More touring in the high mountains.

Passing the big North faces of the Courtes and the Droites this morning.

Just down from a big Mtn day of touring up the Argentiere Glacier and up the Glacier du Tour Noire towards the col du Amethyste.

I took the Jones Split 'solution' 168 today, I've modified my Spark bindings with a Cartell high back as with a big pack, and with me being quite a big unit anyway, I was just bending the standard issue high backs in half. The new system works well and the 168 solution rides almost as nice as the 168 Flagship (which I'm now starting to love!) although it is obviously a bit heavier and slightly softer and so needs a bit more leg power and precision footwork.

Heading up towards the col du Amethyste

The rest of the team where on Snowshoes as you can see from the photos, the track was good and solid so the going was good.

Moody skies on the Glacier du tour noire.

We could definitely do with some more snow out here in the Alps, but today wasn't to bad and yesterday we had a great blast around in Courmayeur and even found fresh un-tracked crystallised cold snow in the trees still. The run down into the Val Veni from the top of the Arp is also still good fun, smooth and steep in the couloir, nice and grippy to ride.

The snow wasn't bad on the descent but quite changeable!

Low down everything thawed and then re froze so its not so nice Off Piste below 2000m. Up high on the North facing slopes the snow is still cold and its still possible to find the goods if you look for where the wind is smoothing and filling things in.

Dave tackling the big descent, the col du Amethyste is in the background.

It was a big day out today so tomorrow we'll have another big riding day, maybe over in Italy again or up the top of the Grand Montets (as it was snowing a little when we came down today!)

Couple of places left on the new BC splitboard course at the end of March so if you want to give it a try give Ruth a shout.

All is good, well not too bad!

Neil.