Africans, Powder and Ladies Day!

Another great few weeks in the Monterosa area despite there being the holidays which in many other resorts can be extremely busy, we have continued as always to have some superb skiing not to mention great snow (almost 70 cm in some places) and POWDER days!!


The holidays have given me some great opportunities to ski and socialise with our visitors, the first day was a great day over to Alagna with our six South African visitors including a great lunch stop at Guglielmina, never disappointing in its breathtaking view and a repeat fabulous day with our loyal visitors the Howell family and Guy and crew including an other obligatory lunch stop at Guglielmina.

After a snowfall just before and during half term week, this gave us the opportunity with a little walk included to find some fresh tracks, we took a day out with Rudy the alpine guide walking upto Lake Perrin with touring skis and then a fantastic descent down bringing us out on the run home to the village where we stopped at Frantze with a great lunch provided by Francesca.


The heavens then opened and we were given POWDER! This gave us an amazing day out with the Alpine Guide Stefano, you didnt even have to go very far to experience it, half a day was spent in the gulleys on Bettaforca making fresh tracks then a ski down through the forest at Frachey to end up with a great lunch at another favourite pitstop La Grange.


The snow on piste is in fantastic condition too as the temperatures have now dropped slightly but with clear blue skies and sunshine for the last few days which was perfect to celebrate Lady's day in Italy on the 8th March with a ski around the Monterosa area and to the Vigevano refuge for lunch with a stunning view with the low cloud in the Alagna valley.

A Lot to Tell You About

Well alot of catching up to do and alot of great days to tell you about.

Firstly our day out to Lago Perrin about 3 weeks ago, which was a great trip into the "back country" of Champoluc with our aspiring guides Patrick and Joakim, Karin, myself and Annika.

We climbed with skins from Sarezza over to the far right and climbed for about 1.15 hrs in the shade to Lago Perrin where we found brilliant sunshine so set up camp for a great picnic and then headed down where we found some fantastic powder, a great run down all the way back down to the Pistone (Del Bosco run) back to the village. Fantastic day had by all! Thankyou my friends!


Last Tuesday 01.02.11 was an away ski trip to Courmayeur which is always magnificent skiing with the back drop of Monte Bianco surrounding you: It is about 1.15 hr drive from Champoluc so easy to do in a day. We had a fantastic lunch at one of my favourite spots in Courmayeur and at my good friend Giacomo's the Maison Vielle. He never disappoints in looking after you. Some great skiing in the afternoon over to the Zerotta side of the mountain in the sunshine.

A great ski away day although I have to be perfectly honest that the snow is far better in Champoluc and much less crowded due to the many people in Courmayeur and especially people over from France as the snow is not good there! So here in Champoluc we are counting our blessings!

Following on from Tuesday, Wednesday 02.02.11 was a great day out with the Munro family over to Alagna and lunch at the Guglielmina. Two of my special places in just two days......! A fantastic lunch of Guglielmina's specialty antipasta followed by tagliata & Gattinara Reserve wine! We paid a visit also to Guglielmina's fantastic wine cellar....the highest in Europe probably at 2880m! Thank you to the Munro's for a great day!

The rest of the week has been busy with our 40th birthday boy Tim and friends where we had a party at Chalet Mascognaz on Thursday, one of the most beautiful chalets in the Ayas valley, only reachable by skidoo or jeep which makes it even more special arriving to this beautiful spot by skiddo under the stars!


The party didnt end there, in fact it ended with an overnight stay on Sunday again at the Refuge Guglielmina and the most wonderful experience at waking up at 06.45 to watch the spectacular sunrise over the mountains......breathtaking and a very memorable end to a fantastic few days!

Ok so the holidays and festivities are all over and we have now quietened down again so its back to my blog. Hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year, we certainly did in resort with some great skiing over Christmas when the resort was still lovely and quiet pre New Year and a great treat of some fresh powder around the 26th December. Festivities were great in and around resort with many gala dinners, live jazz bands and fireworks with champagne in the square at midnight.

However we now have our mountain back to ourselves after the holidays which is how we are used to the skiing here. Whole pistes to ourselves or fresh tracks with the snow fall of Monday 10.01.11.

Snow Secrets enjoyed a little jolly on Tuesday with great skiing and an overnight stay in the free rider's paradise of Alagna with some wonderful Piemontese food, wine and hospitality included!

Loyal Guests

Skiing today with our loyal returning guests Philip and Deidre.

Great day; snowing as we set off this morning although we experienced every kind of weather condition in the course of the day but some lovely powder around!

Pistes will again be in perfect condition tomorrow when they have groomed them and some sunshine forecast.....what more could you ask for?

Lovely lunch in Gressoney today and of course Après Ski to follow, after a great day's skiing, at the Atelier Gourmand!

Perfect Day

Absolutely perfect day in the monterosa area today. Clear blue sky, tip top condition pistes, no wind, sunshine and great ski buddies!!!

Today we made a tour of the whole Monterosa area from Champoluc to Alagna village with pitstop at one of our favourite spots.....as breathtaking as ever....Rifugio Giuglielmina!!

Never ceases to recreate the WOW factor! All in all a WOW day with perfect weather conditions, perfect piste conditions and empty empty empty pistes!!! Sooooo Good!!

Oh sorry....don't want to make you jealous .....but forgot to mention the great food and wine also....however that is an everyday event here!

Well after the first day on skis on Tuesday 30th Nov, which was an hour and a quarter tour with skins to the top of Ostafa and an excellent descent in fresh powder with the mountain to ourselves, I didn't think it could get much better until today.

Friday 3rd Dec was the official opening of Monterosa Ski (Champoluc side of the mountain as Gressoney and Alagna opened a week before). Fantastic piste conditions with some good off-piste, clear blue skies and sunshine, the company of some good friends and a great aperitivo and fantastic lunch on the mountain. Skied until almost dusk with a deserted mountain.

BRILLIANT OPENING DAY FOR CHAMPOLUC!

We're Skiing Already!

The ski season in Champoluc has well and truly began and who needs lifts! There's some great powder already and lots of first tracks made!

Ski Guides and some Maestri have already done loads of off piste from 3rd November in Bettolina, Vascoccia (Antagnod) and Stolemberg (Salati - Alagna). There are videos on facebook from Stefano Percino and Alberto (Maestro)

The lifts open 26 November. Beat the crowds and make first tracks. There is some excellent first snow to be experienced. Monterosa is waiting for you!