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Portes du Soleil 2022/2023 - Avoriaz/Morzine/Les Gets/Chatel/Swiss Side etc.

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@patrick!, exactly
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@patrick!, Yeah, compulsory but not going to be enforced until next year, according to other threads on here. Which implies that there must have been some resistance, presumably on the grounds of cost.

Plain stupid, I agree, but when did that ever stop anyone?

FWIW there appears to be about 15-20cm here in Morgins, looking out the windows. I'll be out there with the snow blower as soon as I've finished my second coffee.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Does anyone have any insight into the once proposed Mt Chery & Chavannes link in LG?

It is mentioned here - https://www.lesgetsinfo.com/les-gets-ski-developments (in 2017) & here - https://www.morzinesourcemagazine.com/les-gets-new-chavannes-mont-chery-lift-work-begins/ (in 2015)

I am guessing it never took off or was blocked? Does anyone know if it could ever happen?

Thanks.
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polo wrote:
Snowed heavily all night around lac Leman. About 350m above sea level, so some of those computer models need reprogramming.


Excellent. Webcams looking good this morning Smile
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@dh900, I remember it being talked about, but IIRC there was quite a bit of opposition to it. It would also be a LOT of expense for not a huge amount of gain (it only take a couple of mins to walk/get the one train). Through I suspect the restaurant at the top of Mt Chery wild welcome it.
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OuatteDePhoque wrote:
@Ozboy, Is the new Conche open tomorrow, or is it planned for next season?
TBH I dont mind that it will go to the top, because I love going to Morgins and the Corbeau drag (the one with the sharp left hander half way up ) was not always open, so you'd take Chermillon to get into the Chalet Neuf basin, but this misses out a really nice face and off piste drop.
Because of the ski tests in Avoriaz, I was thinking of hitting Chatel this weekend.
BTW Avoriaz was amazingly un-busy last weekend.
FYI decent overnight fall, and still snowing around 15cm of fresh.


I believe it's only the PLJ sector opening this weekend along with the link to Linderets / Avoriaz. I was in Chatel last weekend sorting out a few things and ended up driving to Verbier, instead of Avoriaz thinking it would be busy, and using the free pass bundled with the PDS season pass. The drive was surprisingly quick taking only 55 mins from Chatel to Le Chable and all-in-all a great solo day out.
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Happy that I switched my tyres over a couple of weeks ago - the school run might have been tricky otherwise this morning
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@denfinella, I will never trust Arpege again....and Arome is always on the conservative side. Kudos to GFS/ECM Ops for being closest to the mark, but they all failed by about 1000m, even the humans at CM. And Wepowder seem MIA with the powder alert.

@dh900, yep it's been shelved....definitely got approval despite a lot of resistance, but then it stalled, and then the pandemic.....huge amount of politics involved in any proposed development of MC side, and onward links (St JDA for example). The problem is if they spend 10m on a lift, they will have to spend another 20m on other infrastructure, new pistes, new chairlifts. I'll ask the hardcore local gang tomorrow down the pub.

@Whitters, likewise, got some new Michelins on my '07 A4 banger, 4 wheels cost as much as the car is worth, but it's indestructible, 200k km later.
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@Timmycb5, @polo, Thanks for the info. I'm assuming there are no new plans for any new lift infrastructure or pistes in the area?
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@polo, yes, Chamonix Meteo were surprisingly far off the mark.

The most accurate forecast I saw yesterday was from Meteo-Alpes, which predicted the following for Haute Savoie / north Savoie:

Quote:
Rain-snow line around 1200-1400 metres (sometimes 800-1000 metres in sheltered valleys under high intensities and even 400/600m near the Leman)
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@denfinella, I'll have to add them to my watchlist.....maybe some lake effect, or being further north than resorts but I did see GFS etc also had a lower FL for that area vs PdS. They were saying 800-900m around the lake while PdS was 1200 ish, but I didn't spot that lake forecast until I looked out the window to see the surprisingly wintery wonderland.

