Synopsis:

Snow has fallen heavily over the past few days, driven by sometimes violent winds and an unstable freezing level. The snowpack is fragile. Avalanche danger is rated 4 out of 5. The mountain sets the rules. And we have to adapt.

At the first clear spell, we decide to stay close to home, in the Dents du Midi region. After careful reconnaissance, our usual couloirs are ruled out. Too exposed. Too uncertain. Too much risk of collateral damage.

We choose the forest instead. More discreet terrain, more stable. A little-known, almost secret spot. A simple day among friends, guided by caution, light, and the rare opportunity to capture images. The wind forces us to give up flying the drones, so we film differently. Closer. Among ourselves.

The story:

Friday. Last day before family holidays.

Snow has been falling continuously these past days. A lot. Almost too much (or maybe not). The wind has reshaped the slopes, moved accumulations, and created invisible slabs. The bulletin shows 4 out of 5. That number isn’t debated — it’s accepted.

We meet in Morgins. Maya, Marc, and Fabrice. The sky opens at times. Brief, almost shy clearings. Light cuts through the landscape, revealing still untouched slopes.

We begin by observing. Watching the ridges. Reading snow accumulations. Doing a few simple reconnaissance runs. The couloirs we know well are not an option today. Too loaded. Too exposed. Too uncertain. Too much risk for what lies below.

We choose the forest. More discreet terrain, more stable. A little-known spot, almost secret. A simple day among friends, guided by caution, light, and the rare opportunity to capture some images. The wind forces us to give up the drones. So we film differently. Closer. Among ourselves.

On the first run, Maya falls and gets slightly injured. Nothing serious, but enough to remind us how quickly things can go wrong. After a break, she chooses to take it easy, we go with it and adjust our plans.

The wind remains strong. Flying the drone is impossible, too unstable. So we rethink how we film. We move closer. The images become more intimate. More rooted in the moment.

Marc and Fabrice head out for one last run in a rarely skied area. A discreet place we keep for special days like this. No safety infrastructure here. Just us, reading the terrain, and trust in each other.

A few subtle movements under the skis, reminding us to stay humble. We don’t push it. We choose our lines carefully. And yet, what a joy to be there.

Alone.
In the heart of the forest.
With that after-storm light filtering through the branches.

We’re not chasing performance.
We’re chasing the right feeling.

We head home with images.
But above all with the feeling that we made the right choice.

The mountain set the pace.
We simply tried to follow it.