Having got back from Morocco an hour before this was filmed, I'm afraid that this week's blog is light on solid beta, but features some good footage, and great editing as ever. Cheers Toby and Rachel!
Unfortunately my high spirits after Morocco were quickly quashed with the news that my friend Martin Widen had been killed at Brevent at about the same time as I was landing in Geneva. Martin dropped into one of the big couloirs to the right of the ENSA, and before he got a turn in the whole thing ripped and triggered an enormous avalanche.
I hadn't seen Martin for a few months before running into him a couple of weeks back, and over dinner and a few beers we made plans to go ski touring the next day. Martin had to bail due to man flu, but we agreed that we'd get out the week after I got back from Morocco. I guess not.
Traditionally a platitude such as "R.I.P." would now appear, but anyone that knew Martin would be hard pushed to describe him as very keen on resting peacefully, so I'll just say thanks for all the good times and that at some stage soon I'm going to climb up a mountain, put my skis on and say goodbye properly.
We miss you mate.
It's funny how things like this make you feel, but for me I felt like I wanted to do just about anything other than sit around feeling sorry for myself, and all I wanted to do was go and be in the mountains. I'd always heard reports of incredible tree skiing at the tiny resort of Bruson, opposite Verbier, and so decided to go and check it out. As it turned out, it delivered and then some. Here's the proof -
Photo sequence Jack Geldard -
As has been the case for most of the winter, the weather is once again unsettled, and bringing quite a bit of fresh snow. The jury is out as to where the good skiing will be this week, but there will be some and hopefully I'll be doing it, so keep checking back for updates.