Should continue for much of today and tomorrow before the sun comes out
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Its not unusual for Chatel to see snow falling c. 200m or more below the forecasted snow line. @polo is this a unique to the locality or a common phenomena across all areas?
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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
@Ozboy, when you say below the snowline do you mean Freeze Level minus 200? That is the standard approximation, but as on the weather thread there are so many variables.

Several models will have vastly different FL's, they are all run at different resolutions.....eg grids of 10km2, or 20km2 or higher.

But in general, minor local topography will also have an effect, eg often see LG bowl do much better than its surrounding area as it has a base of 1400m, and is north facing, so will stay colder than its opposite hill, the south facing Mont Chery. I imagine the same in Chatel, the more closed off an area is, and depending on aspect, the more likely it is to do better than say an averaged out 10km2 forecasted FL.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Ozboy wrote:

I believe it's only the PLJ sector opening this weekend along with the link to Linderets / Avoriaz.

I think so as well, on the basis that our Ski School training day on Sunday is starting from PlJ.

Going back to an earlier topic, it will be an interesting experiment to see whether our lift passes bought in Morgins will work first time in France. Of course it may be that any restrictions wouldn't apply to 'Moniteur' passes anyway.

Forecast-wise, I think that the +/-200m is pretty much to be expected with any forecast. TBH I've never really paid that much attention to the predicted levels - at 1300m we're pretty much going to get it regardless, so any significant fall will mean an hour or two of work clearing snow off the paths, parking and cars. Things we have to put up with, eh?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Chaletbeauroc, I agree - models are just not built to predict with that degree of accuracy!!
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polo wrote:
@Ozboy, when you say below the snowline do you mean Freeze Level minus 200?
yes I meant Freeze Level and thanks for clarifying.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
So the snow has continued all day and all night and doesn't look like stopping any time soon. Should be great conditions for skiing tomorrow - my first outing of the season - but I really can't say I'm looking forward to the temperature. -9C in the morning, dropping to -15C after noon. Brrrrr.

Still, it should make the clothing strategy easier; it's usually quite difficult to work out how much to wear for the first time out, but this time it will just be... everything snowHead
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Chaletbeauroc wrote:
So the snow has continued all day and all night and doesn't look like stopping any time soon. Should be great conditions for skiing tomorrow - my first outing of the season - but I really can't say I'm looking forward to the temperature. -9C in the morning, dropping to -15C after noon. Brrrrr.

Still, it should make the clothing strategy easier; it's usually quite difficult to work out how much to wear for the first time out, but this time it will just be... everything snowHead


Wrap up warm, stick some glove warmers in your pockets and shred snowHead
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Glove warmers? Naah, I'll just break out the Hestras and the fingers should be fine. Toes, however, especially given the 'boots feeling too tight for a couple of days until your feet readjust to them' syndrome might be more difficult.

And as it's a Ski School training session I really don't know how much 'shredding' we'll be doing rolling eyes Not even sure which skis to take, but I'll probably risk the fats, not the best if we're demonstrating snowploughs, but it can be done Very Happy
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Set off at -3c on hike up from QG 1250m to la Croix 1650m. Nice single track pisted yesterday probably to help grip, but at least I had all the gear this time. Only saw 2 other people, both on their own and both about 75. The lady who overtook me was heading to 1800m but viz was only 20m at that stage. Long transition as everything started to freeze. Goggles needed a lot of heavy breathing. Had to use the ring off my mini coke can to dig out ice on split board grooves etc

Easily 50cm fresh at 1600m, couldn’t dig to the bottom without shovel. Snow not super light with a frozen layer of dust on top but nice slide, squeaky layer on the old bashed track. Camera froze as well, fully charged battery died in minutes. Then get to the car and boot, door, window, wipers all fused into one.



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Webcams for Les Gets this morning with the sun coming up reveal a pretty magical powder dreamscape after the snow of the last 2 days.

