Glacier Skiing

While most of Europe puts away their skis come the first warm days of spring, there are a few devoted individuals, and, a multitude of quite-serious-skiers (as in, people who represent their countries on ski teams, including a group we will discuss tomorrow: the Adaptive Skiers) who head to the higher elevations and just keep on going. In one such location, Tignes, France, the Grand Motte glacier slopes are available for the early riser: from 7:15 until 13:00, you can ski at 3,000 to 3,456 meters. 

Tignes is a bustling ski resort town during the ski season, and they have done a rather nice job of creating a "summer program" for those who come for a bit of skiing (and let's face it, it's only a "bit" if you are talking about a few hours early in the morning). And if you are the sort of person who likes mountain biking down ski slopes, playing tennis, practicing your archery, riding ponies, swimming, boating, etc, etc, etc. It is seriously like a huge summer camp for all ages.

Now, I'll be brutally frank here, I do not fall into either the "devoted skier" or "representing my country on an international ski team" category. Nor am I the sort to really get into summer camp. And since I have recently been having as yet undiagnosed problems with my knees, I reluctantly decided to forgo the early morning ski. Where "reluctantly" means something akin to "laughing all the way back to bed."

In order to ski, everyone got up at around 6:00, drove to the funicular and then fought for a spot on the first ride up. The funicular only ran every fifteen minutes or so, so if you missed that first trip, you missed some percentage of your precious skiing time. And by "fought" I mean teenage ski team members pushed over cute six year old girls in order to scoot one place ahead. Or maybe that only counts as half a place ahead? I am reporting this, as you may realize, second hand, as at no point did I actually leave my bed.

Jeff did work out by Day 2 that waiting until the second funicular, while maybe not exactly in the spirit of Summer Gladiator Glacial skiing, was more to his liking; those few extra minutes meant breakfast at the hotel, plus no pushing when time came to board the funicular. Win-win.

    

Some managed the early mornings better than others.

Fun, fun, funicular! Except when you are being squashed by some rude dude who is so hopped up on adrenaline he fails to see you.

 

But, the point of this extended drive across Europe wasn't really for us to ski. We went to hang out with some friends who like to come to Tinges to ski.  

As it turned out, the menfolk took the children skiing at the ungodly hour of the morning required, while the womenfolk hung out, drank coffee and caught up on the past year. We'd swap in the afternoon, letting the guys get some work done or rest up a bit. Pool time is much more my gig.

Then, dinner. And that's really what it was all about. The summer camp atmosphere of Tignes was fine, although (truthfully) a bit frenetic for my personal taste. But the best part was just hanging out with friends, enjoying some bread (for the gluten tolerant) and cheese and catching up.

 

Comments

[MaryAnn The Farm Wife at Jaklamas]

I simply DO NOT ski so the coffee part sounds just lovely. Menfolk leaving with children. Heavenly. Summer Camp? Pool yes.

[Karen W]

Raclette! I love the French Alps and their Raclette!

[Ellen]

Heated pool, MaryAnn. Heated bliss was more like it. ;-)

And the rachlette! Oh my heavens. We were eating a lovely, healthy salad and veg filled dinner last night and as I chewed and chewed like a rabbit, all I could think about raclette!

[Gwynna]

Surely Jennie or I have told you about summer glacier skiing on Mt Hood in Oregon? Yes?

I won a trip for seven days, six nights at the Timberline Lodge (one of the National Parks grand lodges) in June. All expenses paid except, as it turned out, food. And as you can imagine, with zero competition for food, it was ultra expensive. But I digress. Neither Jennie nor I ski above blue (well, maybe she does now), and all that is open in the summer on the glacier is black. They run world class ski and snowshoe racing/competition programs, so there were a lot of Very Serious Athletes and no one else. None of them shoved anyone, so far as I knew (though they did laugh when I fell over in line). Fortunately, they were WAY over there on that side of the glacier and we stayed WAY over here on this side of the glacier, which was a Very Good Choice. Seeing as my trip down went something like this: Go directly across the width of the run while descending approximately one foot, fall down. While down, "turn" the other direction by flipping skis over. Get up, go the width back again and another foot down the slope, fall down. "Turn." Repeat. I finally got to where I could even turn BEFORE I fell down! That was awesome. (Poor Jennie serious damaged her ankle at the very top and had to walk down. :( )

So yes, I knew people skied on glaciers. I am here to report, though, that the OTHER five days were spent much more luxuriously hiking, watching people summit the mountain, gazing at gorgeous scenery, and driving down off the mtn for a visit at a brewery. But the bed...OH! the bed... Okay, I'll stop now. :)

[Monica]

More familiar faces! More fun!