Backcountry
Conditions Report
Report from March 7, 2025
On my last full day in Courmayeur, Italy, I decided on a secret zone I’d found the week before.
It hosts north-facing terrain and holds recrystallized powder (I hoped).
The trip out there wasn’t bad but the skin took me longer than anticipated.
It takes about 1.5 hours to the top.
I had a plethora of options but because all my ski buddies were hurt or exhausted (see article below), I was alone.
Considering my Solitude, I dropped my aspirations a notch or two and decided on a fun chute with some air options that I was confident held good snow.
The snow was good up top.
In the chute proper the snow was a touch funky and in the true gut, it was downright hard.
I skied a handful of turns in the sun before committing to the bony chute.
I hacked a few turns and flew off a rock gaining speed upon landing.
The speed check turn was exhilarating and slammed me straight into the bad snow in the gut.
The hard snow exploded upon impact and my skis rattled around me as I jolted left.
I somehow kept it together and pressed on.
The whole chute was bonier with funkier snow than I’d thought.
I bounced down the rest of the chute and opened it up on the apron.
I was high with relief.
I’d avoided crashing and tasted the thrill of velocity in the unknown.
I coasted to a stop and drank it all in.
On the ski to town, I was dancing.
High on life, dancing on snow, and immersed in the here and now.
This was my last backcountry run of the trip and definitely the most exciting.
Grazie, Italia!
Snow Numbers
Forecast
Photos
