Sunday 22 March 2009

Jo's gym membership sees a sudden increase in usage

The Travel Writer is off to South Tyrol in Italy next Sunday to write an article for a national newspaper. He's heading into the backcountry of the Dolomite mountains to test out the fresh powder in the back and beyond, taking with him an experienced guide, photographer, a good helping of avalanche equipment...

...and me.

It was after I'd booked my flights and he'd wangled an extra hotel room and skiing equipment from the PR company financing the trip that the questions "How much powder skiing have you done" and "How fit are you?" were asked. Until then, I hadn't really considered how one goes about getting up into the backcountry - the bit where no one else goes - without chairlifts or gondolas.

Turns out you hike.

Apart from possible exhaustion, I have no idea what awaits me, or if I'll actually be able to get down the unchartered, unpisted slopes of the mountain once we're at the top of it. But I'll reassure myself with the same words that probably didn't reassure him all that much:

"Ahh, I'll give it a go".

Gulp.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds pretty good! I'm sure you can do it!

Ellie said...

Holy Crap! You are brave.

Mouldy-Old-Tartlet said...

If Chris `Pretty Boy' Moyles can scale Mount Kilimanjaro I am sure that Sleeping `Youth & Beauty On Her Side' Eyes can hike the backcountry ...

The Unbearable Banishment said...

Waitaminute…Don’t they access those hard-to-get-to places with helicopters? How exciting! Bring back photos and BE CAREFUL.

Please Don't Eat With Your Mouth Open said...

PJB - I'm just worried about holding people back..or worse still...crying :-D

Ellie - Brave, or without a lot of choice in the matter?!

MOT - Ha! You're right. Chris Moyles has got nothing on me (except about 30 stone)

Unbearable - I'll be careful. I'll take photos. Not sure the budget stretches to helicopters, not now I'm coming along for the ride as well anyway :D

Brennig said...

I wrote a short that includes a real description of a climb to a very off-piste powder run went. http://brennigjones.com/write/shorts/frameset_passed.htm?California_Dreamin_.pdf

Unknown said...

yikes, the most excersise i do is walk to work, nevermind up a mountain. I'm sure if you train leading up to it, you won't do yourself a mishap.

Anonymous said...

Wow, sounds fun. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

You lucky lucky lucky bastard! (Well done).

Please Don't Eat With Your Mouth Open said...

Brennig - I hope my fate is slightly better than protagonist of that story :D

Mal - I've been to the gym satuday and today, I think that will be an every day thing this week!

blueskies - Ta!

MJohnson - I swing between feeling extremely lucky and extremely worried about whether I'll manage it...

Anonymous said...

Oh wow! Sounds wonderful. Mind you I am crap at hiking with skis - I'm exhausted if I ever have to queue with them on my shoulder for the bubble lift. It was the first thing I taught my children to do - learning to do linked turns down the piste came later, first they had to learn to carry their skis!

Oooh I am very envious. I love skiing on fresh powder - perfect.

Haven't been on snow this year - sob sob. And this is your second time.

Time Traveller said...

I read somewhere that you should train like you would for a 10k in preparation for a skiiing trip ... trying not to scare you :)

 

Blog Template by YummyLolly.com - RSS icons by ComingUpForAir