SkiBike Tour 2010-11 - Avoriaz And Morzine
Posted: Friday, 14 January 2011 by Mark Kinnon in Labels: 2010-11 Tour, D.I.Y., France, SkiBike
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On the drive Wilf and I debated whether to start our tour at Avoriaz, Morzine or Les Gets, in the end we chose Avoriaz as I knew I would have unlimited skibike access to all areas. The day was bright but decidedly chilly and the first few runs at Avoriaz were rock hard and icy. Wilf mentioned that traditionally you start the day on Morzine's sunnier slopes and end them on Avoriaz's sheltered ones. So we followed the piste map and made the lengthy trip over to Morzine.
Annoyingly when you arrive at the base station for the Super Morzine gondola, you have to cross town on foot or wait for a shuttle bus, we were advised to walk which takes between 5 and 10 minutes.
Once up above Morzine, Wilf relied on his prior knowledge of the resort and we played on the many runs but accidentally strayed into the Les Gets domain.
The civil and polite, but quite insistent Les Gets staff, told us to go back to the top and head back into Morzine which I did; making sure to shake all the snow of Les Gets off my skis.
Wilf was gob smacked that you can buy the ticket for the Portes du Soleil yet be denied access at certain points. I was resigned to the fact, knowing the politics of the situation, he was fuming.
With the clock ticking we headed back to Morzine and across town on the shuttle. This then broke down with a burning smell leaving us even further to walk than the first time. We were straight up the Super Morzine gondola like a shot and started the long traverse back to Avoriaz. On arrival and with about half an hour left, we revisited some of the mornings killer runs only to find that the afternoon's warm had made them quite delightful.
We finished the day with the epic run from the top of Les Haut Forts all the way down to the Les Prodains car park. At an intersection we passed a group of skiers, they asked me a few questions and suggested that Chopper style handle bars would be much better. As I left them one shouted "Pull a Wheelie" I immediately obliged and won a round of applause for the effort.
Annoyingly when you arrive at the base station for the Super Morzine gondola, you have to cross town on foot or wait for a shuttle bus, we were advised to walk which takes between 5 and 10 minutes.
Once up above Morzine, Wilf relied on his prior knowledge of the resort and we played on the many runs but accidentally strayed into the Les Gets domain.
The civil and polite, but quite insistent Les Gets staff, told us to go back to the top and head back into Morzine which I did; making sure to shake all the snow of Les Gets off my skis.
Wilf was gob smacked that you can buy the ticket for the Portes du Soleil yet be denied access at certain points. I was resigned to the fact, knowing the politics of the situation, he was fuming.
With the clock ticking we headed back to Morzine and across town on the shuttle. This then broke down with a burning smell leaving us even further to walk than the first time. We were straight up the Super Morzine gondola like a shot and started the long traverse back to Avoriaz. On arrival and with about half an hour left, we revisited some of the mornings killer runs only to find that the afternoon's warm had made them quite delightful.
We finished the day with the epic run from the top of Les Haut Forts all the way down to the Les Prodains car park. At an intersection we passed a group of skiers, they asked me a few questions and suggested that Chopper style handle bars would be much better. As I left them one shouted "Pull a Wheelie" I immediately obliged and won a round of applause for the effort.