 Poster: A snowHead
|
| Fridge03 wrote: |
| Any really that isn't a hideous price! Just looking for somewhere with a shortish transfer and decentish conditions! |
If you can fly to Salzburg then a number of resorts are just an hour or so’s drive. We’re going to Obertauern Saturday and the snow and weather look epic - 150cm at village level and sunny from Saturday 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Quote: |
haha, yes I had enough snow, got too excited too early, did 5-6 days, craving satisfied.
|
@polo, haha right? we got some amazing touring in last week.... well up until Sunday when the snow seemed to go to crap. But Thursday was pretty amazing in the Aravis! Been recovering and hitting the weight room again this week trying to get strong for January lol. Thanks for the updated forecast!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
As predicted, lower French resorts have taken a hammering this week.
Rain has washed away the low snow.
Numerous stations today have delayed their opening for this coming weekend.
Morzine
Les Gets
Les Houches
St Gervais
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
So sad for all those with businesses there
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Thanks for the suggestions all.
I think we are going to book a flexi return on the tunnel and choose which has the best conditions in the next couple of days. A quick look suggests Flaine is looking ok and is one of the closer drives. La Rosiere and La Plagne may also be options!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
@Frosty the Snowman, at least next week isn’t a very busy one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
As predicted, lower French resorts have taken a hammering this week.
|
You know, @Whitegold, some people might suspect that you actually relish bad news.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On much more fun news, leaving @yellowsnow way behind, (a chum was saying he'd seen)* forecasts in the Chamonix valley (and presumably the broader environs) 60-100cms next 24 hrs at 1,800m ...
* I haven't seen any forecasts** and am hoping it's not quite like that at town level as I have to be in Annecy at 10h30
** Just looked and ~2,000m maybe 40-50cms? anyway that's nice enough.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
@under a new name, A40 was a mess last night, literally closed between Bonneville and Cluses because a high voltage pylon was down in the Giffre. I was coming back from Annecy and realized something was up just in time to get off at Bonneville.... they said it might be back open this morning but FYI you might want to check Waze/etc and leave a little more time if necessary. Honestly don't know if it affected the downvalley direction at all, maybe not?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@coldrainsnow, thanks for that, I was just thinking the snow was fine and I had more time! no, I don't!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
The snow is fine……might get a little thin low down after the 4 warm days coming up but then the polar vortex arrives over Scotland in time for Xmas…..next weekend looks primed for a massive storm. Should be a white Xmas for anyone on a hill. (500m UK, 1500m alps, probably lower).
Then we should see the affects of the strat warming come into play into early Jan. Canada and US are hogging all the warm air for a change which leaves europe open to an arctic invasion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@BobinCH, yes the food and people are lovely there, especially in January 
The whole warming event is always a lottery as to whether it actually leads to an arctic outbreak in mid latitudes and where. Usually strat warmings start over Siberia and push the cold upper vortex towards Canada, but this year the strat warming is more over europe so that should keep the remaining vortex away from Canada / Greeenland in the troposphere, which usually helps europe to stay cold. When you have deep lows over Greenland we get mild +NAO in Europe and vice versa. Not looking likely with this event.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Snowmaggedon for the Christmas arrival weekend!?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
| davidof wrote: |
The base held up pretty well at this altitude.
Hopefully that reassures everyone. 1300m would be the very bottom of most ski resorts. |
And in Valais (assume similar in Haute Savoie?) up higher there is twice the average snow depths for the time of year
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| BobinCH wrote: |
And in Valais (assume similar in Haute Savoie?) up higher there is twice the average snow depths for the time of year
|
https://whiterisk.ch/fr/conditions/measurements/station/IMIS/VDS2 
As it says, the snowpack structure is generally favourable. Last weekend the skiers getting caught in France (I know there were deaths in CH but at high altitude in the Grisons, which generally has an "unfavourable" snowpack) were by surface slides, not nice if you are above cliffs or rocks/trees but not that alarming. One old dear was buried near la clusaz and her group lost their gear in the debris but no injuries.
