Redemption by Powder..and the inverted helicopter manouvre

1/ Graeme knee deep!

Warning! For all those bored by endless snow pictures - Skip today's blog!!

Thank you dear Lord!!

And so...the rain turned to heavy snow overnight. Over 30cm of snow fell at Le Refuge (our place -1020m) between 11pm and dawn. Our ski hill, Les Carroz was reporting even more!! You can't imagine the excitement! Graeme, for whom the "season was over" and "all this rain is going to ruin the snow" awoke with a big smile! I knew that the snow was good because my dear little sleepy head was actually first out of bed first this morning. A rare event indeed. Tragically, I was still the one who had to do the "bread run" down the hill but with heavy snow fluttering down all around me it was a magical trip.

I really can't say too much about today, the pictures really speak for us. We just had endless, first tracks from first lift until we met up with Rick & Liz and Gavin and Sue around 1pm. Graeme was particularly proud of his tracks under one of the chairlifts!!

2/ Andy "crotch deep"...well I am shorter!! And in case you're wondering - they are all our tracks behind us!!

Well I've never had a "cold crutch" before. The snow was so deep, my unmentionables were being constantly washed with snow. A new experience to be sure. But certainly a tricky place to warm up. It's not that socially acceptable to be giving this area a good rub in public, if you know what I mean?!!

A wonderful attribute of the Grand Massif ski area is that you have a choice of altitude. Today while it was snowing heavily and the visibility was poor there are loads of runs through the trees. Later in the morning when a thick fog came in lower down the mountain, we could head up above the tree line to clear skies and sunshine. Fantastic!

As always, when the snow is deep, the snow marmots are busy under the snow. They were desperate to trip us up all morning. Consequently, we all had some spectacularly good crashes in the soft snow. Just like falling into feather bed, but a little more tricky to extricate yourself from. The photo below captures the aftermath of a particularly special tumble. But if you would like to see live footage of the incident [you'll have to excuse the poor video quality] click on this link and have a look at the video http://picasaweb.google.com/TeWanaka/ArachesWeek9?authkey=llalfG8Xzd0#

3/Snow marmot Andy?

For those who have viewed the video, you will see that I have now patented the "inverted helicopter manouvre!". Despite being hilariously funny, it is actually, a great way to extricate yourself from a deep powder hole. The idea is that there is no point trying to move your skis around while they are stuck in the snow. Get them in the air, where there's no resistance and swing your legs downhill. Then worry about the torso, arms, poles, goggles ..etc later.

It is so successful that I thought that I would share my secret with our mates! Photo below is Sue - admirably performing Andy's - "Inverted helicopter manouvre"!

4/ Rick!! Will you stop laughing!!

P.s. It's still snowing! - early to bed for the Oxley's tonight!

Snow Snakes (aka Snow Marmots) Are Alive & Well!!

1/ Proof! The lair of the "mythical european snow marmot!!

I've got the proof!! "Snow Snakes" or "Snow Marmots" as they are referred to in Europe are alive and well! These supposedly mythical creatures are crafty. You can be skiing along, totally relaxed, humming a tune, when all of a sudden a snow marmot will sneak out of their burrow and trip you up. They operate at light speed and their movements cannot be detected by the human eye. The first we know about their attack is when we have unexpectedly landed on our faces in the snow, skis are off and there is a general garage sale of your poles, goggles and other equipment strewn all over the slope.

But today, while ski touring around our hill, I discovered a burrow right in the middle of the piste! I wasn't able to capture the fabled critter on film...but I'm hot on the trail now.

2/ The "Hideaway" Les Tranchets

Today I took myself off for a bit of ski tour in and around our resort. Unfortunately, young Graeme overdid things a bit on the skiing front yesterday and I ordered him back to bed this morning.

Armed with our local topo map I headed up the hill. It wasn't long until a lovely old man called Michel caught me up. He didn't speak English so I had to try and converse with him in French and keep up his cracking pace. Part moutain-goat, Michel has obviously been skinning up the slopes of Les Carroz for many a year.

But this was too good an opportunity to pass up. A friendly Frenchie!! And if I could just keep up with him ...I had another victim! While I can't even begin to imagine how awful I must have sounded, I was able to learn that he has had a holiday house in Les Carroz since the 70's, he has a daughter and a son in their 30's and 5 toddler grandchildren. He does this ski touring circuit most mornings while his wife is still sleeping. He laughed when I told him that "mon mari" was asleep too!!

He asked me about NZ. He didn't seem to be entirely sure where it was. He asked if it was part of Australia? Mon dieu!! Jamais!! I explained that "NZ c'est pres de Australia, mais deux heure le vol de la Nouvelle Zealande". He wanted to know if there was snow in NZ and I was able to tell him about Mt Cook and our snow conditions. Actually, I am becoming quite proficient at describing snow conditions! I suspect that Michel might have understood this part of our conversation the best.

I explained that I was going to try and get over to Morillon ( the neighbouring resort). He suggested that on the way, I visit a little known restaurant at Les Tranchets. The restaurant is tucked away in the forest, away from the piste. Only walkers and snow-shoers go there. I thought this was a fine idea and thanked him profusely as we parted company about half way up to the summit.

2/ The view from the secret restaurant at Les Tranchets

The weather was sunny and still and I was thoroughly enjoying my ski tour. Without too much trouble I found the secret restaurant. It is only open on the weekends, but I have made a note to take Graeme back there some time.

Continuing down through the forest past the restaurant, the skiing took a tricky turn. The walking track was narrow and icy. Too narrow for me to turn, my thighs were burning from the racing snow plough position I had to adopt to keep my downhill speed under control. The walkers and snow-shoers who were sharing what really is their track, were remarkably understanding as I hurtled past them. I took to making a "yodelling alarm call" as I came to a blind corner lest I mowed down small children or hospitalised an innocent elderly couple!

Finally the track flattened and headed upwards again. I came across a deserted cow barn and stopped in the sun for a light lunch of bread, cheese and sausage. Then following the same contour I arrived back on a beginners run called Le Marvel in the Morillon resort. Terrific, I thought! An easy walk homeward! Alas, as I soon discovered, skinning up a beginner's run is not a good idea. Even though I kept to the extreme edge of the piste, wobbly legged beginners would head straight for me, turning away at the very last possible moment. Runaway skis (without their owners) regularly rained down the slope and beginner snow boarders kept popping out of the forest around me. After 200m I was a nervous wreck and consulted my map for a less terrifying way back to Les Carroz.

While much harder going, I made it safely back through the forest and enjoyed a quick ski back through the weekend crowds to the car. I saw so many serious near misses on the piste today that I am beginning to think that skiing on the weekend is too crowded and dangerous. Maybe a first run in the morning will be OK, but after that, I'm going to put the skins on and head off into the forest!! Certainly, I think that this will be the solution for the next couple of months.