I don’t often moan but I’ve got some today. What were piste managers thinking by leaving the snow making running 24 hours?
German Mattis - steep, narrow, often a bit icy but always good. Not when the piste is blocked by manufactured snow the size of Transit vans.
The same again at the bottom of Piste M, but ten times worse due to the traffic.
Everywhere the snow is decent, except where they have tried to top up with machine made snow. In these locations, all they have made is hazards. I’ll bet there were lots of casualties.
On a plus side, Pisailas was deserted today. I looped and looped, each time skiing right up to the gates, no one in the queue. The snow up there too was perfect. Soft, grippy, flat. It was perfect.
Finished at the Rosée before the forecast cloud cover (never happened) just after 2pm.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
welshflyer - yes its the East Face of the Charvet indeed. I was born in Irvine, Ayrshire - nowhere near Angus - but good one! Yes having a break refires the body for the next trip hopefully!
bar shaker - fascinating - I was under the impression that French mobile contracts would automatically get upgraded to 5G when it became available. Im with the no frills version of Orange here in France and use an iPhone X - should I be getting 5G then I wonder. Not that my speeds are slow on 4G - about 80mbps or something most of the time! WIFI speeds on the wired network are relatively slow yes... we get less than 10 in this block although interestingly (and again as far as I know fibre is not available in Val yet - next Summer I believe?!?!?!) in the flat near Spar petrol station we rent out we get about 60mbps or something.... hmmmmmm. Im sure someone will have some bright ideas here! As far as the mounds of man-made snow is concerned - totally agree I never understand why they do that sometimes... little and often would be better but I guess where there is a madness there is a reason!
michaelbury17 - yes I know - has been a LONG time (years) since I even got a photo let along a video of myself skiing.... We actually had some pro photos and vid's taken back in 2010 - I should post some here shouldn't I. Thats very kind of your kind words - thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed your trip - always time in the season for another! Yes that Kiosk by Aspen Burger in VC is good - always thought (but never have) about eating there.
Still cold but should finally get a little warmer
I was most definitely the first awake in the household this morning and I dont think Clare awoke when my alarm went off. I snuck out and managed to eat my eats on toast with my warm cuppa in complete peace which was rather special. The kids joined me at the end just as Clare got up. That gave me my queue to get ready for the mornings teaching.
The thermo was showing cold temps still so I wrapped up warm and headed off. I have NOT had my heated socks on at all this season yet - in fact I haven't had them on for about 3 years so I tried today.... took me a little while to remember how to turn them on.... however they still didnt seem to heat up this morning so i need to see what is wrong with them as something weird is going on with them!
My morning session was a couple who only took up skiing in their 40's and pretty technically strong given their experience. However they had both had small injuries to their knees separately at the end of last holiday. Today was all about trying to get them back in a mentally positive place as well as finding their feeling for the snow before a series of lessons this week... the lessons this week will be separate from each other! Im not sure which of the 2 I will actually ski with but we can sort that out tomorrow. The session was successful working on getting those things back through some greens and then blues. It was once again cold though thats for sure! It didnt help that there was a persistent layer of thin cloud overhead most of the day keeping any heat from the sun away. Brrrr
Anyway I headed home at lunchtime and with Olivia heading out to Club at the same time and Ben on a play date for the day (lucky boy they went swimming in Tignes) it was a quiet house. I had a very quiet afternoon (well we I should say, Clare and I) which was nice and the (potential) builder popped around to discuss some things for our build!
With the tired kids back and in bed it is now time to watch Ski Sunday and talking of which what a result (again) for Dave Ryding - awesome news and what a second run charge! He's not having the best season so far so this was timely!
I had a first today... I actually saw a Tommeuse chair going up FULL up - wow news flash! Its ironic that big 8 / 6 seat chairlifts often DONT increase the numbers of persons heading up the mountain per hour / minute etc.... 4 seaters efficiency wise are usually the best.
Also I had forgotten it was first day / show off day.... millions running around like headless chickens living on the edge and at the other end of the spectrum people jumping into the very deep end of the pool skiing things like Verte without any experience and ultimately walking / falling / crying their way down the middle of the piste. All pretty standard for a Sunday!
Anyway will sign off for this evening.
TTFN
I forgot to take any photos today so this one sums it up from Radio Val
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
On Val side quite a bit of the more challenging stuff (Santons, Epaule Charvet, Piste S, Marmottons, Foret, Le Cognon, Tunnel, 3000) is still closed.
