Day 1: 27 Dec 2017 – Travel day

We start the travel day with an early run downtown Paris as the sun rises. Followed by a ‘Christmas’ breakfast with my family. Then, Sarah and I travel to Bourg-St-Maurice, in the Tarantaise region. A long train ride, TGV to Lyon followed by 3 hours on the local TER train to reach Bourg St Maurice.

Bernard Wehrlé, our guide, meets us at the train station and we head for dinner in a local ‘auberge’. We get to know each other around a very local dish: a ‘reblochonade’ – basically an entire reblochon cheese baked in a pastry crust.

Day 2: Ski mountaineering equipment test at ‘Les Arcs’ ski resort

Breakfast with Bernard in his typical house at La Thuile de Vulmix. Ski rental at Bourg St Maurice and up the funiculaire des Arcs. We are then treated to a ski lesson from Bernard. I have not skied for the past 17 years, since I picked up snowboarding and this is a really weird comeback especially with ski mountaineering equipment. Sarah feels immediately at home on her skis and glides down the mountain.

Day 3: From la Thuile to Chapelle Saint-Antoine

Sunny morning, we put the skins on our skis, turn the binding into uphill mode, set the boots into walk mode. We walk through the mountain village and put our skis on. We are off for a 2 hour ski touring up to Chapelle Sainte Antoine. I discover the feeling of ski touring, I can’t believe I am not sliding backwards. These skins are incredible. What a wonderful feeling to be skiing up the mountain with Sarah and sharing this common passion.

Day 4: clouds and rain but we persevere

After snowing overnight it is now raining and warm weather. Terrible for ski touring. We still head out, covered by ponchos. A village dog decides to take the trip with is. Barely 2 hours in and we decide to turn around. It is miserable. The snow is so heavy and each step in difficult. The way down burns our thighs, with each turn we move a ton of wet snow.

Day 5: The two sides of the valley – Dome de Vaugellaz and Les Arcs

Today we split activities. We drop Sarah at the funiculaire going up to Les Arcs ski resort. She leaves the skins at the ‘Gîte’ and turns her touring skis into alpine skis to enjoy a beautiful day on the pistes.

Bernard and I head up the slope behind La Thuile de Vulmix. Early skiers have made a nice ski track uphill which saves us a lot of work compared to the day before. We keep a steady pace and make good time uphill. The goal for today is to reach the Dome de Vaugellaz. A local Dome with a 360 degree view on all the region. At around 130pm we reach the top of the dome at 2222 meters. The view is spectacular, mont pourri, Beaufortain, Mont Blanc in the distance. Bernard wants to head down in order to stay warm but I insist to stay longer. It’s too beautiful to rush back and it’s not that cold. The way down is difficult, the wet snow is crusted making turns close to impossible. I need to make jump turns which is exhausting. Half way down we rest a few minutes on the roof of chalet that is covered in snow.

Sarah cooks us a nice New Year’s Eve meal, we have bought delicious deserts and cheer to 2018!

Day 6: 1 Jan 2018, alpine skiing at Les Arcs

We both need a day off from bad snow and decide to ski at Les Arcs. It turns out to be an amazing ski day, the snow on the resort is perfect, the sun appears above 2000 meters. We ski for a few hours and stop for lunch at Villaroger after descending from 2000 to 1200 meters. We treat ourselves to a cheese fondue at the restaurant le Goyet.

Day 7: Travel day back to Paris

Lazy morning, followed by a long 15k run in the snow from La Thuile to Les Chapelles and back. The road is covered in snow, it’s slippery and tricky but the brooks cascadia trail gore-tex bite the snow when needed. One major slip on the way down from Les Chapelles, from standing up to lying on my ribs a split second later, sunglasses flying off. Luckily no pain just a sudden fear of injury a month away from the Saikung 50k trail race.

Afternoon TGV back to Paris and off to Hong Kong tomorrow.

Mountains have been so important in my life this year (Yotei, Denali) have wrapped up 2017 and opened 2018.

FUN FACTS:

• More snow in December 2017 than in the entire previous season!
• Worst weather conditions in 30 years (snow, rain, cold, warm) according to Bernard, our guide…
• 2 snowplow and trucks in the ditch next to our chalet on the road in less than 24 hours