Riding Mountains: Destination X

 you need a house down our end of the world, then you can switch back and forth. Endless sun, endless seasons and endless trail

 Show me the money!

 Take my money!

 OK, I'll take your money and send you a postcard. Bet this vacation's not cheap.

 I know they don't accept SMBLA which is ridiculous. What, I mean are the mountains in France that different?

 In nearly every way the trails in the Scottish Mountains are far more serious and remote than trails in the French Alps...

 Obviously not been in the middle of the alps, in the middle of summer when a thunder storm hits at 1900m above sea level, the temperature drops to less than 5 degrees and the nearest chair lift is 3 hours away... I think that becomes pretty serious

 @Matt-W, you're right,a lot of activities are illegal for non French indigenous.
The French are indeed a law to themselves,a fact that had really annoyed me for many years,but now i have the up most respect for !
Why have you been neg propped for pointing this out ????????????????????????????

 Benjonesmtb - the PdS yes, the more remote Alps probably not.

 Ahh those French guys....

 Absolutely true, various companies are actually run out of french-Switzerland.

 french Loving foooooool

 timgoodwin/GrandMasterOrge, I simply said Scottish conditions can be more serious than Alpine conditions, not that the conditions can't be serious in the Alps. This is based on my personal experience guiding extensively in both countries, both on and off bikes. Perhaps, I should clarify what I mean by this, not necessarily a reflection on the actual conditions you'll encounter, but rather the speed these conditions can change and the escape options often available. I would say the same about Scottish mountaineering over Alpine mountaineering or Scottish Ski Touring over Alpine Ski Touring. I've had to draw on navigation and "survival" skills far more in the Scottish Mountains than in the Alps. Probably, at least in part, because I wouldn't set out in the Alps in poor conditions or with a poor forecast - where-as Scotland it is a matter of course.

Getting caught high in the Alps in a thunder-storm is fairly seriously, I agree - however, escape is often easier in the Alps (with roads and refuge in most valleys) and really once the warning signs start to show you should be modifying you day to avoid been caught high up (weather forecasts are generally accurate in the Alps and the warning signs of a late afternoon storm as often present by lunch-time). In Scotland the weather changes far faster and is more unpredicatable, forecasts are poorer and often escape is more difficult. Also rescue is harder, a storm will clear quickly, however, in Scotland frontal weather systems can last days.

My point really is, that if you can MTB guide in the Scottish Mountains safely, then there is no reason why your skills don't transfer to trails in the French Alps. As to whether the SMBLA qualification on it's own ensures a guide is capable of guiding safely in harsh Scottish conditions - that's another argument.

 Benjones - my apologies I took your initial comment out of context, I read it as a standard pinkbike 'my trails are better than yours', Emily has since explained what you meant (and so have you), which I'd probably agree with, although I've not spent much time in Scotland.

Even in South Wales less than 20 minutes from a city we had a rider crash on a secret track and from all accounts it took pretty much every emergency service available a very long time to get the guy out simply because there is no access to that part of the track and they aren't set up for that sort of rescue, whereas I guess in the Alps it's every day's business.

 Yep... I loved the remoteness though. Booked in for 3 weeks this year. Cannot wait to ride Hairspray again

 im glad im not the only one who feels pained to watch this

 You are not alone.....

 i work for them so I can comment on this. LA BC weeks are cool, you get to do loads of different stuff - uplifted or more pedally big days out depending on your taste, and the week may possibly incorporate a day to Dest X (you'd need to speak to Ali about that though). The riding over there is awesome, and tbh I can't decide which I'd go for if I only had one week. There are some brilliant back country trails over here (Arcs) which are barely touched because they're not accessed by the lifts during the season, but then there are some sweet ones in Dest X too.. Dest X on the whole is less busy during the season but comparing it to the Les Arcs back country weeks when the lifts aren't open anywhere, they'll both be about the same level of "really quiet".

 that bugging me too ! AHHAHA

 They're actually going very slightly up hill in the granny ring. The camera is at an angle so it looks like they're going downhill.

 Yes it is a Cotic BFE. I love this bike. I have a Soul and it is terrible!

 The open ridge views of the nearby alps are unique but the terrain and trails look exactly like Jackson WY, Sun Valley, ID or the high trails above Salt Lake City, UT. Pemberton? Canadian Rockies on the dry side... Just about anywhere in the Intermountain West (UT, CO, WY, ID, MT)

 It's a Cotic BFE.

 wont be too long now mate and once again i will be making my yearly trip to the Alps,Been over 15 times now and still cant get enough.