Does anybody have an idea about the reason? Epaule Charvet says 'Manque de Neige', but is that really the case?
No idea why the Val stuff is closed. 3000 looks like it has never been pisted this season. Épaule Charvet is a mogul field so is getting plenty of use regardless. The Avi risk is 2 today. This being 3 or above is the normal reason for closing Santons.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Skiwi222, Yes Eqaule Charvet has insufficient snow. It opened briefly a few days ago for the first time and we went down around 1130. Still plenty of vegetation poking through and lots of scrapped muddy areas especially on the bottom half.
@Skiwi222, Yes Eqaule Charvet has insufficient snow. It opened briefly a few days ago for the first time and we went down around 1130. Still plenty of vegetation poking through and lots of scrapped muddy areas especially on the bottom half.
Wow, that's a bit surprising...
We'll be in Val this weekend, guess we'll "have to" take the Face back to town then
Really hope they open up some of those itinéraires by then, always nice to have a little bit of a challenge
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Skiwi222 / bar shaker / muppet - So Santons needs a LOT of snow to fill in the river bed and then have enough to be pisted roughly flat... when some avalanches start coming down into it that will help (from above). Epaule - doesnt have piste bashing facilities (well to any extent anyway) so needs lots of compaction which takes time after a snowfall so the skiers ducking the rope will help in due course. Piste S similar to Epaule. Marmattons ditto / Foret ditto (these all come down to the valley floor so have had less snow overall. Tunnel and 3000 - they're not opening these anyway - haven't done for years so no idea why they show up as being possibilities!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Fornet here we come
The weather today has been growing from the east and certainly the closer to Tignes you got today the better the weather / vis was... however we have had a decent amount of snow already fallen and its coming down ever thicker and thicker this evening! The temps have risen (not that it feels it due to this cloud and a relatively punchy wind) and right now it is only -3 out there.
It was relatively easy getting the kids sorted and out the door this morning and with the nice weather it was a pleasant start to a Monday. I headed up to the meeting point and met my team for the week. A couple I have skied with before and the group I am running is an off piste adventure group so after tran checking we headed up. I was surprised how busy it was overall - quite busy for this time of the year. Anyway we took it quite easy for the first day with some strips off verte as well as around the back of the Jardins Borsat. The light was really closing in after that so we took one trip through the rock garden under Pisteurs before deciding better light was needed so we headed down lower spatule and eventually out under the funi... rather tracked out but OK. Overall the snow was pretty good. By lunchtime it was really coming in so it was nice to get to lunch. There is a new member joining the group tomorrow so hopefully he fits in well.
The afternoon was back with the guy I had as part of the husband / wife team yesterday. It was looking pretty horrendous up Solaise side so we went Bellevarde way. The green triangle had awesome snow on it and we really profited from amazing conditions but it was a little chilly but thankfully we could see OK. For a while it looked as if the conditions were going to get better but it didn't last and by the last hour of the day the snow was coming / the wind was howling and vis was going... eeek.
However all in all it was a good day.
I had an hour at home (Clare was out massaging again) before I went to collect the kids from gym / swimming and then we had lots of chasing the kids to eat dinner / clean teeth etc and then get them into bed. Blimey always a rush Monday evenings!
The snow is coming thick and fast out there this evening so this Retour d'est means I think we will be going Solaise and possibly Fornet direction tomorrow.
Finally I saw an interesting series of stats on Radio Val this morning - so Val has a stock of about 15k tourist beds and a further 10k beds privately owned (although some of those might be rented privately!)... however even these 25k beds in resort makes us a small resort in terms of the number of beds available in total.... La Plagne has a total of 50k beds... I would imagine that places like Tignes and Val Thorens and Les Arcs have way, way more than 25k beds!
TTFN
Oh it had looked pretty promising first thing out there.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@Steve Angus,
Quote:
I would imagine that places like Tignes and Val Thorens and Les Arcs have way, way more than 25k beds!
Seems Les Arcs has most, with approx 35k beds. Tignes about 33k. Val Thorens about the same as Val D'Isere on 25k.
Val D'Isere might have the best quality.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
PeakyB wrote:
@Steve Angus,
Quote:
I would imagine that places like Tignes and Val Thorens and Les Arcs have way, way more than 25k beds!
Seems Les Arcs has most, with approx 35k beds. Tignes about 33k. Val Thorens about the same as Val D'Isere on 25k.
