| Pointe des Mossettes | |
|---|---|
 North-west side | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,277 m (7,470 ft) |
| Prominence | 193 m (633 ft) [1] |
| Parent peak | Hauts-Forts |
| Coordinates | 46°11′26.5″N6°48′58″E / 46.190694°N 6.81611°E Coordinates: 46°11′26.5″N6°48′58″E / 46.190694°N 6.81611°E |
| Geography | |
  Pointe des Mossettes Location in Switzerland | |
| Location | Valais, Switzerland |
| Parent range | Chablais Alps |
The Pointe des Mossettes (2,277 m) is a mountain of the Chablais Alps, overlooking Les Crosets in the Swiss canton of Valais. The French border runs west of the summit on a straight line, although the mountain lies on the main watershed between the Dranse river basin and the Val d'Illiez.
A mountain is a large landform that rises above the surrounding land in a limited area, usually in the form of a peak. A mountain is generally steeper than a hill. Mountains are formed through tectonic forces or volcanism. These forces can locally raise the surface of the earth. Mountains erode slowly through the action of rivers, weather conditions, and glaciers. A few mountains are isolated summits, but most occur in huge mountain ranges.
The Chablais Alps are a mountain range in the western Alps. They are situated between Lake Geneva and the Mont Blanc Massif. The Col des Montets separates them from the Mont Blanc Massif in the south, and the Rhône valley separates them from the Bernese Alps in the east.
At 1,670 metres (5,480 ft), Les Crosets is the resort of highest altitude among those on the Swiss side of the Portes du Soleil. It is, however, one of the smallest as well. It is easily reached by skis from Châtel and Avoriaz. It has a microclimate and allows splendid views of the Dents Du Midi. The famous Swiss wall and Off Piste are accessible from Les Crosets.
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The mountain is part of the international ski area Portes du Soleil and its summit can be reached by cable car from Les Crosets or Avoriaz (France).
Les Portes du Soleil is a major skisports destination in the Alps, encompassing thirteen resorts between Mont Blanc in France and Lake Geneva in Switzerland. With more than 650 km of marked pistes and about 200 lifts in total, spread over 14 valleys and about 1,036 square kilometres (400 sq mi), Portes du Soleil ranks among the two largest ski areas in the world. Almost all of the pistes are connected by lifts – a few marginal towns can be reached only by the free bus services in the area. The highest point of skiing is 2400 m and the lowest is 900 m. As with many other Alpine ski resorts, the lower slopes of the Portes du Soleil have snow-making facilities to extend the skiable season by keeping the lower slopes open during the warmer months.
Avoriaz is a French mountain resort in the heart of the Portes du Soleil. It is located in the territory of the commune of Morzine. It is easily accessible from either Thonon at Lake Geneva or Cluses-junction on the A40 motorway between Geneva and Chamonix. Either way one follows the D902, Route des Grandes Alpes, to Morzine and then the D338 running from Morzine to Avoriaz. Snow chains are often necessary. Avoriaz is built on a shelf high above the town of Morzine, which is among the pioneering towns of skiing with its first lifts dating back to the early 1930s. Today Avoriaz is one of the major French ski destinations catering for all standards of skiing and ranks among the top snowboarding destinations of the world. Apart from snow-based pursuits, Avoriaz is also a centre for trekking, golf, VTT and other outdoor activities during the summer. Cars are forbidden in Avoriaz. The station is designed to be fully skiable. Other transport around the resort includes horse-drawn sleighs and snowcats during winter.
