Towards Spring and end of Skiing - Days 152 to 161

A sunny day stop for a hot chocolate

It's feeling more Spring-like every day, we've moved the clocks on an hour, the days are longer and the sun is gaining strength. Having said that though, it's still quite cold, keeping the snow deep and in quite good condition and the on-piste skiing excellent. Off-piste is still possible and not too bad as we've had fresh falls of snow, with much more forecast this week at higher (above 1400m) altitude, but there's a general feeling of the season coming to an end.

View from the chairlift. The slopes await!

This Saturday (31st) marks the first of our thirteen ski resorts to close, with Abondance closing for the season, followed by Chapelle d'Abondance the next day. Our own, St Jean d'Aulps closes on 8th April along with Morgins, which then prevents the long 'Swiss loop' being done and, on 15th most major resorts close, leaving only Avoriaz, Montriond and Chatel open for one final week, everything going quiet on 22nd April. There will still be huge depths of snow remaining, but operating ski resorts is a huge logistical exercise and closing dates are predetermined by staff contracts (ski lift, piste groomers, first aiders, security and mountain restaurant personnel) and the booking of huge quantities of electricity demanded by the lifts, so dates cannot easily be moved once everything is booked and agreed.

A domestic scene. Pre-ski breakfast in our apartment

We've been out most days enjoying the huge expanse of the Portes du Soleil ski area while we still can and the skiing has been fabulous and fairly quiet now most crowds have gone and we'll no doubt be taking as much opportunity as we can in the final days, not knowing when we may ski again. We may have skied every marked piste in the Portes du Soleil ski area (that is slightly debatable as marked pistes are altered, added or deleted, but broadly we have done them all) and know the whole area very well, but there are still challenges. For example, to date (28th March) my ski app shows that we have skied a total distance of 1958km in 83hours 40min since we arrived on 19th December, travelled a total distance (including skiing and sitting on lifts) of 3024km in 270hours 15min and skied at a maximum speed of 96.1km/h (60mph). Today is our 100th day here and we have been out skiing for 73 of them. I have crossed off the possibility of trying to break the 100km/hr barrier, tempting as it is, as 96.1km/hr was pretty scary, but we obviously need to exceed 2000km of skiing, something that is easily possible with only 42km left, bearing in mind we could do that in a day quite easily and two without much effort, so thats reason enough to go out. Not today or tomorrow though, it's snowing above about 1500m today and tomorrow (rain here), with strongish winds. Friday through to at least Monday look a bit better so we'll go out then.

Another ski photo! This one's in the Abondance ski area

So, since the departure of our friends from Solihull Mountaineering Club things have been much quieter and it's just been mainly the two of us. We've seen little of Si and Cassie as, although they thought they'd have much more time available this season by employing Haig and Gabby to run their chalet, it hasn't happened. They've taken on more airport and slope transfer driving jobs, much more marketing and have found the familiar man-management problems every employer confronts, leading to frustration and apologies from them that it hasn't turned out as they hoped. I'm sure that by next season they will have it sorted - but we probably won't be here!

This is at the top of Abondance and, beyond is St Jean d'Aulps

On a lovely sunny last Friday we hit the slopes in a big way, visiting nine of the thirteen ski resorts, skiing our favourite runs, covering 90km and skiing 59km of them and, in fact, in three consecutive days (22nd to 24th) we visited every one of the thirteen resorts skiing a total of 115km of runs. I like stats, but I'm sure this is of no interest to anyone else! Never mind, it'll be over soon and we'll be able to talk about other things other than skiing!

Here's a closer view and I've marked on it our apartment and the red pistes from the top down to the village and, dotted behind the mountain, the long circular route we can do. The black lines are the ski lifts. Click on the photo to get a bigger view

What about ski touring? Jackie and I went out one day and skinned up 450m ascent over 3.3km on marked pistes, all good excercise, but she wasn't very happy (actually she bailed about halfway and caught a ski lift up, while I carried on skinning)! Encouraged I decided to go out one morning to skin up the red piste right by our apartment, leaving Jackie reading in bed. It didn't go quite to plan, I started up the quite steep but groomed piste until I came to the first bend and then went up off-piste up a steep, icy and grooved slope. Going up in zig-zags and doing kick turns was much more of an effort than gently sliding up a groomed slope, but I was not put off on rejoining the piste as I could see another narrow track leading off up away from the piste.

