Davos Daily Details:

• Timetable - 9:45 to 4:40
• Area(s) - Parsenn, Jakobshorn
  
• Equipment - Palmer
• Weather - Cloudy with snow showers
  
• Visibility - Total white out to bluebird
  
• Snow conditions - Sticky piste and snow-filled pipe
  
• Company - Music
  
• Fun factor - Amped
  

Started the day on Parsenn in a total white-out.  Snow showers, low cloud, zero viz, strong head wind and sticky snow on the pistes made the morning experiance total pants.  I made a few bolox runs before bailing out by riding to the village.

Transferred to Jakobshorn, hoping for better conditions.  Although better, conditions were far from good.  Very low cloud wiped out all visibility.  On the plus side, there was no one around.  I made a couple of dodgy runs before taking refuge in the Jatz Hutte.  I hung out as long as I could before taking what I thought would be a final look at the Hill when the clouds started to lift and the sun broke through.  I found the pipe, full of snow, but not totally useless.  I started to put a few turns in.  By 13:30 there were a handful of riders using the pipe, which smoothed out the new snow and made the riding pretty good, albeit a bit slower than the traditional icy pipe.

As the pipe was running slower than normal I was finding it hard to even reach the coping.  Then around 15:00 a light went on, the reason I lose speed on the wall is because I flex the front leg, which has the added disadvantage of bringing me physically closer to the wall as I ride up (an off-putting sort of ground-rush effect).  For the next few runs I concentrated on keeping the front leg extended to the top and I started to reach the coping with less effort and what felt like more control.

I then started to put a little hop in the initial entry to the pipe, to increase speed for the first transfer.  Then just as it was all about to come to an end at around 16:15, I finally managed two proper airs out of the pipe, back to back, toeside then healside.  I let out a huge screem, part fear, part delight.  The rest of the turns were just a little nose and tail air as I rode round the coping, but the job was done.  I finally got out of the pipe with back to back turns.

As the light faded again and the lifts started to shut I rode off the Hill with a feeling of real achievement.

Board off, shattered.

Davos Daily Details:

• Timetable - 10:00 to 4:35
• Area(s) - Jakobshorn
  
• Equipment - Palmer
• Weather - Warm
  
• Visibility - Bluebird
  
• Snow conditions - Smooth pipe, bullet-proof piste
  
• Company - DS
  
• Fun factor - Relaxed

Made a relaxed Saturday start with DS.  The Hill was puntered to hell!  We carried on regardless and made the best of the sketchy pistes.  Eventually, we drifted over to the pipe, which was still in reasonable conditions.  Rider numbers were up.  One punter dropped in on my run and nearly killed us both!  I just managed to avoid running him over - idiot!  Otherwise, the riding was pretty good.  Not as strong as yesterday, but it picked up.

Mountain kebab at the Jatz Hutte - wierd but strangely good - then a few more runs before DS downloaded.  I carried on in the pipe for the remaining two hours of the day.  The runs were not so bad by the end with a little nose and tail air by the end.  Overall, not bad for a day that was really only going to be a gentle coast around.

Quiet pizza tonight seems most likely.  I'm wiped!  Still, here are a few shots from earlier in the day...the riding did improve, I promise!

Roller:

Pipe - Heelside Wall:



Pipe - Heelside Wall

Davos Daily Details:

• Timetable - 9:30 to 4:35
• Area(s) - Jakobshorn
  
• Equipment - Palmer
• Weather - Warm
  
• Visibility - In and out
  
• Snow conditions - Freshly cut pipe, good piste
  
• Company - Tom
  
• Fun factor - Stoked
  

I met Tom for a day-long lesson in the Jakobshorn half pipe.  The warm up ride around was in the fog!  However, we were able to get into the pipe and Tom went straight to work on my technique.  Things to correct: entry from the highest point on the coping, jump start with nose down the wall, hip back and centre stance, pump the wall, let the board run flat on the vert, and just let go!

