 Poster: A snowHead
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Scribblings from The Tarentaise .. Couloir de Breche de Rossets (La Plagne) March 12th 2009
Apologies that these Trip Reports are appearing as a sort of ‘Burst Transmission’, but I just didn’t have the time and I am just sorting them out, on the odd rest day.
This one of the Rosset couloirs has eluded us for a long time – largely due to the need for really good conditions to ensure a high safety margin. It’s steep, narrow and darned dangerous when loaded with snow, or when icy – which seems to be either one or the other most of the time ... An avalanche, or a fall here would be detrimental to continued well-being ... This is our target ... 
Three of us are going to attempt it today, snowHead Sara, friend David and myself, as the conditions are promising to be really excellent & the couloir has not been tracked ... yet ..!
Breche de Rossets .... 
My heart is thumping .. ! ... almost as fast as in the dying minutes of Ireland’s brilliant, humungous & supercalafraglisticxpaladocious Grand Slam victory at Cardiff ... This is steep ....! Permission for buttocks to wobble ever so slightly ... 
This is the one Sara reckoned wasn’t steep when we did our recce from below. David & I now remind her of this. She doesn’t require a formal invitation, but now voluntarily withdraws her earlier statement, unreservedly .... 
I get to go first .... I double check that there’s nobody in the couloir & give a good old ‘Riverdance Performance’ type jump upon the top to dislodge any nasty bits
There are many disadvantages in going first ... & at least TWO are flashing in bright lights ...
A) Endgame
B) As ‘A’ above
However, in my armoury I have my trusty Green skis, which come fitted with ‘Intelligence’ & ‘Liquid Metal’, as standard AND the one advantage which becomes apparent after the second turn, is that I have absolutely YUMMY powder .... and it’s all for meee ...
I make a bit of a ‘dogs dinner’ of the top section as I dislodge a hell of LOT of snow ... desole ... !  (High expectations of an audition for a starring role in Riverdance must surely be fading) ... but it slides down to provide even more beautiful powder for almost the entire length of the couloir,
Observe facial expressions .... mine thankfully hidden behind the lens ..
.. but I consider my precarious position stopping to take photos and vow to continue diligently about my normal business.
Sara & David wait until I reach the mid-point & pronounce it fairly safe.
Then they descend with great style & poise ...
This is our full route from the roped-off section on Roche de Mio. My heart is still thumping and I I’m sure I forgot to breathe on the way down, but we are elated & I think that tonight I will have another ‘St. Emilion Moment’ ....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
| tonight I will have another ‘St. Emilion Moment’ .... |
Uh oh! Text alert
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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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My word BernardC - is that as narrow as it looks? 
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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BernardC, well done! And glad you survived.
The picture at the top looked insane.
The picture at the bottom looked lovely.
I'll pick up some more St Emilion on the way up on Thursday
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