-out black run on its front face, can head up to its 3330m summit via the Mont Fort 2 tram. From there, you can also drop off the backside for some adrenaline packed descents (see Off Piste in Mt Fort/4 Valleys) but it is unadvisable to do so without the accompaniment of a certified mountain guide.

A word of advice for all of you venturing up there: If the weather is threatening to come in and you don’t know the sector well, it is preferable to make your way down the mountain ASAP as the high alpine environment and pea-soup fog do not mix very well. The lack of trees and recognizable features can quickly give you an impression of vertigo, not to mention how easy it is to become lost amidst such a vast area. Even following the piste markers to avoid falling off the run can be a difficult task for someone who knows the slope layout well. Better to save your high alpine adventures for nice sunny days!

The rest of the 4 Valleys, namely Nendaz, Veysonnaz and Thyon (which, together combined, go by the name of “Printze”) are also well worth the visit. Spanning North, North-East from Tortin, the Printze area offers a great choice of blue and red runs, as well as a few blacks for the more intrepid skiers and boarders.

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