Who’s going skiing and where 2019
Discussion
4Q said:
Where did you hire them Eddie, we’re back this weekend with the dogs and had thought about cycling some trails as the wife isn’t fussed about slushy skiing?
http://mountainspirit-sports.com/en/The owner is called Thomas. I can't recommend their e-bikes highly enough.
My wife is more of a tow-path cyclist and I'm not much better, but I'd definitely recommend asking for some downhill paths. The bikes are very flattering as they are so competent so you can really go wherever you want.
Morning all!
Got back from our first family ski trip on Saturday evening. Wow.
There was a huge dumping of snow just before we got to the resort so it looked amazing. I can't really comment on the type of snow as I'm not good enough to know much, however towards the end of the week, the afternoons made me a bit nervous when bombing along a bit.....felt like one ski wanted to disappear under me...really unnerving.
However, we then went up the glacier at 3000m skiing down to about 2500 (the black from there to resort level was a bit outside my comfort as a first time skier!)
Up there it was beautiful, bit of a white out the first time, wife and I literally ski'd one side of the piste to the other slowly as we had no idea where to go. The next day, we were first up the glacier and first down the lovely blue run as a family and it was just perfect.
A few lovely runs in Tonale for beginners, I'm sure the more seasoned skiier wouldn't find it particularly challenging, but a few of the old guard there were jaunting off piste in various places.
Cannot wait to go back and we hope to go over Christmas this time!
Got back from our first family ski trip on Saturday evening. Wow.
There was a huge dumping of snow just before we got to the resort so it looked amazing. I can't really comment on the type of snow as I'm not good enough to know much, however towards the end of the week, the afternoons made me a bit nervous when bombing along a bit.....felt like one ski wanted to disappear under me...really unnerving.
However, we then went up the glacier at 3000m skiing down to about 2500 (the black from there to resort level was a bit outside my comfort as a first time skier!)
Up there it was beautiful, bit of a white out the first time, wife and I literally ski'd one side of the piste to the other slowly as we had no idea where to go. The next day, we were first up the glacier and first down the lovely blue run as a family and it was just perfect.
A few lovely runs in Tonale for beginners, I'm sure the more seasoned skiier wouldn't find it particularly challenging, but a few of the old guard there were jaunting off piste in various places.
Cannot wait to go back and we hope to go over Christmas this time!
I just posted the blog entry on my (mis)adventures heliskiing in Kamchatka. Amazing place and a hell of an experience. Sometimes a bit too adventurous.
https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2019/...
https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2019/...
Gruffy said:
I just posted the blog entry on my (mis)adventures heliskiing in Kamchatka. Amazing place and a hell of an experience. Sometimes a bit too adventurous.
https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2019/...
Holy forking hoopla! https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2019/...
I was loving reading that, and wondering if I could afford it, then I'm thinking "no thanks, mate!" But now I want it even more
Gruffy said:
Bit of a dramatic twist, huh? 
It’s an incredible place and I’d be tempted to go back, despite the drama of this trip.
Terrifying experience. But captured beautifully.It’s an incredible place and I’d be tempted to go back, despite the drama of this trip.
Two questions arise out of curiosity from me;
i) In your write up you mention you were taking a professional team to video your trip. How do the finances for this work? The cost by the time you have paid for everything must be well over £100k, which sounds like a professional athlete with major sponsorship kind of trip.
ii) Did you find out what caused the helicopter to crash?
EddieSteadyGo said:
Terrifying experience. But captured beautifully.
Two questions arise out of curiosity from me;
i) In your write up you mention you were taking a professional team to video your trip. How do the finances for this work? The cost by the time you have paid for everything must be well over £100k, which sounds like a professional athlete with major sponsorship kind of trip.
ii) Did you find out what caused the helicopter to crash?
The lodge and the heli operation is used by Travis Rice and others for the big budget ski flicks. The main guide is the go to man for Russian backcountry shenanigans. If you watch The Fourth Phase you’ll recognise most of the locations of my photos. Two questions arise out of curiosity from me;
i) In your write up you mention you were taking a professional team to video your trip. How do the finances for this work? The cost by the time you have paid for everything must be well over £100k, which sounds like a professional athlete with major sponsorship kind of trip.
ii) Did you find out what caused the helicopter to crash?
I didn’t finance the crew. They’re a young, excited team and would probably do it for fun, to promote themselves and to practice for when the big boys fly in. We all contributed towards the editing cost. As the heli is a beast there’s quite a few of us to share that cost.
The crash is still under investigation. The pilot’s explanation was relayed to me. Something along the lines of a sudden loss of lift from rising air flows as he came in to land. We dropped and he wasn’t able to correct in time. Sounded to me like it was likely to be pilot error but I don’t expect to ever really know.
Our pilot was probably in his late 20s, perhaps early 30s. I’d have preferred to see a wisened old man with a big moustache.
Gruffy said:
I just posted the blog entry on my (mis)adventures heliskiing in Kamchatka. Amazing place and a hell of an experience. Sometimes a bit too adventurous.
https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2019/...
I'm a keen skier and photographer, and would be blown away by the scenes you saw. Tempting! The heli landing, not so much... Huge congratulations on the good luck you both had, and what seems to be the level headedness you view it from. https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2019/...
I have to say having travelled a fair bit in the FSU, I wouldn't dare be outside the big cities without a local fixer with good English. Or even two. They are cheap insurance against being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Gruffy said:
I just posted the blog entry on my (mis)adventures heliskiing in Kamchatka.
Wowzers.What had me stunned was that the guy seriously injured didnt have (proper) insurance! Crazy to do such an adventure without proper cover, and he was very lucky indeed that he had that community around him to stump up those sums.
Just had an amazing weekend in the Grand Massif, the snow conditions were great until after lunchtime with blues skies and plenty of snow on the pistes still. For a couple of hours on Friday and Saturday mornings I was literally to only person on the pistes. It was weird sat on a chair and not being able to see another single person.
Great end to an fantastic season. I think I managed 44 days skiing this year and I can honestly say it has been some of the best conditions ever. Less than half a dozen poor weather days and then only because I’ve become choosy.
Great end to an fantastic season. I think I managed 44 days skiing this year and I can honestly say it has been some of the best conditions ever. Less than half a dozen poor weather days and then only because I’ve become choosy.
Gruffy said:
I just posted the blog entry on my (mis)adventures heliskiing in Kamchatka. Amazing place and a hell of an experience. Sometimes a bit too adventurous.
https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2019/...
Bloody hell! Incredible, and terrible, story, but hats off for the writing of it, brilliantly put together. https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2019/...
In the mountains I've only been in a heli at Courchevel/over Meribel (although used to fly overhead lines as an electrical engineer in this country). I love the things, but even a lot of professional fixed-wing pilots won't go near them.
Was that you who did up the apartment in Chamonix a few years back?
Cheers.
Yes, I renovated a place in Chamonix. 20-page build thread here. I sold it two years ago to fund a big renovation project in London and I do miss it.
Yes, I renovated a place in Chamonix. 20-page build thread here. I sold it two years ago to fund a big renovation project in London and I do miss it.
Gruffy said:
Cheers.
Yes, I renovated a place in Chamonix. 20-page build thread here. I sold it two years ago to fund a big renovation project in London and I do miss it.
That was a great thread, inspired me to get our place & nicked many of your ideas.Yes, I renovated a place in Chamonix. 20-page build thread here. I sold it two years ago to fund a big renovation project in London and I do miss it.
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