TR: Stomping in Verb61's backyard (mid Feb)

[hemas]

So a few of my friends were talking of doing a long weekend in Verb. I jumped at the change, as the forecast seemed promessing, with a major weather system moving in from the Atlantic delivering a lot of moisture, and the next weather front was just behind the first one.

We laoded into Mario's BMW coupe and headed towards to Cologne to pick up Werner. Driving went more or less according to plans, except the trafic jams in Netherlands, as the winter holidays had just started there.

Everything went according to plans, until just after Le Chable. Well the BMW didn't have winter tires (nor chains, as the high perf. tires don't accept chains) and the falling snow ended the drive halfway between Le Chable and Verb. The other problem we were having is that my friend hadn't replied if we could crash for that night at their place, so we had no place to sleep.

In the end we ended up squating at the laudry-room of my friends apartment building. In the morning we headed for the Bunker, where we had booked the next two nights. Well after bumming the breakfast (damn you Mario, for lettin' 'em know that we ate "extra" breakfast) we managed to get our stuff in the bunkhouse. Then it was to the slopes.

It was pretty windy, and around noon we met our local guide Bob. At the same time finally met Verb61, but alas didn't have too much time to chat. And the snow in the trees was a bit tracked out but good and deep.

After a few tree-runs we made our way to a few other offpiste runs, before resorting to Apres-ski. Bob drove us to the BMW and helped to dig & push it out from the side of the road. Then we all headed down to Le Chable and parked the BMW there. After that it was time to drink more beer and then head up to Centre Sportif and it's bar for a few more beers. They were having the Verbier Ride 2006 starting info happening there as well.

The next morning we did a few runs near Chassoure, before doing the Col de Mines. Got to ski fresh tracks at the Col and after that we skied from the top of Savoleyres all the way to the village, then we headed for Bruson in hopes of better visibility and snow.

It was somewhat windy near the top of Bruson, but the trees provided nice cover from the wind and kept the snow where it belonged plus added some contrast. Skied a bunch of nice forest lines, some steep, some laid back. Ended up skiing all the way to Le Chable and having a short Apres-ski there.

The last day of skiing was spent again clocking the Col de Mines. Though this time I took the fresh tracks on a nice couloir from the traverse. Sadly the top part of that couloir had slided and the ~15cm of new snow just managed to cover them. Lucky fer me that BD's are quite durable.

Now some pics:

Looking up towards Savoleyres... with nice snow :P


Me cruising old avydebry with a nice soft thick coating on it (over a foot).


LT and I, eyeing for our line in Bruson forest.


LT enjoying some uncut fresh -stuff in Bruson. Verb is in the background.


And Werner cruising down in Bruson as well.


Apres-ski after a good day of skiing both in Verbier and Bruson.


Life is never boring in The Bunker, here's some english lad educating Sofia, an english gal...


The couloir I skied, entry is near the middle of the visible rockband (you can just make out the brige, which the traverse follows.


Misters Hemas and Big Daddy, you have a phonecall in the white room.


Misters, more phonecalls in the white room, oh did I mention it was uncut freshies


And Werner having a time of his live....

Pics by yours truly and Werner

[Max Gosey]

Bien fait! (Is that "well done"? If not, then well done!)

This forum always makes me want to go to Europe, and by damn, I think I'm going to do it next year.

Nice TR.

One question though: can you be in the white room in snow other than uncut freshies (intentionally)?

[hemas]

Bien fait! (Is that "well done"? If not, then well done!)

This forum always makes me want to go to Europe, and by damn, I think I'm going to do it next year.

Nice TR.

One question though: can you be in the white room in snow other than uncut freshies (intentionally)?

For the first part, I have no idea (don't speak dutch, french, german nor italian... finnish is OK, though), but thanks anyway.

As for the white room, well you can be in the white room even though it's not uncut, but it really depends how cut-up the slope is .