As frequent readers to my blog already know, skiing off piste in the Alps is called “freeriding”. One of my all time favorite types of freeride descents are those that end up on the valley floor. These highly coveted runs can be tough to obtain due to coverage, snow conditions, freezing levels, route selection and other hazards such as cliffs, terrain traps and unmarked obstacles. Sometimes one is forced into paying the piper with some “Sauvage skiing” before completing the journey the bottom.
Whenever I complete a valley descent (VD, but the good kind) it gives me an extra sense of accomplishment. Besides the obvious skiing component and usual big vertical drops, often times a VD includes a cultural experience. Whether it is stopping at a random bar/restaurant, skiing down a narrow trail that snowshoers are climbing up or ending up way down canyon (and sometimes a separate valley altogether) that requires a bus, taxi or train back, the journey is usually very memorable. Sometimes I find myself stepping back generations in time while basking in the glow of a successful run. In short, VDs are much more than just linking turns together.
I’m not religious but certainly do appreciate skiing past a frescoed church from 1659
Normally the reward comes first, then the harder work to the valley floor follows
Sometimes we get lucky and pick up a convenient road to finish the descent.
