Quick link to Winter 2003/4 report: [1]
[2] [3]
[4] [5]
[6] [7]
[8] [chamois
voice]
3rd Jan 2004
WEEKS 3 & 4
SNOW AND CHALET REPORT
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Chamonix
Report from our Man in Cham ...
Well we made it to week 4. Not that we
ever thought we wouldn't. Lazy mornings started to give
way to days on snow. The skiers went intrepid and explored
the bowls and trees at the back of Le Tour and the couloirs
of Brevent-Flegère. We then read our off-piste
guide books to discover that these were all avalanche
hotspots. Helmets, tranceivers and shovels were promptly
acquired - avalanche training to follow. Building themselves
up for back country touring Ned and Ollie skinned up
the piste - "One of the most knackering things
I have done", said one.
Having discovered that there were in fact two types
of skinning up, the boarders ventured out for days in
the newly-arrived powder. On the way up the cable they
helpfully suggested to the skiers ascending on skins
below that the lift was much, much quicker. The smiles
turned to grins when the powder lived up to expectations
and floated them down the mountain. Nice when that happens.
Elsewhere the skiers were enjoying the tree runs through
the Magic Forest at the bottom of Grands Montets. Sara
managed to stop (fall?) just before one of the more
well known trees that turned out to have been wrapped
in a big green and yellow crash protector - they've
got our number.
Such tree skiing was also ideal for the use of The
Claxton Switch™ - the jump turn designed to get
you out of any sticky situation. Having continuously
employed this technique off-piste and hence bounced
down most things like a crazed jack rabbit, Ben now
claims to have smoothed out his skiing style; photographic
evidence remains inconclusive.
And what follows days like these? You guessed it -
celebration! Happy hours indeed. Working towards achieving
a loyalty reward card at the local pizza and Stella-ing
hole, the house headed to the Rencard. Not satisfied
with the menu, Neal helpfully designed them a new pizza
option - let's just say that it's hot. The paradox of
après-ski drinking is that it raises optimism
of making the first lift, while in fact reducing the
possibility of this actually happening. Needless to
say we haven't completely mastered the late nights and
early mornings yet.
January brought our latest arrivals, Luke and Jake.
One day of sorting stuff out and then the weather came
in. All lifts closed while the snow does its much-needed
thing. Some industrious sorts braved Nature and set
up a kicker and rail up the road. Jake promptly started
his campaign for 'No Fear of the Year' award with some
gutsy first-time rail slides and air-finding.
Off the slopes, the latest challenge is fixing the
leaky shower. With Ben on plumbing and Steve on joining,
this leak has messed with the wrong DIY crew. We hope.
Les Arcs
The Les Arcs guys arrived in resort today
with great conditions and sunshine to look forward to
... watch this space for reports of the first few weeks'
mayhem.
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