Brevant, France

Final day ...  Being young and enthusiastic we had not charged off after breakfast, in the mad change over rush, but rather we had decided to have a day on the slopes of the Brevant, dinner then drive home overnight and thereby miss all the jams.

The day was just like the previous one, down in the valley, but being the last day some of us hardy souls opted to go up anyway. We were pleasantly surprised after getting to the mid station to be above the clouds and in bright sunshine (this was before the days of web cams showing the conditions at every level). Sue had stayed with KT in the valley to save a lift pass and got very cold and bored waiting for us.. this was also the age before mobile phones where I could have phoned down and got her to come up.

I cant remember what we did in terms of routes etc. that day, but there was not many people and we frequently had the place to ourselves.Those who stayed in the valley were envious, but soon cheered up over dinner in the bumble bee restaurant. This was (I believe) the time where Alan had a slight accident with the Chilli oil and a pizza, much to everyone's amusement. Then we set off home, almost in the dark.

Courmayeur, Italy

Today was the day we broke the constraints of the bounds that held us in the Chamonix valley. A couple of cars of us went through the Mont Blanc tunnel (pre fire) to Courmayeur, for a reconnaissance and general look see. The weather was not good with low cloud and rain in the valleys, and we hoped it would be brighter in Italy.

I am not sure who was with the party in general, but I do remember that Lyn had had forgotten her passport and at the border we just waved what we had and we let through both ways, to everyone's surprise.

We first went to the town and had a look around to see where everything was, and get some Lire. After finding that most of the ski area was accessible mainly from the tow lift stations we had passed on the road from the tunnel, retreated back there.

I seem to remember getting a half day pass, but the weather was a little evil, and we rode the lifts up to top of the initial area, and came down the edge closest to Mont Blanc on a route that was un-pisted, but in bounds. One of the drags caused an amount of mirth being a little vicious and steep at the start, but other than that uneventful.

After that I think we just headed back to Chamonix... We had learned what was there and where to go, but the skiing was not much to remember it for, although I could believe if the sun was out and we could see better that there would be a different spirit.