ME :)

The weather is continuing to give us perfect conditions so to make the most of it, we went to the furthest resort in the 3 valleys from La Tania to Val Thorens (VT). It took a good hour or two to get to VT but the scenery en route was simply breathtaking.

With our packed lunches in my rucksack, we were going to have a full day on the mountain. At VT, we went up to the highest point in the 3 Valleys that the ski lift or gondola could take us. Actually I lied, I reached Cimo Caren which was at 3200m, while the others went to the glacier which was 20m higher but the runs going back down to terra firma were mostly black runs, which I couldn’t brave just yet.

After taking photos at the highest point of the trip, I had to venture down what was the hardest run that I’ve had to do so far (actually ever). It was a red run and from the gondola I did see a precarious drop and my eyes were not deceiving me as I approached the cliff face. You couldn’t go around it, the only way was down and down I went.

I started off slow by going far wide as possible then turning sharply and repeating the process until I got more comfortable and skied till the half way point. It wasn’t terribly hard as I would have imagined, it was like a blue run but only a tad steeper and a bit more ice. Other than it was a perfectly fine run and after doing that, any red run could be done!

I started making my way back to La Tania and it was going to take me at least 2 hours from Val Thorens and I had to make the last lift at 430 in Meribel otherwise I would be stranded with no easy way to get back apart from a bus or a taxi if it was operating or did that route.

I thought I would easily make it back but after taking 2 incorrect chair lifts, I was in strife and it was going to be somewhat of a miracle if I were to make the last chair lift from Meribel. I thought the only way I was going to have a chance was if I were to do as many red runs as possible, so I did.

Just by chance, the others were running late to and we somehow managed to bump into each other on the final red run before the lift. I was absolutely knackered at that point and I still had another run to go. By this time it was about 430 and our chances of getting on to the last chair lift were far fetched. So just as I thought, the lift was closed when we got there, perfect!

My contingency plan was to ski to the bottom of the village and get a bus. The others had different ideas and thought going through the woods through unknown terrain and duration was the way to go.

You would think that my plan is a far better alternative then venturing through the woods but my plan is not superior when you miss a couple of signs and get terribly lost on a cross country track (well that’s what I had thought at the time).

It was getting quite dark when I got lost and I had no idea where I was going. Some signs say to go this way, other signs that way. I was skiing on what looked like a cross country track but it was more like a walking trail covered in snow. There were benches here and there so I knew I was close to civilization. I stopped skiing once the tracks got too narrow and just started walking in the boots.

When the trail stopped there were abandoned houses and houses in mid construction. Once I saw people, I knew I had made it, made it to Meribel Village which is not the main resort, an off cut almost. I found the bus stop and waited for about 30 minutes without any luck.
Meanwhile back in the woods, the others were still trekking through the snow with their gear in hand. It was pitch black now and they’d almost made it to La Tania by following the signs, Eventually they got out of the woods and made it onto the main blue run of La Tania.

Back in Meribel Village I was still waiting for the bus, the timetable was nonsense and I really had no idea what its route was or even if it went to La Tania at all. However I did manage to spot a sticked on the bus timetable of a taxi company. I called and asked if they spoke english and whether or not they could take me back to La Tania.

The taxi driver said yes and he arrived within 5 minutes. The taxi drive to La Tania was at most 5km and it cost me €26. Ouch! But at least I made it back to the apartment.

The others had already arrived back and taken my order for pizza’s. As I walked up to the apartment, we met again only this time they got back with some effort while I was €26 poorer. What an eventful day!!!!