For snowboarders who like mountains...

This blog has been created with the purpose of compiling almost all my backcountry days from my first steps in the Cantabrican mountains to mountain ranges such as the Alps and the Pyrenees, and hopefully filled in the future with many travels in the pursuit of great rides and remote areas. Enjoy the reading!

Tuc de Hornos, q. 2350m...attempting twice, doesnt mean achieving it...November, 28th 2013

Friday posed the first perfect weather conditions of the five potential days of this week that I had to get started this season. To be honest, this enormous amount of time was promising but didnt bring what I was expecting it to be. And that´s a giant shame given the exceptional snow conditions. 

Three days out of five weather was too foggy, Friday was nice and Sunday would have been good but I didnt have the motivation to drive 3h each way after this week full of setbacks...something bad would have probably happen if I had gone....What´s more, Wednesday and Thursday were stunning days but those were the only ones I couldnt go to the mountains...jajaja.

Well, let´s go to Friday trip. I went to same zone than Monday, hoping this time to both reaching the top and enjoying the descent. I couldnt accomplish the first one, but I did the second one!


Whatever the output is, its always a pleasure skinning up through that forest.


I took myself a picture with Tuc de Sarrahera behind me. Even there were clouds....they were chasing me...Easy and beatiful ascent.


I came across with a couple of skiers. None of us considered safe to reach the last 50m to the summit. Once more time, the mountainering side of the trip ended in failure. From the highest point we reached, Aneto massiff sticked out!!


The descent was great. This time with visibility I could hop in the most snowboard friendly slopes. To enjoy this pow the terrain shouldnt be flat, if it happens to have flat parts you will get stucked....


Enjoyable tube....




After this stunning tube, which met what I call "double S": steep enough to ride pow and safe to go over it, I ate a snack surroundd by the gorgeous scenary.


Lastly, the way back to the forest wich took me to the piste again. From the piste 20mins remains to get back to the car. I normally split the board but without skins so is faster and more comfortable this part.


To sum up, the only day out of five which was worth waiting for it. It tasted a little after the expectations created...I wish I could say it the way around, but 4 out of 5 days were missed out!!

Ill take some days apart from this and Ill hope when I am back this curse has slipped away!!

Tuc de Hornos, q.2300m ... the most disappointing first descent...November, 25th 2013

Once again, the winter season got started !! I don´t know any better place around here than Val d´Aran  to draw the first lines. It has been snowing for the previous 8 days after several  and unusual, for the time, snow storms have hit the Pyrenees in a row. It was surprising how the situation changed in a sudden. After a warmer and drier Fall, now we got main villages of the valley with up to 80cm and roughly 200cm at an altitude of 2000m.

I took Monday and Tuesday off as weather forecast forecasted nice weather for those two days the last week. As Monday was approaching the weather forecast was getting worse...Cloudy weather means fog in the mountains...

Right after the tunnel I saw how clouds were stopped beyond and how sunny was in a good area for backcountry. So, delightly I thought, that´s for me! This is my time! I left the park and started to skin up after my last descent in the Maladeta.

Some trees are still turning... 



Clear sky, the forest coated with fresh snow, easy track...Lovely way back to what I like...


So, so pleasent to be skinning up through this fully snowed  fir tree forest in a cold morning....


And when I came out of the forest after thinking how privileged I was, I saw how clouds moved right onto the mountain I was heading....


I was convinced that karma couldnt play so unfairly against my interest so I decided to go on...


Come on, clear it up!! Its one of my numbered fucking day off....


I dont know if it was karma, weather God or what the hell but whereas in other mountains Sun was shining...



....the one I was heading posed the most foggy face of any mountains around here...The only charming thing was that I met Marc. This local knew the place and was able to go thrugh the fog.


Despite his attempt we gave up for it at 2300m. We were actually very close to the summit. At some point the clouds peeled away for 2 seconds  we even saw it.

An here it comes...my torment. Low visibility, very deep snow and flat ground made a significant part of my descent a very unpleasent one...and this hurts if you have been wating for it all summer...Needless to say, the effort to reach up there and being this a day-off...

In very few accasions the descent became nicer...


On the whole, It wasn´t rewarding when it comes to assesing the descent...Maybe its me that I was asking too  much after having kept this pair of day-off for a D-day...I guess there must be foggy days in a backcountry career ja-ja. Let´s see the good point...Last June I was hoping to be the next season in the Pyrenees, and by now, here I am!! But please, a little bit luckier in weather conditions than last year...