TR Freeridedays.ch at Glacier 3000, Switzerland 6/7 April

A snowHead

Glacier 3000 isn't a particularly famous "resort", especially among Brits, and doesn't have many lifts or pistes but does have a glacier and lots of great off-piste. They apparently make more money in summer from Asian tourists looking to do the Peak Walk bridge than winter but have been looking to encourage freeriders and so have organised this weekend for the last few years. The basic idea is that everyone is put into ability groups with a guide and a "pro" for either a day or the whole weekend to get in some good lines; some accessed from an 80m abseil they put in for the event! There are also skis and boards that can be tested for free and an option of a sunset apero and fondue at 3000m on the Saturday.

Robb0 and I booked this a couple of months ago as part of a long weekend to visit my friend Scott who lives nearby in Aigle as Scott and I did it a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. This year we got unbelievably lucky with the Janvrilsnow and cold arriving mid-week and on Friday we played around in the fresh snow of Villars and Les Diablerets as a warm-up.

Day One: Our intermediates snowboard group is first into the Abseil! We were all really excited about this as it gave access to a large north facing slope with the promise of deep powder at 2500m. I'm not too bad with heights but stepping off the platform does make me clench Laughing

Here's Scott about to be lowered:

And an amazing video done by our pro can be seen here Skullie

The snow at the bottom of the cliff was amazing and we had a 1000m descent

After a few more fantastic different runs involving some killer traverses and our pro front-flipping drops it was apero time

followed by photos on the Peak Walk before a huge fondue where Robbo0 won an avalanche training day Cool

Day Two:

Well it's fair to say the weather was a bit different Shocked

. Snow down to 1400m, cloud and wind meant the abseil and many of the lifts weren't open

We spent most of the day lapping a chair as the top remained closed and the bottom was too heavy and whilst it stayed a white-out, the snow did fill in a bit so it stayed soft and fun

Monday

The upper lifts were open and the pisteurs had blasted and secured the steeper slopes. It was time for just the three of us to make the most the previous day's snow before our afternoon flight!

All in all it was a great weekend and we'll very likely go back next year. Of course off-piste stuff is particularly weather and snow dependent but the weekend is excellent value, great fun and a bit different and we have made some international friends snowHead

A snowHead

Looks brilliant.

Skied there early season back in 2010 and it was real fun.

No info on the web site.

Cost please?

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

@leggyblonde, that looks cool, I’ll have to keep an eye out for it next year. Thanks for the trip report.

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Hi @Mike Pow,

Prices here: https://freeridedays.ch/anreise-2-2/

For me it was 240CHf for 2 days guiding, lift pass (avi gear and harness included if you needed) and fondue meal

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

As leggyblonde says introducing her thread, Glacier 3000 isn't that famous particularly among us Brits. To put the area into a context that folk will understand I refer to a conversation I had some years ago.
I had spent a day with Alex Ravenel a young ish Chamonix guide ( I think the family has guiding pedigree)
Over a beer the conversation got around to favourite places to ski, I mentioned Gl 3000.
Ravenel was most impressed that we knew the area. As a Chamonix guide he then made a somewhat amazing remark
"when I need to find untracked powder for clients that is where I take them".
So, the one hour drive from the Cham valley regarded as worth while by one who should know!!

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@leggyblonde, Thanks, looks like a great trip! Might have to consider this for next year!

What nationality were most people? I'd probably be going on my own and am terrible at languages...

After all it is free

@musehead, Most were Swiss, either French or German speaking, but there were Dutch, Germans, French, a few Brits, a Mexican and various other nationalities. English was very much the common language used by the guides in mixed language groups and the event announcer gave info in English, French and German.

@leggyblonde, excellent! Must get to G3000 next season.

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The registrations for 2020 have opened up. I've booked on with few friends for both days plus the meal Very Happy

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Looks interesting. Shame the information on the website is so limited, especially with regards to access.

The Glacier 3000 website looks much more comprehensive. Might have to do a little more research tomorrow.

snow reports

Had a quick look at the Skibus timetable and it doesn't look like there's a bus early enough to get there comfortably before 9am from either direction.

Might have to do a bit more digging...

Help!!

TR Freeridedays.ch at Glacier 3000, Switzerland 6/7 April

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