My introduction to backcountry skiing

It was bound to happen sooner or later. It was only a matter of time. My girlfriend, as well as skiing, took up ski touring a few years ago. Not so for me. I only snowboard. So I rented myself a divisible snowboard at the Station Touristique Massif du Sud, and off we went.

At the start of the week, I surprised him by announcing that I’d hired a divisible snowboard at the Station Touristique Massif du Sud for Saturday, who was coming to accompany him. A first in 3 years.

I have to admit that my girlfriend is a bit surprised, because I don’t do cross-country skiing, and now I’m embarking on a kind of cross-country skiing, but uphill all the way, but she doesn’t mention her surprise straight away.

The timing of my arrival at the shop wasn’t the best. There’s a long queue, it’s a beautiful day outside, I can’t wait to go hiking, and I’m getting impatient.

Finally it’s my turn, I take possession of the equipment and they show us everything. Although the principle of detaching and reattaching the planks together is fairly simple, it’s not the smoothest operation (besides, it seems to make me impatient).

It’s 10 a.m. and we choose the A* high-route trail, the easiest of the four for my first outing. We can finally start our expedition.

It’s accessible, the slopes are fairly gentle and I have to remind myself from time to time not to lift my feet like when you’re walking naturally, but simply to slide the planks.

Sometimes we have to step to the side of the path to let people who are faster than us (me) pass. It’s as if I’ve stopped, so much so that we quickly lose sight of them. I have to admit that as someone who isn’t keen on cross-country skiing, I’m wondering whether my surprise was really a good idea.

About a third of the way along, next to the path, there’s a small opening giving access to the family ski trail, which is the last option if you want to turn back. And then I hear:

If you want us to stop, it’s now or never, what do we do?

– My girlfriend, too understanding … or just exasperated.

I admit that I deserve this question a bit, I’ve maybe been sulking since the beginning, but now I’m feeling better, and I say to myself, it’s not true that I won’t ride this, and even if it’s not my favourite activity, I’m out in nature, the scenery is beautiful, my technique is improving, and wasn’t it my idea, either?

Maybe I just need to change my attitude.

At worst, I’ll stop taking photos from time to time. That’s not crazy, and what’s more, even though it’s starting to rise a bit, it’s getting more and more beautiful!