ski holidays

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 6:05 am

yo! we just came back from a week of total leisure up here http://www.la-grave.com/english/portfol ... ures02.php this place is great for young and crazy free riders that enjoy challenges, mid and old timers that are still game to live up to it. this is a cross country downhill xtreem and unsecured skiing that haunts your dreams at night, way after you came back to your home

and then it gets you addicted for the next season. most of those pictures were taken at 3400m

enjoy

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 6:06 am

2nd set

arela · Post by **arela** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 12:30 pm

Lucky you - beautiful

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 2:34 pm

Downright Georgeous.

Glad to see members get out of their cubicles to enjoy life's pleasures.

Bloody, Lucky, You.

Post by **Neil B** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:01 pm

I'm jealous - not had a skiing holiday for a few years.
I think Hubird may well be taking it worse than me though - you konw what these Dutch guys are like when you show them a slope

Post by **garyb** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:15 pm

yes it's sweet....

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:39 am

not the Mont Blanc, not the Dru, so it got to be la Meije

very cool - I hope it's only folks up there capable to handle high mountain conditions properly...
the terrain deserves respect - it's not Disneyland

cheers, Tom

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:44 am

astroman wrote: the terrain deserves respect - it's not Disneyland

It sure does deserve much respect. Funny thing is that we picked it up from the internet not knowing what it was really like; there are only two slopes up on the glacier that are mechanically worked out, blue coded, that is, quite easy for anyone who can stand on a pair of skis. Then there is the rest; unmarked slopes coded black, which are never mechanically worked out. So you have to be really careful of where you decide to go. It is strongly recommended by the staff not to follow ski tracks that you don't know where they are going, because some people combine ski with climbing and are equipped with ropes and 'baudriers'

So on the first day of skiing, we chose to play it safe and rent a guide services to lead us. I strongly recommend doing the same for people that might want to get there: don't go alone thinking this is just another tourist ski resort

FrancisHarmany · Post by **FrancisHarmany** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:02 am

Did you sample the sound of falling snow ?

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:37 am

absolutely! I had a 50 pound 8 track teac tape recorder strapped on my back, a car batterie, condenser mikes, the works... man I wish the xite-1 had been out

FrancisHarmany · Post by **FrancisHarmany** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:43 am

at least you got strong legs now

Shroomz~> · Post by **Shroomz~>** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:29 am

Welcome back legros.

Now, I hope you cleaned your mouth out with snow you naughty boy.

Great photos btw...

marcuspocus · Post by **marcuspocus** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:48 am

You lucky bastard legros, it's the second time you go this winter!

And a third time next week-end?

check this out guys
http://www.la-grave.com/video/M-512.MPG (big 76mb)

This video made us decide to go there in the first place.....

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 1:08 am

yep, going back tonight for three days

ski is like drugs...
and we'll be taking some more photos

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:39 pm

dont get snow blind

that means, don't forget your sun glasses. I don't 'see' how people can go there without em. We came back late yesterday from what looks like our last ski trip this year

my legs hurt as if I had been going up and down the stairs of a 30 stories high building, 20 times in a row. aw man what a great sport

some more pictures:

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:40 pm

2nd set

Post by **Neil B** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:54 pm

What perfect snow conditions - it's been a good season all over hasn't it?

Snow blindness - my first ski trip was to Glenshee in Scotland and being ignorant I never thought about the glare from the sun on snow.
Suffered with my eyes for 20 years now. My poor wife had to drive the whole journey home.

Memo to self - start skiiing again.

Great photos - thanks for sharing them.

Post by **garyb** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 11:00 pm

wow, i remember snow...back in the old times, before...

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 12:16 am

Neil B wrote:What perfect snow conditions - it's been a good season all over hasn't it?

Yes great year. We went in december around christmas and the snow was there already. This mountain (la meije) is north sided and you can ski as high as 3400m.. so whenever snow falls, it stays good for quite a long time -the probability that it melts is low- I haven't seen any ice in three trips this year, but I guess we must have been a little lucky; we arrived last thursday night and heavy snow fell friday all day, la meije was closed then but we could still do a couple of runs at les deux alpes which is located about 25kms up north. On saturday la meije opened and it was a dream, skiing in 40 cms of virgin snow

even Noémie who's not been doing a lot of skiing in her life had fun going from 3200m to 2400m. A few falls too, she was literally buried under it

the only downside is the risk of avalanches, you have to carry arvas so you can be quickly located in any events. That's part of the game -and yes the 'fun'- I guess.

A note on both mountains: they are linked together at the top. You can walk from la meije to les deux alpes a 2-3 kilometers run at 3600m which is completely amazing. But be sure not to have any heart condition, it is quite exhausting.

garyb wrote:wow, i remember snow...back in the old times, before...

that's the good part of it, never too late

I've seen 70 years old seniors go at serre chevalier which is also nearby (about 25 kms south)

Post by **garyb** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 12:41 am

legros wrote:that's the good part of it, never too late I've seen 70 years old seniors go at serre chevalier which is also nearby (about 25 kms south)

no doubt.