Vanoise adventures

The Foehn wind is currently raging outside while I am having a well-timed day off after a busy week of steep ski coaching in the Vanoise for Jerry, Stuart, Jason and Roger. With an average age of 61.75 these boys can still rip and show there is no age limit for making changes in your skiing!

Thanks to the gang for a great week! Next years dates are already in the diary...

Chamonix Freeride course + conditions update

Last week I was in Chamonix for the offpisteskiing.com & Jagged Globe Freeride course, working alongside IFMGA Mountain Guide Andy Lanham.

With the Chamonix valley definitely in a spring snow cycle but foehn winds forecast for the first few days we kicked off the week at the Grands Montets skiing smooth chalky hardpack and drilling the team in avalanche rescue techniques:

On Monday and Tuesday we headed over to Courmayeur where there was up to 30cm of powder in places off the Youla as and when the visibility opened up (and it was amazingly quiet as always!):

Rian:

Mark:

Of course no trip to Italy is complete without sampling some of the local wares:

On Wednesday we took the whole team for a run off the Punta Hellbronner down the Toula Glacier, finding creamy powder at the top, turning rapidly to spring lower down:

Once again Mark took advantage of the fine food on offer...:

After lunch Andy took Mark and Rian off down the Vallée Noire back to Chamonix, while Chas, David, Pete and I headed over to Courmayeur for a coaching session.

David in action:

On Thursday, with a spring cycle setting up again, we headed for Brevent in the morning, catching the Hotel face in great condition. Andy, Mark & Rian then continued on to ski the Aiguille Pourrie North face into Combe de la Gliere.

Mark:

Yesterday 'team energetic' headed for the Col du Belvedere and skied good chalky snow down to Le Buet, while the rest of us went back to Les Grands Montets for a mix of chalky cold snow and spring snow, along with a slightly cloudy eclipse...

Chas in action:

Thanks to Chas, Pete, David, Rian and Mark for a great week, and also to Andy.


To summarise conditions as of Friday:

Brevent/Flegere - great spring snow to be skied if you get your timing right, but by 12:30 most off piste is getting too soft

Aiguilles Rouges touring - Andy, Mark and Rian went over the Col du Belvedere on Friday and found good snow on the descent down to Le Buet, with skis on pretty much all the way to the bottom (though this won't last long if it stays warm...)

Grands Montets - chalky snow still on North aspects (skier's left of Lavancher bowl, Grand Mur, under Bochard etc etc), spring snow on the Westerly aspects

Aiguille du Midi - by all accounts all the classic Vallee Blanche itineraries are in good condition

Punta Hellbronner - the Toula Glacier was in good spring condition - timing is everything again... Teams had skied under the cables - cover looks good

Courmayeur - there was still good cold snow off the Youla & Arp on Wednesday, Canale Vesse in good condition though in the right branch the ice bulge is becoming more pronounced and needs a confident approach - the stream crossing is tricky, with a muddy scramble along the other side

Up higher it seems like South-facing slopes are in reasonable condition (Y on Aig. d'Argentiere, S couloir on Chardonnet), while North-facing slopes are definitely still showing the effects of the strong Northerly winds from a week or two back...

La Grave and more...

Sunny conditions last week for the Freeride La Grave week. With chalky, skied-out snow prevalent at La Grave, we ventured to Serre Chevalier and Montgenèvre to find some powder, diverted to ALpe D'Huez for some spring snow, and finished with a couple of days at La Grave skiing the classics! Great to be working alongside IFMGA guide Jerome Chancrin again.

Amanda getting some fresh tracks in the Tabuc valley, Serre Chevalier:

Freddie on some steep chalkiness:

Plenty of space for James to lay down some tracks off the Cucumelle, Serre Chevalier

Chas in sunshine powder in Montgenèvre:

Team descent to Vachette:

James ripping some steep corn in Alpe D'Huez:

Chas on the same pitch:

Freddie in couloir Patou, La Grave:

The team in the Vallon de la Selle, great spring snow after a firm start!

Slideshow 2012/13

...and finally... now that winter 2013/14 has kicked off... here is a selection of pictures from courses and days out with friends last winter:

offpisteskiing.com Winter 2012/13 Slideshow from Simon Christy on Vimeo.

Chamonix Freeride coaching week

Last week I was in Chamonix for 6 days of coaching on the www.offpisteskiing.com Freeride course, run alongside Jagged Globe.

With a Foehn system having blown through over the previous few days the Chamonix valley was not necessarily going to be in prime condition and this was proven true at the Grands Montets on the first day, with a thin layer of powder over big bumps everywhere apart from the very top lift.
Plan B was called for, and this appeared in the shape of Courmayeur, with 30cms of powder on a soft base almost everywhere!





The scenery matches the quality of the coffee & food!



With such good conditions it would have been rude not to spend a bit more time exploring the massive off piste potential of the area,

High entry to Dolonne in top form:



900m vertical of powder? Yes please...



Alex lower down:



The exit "combat ski" was actually in reasonable condition:



Arp Vieille shoulder couloir:



Alex:



Alice:



Audrey:



A happy team:


A day back at Le Tour midweek only confirmed how much better the Italian side was, though we found good conditions in the Combe des Jeurs and below the Arolette. Given the option though, everyone voted for Courmayeur again for our last days.

Looking into the Arp face:



Audrey in the couloir:



Amanda reaping the rewards:



Alex:



The team's handywork:











All in all a fantastic week! The team all made great progress with their skiing, and we ticked off an enviable number of classic lines in great snow - roll on next year!