Sannine winter ascent (Berland - Summit 2628 m - Cross 2562 m - Grande coulée)

Sannine is beautiful in all seasons. Winter ascent is tough and requires lot of endurance. Totally different from summer time, it's a unique experience. It was our first time reaching the true summit in winter. The route is different: no visible trails and steep slopes in snow. We started from Nabeh Sannine and took Berland route. Physically demanding, i found it technically easier in snow especially when snowshoes are in uphill mode. After a deserved short rest at top of Berland, we continued our way towards the "true" summit. We found our way taking the less risky trajectories. Before reaching the summit, we took off our snowshoes, the way to the top was not fully covered by snow. The view from the top is stunning in clear weather: Makmel, Tannourine, Akoura, Laklouk and Ehmej to the north, Bekaa and anti-Lebanon to the east and Kneisseh, Barouk and Hermon to the south. The way to the Cross is not easy at all. We searched for the best route to avoid risky parts. We had our lunch at the Cross before starting our descent via the famous "Grande coulée" (Bahsa). Years ago, we used to ride the pebbles of this beautiful slope in summer. Since someone found a mine to the left of this route (?), we stopped taking this route down. For this reason, i do not recommend taking down this route in summer. In winter, the descent is more difficult especially at the start of the descent where snow is usually icy making the downhill function of the snowshoes not very useful. When the snow becomes more fluffy, the downhill mode makes things easier with much better grip. I strongly recommend snowshoes with downhill mode for steep descents (Grande coulée or Berland). Even if you have to stay fully focused during the descent, you can still enjoy amazing sceneries of Zaarour, Bakish, Baskinta, Wadi el deleb and the sea! After the long descent, we turned left to catch Sannine roads leading to our starting point. Moving time is around 6 hours. This loop is amazing but reserved for the experienced hikers. Enjoy Lebanon’s beauty and stay safe!