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Chamonix March 2008 - Grands Montets (Piste)

Another sunny day in Chamonix. Weather was perfect, with some light snow during the night. Headed for Grands Montets today, having been up to Le Tour yesterday, which was the first day. Not a good start at La Tour, Richard broke his collar bone in a fall and is effectively out of action.

Michael had the camera on this day, keeping his eye on the subject at all times. This video is of me and him coming down a short run to the main meeting place at Grands Montets and then getting the bubble back up to the top. You'll see that Michael managed to get a shot of a skier falling off and sliding quite a way down the hill before coming to a stop, very funny and I can relate to it because it happened to me in January. At the time I thought I was never going to stop.

Chamonix 2008 - Part II - Grands Montets

I know that I've only been snowboarding for a fairly short time, this being my 4th long weekend in the Alps, but this run from the top of Grands Montets has to be the best run I've ever done. Off piste and through powder snow, fantastic.

Michael, Sean and I did this 3 times, the first time I went down the piste and I didn't enjoy it, too bumpy. This video is from the second run where Michael convinced me that it would be better going off piste. I have to say he was 110% right.

Go with the FLOW

I used to have a set of Flow bindings but I sold them when I bought a Burton board, the Flow's didn't fit the holes on the board without an adapter and I couldn't wait so I bought a set of Ride SPI's from LD Mountain Centre.



During the Chamonix it was taking ages to get my bindings on, my being an unfit 41 year old and all that. Flow bindings are much easier and quickers to get into. So, got myself a new set of Flow NXT's and put the old bindings on ebay.

Chopwell Woods - Feb 2008

I had planned a short run out on Wednesday up at Slaley Hall but on the day didn't feel up to it. I decided to go up to Chopwell Woods, which is only about 20 minutes away. It had been featured in Mountain Bike Rider not long ago so I thought I'd see what changes they had made.


I did 4 runs down the red trail, which I enjoyed. Yes I know there not in sync, I only had one camera so each clip is a different run.

Chamonix - Jan 2008

Here it is... what we've all been waiting for... day 1 of the Chamonix 2008 world tour.

Apart from being dropped off at the totally wrong end of town we managed to get to Sean's without much of a problem. Had to call the driver back and he came within 10 minutes.

On the first day we headed up to Brevent, first up the lift and pretty much had the mountain to ourselves. We did all the runs before lunch time so decided to catch the bus up to Balme and do Le Tour. When we got there the bubble lift was closed due to high winds. We decided to have a spot of lunch then head over to Grand Montets for the afternoon. This video is mostly from that area with some footage of Brevent.

Another early start on day 2 and headed back to Balme in the hope that it would be open... it wasn't so rather than abandon it altogether we caught the bus up to the train station and got the train round to the far end of that area. The second video is the run down from the top of the first lift up to the train station.

Change of plan for day 3, we had never planned to go over to Les Houches but as we had done all the other area's and the fact that the Downhill World Cup was on we went over, got ourselves a 4 hour pass (the pass we had didn't cover Les Houches) and stayed until about 1 PM. I thought this was the best area of the four, long wide runs and very few people considering what was going on. Went all the way down to the bottom of the cable car, through the crowds in the village and onto the bus back to Grand Montets. I must say by this time I was knackered. I only managed one run and a half hearted attempt at the jump and that was it for me. I went back to the cafe and had a coffee while Michael did a few more runs.

At about 3 o'clock I headed down the last run to the bus, Michael was just behind me at the time so after a short wait hopped on the bus back to town.

Instead of going back to the flat and out we decided just to keep going, so with board under arm we headed off for some apres ski.

Really enjoyed the 3 days and made the most of each day. Planning another trip out there at the end of March. Watch this space.