Ski Touring 2021, let's see your lockdown lines!

A snowHead

Mont du Chat, couloir des Chênaies

A snowHead

@Weathercam, we all no that if it's not on Strava then it didn't happen. I tend to keep mine private though.

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

@snowball, thanks

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or even easier on imgur.com click the 3 dots, click get share links, copy and paste the BBcode section.

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@Weathercam, have you seen the snow reports for the PDS? We have had unbelievable snow to low levels. Routes not skiable for many years have been available this season. You'll just have to imagine. 20,000m Toofy Grin

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

@zzz, show us your photos then, from what I've seen from friends in Morzine everywhere looks like a tracked out piste, I suppose at least you don't have to pack an umbrella with you Laughing

Only joking, great everyone's getting out and making the most of it, while it lasts Very Happy

Weather looks very "Morzineish" come Thursday Crying or Very sad

After all it is free

From a ski tour last week.

West couloir, P'tit Som

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Woke up yesterday to low cloud in the valley and a 5cm so dusting, so maybe more up top?

A quick perusal of the webcams confirmed what I hoped, the cloud was only in the valley and very bright conditions up top, so could be good.

It was a case of getting out early as temps have been 5+ by around 11:00.

I decided on skinning up the steep black run that is the Casse de Boeuf that a few SH's will know parking up right outside the Chazelay.

As I was starting out an ESF instructor turned up and we exchanged pleasantries, he came past me going at SkiMo speed (already well stripped down) and I said to him looked like his pace was 700m +

I followed his track which was a good few degrees steeper than the half-covered ones that I could just about make out.

He wasn't getting too far ahead, though to be honest he did take a phone call, and then after around 500m I saw him taking a break, he'd been on the phone to a mate and was transitioning to ski back down to him, I asked him his age and he was 36 and he paid me a compliment "très en forme" when I told him that I was 62.

I was well chuffed that it looked like ahead were great conditions and only one person ahead of me, snow was good cold powder with circa 10cm though you could just about make out old tracks but that's being very fussy.

As I broke out of the trees passing the Casse de Boeuf chair I opted to go further on; trouble was as you can see the snow was now very windblown and was really hard work breaking trail heading towards that first chair left of the picture.

As you can see conditions were still bright but it took me a good 30mins to do the next 140m as the going was so tough knocking my av pace right back.

By the time I arrived at my finishing point the weather was closing in, and by the time I transitioned etc it was puking down wet snow.

And viz was really hard work as it was that wet snow that just stuck to your lens.

And whilst the top 500m were good going the lower 500m was getting very sticky indeed, and there were quite a number of people who were climbing up having waited for the valley cloud to clear.

The last 250 vertical was truly grim and I was soaked by the time I arrived back at the van.

So that goes down as a good workout, climbing 1,000m in circa 2hrs but the ski was best forgotten.

The forecast is pretty dire for the next two to three days Sad

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Some beautiful tree lines in Montgenevré. Really enjoyable powder pockets all around.

snow reports

you absolute bunch of barstewards!!! Very Happy

keep posting - it's masochistic but I can't help it

Ditto.
I really like Montgenevre. Very underestimated for off-piste skiing, and tree skiing just above Claviere.

You know it makes sense.

After playing around in the Spring snow conditions yesterday I opted for a tour very close to where I live on the South facing slopes.

Hardly anyone tours up there and route finding is a tad sketchy and with lack of snow-cover it can be quite an arduous climb, especially in the wet soggy snow, but a couple of degrees difference in aspect and it was not too bad.

Dogs were in seventh heaven as so many beasties up there and tracks, they were quite knackered after an hour or so probably having done treble the distance I had, though luckily they did not clock the deer that I saw.

Right at the end as I turned back up to see where the dogs were and I was amazed to see these giant snowballs gaining size and momentum and then as I turned round so a couple of boar broke cover and you can just about make them out at the end of the video.

Snowpack was varied as you can see.

