L'Or blanc est arrive' ! (The white gold has arrived!)

I went to La Clusaz last Saturday as it was the first weekend after our recent major snowfall - and boy was it popular! Everyone was off to the mountains to go (mostly) Alpine skiing to get some of that white powder.

I went around the easier (Green) circuits a couple of times to warm up and then I thought I was ready for the harder stuff - the red circuits! They are a lot longer and the track went over the crest of a ridge before going down the other side to the valley below. It was fantastic! A long winding descent that was fast enough to have me going 'whooooooaaaaaaa…' most of the way down, yet still be in control and able to enjoy it.

It was awesome, but the only drawback with cross-country skiing – unlike ordinary skiing – is that you are expected to make your own way back up as there are no chair lifts!! D'oh! So I skied back up in a herringbone fashion zigzagging my way steadily higher and higher.

The scenery was just fantastic and every now and then I would stop to admire it (and truth be told to take a breather from climbing that big-ass mountain! Phew!). The circuit was a long route of about 9.6kms so when I got back to the start I was pretty durn tired!! I gave my skis and batons back to the hire place and the guy asked 'Had I finished?'. I gave him a weary but very happy smile and replied 'Oh yeah!' Now I'm gonna get me a Vin Chaud (warm herb wine) from the Brasserie - soak up the scenery and toast my accomplishment.

I've been taking small black 20 litre day pack for the last few weeks to put in my snacks when I stop for lunch in the forest, a spare fleece, water bottle and maps etc. Last year no one used to ski with these but these last few weeks I've noticed more and more folks wearing them. Most were using these trendy spandex leggings and tight tops with the usual sponsor logos. Now there are more folks going Classic Nordic style without the fancy 'Gucci gear'. I was introduced to the sport by Norwegians who thought the 'condom suits' as they call them and the fancy gear were hysterical. Show up in the remote mountains wearing that stuff and the locals would nod and smile. They are fine for racing but for a day in the back blocks?... Perhaps we've started a trend back to the origins of the sport!

I'm going back again this weekend for another go and am booking myself on the Nordic Skating -style cross-country skiing for March. It's going to be awesome. Roll on the next snow fall!