 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
We skied last year during April holiday and lost two days to flat light. Im wondering if it we would have better luck in February? Any thoughts?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
ELLENESK, flat light has nothing to do with the time of year. They are equally likely any time. But the last two weeks of February will be peak holiday time - very busy. Why were the days "lost"? The right goggles can help a lot. So can skiing in the trees - not that there are many of them in Val D'Isere!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Well if you go in February and don't have flat light it would be just that, luck. Just as likely to have flat light in February as in April, or not. Its the vagaries of the weather, impossible to predict.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
The snow will be softer in February. In April it will be rock hard ice in the morning, and slushy wet snow in the afternoon. In February, it will be soft groomed snow, tons of it, with lots of powder off piste. This is a major factor if you are a seasoned skier, who has been through many mogul fields.
Try March as a compromise! Weather is usually warm and sunny, and no so much clouds in the sky!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
ELLENESK, You get flat light whenever ..... In Feb (if you mean half term) you get mostly too many people !
April you will get powder, but also spring snow, and (providing you remember not to ski them first thing ....) soft bumps. I don't know what Bigtipper, means by
| Quote: |
This is a major factor if you are a seasoned skier, who has been through many mogul fields.
|
? If you are a seasoned skier you'll like all snow ? (I know I do)
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Quote: |
The snow will be softer in February. In April it will be rock hard ice in the morning, and slushy wet snow in the afternoon. In February, it will be soft groomed snow, tons of it, with lots of powder off piste. This is a major factor if you are a seasoned skier, who has been through many mogul fields.
Try March as a compromise! Weather is usually warm and sunny, and no so much clouds in the sky!
|
Hmm. Quite a lot of generalisations there. To suggest that there are fewer clouds in March than in February or April is a bit odd. And you'll only get "fresh powder" for a few days after new snowfall; it can go weeks without snowing.
In Val D'Isere, most Aprils, I'd expect conditions to be pretty good the first half of the month especially if you are canny about the aspect of the slopes you choose, morning and afternoon.
The first half of March it will still be very busy - French school holidays. Second half of March would be good, though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
The snow will be softer in February. In April it will be rock hard ice in the morning, and slushy wet snow in the afternoon.
|
This is a ridiculous generalisation. I've skied rock hard piste in February because it hasn't snowed for weeks on end, and I spent most of last April in powder over my knees. The significant difference between the two dates is that Feb will be crowded and expensive, and April won't.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lizzard, +1
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
constrained by school holidays, but luckily February break is an "off week" april wont be until mid month, so I know the afternoon wont be great. It was just to grey to see variations in the snow, really bad light two days. Which goggles do you suggest to combat that?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
luckily February break is an "off week"
|
sorry, don't know what you mean by that?
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Quote: |
Quote:
The snow will be softer in February. In April it will be rock hard ice in the morning, and slushy wet snow in the afternoon.
This is a ridiculous generalisation. I've skied rock hard piste in February because it hasn't snowed for weeks on end, and I spent most of last April in powder over my knees. The significant difference between the two dates is that Feb will be crowded and expensive, and April won't.
|
A generalisation, yes, but there is some truth in it, April is very likely to thaw through the day and freeze overnight, its years since I skied later than February but bulletproof mornings followed by slushy afternoons is certainly my memory of late season skiing but there are always exceptions. In February, it generally stays soft & light all day, but if it hasn't snowed for some time and it has been windy, then sometimes it can be bulletproof all day!.
Personally I prefer January
|
|
|
|
|
|
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: |
The significant difference between the two dates is that Feb will be crowded and expensive, and April won't.
|
Might be a bit different for next season with Easter being in mid April 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
chocksaway, Easter isn't really a big issue in France, I find. Most of the locals are dusting off the mountain bikes by then. Nothing like as busy as the four winter holiday weeks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
chocksaway, +1 pam. Easter doesn't seem to make any difference to our bookings, especially as the UK is moving towards an Easter-free term schedule. The French aren't interested either.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Lizzard wrote: |
| The significant difference between the two dates is that Feb will be crowded and expensive, and April won't. |
That's precisely the opposite of my experience. I don't go in half terms though.
What nobody has mentioned is that February can be cold. Really cold. I'm not particularly bothered by the cold but I've retreated off the hill in Val d'Isere in -20C and strong wind.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
ELLENESK, We skied in Val D'isere last April after Easter. The snow was great, far better than in Les Arcs - we drove over. The weather was wonderful and there was nobody there. I'd always go April not February- we have our own place and haven't been in Feb half term for years even though I have school age child, because of the 7 hour queue from Lyon airport to Les Arcs, expensive flights, lift queues  A bit of flat light is a small price to pay but as above we have had bad light in all months. Bad light and warm is fine. Bad light and minus 20 you can keep. I also have gone home in minus 20...
Yellow lenses help with vision in bad light. Some goggles have interchangeable lenses. They are not cheap.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
I have been generalising this is true. It is also true that sometimes generalisations are proved false, but in the main generalisations are made because the majority of times they are true.
I would say that a seasoned skier, who has been through too many mogul fields, will like softer snow because ice hard packed compacted pistes are really quite damaging to the joints. (particularly the knees) Especially if you fall. This may not be the opinion of all the young supple females who post here, who only ski a week a year, and so consequently they should choose the busiest time when they can sit in the coffee shops and top up their facial wrinkles.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| Quote: |
all the young supple females who post here, who only ski a week a year
|
yep, that does sound like me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| ELLENESK wrote: |
| We skied last year during April holiday and lost two days to flat light. Im wondering if it we would have better luck in February? Any thoughts? |
I would say flat light is less likely in Aprll, as the sun is more vertical and so much more likely to burn through the clouds that tend to disperse it, and give sharper shadows or penumbras when it does break through. Flat light would not be my major worry for April
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
And also tree level skiing - that can be a big help.
. I could be wrong, memory is not what it was but I certainly remember some very challenging visibility in Dec-Feb.
