The Snow has arrived and the skiing is great. Some of the local ski area are opening for the weekend with Courmayeur, La Thuile and Grande Montet opening full time on a limited service. Richard Lundberg and I skiied at Les Contamines on Sat in fantastic powder, there was hardly anyone there and we hardly cut another track all day. Sunday was fairly misserable with lots of rain low down and wet snow in the ski areas, kate and I did a couple of runs at Cote 2000 which has some great terrain and some of the most expensive coffee in the Alps 9 euros for 2. On Monday we headed through to Courmayeur in search of cheaper coffee, 3 euros 50 including a post card we also found loads of thigh deep powder, we did a couple of runs through steep trees into Val Veny then moved over to the main area where there was acres of untacked snow next to the Piste. We skied fresh tracks all day with hardly a person in resort.
I have finally finished the kitchen DIY so it's time to play. The snow is still great for skiing on thursday Richard and I went through to Courmayeur where there was still loads of untracked snow you just had to hike a bit for the untracked stuff. We put the first tracks down the couloir below the Yula lift but then paid the price by having to beat the track in down the Val Veny. On Saturday Les Contamines was open for the first time after the fresh snow so we were on the first lift, there was a litle bit of crust about but the skiing was great with fresh lines all day if you knew where to look. We were back for more freshies on Sunday.
Merry Christmas
Alexy in great snow
Most of the ski resorts in the Alps are now open with the best start to the season for years I have managed to get out on the hill for the last 6 days with some great skiing and climbing. We started just before Christmas touring over the Col du Cicle in Les Contamines, the snow on the descent was hard wind pack but really smooth and fun to ski. On Christmas Eve we skied the Crochu, Berard traverse which was in great condition. The Berard valley had recieved no sun or wind so we enjoyed great untracked powder on the descent. On Christmas day we cruised round the piste in St Gervais in perfect sun shine then skiied some off piste from the top of Mont Joly which had softened nicely in the sun.
On Boxing day we had a great descent on the back side of Le Tour skiing the East Couloir of the Pointe du Van we found great powder (video online soon) even though it hasn't snowed for 10 days. Yesterday we went though to Cogne where the ice has been building really well, we climbed the cascade de Lillaz which is in superb conditions.
To summarise conditions for anyone coming out over the new year all the ski areas are now open the touring is good with some soft snow still to be found low down, high up the snow is very wind blown. The Vallee Blanche is in good condition but the arete has not been equiped yet. The ice fall conditions are good for the time of year with 20 routes in condition in cogne, the Argentiere ice falls are in if you want to brave the walk under the serac. I could see the top of the routes in trient the other day and they looked in. Antares in the Val Savaranche is climbable as a re a couple of other routes lower down the valley. Routes are also coming in in Zinal and Arolla.