Best day of the season so far 2014 / 2015

A snowHead

Have amended the title of this topic - as I had another best day of the season yesterday Shocked

So maybe just use this topic to post your seriously best days of the season escapades Cool

January 17th
Ok I'm reasonably stoked after this morning's session.

Whilst the 27th (the infamous snowfall) and 28th (was sunny) Dec was not too bad, and maybe because here we are in the middle of Jan and off piste conditions on the whole have been marginal at best and dire at worst, this was the reason why this morning in Serre Che was so good, in that 90% of my turns were effortless Cool

It also helped as Saturday being changeover day meant far less people around for the first two to three hours, with very few groups trashing the slopes.

The first chair I took was with a French powder hound who lives in Chamonix and was here for a few days, and he just could not believe how empty everywhere was and so many options straight off the lifts. He said if he'd been in Chamonix this morning the queues would have started at 07:30 Shocked

Anyway in the Serre thread I've pasted the contents of an email sent to my mates who have been ribbing me about the poor off piste conditions with a report and pics from today.

However we still do need a lot more snow to be able to ski all the way off piste lower down and back to resort, and the same would be true of La Grave to get down to P1.

So touring tomorrow me thinks........

How's your day been ? Shocked

A snowHead

Very good in the end. Vis was changeable throughout the day but there was powder to be had all over the place and our first run down to the lift from the door of the chalet was on a virgin piste covered in powder. Set the day up.

Very quiet as well. Not a bad last day. Back home to Dubai tomorrow early.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Been great in the Pyrenees too! (Relative to the season so far in general.) The sharks have trashed my board though. Now we just need another 40cm (and a new board).

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Yep, a pretty good day. Visibility was shoite, but the snow was good, as was the lack of people

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

And worst negotiating San Bernardino at 3 in the morning with Italian hire car with slicks and broken chains! Up at 6.30 dig out car. Klosters at 10.30 snowing all day, no people plenty of fresh tracks next to the piste. Chilling with (very expensive ) beer. Forecast to snow all night and sunny tomorrow, early bed, first lift.........

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January 18th - Galibier Sector

This morning was simply superb.

I know I could have probably skied off piste straight off the lifts (well maybe a bit of a hike) but I really wanted to get away and more importantly take the dogs and really give my new skis an outing in what they were really designed for.

And it was mission accomplished.

I'd skied my Scott Powdairs four of five times so far this season, mounted with Vipec 12 (second generation), but in varied conditions with at most seven or so decent turns in some sort of variable powder. But for most of the outings it was wind blown hard pack to tracked out soft snow.

Yesterday was just masses of untracked, super light resulting in just effortless turns, though I had to earn my turns by making the track through depths of 30 - 40cm.

With the skis and bindings being so light (much lighter than the Beast's) it was still a workout but you knew what was at the end!

I know the "sector" pretty well and chose a slightly different option (safer) and had to cut short the climb after around 500m as I knew it would be really hard for les chiens.

Descent was just sublime with every turn being sweet and effortless, made all the better by being out in some dramatic scenery and on your own, which somehow fuels the rush.

Strava track log herehttps://www.strava.com/activities/242630498

Here's a few pics

Many more pictures and a video of the dogs running down, plus more words etc about the day here

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Great photos !

After all it is free

@Weathercam, ... absolutely superb ... !

.... & Fabulous photographs ...

Last pic is superb

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Love it

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

great pics!

Have you written a review on the powdairs. DO you see them as just a touring ski? How would you feel about them for lift-served off-piste?

snow reports

@jedster, I've used them on just about every type of terrain / snow pack, that's why it was such a joy to ski them in true never ending powder yesterday!

For lift served off piste / trees etc then I'd choose my fat heavy TwinTips over the Powdairs simply as I think the heavier ski would be better at charging through heavier snow plus I never know what I might hit in the trees, so would rather ding my TwinTips which could probably sustain a knock better than the Powdairs.

So yes in effect they are just a touring ski for me, hence the tech bindings I have mounted on them, plus the Scott (Coltex) skins have a neat attachment on the tip.

I might go up on the hill later today with them to see what they are like as I have a piste mate arriving and will ski the piste which has a far better (softer) coverage than last time I used them on piste which was boiler plate, plus he's not speedy so I won't be hacking it as with tech bindings I tone my skiing down a fair bit.

Excellent photos but are those dogs stuffed? Like the Marmotte postcards you buy in ski resorts? In any event you could sell the photos as postcards in the local shops with some line like "Bisous de Serre Che" on them.

You should get a team and let them tow you to the summit.

You know it makes sense.

I have skied Serre Chevalier a few times in the past - generally when La Grave was closed & so never associated it with randonne, etc. It looks absolutely stunning ... ! Are there any interesting slopes, or couloirs that can be accessed and skied after say maximum four hours skinning .. ?

@davidof, .... I like your thinking - maybe even a movie in it - Lassie type sequel. Toofy Grin

@Weathercam, ... are they the same hounds in Photo 3 .. ?

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@BernardC, the whole Col du Lautaret departure points offer so much from easy old man dog rando like moi through to full on Couloirs only a couple of hours if that, there are so many options...... see maps below

And no different set of hounds (with much longer legs) that appeared

A snowHead

@BernardC, there are plenty snowHead

The tree skiing is truly world class too - you have to go to Canada for better IMHO Cool

@jedster, I'm on my second pair of Powd'airs and been skiing on them since Dec 2013 (note: I'm a little biased as (very very) lucky enough to have a sibling who works for Scott so get fed skis). As @Weathercam quite rightly states, they're an excellent touring ski and a very effective all rounder. Combine them with a light tech binding and they're fine - I only have the one pair for everything (although hard snow/heavy crud won't be as smooth as a ski with an alpine binding). If you don't need the lightness but like the feel of Scotts (all of their skis have a lively/poppy character), there are cheaper skis that Scott do that are perfectly suited to shorter tours. My Brother is currently raving about the new Punisher. Advert over wink

A snowHead

@Weathercam, & @Sharkymark, ... many thanks, especially for the maps/routes .. I will study these in detail when I get home. Bon ski !

Help!!

Best day of the season so far 2014 / 2015

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