 Poster: A snowHead
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March 23rd 2009
Interesting couloirs and le Cul du Nant Variation
Exhausted this morning – although in bed by 21h:30, overnight I was scoring trys for Ireland in Cardifff & doing brilliant & very impressive turns in the Les Breches de la Portetta Couloir, until 06h:30  An Increased porridge ration went some way to redressing the balance of such strenuous activities and calming that stomach-churning over-excitement that always precedes a day out with guide Francois Allemoz.
.... coupled with the still present grossen high of watching Ireland’s brilliant, humungous & supercalafraglisticxpaladocious Grand Slam victory at Cardiff on Saturday It’s a wonder I didn’t need increased medication. I shall really, really try not to mention our brilliant Grand Slam victory again ... 
It’s La Plagne today and I meet up with snowHead Sara, on time, at La Roche, despite having less than 60 cent phone credit. An injudicious, rash & major bout of texting, following Ireland’s brilliant Grand Slam victory on Saturday, relieved me of €34,40 odd cent credit. Why I imagined most of Europe & North America had not heard the news of our brilliant Grand Slam victory still remains a mystery to me, though I concede that the Saint Emilion may have a case to answer....so grovelling apologies to ‘inconvenienced’ snowheads .... 
Anyway, where were we ... La Roche to Roche de Mio was fairly uneventful for Francois Allemoz ...  but it didn’t save the torture of not knowing the minute or the hour that he would heave himself off a precipice with his disciples in tow We skied down to the roped off section, to drop off the West face of Roche de Mio. Having done most of the couloirs off this face, my feeling of smug confidence immediately evaporated as he detached skis & began to climb instead of jumping off!  A five minute climb let to ‘The Ski & Board putting on Platform’ – about on par with the size of a 1st Class postage stamp ..... 
However, a Tres Beau couloirs is revealed ....
Quelle amazement that Francois comes up trumps again – this is UNTRACKED ... A firm ‘jump’ dislodges a bit of slab & we’re ready ... 
If Paul Daniels were skiing with us he’d have said ... “That’s magic .. “ .... It’s fairly safe, but we go one at a time, into absolutely beautiful snow ... Gott in Himmel ... EXTASY ...  sublime turns on icing sugar ( .. though in my case not as brilliant & impressive as last nights in the Portetta ..  ) Francois says that this couloir doesn’t have a name, so I immediately christen it ‘Le Grand Slam Couloir’ ... ... oops ... musn’t mention the war .. er no ... musn’t mention the Rugby ....
From the traverse there’s MORE .... & a cryptic clue on the ski ....
Taken from the Glacier ... If I can edit this photo, I’ll put in a red marker to show the entry point etc.
(Quite pleased to have gotten a whole red line! ... albeit after 15 minutes trying)
We proceed up to the Glacier and climb from the ‘Traverse’ chair, over the top. The initial descent has suffered from the recent prolonged sun and we negotiate it with care.
We are doing a variation of The Cul du Nant, and it has been well tracked – but blow me down, Francois delivers another untracked couloirs for us to play in ... Whee .. ! .... There’s the man himself ... resting on his sticks ... 
The Run-out ... how about this for a gem in anotherwise tracked out resort ... Sara turning on the style ...
Luncheon at the Refuge de Plaisance – Jean Marc, Francois, Sara & Boris Becker (Thierry) ...
A quick look back – spot the crowds .... & we’re off ...
Incredible SPRING SNOW ... to the valley & another great snowHead victory in the 4km skate-out to Champagny le Haut, (comparable at least to Ireland’s Grand Slam Victory) ...
The conclusion of another sublime & magnificent day in Paradise is enhanced greatly by the thoughts of a Boeuf Bourguignon simmering in the slow cooker Chez moi at Les Charmettes But then the thought .. surely, ‘Boeuf Bourguignon’ is a rather a very plain name .. should it not be renamed ‘Le Cassolet du Six Nations’ ... ? oops ...
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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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BernardC, Long time no see, wleomc back to posting. Very jealous of the pics, wish I could getout to join you some time!
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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, I deleted you texts without reading them. You are the man that put the cock in "au vin". 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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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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Bravo.
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can't believe that first couloir was untracked
oh wait a minute - it's in La Plagne - now it all makes sense
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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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it's just a bunch of blue motorways
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You know it makes sense.
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BernardC, great reporting (with certain sporting exceptions) 
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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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