We stayed at it all day, taking just a few breaks for liquids and lunch, all at the Jatz Hut.  The gloom lifted midday and the light improved enough to allow full practice of the new technique.  By the end of the day I was running good.  I was riding into the pipe from the highest point and pressing the nose on to the vert for the first transfer.  I had the hip back and the weight centred, running up the wall to the coping and letting the board run flat on the vert.  Toe side turns tended to be a little smoother but I was reaching the coping on both side consistently with every turn.  In the last four runs of the day I started to get a little pump on the wall.  There was some tail air here and there and I managed a couple of half flights.

The only thing I didn't do was fully let go. I need to sleep on Tom's instructions and to build on these tomorrow, with a view to getting fully out, soon.

We rode down to meet DS at Bulgun and caught the last lift for a run in a slushy Bolgun pipe.  Boards off, beers on.  Thanks Tom for a top day out.

Davos Daily Details:

• Timetable - 8:50 to 4:20
• Area(s) - Parsenn Jock & Hutte,  Jakobshorn
• Equipment - Palmer
• Weather - Sunny spells, mild
• Visibility - generally good
• Snow conditions - Good
• Company - none
• Fun factor - Maxed out

Started the day early.  Greatful for many hours sleep.  Started on the Jock, running the boarder-X before sessioning the runs above the Hutte.  Conditions were great.  The off-piste was heavily tracked, but not cooked, so there was plenty left for me.  Unlike me to sneak off-piste on my own, but this was too tempting, a gentle roll off one slope into a steep shute with a exit through a gully between runs.  I couldn't get enough of it.

Schnitzel brot at the Tot Alp then charged down the village run, which was empty and in the best condition I've experienced so far.

Transfered to Jakobshorn.  Got straight on with the kicker and the halfpipe.  Only took a couple of runs to recapture the form I'd reached last trip.  I was flying, particularly toeside.  I was having such a good time I even paused to run a few loops through the Bolgun pipe - bit slushy but no complaints.  Snow fun in the sun.  Awesome!

Man and snow-machine were in total harmony.  I had the best day.  Celebrated with the purchase of a new skycap in acid yellow!! (DoD: that's a R.E.D. Hi-Fi crash hat.)

Board off, brewskis on.  Pizza with the posse tonight...

Footnote: I got to play piano in the Egg bar.

Davos Daily Details:

• Timetable - 9:15 to 4:00
• Area(s) - Parsenn Jock, Bunda
• Equipment - Palmer
• Weather - Cold, low cloud, light snow
• Visability - Poor, flat light
• Snow conditions - Fair
• Company - DS (couple of runs) 
• Fun factor - Limited

Started the day on Parsenn.  Very poor viz, which meant everything was more effort.  Stayed on the slopes from the Jock, to tricky to try anything more adventourous. The hill was also puntered to hell.  Busiest I've seen it this year.  Still, I'm riding, so this is only a limited complaint.  One edgy run down the village run!

DS joined me at midday - not impressed with the white-out.  We lunched; saved by the schnitzel brot.

We bailed out around 2:00, but I decided to head over to the Bunda, which being low and tree lined was good viz and fair conditions, including limited punters.  Made a number of better runs, mainly switch with sundry 180s and nose-presses.  I then noticed a home-made kicker, which could be reached from the lift!  Good run in, decent run out (so nothing like a George & Michael kicker).  Hit that a few times, which was an unexpected bonus.

Bailed at 4:00, shattered.  Quiet night in...

 

Businesslike 10:00 start on Jakobshorn, riding the Palmer, accompanied by Patrick and H.

The mountain was less busy than yesterday, but still puntered to death.  Pretty much straight to the pipe, which was still in fantastic condition and hardly being used.

All three of us hit our stride and made the most of the conditions.  The vibe built until I was riding as confidently as I ever have in the pipe.  However, that crutial out-of-the-pipe air remain out of reach - too nervous to really let go and ride out.