Val D'Isere might have the best quality.
Perhaps.
Where did you get those figures from?
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Steve Angus,
Quote:
Where did you get those figures from?
Off t'internet, so bound to be right
My impression is of lots more satellite villages making up Les Arcs and La Plagne. Tignes has more higher rise buildings crammed in.
Val D'Isere is different in that it grew around an established town, rather than being designed specifically for mountain activities. Clearly it sold it's soul to commercialism long ago but, for me at least, remains the best balance between excellent sliding, top lift system and proper town feel.
All very subjective, just like those total bed figures.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
PeakyB wrote:
@Steve Angus,
Quote:
Where did you get those figures from?
Off t'internet, so bound to be right
My impression is of lots more satellite villages making up Les Arcs and La Plagne. Tignes has more higher rise buildings crammed in.
Val D'Isere is different in that it grew around an established town, rather than being designed specifically for mountain activities. Clearly it sold it's soul to commercialism long ago but, for me at least, remains the best balance between excellent sliding, top lift system and proper town feel.
All very subjective, just like those total bed figures.
Tend to agree on all that
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Was in Val Claret last week and I have to give a shout out to Marie and Colin at Le Cavaeu (just up from Grizzly Bar). Relaxed atmosphere, great food and they were great company too. We needed that after being ice blasted and/or deep frozen for 6 hours each day!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Steve Angus wrote:
Skiwi222 / bar shaker / muppet - So Santons needs a LOT of snow to fill in the river bed and then have enough to be pisted roughly flat... when some avalanches start coming down into it that will help (from above). Epaule - doesnt have piste bashing facilities (well to any extent anyway) so needs lots of compaction which takes time after a snowfall so the skiers ducking the rope will help in due course. Piste S similar to Epaule. Marmattons ditto / Foret ditto (these all come down to the valley floor so have had less snow overall. Tunnel and 3000 - they're not opening these anyway - haven't done for years so no idea why they show up as being possibilities!
@Steve Angus, have you still got the same French mobile number- sent you a message. Let me know if you can’t see it.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
RiffC - amazing to hear. Cold for sure.
Skiwi222 - wasn’t aware of it being open then. Either way recent snow will help for sure.
bar shaker - one of the best powder days I’ve ever had in this job yes indeed.
lynnecha - yes have same number ending 69
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Speechless
Sometimes in this job you are teaching on the bluebird pow days / other days you have great skiers but the snow is bad / some days you have beginners and the snow off piste looks excellent and so on, so forth! Today however was to be different....
I got the kids out the door and was off to the meeting point... it was apparent that we had about 18cm of fresh snow on the ground and it appeared to be reasonable weather and not too bad on the wind front. The temps were ok too!
So I had one new member of the team arrive and it was a very experienced skier of some 150 week, he anticipated, in Val d'Isere. He had skied a lot with various guides and guiding outfits out there. Anyway I could see that this was going to be one heck of a blue bird day and everyone was full of anticipation of what was to open. I was aware that the pisteurs still had a lot of work to do to clear the Bellevarde side of things so it was always going to be the Solaise side that opened first. We luckily were one of the first in the queue for the ski school line over there and so the wait started. To be honest it took an awful lot longer than I thought it would do on the Solaise side to get the lift turning and to open up. Whilst we waited we were entertained watching the pisteurs do their thing - see photos below.
We got up the lift and the first thing that was apparent was that there was a LOT more wind than appeared from below and it was moving around a lot and further it had moved snow around a lot... the vis was hit and miss but improving on the whole!
So after a slow start it needed to be a maximum turns kinda morning so we worked various options off Madeleine / Datcha and Glacier Express finding lovely deep pockets of snow all over the place but the wind had changed it up a lot... it was slab in places and REALLY scrapped in others and really deep elsewhere - it varied a lot thats for sure! Apart from one guy losing a ski and the rest of us doing a lap whilst he found it it was pretty darn great up there however the wind was bad so when the laisenant express opened I dived into one in Super L (you can tell why the L is not open yet as there is not a lot of snow to cover the river down there still!) and it was IMMENSE.... better still a lap of Tete Arrollay was off the scale good and again the rock garden into the L for a second time was truly off the scale. So ultimately today was one of those days of having excellent skiers and snow that was about 50cm deep and in places about 1m deep. Truly awesome. Got some vids but not many photos - not hanging about in those conditions to take pics!
So it was an incredible morning thats for sure!