And had the wrong white balance settings on the camera rolling eyes

http://youtube.com/v/hx_SgzZh0y0

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

The good news is that I’ve changed job and moved to Moray, where there’s scope for skiing within the COVID restrictions. The bad news is that I’ve just started a new job and can’t just take time off because the snow is awesome. Solution to this dilemma yesterday was a wee post-work mini-tour.

The downside of skiing after work was that it night, so completely dark. Still good fun though!

The Police were waiting for us when we got back down to the road, folk had seen our lights and thought we might be lost. Police were friendly, but our names and addresses were taken so I’m glad we’d stayed local.

A snowHead

@Weathercam, the white balance showed the Sahara snow pretty well snowHead

I'm not convinced by the new camera angle/lens. Bit too much distortion for my liking.

A snowHead

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

@Weathercam, love the sand tracks!!!

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@adithorp, early days sussing the stick position, length, and then editing, have some better footage from this morning, which also features @KenX, just now have to do the edit later.

In the meantime some stills.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Well I'm getting better at filming the skinning but skiing still needs some work re the stick position to get the best profile, though quite pleased with the footage of @KenX, at times, and we just have to work out the best side to ski as it were.

We only had circa 10cms overnight and in places, tracks were still showing, but we're being fussy as we had cold smoke coming off our skis though lower down we were going through to crud but again being a little pernickety.

Definitely played it cautiously, as there was quite a lot of recent activity and in places where you'd not normally see slides. One group ahead of us were not being cautious at all, climbing up a steep face with a cornice of windblown snow above them.

Probably back up in that sector tomorrow as only a couple of cars parked up in a lesser-known area (47 kick-turns), one belonging to my guide mate and the other to his Swedish clients, but I suspect they'll be lapping that route, anyway at least I will not have to break trail.

http://youtube.com/v/wTYl_p5MNQg

Right off to get some stronger cable-ties!

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Getting good very quickly

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

After all it is free

Well another good tour with @KenX, though did wonder what it would be like as my friendly guide messaged me saying looked like everywhere had been battered by the wind, as it happened we went to where he was yesterday though we did not do the last 300m of a steep climb, if indeed they were his tracks, as that was where a Brit more or less my age was killed this time last year, and the current situation is far more precarious.

We've never seen it so busy with people, and I was close to throwing my rattle out of the pram with a snow-boarder on snow-shoes who insisted on trashing the skin-track, I'd already passed him once and tried to tell him as much. Tthen when we were having a rest and a friendly chat and we got going again and I was taking it easy; so he took a steeper line to get back on the skin track ahead of me where I ended up stuck behind him again, that was bizarre etiquette.

As we were transitioning must have been a group of 12 or so who went past, luckily most do not realise that with a bit of a traverse there's more terrain to ski, though most Frenchies like the open glades as opposed to the trees, but the snow is way better in the trees Cool

We found ourselves on a SE aspect, and even at 1,900m it was very sticky.

Take no prisoners tree skiing was superb!

And well chuffed with todays' video, which I've put in a separated thread as it really shows what can be done with one and the trees really accentuate, plus that's only the third outing with it so getting better every sortie!

Todays powder line from sunny Scotland Cool

(full report on Scottish thread)

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@snowheid, nice track Very Happy

snow reports

Brittany

@davidof, is that at her court hearing?

You know it makes sense.

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

A snowHead

@BobinCH, You're very kind but I was lucky to have light powder over a very consistent firm base which made for easy skiing. I did do a second lap and thinking back should have figure 8'ed these tracks - wonder if many people get to figure 8 their own tracks Puzzled

A snowHead

Chamrousse is the birthplace of French skiing. Henry Duhamel obtained some skis at the Paris exhibition in 1878 but didn't test them until 1889 on a trip to Chamrousse after finally cobbling together some bindings.

Skiing on the Roche Beranger, Chamrousse sometime after 1900 - using a second pole for skiing only came into use in the early 20th century.

