Use your own brain Michael, your clearly have one as you saw danger where one local “expert” didn’t and your own guide was happy to follow like a sheep. Guides die regularly and two local ones have “lost” clients but survived themselves.

Seconded Edukator, you can see someone’s taken a safer line further to skiiers rights.

Well I’m tempted to say thats the last time I post any photos up on here, cheers boys 😛 .
But I don’t think you can say an awful lot about that particular cornice from a photo?? With only one big dump of snow this winter so far, it can’t have been that big. And if you look at the man in the distance, he’s at least 15 foot from the edge, and it doesn’t look like it has much overhang at all. Maybe you overlooked the sentence where I said we were behind a group being led by the writer of the touring guide book for the area.

I am relatively new to backcountry stuff in the alps, I’ve realised the whole approach and attitude towards it is entirely different to Canada which I’m still getting to grips with. As in, everything in France is considered closed or out of bounds once you go off piste. So I’m new to this kind of approach where all of your safety is pretty much down to you. But in that situation, I think it was fair to follow my guide with 25 years experience, so I don’t appreciate people saying I was just following like a sheep.

Not trying to seem nonchalant about the whole thing, just not sure you are all being fair. In all seriousness though, should I send the pic to the ESF to see what they have to say about it?

Just booked to go 17th January. Staying in Tignes Le Lac. Been a few times before , its just the snow ( so far ) has been patchy with only 1 storm and nothing in the immediate future.

High and north you should be fine!! 🙂

I’d have skied at least another metre right of that cornice.

It did feel slightly sketchy but I had faith in my guide. He pointed out that we were following a group of people being led by the writer of the back country ski guide book for the Savoie region.

I was staying in Champagny and booked them through the ESF there. The two guides I had were Damien and Vincent. Vincent is also an instructor with the ESF where as Damien is a pure mountain guide only. Both were very good, and I was told there is only one guide called Damien! It was 189 euros for 4 hours and about 153 for 3 hours. Takes a while to get anywhere so they don’t do any less than 3 hours.

Oh and regarding back packs, I have an Ortovox which I really like.

Well I just got back from a week in Champagny. The snow was actually a lot better than I thought it would be. I had an off piste guide for two separate 3 and 4 hour sessions, which was well worth it imo (I wouldn’t have done any of this without a guide). There was pretty much no base, but high up on north facing slopes the conditions were pretty good. Hit a few rocks here and there but nothing too bad so no core shots, and the snow was a lot softer and deeper than I expected, considering the state of the pistes in most places.
I was given a transceiver and probe and shovel for the day for my off piste guide, I was embarrassed to say I hadn’t actually used them before. I think they’ll be next on my list.

On my second off piste day in the cloudy pictures, a skier my guide got chatting to at the bottom who went down a similar route to us had to pull his avalanche airbag in a slide he got caught up in. Both days were really good, I found the traverse quite sketchy at times, (got a photo of the slightly easier part).

Champagny Le Haut down the other side there, after going in from the mid station of Roche de Mio, Champagny.

Some freshies were to be found. Skiid all the way down into Champagny Le Haut on this one.

Into the abyss.

Finished up down there in the valley.

Now to face the depressing thought that I might not be skiing for another year 🙁 .

Grim for the up and coming members of that ski team. I just got back from a week in Paradiski… report and some pictures to follow! 🙂

Visibility was crap today

You better get used to it there!! 😆 … Yellow lenses are a must there imo.

4 x 40 min swims a week as a rule

That sounds like a lot for the average battler! 😀

Not looking good for Champagny and La Plagne over New Years!! **** all snow so far.

Whatnobeer that looks very bare!

Article about The Crack and that mad ski / snowboard line

Getting that much gnar should be illegal.

Anyone have much experience with Picture clothing? Tried on a jacket I like of theirs in Ellis Brigham.

Its not Scotland unless its also blowing stink, from what I’ve heard! 😛

What jacket were you after Michael?

Was after the Powderhorn Corbet jacket in a size medium, to go with the pants I got in sale off Sportpursuit. Just want a good Gore tex outer shell. Can’t seem to find it anywhere, so been looking at others now. Suggestions welcome, I like the look of the Armada ones. Might be better off seeing what I can get out in resort though.

That sucks michael,

Thanks.. somewhat sorted. Hadn’t actually realised it was possible to ring up and speak to a person, but I did, and was told they don’t have any more in stock. To be fair the woman on the phone was trying hard to find another suitable one for me, but I’m taking the refund.

Yeah that line is pretty insane alright. Definitely worth some gnar points.

Amazon rage!! I ordered a jacket on the 2nd, selected 2-5 day delivery, there was no sign of it being dispatched yet two days ago on the Monday, so changed to 2-4 day. Still no sign of it today and noticed when I go in to view my orders that – “this item will be delivered after Christmas”.. 🙁 – (going away on the 29th), so changed to 1-2 day delivery today, hopefully with a bit more joy now. But what are the chances of them suddenly sending me a refund when they realise they don’t have any more stock of that particular jacket, leaving it too late to order a different one 👿 .

