Introduction Grandvalira in camper premiere ski mountaineering

It's been a long time since with my friend and coach Oscar Rubio we had pending to do a mountain ski route. He had been a ski instructor and it was a sport that we had not yet been able to enjoy together.

I had two weeks of vacation and taking advantage of the fact that it was the school vacation and that we both coincided (which is quite difficult in our day to day life) I decided to make the proposal: Let's go skiing with the motorhome!

We made a short getaway to GrandValira in Andorra with Ingrid and Oscar to enjoy the winter and its sports. Alpine skiing and ski mountaineering (better known as skimo)

Thanks to Grandvalira and especially to Dani Buyo for your hospitality and all the facilities you have given us.

Planning the getaway.

As I mentioned some time ago, we had a mountain ski trip pending with my great friend and coach Oscar Rubio.

At first the idea of ascending Puigmal arose, but due to the high temperatures we doubted the route and the snow that we could find.

So another proposal quickly appeared on the table: go to GrandValira, do one day of alpine skiing and another of mountain skiing.

First day: Alpine skiing

The weather forecast was not very good. And after so long without putting on skis, we had to get back in touch with the snow and this sport. For this reason the choice of the first day was to do alpine skiing.

It dawns very covered, the forecast for these days is continuous snowfall and a little adverse. Even with this weather forecast it seems that he respected us a little and let us enjoy a day of alpine skiing.

First thing in the morning, our friend Dani Buyo was already in the Grau Roig car park with us. We just got ready and went to the slopes.

It was a somewhat atypical day in terms of skiing, where I emphasize calm, no stress and enjoying this sport very calmly. A little different from what I used to do on my ski days, wanting to make the most of the day without stopping almost even to rest. The first descent we did was to go directly to have a warm coffee with milk and a croissant!

Already with the coffee with milk in the stomach we started skiing, here I leave you the video that Oscar has prepared:

Apres ski first day

Despite the cold and snowfall, we put together Dani's van and mine in the Grau Roig parking lot. We made some beers (they can never miss) and a very warm broth. After eating and relaxing a bit, we went to do some shopping in Andorra.

To lower it was necessary contact wheels or carry chains. For a long time in winter I have equipped the camper with contact tires, which allowed us to move around Andorra without any inconvenience despite the heavy snowfall.

Second day: spectacular debut in ski mountaineering

It dawns snowing again, it has been snowing since yesterday without stopping. At night the snowfall has been important, however it seems that the day will give us a small window of good weather to enjoy mountain skiing. And also in what way; with freshly fallen powder snow!

Oscar Rubio, Dani Buyo and Joan Pares are with me today, with some super useful tips and instructions for the initiation of this modality, in what we call Gran Fondo Marlboro Skimo Grandvalira.

I rented the material at Viladomat, at the foot of the Grau Roig station. Once the skis are on, it's time to climb up to 2400 meters of altitude. Along the way we hit a little, it really is a spectacular cardio workout while climbing. I love being able to enjoy skiing while you train. Perhaps this is what I needed to enjoy skiing again like the first day.

After the climb, we took the skins off the skis and went down the slope until we reached the Braseria Piolet Restaurant where I met Cristina and we had a good coffee with milk.

In the end we were able to enjoy a fantastic sun to end the day in the best possible way.

Here is the video of GRANDVALIRA CAMPER VAN TRIP 2 that Oscar prepared:

Time to say goodbye, assisting Oscar to start the car.

After a couple of nights in the parking lot with snowfall and low temperatures, Oscar's car decided to freeze and not start. So between all of us we assisted him to start it.

For this we put a Camping Gas kitchen under the diesel hose at its exit from the tank. For a moment bets were made, some said that the van would burn and we would end up appearing on the Andorran TV news and the most optimistic that the van would start!

Finally….. Rather than reveal it here, I let you see it in the video posted a little above.

I hope you liked the post Grandvalira in premiere ski mountaineering camper.

follow visitI do this web page, soon I will publish what must be taken into account to travel with our motorhome in winter.