I hope those in the area can get some runs in today. We'll be there in 1 week!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Nice sunny day, crowds in Avoriaz village were as bad as high season, although we were all able to use the Ski School line, of course, but a definite reminder to avoid if at all possible on Sunny Sundays.

Off-piste was apparently far too sketchy, new snow on top of not very much, so the perceived wisdom was that it wasn't worth risking your skis for, best wait for it to compact down a bit more to get a decent base.

Our training session was curtailed early when one of our group needed to be helicoptered off after a collision. Nasty, very painful, knee injury. Head over heals. Sadly her skis stayed on, mine came off. I feel terrible, although there was nothing I could have done, being on the extreme left of the piste when she came across from my right. Still feel like sh.it though. Certainly didn't feel like skiing on this afternoon. Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@Chaletbeauroc, that's a shame, similar thing happened to my wife last season....torn knee ligaments as a friend she was skiing with cut across her. I was up in Avoriaz earlier, after an hour of trying to find parking, turned away by local police first from Prodains and then Ardent, but squeezed in eventually. Heard a helicopter about 1215.

And my kid got stuck at that lift....I stayed over on the Lindarets side, no queues
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polo wrote:
@Chaletbeauroc, I was up in Avoriaz earlier, after an hour of trying to find parking, turned away by local police first from Prodains and then Ardent, but squeezed in eventually. Heard a helicopter about 1215.

I parked at PlJ, just before ten, quite close to the top, just a minute or two from Pierre Longue lift. When I was returning around 1 it seemed to be rammed a long way back down the road, so I guess a lot of people were starting late today. And yeah, that would be the right time for the heli.

And my kid got stuck at that lift....I stayed over on the Lindarets side, no queues[/quote]

Yeah, the queue was like that around 11 when we were there, and both of the lifts up to the Fornet side were just as bad. Fortunately that lift has a really good ski school lane, even splits into two lanes for instructor+student, so potentially two out of every six places. (Sorry to everyone else, I know it makes it worse for you.) As you say, Lindarets was fine, but then you say Ardent parking was full, so had everyone headed straight over to Avoriaz? Odd.
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@Chaletbeauroc, I've never seen Ardent so rammed.....cars a long way down the road towards the lake. I think people just spread out from there, might have been lucky but Chaux Fleurie had no q at all around midday.
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Are the resorts staying open tomorrow as well? Not super clear from the websites.
If yes, any recommendations where to start the day/ski? FWIW, I haven't been PdS before. Am also open to other resorts nearby...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@klanfa, Yes, I think they'll be doing the same all week. Certainly Chatel is: https://www.chatel.com/ouvertures-du-domaine-skiable.html

As for where to start, well it rather depends where you're coming from, doesn't it? And how you're getting there. I wouldn't expect it to be as busy tomorrow as it was today, Monday most people back to work, also not as sunny a forecast. I won't be out, stuff to do, but maybe later in the week.
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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
I'm Geneva-based (first winter here), driving in for the day so most places seem to be very similar driving-time wise.
Thanks for the link for Châtel, I must admit I'm still struggling to find my way around all the PdS websites.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@klanfa, I think it might be slightly quicker for you to drive to the Ardent parking, which has a Gondola straight up to Lindarets, probably easiest access to what's open this week.
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We’re lucky in that our place is at the far end of the UA bus route (temporary route for this week) so empty bus going up to Prodains about 10 (when we got on…). The bus bypassed the queue but they were stopping cars driving to Prodains and sending them back to Morzine to get a bus. Did a few laps on Grandes Combes including the closed home run (no queue as usual) then took the Plateau chair (maybe 5 min wait?) and skied down to Proclou (no queue) then down to Lindarets. Lunch at Abricotine (longest wait of the day), then over to Plaine Dranse, up Chaux des Roses, down to Combes(?) and then back down and over to Lindarets then Avoriaz again - home run closed but lots skied it. Even got a seat on the bus home.

