Slightly shattered from a pretty full-on day & not as long-winded as usual, due to dinner being served shortly & the fact that this poor garçon is so hungry, that he could begin to gnaw at the one of the dry-curing hams, hanging so tantalisingly close. Keen to report, that although this season hasn't gotten off to a great start, there is still some pretty good off-piste skiing to be had in the Tarentaise.
With off-piste conditions marginal and following the disappointment of our guide cancelling the weekend plans, due to adverse weather, we set off with him on Monday, as guests, to explore whatever delights Espace Killy could offer. What delights indeed .. ! Given that conditions are by no means ideal, we had an absolutely brilliant day at the higher altitude, with excellent powder as the principal reward, though we had to experience some ice and hard-pack to earn it .. !
Having been chauffeured by our guide to La Daille, we took the Funival to the Rocher de Bellevarde, to complete a warm-up run on 'Orange', intending to rendezvous with the remainder of the group back at La Daille. Some element of 'early-morning complacency' at the top of 'Orange' was swiftly & decisively eradicated, as sheet ice on the entire upper section, rapidly focused minds on survival & it wasn't pretty .. ! The remainder of the descent was fast and thrilling as both legs and minds adjusted to the conditions at hand.
With our group together, we re-ascended Rocher de Bellevarde and commenced the search for powder, taking 'Borsat' chair to the Col & then skiing down what I term the 'Borsat Vallon' to 'Tommeuses', encountering some wonderful pitches of powder on the way. I am so pleased that I can ski powder after five years absence - it wasn't exactly pretty-perfect mind, but I didn't care, as I really enjoyed it and Laurent was quick to point out 'areas of improvement', which were gradually implemented during the day, to produce an acceptable standard by sundown!
From thence we descended to Val Claret and on to the Aiguille du Chardonnet, where, skis off, we climbed up the steep Col, with moi secretly regretting the Pear & Chocolate tarte at Le Petit St. Bernard last night! It's tough going, but worth it as our reward unfolds beneath us - what a descent ... !!! Conditions are not by any means perfect, but having such a guide as Laurent is a joy to behold, as time after time, he leads us across ridges of hard-pack into gullies of beautiful powder, which is sublime to one who hasn't been on the mountain for five years! From then on, he sweeps us across the entire domain, as far as Le Laisinant, utilising the orientation of both sun and slopes, to consistently deliver pitches of powder in what was a most wonderful and memorable day. The best part is that we get to do it all again tomorrow .. ! And now .. au revoir ... dinner is ready .. 😄
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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?
What a difference a day makes ... Yesterday was was tough, hard and absolutely brilliant ! Today was tough and hard .. !!
Having just about managed to crawl unaided to the dinner table, last night, legs protesting the days endeavours and generally unable to function in an orderly fashion, I was fully restored to life by the delights of the Petit St. Bernard restaurant, most especially, three generous ladles of their soup extraordinaire, 'Velouté Parisienne'. If only Napoleon had access to the unique Petit St. Bernard 'Velouté', history would have been surely re-written - no retreat from Moscow, no Waterloo, no Beef Wellington and no Abba .. 😄
Velouté will be needed tonight, as what the mountain givith yesterday, the mountain taketh away today. Dreams of blissful descents in powder, were shattered in a most beastly & dastardly fashion, as the wind tracked all the way through from North West, to South East and froze overnight, to leave most of the beautiful Espace Killy as solid as any self-respecting glacier.
Following our rendezvous at Val Claret, we made our way to Aiguille Percee, with the intention of skiing powder in Vallon de la Sachette and later, off the back of Aiguille du Chardonnet. However, it was not to be - having hiked up to the shoulder of the ridge, we were not happy to see ice on the Col de la Sachette side. Laurent skied around the bluff, down about 50 vertical metres to assess the slopes and returned shortly afterwards with the grim news that ice & hard-pack were evident throughout. Discretion being the better part of valour, a tactical retreat was made, as a fall here would not be conducive to good health.
