Challenge Stu

As I mentioned last time, this weekend was supposed to see my Ski Mountaineering racing debut, but thanks to some proper Scottish weather, I am still yet to stand on a Skimo startline! Late last week I spoke to Mum and Dad, who had been hoping to try out Scottish skiing for some time and had a free weekend. We decided to drive up together, and I upgraded my planned nights in the van to the Onich hotel neat Fort William. We arrived at the hotel at around 9pm, it was awesome to be back in the highlands, it had been far too long! Saturday: Skimo Scotland Glencoe race Saturday morning dawned wet. After some breakfast Haggis we headed up the road to the Glencoe ski area. There looked to be plenty of snow high up, but it didn't look like any lifts would run due to the high winds. No worries said the organisers, we'll race from the bottom! The plan was to have a foot section first to get us to the snow, then race up to the original start, and ski down to the finish. ...

Last week I returned to a place I have spent many a happy day... Samoens in the French Alps. If you don't know it, Samoens is a little (though growing!) village close to the town of Taninges, and the city of Cluses, just over the Col de Joux Plane from Morzine. From the village there is a lift which takes you up into the Grand Massif ski area, and I have skied there with my family for the last few years. It's a great place to ski from, but also a proper village with a square, bars and a really good proper Savoyard restaurant. I also spent a night there on the Big Alps Run, so for all these reasons it has a special place in my heart. Samoens village square This year I am planning to have a go at a new type of racing, so during my time in Samoens I also hoped to have my first proper go at it: Ski Mountaineering. Well, my first training days were a lot more like very tame Ski Touring, but the basic principle is the same... So I spent most mornings taking the lifts up and ski...