Art!

I wasn't the first to go there, but not many had been before and I thought it would be interesting and maybe I'd find a good off-piste slope we could ski down. Well, it wasn't to be, it wandered a long way from the piste into trees and steepening slopes, kick turns becoming more difficult, icy slopes more difficult to keep a grip on, occasionally sliding backwards or to the side, skis getting stuck under tree roots or branches and a steep slope in avalanche 3 conditions. Should I be here? probably not. Does anyone know I'm here? No. Would anyone hear if I needed to shout? Maybe, but not sure. It's not looking so good, the slope above through the trees is steep and a long way up, I'm using loads of energy and have no food. Skiing back down is not an option, so I have to go on, stopping frequently for rests and to get my breath back. But press on I did and I eventually regained the piste close to the top. As I bust through the last bush and onto the slope two skiers had stopped to watch. 'Hi' I said, trying to look as cool and relaxed as possible and carried on skiining up hill, leaving them to ski on down. Well, I reached the main ski area of St Jean at an altitude of 1400m in 2 hours, a distance of 3.4km and an ascent of 450m, very, very tired. Not a very good time and not a very sensible route. Will I do it again? Probably, but next time I'll stick to the groomed piste!

The brown, scraped ski runs down the mountain from Chatel towards Mogins

Last night we had an invitation to dinner at Si and Cassie's chalet. We'd contacted them earlier to see if we could get together and us cook them a meal as Si is going off on a diving job in the UK on Friday and we may not see him again before we go, but instead we got invited to theirs for a meal and to take part in a publicity movie they are having made. They've got a couple who run a movie business in Cornwall to stay this week and offered them a free ski holiday in exchange for a big discount so we are to become part of their promotional video. Gabby and Haig were there, Si and, eventually Cassie after she returned from an airport transfer, guests Peter (an ex Navy colleague of Si's), his wife Emma and their two children and another couple Richard and Sarah who have been in the area for two years and are refurbishing an old house in nearby Cote d'Abroz. They were all very interesting people and we had good conversation which was just what the movie maker wanted. Fizz and canapes were served as we sat in the lounge, chatted and were filmed, followed by us sitting around the dining table eating dinner, drinking wine and chatting, all while the camera rolled. Will it be interesting when complete? Well, they seemed quite professional so possibly, but they were a bit put off when Jackie told them she used to work at the BBC and her first husband was a cameraman and video editor. We'll see and maybe post a link, but only if it shows us in a good light!

Anyway, that's it for now, tea and cake are calling!

Skiing and merriment with friends – Days 143 to 151

Saturday dawned wet and wetter, just in time for eight of Solihull Mountaineering Club to arrive. Or did they bring it with them? 

The team: Mike D, Rob, Roger, Ed, Mike R, James and, sitting down: Jackie, Alex and Jo (and Brian taking the photo!)

In Super Chatel just before heading back

They didn't arrive till dinner time so we left them to it, going to the chalet at 09.00am on Sunday morning instead. Hugs and hellos and off we went, it wasn't quite raining but it was never far away, actually snow above about 1300m with rain below for most of the week. We all stuck together for most of the day, reacquainting people with their ski legs. We stopped for lunch and watched heavy snow falling outside the window, deciding we didn't need to ski in this, we offered Alex and Rob a lift back to the chalet, could have done with a bigger car for all the people who wouldn't have minded a lift home!

Relaxing in Chalet Bernadine: James, Rob, Mike R and Mike D

James skiing some off-piste powder

Monday didn't dawn too wet, but was mostly in a cloud. We split from Alex and Rob immediately as Rob had left his lift pass on the bed! Haig went back for it but there was no chance of holding everyone else back. We headed off to Switzerland where the pistes were very pleasant, particularly when we could actually see them! We ended up doing the Swiss circuit in reverse (anti-clockwise – Montriond, Les Crosets, Champoussin, Morgins, Super Chatel, Chatel, Montriond), which avoided the brown piste 

Mike R disappearing into trees and snow

(a south facing piste in Morgins that is part of the clockwise circuit but not anti-clockwise and can suffer under warm, sunny conditions when the snow can soften and thin, mixing with the mud underneath making it unpleasant and brown!), but did mean a 10 minute yomp across Morgins town (avoided in the clockwise direction by skiing slightly downhill along a pavement at the side of the road where the snow is left for this purpose, but means walking up the road in the anti-clockwise direction). Oh well. Got back to Chatel to see big black clouds growing. That's us off then, accompanied by Roger and Mike R. Sadly we didn't make the car at Ardent in Montiond before the blizzard of heavy wet snow hit, so got in the car absolutely drenched. Only for it to stop! Hmm.