AND big top capable.

??

IMO what you lose in ‘fun’ you more then make up with in every other aspect.

Can you elaborate? 😛

This topic should have been titled “michaelmcc – bike park capable?”

I’ve spent about six weeks in the Whistler bike park, but I heard the ones over here are a bit of a different riding style, in some ways anyway.

CountZero thats really helpful thanks! I’ll have to investigate those clubs too. So sounds like it would be good for a 29er 😉 . I like the road biking too, leaning more on the side of bringing the mtb though.

Woods behind nationwide?

Not familiar with those 😀 .

PS im a BMXer looking for every little excuse for doing anything other than having both wheels on the floor, rolling in a straight line.

Is it just me or did you word that last sentence wrong? lol! 😆

Give us a shout if you fancy testing a Smuggler or a Scout (or both) at BPW…

Thanks, I’ll see how I get on, might just choose to take the risk and buy something before I head over.

Interesting to hear all the replys so far. Many people getting air time on their 29ers?
I’d like to also hear from more Transition and Nukeproof owners as those are what my local bike shop has.

Cheers.

So it looks like either or would be a good option, maybe it just depends on which I want to do more of?!

Have a look at the Specialized Enduro 29

Wouldn’t be a fan of Spesh. But thats for another debate 😛 .

Depends what sort of thing you’re looking for?

I’d be happy to ride along bridleways or the Ridgeway etc for a workout, but I don’t they would fulfill my mountain bike fix! I like fast flowy singletrack, either natural or manmade, as long as its fun I don’t mind. Small portions of gnar also welcome!

I like getting both wheels off the ground on some nice rolling table tops etc, but again It wouldn’t ruin my day if I didn’t get in the air at all! Just fast fun turny trails are what I like the most. I really enjoyed the likes of A line when I was in Whistler, don’t have and won’t be buying a DH bike though.

I’d be willing to drive to trails on days off if they aren’t too far.

Can you copy and paste that reply to the other thread? Trying to get rid of this one ta!

Well I hope there is snow Champagny/La Plagne! Or WILL be in 3 weeks time.

“excuse me ma’am … would you mind if we smoked a joint on the ride up?”

😆

but even then there is “Canada Busy”:

Looks like Harmony ridge! 😀

10 or more Goretex jackets/pants I’ve been through over the years

How and why do you go through so many jackets?? Wear and tear?… Vanity? 😮

as snow’s a different make up to rain

In Whistler there were a few days where I was walking to the Gondola in the rain, and sometimes it was still raining up at midway.

And in Mt Seymour North Van, there were a few days where I was teaching in the rain all day.

Maybe there a lots of makes and fabrics that aren’t Gore tex which will keep you dry as the ones you mentioned, not saying there isn’t, some of them are similar price to Gore tex! But for buying on sale on SportPursuit, Gore tex made sense! Not saying I need Gore tex, I just need to not get a wet a$$! 🙂

As long as fools keep on saying they need a “goretex” when they really need a waterproof, breathable fabric, companies will keep on making it.

I just thought in theory it would make more sense to think that a Gore tex jacket/pants or whatever would actually be waterproof. Maybe I just had a bad egg with the 10k waterproof pants I had which soaked right through on more than a few occasions. Casual one week a year skiers etc would be better off with cheap and cheerful, or “waterproof”. I would be happy buy 10 or 20k waterproof stuff if thats what they actually are… just thought going for Gore tex would be a safer option. 🙂

(“Surely you’d expect better from GreTex?”) was that in many cases, GoreTex just supply the membrane, Burton or whover else bond it to the face fabric they choose.

Worrying! I would have thought there would be a high level of quality control or testing for jackets to be allowed call themselves Gore tex, otherwise its just some level of waterproof, which is often far from IMO.

snowboard edge wear.

*looks with a puzzled skiers face*.

I’ll always be very cautious with buying stuff that states itself as being 10k waterproof or whatever. Last year I bought a pair of 686 ski pants in a sample sale for about 50 dollars Canadian, which stated themselves to be 10k waterproof. Well I spent most of the season with a soaking wet behind and wet legs, and didn’t even bother taking them back home with me. They went in the bin where they belong.
Recently bought a Gore tex Powderhorn jacket and pants on Sport Pursuit, so hopefully they’ll do the job! Imo you can’t really put a price on staying warm and dry all day.

to the most boring route. Mile after mile of fire road

It’s 100 miles. It wouldn’t be realistic to have much more singletrack. People were already finishing in the darkness after starting at 6.30 am.

And that book looks tasty, might have to get it. None of the dates for those offpiste skiing courses really work for me!

Haha too right flashy. And I was training for level 3 Steve but I’m putting it on the back burner for the next year or two! 🙂

Go somewhere else?

The parents own a place there so it’s kinda convenient 😆 .