Serre Chevalier 2023 / 2024

A snowHead

@Thick As, dooooh getting my runs confused Sad

Was it an outside bar under a canopy, Royale ?

"It was the bar opposite the bubble at Chantemerle with the crepe and vin chaud on sale. We were sat outside under the canopy. "

A snowHead

I’m driving to SC on Friday and my wife and I are skiing for a week then I’m taking her to the airport in Turin, meeting some mates and doing a week in Italy. Anyway - I’m planning the driving and was hoping someone with local knowledge could tell me if the most direct route (through Montgenevre / Claviere) is ever closed because of the weather? If they close it quite frequently I’ll look at a Plan B as well…

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@weathercam - sorry to hear about your troubles there. What a stress. Thanks for the tips - we'll attempt to follow them tomorrow. If we're not again sidelined by the surprisingly excellent Le Cabane restaurant which turned into a long lunchtime. Best piste-side food I've ever had! Apart from an amazing hotdog in Austria once, but I was young. And probably a bit tipsy. Tonight's fare at the Petite Chalet also blew us away - best burger and tartiflette ever, and we've had a lot. The only disappointment of the evening was the discovery that karaoke at The Sisters isn't until Thursday. Sigh. However, a lesson with the brilliant Darren Turner tomorrow will help tide me over (skiing, not singing. But you never know)

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@LukeRibs, no you'll be fine, very very rare that ever gets closed and the forecast is certainly not looking like too much in the way of snow.

@Sir Bitton, and you know something, whilst La Cabane is our resto of choice when/if we ever do lunch up the hill, we've never eaten in the Petite Chalet Shocked

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@Weathercam, Great, thanks for the info. Doesn’t look like I’ll be fitting the snow chains does it?

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We fly out next Sat - first time in SC. I think our nearest lift is Pontillas. How are pistes holding up and any recommended routes for lovers of a cruisey blue?

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Pistes are great, a little icy on the lower runs to resort but nice everywhere else.

After all it is free

Good to know conditions are pretty good as might drive over for the day tomorrow.

Off piste was ok where you can find it. Did a short walk up to the old La Balme lift from the top of Vallons and back down on sunny side and it was mostly nice.
Wet snow falling in the valley now. Not sure it will come to much though.

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I’m seeing a lot of high temperatures and sun on the forecast through until 5th Feb. I’m not out until the 10th Feb but just wondering how real these forecasts are or whether that’s just much lower down and there’s still the chance of snow further up?

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We're also out 10th Feb, will be our first time in SC. PistePro is showing milder weather and minimal snow for the next while but at least above 2000 it won't be too warm and dipping below 0 degrees overnight. On piste at least it could be quite nice. Some fresh snow will be needed to keep things good through the school holiday period, but preferably hitting on or after 11th Feb so we get a nice smooth drive down over Col de Lauteret!

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@22fluffysheep - The conditions on piste yesterday were excellent, although the higher runs and connections were closed for much of the day due to winds. I see the temperature creeping up so I imagine these are going to soften up over the next couple days in the sun. Plenty of north-facing and shady tree-lined pistes though, so hopefully it holds up for your trip.

I can confirm that Le Petit Chalet is rather good. Tartiflette, marvellous, chips great, beef fondu, bang on. Going for a lie down ….

You know it makes sense.

Revisiting my previous post following a day of piste skiing from Chantemerle to Monetier, back across to the top of Briancon/Prorel area and the reds near the Aguilette lift (knackered!). While many pistes did soften up as the morning progressed, many of the the shady ones remained stubbornly hard with some icy patches. Sunny areas lower down were pretty soft though, so a bit of everything. The runs lower down towards Monetier were not great to be honest, as I imagine seasoned locals would have know! But the red 'Yret' from the top of the peak above the Yret lift was beautiful, bathed in sun (apart from a hard bottom 100m). Last day today for this visit, so revisiting some favourite runs and restaurants.
Wishing all those arriving for next week happy skiing - there is still a lot of snow on the mountain and it's being will looked after I think!

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

FWIW this is the morning update from the Nordic XC FB

Bonjour ami(e)s fondeur(se)s !!!
Attention attention - Comme annoncé hier, les conditions sont printanières !!! Donc ne venez pas trop tôt car les pistes sont gelées ... Elles vont commencer à décailler vers 10h 10h30 !!

I'm actually heading back to the UK for a few days, for a number of reasons, lack of fresh snow being one, helping injured daughter, and seeing my Mother being the others.

That said, planning on an e-mtb ski tour this morning up towards the Granon, sunny south side above Chantmerle, just hope it doesn't become too overcast which some forecasts have.

Not too sure can make it back in time to La Cabanne where OH, daughter and friends planning on lunch.

A snowHead

What condition are the resort ski routes in at the moment? Thinking about a short tour over the weekend

A snowHead

@shredder touring is not super nice at the moment. The warm weather has left the snow either crusty or heavy or both. Went 900m up yesterday in search of light powder - didn't find any.

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@wimpytwo, welcome to snowHeads.

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Day off yesterday after a rather "hectic" few days at the ski-test in La Clusaz, and it wasn't just the skiing Laughing

Yesterday was enough to prompt me to go touring today as snow pack was doing the right thing on our side of the mountain at least, though I was a little concerned at how overcast & windy it might be.

