Its 10:40 pm - I can hear the bombs going off as the patrol does avalanche control. It's snowed all day today - about 15 cm - plus wind loading. Tomorrow its supposed to clear and with it, Marte off-piste will open. Setting alarms!

Marte is *the chair* it's rated as one of , if not the best, lift in the world for the terrain it accesses. It spiders its way up to the top of Las Lenas, precariously balanced along the ridges, angled towers protected against avalanches by giant ship-brows of cement. If patrol doesn't bomb during the storms, they risk that when they do, the avalanche they trigger will decable the lift. Not from the snow knocking the chairs down, but the percussion effect.

"The Marte chair accesses more expert terrain than any other lift on this planet. No skier could ever find - let alone ski - all the possibilities. It defines extreme."

ps. Don't worry mom! being safe!