Jackies best skiing photo ever! Taken by professional photographer Ed

Mike collecting his skis in heavy falling snow, watched by Brian

Tuesday, weather, but at least this was 'lumpy' weather. Off piste was calling in Chatel so we quickly split to a smaller group of Jo, Mike R, Ed and James. What a day, the powder was amazing, no one could stay on their feet, if they could even see them. The visibility wasn't great so staying in the trees was good, when we ventured out to a plateau area B managed to drop 10 feet into a hole, he saw the odd star, and we just saw him vanish! Perhaps enough is enough. Perhaps not, it's cleared slightly, shall we do that roof? See Youtube video below

Snowman Brian after finding a deep, hidden 'bear pit'

Clear skies and fabulous off-piste on Wednesday

 Wednesday blue sky, what a change, Ed, James and Mike R headed off to 'serious' things, the rest of us just had fun. Well most of us, we ended up off piste in Chatel where whoops, hoots and giggles abounded, except from Rob who kept his calm despite losing one or both skis on a regular basis! Hearing Alex however was a joy, so he couldn't be grumpy! 

Brian skiing off-piste under blue skies

Thursday, more weather was forecast, though not starting as early as expected, a depleted group set out with Roger leading us through Avoriaz (or ‘Avoraz’ as he called it). James was poorly and Alex & Rob wanted a rest day? OK perhaps not, they managed to get the red via ferratta on the Tête de l'Eléphant in St Jean d’Aulps done before the rain set in. I had said to B I would like to leave before getting drowned, sadly not to be, moderately heavy wet snow above 1300mm and heavy rain below (sadly, when it’s like that you start a run in snow, but ski into rain as you go downhill, only to see it turn back into snow on the lift back up again, but by then, you’re wet). We should have left when Roger and Mike R did, but we did leave before the hardcore Jo, Mike D and Ed did. That'll be all our clothes drip drying over the bath for the fourth time in a week then.

Alex's 'rest day' on the red via ferrata in St Jean. Photo taken by Rob

Brian and Jackie during a pause in the off-piste tree skiing

Friday was forecast as pretty rubbish but it was their final day so all out, early and out to the Ardent lift at Montriond. As it happened the weather was much better than forecast and was mainly sunny all day. Slight hiccup, only Mike R made it through the barrier, turns out the other seven passes had been wrongly issued, six days yes, but Saturday to Thursday, not Sunday to Friday! Due to all the passes having been bought from our little resort in St Jean d’Aulps (well that way they get the money, so Si supports local) the problem had to be sorted there, so Ed and B headed back with all the passes, 20 minutes each way, plus queuing and arguing time! Arguing wasn't actually a problem, though queuing was. She could see that they hadn't been used on Saturday so did make good, but so much for an early start!

Friday lunch at the top of Morgins. Mike D, Ed, mike R, Brian, Jackie and James (Jo taking the photo)

That'll be Roger there stuck in the snow!

Roger, Alex and Rob plumped for slightly easier slopes after we'd all done a few together. B wanted to take the others on that one last run he'd finally managed to find open, so we headed towards Torgon. After getting through Chatel and into Super Chatel we found the whole of the onward area closed due to avalanche danger. Oh well, it'll be the circuit again then, the usual, clockwise way round (the ‘brown’ piste was brown, requiring a bit of negotiation to avoid bare patches, and ski rescue for complete strangers, but the snowy pavement through Morgins town was still OK so we could slide all the way through to the onward ski lift). 

Selfie sillyness

Amazingly as we headed towards the last run back in Montriond and the bar at the end for a farewell pint we bumped into Roger, Alex & Rob, what are the chances? So Roger went to do another run with the majority while B and I went for a pint with A&R. We waved them all off in the van thinking it's been lovely to see you, but glad you are going. We can have a lie in, and not go out in hideous weather. So we didn't. Saturday was rain, but moderate snow above about 1200m and we were in, though we did go out today, much to my surprise and into fresh powder snow!

