Tignes and Tignes-Val D'Isere (formerly Espace Killy) 2022/3. Useful links on Page 1

A snowHead

Is the weather in thmgnes at all indicative of what nay happen in alpe d'huez? I'm there next week....

A snowHead

@Joshsnowfiend, Despite not being far as the chuff flies the weather in Tignes and Alpes D'Huez can be very different, especially when it comes from the east. But this system is extensive and from the westish. So the broad outlook is very similar for the next week, timings and depths of rain or snow will vary, but very snowy and windy at height and potentially vey wet in resort at 1850m.

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Thank you! Will probably wash away all the valley runs down to Vaujany etc. This forum is wonderful, everyone is so helpful and it's refreshing that humans can act this way towards eachother. Eh oh!

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Another Dame Vera day, hardly a breath of wind, just glorious but cool on the face in places. I was out for first lift and went up Aiguille Percee, the run back down was form but beautifully pisted and had nobody on it - result. After a team meet up at 10 we set sail for Le Fornet via OK and La Daille. Bit of a delay on the bus as the driver had to roll his fag and then smoke it. After going up Laisinant we came down into Le Fornet - the queues were quite large for the Vallon, so chair and drags. The queue was also long for Cascades, so an early lunch (no queue wink

) at Cascades restaurant. By the time we emerged at 1220 - the queuesr had swapped places, so we had a couple of laps of the Glacier. Home via the Up and Over, Germain Matisse, into Val via the track and home via the Borsat and Palet threesome. There were some busy areas, but generally not bad at all. No ice patches today.

Right the ever changing weather forecast. Tomorrow will be like today, maybe a few fluffy clouds in the afternoon. Tuesday looks like it may deteriorate earlier. Maybe a sunny first couple of hours but any high cloud will soon thicken and there may be vary light snow in the afternoon or it may wait till the pubs open. The breeze will build at altitude as the cloud arrives. Wednesday currently forecast to be snowy and windy, with maybe the odd suckers gap. The vital rain snow line will be between 1650 and 1750 from mid morning, so soggy below the Dam. There is still a bit of confusion about Thursday, but wet and windy low down, snowy and windy on high. By day it may well be raining up to 2000m dropping a bit by night. The wind will be gusting around 60kph in the village, so little will be open, never mind the avalanche risk. Friday will depend on how the high over the Med develops, the precipitation may be pushed north of us or we may cop for it, anther day of rain and high winds. Its going to be a shocker, but if there was ever a day to drink on the forecast it has to be Wednesday night!

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Another day of glorious sunshine, maybe a degree or 2 colder and some gentle breezes, all sentinels of changing weather. This was reinforced by the good old tell tale of Mont Blanc, who hadn't donned his cap by the time I finished skiing but he did have a halo in the form of a flying saucer (or altocumulus lenticularis if you happen to have swallowed a met dictionary). I was out early doors again and met up with a team for a charge round, we went up the Grande Motte, well not to the top as the queue was huge! And then round Bellvarde and lunch at Rosies. The resorts have been making lots of artificial snow, so nothing to complain about. But we seem to have a new phenomenom - we got to Tichot at 2pm at it was mobbed, seemingly all the punters at HMS Club Med have their lessons with the 'pull rouges' starting at 2, so we opted for the bus.

In other news, a Chilean base Jumper was killed on the cliffs above Les Brevieres yesterday. RIP.

Right, the weather, bear with me. Even The Countryfile forecast had 2 differing scenarios last night, so the detail of what is going to happen over the next few days is going to change every 6 hours (ie every time the models are crunched through the supercomputers). A lot depends on the high that is centred over Gibraltar, pushing the weather systems a bit further north or letting them move south, it could make a huge difference. Tomorrow will start mainly sunny, when the clouds build from around lunchtime they will fill quickly and it will feel cool in the breeze. Moderate snow will start sometime around lift closure. It will be snow down to Brev, but this will change through the night. Wednesday will be windy and a white out, it may start sleety in Val, it will probably be raining in Brev and snowy in Lac. So it will be a bit grim, the high lifts will be shut and the avalanche risk will be up a bit and climbing through the day as the snow accumulates. The forecast for Thursday keeps changing, a snowy/sleety morning with a snowline about 1800m, but then clearing to leave a period of sunny spells with variable winds, gusty later, the avi risk will have gone up again, so expect caution from the pisteurs on stuff opening. Might be a day to stay close to home in case things change drastically. Currently Friday will be a shocker, rain up to 2400m at least and blowing a gale all day, lets hope it changes. The snow will be fabulous and fabulously dangerous at altitude, I suspect there will be few lifts open. Saturday - too far away really but as Adrian Cronauer said "its going to be hot and wet! That's nice if you are with a *********, but it ain't no good if you're in a ski resort (with apologies to Robin Williams).

