Winter bloomed into Spring this week as I prepared for another five day heliski safari. Though in the past, I’ve traveled far and wide looking for adventure, this week I chose to stay close to home. We flip flopped between Switzerland, Italy and France, riding lifts, helicopters and skinning to get to mature, spring snow. We started with a traverse across the head of our very own Val du Bagnes, from the summit of the Pigne d’Arolla, down the Otemma Glacier, then skinning up through the Fenêtre de Durand. The ski down on the Italian side was a trip to the Moon- it was so wind blasted. But with a supreme descent into the belly of Val d’Isere, back to the back-side of the Mont Blanc, then down the 8km long Tré La Tête glacier to Contamines, with a savage return to Bagnes, even *my* head was spinning. I’ve tried to whittle the photos down to a manageable number, but failed miserably. I hope they demonstrate that sense of adventure we all experienced, right here in my back yard.