Obviously planning to get up to the glacier was a non starter given the wind and conditions but tomorrow we might head that way but I suspect Grand Vallon or Cugnai might be better bets as I dont think they opened today! Could be another epic one as the snow and wind did continue through the afternoon before finally clearing up later in the day!
The afternoon I had the same guy ive had the last couple afternoons and the pistes were getting rather chopped up and lumpy so it gave the perfect opportunity to work on moguls... it turned into quite the session in the end... pole planting and then how to deal with the chop was the way forward and with the weather improving it was a fun session although it got a little chilly by the end. He really enjoyed taking a trip down the Fontaine Froid too - bravo.
After work it was a bit of a rush as we had about 1 hour to get the kids sorted, ourselves sorted and get out to town for the reception of an associate who was married to a close friend of mine for the last 30 odd years or so. His ashes were scattered off the side of the Face today and this was time for a buffet and drinks and a few speeches. The who's who of Val was there thats for sure! It was lovely actually.
So have just come home from that.
Im pretty shattered so off to bed.
TTFN
P.S. Tomorrow could be another cracker.
Doesnt really show the best of the tracks we left today but sums up the various weather we found.
The right hand red line has the tiny dot of the observing (the blast and noting for the record what happens) pisteur under it on the ridge. The left hand red line is where the 2 pisteurs are standing having just thrown their 1 min charges and the black line is the blast going off. This is all just above the road before the wall on the Face piste. So a lot of working ongoing as we waited patiently for the ski area to get going this morning!
Have you heard anything about lift worker strikers in Val d'Isere next week?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I was wondering about strikes too. Due out in Val from 4th Feb and will be gutted if the skiing is limited because of strikes. For the resort as well it would be a nightmare following on two years of COVID restrictions. Any info would be gratefully received!
After all it is free
After all it is free
@Chaz, @carfla7,
Que sera sera
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@Steve
Yes one of the best for me too. I stayed local just lapped. In the morning I had to sit out a few more thunderstorm dumps but, what a day. By about 11 the sun was out and there was no one out.
I quickly learned that trying to use the camera on a 1m stick through the proper trees was above my skill grade. I needed free hands for balance. So camera away and when my stashes were getting tracked I went full timber mode. Loved it. Deep and steep. Yep 50-100cm for lots of it.
No question, a top three day on the hill for me.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
welshflyer[b] - no no haggis ce soir
[b]Skiwi222 - yea I saw that and the L will be soon too
Chaz / carfla7 - these rumours have been doing the rounds. As far as my sources and reading up tells me lifties and other sectors have been given the authority to ballot to go on strike but by the time it happens it is more likely to be later in the season before a strike actually happens. But as far as I am aware nothing in Val next week as far as I know no. Could be wrong though.
bar shaker - yea a top 10 day thats for sure - just being able to ski it with clients of suitable standard / challenge level etc is the main thing... it all came together nicely. Today was right up there too.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Thanks Steve. I was also aware that it could be media scaremongering to an extent. Fingers are crossed.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Another cracker but keeping me on my toes
I was woken far too early this morning as Olivia had a nightmare in the early hours and Im not really sure I slept well after that!
It all seemed to be a bit of a rush but we got out the door and I got the kids dropped at kids club OK. Phew
The weather was not as good as I had hoped and there was a fair bit of cloud around still but my team turned up full of anticipation for a fun morning like yesterday.
I knew I was always going to be heading into the wind to see what we could sniff up Fornet after most of it DIDNT open yesterday so we set off up the Solaise but I was really surprised that the weather was much like yesterday morning initially - the light was flat, the wind blowing and it was a bit of a shock - hmmm change of plan sprung to mind. The warm up down the side of the glacier piste didnt really show a massive new accumulation of pow! Plan b hit the bus stop which was nice then p5 couloir off mattis - which was also quite good actually! By the time we got out of there the clouds and amazingly parted (well were parting) so by the time we got to the top of the Laisenant chair it was decision time... I literally could see across the way the Signal drag opening up so Grand Vallon was an option.... and the app was showing Cugnai had also just opened (to be honest I was super surprised they didnt need to blast the ridge line but alas they didnt by looks of things!). However the wind was also stopping the Vallon as well as the up and over from opening so that could alter the flow of people who might steel the pow - haha! Anyway I decided on yet another awesome lap through Tete Arollay which is stunning still and then we headed to Cognac. The wind was still strong and the numbers of people heading Cugnai way (as they didnt have many options with the up and over closed of where to go) was quite large but as anticipated most turned around and came back down the piste which was pow anyway! So I was pleasantly surprised that I had the honour of only being the 2nd group in and the first group had gone a different route to normal anyway.... it meant I had the honour of opening up the guts of Cugnai (my spiritual home) in bottomless pow. Just one word - epic. Possibly one of my favourite descents of my life! Sooooooo many turns. It got a little heavier / a little less snow lower down but it was awesome. Perhaps a little choppy at the bottom and crust but it was amazing. We did a Marmottons couloir from top of Manchet back to town to finish... certainly below the couloir it was lovely snow but it was stiff snow above surprisingly! A great morning.
