Minimum altitude: 1,604 meters
Distance: 21.2 km
Slope Aspect: Various
Vertical Climbed: 507 meters (1,663 feet)
Vertical Descended: 509 meters
Took the train up from Lyon on Wednesday morning, so I didn’t get going until around 10am. By then the sun was already well up, but conditions on the Plateau de l’Arselle were still good to start with, firm enough underfoot with decent glide.
I opened with a warm-up lap on the green piste, which, like most loops at l’Arselle, lulls you into a false sense of security before throwing in that short but properly steep ramp back to the start. A good way to wake up the legs early on.
As the morning went on, the snow predictably started to turn. By around 11am it was getting noticeably sticky, not helped by the fact that I haven’t waxed my skis since the start of the season, definitely felt like I was working a bit harder for the glide than I should have been. I've not got my waxing kit which is why I've been negligent.
Despite that, I kept a steady rhythm and ended up covering 21.11 km in 1:49:10 (5:10/km), which is more or less in line with where I was back in December. Okay given the slower snow and late start.
It was one of those quiet midweek days, pistes almost empty apart from a handful of retirees out enjoying the sun and a few very quick club skiers slicing past with far more efficiency. The weather itself was spot on: sunny, clear, but still cool enough on the plateau to stay comfortable throughout.That said it was deserted after 11am, which was a message in itself.
All in all, a really enjoyable session good consistency, nice setting, and just enough effort to feel it without overreaching. Next step: finally wax the skis.
Cold but sunny and no wind. Roads clear.
