Dynastar - Dynastar | Special Corsica trip by Kevin Berthon
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01.03.2021 - Adventure

Corsica Trip by Kevin BerthonSpecial season, special destination.

The Alps offered great conditions at the beginning of the season, but as the temperatures have risen, the snowpack has degraded and avalanche danger has increased. We knew that traveling was the only way to find better conditions. I feel very lucky for being able to travel for skiing: Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Chile, Greece, Norway; but crossing borders isn’t so simple this year. 

The idea dawns on us: let’s ski in Corsica.

With social media we can easily view snow conditions across the globe. For a few weeks now, images of Corsica have been circulating. I was surprised to learn that Corsica is home to mountains over 2500 meters, and even up to 2700 meters. With that I am convinced to go! There are several interesting massifs, with one week planned to explore. We are going to load the car and roam on the island.

Upon checking the weather reports, it looks like Corsica will offer prime spring conditions. High temperatures, snowfall more than 10 days ago, and luckily the temperatures drop below freezing at night. Perfect conditions to find spring snow on South and East exposures.

Let's go!

It's time to pack our luggage. I don't consider myself a skier of a single discipline: I like the steep slopes, the powder, the spring snow. For me, it is essential to have fun and to adapt to the conditions. I am happy that I can always find Dynastar a ski to match the conditions. Each ski in the range is high-performance and no compromise.

I decide to take the M-Pro 99, my freeride, all-purpose ski. I don't need a wider ski because the snow isn’t very deep, and I don't need a lighter ski because the accents are between 800 and 1200 meters. In particular, I want a solid ski in case the snow is hard and not what we hoped for.  

Moreover, the M-Pro 99 is solid, I won’t have any unfortunate surprises.

 

When traveling, it’s essential to have a ski on which you feel good, but is most important is reliable. If it happens to take a rock or a bad fall, I don’t want to break equipment. There’s less risk with the M-Pro range, it's reliable and robust. 
 
I couple that with my Lange XT3 130’s, so I will be able to send it on the descent. I can't wait to go! A PCR test and we are here on the boat. We meet with friends to choose our first hike: meet in Bastia at 7AM then we head to Monte Cinto (2700 meters).

We are here, in the magnificent arid landscape. 

There are so many lines to choose from, and this is all I can think about during the ascent. We reach the summit, 2706 meters. With my skis on my backpack, I face the steep slope with few meters to go.

As we finish the climb I turn back to see the expansive view. The Mediterranean, the sea everywhere, we can even see the French coast. I forget my line for a few minutes as I enjoy this unsuspected landscape. I already know that the day is a success. We enjoy the view for a while but it is already 1 PM, we shouldn’t delay, the 800 meters of south facing slope has been warming in the sun all day.

Here we go, skis on my feet, across the ridge to the couloir entrance we spotted during the ascent. As I drop I feel the snow, with the first turn the snow is perfect. I decide to let go: skiing fast, big curves. The snow feel changes as I make my way down. No doubt, I made the right choice, the M-Pro 99 charges through the variable conditions, it's stable, forgiving.

After 9 hours we make it back to the car. We soak in the great day and reminisce over a beer. And what’s next? 5 days of Rando, meeting locals, surprising landscapes, trees in Asco, windy in Ghisoni, dense forest in Vizzavona. Corsica offered us a very different experience from one mountain to another, despite how close they are to each other. 

Good snow, new landscapes, friends, good equipment... what more could you ask for?