[SA Chris]

My brother has. It's over the back of Deux Alps though, not Alp d'Huez. I think you need to either really know the place well, or hire a guide. And you need good conditions...

[Duncan Disorderly]

The Grande Galaxie skipass allows for 2 days at Le Deux Alpes and apparently also gives you a 25% discount off La Grave... Will check connies but we were thinking of getting a guide if we do it.... Probably be enough to go at just around AdH with the current dumps but could be pretty sweet if the forecast does what it seems to suggest.

[SA Chris]

will you have transport?

[Duncan Disorderly]

Nope - getting a bus from Grenoble but apparently there is a direct shuttle bus to Les Deux Alpes on Wednesdays (and possibly Thursdays) for €15 return and you can access from there. Would have to get to Alpe d'Huez for 08:45 but the first lift at Oz goes at 8am (we're 1 minute from that lift) so should be good for that - good warmup run too ;-)
Alternatively you can get a helicopter for €70 
Probably find a bit more gen in resort...

[SA Chris]

Yeah, you can get to the top. You can probably arrange to meet a guiding service in Deux Alpes. They normally like to take you on some runs in resort to see what you are capable of before getting on anything more committing...   

[hongkongstuey]

one of my mates is talking about La Grave... Had a quick look and it looks amazing! Has anyone been?

[Duncan Disorderly]

one of my mates is talking about La Grave... Had a quick look and it looks amazing! Has anyone been?

Watched that the other day - looks mint!

[SamT]

Nope - getting a bus from Grenoble but apparently there is a direct shuttle bus to Les Deux Alpes on Wednesdays (and possibly Thursdays) for €15 return and you can access from there. Would have to get to Alpe d'Huez for 08:45 but the first lift at Oz goes at 8am (we're 1 minute from that lift) so should be good for that - good warmup run too ;-)
Alternatively you can get a helicopter for €70 
Probably find a bit more gen in resort...

Hows it going Duncan.... hit the road tomorrow morning... 

[SA Chris]

Where you heading? Jealous looks like Alps are going through a storm cycle.

Some interesting weather articles here, was just reading about a Retour d'est

https://wepowder.com/en/weblog/2023/01/21/what-is-a-retour-dest

and a Nordstau

https://wepowder.com/en/weblog/2021/09/29/what-is-a-nordstau

[SamT]

Tignes for a week of splitboarding. 

Though if there's enough powder in resort, happy to just hit that all day long. We'll see.  Might do a day off the back of Saint Foy, we'll see.

Looks good at the moment, but we'll see.  Very cold it seems, so nothing melting, but seems there maybe some high winds over the weekend.

[galpinos]

Tignes for a week of splitboarding. 

Though if there's enough powder in resort, happy to just hit that all day long. We'll see.  Might do a day off the back of Saint Foy, we'll see.

Looks good at the moment, but we'll see.  Very cold it seems, so nothing melting, but seems there maybe some high winds over the weekend.

Re Sainte Foy, if by (off the back) you mean Le Monal, I would say not worth the drive over from Tignes. Nice skiing, lovely location but not good enough skiing for the effort. The "return leg" goes under some pretty big south facing cliffs which will release after heavy snow/solar loading so be careful.

If you mean off the North of La Foglietta, then yes, definitely, fantastic skiing, great terrain, you can pick how much you want to bite off at the start but you will end up waiting for the bus at Le Miroir and it is a combat ski from La Sussaz to Le Crot and onwards.

West Face of La Foglietta is good for a few laps.

[SamT]

Yeah, North of La Foglietta, done it before.   Mega.  bit of an i.p.o.d to get back out the bottom I seem to recall.
Depends if we're meeting up with a team there or not, more than a lifetimes stuff to go at in Tignes/Val without faffing about driving to other resorts.

(icy piste/path of death).

[Johnny Brown]

Did a nice little tour with a local guide from the Col d'Iseran over the Col des Fours, down past Refuge du Fond to Le Manchet. There was a final section of steep traverse to get across to the Col which wasn't ideal on a split, but otherwise mellow <30 deg slopes up and down, all miles away from the pistes.

[SamT]

Yeah, I think something like that is on the list.  Mate I'm going with has done a lot in the area, so kinda just going with whatever he reccomends.

