Results 1 to 25 of 41
-
03-11-2008, 08:29 AM #1Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2007
- Location
- Surrey Hills, UK
- Posts
- 18
TR: 10 days in the Espace Killy, France
Don't post much on here but thought a Euro TR might be in order....
We had every type of snow in the 10 days, managed to Knock of many of the Classic Espace Killy lines. We managed to ride the Grand Balmes before the Freeride comp was
cancelled on the face, not suprised though!
Day 1. Pointe Boussac
After queueing for nearly an hour to get lift tickets (half term) we were off into the Vanoise National Park and a 1.5 hour snowshoe to our first peak.
Jim happy to leave the hordes to fight it out on the slushy pistes...
Jim nearing the top, what a perfect day!
3 weeks with no snow and we were more than happy with this ripe corn 8-). We were a bit naughty with it being quite late in the day as you can see the wetslide that I kicked out on my initial ski-cut.
Yep, not bad for a first run of the trip
Day2 : P3 Couloir, Mickeys Ears and Telegraph Couloir
Me in P3
Jim and I hiking to Mickeys Ears
Jim on the nasty entrance to Mickeys
Me riding the "piste like" couloir!
nearing the bottom
Jim above the lake
Day 3. Couloir de Grande Balme
The classic Tignes line. In full view of the resort. 45 degrees + in a couple of places and a crux turn around a dog leg above a rather large cliff! starts just to the left of the snow in the sun.
Jim about to make the crux. A fall here would have been terminal. :shock:
Jim through and into the wider part of the couloir
It was a fantastic line and felt so wild -kind of wierd as you feel like everyones looking at you from the resort below!
Day 4: 5-10 cms of snow finally!!! conditions compared to the day before were somewhat softer on the legs! Pisteurs Couloir, rectaline, Borsat West -
Jim hiking through the clouds to the Pisteurs Couloir
Me in the couloir
Me again!
I think Jim liked the soft stuff...
So did I
Pisteurs in all its glory. It starts from the saddle on the left in the sun
Hiking the rocks to Borsat West
What this? powder, sun =
Day 5 : Couloir 3500, This is a 1000m shot off the back of the grand Motte. The classic entrance was really rocky so we traversed in slightly lower. This involved a rope and a heelside above a 25 metre cliff on rock hard snow. Not something I ever want to do again :twisted:
Cedric in the top of the couloir
Incredible ambiance far away from the pistes
It just went on and on
and on
Jim hiking back out
Day 6
I only took 1 photo, what with the crappy snow, flat light and tired legs - still managed to knock off les tufs! But check out how we needed snow :shock:
-
03-11-2008, 08:30 AM #2Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2007
- Location
- Surrey Hills, UK
- Posts
- 18
Day 7
A change of team (me the lone boarder and 2 skiers ;-) ) and a change of conditions...20cms of snow finally
Me near the Col des Ves
Adam showing off to the ladies on the chair!
Dan trying to show off..... ops:
Adam hiking to the Chardonnet Couloir
seen here above the small group of skiers
It was a bit tracked but still nice and soft
and lower down was very nice
Day 8 - Les Grappillons, Couloir du Table and Borsat West
Adam burning off those pain au chocoat
Dan was happy to see the top, and what a great view of the Grand Casse
Me in Les Grappillons
Looking for the cold smoke
The run was the main bowl in the middle
Adam in the couloir du Table
Me in into the bowl
Adam walking to Borsat West
A cool rock
Ripe Corn on Borsat West
Day 9
Tricky light and not quite enough snow to cover the hard stuff
Adam somewhere above Les Brevieres
Adam heading for the lake
Day 10 - The last day and a strict 1pm finish as we had to get to Geneva for the flight home. Isn't it always the way that its the best day :twisted: But we still managed to fit in a Chardonnet and a Tour du Grande Balme
The early bird catches the worm
Light and fluffy in the Chardonnet Bowl
I love rooster tails
Adam on the Tour du Grande Balme
Final Hike of the week
But it was worth it
Thats all folks
Last edited by norris; 03-11-2008 at 11:20 AM.
-
03-11-2008, 08:35 AM #3
SOLID!...
'waxman is correct, and so far with 40+ days of tasting them there is no way my tongue can tell the difference between wood, and plastic made to taste like wood...but i'm a weirdo and lick my gear...' -kidwoo
-
03-11-2008, 08:52 AM #4
A privilege to see somebody posting these lines from Tignes...
"Nothing is funnier than Hitler." - Smokey McPole
-
03-11-2008, 09:11 AM #5
Very good work.
And nice slides...
I was there 2 weeks ago, you're a better man than me*. I found the general snow pack rather sketchy.
