You know the day is going to start well when you survive a double ski eject on the first run of the day!
waking up to a fresh snowfall in town
before it snowed
What a week it's been. In the space of a few days we've had gale force winds, over 30cm of fresh snow, the first 45 minute queue at the bottom of Medran, and actual traffic jams on the roads! Verbier is finally in full swing again and the pistes have turned from a chaotic rock and ice slalom to a softer and more agreeable surface. There has been some good powder to ski over the last few days, but a lack of sufficient snow for a base means that there are plenty of 'sharks' (hidden / semi hidden rocks).
Christmas week was a busy one on the pistes, partly due to the lack of snow and the influx of people. The two days of heavy fog and falling snow on the 25th and 26th made for challenging but quieter slopes.
Christmas lights in town
Savoleyres has finally opened bit by bit and I headed over to check out the conditions earlier this week. At the time, only the telecabines and le nord were open, and it was packed. Going in the afternoon with fresh snowfall and the pistes had turned to fun soft mogul fields,with perfect variables training on the side. a few people had skied the front side down to Verbier, but with the lack of base you could see the grass popping through - it looked very much like skiing in the UK!
On the way up to Savoleyres in the vintage telecabine
Looking down the piste on the quieter side of Savoleyres
Savoleyres pistes, busier than it looks!
Le Rouge today, still closed but now very skiable
Other than the skiing, one of the best things about spending Christmas in Verbier is that it is not over the top. Decorations are put up at the start of December, cheesy music does not follow you around town, and most people celebrate on the 24th, giving you a great excuse to open your presents early!
Although we have only had a few cm of snow, settling generally above the tree line, it has yet to make a substantial difference to the pistes. With more forecast over the next week it looks like the slopes will be on the edge of survival with the influx of holiday-makers over Christmas week. This afternoon, when skiing, small rocks scattered all of the pistes, although it was beautifully quiet, and the Gentianes slope was in much better condition than a week ago.
Here are some pictures from yesterday:
The last section of the 'M25' to Ruinettes
Just above the path to La Chaux below Attelas
Repair work on the piste above Ruinettes marked out with poles
On a more positive note the trail running conditions are good, compressed snow in the forest and snow free trails above the patier side of town and below Savoleyres. Yesterday morning I had a great time running a loop above town in the sun.
View from above Patier on a forest run looking across to Croix de Coeur and Col des Mines
Only the sections of the trails in the trees had snow on, still easy running though!
Looking down towards Verbier, feels like Spring!
You can just make out some deer above the snow ahead of me near Mayen de Bri
Saturday:
Formation ski school training in the morning, home for lunch, working in the afternoon, ski tour race in the evening. Today the bus timetable in town was extended so there's no need to wait ages any more and you can do you food shopping after work and avoid carting it up the hill!
Sunday;
Last day of formation for the 13/14 season, telemark training all morning, home for lunch, working in the afternoon, Xavier De La Rue movie in the evening, late to bed having forgot to do my washing!
Monday:
Lie in, woohoo
Ski conditions on the hill are still relatively ok. Verbier was 13 degrees C today, and the slopes on the Savolyers side look barer than ever. Piste conditions remain similar to last week and the pisteurs are putting in lots of hard work to keep them going, with snow machines on most nights and shifting the snow around to repair areas in need. However, Chassoure Tortin is now closed, and many parts of the piste now have rocks and grass showing through. (I still can't understand why so many people are skiing around on fat skis with ABS bags on though. What do they know that no one else does? - maybe we don't need an answer to this one!)
And some positive news, snow is forecast for Thursday.
Quick review of the cinema screening on Sunday:
First we were treated to a preview of his steeps movie that is in the last stages of editing. This was incredible and, dare I say it, more exciting than anything I have seen yet, even some of the Andreas Fransson clips. Truly mental and 'bringing freeriding to the steep slopes' the highlight was a descent of the Lenzspitz, a ski that I dream of doing one day.
Next up was Mission Antarctica. This was a film documenting Xavier and friends trip to Antarctica to explore and board some steep lines. Not quite as exciting as the Steeps movie, but awesome. Super scenery, filming and animals, as well as some good riding.
