Do you ever have one of those days when you think “ next time I stop I’m going to have a cup of coffee”? Well, it’s 18.05 and I still haven’t had it!!

On the bus on the way back from Grands Montets, I did a bit of mental maths (skiers’ version of Soduku) and realized I’d totted up over 8,000 meters of descent today – all caffeine free!!

The day started with 2 trips up to Le Top at 3,300 m. Song of the day could have been the Soca classic “Hot, Hot Hot” – an ironic comment on the bitter wind and ice combo that was blowing up there. Simultaneous freeze dry and sand blast anybody? I did two runs down the Point de Vue in the arctic howl and enjoyed them - somewhat - maybe the 100 km wind detracted something from the experience! It was getting a bit icy and crusty in exposed places up high, but the main run down to the glacier was in good shape with firm grippy snow and some wind blown powder. The mogully narrow bits were good too.

Next, a session on the deck chairs at Lognan to ponder my next move. To tell the truth I was a bit knackered, hence “ next time I stop I’m going to have a cup of coffee”. 10 minutes later, this sentiment was followed by a 3 minute blast down the home run to check conditions. Very windy (a temporary phenomenon) and snow a bit like sugar in melted butter – OK if you like that kind of thing.

The queue for Le Top was 45 mins plus ( as you may have gathered, I rather like it up there!) so I checked out the off piste possibilities either side of the Bochard gondola. Combe de la Pendant was great both just below the piste and way out to the left, as was the ‘front face’ section you get to by ducking under the gondolaand heading right over towards Le Herse.

“Shall I get that coffee now? Nah – check out the queue for Le Top again” and there I was, up and down like a Yoyo for the second half of the afternoon. I descended twice via my favourite run of all, the ‘slot’ next to the cliff accessed form the ‘Pylones’ piste. “Impeccable” – you can say it French or English – it was!!

I even managed a last hop up the Herse and the Marmottons before the boys in blue & orange shooed me off the pistes. I think it’s far to say I did it fairly ‘large’ today!!

Song of the day? It could be “LDN” by Lily Allen “Sun is in the sky oh why oh why,
would I wanna be anywhere else?” But this time it’s her album’s title “Alright Still”. Why? Because despite over 10 days with no more than a fairy cake’s worth of dust from above, the snow in Chamonix REALLY is Alright. Still!

Time for that coffee!