Arrived in the valley yesterday and driving up though La Grave and over the Lautaret the lack of snow was a little depressing.
It started snowing late last evening and was great to wake up to more than was forecast for a change, but I knew that would be the case as I still have my summer tyres on and the winters are scheduled to be fitted later today, so could well be chains to get out of our parking!
Due to delays we'd missed the snowfall of a couple of weeks ago and most of that below 2,500 has been washed away, and unfortunately, we could well be looking at a similar situation at the end of the week, with one hell of a lot of precipitation but temps in the valley at around +5, and every forecast run temps have been moving in the wrong direction as last evening was only +2.
We walked around the massive construction site that is the new lift at Pontillas and as it nigh on dark it was quite hard to work things out, but it seems to be huge!
WC, you say the Pontillas station is a building site, is it going to open with the rest of the resort or has it been postponed?
Staying in Chantemerle 20th Jan. so would be nice to know.
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?
@Thick As, I heard that they were hoping for the Feb hols and that's a big ask, but they were cracking on, will have more of an idea once the season is underway and start bumping into people who should have a better idea, but that's not always a cast iron guarantee
Anyway will not affect you in the slightest being in Chantemerle, unless you're planning on doing some XC from there
Meteociel now has zero, and lower for the rest of the day and tomorrow whilst snow-forecast.com has rain mid-morning onwards and tomorrow, either way I'd happily take a freezing level of 2,000 with this much snow rather than the washout that we thought extending to maybe 2,200+
Plus this is interesting if you enter Serre Chevalier into Meteociel you actually get 05100 which is Briancon, lower down the valley.
Monetier 05220 is pretty well the same as La Salle
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quick update, temps now at a mild +1.5 and light drizzle - which has made the snow clearing hard work as the snow is transforming to cement from the earlier powder when I was clearing a path for the dogs in the garden, it was also then when I was thinking about a quick skin up the piste with Ullr but that thought has now well subsided.
If we could just get away with this and not the torrential rain, we would have had a lucky escape, but still early in the overall scheme of things given the forecast.
And yesterday conditions were lovely with nigh-on a cloudless sky; we took dogs for a good walk, and they're so much better in the cold than back in the UK, the two old Jacks 11 & 14 were positively sprightly in the snow
Ended up at a friends whose dog had Ullr and still has one of his siblings, she has a number of apartments in Le Bez and a small hotel and we were talking about when Pointless might open, and that raised a good giggle as dates keep getting put back.
Anyway if Carlsberg did ski-lift construction sites
And as an aside back in the UK I bought some chains, even though I have 4WD on my van, as I have been close to getting stuck on the odd occasion when driving up to the snow-line to go touring on closed roads & forest trails and we came across these guys on the hike which made me feel better.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Doom and gloom report, in fact, I was just nagging with the OH about how I might do a FaceBook video post showing how it is, as all the usual protagonists seem to not do that
Whilst yesterday we had drizzle & temp was +1.9 the overnight temp has not changed but it's been raining, quite hard at times.
I was optimistic, in that I didn't mind the rain as it was bound to be snowing at altitude, but alas I can't see any fresh snow on the trees at circa 2,000m.
The only element of good news is that some of the snow we had yesterday is still lying around, and clutching at straws that should make a good base....and still clutching at straws temps are forecast to drop later and rain will turn to snow, but really who the feck knows.
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.
What a day, it just hasn't stopped raining, if only the temps were 2°C lower it would be a huge dump.
And to add salt to the wound, Internet and mobile signals went at around 10:00, we drove down to Briancon for coffee and same down there. We went in to see the new Andaska store and a friend is working there, and they couldn't trade as all their systems run on Orange.
I then suggested we drive up to the Lautaret to see what conditions were like, leaving Briancon 1250m at +4°C and at the Lautatet 2057m where it was only +2.5°C and still raining hard, and still no phone signal!
Loads of avalanche activity up there and red flags were out along the road on various stretches and they don't often fly those!
Came back and now have some mobile data but broadband is still down and not expected to be back till tomorrow, evidently much of 05 is affected !!
So we now wait to see if the temps will drop and we get any more snow.
Times like this I do find it amusing when people try to predict the weather in the mountains by analysing charts some ten days out and here we are with amazing temperature differences across relatively small areas and altitudes and witnessing extremely localised factors at play, and it's not the first time nor the last, hence my apathy
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Temps took longer to drop than forecast (there's a surprise) so rain continued into the early hours.
Now -1 and wind has kicked in big time, both Jacks span out on the ice now on the terrace, so God only knows what the roads etc are like currently, will be digging out the shoe grips!
Looks like snow line on the trees at around 1700 but the wind is quickly shredding that and at altitude it's howling.
Monetier end of the valley in dense cloud with what snow there is blowing horizontally past the window at 50kph whilst straight in front clear blue sky and can see the snow being ripped off the Gauthier chair and Eychauda ridge.
Think touring skis will not be used today
I don't think I've ever seen it rain so hard and for so long, but the only good news is that the earlier snow has not all washed away, so this week what with the cannon and maybe some more snow that is forecast should be good for opening next weekend.
And broadband internet is still down, and only a flakey data signal, hence no garden webcam
Going to have to wrap up to walk the hounds!
And don't think I've ever seen, as well, so many sparrows in the garden this morning!
At least it's looking like a ski resort
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Quick update as we near the opening weekend, the snow-canon were working all day yesterday.
Currently snowing in the valley and we could see 5-10cms today on top of the rock-hard base which is so hard in places that it can easily support your weight as you walk across the field, and the dogs have to be careful not to spin out on the ice!
Yesterday was a very cold sunny day and we ran halfway up the Granon, did see a handful of ski tourers but the snow is not tempting me to get the skis out just yet, though might go up to Montgenevre on Wednesday for a piste blast.
