Another great day in the office!

Luke nears the top of the couloir at the top of col du Passon.

despite the massive lack of fresh snow out here in France at the moment we've been getting in some great riding and taking advantage of the stable weather to get in some great touring time up amongst the high peaks.

Today, we had a great day hiking and riding col du Passon and I was surprised to find some great snow and un-tracked lines on the descent in perfectly crystallized deep cold snow.

Stu and Mark lead the way in the exit couloir on the way up col du Passon.

I took a few shots on the way up but we we're too immersed and amazed by the quality of the riding on the way down to stop for shots.

Hiking up the big slopes below the Col du Passon, good snow and not a bad descent in itself, maybe next time!

The snow was a bit mixed in places but mostly good, perfect blue skies and no one else on the mountain. A great day!

On Tuesday we hiked over to Mont Fortin in Italy, the site of where they ran the Chamonix Freeride world cup comp last weekend and found a nice slope that offered some nice big fresh lines. It was a great day out, the site for the comp didn't look to be in the best conditions (unsurprisingly considering how long it is since it snowed) so it must have been tough work finding good lines.

Courmayeur is still offering amazing pistes and some good fun lines off piste for those in the know.

Yet another blue bird day tomorrow so we're going to keep on taking advantage of the stable conditions and head over one of the big cols in the Aiguille Rouge for a bit of adventure. Probably the Cold du Belvedere for the 60m abseil or the Beaugean for a bit of a rock scramble/climb up to the top.

I've been getting out on the Solution 168 Splitboard quite a bit now and am starting to get it dialled in. I'm constantly surprised with how well it rides and how well it handles on tricky terrain.

I'm looking forward to the BC splitboard courses running later in the season and just hope we get some snow before too long so that I can try it out on some proper steep and deep.

There's a couple of spaces come available so check out the course updates on the home page www.mcnabsnowboarding.com

Greenland is fully booked now and all systems go!

Really looking forward to that as well!

Right, a busy day in the office tomorrow so better get on recharge!

all is good in Chamonix!

Neil.

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.

Fantastic!

What a great week!

Another perfect Off piste clinic with a great group of guys and great snow, this followed by my first bike ride of the New year (Saturday) and then today a quick outing on the Jones Solution splitboard up to the Col du Tour Noire with UK Freerider Will Hughes and European Jones head honcho Rob Etienne.

The Off Piste week started off with some fresh snowfall to liven things up. A great day off the top of the Grand Montets to start things off, some steep and deep days in Courmayeur, a first lines all day type day at Le Tour and another great day off the top of the Grand Montets where the snow is still good (although now getting pretty tracked out).

Giovanni brings the crazy banana thing to the Jones convention!

A great team on the course this week, a bit of a Jones convention as you can see but then if you can't beat them you might as well join them and so far everyone who has ridden one has ended the day with a big smile upon their face.

We rode some great lines and found some good fresh snow.

The last few days however it's been getting pretty warm, yesterday I headed down the valley for a spin on the bike with fellow addict Jonny Baird.

I'd kind of forgotten how hard it is riding up hill and as we started off on the Domancy climb which is pretty steep, it was a dive in at the deep end and hold your breath type of affair. I managed to pull through and we had a good ride in mild temps and sunshine!

With a BC Intro starting up tomorrow, I thought that today I'd better get out for a bit of a tour and try out the Solution Splitboard. As Freeride guru Will Hughes is staying with us at the moment I thought I'd drag him out to and so we set up the boards and headed up to the Col du Tour Noire picking up Jones Euro guru Rob Etienne on the way.

Will and Rob on their way up the Argentiere Glacier.

The Col du Tour Noire is above one of the big glaciers found up the Argentiere Glacier turning left after the Argentiere refuge and then climbing up the glacier there for a couple of hours.

Col du Tour Noire is up there at the back on the left!

Its an amazing area, you're really in the heart of the high mountains with the big North faces of the Droites and the Courtes towering over you, very impressive.

Passing the North face of the Courtes (on the right of the picture).

Anyway it was my first outing on the split board, and Will's too and so we we're quite excited to see how it was going to be.

I'd kind of heard mixed reports, a few horror stories about things not working or binding bits snapping and so at the end of the trip I can happily report that everything worked perfectly and we had a great tour up and a superb ride down.

