A gradual start to the week.. after sorting out gear and packs I had chosen a
trip to the pistes of Areches to see the state of the snow... buying the tickets
in Beaufort to save around 8 euro. Steph, Lloyd and I went for a day on the
slopes, Sue and Katie stayed around the town.
The car park was only half full with four buses just disgorging people on
some kind of experience day, but even that did not cause any slowing down. At
this level everything was green and we would have to ride the bottom chairlift
to get to some snow. Soon up at the middle station and some snow - although
there were clouds overhead it was not yet precipitating.
Riding up to the top chairlift we met a fearsome wind and needed to button up
before descending. It was not long before I worked into the side areas on the
way down... everything was soft, but cut up, and the light was on the boundary
of flat. Back tot he mid station going past the new cabin lift from Le Planay
which replaced the old chairlift.
Back up again, and this time over to the
far bowl... Definitely goggles weather, and like a fool I had removed my big
gloves together with some other stuff, so only had light ones on - so happily I
could keep them up the cagoule sleeves.
Around the shoulder the light turned very flat and visibility dropped to only a
few metres.
We skied gently down to the poma and up it into the storm,
emerging white at the top. Down an unpisted track to the cabin and a stop for
coffee and chips. Welcome warmth.
Down to the far poma and rising up it before dropping down to the near one - the
light was still flat and visibility much the same , but now it was snowing hard.
A return to the bottom using the start of the first run from the top and the end
of the last run, then back to the middle station along the wooded track.
A final fling up to the top station then down through the “playground” area -
now with a fresh covering of 5-10 cms snow followed by a dropdown into the
valley.
Back at the van - still snowing - we put wet skis and boots into the van
and headed back to the apartment to dry off.
