We're done for another year unfortunately. Got home last night just after midnight. Currently dragging the videos and photos off the SD cards but by way of a run down:
Flew out Friday 29/01, first day skiing Saturday 30/1. Four of us in the group, me (3rd year in Andorra + 1yr in Switzerland mid-90's), Dave (3rd year in Andorra) and my parents (2nd year in Andorra).
First two days the weather was pretty poor. Snow was excellent but it was cold, windy and overcast - but that was never going to stop us! Still enjoyed it and we claimed the last couple of runs in Arinsal we hadn't done before. Skiing from the top of the resort down to the village (via Les Merades) was a novelty. First time we skiied it though the bloody chairlift back up was closed so we had to wait for the ski bus and get the gondala. I did have a feeling the big orange fence across the top of the run said "piste closed" but my spanish isn't that great so we followed the pack - when in rome!
Third day we went to Arcalis with Nick from San Andreu. Perfect skiing weather and what an awesome resort that is. Bit disappointed with the really long El Tunel green run though. Looking at the map we were hoping for an epic long cruisey run that would give my old dear some much needed confidence, but spent more time skating or walking along or UP the flat bits - annoying. The red runs there though are superb. One of them claimed me as a victim - spectacular crash which saw me flying face first toward the orange barrier fence. I was laughing before I'd even stopped sliding though and stopped inches from the edge so all good.
Back in Arinsal we made our regular pit stop at El Cau for toasties and beer. After one too many beers we'd got Dave from El Cau to agree to film our first ever run down La Capa black run (or any black run) at 1030 next morning (lots of the bars get video footage on the pistes and play it on the big screens that night). Unfortunately everyone got absolutely s***faced that night and felt like death next morning. But we (me, Dave and Dad) conquered La Capa and we did it still slightly p***ed and got to enjoy watching it in El Cau that night. Another day of perfect weather as well.
Wednesday me, Dave and Dad went across to Pal on the cable car. Another day of absolute perfect blue skies and sunshine. Had a good few hours in Pal and was nice to be somwehere where you could actually lose your bearings (and your father, but that's a different story!)
Before we knew it that dreaded last day was upon us. To be fair though we had done a LOT of skiing and I know I was pretty weary by now. The weather had turned a bit crap again. Overcast, very few periods of sun so visibility was a bit flat and then by the afternoon it started raining, which made the snow quite slushy in places. We had one more run from the top and called it a day early at around 2/3pm. Every other day had been a first lift to last lift job.
We left Arinsal in more gorgeous sunshine at around 12pm Friday for the drive back to Barcelona. Took a much better route than the most obvious motorway one we'd taken on the way in. No toll roads, no traffic, no problems. Greeted at Stansted by the good old British over the top passport control and queuing for absolutely everything - instantly wanted to be back in Arinsal! Whether we'll be back next year, I don't know. We've now done every run in Arinsal and maybe a new challenge might be in order.
Not sure how the snow's going to hold up or if/when more is forecast but I thought it was starting to suffer in places. I'm no expert, and I'm sure there's a good base, but it was disappearing quite quickly at the sides and hardly any was left in the village.
That's enough waffling but as a footnote - we happened to be at the top of La Capa when Will McIllroy and the crew arrived for his charity snowboard run from the very top of Arinsal to the very bottom - in a MANKINI . One of the funniest and bravest things I've ever seen but well worthwhile with proceeds going to the Haiti earthquake. It was all caught on camera and no doubt still playing in El Cau now so visit justgiving.com/WillsMankiniSnowboardRide and donate a few quid.
Ryan
Flew out Friday 29/01, first day skiing Saturday 30/1. Four of us in the group, me (3rd year in Andorra + 1yr in Switzerland mid-90's), Dave (3rd year in Andorra) and my parents (2nd year in Andorra).
First two days the weather was pretty poor. Snow was excellent but it was cold, windy and overcast - but that was never going to stop us! Still enjoyed it and we claimed the last couple of runs in Arinsal we hadn't done before. Skiing from the top of the resort down to the village (via Les Merades) was a novelty. First time we skiied it though the bloody chairlift back up was closed so we had to wait for the ski bus and get the gondala. I did have a feeling the big orange fence across the top of the run said "piste closed" but my spanish isn't that great so we followed the pack - when in rome!
Third day we went to Arcalis with Nick from San Andreu. Perfect skiing weather and what an awesome resort that is. Bit disappointed with the really long El Tunel green run though. Looking at the map we were hoping for an epic long cruisey run that would give my old dear some much needed confidence, but spent more time skating or walking along or UP the flat bits - annoying. The red runs there though are superb. One of them claimed me as a victim - spectacular crash which saw me flying face first toward the orange barrier fence. I was laughing before I'd even stopped sliding though and stopped inches from the edge so all good.
Back in Arinsal we made our regular pit stop at El Cau for toasties and beer. After one too many beers we'd got Dave from El Cau to agree to film our first ever run down La Capa black run (or any black run) at 1030 next morning (lots of the bars get video footage on the pistes and play it on the big screens that night). Unfortunately everyone got absolutely s***faced that night and felt like death next morning. But we (me, Dave and Dad) conquered La Capa and we did it still slightly p***ed and got to enjoy watching it in El Cau that night. Another day of perfect weather as well.
Wednesday me, Dave and Dad went across to Pal on the cable car. Another day of absolute perfect blue skies and sunshine. Had a good few hours in Pal and was nice to be somwehere where you could actually lose your bearings (and your father, but that's a different story!)
Before we knew it that dreaded last day was upon us. To be fair though we had done a LOT of skiing and I know I was pretty weary by now. The weather had turned a bit crap again. Overcast, very few periods of sun so visibility was a bit flat and then by the afternoon it started raining, which made the snow quite slushy in places. We had one more run from the top and called it a day early at around 2/3pm. Every other day had been a first lift to last lift job.
We left Arinsal in more gorgeous sunshine at around 12pm Friday for the drive back to Barcelona. Took a much better route than the most obvious motorway one we'd taken on the way in. No toll roads, no traffic, no problems. Greeted at Stansted by the good old British over the top passport control and queuing for absolutely everything - instantly wanted to be back in Arinsal! Whether we'll be back next year, I don't know. We've now done every run in Arinsal and maybe a new challenge might be in order.
Not sure how the snow's going to hold up or if/when more is forecast but I thought it was starting to suffer in places. I'm no expert, and I'm sure there's a good base, but it was disappearing quite quickly at the sides and hardly any was left in the village.
That's enough waffling but as a footnote - we happened to be at the top of La Capa when Will McIllroy and the crew arrived for his charity snowboard run from the very top of Arinsal to the very bottom - in a MANKINI . One of the funniest and bravest things I've ever seen but well worthwhile with proceeds going to the Haiti earthquake. It was all caught on camera and no doubt still playing in El Cau now so visit justgiving.com/WillsMankiniSnowboardRide and donate a few quid.
Ryan
If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room.