New week, new fresh lines to ride!

It's all work, work, work around here again with a new week beginning and more new snow just to top up what we had last week.

I started the week up at Le Tour with a few classics in the back bowls, great snow but hindered by bad visibility as the heavens opened and it started to dump down with feathery light powder. Great timing prevailed though as we hiked up to the summit of the Aiguille du Possettes for a perfect descent of the right hand variant of Possettes couloir with amazing fresh untracked snow for all.

Monday I had big plans to hit the Col du Belevedere again after having so much fun there last Friday. With the new snow I new it would be all filled in and waiting for some new fresh lines to be laid in there. We set off in fine weather, blue skies and sunshine only to have the cloud roll in and visibility drop to a couple of meters. I persevered with the Map and compass out but after falling into a couple of invisible snow holes we had to bin it and follow our tracks back out of there.

An hour or so later the sun came back and we spent the afternoon dropping fresh lines within the Flegere ski area boundaries, strangley untracked, steep and deep and ripe for the picking and the day was saved big time, an amazing result!

Today we finally got to head for the Col du Belevedere.

Heading up to Col du Belevedere above Lac Blanc.

This time all went to plan and we got around there in quick time. The lower was in great condition and the Glacier below pretty much untracked.

Grom on the 60m abseil/lower from the Col du Belevedere.

We dropped in cut below the foot of the Glacier and powered some deep turns into silk like powder. Having been there a few days before I knew the snow would be great and so hit it full speed digging deep as I could with the tail to power some powder plumes high into the air before cutting back through the white room in powder heaven glory. With my new strong legs from my squatts and leg work that I'm doing (in training for my biking) I was pushing hard through the tail of the board, man it felt good! I'm riding the salomon Burner 166 at the moment and it feels great!

Jason (sometimes known as Terje) below the foot of the Glacier.

Mark gets the goods.

Grom digs deep in the silk like fresh snow, amazing!

Another great descent in the bag and the exit down the Berard valley in easy condition, a great day all round!

Tomorrow I'm swapping groups with Dave so I'll be with the BC Intro group and heading for a Col du Passon. The forecast is good and I'm already phsyched for some more fresh lines.

Bring it on.

Laters,
Neil.