As usual several DMC members went skiing in the Alps this winter. Given the almost constant winter storms that battered the Scottish hills all the way through till March and made it difficult to get out here, it turned out to be a good call this year! February saw Hazel & I return to Leysin, Switzerland for another awesome week of off piste ski instruction and backcountry day tours across the beautiful quiet valleys the Vaudoise Alps. This year the snow was much more variable than last year , which was great for working on our technique, and the ski level of the group was much more balanced this time too, which also helped. We had a lot of fun and felt like we improved a lot, also enjoying several extra days skiing before and after the course to make the most of the trip. Meanwhile Daniela was at St Anton in Arlberg at the first of t wo freeride camps she attended this season. The second was at Chamonix in March . Both these camps were for advanced freeriders and offered daily guided tours. Daniela had her first go at steep and narrow couloirs on Valluga (St Anton) and Grand Montets (Chamonix) and a chance to ski what she describes as one of the most beautiful routes she’s ever done: the descent from Aiguille de Midi towards Torino Hut over Valee Blanche, with a quick detour to Italy down Col du Toule then coming back to Chamonix via Mer de Glace (see first photo below). Other ski trips to the Alps this season included Dave & Jen (& her brother Al) heading for the pistes in Austria, and Suzy, Roy, Jen and Al going to Italy. I’m also pretty sure Andrew Kesterton was upto something exciting out there earlier in the season but I’ve not heard the details as yet!

• Jon Bowyer