A Little Off Piste

Fairly recently, someone who used to be in my circle of friends made a comment to me about my skiing (or lack of it in their opinion) that has prompted me into a bit of a retrospective Blog entry. So, I've looked back over my photos over 5 winters and pulled out the best off piste skiing photos of me. Just two of them definitely do not have me in them, as I was taking the photo, you get the idea!

Rocket Science

After doing damage to my Stockli's last month and getting bad news from my dealers I faced the challenge of finding some new skis head on. It should be really straightforward to buy new skis, walk into a ski shop, point at a pair and wave a credit card. Many retailers now only offer skis and bindings as a package, not much use if you need a flat ski, and a toe lift plate.

So I did some web surfing and thought I'd found a decent ski and binding pairing from Telemark-Pyrenees in France and placed an order. A few days later an email arrived to say that they were out of stock of both the ski and the binding. It would seem that their web store is not linked to their stock levels, which is a shame.

I can't find any other supplier that can get me the ski I want at other than daft prices, so my 2nd choice ski came from Sport-Conrad in Germany and the bindings from an Ebay trader, Winter Shack, in Scotland. Everything arrives, and it's all fine!

I'd already been in contact with a guy who mounts skis and does servicing, advised him what I'd got lined up, and as he'd done the mounting for my Black Roses I anticipated no problems with a straightforward mounting of some Dynastar Bindings on Dynastar Skis. That's where everything started to go pear shaped.

I sent him some photos of the skis and bindings and read his response with a certain amount of dismay. Apparently I'd need some Driller Killer Inserts, a Custom Made Toe Shim, Machine Screws, because my heel piece screws would be too long, toe piece screws too short and he can't make them shorter/longer, and he'd need the skis for a week as the glue for the inserts needs 48 hours to go off.  Most ski shops do this work in an hour, how hard can it be?

Hmmm, not good. I offered to get shorter screws, no response. These are only screws after all.

Time for Plan B which involves a second opinion. Luckily my bootfitter carries all the Dynastar binding spares nationally, and is very familiar with the bindings I want to fit, so I send him the photos. I then take in the skis and bindings, and he puts them in position, they will fit straight onto the ski. He can't see what the need would be for all the inserts and custom made stuff I'd been told about.

He finds a slightly shorter screw for the heel pieces because I'm not using the Heel Lifter Plate, and confirms that I don't need longer screws for the toe pieces, the ones Dynastar provide will do nicely. He was even able to offer me alternative Race Plates for the toe pieces. They would fit straight on as well.

So, now, all I have to do is cart the skis to Switzerland and ask my local ski shop to do the mounting. What could be simpler.........

Frustration

I was given an old sewing machine at least 25 years ago, and up until today I got by. It's a very old machine, and only really did 1 sort of stitch, until today. So, I'd decided that today would be a good day to replace the main zip in my favourite ski trousers. I did all the unpicking, pinning, and tacking up yesterday, and was ready for the big sewing machine session.

1 slight problem, I now can't get the Bobbin to work, the cotton is pulling from the wrong place and after an hour, I admit defeat. It's an old machine, and the parts are very worn, nothing I did made any improvement. My trousers remain tacked up and I've now spent a shed load of money at Amazon buying a machine to replace it.

Of course, the price for a new pair of ski trousers, and a sewing machine is about the same. I'm justifying the purchase based on other repairs I might be obliged to make in the next (n) years.

Never mind, as it dates from 1917, I expect I can sell it to a collector, it must be worth a few quid. Apparently not more than £10, delivery charges exceed the value. I will be spending more as I'm now obliged to drive it to the tip since our garbage collectors won't take anything heavier than a Larks tongue these days.

Downhill All The Way

 

  January came around, and I packed away my skins to make the best of the pistes and easy to grab off piste that is all around the Anniviers. Had a great drive down across the Jura on the way out, stopping briefly in Kent to give a lift to a pal who was staying in Zinal for a week.

We got stuck in to the unpisted areas within the resort boundary and had a blast. The conditions varied widely, some slopes had breakable crust, though anywhere in the shade stayed powdery. 

It was cold again, so I was back wearing lots of layers, only this time I found myself having to say to Andy, no, wear more! We still saw skiers with no hats or goggles though, they must be more hardy.

Having been cruising in the back seat, Andy finds some Breakable Crust and decides to take a rest, and why not, he's on holiday!

My friend came round from Zinal, and brought all his friends with him, we had quite a crowd. We took them onto the same slopes we'd been skiing, smiles all round.

Most days we took a picnic and stopped at one of the Mountain Huts as the sunshine was glorious.On one occasion we had a visit from a confident local bird!

