Base building

It was less than a week ago that I was still in the UK dreaming about the mountains, hoping for cold temperatures, praying for regular snowfalls, visualising snow cannons blasting away and imagining piste bashers thundering by.

Guess what, that's all been happening every day since I arrived. It's a perfect start to this coming ski season - and it's still not December.

That all important 'base' is being formed both naturally and artificially. So whilst many people are shivering in the UK at the moment, I've personally got a massive smile on my face because of these conditions. Some people could say this is selfish, maybe, but the positives are worth it for us skiers in winter.

Even though the lifts don't open here for another week, I'm hoping to put on my skis soon. I'll either skin up the mountain somewhere, as long as the clouds disappear. Or I'll head over to Tignes and Val d'Isere for a cheeky first slide. Time to dust off the ski kit methinks, and make sure my Icebreaker thermals are to hand, it's freezing out here.

Martin