Ski Breezy News Updates from last season 08-09

24th March - Fi Walker Back Again-Reporting on Snow News
Well the only thing wrong with my great week in January was a lack of the  fresh white fluffy stuff....not that I'm complaining about blue skies and sunshine but day 1 today with fresh tracks, no blue sky and minimal sunshine was just magic...need I say anymore - Grand Montets, lots of fun, lots of giggles, good company, good powder - fantastic!!
Looks like the snow will be here until the lifts shut, so exciting-lots more weeks of skiing to be had - yippee.

19th March Great ski lift deals and news
Last weekend saw the Compagnie du Mont Blanc finally sort out their differences with Les Houches and the whole of the Les Houches domain is now included in the Mont Blanc Unlimited ski pass. Yippee!! Up until now only the Prarion lift was included which was a little daft.
Also...
From the 13th April if you buy a Mont Blanc Unlimited Day Pass you get the next day for just 1€. For all those spring snow and sunshine lovers it is a really great option for getting away.

15th March Spring Snow - Ski Touring
This week started with another couple of dumps in town at 1000m. Begining of the week was like January conditions, cold, windy and lots of fresh snow. Since Wednesday the weather has settled and feels like spring has arrived. Guests have managed to get some powder skiing, touring and spring skiing all in one week. Leanne (one of the guests) has spent a couple of nights in the Cosmique Hut and ticked off some winter mountaineering routes. Carolyn enjoyed the tour over the Col de Passon in very hot conditions. Forecast is for settled weather for the next few days.

8th March Fresh snow and fun in Courmayeur
Mixed weather at the begining of the week - the clients went through to Courmayeur and found excellent snow and blue sky. The bad weather in Chamonix meant excellent conditions at the end of the week and Tammy and Ryan ended their holiday doing a Valley Blanche with Chamonix Experience.

26th February Early start
All the guests were out the door by 8am. Two were out with a Finish Guide up the Midi and the rest were meeting two Guides for a Vallee Blanche at the Midi. The two guides were splitting a group of 13 snowboarders and skiers into two groups; some of the faster group then went into the back bowls of Le Tour in the afternoon. Alun and I set off for Le Tour to go touring over Glacier Bron. Day off so out in town to eat.

19th February Backcountry fresh tracks
Today we ventured off piste from the top of Le Brevent cable car. Rather than dropping into the ski domain we took climbing skins and took the north facing slopes finding acres of untracked light powder. A 15 minute ski took about 45 minutes climbing to return back to the top but it was well worth the effort. After two descents the sun was warming to snow and making it slightly heavy. Funnily enough nobody followed our tracks.

11th February Grands Montets
Yesterday was dire with all the valley lifts closed except for Les Houches due to the snow. Another 20cm overnight in town so it was a powder day at Grands Montets. The Bochard and the top was not open but the Hearse gave access to lots of terrain for tracking fresh powder. Putting up with the cold was well worth it!!!

7th February Snowing in Chamonix and Powder in Courmayer
Woke this morning to snow on the drive. The forecast said it is to snow all day so we escaped the poor visibility and went through to Italy. It has been snowing through there the last couple of days so we went fresh tracking powder all day. Met up with a couple of clients for a ski before lunch and caught the Youla lift for a long off piste run while everyone else was in the restaurants. Back to the chalet just after 4pm.

30th January Shopping and Valley Blanche
Friday is always shopping day when Al and I head down the valley to stock up on food for the comming week. Blue sky and back at the chalet and unpacked in time to get the one o'clock bin up the Aig du Midi for a quick Valley Blanche. Six of the guests had booked a private guide, Steve Hartland to take them down and another guest was on the last day of an all terrain week with ski school and was doing the VB too. Fabulous snow all the way down and we caught up with the guided group at the Buvette before the ski into town. Finished the day with everyone in Chambre Neuf for apres ski.

21st January Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow
Yesterday cleared 40cm off the drive in the morning and another 25cm today. The top of Grands Montets was in fabulous condition both on and off piste with powder over the shoulders. No lift lines and sun shine today. Maybe global warming and the credit crunch is to blame. Bring it on!!!

15th January Glacier du Mort
Today we took advantage of the fine weather and went touring off the back of Flegere. Over Col Crochues then traversed round to the bottom  of the exposed 40° couloir to access Pointe Alphonse Favre. The top section is a mixed snow and rock scramble. Lunch at the top and then a lovely descent down Glacier du Mort on sugary snow into the Buet Valley.

11th January Off the beaten track
No fresh snow for over a week and it has stayed really cold so it is time for adventures. Recently done a number of runs out of the main domains including a couple of runs into Trient, Switzerland from Le Tour and couloirs into Buet from Les Possets. Off to Courmayer tomorrow.

3rd January Vallee Blanche
Having had a fresh dump of snow on New Years Eve two of the guests decided to do the VB. They got a friend of theirs to join in and Breezy organised Steve Hartland, a local mountain guide, to take them down. They had a great adventure with fresh powder to play in. The ridge is already equiped and conditions up high are great although the get out could do with more snow.

25th December-Christmas Day
Always good to be able to have a ski on Christmas Day.
The first day for a while that we have seen a few clouds in the sky. So it was a bit chilly with the odd snow flurry and a strong wind. Al and I trundled up to Brevent for a morning on the pistes before meeting Keith and Lyn for lunch up the hill. A few more runs after lunch and then home to the chalet for the Traditional Christmas Dinner.

13th December Italian Job
As Courmayer is covered on the Mont Blanc Unlimited pass we went through the tunnel to avoid the powder frenzy at Grands Montets (first day the top opens). It was amazing, no lift lines, all the lifts open, deep, steep powder all day. Why the Italians don’t do off piste is a mystery to me but I am not going to educate them. Even managed to do the itinerary from the top of the Cresta Youla giving 1100m of off piste in superb powder snow.

12th December Fresh Trackin’
The top of Grands Motets is not due to open until tomorrow so we packed skins. Getting to the Bochard lift we met up with a couple of friends and the four of us ski toured up to the top. Fresh tracks all the way down to the return track. The glacier is fairly well filled in and it was fantastic snow and blue sky. Slowly building fitness and acclimatising so did another couple of runs off the Bochard and finished with a Hotel Variant onto the home run and called it a day. Thinkin’ of heading through the tunnel tomorrow to Courmayer. Watch this space!!

8th December Ski Tour
Invited by Kate to join in a ski tour from Megeve area. Two hours skin up the Crois Baulet and a fantastic ski down back to the ridge. Traverse the ridge and then a ski back to the cars again. Always wanted to do this tour as it is such an impressive hill as you drive out of the valley before you get to the Chaine D’Aravis. Bit of a test for the legs but great to get touring this early in the season. Who could say no?

7th December First day of skiing this season.
Al and I went up to Grands Montets to sample the snow. Met up with Debbie and Mike from Magic Hands in the lift line and did a few runs with them. Found fresh tracks off piste with a descent covering. Pistes were in great nick with a really good base. Bodes well for the season. Finished off with the home run down to the valley again and off back to the chalet.