La Grave Spring Report
Submited By ptor On 2008-06-04
Bizarre ending to a bizzare but great winter in La Grave.

La Grave Spring Report
by Ptor Spricenieks

The high pressure that showed up in Febuary ended up staying for a while and conditions were totally stable and firm. I kept up the training and was getting stronger daily from the sciatic condition that had plagued me earlier in the season. We had recieved wind from every direction and anything you could lay the skis on was good to go. Mathieu Bonnetbleu and I took advantage of the exceptionally blue skies to keep checking out stuff that was new to us.



One run I had always wanted to do was the big fins on the south face of the Pic de Mas de La Grave that is situated at the end of the Chazalet valley. It’s an “Alaskan” looking peak when viewed from the ski-hill side of the valley and when plastered with snow. Although it’s not the biggest peak in the area, it’s still 3000m and has a 1000m vertical of skiing on it’s south side. It took a few hours just to get back there and begin climbing up. Our choice of day and conditions was pefect and we skied soft warm snow. It’s incredible how spring conditions can be found here annually in January or Febuary.

Mathieu skiing the S Face of Pic de Mas de La Grave

The southern reaches of the Parc des Ecrins is another area I have yet to thoroughly explore. Further from the population center of Grenoble, there are amazing valleys with dramatic vertical, small quiet villiages and hardly any skiers. Mathieu and I blazed down to the Ailefroide area and toured up to the Refuge Les Bains which neither of us had ever visited. The steep sided valley that contains it runs south east from the sothernmost major peak called Les Bains. There was still 2 meters of snowpack low in the valley, much more than in the La Grave area, despite 3 weeks of warm temps.

Mathieu approaching the Refuge Les Bans

After a night in the refuge with some nice Bourgogne red wine, we skinned and climbed the Glacier de Bruyeres the next morning in firm snow up to the highest skiable point.

Mathieu climbing lower portion of Glacier des Bruyeres

The dramatic top bit was exposed ice and unskiable. The run itself was a series of giant hanging ice shelves, something you really wanted to have stable conditions for. The runout at the bottom and descent into the lower valley was preserved powder contasting the windpack up high.



Mathieu skiing the Glacier des Bruyeres

With the weather continuing spring like, I took advantage of it and made several nice paraglide-ski descents avoiding the tracked out and bumpy ski-area. A couple of them were landing on Le Signal on the north side of the valley after taking off from the telepherique topstation on the La Meije side. Late in the afternoon, the big south facing bowl had perfect corn I could shred right to the doorstep of home at La Chaumine. On other para-ski missions, I would land on otherwise difficult to access spots on the Rateau and Tabuchet glaciers, thus continuing finding fresh tracks off the lift.

My girlfriend Karin and I skied the classic Col de Cotes Plaine for a perfect 1000m corn run one fine afternoon.

Karin shredding the Col de Cote Plaine

Also this winter, a lone Bouquetin, or European Ibex showed up and was living up the mountainside directly behind La Chaumine. What a beautiful creature with it’s magnificent horns. This one was very docile probably because of it’s old age and barely blinked if you came near. We affectionately named it Booky and saw it everyday untill it died in March.

Booky

Then at the very end of Febuary the unthinkeable happened. It was the 28th and I woke up in a funk. Despite my irregular mood, I decided it would be a good day to give my prototype ski-wing the Phawked UHP a go. On the way to town I met up with photographer and guide Dylan Taylor who I had been iceclimbing with recently. He was stoked to take some pictures of ski-flying rather than tag along with a group going to St Christophe in marginal snow.
skiflying photos by Dylan Taylor


After a few adjustments, I got the “not yet perfected”wing flying nicely up in the wideopen spaces of the Girose glacier and I was having my best performance ever with this machine out of my dreams.






Then on the last run, just as the glacier t-bar was about to close, I took a momentary pause and a deep breath as I started down in between seracs and towards Dylan. As I passed Dylan going mach chicken, I launched into the biggest glide I had done yet.




Slightly off axis as I approached the landing, my left ski was grabbed by the funky snow and I crashed. As I came to a rest, I immediately knew something was very wrong. Looking down I saw my left leg dislocated to the side below the knee. This wasn’t good. Season over. Dylan skied down to me and I immediately told him to go tell Jerome the secouriste to call the heli. Surprisingly, even when straightening out the leg and then getting transported, I had virtually no pain.

Dylan Taylor photos

Within the hour I was in emegency in Briancon where the doctor told me that I had exploded my tibial plateau and was going to have surgery then next morning. They put the broken bits back together with 9 scews and a plate and so the next 6 weeks I was in the hospital and the neighbouring rehab center with some serious recovery efforts ahead. The rehab center was great as the physio people were awesome and there were other skiers with various injuries in the same boat as me. It also gave ample time for reflection on life, some great soccer matches on TV and the opportunity to really start my book called Ski Here Now.

Ptor in Antwerp physio

Now 13 weeks after the accident I’m finally starting to put weight on the leg and riding the stationary bike. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting bigger and a long time on crutches is coming to an end. One of those seasons I guess. Many of us know the frustration of a great season ending abruptly and painfully, watching the next storms helplessly. The spring season in La Grave turned out to be epic with great snow from Mid March right to early May. The telepherique was also open extra long this year due to the World Mountainguides conference held here.

Partying with the guides

But alas, everything happens for a reason and it’s all for the best IF one makes the proper efforts to heal and makes the best out of the situation. I hope to have my book completed this fall. Looking back on 20 years of adventures and friends in the mountains gives me a big smile and rousts the inner strength and patience to get back shredding stronger than ever.

Now the flowers are everywhere. It’s been raining for weeks and the peaks are plasterd ultra white above 3000m. Below 3000m is a band of Sahara sand giving the snow an orange hue. These mountains never stop giving their spectacle. Nobody much around and dinner with someone is a huge opportunity. The other night I watched Stumpy’s Ptex,Lies and Duct Tape. Ahhhhh, the good old days.