Page 117 - Bugle Autumn 2014

Ex FROSTED WYVERN 2014
Exercise FROSTED WYVERN is the annual 6 RIFLES ski expedition and this year
took place in Val d’Isère from the 15th to the 22nd of March. The exercise aimed
to provide training to all students in order to improve their skiing ability and provide a JSAT qualification. The 46 students (including a number
chance for skiers of all level to get used to sticky, heavy snow. All groups progressed well over the course as the large variety
of pistes on offer allowed for all the major aspects of military skiing to be covered.
The SF3 group was also treated to some ski touring around the resort heading through
several picturesque areas that could only be reached by touring. The Espace Killy ski area offered a multitude of different styles of skiing which enabled all of the tenets of military skiing to be practised easily and the proximity
of safe off piste areas for ski touring allowed for those with skins to get to some brilliant back country valleys.
After dinner in the excellent ‘lodge’ accommodation the evenings consisted of a mixture of background lessons into the
dangers of avalanches, emergency shelters and ski care and forays into Val d’Isère, often late
in to the night, aided and abetted by the ski reps. The combination of knowledgeable instructors, excellent
resort and good weather made this exercise a success with all ranks meeting the aims
of the exercise, improving their skiing ability and looking forward to expanding on this in future years.
from 4 RIFLES)
varied in ability from
complete novices to
experienced skiers
(who were looking to
become instructors
themselves). The
logistics of getting the
entire course together
were excellently managed with the course assembling at 1000hrs at Gatwick airport ready for a short flight to Grenoble. A subsequent short coach journey later we arrived at our accommodation ready to begin. Groups were assembled based on abilities and kit was
collected quickly as all
involved were eager to
get to grips with the
300km of piste on offer.
The 46 students (including a number from 4 RIFLES) varied in ability from complete novices to experienced skiers
What was
immediately clear was
that it would be an
exceptionally hot week;
this offered its own unique challenges, those of us who had packed for colder temperatures quickly found ourselves adapting unconventional ski attire to avoid overheating. It also provided a good
The RMO Capt Ted Evans looking at home in the snow
It also provided a good chance for skiers of all level to get used to sticky, heavy snow
THE RIFLES
SIXTH BATTALION 115