The snow's quite deep today...

Playing away from home

It's an easy hour by car to Crans Montana, but yesterday was the first time we managed to visit this season. After the weekend snow there was plenty of powder, much of it easily accessible between pistes. The resort's trademark sunshine warmed things up by lunchtime, but it was still very skiable in the afternoon. And the advantage of a resort where just 30% of visitors ski or board - and many of them being what locals call 'ski-bar' type skiers - means there's little competition for the good stuff. We'll be back.

Zinal Freeride

This weekend has been the free-ride competition in Zinal. Recent snow and blue sky for some of the weekend gave great conditions for riders to show their stuff in some of Zinal's top off-piste terrain.

Progress?

We've had the builders in to install the RSJs - at over 150kgs a piece it takes a certain 'type' to get them into place.

More walls have been demolished and another skip filled - we thought that this would be the last one for this stage but it just keeps on coming...

Going, going, gone

With a little help from my brother and a sledge hammer we've knocked 4 rooms into 1 to make our new hall. I think we'll wait until the weather warms up to knock through to the outside for our front door (or at least until we've got a door to put in the hole). We've filled 2 skips so far (the first time I've put stuff in rather than taking rare finds out). One more next week should see most of the knocking down and digging up phase finished inside. We've also got our permission from the local Commune to change the outside of the building so it is really starting to happen at last... But just when you think you're making progress, another snow-laden cold front pops up with the threat of more skiing to get in the way. Ho-hum.

Season's greetings

Christmas and New Year have been and gone, and all evidence has been covered by the recent snow fall. The Val d'Anniviers' population exploded during the festive weeks as people rolled in to ski and take part in the events. A Christmas market wound its way through Grimentz old village while young circus stars twirled on wires above the street or juggled their way between the stalls. Santa, arriving by paraglider, kicked off the festivities which continued in all the villages with more carols, nativities, fireworks, skiing by the light of the moon, and paragliding down at night with flares - spectacular, though you wouldn't want to set fire to your canopy.

One of the biggest events was the Guggen open air concert with bands competing against each other, going crazy under the stars. Music, wild costumes, 35 meters of bar and fireworks combined to keep most of Zinal awake well into the small hours.

With the Christmas break and lots of snow we had to get out to ski but the start of the New Year got us knuckling down to some more renovations and the filling of our first skip. Work has finally really begun...

It would be rude not to...

Even on a Wednesday, when you're supposed to be working, you can't miss out on conditions like these. Though to judge by the numbers on the hill (not many) most of the rest of the world was more conscientious. Which is just how we like it – after all, there's tomorrow for skiing too, and we wouldn't want all the powder to be tracked by the masses. Come to think of it, we might have to push the boat out and do Friday as well, since we'll probably give the weekend a miss. It's bound to be bumper – there's a stunning forecast and everyone knows it's been snowing for about a week without stopping – and it just wouldn't be the same having to share. Sorry, I'll stop now. Commiserations to everyone with a proper job.