[unclesomebody]

Does anyone know a guide in the La Plagne area? I've contacted a bunch of companies but they're all booked out for next week. Looking to get onto the north face of the bellecote (subject to conditions).

[SA Chris]

Have you tried any in Les Arcs? I can get in touch with a mate who lives in Peisey Vallandry and see if he knows anyone. He can see it from his back door...

[Johnny Brown]

I was surprised there is no bureau in La Plagne, although there’s a private one in Montalbert - you tried them?

Otherwise should be loads of individuals down in the valleys either side. I know one guy but he’s above Bourg, specialises in Val and was booked up last time I asked.

Bellecote looks incredible, not sure how low the snow line needs to be though. If the snow is good the two valleys either end of the resort have amazing terrain with barely marked blacks.

[hongkongstuey]

for the split boarders / back country folk out there - any recommendations on good quality bibs?

Google searches coming up with the usual erratic suggestions (i.e. some folks raving about certain brands whilst others go the complete opposite) - figured it's better to ask peoples whose views i'm more inclined to trust

Getting myself prepped for those end of season sales as well as upcoming NZ trip later this year

[Duncan Disorderly]

Nope - getting a bus from Grenoble but apparently there is a direct shuttle bus to Les Deux Alpes on Wednesdays (and possibly Thursdays) for €15 return and you can access from there. Would have to get to Alpe d'Huez for 08:45 but the first lift at Oz goes at 8am (we're 1 minute from that lift) so should be good for that - good warmup run too ;-)
Alternatively you can get a helicopter for €70 
Probably find a bit more gen in resort...

Hows it going Duncan.... hit the road tomorrow morning... 

Got back Saturday - absolutely mint trip... Had no wifi in our appartment and shitty phone signal so been kinda incommunicado which is pretty ace tbh as being a web monkey someone allways wants summat doing while I'm away (eh Shark?  )... This time I just ignored everyone (or they left me alone) and concentrated on tearing the mountain up 

The (fucking amazingly) Good:
Connies were ace - snowed just before we got there and a little on our first day so we had a little dusting of powder off the piste on the first day that carried us over til the main 15/20cm dump came on Tuesday evening...
Wednesday of powder power - first lift til last lift off the top of Pic Blanc, picking untracked off Le Tunel and Sarene all day... The Day of Days!
Stayed cold up high so even when tracked you could ride off piste without hammering yer knees.
Matched ability and psych group - can't emphasise enough how great this was! No waiting for anyone, all keen to drop the same runs, bowls or couloirs, get first lift up everyday and ride til they kicked us off the hill then head for a pint...
Skeleton Key is an absolute weapon in powder, through the trees and on toeside groomers... Big up yer bad self JB!

The (not very) Bad (at all):
8hrs a day riding for 6 days with folk up to 20 years my junior has left me destroyed!
Skeleton key being so set back means that heelside carves tend to either butter if pushed too hard or slide out - could probably be rectified with a forward tweak of the bindings (tend to ride quite wide stance so would probably just end up pushing the rear one forward a bit) but tbh as conditions were so good it made sense to setup for powder and accept the odd slide out....
Not quite as much snow as predicted and was a definite scarcity below 1500m (stayed at 1300m and it was barren) which is pretty depressing really as it makes you think how the hell will some of these resorts survive! 

One of the best trips ever alltold! Great crew and ace connies - mostly stayed around Alpe d'Huez as there's so much off Pic Blanc, Herpie, Clocher De Macle and Dome Des Rousses - Did have one day at Le Deux Alpes and concur that it's fucking mint for what we were after - so much off piste close enough to not feel super sketchy - connies were a little bad that day with some full on white out moments which added to the excitement! Bit busy on the pistes for my taste tho...

Almost considering another trip this season if I can convince the Mrs it's in her interest to have such a happy me - dunno if the complaining about my legs since I got home is gonna help that tho 

[Johnny Brown]

Sounds amazing!

Matched ability and psych group - can't emphasise enough how great this was!

That is the dream and so hard to achieve, had a couple of days ever like this.

Skeleton Key is an absolute weapon in powder, through the trees and on toeside groomers...

Glad you liked it    Felt pretty confident recommending it (and especially at that price ) , really fun board! It always amazes me how stable at speed it is despite not being very stiff, and almost immune to catching edges. Assumed this was taper at first, but now pretty sure it’s due to the early rise on the nose lifting the contact points up, so they don’t engage unless you want them to.

