Alpe d'Huez Snow Report: 8th March 2011

More sunshine and blue skies for the Southern Alps since my last snow report. The few centimetres of snow that has popped up on the forecast, has not materialised and so we are back to fairly slushy conditions all over resort.

The pistes still have a good covering, and the snow cannons have been used sparingly, but any hope of off piste powder skiing this season is slowly slipping away. From my trip down La Sarrenne on Friday, I can see much of the mountain needs a very large dump of snow just to cover the rocks.

I had a trip down the mines this week. Not actual mines you understand, but a section of the mountain called The Mines de l'Herpie (stop sniggering at the back).

It is one of the harder black runs in resort, you can see it from the town and it is definitely one for the more accomplished skier and snowboarder. You get there from the Clocher De Macle at Marmottes 2. The first (and possibly hardest) part of the run is getting to the top of the Combe Charbonnaire with a very long traverse. It's especially difficult if you are a snowboarder as it means a long time spent on either your heel or toe edge as there is to chance to change over till you get there.

Once at the top of the run you get a great view of Alpe d'Huez below you. And, an even better view of the torture you are about to go through.

The Mines is almost permanently covered in moguls and due to the amount of sun it gets, usually very icy as well. At 5350m it is quite a long run so my advice is to do it in the middle of your day when your ski legs are warmed up, but not tired out.

On better snow days there is plenty of opportunity to keep traversing round the side of the mountain and get some nice fresh tracks, but with the conditions as they are, I had on option but to tackle the moguls.

Usually when you have battled your way down to the bottom of the Couloir you have two options – head left off piste or take your board off and a short walk up to the top of the Chalvets chairlift. Fortunately the decision was made for me and so the straps were undone and the board was off.

From the top of Chalvets there is a short track that takes you to the red Campanules run.

The Campanules is the final test on your route back down into resort. It is a really nice wide red run which swoops into the altiport before dropping you back at Les Bergers. Due to the chairlift being closed today, the run was deserted and their was not another soul in sight. It had been pisted and was so was perfectly flat and just a touch icy, in my tiny over excitable brain these conditions translated to only one word for me – Speed!

I would usually describe myself as a fairly leisurely snowboarder. I'm usually much happier taking my time down a piste, playing on the bumps and taking in the scenery. Today however was not one of those days.

I hurtled down the piste like Wile Coyote with his Acme rocket skates on, and I can actually say I have never been any faster outside of a motorised vehicle. The wind bit my face as the piste soared by and the adrenaline surged to my knees as my board rattled over the icy piste.

It was then I realised that I was completely and utterly out of control. Back to my Wile Coyote metaphor, you know that part where the rocket skates are at full speed, but the road runner has stopped and side stepped out of the way, I was at the point where the coyote realises he has no way of stopping and is heading towards the mountain side. That was I. It was time to slow down; I carefully leant onto my heel edge and prepared for the big chunk of cliff edge to fall on me (metaphorically of course).

There was a cloud of snow, a very loud noise of snowboard edge on ice, my knees were burning and I'm fairly sure I saw fireworks, but my some miracle I managed to get back in control and slow myself down to a stop.

A valuable lesson was learnt, “know your limits!”

It was then time for an après ski beer to calm my nerves.

See you on the slopes

Pete

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