Lunch was the usual before I had an old client from last year who wanted to improve his options along with his grown up son to tackle steeper slopes. So we had some work to do and even took a trip over to Tignes and back and had to throw in 'how to deal with lumps and bumps' into the equation too. We finally finished with a trip down the Face to finish... it was varied to put it mildly but they did pretty well with only a couple of falls on the way!
And that pretty much brings you up to date.
TTFN
Little quiz for you there.
Saw this on Instagram from one of the piste basher drivers... good shot of how the piste bashers attach themselves to winch points on steeper slopes... this looks like at the top of the steep part at top of the OK Orange near top of the Marmots lift.
Trust me it was about 1m deep.
Below Marmottons couloir
Yours truly thinking this entry to Cugnai through... i was worried it was too wind loaded from above.
The weather was awesome by the afternoon.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Steve Angus,
Still need to be cautious in deciding where to go off piste!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
welshflyer wrote:
@Steve Angus,
Still need to be cautious in deciding where to go off piste!
Are you stating or telling me that (or asking?) but yes....
this was NOT created by me or my client in Grand Vallon today but goes to show.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Steve Angus,
Steve you know a lot more about mountain safety than me. No way would I tell you anything.
I will listen and take on board advice from those who spend their lives in the mountains.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
WOW (again)
With my daughter steeling my bed last night I sort of slept OK in her bed... but I was tired again this morning! Its all this fantastic skiing thats what it is.
With clear skies it was chilly first thing this am but without any wind - a perfect combination! After being pushed away from the Fornet weatherise the last few days I finally decided that it was ripe for today. My team were all early and with wall to wall sunshine we hot footed it on the bus straight up to the Fornet (it only takes 10 minutes!) and after the cable car, and Pyramides Chair and finally the signal drag we were ready to have fun. I wanted to get ahead of the vast majority of people who take the Solaise etc to get to the Fornet and it worked as no one was around for the first hour.
So the shoulder of the Signal produced the goods (if you dont follow me on Instagram then you really should as I have posted some vids on there - search for SteveAngusSnow) and then we dropped into Grand Vallon (again before anyone else was in there) and worked a big loop out wide before getting back towards the Mangard piste... some truly lovely snow in there... however you still have to work the orientations / slope angles and altitude somewhat too. We finished with a run through Sunny bowl and I did my trick (which I won't put on here) to make sure of fresh tracks without any pushing and walking). After a ski down to Fornet and jumping on the bus it was on reflection quite an incredible morning.
At lunchtime I loved catching up with lynnecha and Mr lynnecha... so nice catching up and sharing news. Also got to enjoy my weekly treat of buying lunch too! haha!
The afternoon I had my seasonnaires and we had a full house of people. With the sun still shining it was a perfect afternoon to up their game bearing in mind they were pretty new to the sport just a few weeks back. We did some work on blue and red pistes over the afternoon including a fair amount of time on the stade where the snow was perfect and just right for their level and what we are working on. The ski down Fontaine Froid was successful too. It was a good afternoon and todays trick of the day, 360 spins on the piste they totally loved too. It was a fun afternoon.
One thing that once again stuck out like a sort thumb today was just the lack of skilled skiers out there. I know I always go on about these things but boy whats happened to skiers who could actually.... well ski... even semi properly! I know I have been at this game for a long time but what the heck is going wrong in this industry that means the worst skiers are hailed as being the best. Doh!
Also I was in the middle of teaching this afternoon when a group of crazy and probably drunk French skiers pulled up just up from where I was standing with my group... they all had massive speakers attached to the their rucksacks and had random rubbish French music playing... I could barely hear myself think let alone carry on speaking to my group... I mean 'hello' - since when is that acceptable and 'do you not realise' what idiots you are being and impacting on those who couldnt care less!
