Grimentz
24th March 2007
click on photograph for larger version
We started off this morning in Zinal and skied to Grimentz via the Chamois which was in excellent condition with the middle section totally unprepared, so much so that returning from skiing off the ridge and a small couloir on the side I skied over the piste not realising it was there. The snow during the week has left a good quantity of powder, I’d hesitate to to call it perfect powder as I understand this is a trademark for north American snow where they have powder so perfect you need special skis for it, much the same as Verbier or Chamonix from what I read actually. Anyway, in not perfect powder with the wrong skis I thought it was pretty good fun.
I also saw one of the seasons (so far) odder sights, a couple of guys messing around on pocket rockets. First, I can’t say I see many pairs around here, I think they’ve been superseded by the the Scott Missions which are this years large floppy things of choice apparently although you don’t see many of those either. Anyway, for some bizarre reason this pair had decided not to use poles. On piste, in fact even getting off the lift that really wasn’t working too well but off piste (oh yes, they were skiing off-piste) it was comical. I can’t begin to think to how you’d manage to turn properly in powder without some poles, I’m certain I couldn’t do it and apparently I’m not the only one. Obviously it does tend to rather trash the slope for anyone else if you can only do one turn and then a long traverse, I do accept people need to practice and develop their skills so you have to put up with a certain amount of punter-slope-trashing but these guys were going nowhere, flapping around on a pair of pocket rockets without poles isn’t going anywhere at all, it’s a total dead end in terms of technique. It would be redundant of me to mention their nationality I think.
click on photograph for larger version
Looking over at Grimentz from the track coming off the Chamois it looks pretty bare, in fact that’s only village level and above the Bendolla it’s excellent skiing. The snow’s slightly crusty on slopes getting what little sun we’ve had but on the more sheltered slopes it’s just soft, light powder, great skiing on and off-piste.
click on photograph for larger version
The cloud rolled in and out a little but apart from 5 or 10 minutes it was great visibility all day, in fact the cloud rolling around always adds atmosphere I find.
click on photograph for larger version
This was taken at around 16:15 and the light’s pretty excellent still.
Sphere: Related ContentRelated posts
