Mountain refuge Cabane de la Selle

The drawing of GR 54 , known as Tour de l'Oisans et Écrins , found on the side of Chancerier a technical reference point with the Cabane de la Selle . At an altitude of 1998 meters , this construction is integrated into a high mountain environment marked by the verticality of summits such as the Le Rochail and Pointe de Malhaubert , which exceed three thousand meters of altitude in the vicinity. Its position is strategic for those who travel the western sector of the National Park of the Ecrins , serving as a link between the deep valleys of the Isère and the cords that define this area of the massif. The environment is defined by a sudden transition from the valley funds of the former commune of Le Périer to the slopes that culminate in the Aiguille de Venosc . The surrounding relief is characterized by its rudeness, with slopes that fall to the Bonne Valley, demanding those who approach a constant progression on exposed slopes. The orography here is demanding, with pronounced levels and a terrain that requires rigorous planning, especially for mountaineers who travel through the GR 50 or Réseau pédestre de l'Oisans where the orientation and continuity of the path are key to the success of the journey.

Logistics and prudent planning in the high mountain

The stay in the Cabane de la Selle requires a conservative approach due to the limitations of the immediate environment. One of the determining factors for the mountaineer is water management, as the nearest cartographed sources are more than two kilometres away, which forces to carry sufficient reserves before facing the final rise or the night. This mountain shelter should not be considered a point of revival, but a resource of basic overnight or emergency shelter in an area where weather exposure can be high. It is especially useful for long distance trails with experience in self-sufficiency that seek to divide long stages between the valleys and the surrounding summits such as the Sommet des Clottous . Precautionary planning is essential when considering this point as a rest option, as its functional simplicity is designed for high mountain transit. The profile of the user who frequents this area is usually that of a mountaineer used to navigation in alpine massif, where total autonomy is the norm. It should not be ignored that access to basic resources is limited, and the progression towards peaks such as Pic du Col d'Ornon or Grand Renaud requires a solid physical condition and technical knowledge of the field of Auvergne- Rhône- Alpes .