Skeleton key being so set back means that heelside carves tend to either butter if pushed too hard or slide out

Hmm, that’s interesting as I occasionally have the opposite problem of heel judder, i.e. locking in too well and tight until the edge jumps out suddenly. After reading up I had put it down to technique but setback is a thought. I’m riding at reference width, other idea was to set the bindings slightly closer to toeside. Were you getting any heel drag?

[Duncan Disorderly]

Sounds amazing!

Matched ability and psych group - can't emphasise enough how great this was!

That is the dream and so hard to achieve, had a couple of days ever like this.

Skeleton Key is an absolute weapon in powder, through the trees and on toeside groomers...

Glad you liked it    Felt pretty confident recommending it (and especially at that price ) , really fun board! It always amazes me how stable at speed it is despite not being very stiff, and almost immune to catching edges. Assumed this was taper at first, but now pretty sure it’s due to the early rise on the nose lifting the contact points up, so they don’t engage unless you want them to.

Skeleton key being so set back means that heelside carves tend to either butter if pushed too hard or slide out

Hmm, that’s interesting as I occasionally have the opposite problem of heel judder, i.e. locking in too well and tight until the edge jumps out suddenly. After reading up I had put it down to technique but setback is a thought. I’m riding at reference width, other idea was to set the bindings slightly closer to toeside. Were you getting any heel drag?

Yea man.. I think it's the first time I've had a full week of it... We did have one mate who also managed to smash it in the bar every night too and still get out for first tracks most mornings, albiet sometimes looking a bit worse for wear! All fully psyched for next year so think I've got that bit sorted! (was actually considering going on my own if i couldn't find a psyched enough crew)...

Interesting what you say about the edge catching - didn't catch a single one! Even when tired flying down flat tracks - could pretty much squat & forget about it and it'd stay pin straight! Great!

Not sure about heel drag tbh, I never actually felt it but it could have contributed to slipping out - if you really press on the back heel you can get a great carve but as I mentioned the nose would almost butter if you drive too hard and if it goes south you can come down pretty hard on your arse! (almost split myself in two learing this the hard way).... Wouldn't want to do anything to change that toeside carve though - pretty sure I had my chin on the corduroy at some points  Still can't get over how well it floats in powder either - effortless!

[Johnny Brown]

Yeah, never gets old laying a trench on the toe edge!

Thinking a bit more - I don’t think it’s the setback. The stance is centred on the sidecut so on edge it shouldn’t be noticeable as it’s only the taper making it directional. Whereas in powder the massive difference in surface area between nose and tail kick in, and relative to that, and the stiffness, the stance is well setback. Best of both worlds!

How were the bindings?

[Duncan Disorderly]

Thinking a bit more - I don’t think it’s the setback. The stance is centred on the sidecut so on edge it shouldn’t be noticeable as it’s only the taper making it directional. Whereas in powder the massive difference in surface area between nose and tail kick in, and relative to that, and the stiffness, the stance is well setback. Best of both worlds!

How were the bindings?

Would be interesting to compare with my old setup - think probably it's just the fact that the toeside edge is so good that heelside feels like it lacks wheas it's actually pretty good. Did think maybe angling bindings further forward might give a bit more bite but never got round to testing - might just have to go out again next week 

Bindings were pretty ace actually - very similar in stiffness to my old classics and the EST system really does give you a load of options and the feel is great... All in all I'm really happy with the setup - did get a bit of gear lust over my mates Amplid splitty which at 164 and stiff as fuck looked ace and went like a rocket on the downhills... Was going to do a half day swap but that was before the snow came... Wasn't going to give up mine for love nor money after that!

[SA Chris]

Glad you scored!  Our trips seem to have missed powder every time since before Covid (there were bits on the side 2 years ago in St Anton, but it was too warm to stay good)

[Johnny Brown]

Did think maybe angling bindings further forward might give a bit more bite

I was on +27 / +9 last time (it was super hardpack) and possibly getting too much bite. It does seem a lot harder to get as satisfying a carve on heelside, although I suspect technique is the issue for me.

did get a bit of gear lust over my mates Amplid splitty which at 164 and stiff as fuck looked ace and went like a rocket on the downhills...

Ooh, what was it, Milligram? Some amazing deals on the Amplid site currently... I've had to hide my latest purchase!