Official figures are 20 cms in the village (where it rained a fair bit yesterday) and 35cms at the top of Mont Bisanne. Very, very, heavy snow. The rain/snow line is now around 1800m I'd say (as Meteo France forecast) and likely to rise higher this afternoon and tomorrow.
The cross country area was pisted last night but fortunately the "easy" area was pisted again first thing this morning. My lesson was good - only two of us - one person didn't turn up. Going to be another person joining us tomorrow, having enrolled in the "beginners skating" this morning but found it too difficult. She'll probably be much better than we are - she's certainly less than half my age. The other woman, French, was better than me technically and had longer skis but unfit, so we are pretty well matched. I got a "free" French conversation lesson as well as a private lesson, in a deserted and very beautiful cross country area, for just £5 an hour! Bargain.
Huge amount of snow whoomphing off the trees - must be avalanche-prone up the mountain.
I got utterly soaked - bliss to come home to a hot shower.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Pouring with rain now and truly grim out there, last night's snow being washed away rapidly. I'm so glad I hadn't planned any downhill skiing this week. And that I only have one person's gear to dry!
BUT this claggy snow will piste down OK and it's forecast to snow to much lower levels later in the week.
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?
yeah sounds grim, I noticed the bashers out this morning and I figured they'd likely keep what fell just by doing that as snow it pretty resilient to rain once pisted.
Looks like general meteo agreement to a cooling so will hope that comes off and the volume of precip is less than forecast or the FL is lower.
Very heavy rain at 1550m - might just be snow at the very top, I suppose.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quote:
Must have a go at X-country at some point myself
Well hope it won't be like this. I just came across this video looking for some instructional videos on stepping in and out of tracks. http://youtube.com/v/LohiNobXNs0
In stark contrast, this morning in two hours, in a large area, we saw only 3 other skiers.
What's the Norwegian for "get out of the frikkin' way"?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I was XC skiing again this morning - very pleasant, snow perfect, some sunshine. In the downhill area lifts are open as usual, no queues that I could see - it's a very quiet week. Our instructor (ESF) said it was the quietest of the year for them and as he has no afternoon classes he's offered to do an all day "randonnée nordique" later in the week if the weather is favourable. Which is generous, I think, as there are only four of us in the class and there'll be very little extra money in it for the ski school.
Some of the steeper and/or exposed runs are closed but overall the ski area is in surprisingly good shape, considering the volume of rain we've had.
After all it is free
After all it is free
the place looks empty on the cams and looking at the volume of apartments available on the usual rental agency sites, I expect that trend into next week too which will be great, nice to have whole runs to yourselves
Sky looks moody and rainy just now but expecting that to give way to some flakes at some point later this afternoon (fingers crossed) with the freezing level dropping sharply
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@skinutter, it's very, very, quiet. When I've said on Snowheads about Easter being very quiet, and low season, it seems that that's not true everywhere - in some resorts it's pretty busy but probably that's because of lots of Brits. The French seem to have given up skiing. I was in Decathlon in Albertville today, having a bit of a mooch around wondering about some end of season bargains but there was not one single bit of ski hardware - all been whisked away to make space for the camping and mountain walking stuff.
It was a lovely morning but a bit of a grotty afternoon - getting colder now, about 1.5 degrees at 1550m and lots of cloud.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Quote:
Easter ... in some resorts it's pretty busy but probably that's because of lots of Brits.
Altitude plays its part too I think - people wisely go high late in the season
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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people wisely go high late in the season
well they'd have done better to be lower today - no lifts closed today, and none likely to be closed tomorrow either. On the Chamonix thread somebody just posted that it's all Brits at Easter. So if you avoid the Brit-pack resorts, plenty of nice quiet pistes to be found. Reports of a few limited pistes and chairs open and 30 minute queues sound horrendous. 112 out of 157 pistes open in the Espace Diamant though I suspect some of them are fairly grotty.
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.
nah, altitude is over-rated lol...those in the know go low(er) has worked well for us for years at this time of the year...
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
@pam w, If I go at Easter I go to Davos - all boxes ticked and all Brit-pack issues avoided (the odd Royal notwithstanding)
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
how come you're slumming it in the ultra-Brit pack 3 Valleys? Or maybe you're just posting weather from a distance?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Any sign of flakes yet? Top of Manant was showing some falling but doesn't look like its hit the village before the cams stopped updating at 9pm
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Quote:
Or maybe you're just posting weather from a distance?
That - my season is over my darling
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
skinutter, Still raining in Crest Voland. Snow was elephant snot this afternoon just before the rain started. Only bothered doing one run.
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?
It started snowing here a little while ago but when I last looked out it had stopped and the sky was partly clear with a bright moon shining. Odd sort of a night.
Not much snow overnight - just a dusting, but very cold this morning - nice crispy new snow, rather than sludge, underfoot. It snowed off and on all morning. I was in the XC area again, but took a couple of pictures on the way home.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Bottom of the Girolles and Perdrix pistes. These are quite steep, south facing and come right down to village level - still completely covered in a decent depth of snow.
