 Poster: A snowHead
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I came across Simon last year, when looking for another guided week to add to SOPiB. The week in Monetier is near my ideal ski holiday and I wanted a similar format of a week in shared accommodation with a known guide. Having joined the Eagles, the touring week in the Maurienne fitted the bill and being the week prior to Monetier fitted the schedule as well.The Steep Vanoise week appealed, but clashed with SOPiB, leading me to inform Simon that if they didn’t, he’d see me this year. As it was, there were two Steep Vanoise weeks and the second was booked.
The course is priced as guiding only, but Simon offers to arrange the accommodation. Hotel des Alpes is the nearest hotel to the Olympe gondola in Brides and was a pleasant surprise. Comparable with other French two stars I’ve stayed in, the room was functional but tired, with a blow moulded bathroom and thin walls. That said, I think I was the only one without a bath  . The significant upside was excellent food, included in the half board rate of €78 was a quality fourcourse dinner. The drinks were well priced, a nice Cote du Rhone was €16. The owner Thibault is an endearing character who did all that was necessary to facilitate our stay (other than gag the other guests…..).
Seven gathered on Sunday evening and Simon advised we buy a three day 3V pass and meet him in Meribel having caught the first lift up at 8.30. Monday morning dawned with a broody sky. The previously brown hills opposite the hotel where white nearly down to town level (600m?). Hmmm. We met Simon and a French Meribel guide, Dorian, and headed up. I doubt I’m alone in being apprehensive with a new group, but sent a text to Janet, ‘Mix of competence and excellence. Should hold my own’. As I learned over the following days, it would have been more accurate to write, ‘Mix of excellence and youth’. I am certainly deficient in one of those and not too hot on the other!
After a couple of runs together, we were split into two groups and my four followed Simon. We spent most of the day lapping the Saulire telepherique. The snow gods had blessed us and we were drifting and floating in perfect soft powder. Despite these conditions, the area was quiet and the tracks kept fresh as we dropped into other couloirs around the marked Grand Couloir.
Reality began to dawn as we had one steep bootpack, followed by another yet higher with a tricky traverse. At one exposed spot, a wire had been fixed to hang on to. As I grabbed it with one hand,the feet gave way and the other hand quickly attached itself. Simon offered that I wouldn’t have fallen too far with the soft snow.
Day two commenced with another 8.30 lift up. Leaders were reversed and we set off with Dorian.He is a delight of a guide, playful when appropriate, serious when necessary. We know all guides can ski a bit, but plunging down to mirror his perfect line in the powder, only to discover it’s actually crust can bring one, literally, down to earth.
He liked the air. “Was that a 720?” Well, he went round more than once and landed in the same orientation as he took off, so….” Day two was not my day. The Beast/boot incompatibility I thought cured reappeared on the first skin. I dropped a pole. There was a queue at the lunch stop. Richard’s announcement that he could do without lunch confirmed my plan B and I retired alone to Les 2 Ours beneath Val for an entrecote frites.
Simon’s group had skinned and bootpacked up the Aiguille de Fruit, enjoying it so much they did it again. I had pudding.
Wednesday was more of an expedition day. Packed lunches were directed. An easy access brought us to the top of the Meribel valley with a serious drop in. Dorian took his three down one route with Simon taking an easier line. The paucity of tracks, three days after the snow, was amazing.
After our picnic, we had a hot 40 minute skin up to a ridge line where we were joined, incredibly, by a gendarme telling us to go elsewhere. I’ve met a few gendarmes at the side of the road, but never up a mountain.
Thursday was an away day to La Plagne, through Simon’s home village of Bozel to Champagny, all the way to the glacier and down the well know NFB. I hadn’t appreciated the north face of Bellecote until informed the extent of steep vertical can only be bettered by Cham and La Grave.
Down to Piesy, bus and back over the Vanoise Express for another picnic. Friday was a fast piste trip to Val T and all the way to the top of the Glacier chair. A hot skin, brief ski followed by another, yet hotter, skin brought us into a deserted valley. The long decent took us through the spring snow and into the ‘ski sauvage’, ending up at a delightful Auberge, where lunch was sadly cut short by the schedule of the taxi driver taking us to the base of the Orelle lift.
This trip was made by Simon’s encyclopaedic knowledge of his mountains and drive to push his clients to the top of them. He attracts some serious skiers, one returning for their ninth trip, another BASI 3 qualified. I know now the effort required to ski the steepest lines. I can confidently state some of my SOPiB group wouldn’t appreciate that effort (sorry Grandma). Sowler, this trip is for you. If you have to make a choice between SOPiB and Steep Vanoise, then you need to sign up with Simon.
As for me, if I could shift a few pounds…
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Val Desire, great TR, thanks.
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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?
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I.Am.Not.Jealous...
Sounds great.
How’s the leg @Chamcham?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thank you
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Great report! Richard sounds like a top bloke! 
Will have to give it some serious consideration for next year. Fair bit of skinning and walking though!
I'm intrigued why the Gendarme told you to go elsewhere? Did he want the fresh lines for himself?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Good report I might have to get skins
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Great report. Thanks. 
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@Val Desire, good to see that you taught them how to lunch properly
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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.
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@Sowler, its a long story - to do with ever fluctuating official and unofficial accepted ski lines through the Tueda nature reserve...
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@Val Desire, hope you have recovered from the stress of the uphill and the occasional picnic lunch 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@offpisteskiing, Feeling is beginning to return to my legs, thanks. I considered spending more time with Madame Flagellatrix as an alternative next year, but you're much more cost effective, so I'll be back! Enjoy your day off.
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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.
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great report .. thanks
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FAQ