James, Mike in balaclava, Ed's hands behind him and Brian

Rob collecting his skis - again!

It was a great week, we got to ski with everyone in different groups. We had dinner in the chalet twice, Sunday and Tuesday which was lovely, we felt very spoilt and dinner out for staff night off on Wednesday. A lovely evening, joined by Cassie and Si and two friends who we had tried to meet up with during the day. Many calls and texts, they finally went over us, on a lift, waving at us, just before we went off piste in the trees, never to be seen again! Or not for a very long time anyway! 

In the bar for a last Apres Ski drink. Alex, Jo and Mike D

Mike R and Ed

Baz is an old friend of Si's from the Navy who was staying for a couple of nights between speaking commitments. He has studied Shackleton's voyage and rescue of his men, being involved in a recreation of the 800 miles and 16 day's at sea, eight men in a lifeboat before miraculously hitting South Georgia only to find they were on the wrong side of the island and being the first to trek across an unmapped mountain range (something we studied while in Punta Arena, Chile last year. See: http://brianandjackiecross.blogspot.fr/2016/11/puerto-natales-to-punta-arenas-days-70.html) . If that wasn't enough he is going to attempt to be the first man to trek across the whole of Antarctica, solo and unsupported in October of this year. We got a potted version of his talk which was very interesting and we wish him well. Shame he'd strained his groin out skiing....

Rob and Brian

Todays skiing in fresh powder snow, just us two, but it's colder with lots of snow forecast for at least the next two weeks. The latter part of the season is looking good!

Snow, weather, food and cats – Days 135 to 142

Happy Jackie in the cat cafe in the village

The weather has been all over the place, too cold to breathe, so you could feel the hairs in your nose go stiff to seemingly sweltering. Friday we weren't going to bother, there was wet snow falling, but we got a message from Cassie that they were going to our resort, the Terche, so we thought we'd give it a go. We never found them, but we did do a circuit, got wet, came back and built a snowcat (no I don't know why). 

Snow cat!

That was it, we weren't going out again, it was miserable, so we broke out the emergency rations, a Fray Bentos steak and kidney pie, in a tin, that we'd brought with us. I'd never had one before, and I shan't rush to have one every week, but as a store cupboard emergency dinner it served a purpose. Nice pastry and gravy, but where was the meat? We pimped it with Fizz, well it was Fizz and Fray Bentos Friday after all.

Friday skiing in St Jean in wet snow

Yeah baby!

The next day was sleety, so we didn't go out for long even though it was quiet. The locals had obviously read the weather forecast and stayed at home. The same cannot be said of Sunday when they were out in the force, as was the sun. We had to finish just after lunch and drive home with the windows wide open or melt. Monday was the same.  

The temperature came down slightly on Tuesday as did the sleet/rain. The next two days were fab though, we tried to get out early to get some freshly pisted pistes. As much as playing in fresh powder snow is a joy, so is being the first down a beautifully prepared slope. We managed both on Wednesday at the Terche, first trip round the circuit, took just an hour, second trip round playing in fresh powder, going through the trees, sometimes more than once, took a lot longer. Yesterday finding virgin slopes was tricky but we did find some amazing untouched off piste, at a very gentle angle so no avalanche or anything else risk.

Early finish in heavy snow. At least we could ski back to the car

Even snowing at the supermarket

Today although it didn't feel as hot as last week, the snow was really sticky, so the off piste we were planning wasn't a joy, and although the pistes started off well, we were about done by lunchtime. Well we do need to conserve our energy for the mountaineering club arriving tomorrow. Particularly after two disturbed nights, involving French youth with torches and shouting going down the very steep slope outside the apartment in the middle of the night. They got yelled at last night, and did seem apologetic and went away! My treat today was to pop into the new coffee shop in St Jean as the owner posts regularly on the expats email group and always signs off from Bluebell and the cats. I was honest, so she did disturb a poor snoozing Choccy to come out and say hello before we ordered our hot chocolates!

Ah, the sun's out, the snow's good so its off-piste

 

We made the most of it, two good days of off-piste. This one has the seven summits of the Dents Blanches in the background

 

Another one with the Dents Blanches in the background, but this one also has Mont Blanc in, the roundy one towards the right. This piste is in Super Chatel and is called Panoramique. I wonder why

Another one in the cat cafe today

And did we mention the hot chocolates we ordered? No calories there then!