On our trek round the XC skiing area this morning we met a pisteur on a snowmobile who had an excited conversation with our instructor. I gleaned that it was about this young woman who is now a World Champion in Biathlon Relais but a lot of the detail passed me by and it wasn't until I asked one of the other people in the group later that I discovered that the pisteur was her very proud Dad. She evidently got a stupendous score in the shooting. As we'd detoured through the biathlon area and had the target system explained to us (the target for prone shooting at 50m is only 4cms across and if you miss you miss) we were all duly impressed.
I really enjoy finding out this local news - and it's very good for my French, even if I did miss half of it the first time round. One expression eluded me completely and my interlocutor struggled with it - turns out it was "mass start" - English, but it sounded rather different the way she said it!
After all it is free
After all it is free
I'd go as far as saying that the snowpack is in better shape than this time last season looking at those pics. Roll on 2am Friday when we ship out!
Didn't realise these was still a range, where is it exactly wouldn't mind taking a look
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The Olympic range is still there - bit dilapidated now but still used for competition. It's down in the XC area - if you stand looking at the splendid new sports centre it's at about 2 o'clock, below the big car park.
The ski schools do an "introduction to biathlon" in private lessons. And there are some quite fun shooting intro things for kids in school holidays, too, sometimes.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Will take a nosey thanks
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Had an enjoyable morning with my cross-country ski group, hiking up to the top of the domain by cutting across off piste - a few cms of fresh powder on a firm base made that nice and easy. Easy uphill, at any rate - downhill would have been a very different kettle of poisson.
Snow depth at the top of the XC area (Palette) was being measured - 1m30 - should be good till the end of the season.
My favourite new French phrase of the morning was (I think.....) "il sait se faire désiré"
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.
Oh - and it's now snowing lightly. I am taking a couple of pairs of downhill skis to be serviced - they feel so huge and clunking after the XC skis.
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
snowing again - made my afternoon with that statement...packing up and about to wax some skis myself actually.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
It has been snowing off and on in Crest Voland since about 1pm, not really heavily enough to make a difference on the piste though. The snow was good this morning, the pisteurs are doing a good job keeping a track back to the main chair.
The local weather forecast on the radio is predicting snow for tomorrow afternoon and Saturday.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Hmm. As only "quelque flocons" were forecast, and snow was very light earlier on, I left the car out but it's snowing quite hard now and I have to go out early tomorrow and really don't want to have to spend any time on déneigement. But if I get togged up and put the damn thing away it's absolutely sure to stop, isn't it?
Decisions......
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Leave it out
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I put it away, but it's still snowing - about 3cms out there now. It's not very cold, just half a degree below zero, not exactly champagne powder but it all looks very pretty.
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?
There was about 10cm of fairly light fresh snow this morning but it turned to glue this afternoon..
Tomorrows forecast is looking good...currently sat in hotel in Annemasse looking out at the mountains with a lovely bottle of minervois and some time to keep us company. Can't wait to get out on the hill!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
This morning was beautiful - sunshine, and every twig covered with snow. The pistes were in fantastic condition and there was practically nobody on them. We were crossing them (and we skied UP the green Blanchot run this morning:roll: ) and there was just nobody about. I am now exhausted - the instructor said we did about 20 kms and 500m of climbing, very gentle up and very gentle down (not capable of doing anything else on XC skis).
@skinutter, I have to drive down to Genoa and back tomorrow to pick some items my son left in store there, which are costing him a fortune. Then back to the UK Sunday/Monday so I probably won't see you. I hope you have a great week. There's still plenty of snow about and looks like a little more at the weekend, then some sunshine.
Haven a safe trip Pam and sorry not to hook up..maybe next time!
Snow and sun is the perfect combo...looking forward to getting up to try the new runs too at belastat
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
pam w wrote:
........the instructor said we did about 20 kms and 500m of climbing..........
Chapeau !!
For next season you'll be getting a Garmin and uploading to Strava (it's addictive)
After all it is free
After all it is free
Snow on the roads already nearly 40 and stupidly excited like my kids lol
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.
All home from a fantastic week of skiing, sun, fresh snow, sun, slush, sun....did I mention it was sunny?
First three days were back to winter on dry chalky snow and low daytime temps which kept it in very good condition. Remainder of the week in warm sunshine and typical spring conditions. Really good cover and certainly better than this time last year.
Despite a nightmare with our car on Saturday morning throwing a fault, limp mode and requiring a hire car to be provided in order to travel onwards from our overnight stay in Annemasse, the drive was easy and traffic light in both directions. Only negative was the really poor autoroute toilets... Disgusting on the two stops we had...genuinely the worst we have encountered since 1998 when we first started driving down.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@skinutter, glad you had such a good week (ski-wise, at any rate, shame about the car). It was looking absolutely wonderful when I left, early Monday morning. That cold few days, with fresh snow, was just the job.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
On the Chamonix thread somebody just posted that it's all Brits at Easter. So if you avoid the Brit-pack resorts, plenty of nice quiet pistes to be found. Reports of a few limited pistes and chairs open and 30 minute queues sound horrendous. 112 out of 157 pistes open in the Espace Diamant though I suspect some of them are fairly grotty.
thanks
