Sylvain Reynaud – Ross Hewitt Guiding

Belvedere East Ramp

18th Mar 2013by rosshewittguidingLeave a comment

Plan A was to got the Verte. The day before I went up the Midi on a recce and was greeted by bitter cold due to northerly air flow. This was hardening the snow and would also mean alot of time trying to keep the extremities warm. Time for Plan B; this also started from Grand Montets but in the morning the wind was too strong for the lift to open so now it was time for Plan C; the Belvedere East ramp. We found very variable snow on the way there with thick wind crust dominating but once in the wind shadow of the Belvedere there was a lush amount of powder. The bowl above the ramp was out of the shelter and heavily wind effected so we skied from there.

Thanks Sylvain for the photos.

Tour Ronde Brenva

22nd Feb 2013by rosshewittguidingLeave a comment

This week I have had the fortune and pleasure of two runs down in the Brenva cirque in great powder throughout the 2000 m + descent. The first run entered the Brenva Glacier down Couloir Cache, the second time we took the South West Couloir from the summit of Tour Ronde. This time I enjoyed the company of Michelle and Andy Benson.

The Brenva Face of Mont Blanc in the background.

The amazing backdrop of the icy North Face of the Aiguille Blanche de Peuterey, first skied by Anselme Baud and Patrick Vallencent, and its impressive rocky East Face which has only been skied by Italian Maestro Stephano de Benedetti in the early 80’s. De Benedetti poetically describes his motivation and rewards for taking on the immense psychological challenges of Big Mountain Skiing in the clip below from the movie ‘Steep’. Check it out:

More Couloir Cache Photos

17th Feb 2013by rosshewittguiding1 Comment

Sylvain sent me through his photos from yesterday’s run: With a lot of fresh cooking in this suntrap I tied on to make the traverse to the couloir.

Couloir Cache

16th Feb 2013by rosshewittguidingLeave a comment

A 5 star day out in the Brenva cirque with Sylvain Reynaud. Never had it so good from the top to the bottom on this 2000 m run.
Couloir Cache

The Couloir starts at the demi-lune. A very exposed traverse gains the entrance. Couloir Cache Couloir Cache-3 CouloirCache-4 Couloir Cache-5 Couloir Cache-6 Couloir Cache-7 Couloir Cache-8 Couloir Cache-9 Couloir Cache-10 Brenva Cache-11 Brenva Cache-13 Brenva Cache-14 Brenva

The Cham Jan Round Up

10th Feb 2013by rosshewittguidingLeave a comment

I’ve been down and out the last couple of days with a niggling cold that has made a comeback after our long day on the midi. Why won’t it just die? Over the last month the guys here have been busy filming, photographing, writing and editing while compiling a round up of January powder action in what must go down as one of the best ever. I was surprised to see a photo of myself in there under the Helbronner cable car, kinda ironic for a Scottish skier to be in Powder Magazine. I grew up skiing using ‘The Force’ in whiteouts with snow varying rapidly and randomly from ice, wind crust, sastrugi, wind buff, powder. If for some sadistic reason you want to increase your FOMO and find out what you missed out on, or are planning to come to the Alps soon check it by clicking on the link below:

Champocalypse