Edit : * For those unfamiliar with the area, there's some serious hiking involved here...Last edited by philippeR; 03-11-2008 at 09:38 AM.
"Typically euro, french in particular, in my opinion. It's the same skiing or climbing there. They are completely unfazed by their own assholeness. Like it's normal." - srsosbso
-
03-11-2008, 09:15 AM #6Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2007
- Location
- Surrey Hills, UK
- Posts
- 18
Phillippe, we were there 23rd - 5th march. snowpack was bomber, infact to bomber! I was cursing not bring my ice axe!
-
03-11-2008, 09:37 AM #7
We could have met.
Not sketchy as in avalanche (but for some wetslides on south facing slopes), but as in difficult.
Refrozen junk on the morning, slush in the afternoon, rocks everywhere.
Spring skiing in february.
I agree that Tignes has been better than Val. Borsat chair has indeed been rather nice."Typically euro, french in particular, in my opinion. It's the same skiing or climbing there. They are completely unfazed by their own assholeness. Like it's normal." - srsosbso
-
03-11-2008, 09:47 AM #8Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2007
- Location
- Surrey Hills, UK
- Posts
- 18
Yes, nearly falling of the 3500 traverse on sheet ice was not nice...
It got alot better from 1st march - just wish I there now - should be a great week.
-
03-11-2008, 09:52 AM #9
-
03-11-2008, 09:55 AM #10
Love that place. Well slayed.
not counting days 2016-17
-
03-11-2008, 10:01 AM #11
-
03-11-2008, 10:05 AM #12
Excellent work. Horizon and I plus a group of friends were there doing more or less the same kind of work from the 22nd of Feb until the 1st of March. To hear now that both you and Philippe were there... TR to come, I am still collecting the photos from the ones involved.
The beatings will continue until morale will improve.
-
03-11-2008, 10:13 AM #13
That is the best Espace Killy TR I have seen on this board. Very well played.
Way to hike for the goods!!! Thanks for sharing.He who has the most fun wins!
-
03-11-2008, 10:16 AM #14
very nice. big pics work for euro TRs!
-
03-11-2008, 10:31 AM #15
This TR goes to 11! Fuck yeah!
-
03-11-2008, 10:32 AM #16Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2007
- Location
- Surrey Hills, UK
- Posts
- 18
Gotta hike far to get the goods in the EK....
-
03-11-2008, 10:33 AM #17Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2007
- Location
- Surrey Hills, UK
- Posts
- 18
irbis, I presume snowball from snowheads was on your trip?
-
03-11-2008, 10:35 AM #18sucks on the internet
- Join Date
- Feb 2004
- Location
- Eurozone
- Posts
- 2,726
Solid work and nice pics, Thx for sharing.
-
03-11-2008, 10:41 AM #19Live to Ski, SKI TO LIVE!
- Join Date
- Mar 2008
- Posts
- 104
Why do I have to live in PA!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
-
03-11-2008, 11:03 AM #20
This is really good stuff.
-
03-11-2008, 11:13 AM #21
Wow!
Have fun or get hurt bad. "MFT" A.K.A. Dr. Doom
There are but three true sports--bullfighting, mountain climbing, and motor-racing. The rest are merely games. "Ernest Hemingway"
-
03-11-2008, 11:25 AM #22
I like these guys....
Nice work
-
03-11-2008, 12:58 PM #23
-
03-11-2008, 01:17 PM #24Registered abuser
- Join Date
- Jul 2006
- Location
- In between
- Posts
- 274
Looks like you very much made the most of the place! Good to see.
-
03-11-2008, 06:14 PM #25Registered User
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
- Posts
- 82
Wow, you guys sure nailed it -- both the lines and the photos.
I was in France around that same time, and I did some pretty tours that I liked (including the Aiguille de la Grande Sassiere across the road from there), but not lines like those.So as not to confuse other visitors:
the Espace Killy is actually a sector of La Grave.
France = Chamonix + La Grave
= La Grave + Chamonix = France
For riding like that, remember:
La Grave
Similar Threads
-
hills you've ridden the most
By jackstraw in forum General Ski / Snowboard DiscussionReplies: 131Last Post: 07-21-2010, 12:13 PM -
In Honor of LB's TR: Fall Days Afield
By Grange in forum The Padded RoomReplies: 7Last Post: 04-17-2007, 08:38 AM -
Some Days are about...
By skifishbum in forum General Ski / Snowboard DiscussionReplies: 5Last Post: 03-27-2006, 08:53 PM -
What's your cash to ski days ratio?
By xyz in forum General Ski / Snowboard DiscussionReplies: 97Last Post: 10-04-2005, 07:10 AM -
France...Thank you !
By board in forum TGR Forum ArchivesReplies: 12Last Post: 07-13-2004, 11:17 AM
Bookmarks