Day 5, Exploration

Ciara and I decided to make our way over to Les Crosets today, with a plan to either go on towards Champery or Champoussin.

I continue to be impressed with Avoriaz and Les Crosets, which is very close by, proved to offer good snowboarding too: fast steep runs, good lifts, accessible off-piste and a well shaped park. A second blue-bird day, we were able to take some decent photos - I had the D60 with me - some of the views were incredible. On a side note, the backpack is working out well; I can fit my camcorder (plus handle) and slr in there, and there's still plenty of room for extras...

After looking around some, we decided to make our way to Champoussin: we'd check out what was on offer, have lunch and then head back.

Lunch was good...

Getting to Champoussin: not impressed.

Accessing Champoussin from Les Crosets is horrible. If you're on a snowboard, you're walking, guaranteed. And there's a good deal. Annoying. At at the end of all the walking, we ended up at a steep t-bar. They're just not comfortable for snowboarders.

I reckon you're walking along here... and around the corner too.

I won't say too much about Champoussin here - I'll be writing that up later - but the brief story is that it's quiet, there are loads of poorly connected drag lifts, and the route back to Les Crosets is almost as bad as the way there. We won't be going back.

Quiet slopes... there's still fresh around.

Before returning to Avoriaz we decided to descend on one of the off-piste runs we'd spotted earlier in the day. By mid afternoon the snow was a little heavy, but it was still fun. We were fairly tired from all of the trecking around and ready to get back.

We had some nice long runs to take us all the way back to Prodains, where we met up with the others in the bar for some well deserved beers. I've really enjoyed taking the camera up on the hill, especially as I'll be using the photos for the review. When I get back to an Internet connection (I'm writing these posts off-line, storing them up) I'll upload some of the pictures I've taken.

I'm still nursing a sore ankle. The plan for tomorrow is to head for Chatel. I'm meeting a representative from the Portes Du Soleil for lunch, and then there's the Super Chatel slopes to check up, including the Smooth Park...

Champoussin village.