 Poster: A snowHead
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We spended lots of hours skiing and skinning Andorra valleys this season, and waiting the correct conditions for everyone, and to ski this one we're waiting just until past thursday!!! The descent is the ALT COULOIR in the Comapedrosa. The Comapedrosa is Andorra's highest peak situated in the NW boarder of this little country. And the couloir is a rare jewel in the Pyrenees because it's vertical, 900m, you start just next to the summit mark at 2943m and finish a bit lower than the Pla de l'Estany refuge at 2000m. 
The couloir have SE orientation and you can see it from a distance, we're dreaming in ski it every time that we reach another peak and see it.
One month ago from the Pic de Pedrons (next to Pas de la Casa) we saw it and seemed ok:
Also the past week from the Estanyó (in the NE boarder, another andorra's top 5)
The problem until now was the windslab formed in all SE orientations, that was the cause of the fatidic january, 80% of avalanche accidents in jan-feb were located in SE faces. Past week with the temperatures rising and the sunny days transformed and stabilized the snowpack, so was the time!!
We started the day early to arrive at the top in time to ski down with best spring snow, so at 7pm we leave Arinsal (1550m) just in the sunshine.
In less than 2h qe reached the refuge of Pla de l'Estany (2000m), below the peak of the same name (2850m) with some steep lines to ski some day...
Not much cold, but enough to have a good freeze-thaw cycle, when we arrived at the base of the couloir it didn't looks like such bigness that we had seen before from other points, and despite the initial plans was to reach the top by the normal way, after seen it we decided to climb it directly. I prefer it because you can see snow conditions and evaluate alternatives if they're necessary.
After the firsts meters we seen the real magnitude of the couloir; yes man! it's big!!
And finally 4h after leave the car, and more than 2h of couloir climbing we reached the top. Time to eat and recover energy. This peak its a perfect balcony, you have 360º af amazing views..
Lots of photos from the top, I don't put it directly because maybe there are too much, so in my blog I put it all:
http://berniboom.blogspot.com/2010/03/comapedrosa-2943m-per-la-canal-de-lalt.html
And, of course, all Andorra in our feet!! I think that with a little of zoom I can see our car, 1400m below!!
And now, is the hour when the snow had been softened enough to enjoy, brilliant spring snow!!!
Alt Couloir from the top
ACTION:
More photos in my blog.
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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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AlTom, another awesome TR bro. Post more photos of the skiing!
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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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fabulous
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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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brilliant stuff. Its great when you tick a line off that you have been looking at for years 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Liking that a lot!
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Awesome TR AlTom. If Carlsberg did trip reports...
The hairs on the back of my neck are sticking up after reading that and drinking in those images.
I've eyed that line too, but obviously I didn't have the get-up-and-go that you guys did to tackle it - kudos dude!
All the photos are great, but I really like the one taken at the top of the couloir, looking over Pic Alt de la Capa and the slopes at Pal to the Serra del Cadi in the background; that's a big view. Fantastic.
Will tweet a link to this post, so that the uninitiated can see that Andorra really can deliver cracking off-piste when you know where to look.
Cheers
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AlTom, nicely done!
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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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AlTom, loving your work man. Any mountains left for you boys to conquer in the Pyrenees?
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AlTom, amazing again! Thanks for posting..
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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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I've never really associated Andorra with big boys skiing but that looks like a great day out.
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FAQ
Any more pics 
