Another clear day, with the promise of lots of sun... a bit of wind but generally good.
We chose to go to Les Contamines, at the end of the valley, where we had been the other year, but this would be the first for a while for Chris and M-J, who had not been back since the early days with the climbing club trips.
The car park was packed and icy, but by chance we found a slot where someone had just vacated after dropping their children at the ski school, and we got ready in the shadow, and cold. However by the time we got up to the plateau we were in full sun and things warmed up.
From the plateau we worked our way across to the highest point by way of the motorway runs, and I took the opportunity to check out the play park ... we would visit this next year.
Now suitably warmed up, from the top we cut over to the off-piste from the ridge ... this has a little gap with some fantastic views down into Megeve (but only the foolish drop over here)
After we had our fill of the view and the atmosphere, we prepared for the powder descent down to the bottom of the top lift...
Great fun - steep and powdery on a firm base.... it has never disappointed each time I have been here. and it was not long before we were on top the little hump by the chair lift start
From here we kept straight on down .. this section of off-piste follows just outside the nominal black (un-pisted) run.
Before eventually running out of room and coming back t the black. We could have gone further away, but the slope diminishes and it becomes a traversing exercise.
Using the empty black to release the brakes and charge off we soon got to the bottom drag lift. Now we had a decision to make .. take the lift back up or continue down the track to the bottom.
The factor that swayed it was the auberge part way down and the time was near lunch. so off we went ... with the small section of walking before arriving at the hut.
Lunch on the terrace over looking the outriders to mont blanc basking in the sun is always a good moment.
After lunch we continued following the direction of the track, but cutting corners and generally making the most of the powder.
Unfortunately we went to far at one point and could not get back to the track to cross a river... we ended up fighting our way through some trees (have I mentioned before my love of the woods!)
However we were not the only ones to do this and there was a trail of footprints to follow.
Eventually we made it out the other side, and back onto the more usual and used tracks ... what a difference it made, as here there were so many tracks.
We finished up dropping down a well worn track to the river and then back to the lift station... That was it for the day... the effort walking in deep snow through the trees carrying the skis had taken it out of the girls, so we called it a day ...
Back at the van the previous icy car park was a lake .. shallow but very wet ... so we took all the it over to the side to get changed and back into "street" clothes.
From here we dropped down below St Gervais to visit the hypermarket for fuel and "treats" for home before returning to the chalet for a well earned rest. Les Contamines works again.
Trip Track
The car park was packed and icy, but by chance we found a slot where someone had just vacated after dropping their children at the ski school, and we got ready in the shadow, and cold. However by the time we got up to the plateau we were in full sun and things warmed up.
From the plateau we worked our way across to the highest point by way of the motorway runs, and I took the opportunity to check out the play park ... we would visit this next year.Now suitably warmed up, from the top we cut over to the off-piste from the ridge ... this has a little gap with some fantastic views down into Megeve (but only the foolish drop over here)
Great fun - steep and powdery on a firm base.... it has never disappointed each time I have been here. and it was not long before we were on top the little hump by the chair lift start
From here we kept straight on down .. this section of off-piste follows just outside the nominal black (un-pisted) run.
Before eventually running out of room and coming back t the black. We could have gone further away, but the slope diminishes and it becomes a traversing exercise.
Using the empty black to release the brakes and charge off we soon got to the bottom drag lift. Now we had a decision to make .. take the lift back up or continue down the track to the bottom.
The factor that swayed it was the auberge part way down and the time was near lunch. so off we went ... with the small section of walking before arriving at the hut.
Lunch on the terrace over looking the outriders to mont blanc basking in the sun is always a good moment.
After lunch we continued following the direction of the track, but cutting corners and generally making the most of the powder.
Unfortunately we went to far at one point and could not get back to the track to cross a river... we ended up fighting our way through some trees (have I mentioned before my love of the woods!)
However we were not the only ones to do this and there was a trail of footprints to follow.
Eventually we made it out the other side, and back onto the more usual and used tracks ... what a difference it made, as here there were so many tracks.
We finished up dropping down a well worn track to the river and then back to the lift station... That was it for the day... the effort walking in deep snow through the trees carrying the skis had taken it out of the girls, so we called it a day ...Back at the van the previous icy car park was a lake .. shallow but very wet ... so we took all the it over to the side to get changed and back into "street" clothes.
From here we dropped down below St Gervais to visit the hypermarket for fuel and "treats" for home before returning to the chalet for a well earned rest. Les Contamines works again.