FREEDAY

 

Avalanche awareness for everyone

 

March 2004. We are in one of the most scenic resort in Switzerland : Grimentz. Located above Sierre

(upper Rhone valley) the Val d’Anniviers offers a numerous of familial and typical little villages built on the

sides of one of the most preserved basin in the Valais province.

The village of Grimentz is know world-wide for its antiques chalets made of hundreds-year-old, sun tanned

larch wood and its unique view on several 4000 meters peaks.

 

Apart of being a photographer’s paradise Grimentz resort is also involving in events such as the Freeday.

The concept is simple and functional, one of its initiator explains : “ Who else could teach more about

avalanche danger than mountain guides ? Who else than world-class freeriders would be listened at by insubordinate kids ? The guides give explanations, pro-riders describe how to act when reaching an

untracked slope. That’s the magic formula which makes the FreeDay a success ! ” says Cyril Neri’s, three times winner of the Verbier Xtreme. He is one amongst the initiator and organizer of this event. He had no trouble to invite his best mates, all world-wide known freeriders.

Out of the hundred kids who subscribed, groups are formed. Every ten kids is supervised by one or two pro-riders and a mountain guide. Stars like Himalayst Jean Troillet (Everest, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Shisha Pangma, Kangchenjunga) are ready to transmit their knowledge to passionate kids.

Six workshops are dispatched on the whole area and there are smooth off-pist runs to connect each of them. The kids are happy and so are the professionals to help and prevent extra avalanche accident in the future.

What has to be kept in mind is “…that with a minimum of knowledge you reduce highly the risk of being

caught ” explains Jean Troillet. “ And remember that when you don’t feel it, don’t go ”.

Essential comportments has to be assimilated “ just like when you cross a road ” says Cyril :

 

- Do never drop together in a couloir ; one after each other.

- Keep an eye on each other & look back over your shoulder while riding.

- Do never stop in the middle of a run/gully. Hide underneath a big rock if you have to stop.

Steve Klassen, 4 victories in Verbier says :

- Your mates are essential. Riding alone is hazardous, as well as riding in a big group. You have to

trust in your friends, as they have faith in your abilities… One or two team-mates is the right number.

 

Berti Dénervaud, 10 world titles in slalom, BX and half-pipe. Riding since 1980 :

 

- Every freerider should get as much information as possible. You can get all the following tips by talking with locals guides or snow patrollers :

- Evolution of the snow-layer since the beginning of the winter.

- Last snowfall : how important was it ? Did wind, rain or warmth affect it ?

 

At the end of the day the kids return home with the head full of memories and advices which will hopefully

one day save their lives.

Theoretical and practical training, advices directly received from guides and riders’s mouths, as well as a

resort adapted for freeriding, here are the reason why everyone loved the FreeDay.

The event will be held in 2004 and will take part in March the 13th and 14th.

As half of the pro-riders do come from the States, OZ or Scandinavia, English riders are welcome to join and enjoy the event.

Information and subscriptions are to be caught on the web site : www.thefreeday.ch

 

 

…..END OF 1st PART…..

 

Do you really think that a dozen of top freeriders would leave Grimentz without visiting..? Noooo ! They

needed more. First of all the legendary “Glacier-wine” a unique cultural patrimony. This Madera taste-like

wine comes out from a barrel that has been filled around year 1860. Every year 35 litres are drunk and the

barrel refilled with the same amount of fresh wine. The glass you’re drinking is filled with an amount of  centenary wine and you can tell it by the taste..!

 

The two following days we tracked all the leftovers powder fields. Grimentz resort is located on a horseshoe look-like terrain. In the middle of the horseshoe lays a 600 feet rocky range which divide the resort from East

to West. That range is the perfect playground for freeriders wanabbes as it is easy to access and secured by pist-patrolers. Some runs are even tricky so check the lines from all around.

The Lona North face (left hand side while going up “Lona 2” poma lift) is the spot we tracked first. There was

still no tracks and it hadn’t snowed for three weeks…amazing ! To access the runs we only had to hike up

15 minutes from the summit of “Lona 2”, heading to the Bec des Bossons pass (left of the summit) just above the avalanche launcher system (Gasex). There from we accessed the numerous runs in the face by hiking

along the summit ridge. After having tracked the whole face we kept on returning to the ridge to access the

very summit of Lona peak. There from an East pitched couloir brought us all the way down to the bottom pist

to Grimentz village.

 

On the opposite side of the resort we also experienced a smooth run called “Abondance” which you access

to by taking the Roc d’Orzival Poma lift. As it is located on a South-East slope, we made sure to ride it

before noon as it could have become sketchy late in the day.

The four other resorts in Val d’Anniviers (Zinal, St-Luc, Chandolin and Vercorin) conceal many, many

powder runs. Too bad there was no time left to go and track them, but Cyril promised to his mates to bring

them there in 2004 and make them discover hidden wonders. They will make a report out of these powder-searching days so you will then read and know all about the good spots !

And for the ones which wants to hike more, four 4000 meters peaks are waiting, peacefully underneath deep, deep snow and ice layers…

 

Pix:

Peter Charaf

Rod ‘Bull’ Neri

 

INFO: How to go :

From Geneva, Evian or Chamonix, reach Martigny, then drive on the motorway till Sierre-Est. Follow Val d’Anniviers. In Vissoie, take a right to St-Jean, then finaly Grimentz (45min from Martigny, 2 hours from GVA)

 

Elevation: Village 1570m.  Summit of the marked runs 2874m.

Winter season: mid December to end of April

Ski passes: 1 day 42.- Chf (30 Euros) / Kids 25.- Chf (16 Euros)

                 1 week 199.- Chf (135 Euros) / kids 119.- Chf (80 Euros)

                 Reduction for half-day passes (11 am, 12 am, 1 pm)

 

Lodging, Tourism Office: +41 27 475 14 93 / www.grimentz.ch   grimentz@sierre-anniviers.ch

Skilift company: +41 27 476 20 00

Local map (usefull for freeriding): 1 :25'000  N° 1307  « Vissoie »