Day 1, Tignes

FINALLY!!! the first day of the season, i haven't started the season this late since i left Idaho. So yesterday Simon and i went from Chambery to Tignes, google maps link here. It's usually a two hour drive, we got a little lost and spent some time sightseeing the street signs in Moutiers. got there eventually around 10, got our gear together and shredded until 2:45.

A little info on Tignes, it's like France's hood, so it is a glacier, there was lots of skier racers, and a small public park, but there was some fresh. you had to upload just like hood, up to the higher part of the mountain which was glacier, however you uploaded on a Funiculaire, which is like an underground tram, uphill rail car, very cool, very spaceagey. up at the glacier location there was a 60 person tram, a 3 pack chair, a 4 person, and about 6 t-bars. HERE is some info on Tignes, look in the top right for the button to make it English.

Simon at the lodge at the upper area, after taking the funiculaire, doing an impromptu wax scraping.

This is the lower Tram house, the glacire is just behind the Tram, the top of the 4 pack is on the left. the Tram went up to 3,500m which is 11,300 ft. and this is one of the highest resorts in france. This is the 4 pack and a view of the surrounding range.

This is the 45 on the right, looking down at another rail and a multi-table on the leftPicking up where above left off, the multi table on the right, the park continues to the left. The park was up high on the glacier, 6 tabletops from 5 to 45 ft., a spine, a big down rail, a flat-down rail, 2 flat rails and a flat box of death, semi-soft conditions=FUN DAY!!!

Best part!!! ROPE TOW PARK!!!! ha ha aha aha NO LINES!!! tons of lapsThis is my shred mate, Simon we had a blast, carving and slashing and riding t-bars together, which if you haven't done it before is a very intimate affair. if you have personal space issues, don't ride a t-bar.

Yours truly, front nose, thanks for the hat parker! wasn't really on form with the jumps, i was scurbbing all my cork 5's and nothing was workin, so this is all you get today. i promise you all crail photos soon.

All in all a fun day, there was enough fresh snow to make some "pow" turns, and all the racer kids were too hyped on the sweet groomers and gates to notice that the rest of the mountain was in good shape. and a little time in the park, tryin to learn words like "dropping", "switch", "hey old skier guy stop shavin the lips!!!" and "get your kid out of here or i'll spray him!" in French. Will be headed up more next weekend and will be posting more photos.