Mountain kebab lunch; nice!  Few more runs then Patrick and H started filming before going their own way.  I stayed in the pipe until the close.  Conditions were too good to waste and I cannot really return tomorrow.  Patrick reappered and the vibe built again.  Then, after a few progressively smooth runs I made air.  Healside wall, third turn, now doubt about it, I was out of the pipe.  What's more, I didn't stack the rest of the run.

Carried on a while longer but was too tired to really push myself.  Still a real win.  Trick is to capture the technique so that I can pick-up where I leave off this time.  Stay tuned.

16:15 finish.  Swift cafe Bailey at Chalet Gougle with Patrick before zooming off Jakobshorn for the last time this trip.

Top day.

9:50 start on Jakobshorn riding the Allian.  Yet another bluebird day and warmer, too.

Started the day riding with Patrick and H.  Warm-up blast around the hill then into the parc.  Nice and smooth over the kicker but rubbish in the pipe.

Patrick and H had to leave for work, which left me riding the parc on my own.  There were two kids being trained in the pipe, using markers at strategic places over the wall.  Took me ages to find any rhythm but lining-up on the training markers certainly helped me concentrate.  By the end of the day I was starting to ride much better.  Think I could do even better on the Palmer (something for tomorrow, perhaps).

Meanwhile, the tips and hints I passed on to H the other day set me thinking about my own riding, which I tidied-up today (more pressure on the nose from the leading leg).

Kept going until the last parc lift at 16:30.  Tells you something about how much fun I was having.

Final blast back to the village.  All in all, a good day.

Lazy start, 10:20 on Jakobshorn riding the Allian with tunes.  Solo today - everyone else was too battered!  Bluebird day, more like late March.  Reggee today.

Made my first visit to the snow parc this season.  Conditions were among the best I can remember.  Made good air over the top kicker all day and warmed-up in the half-pipe.  Sessioned the whole hill, riding switch, hitting lips and jibbing 180s of all forms between parc runs.

The pipe was superb.  After a few runs I started to find a little form.  I've certainly ridden better, but several elements of the later runs were encouraging.

Late ride out at 16:15, making it a fairly full-on day.  Lucky 13th.

Spent the day on my own riding the Palmer in cold sunshine on Jakobshorn.  The hill was horrid, but the pipe was rad'!  The first few runs were typically tentative and a little sketchy.  However, I was in the mood, and with no one else around, I cranked the tunes are started to build up to a charge.  The top kicker was in good condition and I eventually managed to achieve a decent hight off the lip - less speed, more Ollie!

After four hours in the pipe, I finally started to fly, particularly on the toeside wall, which had a smoother transition (never really gets the sun).  Pretty certain this was my best ever halfpipe session.  I can still do a lot better but it felt like it was coming together.

Dismounted on a sluchy run to take one run in the Bolgun pipe - too slushy to ride.  Heigh-ho, I had my jollies at the top of the hill!  No prizes for guessing my plan for tomorrow...

Slightly later start, this time on Jakobshorn riding the Allian in warm bluebird conditions.

The parc posse consisted of DS, Sophia, H and me.  We made good use of the little kicker a ripped round the rest of the hill charging off piste-side lips and hits.  The fun refused to go out of the day.  It mainly consisted of simple riding and larking about, but sometimes that's all it takes.

We downloaded from the midstation and I refused to let the day end, taking four fun and fairly solid runs in a slushy Bolgun pipe.  My first pipe runs of this trip.  Big smile.

Too pleased with the day to feel tired.  Still, board off, brewskis on...

Another bluebird day in Davos.

Dave and I took the big camera to Jakobshorn.  We spent the day shooting in the park, ripping around the mountain looking for untracked spring snow and drinking beers in the sun.  It's tough at the top of the hill!

The spring snow was awesome.  The North aspects had untracked slopes of soft snow, which was a joy to ride - in April!

The park provided some good photo opportunities, particularly with me back on the fun box.  No slams this time.

Several halfpipe runs and a few kickers later are we were just about done.  Charged down to the mid-station and downloaded by cable car.  Left the hill feeling as though we'd given it our best.  Nice way to be leaving Jakobshorn this season.

Boots off, beers on...