Will on the way down, this bit was a bit wind affected but lower down the snow was great!

In fact I found a new line for the descent that I'd never ridden before, with good snow and no tracks so not so bad!

After mis-adventures with splitboards before I can happily say that the Solution performs well both up and down the mountain and rides much the same as the Flagship although obviously is a bit heavier and maybe a little softer on the edge.

Will who normaly rides a 156 rode the 164 (as did I) and had no trouble at all with and in-fact said it was as easy to turn as his regular board and actually I think he might have stashed it somewhere as he was mumbling something about me not getting it back or something like that.

Anyway, another great day and a BC course starting tomorrow. We could definitely do with a bit of new snow now and it looks like we might get something towards the end of the week.

I'm looking forward to this week, a bit more exploring around in the high peaks is never a bad thing.

If you're coming out this winter get training those legs!

We've got riding to do.

All is good in Chamonix!

Neil.

Another OMG steep and deep day in courmayeur!

Just had one of those 'Oh my God' steep and deep powder days in Courmayeur.

What a finish to a great week on the 5 day Tech clinic.

Yep, another great week, a great crew, a good laugh and some fantastic riding. Everyone came on strong in the end and today, with a good 30cm of fresh over night in Italy we spent the whole day tracking it out in the trees, Nice!

I've been riding the Jones Flagchip 163 XL this week, a super nice board, 'the dream has become a reality' and it was fantastic to get it into some fresh and feel it float under foot. A very strong and stable board on its edge and super easy and quick to turn. Snappy and strong in the tail and that nose is just so nice. A real pleasure to ride, thank you once again Mr Jones!

Off Piste clinic starts on Monday so I'm really looking forward to that, the top of Courmayeur was closed today so there should still be something to ride up there next week and I'm looking forward to getting the Flagship 168XL back out and hitting up some high speed powder. The hunt will be on for the best snow and the best lines.

Looks like I'll be putting on another Splitboard course the last week of March (28th to 31st), details will be online on the courses page (www.mcnabsnowboarding.com) over the weekend so if you're looking to join us give Ruth a shout and book your place.

I managed to get in a couple of Bike and Weights sessions this week and after a massive squatts session last night and riding full bore today I'm feeling pretty beat and ready for the weekend.

Getting super charged for next week!

All is good!

Neil.

Into the Groove again!

Just finished a 3 day Off Piste Clinic which was great fun, a great crew, great conditions and some great riding.

It's that time of year were I'm starting to get back in to the groove of everything, trying to fit in my personal training for the cycling season next year with my freeriding and guiding through out the winter.

I've been doing quite a bit of leg power work, Dec and Jan are my power up months, then I'll start to go more aerobic through out feb, March and April which also fits in nicely for the BC freeride and touring side of things.

I just have to make sure I don't do to much and just burn out, but at the moment things feel good, my legs are super strong and my riding feels better than ever!

Riding every day again takes quite a lot out of you. On the courses, we're riding morning through until last lift most of the time and so it's important to be prepared for the long days and keep yourself fuelled up through out the day.

My personal tip is some 'Science in Sport' energy mix in my drinks bottle and some energy Gels and Go bars in my pockets. At the end of the day I'm also drinking some 'SiS' rego for recovery straight after riding. Seems to be working!

Get yourself onto the 'SiS' website (link on home page) and get yourself some products to keep you going when the going gets tough!

Head honcho from 'Jones Snowboards' Robert Etienne joined us for a run down the Lognan's Glacier yesterday. He's a part time Chamonix local and so will be joining us now and then on a few of the courses here and there, picking up some feedback on the boards and getting out and about in the mountains on the Split board tip.

I received all my 'Jones Solution split boards' now, still waiting for a few parts for some, but I just set mine up and it is now ready to ride so I'm keen to get out touring on it this weekend, I fancy heading up the Argentiere Glacier to the 'Col du Tour Noire' or something like that if the weather stays stable.

Setting up and personalizing your Split board takes a little time. Make sure you read the tips that come with the 'Spark' bindings and be ready to take them apart to re-size then to your boots. I spent most of the morning getting it all set up and managed to get my perfect stance with out compromise and so am super keen to try it out.

I'll let you know how I get on and run a review once I've dialled it in.

