Alpe d'Huez is famous for the 21 hairpin bends up to the resort, and is often featured as a finish in the Tour de France. Whilst my summer has consisted mostly of road biking I've still managed to have time to ride across the valley on the 2Alpes glacier. The large amounts of snowfall this winter have ensured the glacier has had a good summer season.

Summer snowboarding is a strange experience. You need to get up early and make the 45 minute 'commute' to the glacier top of the mountain, the only area that stays covered in snow year round. At 7am the snow is solid and icy, this is when you ride the halfpipe. That shuts shortly after as it begins to soften and it loses its shape. Next its onto the jumps which now have nice soft slushy landings, but when it becomes to slushy to get enough speed to hit those you move across to the rail section. By lunchtime you're back in the gondola going down!

I also had the chance to help test the new PFD splitboard. Based off the same design as their Big Mountain Powder Plank, a few adjustments had to be made to help the splitboard have the same snappy and responsive nature. Can't wait to get it in the powder!

Winter is just around the corner. I've already started to get some early bookings in for the 2018/19 season already. Early bookings take advantage of a 10% discount!

See you on the slopes!