Amazing lines in deep fresh today!

Fresh lines today for Mark in prep for Greenland!

Once again we're getting some fine and settled weather here in Chamonix. This means great weather for riding and touring but little in the way of fresh snow, the last snowfall being now over 2 weeks ago.

Spring is in the air for sure, last weekend I got out on my bike around the hills above Annecy with my friend Mark who runs GPM10.com (Alpine cycle training), the weather was perfect and we rode up and over the col du Marais linked in with a circuit of the lake and another climb to finish a perfect 80k circuit. My legs felt pretty good for the time of year so hopefully if I can keep myself going and not get burned out I should be going well for the spring riding season.

This week I'm running a BC intro course. We started out with a day on the Grand Montets with a couple of laps off the top, the snow was cold but wind affected and firm, 'technical riding conditions' as I've deemed it this season.

We toured a classic Crochues Berrard on Tuesday which was good. The descent was fun, good cold soft snow but pretty tracked as you'd expect on this classic 2 weeks after the last snowfall. You could find some clean lines here and there and we had a good charge about and a great day out.

Wednesday we hit Courmayeur for an easier riding day, rode off the Arp into the Val Veni, which was good and then some ofthe steep couloirs in the trees and a nice finish down a new untracked line that I've discovered this season.

Today we were in for another touring day and so headed over to Courmayeur again (my 67th trip through the tunnel this season!) to hike and ride one of my favourite lines over there on Mont Nix.

The Jones boards are out in force as usual, Brian leads the hike!


Mark and Steve nearing the top of the climb!

Sean hikes onwards surrounded by a sea of powder!

The snow was untouched and perfect and we hiked up pretty quickly heading up to the col just below and right of the main summit.

From here we rode the North Face all the way into the valley.

It was epic!

Steve nabs 2nd drop whilst Brian is busy faffing!


Brian charges the fresh, moments before un-intentionaly nearly riding off a cliff drop

Sean with a classic toe side carve!

Dani just loves the hiking! Here he regretably has to do some riding!

One of my best rides of the season as the snow was perfect all the way and the line just kept on flowing.

Lee still cranking fresh turns all the way to the bottom!

I made one stop for Photos near the top and then we rode the rest to the bottom in one!

We rode the sloping ramp above Dani right from the top of the mountain!

The hike out to Dolonne took only half an hour and the classic descent of the Dolonne was surprisingly good with not too many tracks and some good cold fresh snow in the upper half.

We have a heli booked for a Pin d'Arolla drop tomorrow morning so an early start in on the cards. I've not dropped on the Pin for a few years (the last time I was up there was guiding a haut route summer trip) and so it'll be interesting and I hope the snow will be good.

Will let you know!

All good here.

Neil.