To add to that, just read a report on the SHs Pre-Season bash, which goes this time of year to one of the highest resorts. The reporter noted that after two years of very poor conditions, this year was terrific - sunshine skiing on plenty of well-groomed pistes. Can't remember what was happening before that, as I very rarely ski in early December, but certainly current conditions are the best in three years, at least, in the northern French Alps.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
pam w wrote:
dennisp, conditions now are not bad at all - it's by no means always that so many resorts open pistes for this weekend.
Quite.
I recall one year (2005?) heading out to ski a single piste that Les Gets had opened the weekend of the 3rd.
One single solitary lonely piste.
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?
snowandtrek wrote:
Long term forecast looks like snow
before Xmas so will all be good.
but certainly current conditions are the best in three years, at least, in the northern French Alps.
Pam, were you not in the Northern Alps this time last year? It may not have been sunny but the snow was amazing.
One serious injury yesterday in Avoriaz. Female skier strayed less than ten metres off piste and fell, hitting a rock, and broke her pelvis. Ski safe and stay on all that lovely man made snow
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
under a new name wrote:
I recall one year (2005?) heading out to ski a single piste that Les Gets had opened the weekend of the 3rd.
One single solitary lonely piste.
I remember that one, and also one of our tour operators selling a weeks holiday based on that one open piste. Sadly the lift was only open at weekends! They spent all week driving up and down to Chavanne.
Pam, were you not in the Northern Alps this time last year?
No, I didn't get out to the Alps till about 19 December when the snow was, indeed, amazing. But presumably it wasn't, when the PSB happened, in Val Thorens at the end of November. And IIRC the previous year there was a big dump of snow not long before Christmas, after weeks of quite mild weather - the fir trees were not ready for it and many fell down under the weight of snow.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Sorry, I thought the PSB was happening now.The snow arrived first week of Dec last year.
Anyway, thanks to the snow making investment, skiing on piste at Xmas will be assured in many resorts. The lack of base will however make it very busy on the open pistes. Many of the smaller resorts in the Chablais will not open and they will end up bussing skiers to the Avoriaz area. I predict it may be a little hectic!
Let's hope for a change in our present weather pattern before the season proper starts.
After all it is free
After all it is free
zzz, have you been popping pills! Doesn't sound at all like your usual self?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
FreeBeer wrote:
Errr, why would you ever want to get to Chatel via Lausanne from Geneva? almost double the journey time compared to Thonon, although the view from the highway above Montreux must be one of the worlds finest. Chatel snow many thanks for the video, great stuff, hope you can find the time to keep up the reports all season! there is snow here in Morzine, but be careful, there is not much base and the thin snow pack plus cold weather is creating weak layers. There was an almost fatal avalanche on the Pointe de Vorlaz (aka 'Pepsi challenge') at the weekend http://pistehors.com/swiss-skier-seriously-injured-by-avoriaz-avalanche-23098576.htm.
I frequently do gva airport - chatel (see my location details) via lausanne on the Swiss side. Takes about 90 mins, without breaking the speed limit so you must be going some if you can do it in 45 mins via Thonon. It's longer on the swiss side but there's more motorway.
I suppose a lot would depend on which side of geneva you're coming from.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
zzz, I think last year the PSB ended on 1 December and the snow fell the following week.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
pam w, and I believe it was in Tignes
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.
under a new name, more than likely - somewhere high, anyway.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
under a new name, pam w, i was merely saying that the snow looks like its struggling to cover based on what I can tell from the webcams. Unfortunately (and will some day be fixed) I am not living there, and don't have the opportunity to get out and ski everyday, so just basing it on potentially poor info on webcams. Im also talking Morzine/Les Gets lower slopes, although from the Avoriaz cam it does look like the roads for example are still not covered as they should be???
Please also allow for the fact that I have only been to the PDS once, which was in Feb this year, when we were skiing fresh powder all day - on piste. (not ball deep obviously, but still amazing). Maybe my sights are set too high
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
snoozeboy wrote:
FreeBeer wrote:
Errr, why would you ever want to get to Chatel via Lausanne from Geneva? almost double the journey time compared to Thonon, although the view from the highway above Montreux must be one of the worlds finest. Chatel snow many thanks for the video, great stuff, hope you can find the time to keep up the reports all season! there is snow here in Morzine, but be careful, there is not much base and the thin snow pack plus cold weather is creating weak layers. There was an almost fatal avalanche on the Pointe de Vorlaz (aka 'Pepsi challenge') at the weekend http://pistehors.com/swiss-skier-seriously-injured-by-avoriaz-avalanche-23098576.htm.
I frequently do gva airport - chatel (see my location details) via lausanne on the Swiss side. Takes about 90 mins, without breaking the speed limit so you must be going some if you can do it in 45 mins via Thonon. It's longer on the swiss side but there's more motorway.
I suppose a lot would depend on which side of geneva you're coming from.