But decided to tour on the South side as was not too sure about slack-country options* so it was out with the e-mtb and headed up the Granon road, and as you can see fair amount of cloud around, but you could feel temps rising, this was circa 09:15.

Did try a different way of mounting skis on pack, but not ideal, as too top-heavy and reverted back once I needed to take some layers off, after bumping into the 7e bataillon de chasseurs alpins (Grenoble), who were going to have a fun evening staying in igloos etc

Then as I rode past the truck, could see that was stuck and they were attempting to put massive snow-chains on it!

Left the bike at circa 2,000 under some trees (locked) and then headed up toward the usual peak, La Gardiole.

Going up I was reasonably confident that there would be some decent snow, that said it was very windy, and I was a little concerned that might delay the all-important melt.

The final 150m to the summit were pretty savage, with zero wind for five or so minutes and then massive knock you over gusts!

Ski down was way better than expected and pretty well decent Spring all the way, and that's the fun of the Gardiole navigating to get the best line.

Back down to the bike and it was bike all the way to Aravet as the OG dropped me off initially and took the van.

At Aravet bumped into Ben and who was just down with a Brit group who'd been doing some slack, and we compared notes and would seem that snow not quite doing it's thing on the North side, even though he was searching out Spring snow.

I'm back to the UK for a few days, as the weather outlook is not brilliant, and I can help my injured daughter return to UK, as usually I go back in Feb to see my Mother, so lots of birds with one stone as it were.

So @wimpytwo, there could be Spring snow if we get a decent freeze/melt going so you have to check the snow mid to late evening and see if it's freezing in the valley, which will happen even if temps are still showing +3, and then seek out spring snow, testing the snow as you climb to see if its starting to cook.

If you have a car then there are many more options.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Hi @Hells Bells Eh oh!

That looks fun @weathercam. I'll try touring on the south side and search for spring snow. Maybe Pic Blanc? That seems to get all the sun going.

I'll add La Gardiole to the to do list too.

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@wimpytwo, mmmm not looking very good, temps were still in double figures when I went out, whereas yesterday 3°.

This could be the issue for the next week or so Crying or Very sad

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I’m her now. Awake at 2am after a 24 hour flight and then a drive from Milan.
So no point seeking out a guide for a day or two? Stick with piste skiing and long lunches?

After all it is free

Going to book for lunch at La Cabane today. Best to call or via there Facebook page?

@sbooker, call them up.

Temps dropped to +1 so further up the hill will be a freeze.

Should be great piste skiing.

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@Weathercam, Nice mountain you’ve got here. La Cabane delivered a great experience.
Pistes took a while to soften but are lovely up high. I’m getting used to new boots and skis so a groomer day is not such a bad thing.

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@sbooker, I actually thought the pistes were a little softer yesterday, bit scratchy up there, even around 13:00

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Just keeping an eye on temps and seen it’s showing as 15 degrees on Sat in Briancon Eh oh!

. Is this normal for Feb and can the snow that’s there survive that kind of a temp??

Will be interesting to hear what it’s like from anyone out the that week!

You know it makes sense.

@22fluffysheep, Briançon's at 1200m so at 2000m it will be more like 7 degrees which doesn't sound quite so bad. Also bear in mind it will be much colder at night and definitely below 0 at altitude. So yes I'm sure there'll still be plenty of snow in general even if lower down things get a bit patchy

On the bright side some forecasts are predicting 50+cm new snow around the end of next week. Fingers crossed!

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A snowHead

PistePro and this is for 9th - 10th February. Probably that's optimistic, will have to wait and see, but hopefully we'll get at least enough to freshen things up a little.

A snowHead

Funnily PistePro now only has it as about 6cm for that weekend. I've noticed their numbers do yo-yo around a bit, but hey it's still more than none.

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We're in SC this week and amazed at how good it is. Skied from Villeneuve, across
the valleys and lunched in Briancon town around midday today and pistes were outstanding. Thin coverage on one or two slopes, but still ver my skiable and there's plenty of excellent pistes still to be had.

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Ps. It's freezing in the village every night, let alone in the mountain.

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I’ve been skiing the area for the past four days. If anyone is skiing the mountain now and not having fun they need a pulse check. Sure it’s firm and fast but the snow cover is really good and the views are better.
I rate this hill highly. A better overall skiing experience than some of the mega resorts I’ve visited. I’ll most certainly be back.

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@sbooker,

Good to hear that it's going well on the slopes. Very Happy

.

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Pistes in really good shape today, the slight overcast stopped the sun from making the slopes too mushy!

After all it is free

Interesting that the off piste areas in the sun didn’t soften as much as I expected though. I was hoping for some of that perfect creamy snow. I couldn’t find any.

Always worrying when the off-piste has a sheen to it.........

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Went up towards the Galibier sector ski-touring but bailed after an hour & 350m climbing as light was so flat & a cold wind, along with clouds was not conducive to snow transforming, and loads of people up there, so many snowshoers as I presume that's to do with lack of snow elsewhere and guides taking clients up there, and many ski tourers as well.

Then later of went up the hill with a mate over from California staying in La Grave and had a look at some of the usual suspects (Spring slack country areas) and there is some potential maybe; had a good piste blast and even late afternoon pistes were in good nick.

Help!!

Serre Chevalier 2023 / 2024

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