Heading to Europe 2011

Hi Everyone,

I’m in Sweden for Christmas this year and wanting to get some riding in France or Italy or somewhere like that. I am by myself and want to go riding with some someone at least. I like riding with good locals who like back country because it’s something you shouldn’t do by yourself or unguided.

I coached in Switzerland two years ago and that was a lot of fun. I don’t care if I work or pay to play. Just want to get the best riding in. I prefer big mountain over park.

Any recommendations on some camps or some kind of guided backcountry? I’m free during the second week in January. It’s earlier than I be there but it’s better than nothing!

Just an update to how my European winter went - bloody awesome!

I spend Christmas and NYE in Sweden and had an awesome time there. Spent a day on the local ski hill, did some ice fishing, cross country skiing (please don’t hold it against me!) and ice skating.

Then I went to La Grave in France and stayed at the Skiers Lodge. La Grave is like no other place I had been to before. It was really what it promised to be - a freeriders dream! La Grave mountain was closed the first day I was there and the day before because of a snowstorm. This made the week fantastic! The village is from the 1500’s and has an awesome feel to it. Feels like you are setting back in time.

There is one lift that takes you from 1500 m to 3500 m. There was no more than 70 or 80 people on the mountain on any day. We were still getting fresh tracks at the end of the week. I had a guide for the 6 days riding. I was the only snowboarder at the lodge. When riding at Perisher, I’m not someone that has to walk anywhere (maybe except the traverse from Smiggins to Interceptor where you have the long straight before the lift) but it was hard work keeping up with all good skiers. We only got 3 or 4 runs in per day but that’s because they were up to 15 km long!!

Some of the traverses that we did were hell. I guess you’re going to get that when the guide doesn’t snowboard and the rest of the group are skiers - they will take the route that is easier for skiers. There were times when I couldn’t stand up because my legs were shot. They were in so much pain because I’d be on the same edge as we traversed to the lift through some trees. I would swap to switch but I was farked.

I had some of the best moments during this week. Going to down chutes covered in virgin snow, even big wide open bowls with no tracks - felt like being in my own movie! I’ve snowboarded in some of the best resorts around the world in some of the best conditions but this was better. There was nobody around and it found like we had the entire mountain to ourselves. There was no helicopter involved, just a quiet lift taking you to the top. If you could imagine the best sections that you love about Whistler, Mammoth, Vail or Lake Louise etc - then this is all of the best sections put together where the runs seem endless and nobody around to spoil it!

The weather was great every day except for two days. The other days was blue bird days. There was some days where is was windy at the top but once you got away from the exposed area, it wasn’t windy.

We also visited some neighbouring resorts such as Alpe D’huez. I’d been to Alpe D’Huez before and done some of the runs over the back. Reminders of the long traverses all came flooding back but the effort was worth it - more untracked runs in awesome terrain.

The only disappointment would have been that it was too early in the season for the really steep terrain. It was not open yet. I was really lucky to have such good conditions so early in the season which I was grateful for. I’m going to go back here one day to do the really steep stuff.

There is only two bars in La Grave but it’s not really somewhere that you go to drink. I still had some big nights drinking with my new friends from the lodge. The bar tender was very cool as well who only encouraged me to drink more by filling up my glass whenever it was half full or giving me shots of weird local spirits.

Each night, we came home to a 4 course dinner which was the best thing to come home to. We also had lunch on the hill each day. The food was absolutely sensational! Everything I ate in France was delicious. I also went to Grenoble, Lyon, Munich, Frankfurt to do some touring around. I love going to the hofbrauhaus to drink lot’s of beer and a pork knuckle. There is also some other great non-touristy beer halls too.

I am very close to moving to Europe just to be able to be in the mountains whenever I want - summer and winter.

I was thinking of putting some pictures up but these movies are more fun to watch - http://www.la-grave.com/summer/web_tv.php

Sweet! Sounds ideal but also very expensive! Whereabouts in Sweden where you? I lived there for a year and I did the 08/09 season in åre.

wow, La Grave sounds amazing.

Yes, please - put up some photos!

Very beautiful places I want to go there for Christmas 2011.