Big snowshower on the french Alps on last wednesday.
Unfortunately, only above 2.000m.
Which means grand opening of the Lautaret Pass.
The first session was on thursday november 6th.
Super fresh powder snow but not so many snowkiters going to give a try as the weather forecast was not good : no wind or may be only super light North wind which is usualy very bad up-there.
Actualy, there was no wind but during about 1h30, a really surprising South wind was blowing 5-10 knots.
So we had a perfect session with this deep powder snow along the area called "Jardin Alpin".
The 2015 snowkiting season at the Lautaret pass was ON.
On friday, a cool session happened as well, on the other side of the pass, called "La Pyramide", I couldn't go snowkiting, so I only saw some facebook pics, super nice with huuuuge kiteloops from Johann Civel and great shots from Bertrand Boone.
Johann Civel ripping on saturday 8th near "Le Jardin Alpin". I couldn't manage to make him removing the snow on his skis for a top foto
Yesterday, saturday 8th, the South wind was announced by the forecasts, coming with great blue sky.
Many, many snowkiters went to the spot as they were stoked with the first reports from thursday and as well Lautaret is at the moment quite the only one spot available.
We had a great day, once again on the area "Jardin Alpin", the snow had already melted a little bit so there was a thin hard cover of icy, but there were very lot parts with fresh powder remaining.
Super session all the day long here at the Pass.
But we knew that this kind of S/E wind can allow us to reach the mythical high elevation area called "Les Trois Evêchés".
The wind was not blowing from the right direction for that during the day, but around 3 PM, it did !!!
Not so easy to cruise towards the summit, so only about 10 kiters went trying to go.
The snow was super light and cold so we could touch some rocks while kiting but during the main part of the time, that was an incredible super deep powder for snowkiting.
The wind remained light so super difficult to reach the top, we have to cross some big holes with no wind, and super sketchy to keep the kite flying. If we fail, if the kite falls down, really really difficult to re-launch it again.
Well, I went first to the summit, and after cruising in the shadow of the big ridge "Crêtes de Chaillol", I met again the super nice light with sunset on the West faces of " Les Trois Evêchés" and it was near 4 PM.
Here, the wonderful high mountain spot "Les Trois Evêchés".
All the kiters following went to the top as well and it was like snowkiting heaven up-there untill the sun disappears behind famous peak "La Meije 3.980m".
That was time to go skiing back down to the valley in the dark shadow now.
Once at the car on the Lautaret Pass parking, it was quite night here.
Well, a very great snowkiting day.
Stay tuned, dudes, for next reports here in France.
Cheers.
Boulgakow
The situation was not so easy all along the day...