Enjoy tomorrow Very Happy

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Oh oh. I arrive Saturday. Having a great few days in Engelberg first.

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@Steve Angus, I did wonder. I’m guessing now but the touring route Terre Rouge is above those cliffs - Rochers de Grand Parei.

But then again? I’ve just walked back from Lavachet and there was someone, maybe 2, skiing down from the Top of Grande Balme, not the Col de Ves entrance, the very top Shocked

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Just to confirm the carpark Digicode from the indigo booking email definitely worked
There is an option in your account settings to add extra vehicles, so I added the rental vehicle reg to my booking but this didn’t recognise the number plate when we arrived so reverted to the original Digicode .Thought I’ll mention it so no one else wasted their time trying the same

We leave Thursday afternoon so might have to use the snow socks we bought with us as it seems to be hoofing it down Wednesday into Thursday

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Another day an other strike, there were less lift closures today, the only one of any note was Grand Huit. The buses have been severely affected though, difficult for those without sliding implements to get about.

However, Grand Huit being shut allowed a gang of us to skin up there to the top and ski down a beautifully prepared Perce-Neige Very Happy

. It was a sunny morning but we could see the clouds approaching and by the time the Soup Dragon had done its stuff in the apartment, it had clouded over. The breeze is now picking up (1645) and there is the odd bit of snizzle in the air.

The snow will intensify as it gets dark and then stop. It will restart before morning and it will be snow down to Brev, there will be a moderate wind, especially at altitude and it will increase through the day. The forecast is for Avalanche Risk 3 tomorrow, although the area just to the south is Risk 4, so definitely time for caution. I suspect the high lifts will be shut and keep an eye on the links, if indeed they open. Expect rain in Val centre by lunchtime and perhaps sleet turning to rain in Tignes by late afternoon.

There is still no definitive forecast for Thursday. The American system has it snowing all day, the European one has a suckers gap in the afternoon, more detail tomorrow, but it will be windy. But with prudence there may well be access to fresh snow to play around in. But beware the powder fever. For Friday there is more agreement - a whiteout. It should be snowing all the way down to Brev during the day, but there will be a screaming wind, so the Avi risk will probably rise and not many lifts open. The temperature will shoot up after dark as the Mediterranean air gets here and it will start raining, even in 2100 by midnight. For Saturday, there is only one way of describing the weather below about 25-2600m, and for an aviator that is the 617 Squadron motto - Après moi, le déluge. Shocked

Snowing in La Daille since around 1745 and it’s settling on the terrace and the rooftops.
Quite a lot of very scraped areas on piste and conditions have deteriorated over the past few days.

You know it makes sense.

Thanks @wasley, really good of you to confirm your actual experiences. I've updated the main post on page 1 about parking to reflect this.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/917459516239050/?s=single_unit&__cft__[0]=AZVCukrOd6wEIsO91Q6ctmkIWbFQAFHBOMiZtdaBip7qNbkcEONV0KMfK3JRJ650u0mH2KJSPUphkxQg4hc8PzkHZo1rWEQZy1-OIxJAOqiCh34xXED7I8pSBPI4yDUV2REzS1AU5llEALvqaNtOWBOdi61O6qki9WrXbsCmfAqvzbfu4n1lz_TOlcEO8TuWwvy0FcyQUs4qxDG5O6IIsPsH&__tn__=H-R

A snowHead

Todays activities have all involved being inside! There was about 3 or 4 cm overnight and then it started snowing about 7AM. That has continued all day, mostly light snow like now, but there was an hour or two of moderate snow this afternoon with teh odd heavy shower embedded. Its quite wet at 2100m, nothing settled on the balcony yet. It looks like rain now in Brev, but that will reverse later. So for tomorrow the pistes will have had a top up, maybe even some off piste depending on tonights fall, but it won't be champagne powder in these temps! More like UK Chalet Company red! But it will be avalanche risk 3 tomorrow, there's been quite a lot of wind on high, so slabs have formed, lower down the valley its the weight of wet snow causing the problem.

The weather forecast has changed a bit,, its not going to be as warm on Saturday, thankfully. Currently the low to the west of the Uk has bullied the high pressure over Gib to the south west, keeping the really warm air a bit south of us. Of course this could easily swing back. But it will be rain in Albertville so hopefully it will keep Saturday's strikers off the roads and under cover.

The snow will get a bit heavier tonight and the snowline will creep down towards Brev by midnight. The snow should have stopped by lift opening, maybe a bit later, and then there should be some sunny periods, there will be a breeze, but not too bad. The cloud will reappear late afternoon and thicken after dark. There will be some avalanche work to do in the morning, so be patient with the guys in black (or red next door).

