Local Knowledge Makes All The Difference
Ted Walker, Snoworks iSkier and Adventurer explains why he comes skiing with Snoworks
The date of my cherished ski holiday drew closer. I, like many other skiers begun looking at the snow reports and webcams eagerly hoping for those perfect skiing conditions. I had booked to travel on the Vanoise All-Terrain Safari, 3 day course in February. Nervously looking at the snow report it appeared that there had been no snowfalls for some time. I travelled out a couple of days early to Meribel to get warmed up for the weekend. I wasn’t expecting great snow but what I did get was ice and plenty of it. My aspirations are to ski powder and plenty of it and if I can’t get powder I want great skiing experiences and the best snow available. I long for powder but I know this is an impossibility to get all the time but one can always dream. But ice everywhere was stretching it. I could not find a single bit of reasonable snow. This was going to be a disaster.
I arrived at the hotel and met Phil the course director. He could obviously tell from the look on my face of my huge disappointment. “Don’t worry.” says Phil the eternal optimist. We’re going to get some great skiing over the next three days. “Where? I’ve been here for 2 days and only skied ice on-piste and off-piste, not a single bit of decent snow”. “Trust us.”
The first day of the course and we headed up to Champagny, straight up to the Bellcote glacier in the La Plagne sector of Paradiski and onto the north face off-piste. To my surprise perfect off-piste conditions. Not powder but some of the best snow you could ask for. In fact the next three days we skied great snow without any ice and to top it all, hardly any other skiers in sight. A miracle? No, just the ability to know the mountain well and judge where and at what time of day to ski which slopes.
This kind of knowledge can turn a ski holiday from a disaster into a truly memorable experience and is one of the main reasons why I continue to go skiing with Snoworks. I now spend many of my skiing holidays every winter with Snoworks. I am confident that wherever I go, whatever time of year, Snoworks instructors and guides will be able to take me to the best skiing available.
My skiing exploits with Snoworks have taken me all across Europe and as far afield as South America and it’s always been the same. Sniff out the best snow available!
Bring on the powder!
Ted Walker
Snoworks iSkier
Snoworks are running All-Terrain Safaris this winter.
Click For Dates
