Maurienne magic (2014) part 2

A good top-up of snow mid-week? Oh go on then...

Storm-skiing Valfréjus:

Val Cenis delivers big style! I have eyed up this descent every year I have been here, and Thursday was THE day finally. (And to think we nearly didn't come here!):

700m vertical descent like this? Oh, OK then...

Deep:

Deeper:

More fresh tracks on Plan Riondet in the afternoon:

A stormy Friday to finish - back to Valfréjus:

Thanks to Katie, Rob, Mike, Jude, Venetia and Geoff for a great week!

Maurienne magic 2014

I have just finished a week of coaching for a group from the Eagles Ski Club, based in Bramans in the Maurienne valley. This is my 4th (or 5th?) week in this area in recent years, and once again it didn't fail to deliver, with barely a queue (despite both Paris and Marseille being on holiday) and powder a-plenty.
Through the week we skied at Bonneval-sur-Arc, Val Cenis, La Norma and Valfréjus - all great in their own way (and all with day ticket prices of about €25...!).

La Norma:

Bonneval-sur-Arc:

Couloir de la Fontaine, Bonneval-sur-Arc:

Valfréjus:

Couloir des Militaires:

A happy team below the Couloir des Militaires:

More pics to follow in a second post...

Eagles Ski Club training/tours week (Part 1)

This week is a week of coaching + touring adventures for a group from the Eagles Ski Club.
From a valley base in Bourg St Maurice we have been exploring all that the Tarentaise has to offer... a warm-up day in Val D'Isere with plenty of soft snow from the Friday snowfall, followed by a testing day at La Rosiere/La Thuile on Monday, with variable visibiity, but good snow off piste.
Yesterday we went back up to Val D'Isere & headed off down the Pays Desert to the Pont de la Neige for a tour over the Col des Fours. Plenty of space on Pays Desert for freshies still:



Pont de la Neige:



Great views of the Haute Maurienne:



On the way up the Christy Powder Radar (®) kicked in, and we diverted from Plan A and made for the nearby Ouille des Tretetes, with a slope of untouched powder just waiting for us:



It was quite good:



In fact it was very good!






For details of backcountry/off-piste coaching courses please have a look here...