@KenX, and I have been keeping an eye on the forecast as North of the Col du Lautaret was due far more snow than us in Serre Chevalier so a road-trip was the obvious option.
Initially, I was thinking about ski-touring on the other side of the mountain to La Meije in and around Le Chazelet where over the years I've done a fair bit of touring.
The big issue was wind, and I've been in contact with my guide mate about conditions, as is so often the case when it's howling in Serre then there can be less wind over his side.
Late last evening he suggested that rather than Chazletet which should make for P2 up through the forest, and in his words "you'll have the run of the season so far".
Now he was not too forthcoming with the route in exact detail as he didn't want to make it too easy but again as he said "You will recognise everything when there", in fact it wasn't too difficult to work out, though as we arrived near P1 I was a tad concerned at all the tracks, though on the climb up from the valley floor the meadow down was still quite untracked.
We were fortunate enough to have a skin track to follow, though at one point we took our own route breaking trail as I read the map, and I was a little concerned had I done the right thing but was soon rewarded with a signpost in the forest denoting an MTB/walkers summer trail.
We then came across another skin track with a guide and his client and we let them break trail all the way up to P2 where they carried on, which was great as we then had all the terrain to ski all untracked, and it does not get much better than that as I kept telling another friend who was with us, on his first La Grave trip!
P1
Relieved to see this in the forest
Looking rather lush with P2 in view
La Meige reigning over us
Lovely powder
And later on in the forest, after the run of the season it was time for the wipe-out of the season, courtesy of GoPro Max 360
And the video with slow-mo wipeout 1:20 in and for those that have skied La Grave all the way down to the Valley floor at the end of the vid you'll see how that was not too bad either!
@Weathercam, looks great. You must have got one of the more chilled guides if he didn't mind you following his track and not doing any of the work
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Arno, it was very amusing as the route we were taking (breaking trail) I could see was converging on to the one that they were taking which a few had already been along, so I said to my mate ease off the pace so we could slot in behind them, it was only once out of the trees that he had to break trail as I think most had not ventured out of the trees the previous couple of days.
I was very tempted to follow his track above P2 to lookers right towards the rock-garden, and that would have pissed him off I think, but we were happy with our lot by then
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Wed 17-03-21 11:25; edited 1 time in total
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Weathercam, Rock Garden into Freaux would have been a nice
After all it is free
After all it is free
Poledragger! The other guy in black/grey was with you then rather than crashing the party? I can see how the snowsnake grabbed you as was sounding a bit more funky under the surface there.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Dave of the Marmottes wrote:
Poledragger! The other guy in black/grey was with you then rather than crashing the party? I can see how the snowsnake grabbed you as was sounding a bit more funky under the surface there.
The Poledragging is a result of having 90cm of stick perpendicular to the ski-pole with the 360 on the end, (see shadow below) it's really weird how it offsets the balance of the ski-pole, which I reduce 20cm in height, and you try and avoid too many movements with it.
The other guy is a young dude (29yr old UK skibum/chef) who quite likes what the geezonaires get up to and tags along with us.
And if you look carefully in the vid you can just about make out the tree stump that I hit, twas only a small one compared to the usual ones.
For a while I did think it was going to be an expensive day as I lost my prescription varifocal sunnies, and spent a good 10mins hunting for them, and as like you say by then the snow was scratchy so I could scrape off the fresh down to the hard layer.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Figured that was your filming pole. Very envious given my nil time on skis this winter. Plus a free shot at La Grave in those conditions only happens when you luck out on an early bin after some closure days.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Superb! Great that you could enjoy it. Must go back to La Grave one of these days ....
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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