http://www.flickr.com/people/endlessride/

Moutain Biking, Skiing, Ski touring, Snowshoeing and loads of the family too!

4,800 and counting

We headed up to the vicinity of the Terres Maudites underneath the Tete de Bostan (but not too close!).

I wanted to explore a new route, actually it didn’t turn out to be a new route. It wasn’t a route at all. The terrain was too tree covered which meant loads of bottomless snow, tree wells and awkward route choices!

Note the shovel in hand. We had to skin and dig at the same time, not something I have had to do before! Caspar had a very hard time, he fell into a couple of the tree wells and was not impressed with his lot. The shovel was used again to dig him out.

The decent was scenic, though of course there are no pictures. The snow had been well worked by the wind which added to the interest! We managed to find a short pitch of great powder near the bottom. The last half hour was spent on a transceiver refresher.

Click the map above so you know where to avoid!

Trip participants, Nick (www.urbanfit.co.uk, for it was him that took the photos), Ian, Chris and Caspar the dog.

Mt Chery had between 20 and 50cm of fresh powder after the last couple of day’s snowfalls. The snow had obviously come down on quite a wind because some aspects were completely scoured. Thanks to the snow fence and trees on the red piste on the north side of Mt Chery it was in great nick. From the carpark at 1433m to the summit at 1826m not a rock was touched!

Click on the image to enlarge

It’s a ski touring (ski mountaineering / ski randonée) boot. Size 27.5 (43.5 or 9.5), so that means a size 28 shell. A great middle of the range boot (so not too heavy and not too soft). One of the most common boots seen out on the hill.

http://www.alpine-guides.com/ski%20mountaineering%20kit%20advice.htm

These ones were bought in 2006. I have been using them with a custom thermo-moulded inner which I will probably keep, I’ll sell them with the original non custom inner which has only been used about a dozen times.

They retail down the valley at Au Vieux Campeur for 359 euros. For the next 4 days you can get 20% off that price with their pre-season sale.

I’ll sell them for 145 euros!

Click the image . . . .

October 30th 2008. 20cm down at 1000m and 40ish up at 1700m. I missed out on this in favour of a family trip back to the UK. Not bad for October!

It didn’t last long though!

From 1600m onwards there is still great cover on all the north facing pistes

800m of hiking up and 2500m of sliding down!