I persuaded junior that we would head up to the Cross de Chamrousse in the footsteps of Duhamel. First surprise. The resort was completely rammed with cars, more than in a February school holiday, both day trippers and people obviously staying the week and we had to go and park in a secret spot. The climb for junior on snowshoes and alpine ski boots is always a bit of a chore. We were surprised that all the main pistes had been nicely pisted - I guess this avoids accidents with twisted ankles and keeps the avalanche risk down.

We skied down towards Roche Beranger, I let junior take the pistes down to the bottom of a nice couloir which I'd spotted and I skied the couloir - normally this would be skied out at half term but was untouched powder. We then skied the meadows above town. Perfect skiing.

There were a few lifts running for the ski clubs to use. We did wonder about using one of them.

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

Yesterday thought I'd go and see if I could still score cold snow, and untracked in my "Secret Garden" but as I pulled up in the parking there were more cars than I've ever seen there!

And climbing up the trail to the Summer village it was well tracked, and I must have passed three groups of ski-tourers, all very much on what looked like introductory groups, never seen so many old Fritschi Diamir Freeride bindings in use Laughing

As I neared the village so the tracks all dispersed to an extent, so I started to feel more optimistic. As I wound my way out of the village there was just one skin track going up through the forest, about four skiers, and then I noticed that they'd skied down the same side they'd skinned up, so a result could well be on the cards (?) as the best descent was from the other side.

And sure enough, I had a cracking descent, though have to admit to there being another (one) set of tracks Shocked

And the less than one-minute video production.

http://youtube.com/v/BdkorztuaqM

Off out this morning for a long hike with the dogs on the South Side hoping for Spring Snow, I might be a day early though?

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@Weathercam,
I think you might be a bit early. Fresh snow available here yesterday on a north faced ski tour. I think today it will all be hard or mash potato depending on the orientation and time of day. Hopefully spring snow for the weekend. You are of course a bit further south so possibly slightly warmer.
Mind you, it's going to be so warm, I might have to get my bike out.

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Weathercam

Your skiing vids are getting better and better.

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

And in the PDS it was definitely mashed potato on southerly slopes today. Hopefully it will have transformed by the weekend, if it hasn't rained of course Shocked

After all it is free

Big day yesterday climbing from the village at circa 1,450 to La Gardiole at 2,753 which sort of overlooks the Col de Granon at 2,413 so nigh on 1,350m vertical.

So it's all more or less South facing though you can use the various aspects to try and find better snow-pack, and that's always part of the fun up there.

I boot-packed up the steep forest trail rather than take the winding chemin, and at times wished I had crampons it was so icy and progress was slow as I inched from tree to tree with the dogs wondering what the hell I was doing Laughing

It was quite overcast though I was soon down to just one layer, and knowing it would be warm was wearing thing socks, but that still didn't stop a heat-spot developing.

The recent rain with the Saharan sand has really fecked the mountain, and in large patches, it seems to melt faster than the snow with puddles of icy brown water so you have to be really careful not to get the skins wet, though that was an impossible task, and luckily temps did not drop so I did not end up with kgs of snow on my skins.

Snow-pack was so varied on the way up, but thankfully not too much crust but I knew it would be a technical descent.

With circa 300 to go had a break and pulled the boot off whilst had a snack letting the skin dry and there was a discernable bubble present so right at the end of the break applied a compeed and made sure it was well stuck as I pulled the damp sock over and that did the trick as I did not feel a thing thereafter, and as I type this it's still on my foot!

What was amazing was that I was the only person on the mountain, but then I heard voices and saw four ski tourers appear as I had my break, and dogs did major Lazarus impression once they'd eaten as they were looking a little tired having already done 7km.

Last 100m to the summit can be a little technical and was interesting to see the four who had been making good progress fall back, and then when they eventually arrived turned out to be English living in Les Deux Alpes, and they were just as surprised to see a Brit with two Jack Russels!

They too were gobsmacked as to how we were the only ones on the mountain!

But as you'll see from the video that sand has really messed it all up, and as far as you can see especially on anything that's had the sun all so can see is a red/brown tinge to everything.

