CHARGING DOWN COULOIRS WITH MARTIN BELL (Reader holiday part 2)

Posted January 21st, 2009 by Henry

It’s the second day of the Daily Mail Ski & Snowboard holiday to Big Sky, Montana in the US of A and what a cracker it turned out to be.
 
Every day those who want to be guided around the slopes – there are 52 guests – are split into ability groups and then led around by mountain hosts from the resort, Ski Independence representatives and members of the magazine team including ex Olympic skier and Big Sky resident Martin Bell.

 
I joined Martin and 10 others on another warm, blue-sky day and rode the Lone Peak Tram to the highest point in the ski area at 11,166ft. From here you have access to a prize collection of 40 degree plus chutes and couloirs and a stunning view of the Tetons in the distance.
 

We completed four heebie-jeebie descents, each taking us back to the tram, on double black diamond runs with evocative titles like Lenin, Marx and the Dictator Chutes. All are wide, long and steep and had grippy, windswept snow above the treeline and the odd rock waiting to snare you. It was heart in the mouth, thrilling stuff.
 
One member of the group, Mike Pomfrey, went for an even bigger adrenalin rush. Escorted by Martin Bell he decided to ski down what is called the Big Couloir. It involves skiing down a bumpy ridge from the tram to get to the start point. Mike says, “The scariest moment was standing at the top where you have to get your skis half way over the edge before you can see where you’re going.”
 

“I side slipped a few feet feet, then made a few tentative turns before finally getting into a rythmn. I was very conscious that I mustn’t make a mistake as it is a long way down and once you fall there is no way you’re a going to stop until you reach the bottom.”
 
The couloir is only 10 to 15 yards wide, there are rocks on either side, the snow was slippery underfoot and it’s a 1000ft long. There’s no room for error.
 

Fortunately neither of them made any mistakes and both had big grins etched on their faces by the time they reached the bottom.
 
We celebrated our couloir adventures with lunch basking in the sunshine before an afternoon of adventure blasting off piste through trees, down moguls and for the final flourish – a blast down a half-pipe.
 
Why can’t all days be like this?

Tags: Big Couloir, Big Sky, DMSS, Martin Bell, Montana, Reader Trip