We returned to the top of the Aiguille Percee chair and began a long, steep traverse under the ridge, in the general direction of Col de la Sachette. It proved to be time consuming and difficult - hard pack, icy and some areas of bare soil & rock and very hard on the knees. However, the effort had its reward and revealed some really excellent powder, both on the steep, upper slope and the lower pitches of the long descent. On the run out, Laurent conducted two Avalanche rescue drills, which were a great bonus, as I was certainly a little rusty.
After lunch, the 'Tour de Charvet' proved a challenge, with the snow underfoot as hard and as difficult as the earlier traverse. Somewhat jaded we returned to base camp in Bourg Saint Maurice, weary, but happy nonetheless to have spent another day in the mountains. You can't win them all .. !
Conditions as they are will probably limit our guided days for now, certainly until more snow arrives, as it's not really possible to do any of the really exciting trips. Some snow is predicted for Friday/Saturday, which we eagerly await & hope the winds stay away .. ! La Thuile may be on for Friday or Saturday, as its unique position looks the most promising for delicious powder now. And with that thought in mind, its au revoir, or arrivederci if we make La Thuile .. !
@Pedantica, +1 and to think my knee was feeling it a bit when I skied a not-terribly-long unpisted red run today. Pathetic. Still, I did make a very nice gougere for dinner, with the last of the Beaufort.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Great write ups.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Mmmmm Beaufort
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.
Waiting with baited breath ...
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
A very superior class of a day today ... 😄
Five chums came out to play in the powder & very happy to see Steve D, who I hadn't seen for years. Although not as much snow fell as expected, what did fall was greatly received .. merci beaucoup ..
Good powder in Les Arcs, but La Plagne was sublime ... in fact I'm still having a subliminal moment whilst thinking about it .. I realised today, dropping down through the magical world of the trees, just how much I missed the place. Back around the old haunts - all the usual suspects ..
As if it couldn't possibly get any better, the delicious task that now befalls me is to imagine which culinary delights will grace the Petit St. Bernard menu tonight. That is of course if I don't collapse with hunger in the meantime ...
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Almost incapacitated by hunger, I eventually managed to descend the 'Couloir Escalier du Petit St. Bernard'- side-slipping most of the way ...
All I can say, is that if Roxy Gordon with us this evening, he would have bestowed on the Petit St. Bernard restaurant, the honour, "Indian" ....
The Splendid, Glorious, Magnificent & Majestic Cheese Trolley
... and finally ....,
Tarte au Poire et Chocolat
Suitably rehabilitated, the delights of tomorrow await ....
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.
Quote:
I eventually managed to descend the 'Couloir Escalier du Petit St. Bernard'
félicitations...
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
I think this has just become my favourite thread of all time.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
A delight to read. Chapeau!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
There are rare & magical days in the mountains, when powder sings to the heart and today was one of those most beautiful of days. I am truly blessed and one of the happiest bunnies ever, ever, ever .... !!!
The powder was just so sublime and the company was inspiring. To crown it all, we were joined by Paul, AKA 'Paul-the-Suit', one of the 'Usual Suspects' and a ski buddy that I hadn't seen since our last extravaganza at La Fornet, nearly six years ago. Although we had to traverse, walk & climb for powder, we skied it nearly all day thanks to SP, our Powder Princess, who is the absolutely bestest ever, ever at finding it .. !
From Roche de Mio we skied the ridge towards Le Tougne and climbed and traversed to reach a nearly deserted Crête des Arrières, where a white carpet of largely untracked powder was laid out in majesty before us. We skied these magnificent slopes with a certain panache & style ... most of the time anyway ... 😄😄😄 ... and experienced such enjoyment, that I didn't want to leave ......
A Ste. Emilion moment definitely beckons tonight .... !
