 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Wow. Great pics and you seem indeed to have hit the North face of Bellecote in perfect conditions.
I miss the steeps...
Oh, the skiing's not bad either!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
bah! now more gutted than i was that i couldn't make it 
looks great though and some very nice pics!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Very nice, looks like you really scored some great conditions. Looking forwards to part 2.
|
|
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
Pas mal. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loved them photo's.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Arno, Glad I got on this years trip, last years sounded somewhat firmer snow conditions, not ideal on a board 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
norris, the Bellecote was chalky - actually quite nice and grippy but you would have slid if you fell
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fantastique
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Brilliant stuff looking forward, some great lines it was worth the ten year wait!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Am out in VT on the bash, may have to try those lines (with a suitable guide of course...) 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
norris, great pics. The line on Bellecote looks pretty tasty! You struck gold with the timing. When was this? And did you move around the rsorts during the week or stay down the valley and drive about? Looking forward to part 2.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
I dunno, looked kinda busy 
Excellent as always norris, but no shots of you this time...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
norris, which one is the 'regular' line most people talk about when they ski the north face of bellecote?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Wow that's some serious skiing there. Amazing photos, I can only dream of being that good (at skiing, not photography lol)!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Gsyfreerider, I think most guided groups ski the petit north face which has a less steep entry (on the shoulder right of B)
parlor, not many of me this time unfortunately, I was hiding behind my powder slashes! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
GrahamN, norris, also loving that south face of Cime de Caron. Never thought about that one but next time in in VT will certainly have a look! 1st week of March so basically just after that big dump on the Thursday/Friday. That Saturday was a belter but we then got battered by high winds on the Sunday. Looks like 3v's avoided the worst of that. Did you get up to Bellecote via the lift connection at Champagny?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
bobinch, yes the Caron is a 50m walk from the cable car! The saturday was sweet, sunday awful ( i went for a walk!! rather than ride)
Bellecotte via Champagny yes as we stayes in Brides
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
On we go.
Day 4
With a slighty iffy forecast for the next few days it was time for Simon to really earn his money! The initial plan was to go for a tour off the back of Courchevel and over the Col de Biol, but on arrival at the top of the lifts it looked like seriously low cloud - not ideal on this tour as you need some pretty accurate route finding. So we put a hold on the Col de Biol until the weather improved later in the week. With pretty flat light we need to find something with some contrast between sky and snow = The imposing "Aiguille de Fruit"
We basically skinned and then bootpacked straight up the main couloir to the snowy ridge . Don't ask Graham if he enjoyed this  ....think postholing everystep due to carrying his big old 191 fatties on his back and hiking in DH ski boots!
Colour coordination
Simon skiing down in the gloom
Day 5
More iffy weather, slighty warmer so alot of stuff had become kind of breakable crust on some aspects or windboard on others! Simon decided on another run off the Bellecotte, this time the Canadian Couloir which has a steeper entry than the cairn (seen at point B on my previous photo). It wasn't quite the hero snow of the other day  and I for one was struggling with tired legs and difficult light - or maybe I was just spolit from the epic run down the Cairn !!! All the other guys seemed to enjoy it though 
Anyway as you can see its an imposing entry
Simon demonstrating how to ski the steeps
I was more looking forward to the Plat du Jour and some tart at the lovely auberge at the bottom, unfortunately this was full so we headed back into the lift system to find another restaurant which wasn't quite so good
And with heavy fog we called time on this days skiing.
Day 6
And the sun comes out again finally! So the tour to the Col de Biol and down to Pralognan was back on the agenda. This really is a fantastic tour through some really craggy peaks/valleys that reminded me of the Dolomites
Syncronized skinning
Jack crests the ridge with the Aiguille de Fruit in the background (we skiied the other side earlier in the week)
Ski crampons out on this icey traverse
Graham arrives at the Col, a fantastic ambience far away from the madness of the 3V.
Simons skis the first pitch, not a track in sight
High above Pralognan and it gets nice and steep
I wonder why the guide always go first....!
The lesser spotted norris
Steve gets in on the action
Other tracks, what are these? still plenty of room though!
After this we winded our way down to Pralognan for a few sherbets to celebrate a really amazing week. Many thanks to Simon for the great guiding and Graham, Jack and Steve for trying to keep up with me on my snowboard  actually more thanks for all the tows and lending of poles on the flat sections!
Italian Bonus section!
The following week I headed over to Courmayeur with Mrs Norris to rest my weary legs after all those steeps!!
Unfortunately she had sustained a knee injury during a recent Netball match so we had to stick to gentle pistes, so no cliff hucking etc  . We actually had a really nice week including alot of eating fine Italian food, a visit to the hot springs, snowshoeing up the Val Ferret to a refuge. I managed to squeeze in a few
bits of backcountry in between pizzas.
The typically busy pistes and terrible views from Courmayeur
Snowshoeing in the Val ferret with the Aiguille Noire de Peutery in the background. Just five minutes later 2 huge eagles were soaring above us, looked like golden eagles to me.
I hiked up above the top lift (Arp) at Courmayeur for a run down into the Val Veni
The view into the Bowl where I was heading
We went over to La Thuile for a day and I hiked up Bella Valetta while Mrs Norris sat in the sun and took a few shots of me coming down, slightly from afar but pretty damn nice!
A fine 2 weeks...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
norris, what a cracking week of off piste. Doesn't get much better than that. If you plan something like that again I'd certainly be interested.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
bobinch, get yourself on offpisteskiing's mailing list
norris, glad you had one day of dodgy vis to keep it real
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fabulous.
The guide's pack. Any ideas? Never seen skis strapped side by side like that before.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Mike Pow, it's an ABS bag by the looks of it
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Mike Pow, ABS packpack - they don't have standard a-frame straps for some reason. Only a snowboard style carry system so hence side by side.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mike Pow, ABS
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Just to be sure thats ABS!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Mike Pow, ABS, it's all you get on the back, a very basic pair of straps.
norris, good effort bro.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
So is it an ABS?
Thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
norris, Great photos!
Mike Pow, ABS pack - the older models (and probably the newer ones too) don't have straps on the side (traditional 'A' frame straps) as this is where the airbags appear (hopefully)... But the buckle/strap system present is not great, so if you put the skis in it clipped together (Pierra Menta stylee) the buckles loosen automatically as you swing the bag onto your back and you then end up with your skis flapping around... much better with skis flat...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Northface of the Bellecotte - Couloir Cairn from Nick Morrish http://www.vimeo.com/10508747
I put together an edit of the Northface of the Bellecotte from Grahamn's Headcam. Abit rough around the edges as its my first proper attempt at a video edit!! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
GrahamN, Its a tough life
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Brilliant! Great photos and love the video.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
