Early Morning, Uploaded by M+MD.
After the white out of yesterday afternoon we were just a little worried about the weather. The morning looked a little dodgy. There was small patches of blue sky but not very much. Well we did have a glorious bright Monday and it is the middle of February. But we can ski and the legs are working. We headed into the ski shop a little later today The Salibas were also running even later. We took the bubble from the bottom of our road that brought us right into the middle of Meribel Centre.
Mags and the girls wanted to look around the town but Senan was anxious to get on the slopes. So he and I got booted up and got the “Roc de Fer” lift which brings us out at the top of “Gelinotte”. It was still dull and overcast. We started down the run. This is the same run that Katy found difficult yesterday. I was beginning to see why. I hadn't done the run before and that also made me nervous. Being nervous is not a good idea when skiing. Everything slows down. Turning (especially my dreaded left-hand turns)get more difficult.
I ended up using the one advanced skill I can rely on and started to slide slip most of the way down. This is when you place your skis across the slope and by leaning on the downhill ski you use the slope to care you down sideways - ideally without moving across the piste. I prefer to sideslip facing right. The only problem with that is that if you do start to move forward across the slope then I end up with the scary left hand turn. Strain and stress and some proper skiing as well as lots of accurate and well intended advice from Senan which of course is entirely useless when your brain and your legs are not working properly! Anyway we made it down and went up “Rhodos” for a proper warn up on familiar slopes and skied down in time for our lesson at 11.30.
As we assembled for the lesson the sun started to burn off the clouds and it began to brighten up and to look like Monday. The lesson brought us up the “Plan de L'Homme” lift to the snow park. In the snow park there are lots of ramps and jumps for snow boarders and skiers. After giving us a few instructions like “bend your knees” and “relax” - Adrian sent us down to the hump that we could see. It looked a little daunting but off I went.
Snow Park Humps, uploaded by M+MD.
As I went over the first hump six things happened:
Adrian had said relax and enjoy the sensation! I tried that as I went over the fourth hump and my skis left the ground again. So that didn't work. So I just tried to hang on to some control as I got faster and faster over the remaining humps. Finally I was travelling at the speed of sound as I cleared the last and realised that I had to pull in behind Adrian and the rest of the class in a narrow lay-by. I managed not to take them all out as I struggled to come to a halt before getting tangled up in some netting on the side of the run.
- Survived - just!
That was a bit of a shock for all of us that morning. We carried on down to Mottaret, a little nervous but ok. We did the run down to Mottaret again - without the snow park, before taking the nice easy route down the "Truite" green run back to Meribel. We planned to go on a Blue Guide with Highlife at 1.30 and although we made it to the meeting place by 1.30 we just missed them. Perhaps it was just as well because we didn't get time to get some lunch.
After lunch we took the Sailire cabin to the very top. We had a very expensive cup of coffee (7 euro each!) in fantastic surroundings. We were up at 2703 metres (8750 ft) looking down at the top of both valleys and the spectacular mountains all around.
The only way to ski down from Sailire is via a red run for about 1,000 metres. We could see the first section below us - it was steep, busy and full of moguls. Moguls are mounds of snow formed by skiers as they turn going down steep slopes. They become the only way to ski down the dreaded (for us) Black slopes. They form a skiing version of stepping stones.
Its just a short Red, Uploaded by M+MD.
It looked easier, beyond that initial section, so we thought we would give it a go. After about 10 metres it was clear to Mags and me that this was going to be very slow and difficult. She took the sensible option and decided to take the cable car down. We arranged to meet at the top of Saulire 1 lift as our route would bring us down to that spot. The short descent in the photograph above was very slow for me. When there are moguls, my side slipping trick doesn't work. My left hand turn was broken again and the traffic of some expert skiers on the slope was disconcerting . But I managed to get down ok. Lisa Katy and Senan really had no problem!
The next kilometre was an ok Red - though when the brain thinks "RED!" it really doesn't help. So with long wide traverses and a sharp intake of breath plus an expletives at every essential left hand turns together with a minimum of the side slipping kop out, we were soon back on familiar territory and travelled down the "Geai" blue from the top.
Saulire Peak, Uploaded by M+MD.
We waited at the top of Saulire 1 cable car as planned. There was no sign of Mags. We got a call from her. There was a second cable car from the top of Saulire which was bringing her down to Mottaret. So we arranged to meet back at the Chaudanne. She just had to follow the "Truite" run from Mottaret to Meribel just as we had done this morning. We skied down and we all arrived in good time to meet Conor for the run home.
We went up the “Plan d'Homme” with Conor and went down beside the Snow Park while Lisa Katy Senan and Conor did the jumps! We then got the “Tougnete 2” lift to the top of Tougnete (2500m).
The view was fantastic with blue skies over Meribel to the east and mist and dog over Val Thorens to the west. This was a pity because the sun was just setting at 4.15 and the view of the sunset could have been spectacular.
As it was the first part of the run was called "Cretes" and was a ridge run. It was followed by the top of the "Jerusalem" Red down to the Val Thorens valley. It was just the easy part again along the top before it turned left downhill. At that junction we turned right down the Blue called "Chocas". Even though it was cloudy to the west there was an orange tinge to the snow as we travelled across the top ridge. Turning down "Chocas" it got a little darker and just a little icy as it had been in the shade for the afternoon. Mags and I had done a lot of skiing that day and we were a lot slower than the others. But we were fine - it was a lovely run and we were enjoying it at our own pace.
Then we left "Chocas" and joined the top of "Gelinotte". That was just a fraction tougher for me - but maybe that was in my head from the morning! When we got to the left turn for the La Raffort run it had been closed. There was just a narrow steep opening to get onto a narrow lane like run.
Mags went first - it was tricky and she managed to get through going a little too fast. She stopped by turning into the mountainside bank. I followed just a little nervous agains but doing slightly better, I stayed upright - just. Conor was a flyer - the others were well able to keep up with him but myself and Mags were a lot slower. The narrow paths are just a little nerve-wrecking!
When I say narrow, they are about the width of a country lane with the forest on both sides, the mountain rising on your left and sloping away downhill on your right. When you’re tired, controlling the speed with an alternative left and right sideways movement as we had learned in class that day just gets a little harder. Snowplough is just too tiring and doesn't allow you build the speed you need on the flat parts of the run. I had a tumble when someone skied over my skis. Then I used Senan as a brake and knocked him over! We still had a mile or two to go and it was now getting difficult. There were just a couple of steep spots on the run which I managed down through excessive and tiring side slipping.
But then as we approach the last half mile I lost my nerve on the top of an icy slope. I took off my skis and walked down the edge. It’s an interesting trick. Firstly it releases the feeling that you are trapped on year ski-run with no way out. Then, as you plod slowly down hull in heavy awkward ski boots, carrying cumbersome skis on your shoulder, you realise that this walking idea is a much poorer option! So as has happened in other years after about 40 slow metres downhill I stopped and put back on my skis and skied home with not too much difficulty!
- What a day!
We Skied Home, Uploaded by M+MD.
We arrive about 50 metres from the chalet - the run home was exactly that! Tea and fresh home-made biscuits were very welcome before the even better de-tox routine of shower hot-tub, sauna and bath!
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