Searching in the snow the other day, for a piece of the adjustment mechanism of K's ski helmet reminded my of a funny excerpt from a ski log of the early 1900's
“….Another expedition with Harry Thompson was to Lenk from Adelboden to see the Norwegians jumping. On our way back we stopped at the top of the Hahnenmoos to eat our lunch. We there met Commander Powell and Captain Fitzgerald who were out on their first long ski expedition. They started back just as we arrived and after a leisurely lunch we also started off down this lovely run. There were some miles of perfect snow and when we got to the bottom we found Powell and Fitzgerald poking about in the snow. I asked Fitzgerald what was the matter and he said, “We are looking for Powells teeth.” We helped for a few minutes in the search without result and then Powell complained of a terrible pain in one of his legs. We took off his boot and puttee and found that he had broken his leg. We decided to send Fitzgerald off to the nearest occupied chalet, which was about five miles down the hill and Harry Thompson and I would bring Powell along as best we could. We constructed a sort of sledge of branches and tried to tow Powell along on this, but it was not a success as he kept rolling off one side or the other. We tried carrying him in turns while the other carried three pairs of skis. But this was very slow work and things were getting serious as it was getting quite dark and was very cold. We were able to wrap our coats around Powell, as the exertion kept our circulation going. At a length, to our joy just as it was nearly dark, we heard a hello in the distance and some Swiss arrived with a hay sleigh. We made our way down to Adelboden in the dark. Incidentally, Powell’s teeth which were worth a great deal were never found and he had to get a new set sent out from home. It was altogether an expensive expedition for him.”
Teeth, or no teeth, I am counting down the minutes to dinner time & eagerly looking forward to the nights gastronomic delights, with the earnest hope that all that lost style & panache can be replaced ...
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Those were the days, when men were men and young British army officers were kings of the mountains......
bon appetit, BernardC,
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@BernardC, magnifique
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?
Haha, I love that classic stiff upper lip understatement.
My soup de champignon was fit for royalty & revived and rejuvenated my soul. However, body is a different matter & a little wimpish by comparison to Commander Powell, I need a Lady of the Lamp, (preferably Swedish in origin) to tend to my fevered brow & to rub Vick on my chest. I hope it's not a beastly 'Grippe', but signals are ominous. I must have either inhaled a lot of cold air yesterday, or exhaled a lot of hot air .. ... as chest is raw. 'To much information', at breakfast time, I understand. To confound matters, not having skied for nearly five years, all medicines & anti-flu products in my ambulance expired circa 2012. La Plagne again today & if all fails, that last line of defence, Duck tape, may need to be employed to reduce air intake ... 😄
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
dash it man, the Powell chappie had a broken leg and had lost his teeth. Stiff upper lip...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@BernardC, wonderful write-ups. Wish i could write like that.
I hope you are staying on for a few days.
I'm on the night train tomorrow night - intending to get off at Aime. But if it goes like the last time i was on the night train. i could be joining you for breakfast on Wednesday (last year i overslept, waking up as the train pulled out of Landry . . . )
After all it is free
After all it is free
Quote:
Wish i could write like that
Wish I could ski like that.....
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.
Skiing as an avenue of pleasure, has been temporarily discontinued, due to being gripped by a French grippe so foul & beastly, that I have been rendered incapable for several days.
Fevered, feeble, wasting away and reduced to just bread & soup, it is an ignominious end to my January up an Alp, but fond memories of powder past and belief of great powder yet to come in March, will surely banish the demon grippe immediately if not sooner ...
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
But what kind of soup?
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Quote:
But what kind of soup?
something sparse and wintry, making the most of a few fragments of withered parsnip and a tired carrot?
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.
@pam w, haha, I bet it wasn't. Something fancy, with loads of truffles in it, I'll be bound.
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
@BernardC, sorry to hear you're poorly
Have you heard of Rule 5?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@BernardC, absolutely nothing wrong with a diet of soup
Hope you get well soon.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Being slightly more compos mentis this morning, I can announce that the 'dinner of soup' was delicious 'Carrot & Coriander', and I was able to master a very generous portion, though I was accompanied at all times by a plastic bag, in case of any 'embarrassing negative events'.
@RachelQ, I must profess complete ignorance of 'Rule 5' & given the authoritative way you have addressed it, I imagine it is something I should have paid attention to in class, when I was a littler garçon - pray tell immediately ...
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Such as joy to read the Oirish Gobshoite once more.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Frosty the Snowman,
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?
Frosty the Snowman wrote:
Such as joy to read the Oirish Gobshoite once more.
Indeed, welcome back, where on earth have you been!
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Pathetic. Still, I did make a very nice gougere for dinner, with the last of the Beaufort.
félicitations...