The snow will start again in the small hours and will continue all of the day. It will be windy on Friday morning, getting windier. The avalanche risk will rise I imagine and if the links open then they may well close shortly after. The high lifts will be shut. The snowline should be just below Brev, it might be a bit sleety down there. Saturday looks like another whiteout up here and the snowline should be about 1400m (yes thats a thousand metres below yesterdays forecast - so confidence is not high in this regard). The wind will be horrendous, expect very little to be open. Transport issues for sure. Expect chains to be mandatory from the chaining area below the Brev turnoff. For arrivals the earlier the better. As for Sunday, bit far off even for me, a mixed bag with a shedload of avi safety work to start.

A snowHead

chocksaway - thanks chocs... always like looking at my weather sources, digesting and then reading yours to see how it matches my overall thinking of how it will pan out!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Steve Angus, All part of the service!

Quick update - its blowing a gale up here at 2100m. In the last 3 hours it has snowed, nearly rained and the walk home from the pub it was 35mph ice crystals - exfoliation not required at the beauty parlour tomorrow. Come to think of it I won't need to shave for a week!

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Well it was a wild night at times with the wind, but not as much snow as weexpected with 12cm in resort and 20 aloft. But there is lots of PIDA going on and it is producing results even just off the side of Anenome (Palafour to most folks). But the sun is on its way, so enjoy today before all hell breaks loose tonight and tomorrow.

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Absolute madness this morning, and a little disappointing off piste (but not surprising!). After all the banging and crashing from the pisteurs whilst chomping on the porridge, it was clearly a day for caution. I did a slow 360 in front of the Maison and there were avalanches on all aspects, thanks to the swirling winds last night (up to 150kph at altitude). Most were on the North and North-east faces. So there was lots of clues, I did a quick recce down Palafour before meeting the team, by the sides of the piste it was freshtracks but maybe 15cm of consolidated heavy snow thanks to the wind, the temperature and the rain last night. The pisteurs had blasted (I think) Couloirs du Lac du Chardonnet and it had propagated big time. Given its orientation, I met with the gang and we placed bets how long it would be before someone triggered Chardo Classique. As we rode back up Palafour the first two down Chardo triggered a big slide and got the washing machine treatment, but extricated themselves. As they were catching breath another team set off from the top and triggered again right above where the first 2 lucky guys were stood who had to ski out of the path of it! had the snow been another 10cm deeper it would have been a different story. I rode up Merles with FreeFloFoss who was videoing the carnage (probably on you tube later) when we got to the top the queue for the entry to Chardo and The Aiguillettes was huge......
Anyway we decide to go high to look for something less consolidated and found some pleasant slow around Genepy, which was heavily wind packed but you could ski on the top of it. But as there are some steep gullies up there the route had to be carefully curated to avoid the cornices and slips. After a Cococoffee we did it again. I'm sure there was a gully somewhere at 2743 metres that was fluffy and powdery but we didn't find it.

However, the top up has made the pistes much better, especially when its all been bashed.

The morning was sunny and warm, bits of cloud appeared about lunchtime and the cloud has slowly thickened through the afternoon, the breeze certainly strengthened after lunch. The snow will start tonight around midnight, currently the freezing level has dropped again and it should snow down to 1500m. Tomorrow will be a whiteout, the avalanche risk remains 3 but there is likely to be some PIDA work. But its going to be windy and snowy at all levels. Many of the higher lifts will be closed and perhaps the links too, keep an eye on the App, stay close to home. The snowline will be about 1400m, so all good for us up here. Saturday will be windier and snowier! Expect not a lot to be open and with a snowline at 1400m or so, the last miles will require snow chains, or snow tyres and 4x4. Expect an avalanche risk of 4 at least. The weather will calm down on Sunday, cloudy and a few flakes in the morning, followed by sunny periods, extreme caution will be required. Monday is a long way off, but probably sunny periods with an odd shower - maybe a rain shower in Brev.

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Blowing a Gale with the snow going every whichway and hopefully eventually settling somewhere.

Looks like a sofa/gym day rolling eyes

After all it is free

@stewart woodward, Time to get the hoover out. Radio val reporting a rock fall between the Dam and Val, only one lane open. Still it could be worse, you could be trying to get to Yeadon!

I can see the Tichot running, with some hardy souls making use, but by no means full. There was a time when we might have joined them, but staring at the walls of our hutch seems to have more appeal.

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@Ski lots, I think I would say the same about Palafour if I could see it, but I can't! So dusting off the Chocks snow intensity scale its snowing VERY HEAVILY!

I'm currently getting pictures of security queues at Munich, a mate is on his way and thanks to a security operatives strike he has been in the queue for over 2 hours. Arrived at the airport at 0700hrs for an 1120 departure Shocked

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I can vaguely make out the first pylon of the La Daille gondola while drinking more coffee this morning.
Yesterday afternoon we were sitting outside on the terrace after friends left, but don’t think that will be happening today!

