Ross Hewitt Guiding

Aiguille du Midi West Couloir

25th Apr 2012by rosshewittguiding2 Comments

Epic snow conditions in the West Couloir this week. Deep consistent snow taking the angle off and especially appreciated especially for the huck over the lower icefall. Trenching our way up to the little col took a bit of effort with snow above head height but worth it in the end! It was especially sweet getting it done after waking up to snowfall outside, and then a small window with the Foehn coming in after and slamming it shut again.

My camera was malfunctioning for some weird reason that I cant figure out (glad I carried all that weight for nothing) so thanks to Luca Pandolfi and Dave Searle for their photos below. All unmarked photos are courtesy of Dave.

Skiing off the bottom of the Rond

Should have got the shovel out.

Ruck-sac off to hack at the snow mushroom.

Luca making the rap off the col into West Couloir

Luca charging

Approaching the choke. Some ice here.

Searler having it.

Me in the open couloir.

And again.

Dave looking good on the huck.

Carrying the SLR not conducive to jumping!

Lots of speed now.

Rond

21st Apr 2012by rosshewittguidingLeave a comment

Woke up this morning to unexpected bluebird. Rushed down the Midi for a quiet Rond. Best yet.

High Altitude Darts And An All Time Passerelle

18th Apr 2012by rosshewittguiding6 Comments

I’ve been walking past this one for the last 15 years and its never really looked that appealing with runnels, glazed snow, climbers, dropped objects, skiers, Japanese tourists etc. But when we went up for a quick Grands Envers in a window on Monday I took my usual glance over and was surprised that the snow looked really flat.

With no better plans Dave Searle, Si Christie and myself dropped in the next day. 120 m down a tourist decided to use Si as a dart board. Lucky the ski pole hit him handle first. (thanks!). A little further down another tourist’s ski is protruding out of the snow in the couloir.

Skis on, ready to go, I looked down and noticed the pivot on my boot looked loose and was worried about it coming completely undone. Not much choice but to forget about it at this point!

The snow was unbelievable; soooo deep, very cold, sluffing, fluted and did I mention deep? We all went in with low expectations and came out with massive smiles., the best pow of all time!

Dave Searle going in with the audience of tourists.

Waking up now.

Cold in here.

Me skiing, photo © Dave Searle.

And again, photo © Dave Searle.

Si in the upper couloir.

We didnt expect this.

Deep.

Deeper. Searler showing he is back from tibial plateau fracture in December.

Deepest.

First There Were 3 Girls, Then 2, Then 1

14th Apr 2012by rosshewittguidingLeave a comment

At this time of year the crew are like a pack of filthy junkies, always after a bigger hit, easily disappointed by snow quality and expectations generally way too high. Then sometimes you get out of bed, the internet says the top bin is closed but you go anyway. Then there are public announcements to say everything will open late and you sit there thinking that by the time it opens the window will be gone and what was the point in getting up at 630am. But then contrary to all information it opens and you are whisked into a magical sparkling world blanketed by 40 cm of untracked fresh providing a cushion over everything and enabling some fast skiing. All is forgiven.

That said, after 10 weeks of sunshine and touring my glutes just arent in shape for explosive plyometric freeride skiing and today they feel like they’ve been tenderised with a baseball bat!

The title refers to the our group who somehow miraculously got separated during the day. Everyone knows to regroup at the lift, no? Ooops, I guess I have been naughty (again).

2 Hot Chicks, 30 cm of Pow, Fast and Furious Action, What More Does a Man Need?

13th Apr 2012by rosshewittguidingLeave a comment

After months of dry sunny weather the storms have rolled in and yesterday was a non stop till you drop kind of day on the ‘Phatest’ of the ‘Phat’ skis. Perhaps the last great tree ski day of the season with jumps, drops, pillows, hip checks – all at warp speed. My brain was frazzled by lunchtime. We were joined by ski tour racer Lyndsey Meyer who was packing some power with her Doberman 150 boots which were being worked! I dont know any guys man enough for those bad boys!

Meeting a mate after lunch we went for a final lap. The viz had gone mid mountain as we lined up for a Chinese DH (Cham rules – i.e. last down, read the weakest, buys the beers and pizza. This ensures you go out and get better until you are either not the weakest or financially broke and have to go home, tail between your legs) down the hotel face to the car park. As we chatted Dave jumped the starters orders and I shot of in persuit. Catching him quickly I was looking at him over my shoulder wondering why he was slowing so much when I felt the ground go beneath me. Attention back to where it should be I saw one of those evil cat tracks 2 m below coming up fast. I had visions of my lower leg coming up through my knee. I tend to try and roll onto my side on these occasions to avoid the full slam. The impact was the biggest I’ve taken and quite impressive up my left leg as both skis blew off, my lower legs bending on the tops of my boots. (glad I didnt have those Doberman 150s!) My femur had tried to go up through my pelvis for a moment I thought there was no way my hip hadnt broken. All I could hear was this ringing in my ears, ‘deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee’, like in the 80’s when the TV channels shut down at midnight and they used to play that ear piercing noise to wake you up to go to bed.

As someone who’s suffers badly from SI joint problems I couldnt quite believe it when I stood up. Apart from that ringing in the ears I seemed ok.

95% of my skiing injuries have resulted from slamming down onto flat unmarked cat tracks. I remember going for a spine X-ray at Cham hospital when I was 17. Another time we were in Courmayeur skiing through a forest and there was a track pisted horzizontally through it. I cricked my neck and Anna who was hot on my tails blew her nose open. Dangerous or what?

I’m sure you are wondering where the photos are. Well it was too good to stop mid run for the first few hours and when we did slow down cause we were knackered it was for a run up higher skiing some open pow. Fun meadow skipping but not impressive: