Steep Vanoise Days 4 & 5

What a week!! The weather really played ball, giving us blue skies to go and search out the best slopes around...
On Thursday we went up to Les Arcs for an adventure down the back of the Aiguille Rouge in 'Valdez':

Heading down the ridge from the top of the cable car (climbing past big warning signs is mandatory!!):



Mike poised for action...:



With 500m of couloir beneath his ski tips:



Ian concentrating in the first steep turns:



Steve on his rented 'matchsticks' (it now turns out he skied the North Face of Bellecote on a broken ski!!):



Mike relaxing on easier angles below the couloir, only another 1300m to go til Villaroger:




Yesterday for the last day of the course we went back to St Foy in search of some more of the powder still lurking on the nearby north faces. A quick hours skin got us to the Grand Soliet, from where a short traverse took us into an almost untracked area of the Foglietta north face:



Ian enjoying his Pro Riders in the (now slightly heavy) powder:



Mike in action - still large areas of untouched powder if you go looking!:



Having nailed 500m of good powder we were hungry for more, so skins went back on again, and we set off up to the Col D'Argentiere. 500 slightly weary metres later and we were poised for another great run, this time into the bowl under the 'Couloir Doudou', again with the promise of fresh snow for our skis.

Ian:



Opening up the gas on the wide lower slopes:



A quick descent of the 'icy path of death' (again) took us back to La Masure, and 10 minutes walk saw the team comfortably installed at the Auberge du Monal, with a welcome beer to reward a good 'mission'.

Roll on next year!! For more information on this course (and more) have a look at the offpisteskiing website.