Picnic companion

What with the dearth of snow, the pistes are rock hard and icy, which does not provide for relaxed skiing. So today it was skins on time, boots in walk mode and off we go for a long hike, up from La Daille to the top of the Olympic lift. You can do this journey in ten minutes by funival (train through the mountain) and ski down in fifteen if you are quick, which some people are. It took me two and half hours to walk up.

Near the top I stopped for a snack. The local wildlife is obviously used to picnicking skiers and comes quite close, hoping for a morsel.

When you walk up pistes, as opposed to skiing down them three things happen:
1) People look at you as if you are mad, or they smile and say hello.
2) You realise that what you thought was a short gentle slope when you ski it, is actually a steep long slope when you walk it.
3) You become aware of just how fast people ski - 20, 30 even 40 mph isn't uncommon. Yikes!

The forecast for this week is for sun and clear skies. Let's hope it's wrong, otherwise I shall be trading in my skis for a pair of ice skates.