Spent a day in Zinal where there was still plenty of good skiing, though the bottom of the Freeride area was a little thin with a couple of streams showing through. Easy to avoid though. The main part of the resort had some Paragliders practicing for the Mauler Cup, which is a pretty big competition, so standards were very high.

The air was so clear that we were able to see the Cabane Becs des Bossons from the Corne du Sorebois in Zinal.

 A day in Vercorin offered us this great view across to Chandolin and the Illhorn drag lift, which is quite steep, and not just from this distance.

Back in Grimentz we'd been watching television and web reports on how bad the snow conditions were in France and Switzerland, um okay, if you say so.

There was a Skier and Boardercross competition in Grimentz, which also brought in the Freestyle skiers to the 6Park. Standards were quite high. You won't catch me doing this stuff!

 I took my Stockli's into the local ski shop for a service, and needed to sit down when the technician told me that the edges were so thin, the shop could do only 1 more service before they were scrap. I love my Stockli's so this is bad news. They also now seem to attract stones, and I spent several evenings with a P-Tex candle repairing the day's dings and holes.

I've not been counting my days on skis this winter, but in case you are wondering, it's 24 so far, more to come, hopefully.

Bring It On

Santa came to Grimentz a little early and brought some snow with him. I made full use of this early and very welcome gift. One of the village hotels looked really pretty in the snowfall.

A nice fresh fall of snow meant that the Snowpark kickers could be built.

New snow of course, meant new risks, so some places were unsafe to ski. As not every day was sunny, the flat light also caused problems.

As it's so dull, it's not possible to see the how this slope falls fairly steeply towards the skidoo. It's a red graded run and the bottom is often icy at the junction. I don't know if the helicopter was called out to a fall or a collision. This was someone's ruined Christmas.

My New Years' Resolution should be : I must set my alarm clock earlier and make the best of the new snow more often. On the day I did make the lift opening, it broke down, and did not start up for 35 minutes!

There were a few really stormy nights while I was there. I heard none of it, but could see the snow had drifted at the top of the Orzival lift.

All that wind was bad news for the new snow, which turned to breakable crust!

In between skiing days, I managed to order a new mattress for our bed, which arrived just as I was leaving for the UK. I became aware of the delivery with the sound of a revving engine and skidding tyre noises as the van tried to get up the footpath behind the apartment. The car park and entrance path would have been so much easier.

When I left for the airport, my flight was listed as on time. On my arrival it was listed as at least 2 hours late, so I headed for the information desk to try for an earlier departure. To my surprise I was successful, and my rearranged flight (now late also) left at the time my later flight was originally supposed to leave. I have my suspicions!

The check in hall was overflowing with passengers trying to check in and looking at all those unhappy faces really saps my willpower. I had needed to ask where the information desk was, I could not see it, there were so many people in the check in hall plus a long queue for "something" snaking back into the main part of the airport. Flying with budget airlines seems to bring with it a whole new level of travel misery.

A Little On The Chilly Side

Because the lifts were currently closed weekdays in Grimentz and Zinal, I hopped on the bus, caught the train and headed round to Zermatt for a few days. I would have been on the slopes by about 10am, but was delayed slightly trying to find a working locker for my bags in the basement of the station in Zermatt.

I made it up to Trockener Steg and met up with friends Steve and Nina for a quick ski down the Black run from Furgg to Furi. The run was in great condition, but it's a little dark in the afternoons so early in the season.

Zermatt had it's best party frock on for Christmas, but there was no escaping the really cold weather!

 

Yes, I'm wearing a Balaclava and a Buff. What you can't see, is the 2 pairs of thermal underwear as well!
I've not skied in consistently cold weather like this before, this was day after day in temperatures past -20c plus wind chill. I got chatting to some guys from Zurich in a gondola, one of them had Frostbite on his face, skiing in shades with no scarf, not nice!

I caught the Gornergrat Railway one day, to ski a little lower down, it was just as cold! Lovely views though.

I was very pleased with my Hotel choice. If I tell you where it is, then it will be full next time I want to visit! Lets just say, economical, traditional, friendly, superb buffet, warm and central. My room had a balcony with this view. The hotel was pretty full, and each morning I said Guten Morgen to a woman on an adjoining table. Turned out she was French and from Paris!

A txt one night saw me meeting up with another friend Tino, in the Brown Cow bar, for a quick beer. Several beers, much talking and 3 hours later......
It was great to chat and catch up on news, though I did feel a bit guilty as he had to get up at 5am next day!
The slope conditions during my stay were firm. The pisteurs had done an excellent job in keeping the snow cover, and were topping up with snow cannons during the day. This was the first visit on which I'd been able to ski to Zermatt village, because of good snow cover, and the first time I'd never skied from the top lift, which was closed to skiers because of stormy weather. The off piste was all windblown and crusty, horrible!.

On the way back down to Visp, I passed this.

