TIGHTEN YOUR DINs, G.N.A.R. and Ueli Steck

Fri 14th: Up ridiculously early to go to Courmayeur with Andy, Tom Tom, Robyn, Ryan, Charlotte and Ruslan. The resort didn't open until 10:30 and Gabba and the top lifts never opened. Still we made it into the first Gondola of the day. Expectations were high.

Got up to find it dry-hailing. Really weird snow. Super heavy although soft in places. Felt like heavy windcrust. Double ejected first run down the Peindeint chair. Standard. Moved over to Bertolini. Dropped down directly underneath then down by the avalanche barriers. Snow was great fun when un/hardly tracked but pretty hard to manage when it got tracked. Tight trees were difficult due to the heavy snow. Took a big branch smack bang to the face leaving me a bit rattled.

After a few laps of untracked we dropped in for a hot chocolate (in Italy it's just basically melted chocolate) and some of Robyn's home made brownies. Awesome. Went back out, did a few tree laps and a few more down by the breakers.

Dropped into the bowl between Gabba and Bertolini with Ryan. Lost another ski. This time it was nowhere to be seen. NOT COOL. Ryan was already out of the bowl and hadn't seen. I started digging like a maniac after trying to guesstimate where it had come off. After half an hour of hard work the others saw me in my huge hole from the chair and came down to help. Was looking like we were never going to find it but eventually after half an hour Robyn found it. It was less than 10cm from where I'd dug to in the first 5 minutes. Gutting but seriously glad to have found it. Many thanks to all the guys for wasting part of their day helping me.

The search - 3 hours of manpower

Me hugging Robyn after she found my ski

By this point all my gear was soaked and my goggles were covered in snow. I double ejected AGAIN within 50 metres off a drop I couldn't even see. Eventually got to the piste to many laughs. Was told I'd lost many G.N.A.R. points. Decided I may as well make light of the situation and to regain some points so did a (mostly) naked ski.

The weather was... brisk. It was snowing after all. After a lot of wolf whistles, cheers, shouts and cold nipples I made it down to the bottom. Even managed a drop off a shed. Surprisingly only my hands were cold...?

I'm seriously glad I didn't stack here... although
I suspect that's what everyone wanted to see

Business as usual

Had a pizza, did a few cruisy runs (no way I was dropping off piste again with the form I was on) and then headed home for work.

NOTE TO SELF: TIGHTEN UP YOUR DINS.

In the evening Tom Tom, Ruslan, Ryan and I attended the mountaineering seminar on Annapurna featuring Ueli Steck. For anyone that doesn't know about him, he's probably the fittest and most resilient man on the planet. The things he's achieved are beyond comprehension. Talk was a bit of a farce as the promised translation was poor, but I got most of it and Tom Tom translated the bits I missed.

PS. If you haven't seen G.N.A.R. then watch it. IT IS AWESOME. Also the last two photos were taken by Tom Tom... the dirty pervert