Seeing the wood for the trees.

Followers of our Facebook page will have noticed that I often take pictures of snowy trees. Snowy and cloudy days obscure the mountains and the forests around the chalet come to the fore. On these 'dull' days I love the natural monotone caste and the layers of snow and branches are great to photograph. Recently, we've had some pretty snowy days so I've put together the following collection of colour photos...

'The Ski' reborn for the 21st Century

Scott have launched a new ski with an old name. 'The Ski' first hit the slopes in the 1970's as a must have freestyle ski designed by Sun Valley local Bobbie Burns.

'The Ski' - more fun on piste than seems right, and a brief test last season told us it's nice off piste too

Four sizes, four colours, 'The Ski' from Scott has been designed as one ski for all conditions. The shaping gives 'The Ski' a longer radius underfoot making it easier to handle on all types of terrain and conditions. The core is 100% wood from tip to tail which gives consistent flex and torsional stiffness.

Last winter we got a a pre-launch taster day. This season we have the whole fleet available for testing; we took them to St Luc for a blast around the piste with Scott UK general manager Steve. Verdict - great; we look forward to trying them in powder...

Bar-e-Vox rescues Cabane de Tracuit

Just before Christmas a new bar opened in Zinal - the Bar-e-Vox. It's name is inspired by the Mammut transceiver the 'Barryvox' - used by many skiers and mountaineers to aid the rescue of avalanche victims. 

The old stove, baskets and shutters from the Cabane de Tracuit
(left: their original positions - right: their new home in the Bar-e-Vox)

The Bar-e-Vox has also done a bit of rescuing, and is the new home for several items from the original Cabane de Tracuit. Following the completion of the new Cabane last spring the old building was deliberately destroyed with these few pieces being saved. 

Tables, stools and honesty box now in their new home

Now you can have a glass of wine sitting around the same tables, on the same stools, 1600 vertical meters lower. You can see more pictures in our Facebook album.

Gluhwein recipe

Vin chaud on the Pla de la Le - Zinal

There's nothing like a drop of gluhwein or vin-chaud (as they call it round here) drunk under the stars on a winter's night. Following several requests here's the Edelwiess recipe.

1 bottle red wine
75g brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 lemon stuck with cloves
150 ml brandy

Put all the ingredients (except the brandy) in a pan and bring to simmering point.
Cover and simmer for 2-4 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Add the brandy.
Strain and serve.

Paws for thought...

Chamois tracks

Go for a walk in the snowy woods and you'll see tracks of the animals you know live there but rarely meet. You can see where they've scampered up a bank, walked around in circles following good smells, and scraped away the snow to uncover something to eat.

Squirrel, lynx, deer, & chamois prints

With freezing temperatures and snow covering the vegetation for the next 5 months or so it's a tough time for these animals. Conserving energy is the name of the game and for this reason resorts restrict areas of the mountain as no go zones for walking, snow-shoeing and skiing.

Foot-print chart from www.mountainwilderness.ch

Whilst not wanting to scare any of these beasts into having to run and use energy, you'll often see animal tracks overlying old ski tracks. Using the route where the snow is firmest they use less energy, so we believe both can co-exist in the same spaces. These animals become habituated to man and that we (in winter) are not a threat. With no natural predators the larger animals are culled each September by hunters ie the winter doesn't threaten their numbers. Unlike the hunters, who take only the beautiful and strong, nature takes the weak and those less likely to survive.

For more information on how animals behave visit www.mountainwilderness.ch.

Since writing this the canton of Valais have introduced 142 no go (to people) zones. These zones have been designed by hunters! (hum...) Some of the best and most easily accessed off-piste terrain is affected by this ruling, areas close to the resorts. You can find out more about where they are on the following website -  www.respecter-cest-proteger.ch  - closest to here is off the back of the Bella Tola in St Luc, into the Turtmann valley.

Done and dusted...

Well it's as good as finished so today I took some pictures of our cosy new winter home.

Main living area with mezzanine 

We bought Le Mazot just over a year ago and for those following our blog you will know that it's been quite a renovation project. Here are some links to previous posts

(www.skizinal.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/le-mazot-new-project.html
www.skizinal.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/le-mazot-work-in-progress.html
www.skizinal.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/and-then-there-was-light.html)

It's a small place but that made for bigger challenges in the design. We've kept many of the original features (most of which were covered with old 't&g' panels) and have reused lots of the original materials to help keep the character - old beams found under the floor went into repairing and filling in the outside walls as well as rebuilding the internal dividing wall, and the old 2" thick floor boards found under layers of rugs and chipboard have been scrubbed and relaid. We've insulated the whole building, replaced the old windows with triple glazed units, use a wood-burning stove to heat the place and have installed LED lighting through-out - all of which go to make up a cosy, eco, cabin.

Lobby and bedroom

Bathroom 

View from the kitchen across to old Mottec

Main living room with wood-burning stove and original timbers

As for all the old 't&g' that we stripped out - lots went into the construction of our new wood-store and all the little bits that couldn't be used are stacked ready to burn in our stove.

Monty and Eric - wood store builders

Get fit for winter...

Winter is just around the corner and it's time to get fit for the coming ski season. Running is an easy choice and will improve your cardio, stamina and legs. Here are a few others we like...

- Lindsey Vonn knows a thing or two and there are some good exercises on this video - we particularly like the side to side sprints and knees up...

- For indoors, we've made our own wobble board which along with hours of fun is great for balance, knees and core - remember to look ahead...

- Finally this 'periodic table' has direct links to video clips on 'you tube' which show you how you should be doing each exercise. You can start easy and also select what area you want to work on...