Two halfs & great kit

Well it's been a week of two half as you see from the pictures the first is looking over to Leysin on Tuesday & a teperature inversion on Wednesday

Today it has started to snow heavily around Villars, I decided to have a quick dash up to Solalex as the amount of new snow being put down on top of hard old snow made me thing that this was the best and safest option. I just got new Trab Volare ski's, Fritichi Freeride pro bindings and Coll Tex (mixed) skins. I have to say being interested in design and function they have surpassed my expectations one friend say 'you look like you can actually ski ' thanks alot (you know who you are).

Here's to some more outings this weekend

It's still snowing out they..................

Avalanche training, Terrain, Transciever, Probe, Shovel

Today was our first official day back at work. We have an extensive winter program which requires us to operate  a wide rangeing outdoor education  program, piste skiing, off piste skiing, cross country skiing, ski mountaineering. Part of the preparation for this is avalanche training we did this today around the Villars resort. Steve Jones (Mountain Guide) & Ivor Ligitwood ( Aiglon College) provided an most excellent, informative, structured and practical morning. Thanks Guys

We looked at moveing across terrain off piste, transceiver protocols, group managemant, digging systems ( see the video clip of the convayer system) for the most effective location and evacuation of a person unfortunate to get caught in an avalanche.

There is plenty of  evidence of full depth avalanches that have recently occured........................ enough said.

Keeping it going............. I hope !

One of the things I have been a big advocate of for many years is cross training. Through the winter months the spring and summer always seem along way away, and the night time is always longer than the daytime or so it seems.

Keeping mind and body positive is a big thing, time on the Turbo trainer in the lounge with the big whirring back wheel going on, time in the swimming pool are all going to help keep the cardio-vascular systems going. Then once the spring arrives up the level of specific training.

I'm going to start Yoga next week, I've never done it (properly) before, I'm really looking forward to it.

My landlady is a top notch qualified instructor, my aim is to get as much from it as possible and learn ways to improve my well being  climbing.

Here is a link to Hilary's website have a look is great.

www.yogasuisse.com

I'll keep you posted and if I climb 7b this year then there is the reason..........................................

Two very different days

Yesterday a group of us headed over to Leysin to check out the skiing over there. I have to say it was like being in the UK as I hope you can tell from the picture of Sarah's can. It was very cold and wet and Sarah, Sally & I managed to get some runs in before giving up.

Today well that was a different matter with us all scattered around the Villars, Bretaye, and Les Diablerets areas some most excellent piste and off piste skiing..................... What a difference a day makes.