Splitboard touring week and more fresh snow!!!

Great Splitboard touring course last week with fresh snowfall on Sunday night running through Monday setting things up nicely for another week of tracking out fresh lines.

Mondays video



After a riding day on the Grandes Montets on Monday we got stuck into a splitboard initiation day for those new to this art of travel. Unfortunately the word was out that the place to ride was top tickets Grandes Montets (probably partly due to the fact that I posted my Video of Mondays riding on the Chamonix Facebook page which saw it get 1200 views in the evening) and so we didn't get the early start that we needed and spent 2 hours in the queues trying to get to the top. We didn't get to start out for the Col du Tour Noire until 11:30 and so had to cut the tour short half way up the Glacier des Amethyste. The ride down, however, wasn't so bad.

Video of Tuesdays trip.



On Wednesday, with a good forecast we set out for a 2 day touring trip around the Col du Grand St Bernard. Perfect conditions saw us hike up to the col west de Barrason with a superb ride down on the first day, a night in the Hospice, followed by the fantastic tour of the Drone on day two.

Col des Barrason on day 1.

Tour du Drone day 2.

Near the top of the Drone day 2.

A great ride down follows!

Unfortunately I forgot to take the video camera but got a few nice shots with my phone!

Friday we headed out for a local tour with the Col des Autannes. Happily surprised to find deep cold fresh snow over the other side of the Col and some proper deep turns awaiting. Again, gutted I forgot the camera but wasn't expecting it to be so good!!

Hiking to the col des Autannes.

Freshies await on the other side!

The snow was very good!

everyone gets the goods!

The weather is now warm and stable, proper spring conditions and great cycling weather so on Saturday I headed out on the road bike for my 3rd ride of the year. Quite a big outing with a couple of friends who have obviously secretly been hard at it on the turbo's all winter and a proper besting for me. Managed to keep up, the top of the hill came just in time and it kind of felt good to dig into the physical torment of cycling again starngely making me want it more and more.

Another splitboard touring week coming up, a warm up day tomorrow and then off for a couple of 2 day trips so all good. The weather looks good for the week so looking forward to it…

Until the next time, take it easy!! (unless you're on my Mont Blanc trip later in the season in which case get training!!!!