Best day of the season so far exploring Courmayeur

Sun 22nd: Courmayeur - 40cm+++ blower powder - blue skies

Rasmus had been in Courmayeur with Bob on Saturday reporting 20cm+ fresh snow in the day. With more on the way we decided to head through the tunnel in search of the white stuff.

We got to the Val Veny to find the top section closed. We turned around for a quick lap off Hellbronner mid-station. We got in the second bin of the day. The snow was deep and soft, but in sections the base was all too present. Deep snow in the middle and a rather bare exit. Excellent, but it was getting baked quickly so we headed back to the main Courmayeur station.

Looking down on Courmayeur from the mid station

There had been quite a bit of fresh and there were plenty of lines left to be had. I was outvoted and we dropped off into the trees above Bertolini (I fancied the untracked parts of the main face). We found good snow but the tracks from previous days hadn't filled in so it was somewhat choppy. We tried the trees under the Bertolini; not enough snow to fill in the ruts / traverses so a very bumpy ride. After a quick traverse off the Gabba for three powder turns we noticed the Youla running... The choice was obvious for Lukas and I and Rasmus got outvoted.

We arrived to a big queue and to the news the Arp was open. A 40 minute queue (Rasmus wasn't happy - he likes trees) and we were on the lift and set on the Arp. Lukas and I had never done it so Rasmus led off. After a quick traverse we found the most ridiculously deep and soft snow. Unbelievable. We passed multiple groups with no backpacks (and at a guess no transceivers...) The snow was holding well, but it boggles the mind that people do that with no gear at all... We hit the untracked, steeper, second section and carried on down via the main couloir. There were a handful of tracks in front but every turn was still fresh with playful features to hit. A slow exit and we headed back up. Rasmus admitted it was the right choice. No doubt.

The Col off the Arp

Deep.

From the Arp station we spied people dropping straight back onto the Youla face. Ever since I first skied at Courmayeur I've wanted to do this but it is incredibly rocky. The ridiculous amount of fresh snow had made it more possible than I'd seen it so I persuaded the others and led off. We skied the first couloir as there were clearly rocks barely/ completely hidden on the other more tempting lines. I led down carefully; petrified of finding a submerged rock. At the bottom there was a nice big drop into the bottomless powder field below. With the knowledge that I was out of the rocky section I opened up. The powder was sublime and ridiculously deep, more so than off the Arp. Rasmus followed down cheering. Lukas dug his tips off the drop. Giggles were had, then more incredible powder down to the station.

First lap

Rasmus ready to follow

Lukas wallowing in the soft stuff

It was so good we repeated it twice. The couloir got a bit choppy by the end but the snow below easily justified it. A few photos and drops, a lot of face shots, cheers and big smiles. I eventually clipped the only rock of the day lower down on a shoulder which sent me into a tumble. Luckily it was buried deep and only caught my tails.

Traverse in from the Arp

Nicely coated thanks to the submerged rock

We changed up and dropped off the back of the Youla following a lovely route we'd found the other day to another untouched gully (to be fair most of it was untouched... People only seemed to be skiing the Arp). Another lap and we found that it was 15:30. We made it back just in time for the very last Youla of the day. The pisteurs were stopping people dropping off the back as the Gabba was closing soon. We headed down the couloir under the Youla intending to traverse out but we still had 5 mins to get to the Gabba. We flew down for our final powder turns of the day.

Knackered. Big day.

Remnants of the powder on my face

The ski back to the car was pretty shitty but that couldn't take the shine off the incredible day. We'd been out for 8+ hours and hadn't stopped apart from to queue. We'd also skied bottomless, untracked powder for virtually the whole day. Rasmus (full time ski bum for this winter - jealous) said it was his best day yet. We agreed, enough said.