Category: skiing
Les Courtes, Croulante Couloir
The 600/700 m line of the Croulante Couloir in red. I skied Angelique on the left last year – http://rosshewittblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/couloir-angelique-traverse-of-les-courtes/
After having the Chamonix ‘cough’ for a couple of weeks I was getting fed up and wanted to get some long days training in. With high wind forecast at altitude and 60% sun we decide to go the long way to the Courtes from the Midi with the idea as the weather deteriorated, we could turn round. It is a fair hoof in there but 6 hrs of up was just what the doctor ordered.
Gimp cave.
Still miles away.
Getting closer. Just as well, the sun beats down in the Talefre basin like the Sahara.
I tried this route 15 years ago, solo, from first bin in February. That time I was nuked by the sun by this point.
Flat light as some high cloud comes in. The snow was hard anyway.
Where is the Powder?
Aaaaaooooooowwwww!
Hostile
This week has been slightly frustrating with my new downhill boots cracking after 3 days use and an ongoing nagging cough which rears its ugly head every night keeping Michelle awake, ripping my throat till it bleeds and herniating my stomach muscles. The pharmacy is going to run out of cough medicine at this rate, I’m on bottle no. 4. My motivation for being in the cold dry air at altitude has waned somewhat and at this rate I may be permanently banished to the sofa at night. That said it is quite amusing seeing Michelle getting up looking like she has been on the tequila stuntmen the night before.
Anyway I like this shot of Cedrics from an atmospheric day on the Helbronner – last season before the quaint old tram gets replaced:
Ross Hewitt Guiding 