Exactly. We live on the right bank (northern side of GVA) and it can take an hour just to get from our house and cross the bridge to south side of town. Google maps doesn't show much difference in time with either route. FreeBeer full of it.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quote:
Maybe my sights are set too high
most definitely, if you think the place "should be" covered in snow at this juncture. You saw the area with the kind of snow cover which doesn't happen at all, most years, let alone in early December.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
dennisp,
Quote:
on
Maybe my sights are set too high
Realism needs to be your new best friend - not yet the middle of December yet -
but conditions do really vary so much - a few years ago we had brilliant snow before Christmas, flew back to UK and on to the States for two weeks then drove back to Les Gets around 6th January and it rained from Calais for the whole journey - heartbreaking to see all the snow that we had left washing away down the roads - but our neighbours texted us a couple of hours out and said they would have supper on the table when we arrived if we would like to join them - the snow did come back and it really can vary from week to week, day to day even.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
pam w, This same time last year I'd already had 3 powder days. Yesterday I opted to skin instead of skiing to save myself from being bored - conditions are not the most exciting, but I agree compared to last few seasons a LOT was opened on the opening weekend. Last two years - which were good snow years - the first day of the season there were only couple runs opened.
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?
Short video below taken in Chatel over the weekend where there were 6 lifts and 7 pistes open in the Pre-La-Joux area. Piste conditions were generally OK with some good bits along with scraped and icier bits - as you would expect.
More snow is certainly needed but the slopes of the Pre-La-Joux and Linga areas are holding their cover well. More lifts and pistes in these areas and links to Avoriaz are due to open next weekend.
Hiked up to the top of the Super Chatel gondola this afternoon and its a varied picture higher up there with some areas with good cover, supplemented with man made snow, but some of the sunnier aspect slopes are struggling. However, the Super Chatel area is not scheduled to open until 21/12, so its still early days yet.
More signs this morning that we may see an end to, or at least a break in the dry spell towards the end of next week. It's still far to early to talk about any detail, but both the GFS and ECMWF weather models appear to show the stubborn "euro high" declining somewhat, allowing fronts to make progress towards the Alps. Fingers crossed that this trend continues and I'll be a lot happier when these charts are within the 5 day timeframe, rather than 9 days away!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
a brief summary of the same weekend from the Avoriaz and St Jean D'Aulps point of view
Chatel Snow, I think you could tone down your reporting a bit, especially the video reports, don't want the hordes descending on my stomping ground
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Ha ha - yes indeed Sarah!!!
The latest GFS model run has just come out and is suggesting the chance of snow as early now as next Tuesday with the chance of substantial snow later next week. It is still a long way off in terms of forecasting, but it is encouraging to see that the euro high might prove to less troublesome than first envisaged. (Note the use of the word "might" !).
After all it is free
After all it is free
sarah, yeah I agree!!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Chatel Snow, apart from the fact one of our party after falling on dry slope yesterday now has to have an op on his hand!!!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
See link for shot at the top of the Nyon lift in Morzine taken from the Hotel Chamois. !7 days to go hurrah!!!
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.
Though a couple of weeks out and thus highly dubious... the temps are dropping and there are ripples of snow in the wigglies for the PdS
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Oh and here is the live and updating GFS graph for the PdS so keep an eye on this one:
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
funny to see that clip from last weekend, wasn't that long ago was up on the hills eating wild myrtiles as we walked beautiful location and fingers crossed for a great season!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
2 days until the scheduled start of Avoriaz's season - any bets on what they'll be able to open?
Also 3 days till I go out. These are not connected!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
One of the housemates arrived in Morzine yesterday, and spend the day wandering around resort today Says more snow is needed, biut the pistes look nice and white! He'll be heading up onto them tomorrow. Incidentally we have completely lucked out with our apartment - it's about twice as big as we thought, with a huge double garage, 3 floors, 2 full bathrooms (estate agent said just an extra loo) and has just been fully refurbished and stocked with furniture/equipment including wifi and 42" smart TV. 1km from Morzine town centre. All for the princely sum of 620 EUR per room per month including all utilities! He did a little Go Pro tour for us other two housemates, and I have to say I'm now hugely excited about getting out there.
Admittedly my room has 2 bunks and a pull out bed instead of a double, but I can live with that.
I couldn't rent a scummy room in a shared student dive for that in any half-decent part of London...
I hope that when I turn up for the season after new year, we'd have had a bit more!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Harry Flashman, are you doing a season out there working?
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?
Does this mean lifts are running fri/sat/sun only then closed again on Monday?
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
No, this is the official start to the season for Avoriaz I think. Their facebook says they'll be open until April 27 from this weekend. It's also being rather optimistic about village coverage though, unless I'm misinterpreting french humour...
Thanks driz, I was a bit worried that a planned 3 day ski weekend may have been heading for 2 days!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Harry Flashman, sounds like you got an awesome deal, hope you have a great season!!
After all it is free
After all it is free
driz, just noticed a price for an Avoriaz/Chatel pass. Is this something new as I thought it was either an Avoriaz pass, or the PDS pass??
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.
Ricklovesthepowder wrote:
Harry Flashman, are you doing a season out there working?
Ricklovesthepowder Season, but not working. I'm a very lucky chap!
dennisp, Thanks - me too!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Well I am now in Morz over New Year, if there is no snow I suggest snowheads rendez vous at Coupe de Coeur and trade war stories of powder days in the PdS
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
apart from the fact one of our party after falling on dry slope yesterday now has to have an op on his hand!!!
beautiful location and fingers crossed for a great season!