A deep snowpack isn't ncessarily a dangerous snowpack although with all the rain expect some monster natural slides. Biggest risk is drowning at the moment !
Meanwhile in the Pyrenees:
Pyrénées Est : Nivose du Puigmal at 2470 m, 11 cm total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Is it safe to assume that end of january, early february, the conditions will be optimal in the Alps?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Alpinebear wrote: |
| Snowmaggedon for the Christmas arrival weekend!? |
Going to practice fitting the chains this weekend to be on safe side
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| nunex wrote: |
| Is it safe to assume that end of january, early february, the conditions will be optimal in the Alps? |
optimal? no. Hence it is not peak season. However it is probably the best time to go imo!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes, optimal is very subjective. It would mean a lot of snow and long blue bird days.
But I’m just concerned with good snow, being sunny and warm is secondary.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
@nunex, optimal is heavy snow and tree skiing  you can’t assume anything anymore with the Alps, if you can, book last minute and be aware of the Feb school holiday dates.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Thu 14-12-23 12:14; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| nunex wrote: |
| Is it safe to assume that end of january, early february, the conditions will be optimal in the Alps? |
Typically during that period you would expect to be far enough into the season for good snow depth but still cold enough for snow cover to low elevations. But big differences from year to year and week to week. All you can say with certainty for now is that there will still be a good base at altitude as it’s great now and won’t melt before then. All the rest depends on what happens over the next month and more importantly just before or during your trip.
Closer in Xmas week is looking pretty tasty for all but the lowest resorts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| BobinCH wrote: |
| Closer in Xmas week is looking pretty tasty for all but the lowest resorts. |
(in the northern Alps)
Southern Alps are just fine / average but nothing spectacular I don't think.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
| Quote: |
you can’t assume anything anymore with the Alps
|
So true. In lower areas in the northern French Alps the first week of April was one of the best weeks last season (not that it was great!).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
you can’t assume anything anymore with the Alps
|
So true. In lower areas in the northern French Alps the first week of April was one of the best weeks last season (not that it was great!). |
We were in VT at that time, instructors described it as January weather, the best they'd seen all winter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
And looking ahead, how likely is a "snowmageddon" Christmas arrival day?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
December 2023 is trapped in a snow-rain-snow cycle.
After the rain comes the snow.
Xmas week in Western Europe is gonna be big.
Parts of Eastern Europe having a disaster.
Bulgaria nudging +10c at 1000m and slopes greener than Ireland in spring.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| pam w wrote: |
| And looking ahead, how likely is a "snowmageddon" Christmas arrival day? |
Ideally starting late Saturday afternoon - when I'm safely in chalet
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Not particulary high near les Saisies this am
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
@davidof, that looks rather nice
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Whitegold wrote: |
December 2023 is trapped in a snow-rain-snow cycle.
After the rain comes the snow.
Xmas week in Western Europe is gonna be big.
Parts of Eastern Europe having a disaster.
Bulgaria nudging +10c at 1000m and slopes greener than Ireland in spring.
|
Bansko looks fine, enough speed and you can hop from one pile of icing sugar to the next.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@davidof, that looks very nice. After yesterday snow it was looking white down as far as Hauteluce this morning. Had been green, after the rain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| under a new name wrote: |
| @davidof, that looks rather nice |
a neighbour took the photo, she's a nurse in some kind of hospital / medical center near les Saisies (pam might know) and does nights and goes skiing in the morning. 30cm of heavy snow at resort level on a humid base.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Where’s the snow gone from next weekend’s Bergfex runs?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mean pattern for 22nd has shifted east, and a little flatter. Still one or two interesting Op runs but not as good as a few days ago. High pressure clinging to France a bit longer it seems.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
Current conditions are pretty spectacular
|
Yeah they are, had an epic day in the Aravis yesterday....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
