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  1. #1
    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:

  2. #2
    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.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Le Lavancher pour le weekend
    Posts
    3,337
    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

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    2,888
    A privilege to see somebody posting these lines from Tignes...
    "Nothing is funnier than Hitler." - Smokey McPole

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    France
    Posts
    3,439
    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

  6. #6
    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!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    France
    Posts
    3,439
    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

  8. #8
    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.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Denmark
    Posts
    525
    Pretty awesome. Looks like a fun trip.
    Quote Originally Posted by rabbit View Post
    Women that straightline are hot.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Redwood City and Alpine Meadows, CA
    Posts
    8,277
    Love that place. Well slayed.
    not counting days 2016-17

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    France
    Posts
    3,439
    Quote Originally Posted by philippeR View Post
    I was there 2 weeks ago, you're a better man than me*
    Quote Originally Posted by norris View Post
    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.
    QED...
    I never skied the back of the Grande Motte actualy.
    "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

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    London
    Posts
    345
    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.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Mammoth Lakes
    Posts
    3,638
    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!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Switzerland
    Posts
    7,578
    very nice. big pics work for euro TRs!

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Making the Bowl Great Again
    Posts
    13,779
    This TR goes to 11! Fuck yeah!

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Surrey Hills, UK
    Posts
    18
    Gotta hike far to get the goods in the EK....

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Surrey Hills, UK
    Posts
    18
    irbis, I presume snowball from snowheads was on your trip?

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Eurozone
    Posts
    2,726

    Thumbs up

    Solid work and nice pics, Thx for sharing.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    104
    Why do I have to live in PA!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Dreary Old Manhattan
    Posts
    243
    This is really good stuff.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Just outside the bubble
    Posts
    1,743
    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"

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    P-tex, CA
    Posts
    8,660
    I like these guys....

    Nice work

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    WHEREAS,
    Posts
    12,946
    bump to the first page
    Quote Originally Posted by Roo View Post
    I don't think I've ever seen mental illness so faithfully rendered in html.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    In between
    Posts
    274
    Looks like you very much made the most of the place! Good to see.

  25. #25
    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

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