TR: La Grave+ 4/3-10/2004

[Ripzalot]

Too tired and lazy to write up a full report now. The short version:
Went to La Grave for a week with my wife. Met up with Vertigo (Bobby) and Rich for a few days on the mountain.

Day 1: La Grave. Tracked out powder day. Reportedly 30cm fresh from the previous day. Still plenty of fresh to be found. Great day touring around and tracking out any pow that could be found (which was alot!).

Day 2: Alpe d'Huez. Some snow the night before and dismal looking conditions at La Grave, so I went to Alpe d'Huez. It cleared after we got there and found some 10cms of fresh on the top part, turning springy toward the mid station, and sloppy down to the resort. Great day with no crowds and bluebird skies.

Day 3: Serre Chevalier. No new snow so went to SC for a fun spring day. Spring on top turning to slush towards the resort level. Blinding bluebird day.

Day 4: La Grave. Snowed all night for a nice 30cm fresh powder day at La Grave. Met up late with Bobby and Rich after farming out the pow turns on the glacier run. Did some fantastic pow runs down the back of the glacier and in the Vallons de Chancel.

Day 5: Col du Lauteret. The day before had completely knackered me, so we went to the small station in the Col du Lauteret for an afternoon session. Probably the smallest "resort" I have ever been to but was still fun. Still found some untracked there. Another bluebird day.

Day 6: La Grave. Snowed all night again and through the morning leaving about 20cm fresh. The plan was the banana coulior but we missed it in the low viz and ended up in the hidden (?) coulior. On the traverse back I got bounced outta the traverse and smacked into a tree with my ribs & back. Cut my day short with only one run.