Anyway I got home and Clare was out doing a massage so I had a very full on evening sorting the kids and getting dinner sorted etc... ouch!
Last day with my off pisteurs tomorrow and then I have a boring afternoon of admin to get on with tomorrow but hey ho.
TTFN
You'd be smiling too
There was a sea of cloud down the valley creeping up for most of the afternoon but it'll slide away again overnight just fine.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
welshflyer wrote:
@Steve Angus,
Steve you know a lot more about mountain safety than me. No way would I tell you anything.
I will listen and take on board advice from those who spend their lives in the mountains.
Dont worry I just wasnt sure the context of what you had written thats all. We can all learn all the time!
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Gosh another amazing one
I slept reasonably well last night but I could do with a LONG sleep tonight and I might just get it as we have a friend (dating back to Clares first season in 2006 as a YSE chalet girl) staying with us tonight. Anyway this friend now works as an accountant in Geneva and her parents still come on holiday to Val each year and stay with YSE. As payment her parents who we have gotten to know well over the years always treat us to a nice meal out. So anyway her parents, friend and Clare and I are all popping out for a nice meal and of course after a couple of drinks and with the friend using our sofa for the night I will be asleep in double quick time tonight - bliss!
Anyway the sun was shining again this morning but the thermometer was showing that it was colder due to the clear skies again last night but of course it would warm when the sun got going. My team was back to the original two from the beginning of the week as one guy was only booked for a few days mid week. After so many days up Solaise and Fornet etc I wanted to try an option or two up Bellevarde side. So we (as has been the story of the week) had to juggle plans as I could see that the Jardins Borsat sud looked epic from the top of the Olympic! So we set out on the long traverse from the Borsat and found some really lovely clean snow with only a 10 min pole out.... and the lower flats back towards Grand Pre were pretty special too! Heading into the tour du charvet I had plans to do eagle rock and the steeps on that side and whilst it was lovely across the top the lower steeps had (unfortunately and surprisingly) taken some heat yesterday.... so it was heavy chunky chop - always hard work!
Anyway I made up for it by digging out one of my favourite little secret stashes that keeps the snow good and untracked days after a snowfall from the top of Glacier Express. It was amazing actually and not too much poling either! So easy to get to and so special. See if you can work it out in the photos below?
A Danaides Wall into the L followed and the Wall was surprisingly clean snow wise and great snow whilst the descent into the L was pretty good too although a little thin in occasional places. It was jolly good really!
After I finished at Laisenant and bussed it back to town and returned the off piste gear the clients had borrowed for the week I popped to the supermarket to get some food for lunch and have now been at home for a couple of hours. The main task this afternoon is to get the probate forms signed off for my mum - yawn! But its gotta be done.
Clare is out teaching this afternoon to its turning into a perfect day as I have my feet up on the sofa with a nice cuppa typing this after a satisfying morning and watching the England cricket match in the background! Oh I think it could get better if I have steak for dinner!
This weekend the traffic forecast on the roads is for slow downs so as always leave / arrive early. Im not working tomorrow before I am back on all day Sunday with (by the looks of things) an American group of 17 split between 3 of us!
TTFN
P.S. Some photos of today hopefully not making you feel sick!
Smiling - wouldnt you be?
My secret stash - well one of them anyway..... dozens of untracked turns days after a snowfall and always guaranteed quality of snow too!
Also I was in the middle of teaching this afternoon when a group of crazy and probably drunk French skiers pulled up just up from where I was standing with my group... they all had massive speakers attached to the their rucksacks and had random rubbish French music playing... I could barely hear myself think let alone carry on speaking to my group... I mean 'hello' - since when is that acceptable and 'do you not realise' what idiots you are being and impacting on those who couldnt care less!
I saw that in La Plagne a couple of times last week as well.
I live in Richmond alongside the Thames. I often see cyclists along the towpath doing the same thing.
I am afraid it seems to be a growing trend and it is one of my pet hates.
P.S. Some photos of today hopefully not making you feel sick!
Absolutely vomit inducing!
As ever - wish I was there. Keep it coming Steve.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Fantastic photos!
After all it is free
After all it is free
@Steve Angus, Great to catch up yesterday ( and especially the amazing videos of the little Angus's skiing - wow, amazing!). The photos above look like shots for the Tignes/Val d'Isere tourist board. You should copyright them before Radio Val nick them...
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
