Impeccable Ski Etiquette

On my way to 13 turns (or unreliable) I was careful not to knock any snowboarders off the edge. I didn't pee in the boot pack. I waited my turn as others put their skis on. I didn't hike above the existing traverse. I didn't traverse across the slope and I stuck to my fall line the whole way down...and i got extra etiquette bonus points for spraying a snowboarder at the end.

13 Turns from Aaron Stanford on Vimeo.
These next two photos where taken by powdershots at the same time I was taking the GoPro footage. They're pretty underexposed as it was super brilliant white out there. Kind of an armature mistake, as many think they should drop down their exposure a little in order to compensate for bright situations. Or maybe he was using a Canon rather than a Nikon.
You can buy great photos from there website here:
http://www.powdershots.com/

On Ice and Snow and Rock

Since the age of about 9 or 10, maybe earlier, I have been fairly obsessed with the mountains, with skiing and with climbing and mountaineering and with adventure of any sort. We had a book when I was growing up called "On Ice and Snow and Rock" by Gaston Rebuffat. I'm pretty sure my father brought it back with him from Chamonix. It had many full color pictures of Gaston climbing the beautiful granite spires that rip up through the brilliant glaciers around Mont Blanc. For anyone who has seen this book you know how great these pictures are. The images stick with me more than those of my other children's books. At night my father would pour a cup of Cognac, light the lantern and read aloud from Annapurna in which Gaston performed such human acts of heroism while so out of his home alpine element. His knickers and wool sweater seemed so impossible and out of place in this high Himalayan darkness which I already understood was another world. Jill and I are leaving for Chamonix in 9 days.

The book wasn't the only thing my father brought back from chamonix. He brought back a bunch of great stories, a bunch of great color slides, some cool glacier glasses with beads sewn on the side by the hand of some hot french chick. He brought back two ice axes....(if anyone knows where they might be, please bring them back to the ridge) and I'm pretty sure that he came back with a bunch of memories that I wish he would write down or tell to me as a story.

I'm so excited for this trip that I can hardly think. I have been obsessed with the planning of this trip and with ensuring that I can keep my wife and I safe here, in what some perceive as a Disyland of mountains, that in spite of all the hype, can unknowingly give anyone the ultimate beat-down like horse shakes a thousand flies off its back and continues eating. I will be out of my element and I know enough to give these mountains the respect they deserve. Just because there are three espresso machines within a 1 mile radius doesn't mean that the stone falling at 150 mph will hurt less. For some reason it is with quite a bit of emotion that I travel to Chamonix.

Mmm... but the espresso will be good. For anyone planning a trip to Chamonix for skiing here are a few weather links that you may find helpful:

Good basic weather for quickly viewing on a phone
http://chamonix-meteo.com/bul/metPreMatEn.php

SnowForcast – with extended
http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Chamonix/6day/top

Welove2ski
http://www.welove2ski.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=000

Seblog video report
http://www.welove2ski.com/snow-report/Chamonix/

Chamonix.net – webcams, snow report
http://www.chamonet.com/

Compagniedumontblanc
http://www.compagniedumontblanc.fr/index.php

Intellicast
http://www.intellicast.com/Local/Weather.aspx?unit=F&location=FRXX0212

MetoFrance With avalanche…needs to be translated using Google…
http://france.meteofrance.com/france/MONTAGNE?MONTAGNE_PORTLET.path=montagnebulletinneige/DEPT74

First Run on New Planks

I was pretty psyched to find an untracked line this long inside the ski area for my first test of the new boards. This is my favorite kind of snow...technically this type of snow is called baby butt.

First Run on New Planks from Aaron Stanford on Vimeo.

More Testing of Skis and Camera from Aaron Stanford on Vimeo.

Surfing The U Stadium

Surfing the U Stadium from Aaron Stanford on Vimeo.

Summit Fever

Green Islands Blue Water

I have not had a chance to add many details of our trip so far, so I will try to catch up a little. Overall this is one of my favorite things I have ever done. Our instructor Pierre, was outstanding and has now had an influence on my life. Here are a few memories:
Pulling into the small bay on Matia lsland on the first day. Jill at the helm and the strong current sweeps us past the steep, tree topped cliffs ringing the bay. We are so busy with the lines and listening to Pierre shout orders that we hardly notice the seals and dolphins playing around the boat. As we pull into the bay I feel like I am in a scene that my imagination has created from a book.
Jill and I have the aft berth and it is one of my favorite places I have ever slept. It had a small window behind our heads at water level and a hatch opening right above our heads about a foot and a half away. It had small reading lights and wood panels. In this berth, in our boat, anchored in the small coves with Jill was one of the coziest places I know.
On our second morning we woke up in Deer Harbor to pouring rain and low fog. We were wearing about every piece of wool we had and topped with our yellow pvc rain gear. We practiced docking in the rain in this little fishing village which was home to few dozen delapidated boats. A seaplane roared down out of the pouring rain and fog,landed and pulled up next to us at the dock...this whole scene in this little town, in this stormy weather was amazing for me.
That afternoon Jill charted our course through the fog and would from time to time pop her head up out of the companion way to give us a new heading. We couldn't see anything up on deck and were completely disoriented, but Jill knew where we were and before long, we emerged from the fog and islands, the wind picked up, the sky broke and we were all on top of the world.
Pierre our instructor was from Switzerland and spoke french. He had a heavy accent and gave loud decisive orders. He knew what he was doing and had earned all of our respect. He laughed as loud as he shouted his orders and was as gentle and caring as he was bad ass. He was awesome and has had a big influence on me. Jill and I hope to do more with him.

I Love Stormy Weather

Amazing Adventure. Please also see videos on "Live from the Sea" post below for ongoing video updates.