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The ski area in Val is now closed due to the wind apart from the snow front lifts and Funival.
We did venture up before lunch but the wind was intense and the Fontaine Froide lift was interesting Shocked

The Auto Centre across the road have just put up the sign advertising snow chains for sale for those departing tonight.

Well we succumbed to temptation and blizzard conditions proved more attractive than our walls. Circumnavigated Tignes 3 times and some bits on top. It was bitter on some of the lifts, particularly Grattalu, but very nice skiing. Visibility bounced around, but no true white out. Understandably pretty quiet out there.

You know it makes sense.

@muppet, @Ski lots, You're brave or certifiable!

Well all day it has snown and blown, at varying intensities and speeds. The temperature got to just above zero in Lac, so the roads up here just about cut through, so hopefully all the clowns who got here without chains are struggling downhill tonight, so they don't bung the roads up tomorrow. Difficult to tell how much snow there has actually been but MF on the avi report are going for 50 today and 30 tomorrow- who am I to argue. Its going to be a Risk 4 tomorrow, so stick to the pistes if you are mad enough to go out given what follows.....

Tomorrow is going to be as windy and as snowy as today. SO expect a very slow start in the morning and then only the first lifts out of the village at best. The pisteurs are going to have a hell of a job sorting all this snow out in limited visibility, so I'd expect nothing but the free lifts for a while - have a lie in. By morning the snowline may well be just above Val Centre, so sleeting at 2100 I expect, so a bit grim, but it will make the roads clear!

It will still be snowing lightly on Sunday morning down to 1700m but the winds should ease and there should be sunny spells in the afternoon. There will still be lots of avalanche work, so expect late starts and only partial openings. Monday should be nice, with warm spring temperatures, still a sharp breeze at altitude and sunny spells till after dark. The snow will return as we move into early Tuesday which will probably see snow showers with rain below 16-1700m.

OK The travel, first things you are likely to need snow chains or winter tyres to do the last couple of miles and in the side roads of Val D'Isere, however the snow level is a fickle thing, you may need them a little lower or not at all. We are expecting 29k vehicles coming into the Taretaise, so quite a bit down on last week, so there shouldn't be any major jams from traffic volume alone.

BUT, The Unions are planning a major demo in Albertville tomorrow, each time they do this they block the N90 and cause massive jams and delays. According to local social media they are massing at the Town Hall at 10 so will probably be on the roads shortly after that until the CRS arrive and crack some heads together. So if you are travelling part down today and doing the relatively close hotel thing, get through Albertville by 0930. On the positive side there doesn't appear to be any fuel shortages down here.

For those aviating, a much better day in the UK today, any precipitation should be see through rather than white with the exception of a sleet shower at Bristol or Manchester. Over here, it will be raining on and off, but there shouldn't be any problems on current forecasts providing the mist at Chambery clears by 0800 as suggested by the airport detailed forecast. However when the mist disappears at Chambery a northerly wind will develop, so the circling approach over the City will be likely. Enjoy teh views.

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Thanks @chocksaway, will hopefully get there before the shops close (to buy tonic for the duty free gin) tomorrow evening!

A snowHead

Check out the dancing Tignes bus video:

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A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@chocksaway, Eh oh!

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Just returned from a few drinks and cheese plater at the queue de cochon and we have proper snow Very Happy

No wind, heavy snow and low temperatures giving light and fluffy snow. Might have to venture out tomorrow depending on the wind Puzzled

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About another 30 cm of snow up here, but the roads are not good down the hill. For those coming up chains are obligatory for all vehicles from Viclaire, not far above Bourg. There also seems to be very little PIDA going on which is strange given the wind and snow. Likewise theres nothing on the App and Aire Tignes is off air on FM Radio.

The snow line was a lot lower than anyone forecast!

The road is looking disastrous already out there. Val is also reporting another 30cm overnight too.

More PIDA happening here now especially to secure main areas above town... My understanding on the grapevine is that apparently slides are triggering spontaneously on all aspects and even with piste bashers working last night so pisteurs are having to work very cautiously and slowly to stay safe. Wind and vis making 'spotting' hard for them too.... Will be a tactical very limited offering this am from them... Probably snow front only. La Daille gondola cabins are at least on the line and they are re-pisting lower la daille slopes now for what it's worth!

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The temperature obviously increased overnight as last nights light fluffy snow is a bit clammy this morning.

About 50cm in le lavachet and serious road clearing going on.

I think watching the ski racing is the best option today

Help!!

Tignes and Tignes-Val D'Isere (formerly Espace Killy) 2022/3. Useful links on Page 1

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