Edit: there looked to be a paraflying skier (is that what it’s called?) stuck up a tree to the side of Chaux Fleurie with people getting them down. Hopefully no injuries.
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@Chaletbeauroc, it was weird today - the three lifts at the bottom of Avoriaz absolutely rammed but I don’t think we queued anywhere all day - we had a slightly tortuous route over to Lindarets via Plateau and Proclou about 1300, but other than that we hardly stopped.
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klanfa wrote:
I'm Geneva-based (first winter here), driving in for the day so most places seem to be very similar driving-time wise.
Thanks for the link for Châtel, I must admit I'm still struggling to find my way around all the PdS websites.


Also consider Le Châble for Verbier. 1h40 but a lot more open by the sounds of it and great snow
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Thanks for the advice @Chaletbeauroc and @BobinCH - sadly some errands came up so season start is on hold for me...
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About 20 lifts currently open in PdS from the live link with full opening (or very close to) planned by the weekend
https://www.portesdusoleil.com/en-hiver/plan-des-pistes/

Some screenshots from the weekend....while camera was working....

Chavannes mid piste, about 1600m




From Chaux Fleurie lift


Off piste largely tracked out but very nice soft snow everywhere


And even found a completely empty piste, cutting back towards ardent blue
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polo wrote:

Off piste largely tracked out but very nice soft snow everywhere



Snow looks peachy!
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Discounted day passes here
https://buyclub.ch/lausanne/deals/morzine-lesgets-dec-2022/?aff_id=100&mc_email=bobnmillsy@gmail.com&utm_source=BuyClub+Lausanne&utm_campaign=5640d62bb1-mc+morzine+vaud+dec+2022&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_27c68343e0-5640d62bb1-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Super quiet today. Been over to Crosets and now heading over Chaux Fleurie to see what’s what.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
polo wrote:
@Chaletbeauroc, I've never seen Ardent so rammed.....cars a long way down the road towards the lake.


I reckon its all those people coming from Les Gets and the like ....

Quote:
I think people just spread out from there, might have been lucky but Chaux Fleurie had no q at all around midday.


As we approached Ardent around 12:45 it was busy as I ever seen it people parked down the road to the avalanche shelter, but knowing that there a certain demographic of people who absolutely must be sat down having lunch by 12:30 at the latest, then often you get a few spaces in the first few rows where the early-birds go home for lunch. We saw 3 spaces in row 3, and took one. The Chatel side was beautifully empty, nobody at Cornebois at all. Lindarets not busy neither.
We could tell Avoriaz was heaving as each time we came up Prolays and went along Crete you could see the hordes alighting from le Tour lift.
But the ski test weekend always makes Tour busy, because when you pick up the kit you either go up Tour of Express.
And when you come back from Fornet, you are too low to get to the vendors, so have to go back up via Tour anyway.
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@OuatteDePhoque, 12:45? I thought I was late arriving at 11, but yeah I got lucky with some guy who was done by about 1130. Most locals I spoke to in LG hadn't even got their passes sorted yet...all manner of excuses trotted out.

Weekend conditions vid for anyone interested.....not my best piece of work, between the freezing equipment, limited time and tracked out side piste. Can hear Heli right at the end.


http://youtube.com/v/DUC2HI4h9kw

This week looks like snow - rain - snow below 1800m, let's see how the models fair with FL's this time, but the heaviest precip arrives tomorrow with about 15cm at 1200-1300m FL, then it rises to nearly 2000m but only light rain, before dropping back to 1200 ish on friday. So next weekend should be great.


Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Mon 12-12-22 13:11; edited 1 time in total
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@polo, recognise those sorts of queues at Tour!

Finding it quite odd that I won't be in the PdS this winter. This will be the first season I haven't been in the area now since 2019, but plans have taken me elsewhere this season.

Perhaps I'll make it back to the area next season!
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