Part 2: Assorted Episodes in the Ecrins: A Backcountry Adventure in the Southern French Alps.
We headed into the town of Briancon to wander, wonder and eat pizza.
It is surrounded by several magnificent forts keeping watch over the valley.
We went to check out the terrain in Mongenevre.
Was it a sign?
Was the weather about to
change?
Were we gonna ski some of this epic terrain in powder?
Or was it simply an opportunity for boys to be boys?
Behind the fort, Joe and Dave scope out an awesome route all the way down to Briancon.
Not this time though- the snow petered out about a third of the way down.
We each made notes to come back when the snow was at the party.
In the background is a live-firing area for the French military which still trains in this area.
A strange but cool juxtaposition of the old world and the new.
We checked out some other parts of the Montgenevre area which is just overflowing with terrific little zones.
Here, Chipie found a creamy little corner.
Joe likes skiing more than anyone, ever.
Oh hey Madonna, fancy seeing you here!
Are you asking the Big Guy for some powder too?
If not, yo do, thanks.
Somebody somewhere seemed to be listening.
It snowed overnight at the top so we tried Serre Chevalier again.
Did I mention this man is never knowingly un-stoked?
Then he did a bunny-hop.
Joe’s enthusiasm was contagious.
He and Dave performed a happy duet with the glaciated peaks of the Ecrins National Park looking on.
We’d loved every minute, but every skier is a striver.
They had believed me; they had come; but the snow had not.
If you’ve got the option to dream and not make dreams your master… At 8.17pm on the 5th day, the first snowflake fell in town.
It was the first of many.
Stay tuned for the final episode dropping next Monday.
