Performance Verbier Ski School » Guy

Fancy a rumour about early snow?

Guy — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:13:53 +0000

Well, our man on the hill is already up at Lac des Vaux and they’re installing the snow machines this morning with the helicopter. Story is they’re anticipating an early opening this season…

Meanwhile, if you missed snow up there the other day click here for a dose of snowy pictures.

Cow in the road and other news

Guy — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:01:19 +0000

OK, we’ve already blogged today but just two quick things:

First, I might never get used to hurling round corners up the mountain only to be met by a rather disgruntled bovine.

Secondly, did you know they’re building a new restaurant at La Chaux. Well, they are – and although it looks like a big concrete bunker right now but we think it’s a great idea…

And it was nice and sunny at times. Enjoy.

Medran has been replaced with a big hole in the ground.

Guy — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 07:59:15 +0000

As you might (or perhaps might not) be aware, the Medran lift area in Verbier is getting a bit of a make-over. Well, the area around is being completely rebuilt and the lift station (possibly one of the ugliest lift buildings in the Four Valleys) itself is getting a facelift. The project is called Les Trois Rocs and will be a rather swanky and welcome addition to Verbier.

But only when it’s finished.

Because at the moment it’s nothing more than a rather scary collection of noisy construction equipment and mud where the parking used to be. So don’t expect any parking up at the lifts this year and do expect to be using busses a lot more if you used to nip up in the car – but don’t forget that (when it’s finished) it’ll be great. Just not yet…

More snow – the evidence.

Guy — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:09:36 +0000

Admit it, you’re a little bit excited aren’t you? We’ve had snow on Sunday and all day yesterday at the top.

Mike just sent these from up at Attelas where the poor boy is working for TeleVerbier on the lift maintenance. Very cold work indeed, but great views…

A bit of Summer snow. Again.

Guy — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:55:50 +0000

Yup, sticking with our recent ‘unseasonal weather’ theme, we had snow last night up high – about 2500m, give or take… However, it’s been a bit cloudy today. So if you click on one of these you’ll be able to spot snow at about the cloud-line. Unless you click on the one of Tom, in which case you just a get a picture of Tom from the Lodge (AKA mini Jamie).

It’s a bit chilly.

Guy — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:18:32 +0000

The pendulum-like weather in resort has swung back to grotty and cold, having already passed through boiling, sunny, rainy and cloudy. It’s a bit disappointing given we’re still in August but on the flip side I’m waiting for one of the guys in Saas Fee to tell us (via the magic of Facebook) that they’ve got even more snow.

So it’s not a bad thing. Not completely.

And as Billy Connolly once said, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes…” So the Performance down jackets might be trotted out any day soon.

Biking in the sunshine

Guy — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:29:06 +0000

If Felix ever asks you if you want to bike from Ruinettes to Attelas, feel free to say no. It’s really rather steep up there. Anyway, after a lot of sweating and occasionally pushing the bikes up steeper bits we made it – a great (if exhausting) way to spend an afternoon. And it does provide an even better excuse than normal to have a beer in Chez Dany…

So what on earth is all this uphill biking about?

Guy — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:40:44 +0000

>I know, on paper it seems a bit daft. The lifts are running, but everyone seems obsessed with racing them not riding them up. Hard to say, but I must admit to slowly coming to enjoy nearly having a cardiac arrest on my way up to Croix de Coeur…

The only real justification (unless you try it and become similarly masochistic) is the fact tat when you get to the top you get views like these:

Snow in Australia. And Verbier.

Guy — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 11:14:11 +0000

Yup, whilst we’re pretending it’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere (in spite of all the rain) Sanna and Oli have headed south for more snow. Now, whilst it’s not been a stunning winter for snow down there, it’s been OK and Sanna sent us some pictures to give us all a little dose of winter…

“Had the most horrible snowstorm today in al long time but the nasty weather hasn’t stopped the kids from going out in the snow and skiing for the entire day until 4.30pm. It’s been windy and arctic here but at least we’ve got some fresh snow – exactly what we need right now (the grass has been sticking out on some of the wind exposed slopes so the new snow was very welcome). I even got some fresh tracks today – skiing backwards in a snowplow, but hey! It was still powder …”

Meanwhile the rains been lashing down in Verbier and there should be snow up top – if anyone’s brave enough to head up there and get a picture we’ll let you know here…

…SNOW UPDATE….

The lovely Louise has just been up to Mont Fort (3330 meters) and whilst the views are “limited” there is a lot of snow up there (the official Louise estimate is eight inches) and it’s absolutely freezing.

Having just cycled down from Coix de Couer (2173 meters) I can confirm it’s chilly there too. Anyway here’s a snap of Louise’s Mum wishing she’d got warmer shoes on…

Rowing: impressive stuff. Rowing Lake Geneva: a bit bonkers.

Guy — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 09:18:13 +0000

Neil sets off onto the lake.

Yes, I think we’ve all watched Pinsent and Redgrave powering along in their little boats and thought “That’s very impressive” or “I wonder if I could do that” or perhaps “I’m off down the gym to have a go on the rowing machine” and then probably dismissed the idea as less interesting than going to the pub.

But not Neil at CK. No, Neil is a bit obsessed with it all and after making a rather daft bet with Gareth at The Lodge he’s preparing to row the length of Lake Geneva. Yes, that’s about 76 km. So on 15th of August 2010 (weather permitting) he’ll row the length of it in one day – it’s about 35 times further than they row in the Olympics, like rowing from Brighton to London (but only if there was a lake than went from one to the other).

Now, crucially this is going to be racing against Gareth who is also a bit of a fitness maniac (when he’s not dancing around Rockbah with his shirt off – yes G, we all saw) and Gareth will be on his road bike trying to do a lap around the lake (about 175km) in the time it takes Neil to row the length.

This too is a pretty hefty undertaking…

Rowing along Lake Geneva...

...is a bit like Rowing from Brighton to London...

And the reason for all this exercise? Well, charity - St Mungos, the homeless charity. So if you want to help out and make a donation please go to:

www.justgiving.com/Neil-Aherne

The whole slightly insane challenge also has a big thank you to say to Zac Purchase, the British Olympic Gold Medalist at Beijing, who donated a boat which Neil might actually be a little bit in love with. Unhealthy perhaps but it is – apparently – the Ferrari Enzo of boats. A sleek nine feet of carbon fibre that weighs just 10 kilos.

Anyway, a great cause, two great lads and we’ll keep you posted… The event is planned for August 15th although we’ll see what the weather does. And you’ll be delighted to hear the Verbier based members of Performance are busy trying to get seats on the support boats, partly because we want to be there to cheer on Neil, and partly because one is designated as the ‘Party Boat’ so should be quite entertaining…

Meanwhile if you ever wondered what all the fuss was about Lake Geneva, these snaps should answer your questions – a stunning place to spend Monday evening…

Montreux at sunset. If you like that kind of thing...