ABSEIL ADVENTURE, PAS DE SALES, FLAINE - 21 March 2012

Have you ever agreed to do something you didn’t really want to do but knew if you said no you’d regret it? That’s what I did when Dom from Skiology asked me if I was up for joining him in doing the ‘Pas de Sales”.  It’s a bit of a classic off piste route in Le Grand Massif.

It goes from the top of Flaine down to Sixt, there is meant to be some great off piste, not very challenging and we had had some great snow in the last few days so what was the problem?  Oh just the matter of a 50 metre abseil! That’s nearly 165 feet!  That’s a long way!  I don’t really like heights!  What am I doing?  What have I agreed to?

So around 10am five of us (Dom, Tom, Ian E, Ian G and me) gathered at the top of Flaine to meet our guide Wilfred who was going to be guiding us all day and would, literally, have my life in his hands in a couple of hours! 

The sun was shining in a brilliant blue sky and in front of a backdrop of Mont Blanc, Wilfred handed out harnesses to each of us to put into our back packs and we set off putting some fresh tracks into the spring snow.  This was great but at the back of my mind something was nagging!  50 metres…really?  Why?  When?

For the next hour we were alone and putting in fresh tracks through mainly gentle easy slopes with no one else around, a bit of a steeper pitch, the snow was starting to get a little heavy as the sun warmed the air.  The scenery breath taking and yes that little nag was quietening down!

We poled our way towards and through a little hamlet, deserted in the winter, limited access with snow on the ground, old wooden shacks, knotted wood, snow drifts and solar panels to remind us we hadn’t really gone back a few decades, we weren’t that far from modern life.

A beautiful picnic spot, the sun warmed my back, the blue sky was just stunning, are there better picnic spots?  And then Wilfred was telling us to put our harnesses on.  Mine was twisted…it wouldn't go on properly to start with… this isn’t helping! 50 metres?  When?  What am I doing here? Where is it?  It was back… the adrenaline had started to pump.  My harness was sorted, our skis were back on and we were off again.

“Follow exactly in my tracks! Go to the trees and wait there! Don’t fall!”

Wilfred that really doesn’t help!  I followed in the tracks battling against that instinct to look to the right and down to see why I shouldn't fall and succeeding.  Reaching the tree an Ibex wandered by and momentarily took my mind off what I knew was coming.

Ian E asked if I wanted to go first, no thanks you can do that!  I didn’t want to go first but I didn’t want to go last or wait any longer than necessary.  I watched Ian go over the edge and told myself to breathe deeply and relax – breathe in, breathe out……phew…. and now it’s my turn.  I had already taken my skis off, put them behind the very small and flimsy looking tree that Wilfred had his rope round.  I’d clipped myself on and then moved down to the edge and now Wilfred was tying a knot with his rope through my harness.  Breathe in…..breathe out…..

’Lean back’ I am told
‘But can’t I test it?’
‘Lean back and move your feet back’
‘But…’ nothing I said could delay this any more.

I’m on my hands and knees and underneath my feet as I edge back is a 50 metre drop…… Why did I agree to this?  What am I doing?  Breathe!  My fingers nails strain 

through my gloves to get some grip on the ground, I’m on my stomach and snow is kicked over the edge and still I am not convinced my rope is supporting me.  Now it is – how do I know?  There is nothing but 50 metres of air beneath me and all I have to hold onto is a thin flimsy rope! 

I don’t think I ever fully relaxed but slowly as I was lowered I did a little and could take in the amazing views, the mountains, the waterfall, the snow!  Wow!

Eventually I am down, my feet are on the ground – I can relax I have survived! I can now watch and take photos of the others being dangled from a piece of string down a 50 metre cliff!

Once we are all down we are back on our skis and skiing through the trees down to Sixt where we enjoy a well earned beer before taking the bus back to Samoens and skiing back to Les Carroz.

I’m not sure I should be thanking Dom for setting this up but I have a great story to tell everyone! Was I scared? Me?  Er….yes I was!

What a day – I think the adrenaline may stop pumping sometime….

See the pictures on Facebook here.

Youtube video here: