Events

Upcoming snow events

Thursday, 01 September, 2005

AIARE Avalanche Course Dates

Mountain Tracks are running a series of AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Courses based in France over the coming season. The course is over 2½ days, largely on the mountain and is ideal for anyone with some prior backcountry experience, say skiing with a guide and who wishes to improve their skills.

avalanche training

Posted by davidof at 04:05 PM
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Monday, 02 May, 2005

Chamonix Freeride Days

Shiver me timbers, another event has hoved into view, prepare to board the Chamonix Freeride Days. Yes it is nearly summer already and the star end of season event will be held next weekend - the 7th and 8th of May on the slopes of the Grand Montets.

chamonix freeride days 2005

Posted by davidof at 11:57 AM
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Sunday, 01 May, 2005

Road Gap Galibier

Road Gap noun. an opening through a mountain pass left by the passage of a snow plough, used by skiers and snowboarders in the ancient ritual of road-gap jumping. See: fakie 360, mute air, casualty department

The days are getting longer and young men’s thoughts are turning to… making giant leaps over a 10 meter high gap in the road on the mighty Galibier road pass. The Galibier links the northern and southern Alps, the Savoie and Province and is perhaps most famous for grueling battles between racers competing in the Tour de France.

road gap galibier
Road Gap

Posted by davidof at 11:33 AM
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Saturday, 02 April, 2005

17th Derby de la Meije - Results

The 17th Derby de la Meije was run in good weather on the 1st of April at la Grave. Lack of snow meant that the course was cut short this year, finishing at the moraine of the glacier. 748 riders representing 23 countries set out and 715 of them made it to the finish. Many diverse snowsports disciplines were represented including skiing, snowboarding, monoskiing, telemark and snowscooters. Many of the competitors turned out in fancy dress.

start of the Derby de la Meije
And they are off!

Posted by davidof at 02:42 PM
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Wednesday, 30 March, 2005

Chamonix - Zermatt Trip

Before the 20th Century France’s foremost mountain resort, Chamonix, was all but cut off during winter months but in 1901 the resort was linked to the valley by a cog-railway. The rail line gave a considerable boost to tourism but it was a crossing made by Dr Payot, Joseph Couttet, Alfred Simond and Joseph Ravanel that caught the imagination, at least amongst city folk. On the 16th of January 1903 the four skiers set out from Chamonix with the aim of crossing the mountains to Zermatt. They arrived on the 22nd and the High-Level or Haute Route passed into ski legend.

Posted by davidof at 06:12 PM
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Thursday, 24 March, 2005

SnowBySIG

If you were of a mind to organize a drinking session in a brewery the SIG might not be your first choice. SnowBySIG is supposed to be France’s premier ski and snowboard show - but not if you turn up at 2pm on the last day it is not. The conversation with the security guard seemed to come straight out of Monty Python’s Holy Grail (did someone mention elderberries?):

“We’re closed” he announced to the queue of visitors waiting to get in. “No you are not, the show is supposed to be open to 5pm,” I insisted. “Look no one has turned up, the organizers have decided to close the show early, everyone is going home, no one is coming in, those are my orders”. Certainly the, albeit small, crowd standing outside the locked gates were not coming in. A small boy started to cry, his dad had taken the afternoon of work to show him the products.

snowbysig

Posted by davidof at 07:08 PM
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Tuesday, 22 March, 2005

Picnic on the Grand Colon

Grand Colon, Cul de Pet, Col de Merderet, le Cul de la Vielle, Coulée de Bronze (okay I made that one up). The names in the Belledonne Mountains seemed a bit scato I observed as we climbed under the west face of the Colon. Luc, webmaster at Bivouak.net, smiled “welcome to France!”

picnic grand colon
Picnic on the Grand Colon
© Luc Thollet/Bivouak.net

Posted by davidof at 05:07 PM
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Saturday, 19 March, 2005

The Rallye des Crêtes

“It is not a race”, insisted Bruno Javerzac, the director of the l’alpe du Grand Serre tourist office. The Rallye des Crêtes brings together ski mountaineers and snowshoers in “a spirit of conviviality and sharing of effort”. Definitely not a competition, then.

rallye des cretes start line
07h40: Competitors gather at the start

Posted by davidof at 08:51 PM
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Friday, 18 March, 2005

17th Derby de la Meije

The Derby de la Meije is a freeride competition open to all comers. Over a 1000 racers from more than 20 countries, some in fancy dress, race down from the Dome de la Lauze (3512 meters) passing through the mythical Vallons de la Meije to finish 1668 vertical meters down the mountain at the Chal Vachère chalet. Registration opens in January, 2004 and anyone over 18 can apply. There is no upper age limit!

Posted by davidof at 03:56 AM
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Friday, 17 December, 2004

Rendez-Vous des Etoiles: 3rd edition

The third edition of the Rendez-Vous des Etoiles takes place over the 17, 18 & 19 December 2004 on the legendary 2877 meter Pic du Midi de Bigorre at the heart of the la Mongie-Tourmalet ski domain. The snow had already fallen in abundance so we are hoping for a superb kick-off to the Pyrenean season.