In the village of St Nicklas of course!

The Slow Way Up At Least On Weekdays

Before Christmas when the lift was shut in Grimentz, it was the only way to get some skiing in locally. In earlier years nearby Zinal has opened during the week, and I've caught the bus over there, but for some reason this year they decided to shut. With Grimentz only open at the weekends, ascent on skins was where it was at.

I'd wanted to try out my new Fritschi Crampons, and my Salomon boots for ascent anyway, and both worked really well, though I did initially have a small problem getting the crampon off my binding rail due to ice, but I hammered it with a ski pole handle until it gave up!

I quite enjoy skinning up occasionally, as it's nice to hear the sounds of nature all around. I think I see so much more at a slower pace too.
The weekend arrived, the lifts started and there was powder to be had. I was a little late on the scene, but there seemed to be plenty to go around. I did end up falling into a Bisse at one point, but managed to dig myself out without too much trouble.

With the prospect of the lifts closed for 5 whole days, I packed a bag and headed for Zermatt!

Plan B

The last time I was out in Spain, our nearest neighbour was kind enough to connect me to his internet router. This we achieved by dangling a cable across 3 houses. Fine in summer, but not so clever in winter, as his router was perched on an exterior spiral staircase, 2 floors up.

So our neighbour kindly offered to ask a good friend of his to call by and connect me via their secure system, to his Wifi. We'd decided to take an alternative solution with us, just in case there were problems! Computing wizz pal, arrives, does not speak a word of English, so dialogue is a bit patchy. So he takes my Netbook and is unable to connect me, something to do with the password length.

Never mind, after a suitable length of time, we walk up the street to our neighbours place, stand in the middle of the road, and make like locals by shouting his name! When his head appears, closely followed by his pal's, we shout PLAN B, and hold up a long roll of computer cable.
We now know that PLAN B needs no translation and is immediately understood in Spanish, as connection follows swiftly.

I'm supposed to be decorating, but the weather is just too wonderful to miss, so we take plenty of trips to the beach and seafront to soak up the views.

It was fairly unusual to be able to walk around the Old Town and see much more of the place. No matter how many times we walk over to the Castle there is something we've not seen before.

 

We'd assumed that we were there just between seasons, right up until we saw one of the Tourist Trains go past along the seafront, full. A little while later, another one passed by, also full. The town as usual, has carried on with it's cultural events, and the Notice Board is beside the Tourist Office which is open for business.

The town roundabout on the seafront was remarkably quiet, most unusual!

While at the supermarket I spotted the hugely confident local Geese, one decided to have a go at me. I grew up in the country, and I have yet to be intimidated by a Goose. Still, I have to admire them, strutting their stuff outside a supermarket, just a month before Christmas!

As for the decorating, once I'd started there was a little bit more renovation that I'd been expecting. Scraping and filling holes to be done before any decorating could be started.

Time to retire to a deckchair, with a glass of something decent!

La Cena

I make a pretty outstanding Tortilla de Patatas for a foreigner, and they turn out even better when I make them with an authentic view. I put the changes down to the local cooking oil, having a proper Tortilla plate, different potatoes and more time. The big shops do sell bags of potatoes specially selected for Tortilla making, and they do make a difference.

Having stuffed half of this Tortilla these two adults were like well fed Pythons, content and pretty well unable to move. The following day, we ate the left overs in a baguette and were so full we could barely walk. Seemed criminal to waste it!

Ben Nevis

One thing that I adore about mountain hiking is the peaceful environment. It's not just about the solitude, and it's more than being at one with nature. There is much pleasure to be had from sitting on top of a peak and seeing the terrain all around, with no other people in sight.....

It took us 8 hours to drive to Fort William, and it made us realise that the UK is a long thin island!  Overnight in a hotel then an early start to beat the crowds, well that was the general plan!

 We had chosen the timing of our hike to avoid the summer midges, and still enjoy warm weather. the volume of charity hikers were an unknown variable! 

Most of the route is now laid with stones, the exception being the area around Halfway Lake.

The weather was superb for a long day hike, warm, not hot, and as we climbed higher we could see for miles.

 

 It's always nice to be nearing the summit of a mountain, and this was no exception, but just look at all the people in front, heading to the same point! The thought of my Chicken Curry for lunch kept me going!

 

The views from the summit are great, and there was a small amount of snow at the top, which you can see settled between the rocks.

 

 After spending several hours climbing the path, we started the long descent to Glen Nevis. Going down is harder on the knees! We passed quite a few walkers who were finding their footwear uncomfortable, and saw one man attempting to walk down in white sports socks, carrying his shoes. Several miles later he would be crossing this area.

 

 

The footbridge which crosses the river and leads back to the car parking area, is limited to 6 people at one time, and is really bouncy. Just the job for tired legs!