The ski was always going to be a little challenging and as you'll see in the vid the snowpack with the sand on the surface was weird and took some getting used to as you were never too sure what would happen with the skis.

That said did find some nice lines though you always had to ski expecting the worse.

Vid is longer than usual and you'll see the snowpack changing as I ski the terraces lower down.

One of the dogs, Beanie also stacks it as she too found the snow technical, 28secs in.

Overall a little depressing as that sand is only going to come to the fore more Sad

Just did a good dump to cover it up so will last for the rest of the season.

Dogs very tired afterwards as was 15km and some 6km of "skiing" with the last km or so down the chemin.

http://youtube.com/v/nb8LOt-61sE

After the 15km two days ago it was another long-one with @KenX, and the dogs, this time ended up 17km !!

We were heading to one of our favourite areas to hopefully score some Spring snow.

As we parked up at Cervières there were numerous snow-shoers and ski-tourers, and a couple of Brit ski Mountaineers who were going to climb a steep gnarly couloir, it was then a 5km 1hr 45m before we really started the main climb.

Normally we might see one or two others in the area we call "Telly Tubby Land" as it's full of rolling hills and meadows that lead up to the frontier along the Crête de Dormillouse that peaks out at 2,908m.

But as we neared the tiny hamlet we could see that it was well tracked out, and I can only think that end of the first lock-down the OH and I did a long hike and went past a refurbished Gite about a km away and maybe this was the result Mad

There was an option of maybe climbing the cold untracked snow in the forest but that would not knacker the dogs so we climbed up in pretty mank snow trying to be optimistic about it transforming and make the most of the descent.

As I was climbing up my mind started whirring thinking about other options, maybe we cut back over a cliff face and drop down into the forest and cold snow, and then let gravity help the dogs down, or carry on over a couple of ridges and see what the other side was like?

Even with a map terrain does get a little confusing as there are a few traverses and gulleys to get over, and last season I left the OH and @KenX in one whilst I carried on up to the summit and then could not find where I left them when I came back down Laughing

In a normal season, we'd not be in this sector for at least another month, but this is not a normal season!

And the good thing was that at this time of year there was still adequate snow-cover on the S/SE facing slopes as the sun still has to get really high.

And ironically looking at the map and the terrain in front of us there was a ravine called Gavie.

We scored some very sweet Spring snow, and at times it was technical plus a few little terrain traps to catch you out if not careful but just us and what a line it was, even with a set of ruins called La Gavie snowHead

Normally we'd climb up and ski the same line more or less left of picture.

This time we skied down from 2,453 left of ravine de la Gavie on to La Gavie and then down to the road which is an XC track this time of year and then a slight descent poling back to the plateau, then a 2.5km skate/poling before putting skins on for a 50m climb then a long ski back down the steep XC piste that was the closest to a piste I've skied all year back to the van!

And the final 2.5km back to the van, great on downhill skis not a lot of fun on XC skis Laughing

And video not up to usual quality standards as had a smudge on the front lens.

http://youtube.com/v/5OJfoTDLCt8

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Went back up to that sector again, but on my own, going further and higher.

Not brilliant conditions for snow-transformation at altitude, hence I'm wrapped up, and even lower down not as good as a couple of days ago, though there were some very sweet turns to be had Cool

Pace fair bit quicker as I opted for skating over skinning along the plateau both ways.

19km / 1,100m in 3hr 15m elapsed time 4hr 8m

Le Bourget - start of the main climb

At the mini-summit on the Frontier

The other side of the ridge into Italy

And zoomed in, I counted 25+ ski tourers coming up that valley probably climbing to 2,944m

Snow not done it's thing as cold wind blowing, though you can see the potential if conditions are right!

Better lower down

And the 2.5km+ skate out you can really see the effect of the Saharan sand in this shot!

Video - where at the end I'm skating trying to keep up with the XC skater Laughing

http://youtube.com/v/Ej8y4EA_ZXU

Help!!

Ski Touring 2021, let's see your lockdown lines!

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