I've also got my Flagships 163 and 168 XL's to pick up this evening so I'll give them a ride next week on the 5 day Tech clinic which starts on Monday. The Tech clinic runs through the Science behind perfect snowboard technique and runs from Piste to Off Piste. (Of course if the snow is good Off Piste, I scrap the on piste bit!)

I rode the Hovercraft again this week and am happy to say that it still feels amazing to ride, even with my heavy Backcountry pack on my back. Yesterday I had the full Glacier kit in there so this must add about 10kilos on my back and it was still stiff enough for the full mountain rip around, Nice!

Looking forward to getting out on the 168 Flagship, looks like it'll fly!

Most of the courses are now pretty full and some have waiting lists. We're always getting cancellations for one reason or another so keep checking back and let Ruth know what you're after if you're looking to try to get out this winter. I also have a week free at the end of March so have the possibility of putting on one more course so watch this space for details. Still trying to decide what course to run!

Right got to go pick up some boards in Cham so until the next time,

All is good in Chamonix!

Neil.

Perfectly white Christmas!

Hope you all had a great Christmas!

Chamonix has once again turned back into a perfect winter wonderland with over 2 ft of snow fall in the valley over the Christmas weekend.

The forecast this week is for clear skies so perfect conditions for this weeks Off Piste clinic which kicks off tomorrow morning.

Christmas here was fantastic, Ruth threw her usual Christmas party which filled the house to over flowing and saw a rare visit from that other 'Jones' snowboarding character, the Jenny one (x factor winner!) who came over for a surprise visit with Tammy from Mint and then threw a sicky, not from drink I must add, our Jen was properly poorly and early to bed, but not until 'Urban Magik' Mike had baffled us all with some more insane magic, levitation and spoon bending feats.

On Christmas eve I drove over to the Nidecker factory where they make the Jones boards and picked up my test fleet of Solution Split boards. Still waiting for bindings and skins but things are coming together and I'll pick up my Flagships later today to complete my full Jones quiver of boards.

Perfect conditions out there today, blue skies and super light powder snow, nice! Nipped out for a few turns on my skis, great fun!

Back on the Hovercraft tomorrow for the Off Piste clinic, we'll do a bit of technique and run through the basics of how the board works, bio mechanics and control of speed and line. We'll run through some Avalanche search and rescue training and charge the back of Le Tour until darkness stops play.

My review of the Hovercraft earned a few links so check these out. (I'm still computor illiterate so you'll have to do the copy and paste thing).

http://chamonixinsider.com/2010/12/23/chamonix-gear-guide-jones-hovercraft/

http://www.snowboard-review.com/snowboard_reviews/review/hovercraft/

All is good in Chamonix.

Neil.

Amazing!!!!

Oh my God!

Just back from a days charging steep and deep in the trees at Courmayeur on my new Jones Hovercraft 156!

I played around on this board a few days ago on hard pack and crud and it felt amazing. It carves like a big gun with the turn-ability of a 156!

I was pretty impressed.

Today, however, (the last day of my first course the 3 day tech clinic) I rode the Hovercraft in fresh untracked (and tracked) steep and deep powder in the trees in Courmayeur and I was just blown away!

I don't think I have ever ridden like that before. The speed and manoeuvre-ability through the tight trees was amazing. The stability in the powder, down pillow lines, drops, anything I could throw it at it just handled like nothing else I have ever ridden.

I seriously don't think snowboarding has ever felt that good and been that much fun!

I feel reborn!

For sure, check out the Jones Hovercraft!

This is a pure freeride board, not a one trick pony like the Burton fish or a swallow, this board can carve it up with the best on the hard pack, steep ice and blasts through the chop. In powder its simply comes into its own, its like standing on a big gun, floating on air and then you just tilt your front foot, slam the power into the tail and it changes direction like f**kin road runner, release the tail and it charges back into the fall line as you disappear into the wave of snow kicked up from your edge.

For me today is what snowboarding is all about, riding with a great crew who are all going for it and eager to learn, having a good laugh in the process and riding some amazing snow. As a bonus, Courmayeur was pretty much deserted except for a few other Chamonix guides skiing with clients.

Well done to the guys this week, they have worked hard, improved loads and reaped the rewards.

Nice one!

Looking forward to trying the Jones Flagships 163 and 168 which should arrive Friday.

All is good in Chamonix!

Neil.