TR: A for the Arlberg

A snowHead

I spent last week in the Arlberg. It had not snowed for a week so was not sure what to expect having heard stories
of plundering Viking everywhere. I was pleasantly suprised as if your prepared to walk there is plenty of untracked
snow.

Day 1 was warm up day before 5 days with Paul from Piste to Powder. None of us had been before but an easy first
day turned into a bit of an epic!!

First turn of 2012 for Jack

Still some nice snow off the Schindlerspitxe

Mattun Couloirs were great

Jim goes for a slash on Mattun!

We spied a short 5 minute bootpack

for a slice of untracked goodness

I thought that was fun to!

I think Jim did as well..

But I couldn't see with a backside turn like that!

Day 2 and Paul takes us straight to the top of Valluga.

Valluga North = crusty mank

Jim hitchs a ride from Zurs to the top of Mehlsack!

He picked us all up!

The driver said I could sit in the front

From the top

Oh for a guides job!

Jack got a belter of line (click for mini slideshow)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71958789@N00/sets/72157629047810531/show/

We even got involved in some powder preservation (I asked what that meant in English!)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71958789@N00/sets/72157629047846431/show/

Still acres of fresh down lower

I found a nice gully line and forgot about this powder preservation..

Whats this? Walking after Heli skiing - bet they don't do that at CMH!

After a nice All-day Arlberg breakfast we went and found a Foxhole (name of the run) in the afternoon sun.

Day 3
Early morning on the Skin Track above Sonnenkopf

Alaska or Austria?

Or was it france with kick turns like that!!!

What a view

Warm in the sun

Final rocky scrambe to the top of the Eisentalerspitze

Pretty atmospheric up here I thought

Sharky from the top but as you see below that it opened up into 1000m of sweet powder!
You will have to believe me on that as it was to good to stop and take pics and was shady anyway.

Day 4
Another day another tour. The lesser know Jorg couloir the objective(apparently only in condition several days a year)
Early morning sweat fest above Kappal

Near the top

Hilary and Tenzing

3 guys ahead pipped us to the main dish of the day (you can just see the second skin track of the day in the far distance)

First drop was nasty! Jim wishing he hadn't gone last as there no snow in that section!

Again it was one of those amazing runs where it was to good to stop and takes pics. Paul took this one and if you
look closely you can see me lookers left, Jim on the right and Jack at the top in the middle

Second walk of the day and we found a family of Chamois enjoying the grass under the glide cracks (rather them than me)

Top of the second walk and then a nice easy cruise back to civilization

Day 5 was warm, wild and very wet so no pics

Day 6 promised more with dropping temps and heavy snowfall - it delivered

And just got deeper

And deeper

until it got ridiculous! Yes, Jim is somewhere in there!

A really great week with a good mix of great riding, great scenery, great food and great beer.

We only just made it out of the Arlberg Saturday before the whole place got shut down
on the motorway!

A snowHead

Niiiiiice !

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Some great photos. Cheers for sharing. We was there 2nd week of Jan. Some fantastic opportunities for off piste. Shame we are complete novices off piste unlike you guys! Looks like stupidly good fun Smile