That time in February when I forgot my gloves and didn't get cold hands...

Seasons are changing in the mountains.

Mid December 2016. Brevent, Chamonix. lornecameron.com

Its been the shortest "off season" that I have known. It's been growing shorter over the last few years but riding into the the new year was something I have not done since I lived in the UK. The skiing season is getting shorter and more temperamental. We shouldn't have been riding dry trails in Aosta Valley on the fitth day of the new year. We did, and we had a blast thanks to the generous hospitality of the locals. Read more about inter season on Lorner's blog here: http://www.lornecameron.com/2017/the-longest-autumn/

January 5th 2017. Aosta. lornecameron.com

January 16th 2017. Birthday powder with Anja.

February 1st 2017. Evening touring above the Albert Premier refuge.

With skiing stoke low I went for a ride in Servoz. Now picture the scene, its the twenty something of February 2017, at 1000 metre altitude and I can't find my gloves in my riding pack. I suffer from cold hands at the slight hint of mild air. In winter you will find several pairs of thick gloves in my backpack, even in spring or autumn there could well be two pairs in my riding pack. However on this February day I was fine without gloves, that's how warm it was. Now that's not right. The trail was right though, "Wayne's right" trail was ripping and dry from to start to finish! Happy days, kind of. I will ski again this year, lots even, if March's storms are cold enough.

February 2017. Servoz.

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Being shown around my classic stomping ground

Another chance to be shown around trails. Not as glamorous as Switzerland, but just as good! Mortimers Forest and Bringewood, Ludlow, Shropshire, England The woods of Mortimers Forest and Bringewood are where I grew up mountain biking so I always love going back. A few years ago I built a long section of singletrack trail to link in above a much loved piece of trail that had been a staple of rides for many years. It was my way of giving back to the forest riders and builders. Over the last few years whilst I've been away riding 1000m+ descents my Dad has still been out exploring every corner of these forests. Sometimes walking with my Mother, other times out on road rides with his Wednesday night Pub Ride group or usually with his main Sunday morning off road group. They are trail connoisseurs, though they might not look it. They are the type of group that make up every British Forestry carpark on a Sunday morning. Escaping the wife for a few hours of banter with the

What guides do between work in the peak of July

Summer is here, and after fantastic spring riding in Southern France and then all over Valais, Aosta and Haute Savoie with good friends it's been time to get back to summer guiding, taking hikers around the Tour du Mont Blanc circuit. There's much worse things to do, but with three weeks off the bike I was itching to get back on some trails. With a carefully planned week between tours I was excited and made some plans to hit up some classic lines, and some new stuff too. It's mid July now, so in Chamonix valley you have to think carefully about where to go to miss the crowds, and to avoid going on the bike ban trails (July & August). Luckily it's still easy to find quiet trails in nearby resorts, or to simply drop round the back of a hill away from the frontside lifts. It went a little like this: Day 1- La Thuile with Wayne of newly qualified French legal mountain bike guiding service Chamonixmtb.com . Enduro race venue at it's best, rough and raw.

Changing times

Being show around Valais trails for a change People I've been riding with recently have been talking about the Emosson to Martigny trail and how good it is. Me and Tom had been up there in June to ride the first half of the trail and loved it. blogged here . So I was keen to get back. I wasn't keen to get up after a late night in Amnesia, but knew that the road climb from Finahut would sort me and Jarno out. 1 1/2 hours spinning wasn't too bad. Luckily the trail is great form the beginning, even if it undulates and you often have to get off your bike for a quick push up. It still kind of flows, in a 'flow-tech' kind of way. The views looking down towards Martigny and Sion were still great. The trail really gets going after about 3 kilometres. Basically from the Emosson the trail traverses North-Eastwards constantly hugging the mountainside to your left, and always with a big drop down to your right. It's another one of those trails with

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