Gone Skiing
Went skiing today. It was fun. Really fun. Think I’ll go again tomorrow.
BiblioGrind
On the Rim of a MillstoneArchive for Ski Blog 2007
Kayla’s Day
So the bro, Matt, and his child, Mikayla, are in town for 5 days to ski. Kayla hasn’t skied in 6 years, and at 17 she had more gumption than ability for about one run and a half. And then it began to come together. By apres-midi she had the skis pointed properly downhill and was edging like one likes to see. But naturally, when she had to drag her ass off the snow about 20 times, she was properly knackered by 14.00. Not bad for the first day. We’ll see how Gumby her legs are tomorrow. Ha ha …. ha.
Two-Mountain Day
Yesterday: Chris and I got up Grand Montets before 9 a.m. under a blue sky. At the top of the Hell lift the wind whipped over the high cornice with the sun behind it. Lots of snow was up there, but off piste it was crusty with ice patches beneath. We skied a few runs, then they closed the lift, sending everyone on the mountain to runs that three-quarters of them had no reason trying to ski.
We found a few shutes and took movies of each other riding the bumps. It was nice and sunny the east side of Montets. But with all those people, and the mountain having closed the top half, we decided to buzz down and motor over to Flegére.
Atop Flegére the sun had softened the snow, and conditions were near perfect (”perfect” being champagne powder all day, every day). We scooted from the top of l’Index lift and found three fantastic drops through snow that let you cut and groove with ease. The pitch was great, the drop in let you pick your line, and all we had to do was turn, turn, turn. Fab day.
Sarah met us there and we three skied till our legs fell off. Then it was double-beer time, a bit of sunshine, and pride for the long two-mountain day.
The Big Dump!
Snow, that is! Yes, finally another big snow. For about 6 days now, it has snowed up top the mountains nearly every night. Yesterday and last night was a full-out blizzard at the higher elevations, and the sum of that white-out skiing was fresh powder today.
But there is a trick involved with skiing an entire season: be in the best shape of your life!
I, unfortunately, am not, though I’m trying. After yesterday’s great but exhausting runs through the trees, I couldn’t resist this morning’s 10 inches lying in the valley and all that good fluffy stuff that I knew lay on the runs. I ran off to Les Houches this morning and got in 5 runs. The snow was deep, maybe 16 inches. I made some of my own tracks, but there were A LOT of people out there for a Tuesday. It seemed the valley called off school, and everyone else called in sick to work.
Those 5 runs where beautiful, and then total Gumby Leg hit me. I was home by 12.30, and happy to have drug myself from beneath the covers.
Treeline Skiing
Chamonix is finally getting snow, even if it often rains in the valley while dumping powder up top. This morning on the backside off-piste forests of Le Tour, visibility suffered up top with that snow (and wind). The upper reaches were empty and waiting for our tracks. It was adventurous with the exposed scrub brush (yes, there is that little snow in may places), yet there were long patchs that let you slide through onto some wide, exposed, deep snow drops. Tree skiing at its best, despite the weather.
The warm temps still held halfway down the mountain, though. Actually, rain soaked you getting onto the lift, then into the clouds and driving snow as you rose. Skiing down this stretch, the snow became heavy, grabbing your boots and edges, so you point your skis downmountain and hang on. Four runs like that and we were tired, wet, and confused in the blizzard up top. It was time to get down to the train station and back into Cham.
I must say: the little café attached to the Villacorn [sic?] train station had the most fabulous lunch special: steak smothered in red cabbage bits, fresh steamed carrots, a giant potato pancake, and a salad. Perhaps the best meal I’ve had in Chamonix yet, actually. And all for 14 euros.
If you don’t have a car, as neither myself nor Brian has, the best way to get quickly to some great skiing is to take the Chamonix Valley Express train. It hits lots of stops, is only a 10 minute walk for me, more reliable than bus service, and stops close to the better ski areas in the valley. Ride in comfort. Ski like the devil in disguise. Trundle back home on the rails.
Is this a Blog or what?
Yeah, when company comes to town it’s easy to get lazy. I wanted to keep a (ski) daily blog, and have already fallen short. Nonetheless, a recap: yesterday in Le Tour the snow began to fall and into a light fog we skied by 11 a.m. Lucky we got up there early, and the runs were nice since the recent snows. At Le Tour you have to pick a line to get some serious skiing in. Otherwise the place gets a bit boring for advanced skiers.
I found some of those lines and used the terrain to advantage by seeing slalom poles in the fog of imagination. That kind of edging in a fast jam down the hill works the legs and lungs. At 43, I feel like I can rip a tree from the ground. And it only took 2 months of skiing to get me into shape. Life can surprise you every once in a while.
By noon the runs had become veiled in a cloud, and you could best get down by following the pole lines. The center of runs made your run a white-out. I felt like I was water skiing because the bumps moved underneath like waves, making me bounce around and “feel” my way along the surface. If you didn’t use your knees as shock absorbers, you could get yourself out of balance quickly.
Day off today to get work done, and waiting for a big snow dump sometime tomorrow. Yee-haa!
The P’s Come to Town
The Big Guy in the saddleÂ
So it was moi and the P’s on the slopes today, but after a few bottles of celebratory wine last night, we didn’t make Les Houches till around noon. Nice thing about Houches with not lots of snow is there are few people on the runs, and we skied 3 hours and had an outdoor lunch. Ice is the word of the week, and tomorrow I think Le Brevent will be about the same.
I got my skis back from the shop and one full tune-up later, I have control over my speed again. It seems I’m carrying lots of speed these days…perhaps I’m feeling my years and want to pack a lot good skiing while time gives me …. time.
Bevelled Edges
Brian the (other) Seppo called me last night, suggesting we ski the Valeé Blanche today. I was hesitant for two reasons: 1) death getting down the arret (mostly in my mind), and 2) my skies are sort of cached from hitting so many rocks in the last month or so. I begged off this time around, but now that the arret is doubly roped off, I’m going to get up there several times by season’s end.
I did go over to Les Houches to check the snow conditions, since I have guests coming in on Thursday. Houches is skiable—just so—but a bit icy. I quickly realized that not going down the Valeé was a good idea, as the edges on my skis had become bevelled. I had barely any control on Houches’ icy runs. I thought this was just me, maybe my legs were tired, boots loose, or I just sucked today. But then I watched a guy zoom past me and take sharp, grooved turns in the same ice that I was completely spastic on just moment ago.
I got off the mountain immediately, dropped my skis off at the shop, and asked them to sharpen the edges till they cut like razors.