 Poster: A snowHead
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Most who have been to the 2007 EoSB at Val Thorens will know that group of snowheads, with Mountain Tracks guide Nick Parks, climbed to the summit of Aiguille de Peclet 3561m, on April 24th and skied down the West face.
I was a  bunny to be in the company of Yoda, GrahamL, Mr HH, in garbure we trust and of course guide extraordinaire Nick Parks . It was an absolute peach of an idea by Admin to include a Mountain Guide in this years festivities and I hope that it will remain a both firm fixture and also that many more snowHeads  will enjoy these great trips . Having been forced to ski over 90 days this season and having had some truly brilliant days, I have rated this trip Number 6, in the seasons 'Absolute Top-Ten'.
The guides in Val Thorens reckon the West Face of Peclet to be the best descent in the area. This huge slope descends from the summit at 3561m, the highest in the Trois Valees & I for one, was certainly viewing it with great lust  earlier in the week ...! When Nick said we're 'green-to-go' for Tuesday 24th, one was almost unable to contain oneself...."Permission to guffaw, holler loudly, and shout Hurray ....sir....!"
I thought I would burst with excitement, straining against the safety bar, whilst nearing the top of the Col chairlift - I was trying to urge the arthritic chair to greater efforts, but to no avail - Col chairlift has but two speeds - Dead Slow & Stop. I thought I would do a 'Kramer' on the spot.
After eventually reaching the top of Col Chairlift we dropped down to the left, to the Col itself, past the cafe and took off our skis. Graham, Mr HH and in garbure we trust hiked, while Nick, Yoda and I skinned up the Chaviere glacier, heading due North while making a small detour to the right, to avoid some crevasses and to the right of the rocky spur adjacent to the Roc des Saints. We ascended on the long rising, false-flat, skirting the base of the rocky ridge toward the small depression on the ridge, running from Col de Gebroulaz to Aiguille de Peclet. Now we climb ........ ....
We climbed safely and followed the ridge to the left, which was a fairly exposed route, overhanging the glacier of Gebroulaz .....
and heading to the summit .......
There really wasn't a great deal of room, but what a view ....
in garbure we trust, Yoda and I followed the ridge for several metres to a small, short couloir which enabled us to ski on to the West Face, via an 'exposed' traverse ... (It was here the 'Clencher' muscle group was most exercised ... - for any medically minded 's and of course world anatomical science , I discovered this entirely new grouping of buttock muscles earlier this season on the Bellecote Cairn Couloir.) Nick, GrahamL and Mr HH, roped down on the right over some tricky ground.
.... the descent commenced on a 35 degree slope for about 200m, then past the rock knoll on a wide left turn, steepening to 45 degrees for about 100m. It was BRILLIANT .... !
.....it was the Ariston of slopes ..... it went ON ...... and ON ....... and ON ......
's
We encountered fairly hard conditions on the glacier for the first few hundred metres, but then alternated between powder & spring snow delights, past the spectacular seracs & crevasses, inscribing our graceful and vain signature turns on the snow ......
until we reached the Goitschel piste and returned to earth.....
...... been there - done that ......
..... and then .....
It really was a brilliant day. The company made it more so - Yoda, GrahamL, Mr HH, in garbure we trust & Nick the 'one-liners' made me laugh so much, at times I nearly cried. Nicks Parks humour does improve, .... slightly, at altitude! (Sadly decreased again at resort level). The feelings of the day are hard to convey - I fill up with excitement even thinking about days like this - the only thing that remotely comes close are memories of Christmas Mornings at age about 6, (5 3/4 years ago) .... I hope that all the snowHeads that saw Nicks slideshow that same evening will have gotten some feeling of just how great the day was .... and I hope you will give it a go soon.
........ these are just my few thoughts ... hopefully some of the other 'Heap Big Grin' team will add their memories....
...some of these photos compliments of Yodas great camera action ....
.... and finally ..... where we've been .....
...Edited to clarify that Graham is now GrahamL and not the Admin Graham
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 11-05-07 20:42; edited 5 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Great report.
How much climbing skill is involved on these jaunts?
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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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BernardC,
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I have rated this trip Number 6, in the seasons 'Absolute Top-Ten'.
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do tell....the other 9?
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brian
brian
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BernardC, 
Right, that's it, I've had enough of these top notch t/r's. I am officially definitely going to do a tour or 2 next spring.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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BernardC, great report and photos, is getting me excited about the possibility of trying something like that next season, well done....
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BernardC,
Great report..see you next year.
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bernardC, wow, impressed.
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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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BernardC, I couldn't do it, but it's great to read about it and see your pictures. Your excitement and enjoyment leaps off the screen. Great.
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BernardC, brilliant - how much height did you have to climb - and more importantly what did you dod with Admin (Graham) at the ridge he seems to disappear from the story!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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You know it makes sense.
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BernardC, great report - made me smile so I can imagine the big grins of those involved.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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BernardC, Does le Friolin feature in your top 10?
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Poster: A snowHead
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BernardC, Can you list your top 10 please? Would love to know.....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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W..............ooooooooooooo.............oooooooooo...........tttttt
Magical report dudes!
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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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BernardC, great report.
Was Rob Garbure as annoyingly good at going up hills as we was at coming down them ? And well done to Yoda and Mr HH for tramping up that big hill.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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BernardC, Mr HH is still going on about how much he loved the trip.....he also loved your report, so much so that it's been printed out and taken to work to show round along with Yoda's photos! I'll make a snowHead of him yet......
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This trip was one of the reasons that has motivated me to lose weight and get fit. I would have loved to have done it, but felt that my fitness just wasn't good enough for the climb up. Hopefully next year and 20kg lighter I should be able to do it.
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was trying to urge the arthritic chair to greater efforts, but to no avail - Col chairlift has but two speeds
Yep i reckon its faster to climb that slope rather than wait on the Col chairlift
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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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Tom Lowe, the locals call the two chairs going up to the Peclet the "Fridge" and the "Freezer" (Col) cause they are so slow....
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Kramer, ....but I thought you were a mountain biker now?? Seriously, do it....Mr HH will always remember the experience as one of the high points (in fact the highest I'd guess) of his skiing adventures so far...he hasn't grown the gnarly dude beard yet though....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wish I'd been there!
It's a descent I've meant to do for a while but it's never happened (yet).
Great report and photos.
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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 & pics.
Would have liked to have joined you.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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aha, thought it looked a bit different - but put that down to "St" Bernard's superhuman dash to catch the last lift out of Mottaret 
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FAQ
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