HOW TO SKI THE GRAND COULOIR - COURCHEVEL VLOG S5E09

[@garlic.naan2]

i went down this on a pair of rented skis when i was like 13, once you are past the narrow ridge it is like any other steep off piste the scary part is the top because falling to either side is fatal and can easily go wrong.

[@150daysofwinter]

You are right, the path is the most daunting. It also helps being young and fearless.

[@DGN3428]

Really informative vid thanks; analytical but straightforward and non critical...perfect!. Helen, my wife, first skied it 30 years ago and later!!! became an Austrian Ski instructress; smarty pants! Thanks again for a super commentary.

[@keithgrainger8797]

Excellent points about stopping on the path in and before the first bowl. It can be a nightmare if your on a board and you get stopped in an awkward spot.

[@Poseidon6363]

I skied that when a full 3 Vallee lift pass was £300, I am 73 now and can only dream.

[@simonboswell7274]

Took me back to my ski seasons in the early 90s… straight skis and and the immortal beliefs of youth, Graham and Ed showing me up😂, halcyon days❤

[@150daysofwinter]

Yes, Graham Bell and perfect powder is a recipe for making it look too easy.

[@-__-.]

Think this is the video that got me onto the channel. Super interesting and useful. Still not skied it.

[@skiingfast1]

Alex if the snow is right, I'd like to see some various lines skied down the Grand Couloir this season.

[@150daysofwinter]

As the Saulire cable car is out of action accessing the couloirs this season is much harder. If we get some good snow in March we shall see.

[@1550TD]

Alex, Fair scoring/rating for all involved. Not since 2000 or thereabouts have I graced the Grand Couloir!

[@150daysofwinter]

She has missed you.

[@SingaporeSkaterSam]

I did it solo and blind (ie without the benefit of knowing any detail of what was coming up) one December a few years back. I was pleasantly surprised by the mellowness of the first bowl - and this allowed me to calm down a bit after psyching myself up for a good 10 minutes before ducking the rope (it wasn’t marked or officially open yet). I had the place to myself and was well chuffed, until I later saw Graham Bell’s video… I’d give myself an 8 and the snow 7 when I did it.

[@150daysofwinter]

That is one of the problems that at the start of each section you get groups of people psyching themselves up and making matters worse. I met Graham last year on a chairlift and he laughed when i said i critiqued he skiing.

[@lindsayheyes925]

I spent years waiting for it to be open, then had to ski it alone, being on holiday with family instead of my ski mates. Got to the far edge of the bowl, set up for the descent - and realised that my left ski boot was broken, with no strap. Ah well... What followed was the best run of my life, and the biggest grins, followed by some off-piste through the trees with my son, the perfect end to a holiday.

[@Alexwozere]

Funny I skied the Grand Couloir in 2019, my brother didn't want to do the traverse so I did the run alone. The moguls on it were pretty bad at the time so I decided to just straight line the traverse and hockey stop it at the end, little did I know I would stop on the top of a mogul and pop out one ski because my DINs were set too low. Was all good though apart from a bit of a punch to the ego. The actual couloir at the time had massive moguls (up to my knees) and was steep but it was all good. Worst part for sure is the traverse into it.

[@150daysofwinter]

Once you've done the traverse there is no backing out. Glad to hear you survived.

[@Alexwozere]

@@150daysofwinter Yeah the actual run was fun, it was just me acting liking a tit at charging the top section. The rest was fine although hard vs how some of those videos you showed. Massive moguls are only fun once a day.

[@KITRHOD]

I don't trust myself to ski it and my stepson had a fairly hairy descent down it! Useful and informative video

[@150daysofwinter]

Thanks Chris

[@robertedwards3551]

Excellent and honest, you won't catch me on it!!

[@150daysofwinter]

Maybe if the snow is awesome?

[@iainmski]

Great work Alex.

[@150daysofwinter]

Thanks! Iain

[@hooliovideoclips4255]

Just a suggestion - if you are analysing video, put your face image in the smaller box, so people can see better the video you are talking about!

[@150daysofwinter]

I guess if you're viewing on a mobile device that could be a problem. Otherwise people can search for the full for video of each run. I will certainly think about it on my next video.

[@IrishDougal]

Nice video Alex, just as an observation it would have been better to have the skiing video as the dominant video and have your video as the smaller window. Maybe you have a good reason for doing it the way you have all good though 👍🏽

[@150daysofwinter]

You are of course correct. The ski footage should have been larger. Out of fear of copyright claims etc. Part fo the learning curve which is steeper than the grand clouloir

[@yannhenriot2568]

Salut Alex, j’ai pratiqué Le Grand Couloir dans les années 80 quand j’étais à monoski. Je dois avoir que ces vidéos ( sauf peut-être la dernière) ne donne pas envie. Ce me fait l’effet d’une piste dont tu sors content de l’avoir faite, mais sans plaisir dans le ski … ⛷

[@150daysofwinter]

j'aimerais voir un monoski descendre le grand couloir

[@yannhenriot2568]

@@150daysofwinter je veux bien prêter ma planche si tu trouves le monoskieur. 😝 Pour ma part je suis passé au snow mais j’ai toujours ma Planche. Une planche super dynamique fendue sur l’avant et queue d’hirondelle. Tua Eco !

[@KayDessel]

@@150daysofwinterI did it too 😉

[@motorbiketoureruk]

Just straight line it!

[@150daysofwinter]

Only if your name is Candide 😉

[@blackdoublezero]

no dog, no yorkshire, no rusty kiwi ......

[@150daysofwinter]

Sorry I'm slipping.

[@skiingfast1]

I was scared watching this. I have a terrible fear of heights and the traverse was terrifying to watch. I thought you were going to show an accident and it was going to happen at any second. I've skied Corbet's Couloir many times. It doesn't get moguls because the drop in turns most people away. It's pronounced Core Bets, and mispronounced cool lure.

[@150daysofwinter]

I had a selection of crashes which ended up on the cutting room floor. Maybe for the second edition. I was just watching the King and Queen of Corbets, absolutely bonkers!

[@skiingfast1]

@@150daysofwinter It was a year or two ago when an adaptive skier did the contest. If you ever saw someone catch air on their sit ski this guy took it well beyond the next level.

[@moonliteX]

wait this cant be mt blanc right?

[@150daysofwinter]

Correct. Mt Blanc is over in Chamonix. Fun fact. A ski instructor, regardless of country, can point to the highest visible peak and state that it is MB. 75% of his clients will believe him.

[@moonliteX]

@@150daysofwinter lol yea i was just looking for information on climbing mt blanc and i know the most dangerous part is the grand couloir ..

[@150daysofwinter]

@@moonliteX Luckily naming couloirs isn't unique. There can be more than one BIG couloir (sounds better in French)

[@paulharper4162]

Nice analysis. 3 amigos were out of their depth

[@150daysofwinter]

They won't be the first or last to overestimate their ability

[@MasculineandDisciplined]

The hands are making it hard to watch

[@150daysofwinter]

dont worry, I show you how to shake a martini in my next one.

[@callum-ll8sp]

why's he shaking lol

[@150daysofwinter]

Its only a medical condition

[@move2003ny]

don’t you worry son, it will happen to you too if you live long enough. But I won’t lol you because I am not a see you next tuesday

[@kyleop1]

Easy, straight line it...

[@150daysofwinter]

I'd phone the blood wagon in advance.

[@kyleop1]

@@150daysofwinter Skied it thousands of times, gets choppy late on though