And maybe another 10cms back end of the week.
Webcam currently panning around the garden and you might make out the 50 odd sparrows that are visiting every now and again.
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.
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE
Just been talking to our friend Tina who runs Le Bez Ski Lodge as we're seeing her later and she said how she was walking her dogs (mother and sister to Ullr you know how incestuous these alpine villages are ) and she heard a whirring noise and the new gondolas were running, which is something as they were only delivered last week!
And we too were walking that way earlier today near Club Med and looking down I said to the OH "Wow that's really looking like a ski lift now".
So now we have to try and find out some more info and hopefully this weekend I'll bump into some people who should know, but there again
So all looking very good for this weekend's opening and the snow-canon have been working hard and this morning I saw piste bashers working high up on the Eychauda ridge.
Loads of gigantic mole hills / mounds of canon snow have built up which they'll be bashing down tonight / tomorrow.
And Cross Country pistes will also be open this weekend, from Monetier to le Caset.
This morning we walked the dogs nigh on 5km down to Chantmerle with a view to renewing lift passes etc and quelle surprise it was not open. Now I know you can buy passes online, but I know people who for whatever reason need to physically go there as they've lost passes etc and you would have thought two days before the grand opening it would make sense to open up, but we bumped into an English ex-pat who has been living here yonks and used to post on here donkeys ago SnowAngel aka Kim and she said that they'll open on Saturday, can you imagine what a bun fight that's going to be!
So ended up booking online and now a year older I get the OAP discount but still has to be one of the most expensive lift passes in France
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
Opening day
Though yesterday skinned up Le Bez to Frejus with the hound to see what conditions were like; and skiing some good snow in the trees all the way down to Cote Chevalier.
And surmised that Le Bez/Frejus would not be opened in time for today, and I was correct, and that's all due to open next weekend, as I bumped into Marie the owner of Pi Mai, and we were chatting about the snow, as she skinned up a couple of times in the week for déneigement, as she's a fit one!
Though in all the nagging forgot to ask her about when Pointless will open, as I saw them testing it yesterday, as she is someone who should know, but I dropped a clanger
However parked up next to us was my neighbour, who is high up in the ESF hierarchy, so I asked him and he said end December! And have to say as we drove back I thought that they were starting to clear the heavy machinery off-site, but should imagine there's still a lot of second fixing, and that's putting it mildly, but we await to be surprised!
So usual suspects KenX and my OH and we took CDB chair up as Frejus lift was closed, then down to Clot Gauthuer chair where we waited a good while as they kept an ever growing number of people waiting, and once at the top various pistes were closed but we skied a load of fresh and that was pretty well what we did for the next few hours skiing many of our usual stashes.
I was all up for skinning up to get to some better / longer lines but viz was coming and going catching me and KenX out a couple of times as you could never quite work out the drops & gulleys in the viz
One run under the Gauthier chair I went looking for a nice line and found myself on a small face that had been blasted but was still loaded with some wind-slab and sure enough it all went.
It actually became busier and busier as the morning progressed and when we arrived at the Côte Chevalier lift there was a fair sized crowd, but we do have &Joy which gives us priority and it comes into its own when its like that, but was interesting to see that the two guys in front of us suddenly shuffled really close together, as one had the pass and the other went through stuck behind him!
Out with some fit Swedes tonight so don't know what I'll agree to end up doing tomorrow morning, but my XC pass is all validated as I went and did that up at the Monetier cabin, and just as well as my sure enough having bought the early season discount pass for all of the Hautes Alpes area it was not showing on my pass.
Looking ahead, currently snowing and we might see 10+ tonight and then things look a bit grim with rain setting in Sunday evening through to Monday, maybe even Tuesday with isotherme limite pluie neige / freezing level circa 2500m
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Treacherous drive home last evening from Monetier, though fortunately I wasn't driving, and when we were collected at 19:00 there was already a good layer of snow on the road, and this is the main Grenoble / Briancon road, but after a certain time early evening the don't bother to clear the roads, though might be different at busy transfer weekends.
So when we left circa 22:30 there was a good 10+ cm of slushy snow as temps were on the rise.
I left for first lifts at Monetier and the road was still well covered in snow, and was very empty first thing on the Bacchas chair but was blowing a hooley even lower down in the trees, but looked like some decent snow cover but how wrong I was!
I was off the lift with a couple of others. They too were heading off towards the secret piste which is always unpisted, which it was, and nigh on untracked, but the first few turns were a mare. I head-planted big time thinking I'd smashed my sunnies. Still, the only casualty was my forehead which went into the top layer of snow which was made up of hard ice crystals*, so grazed and bleeding I found my sunnies in one piece whilst the other two prudently reversed and headed back to the slalom piste which I did not have the option to do as I was too far down, so net result were some very sketchy turns along with downhill kick-turns so it was not pleasant!
*consensus was that there was a major melt last evening / early hours followed by a re-freeze
Down at the bottom met up with my mate and told him what to expect but he still wanted to see for himself so he quickly came back on to the piste and we skied down as it was still windy Eychauda chair remained closed.
Our game plan was to take that chair and then skin up the Yret piste and ski the best-looking route, but when we eventually took the chair it was obvious that everywhere was very wind-affected so we skied back down and then skinned up below Cibouit which looked far better and as we skinned up so we could assess the snow-pack which might have looked sublime twas very technical to ski.
Temps are now well on the rise in advance of tomorrow's wet weather and indeed it looks grim, for the next couple of days, though could be a return to some more snow and colder temps midweek?
So that was the opening weekend, a lot was closed and many of the usual bars and restos remained closed, such as Peyra Juana and Pi Mai, and then we heard from some Brits who live in Lyon and came down for the weekend to escape the 2 million or so people that go to Lyon these past five days to see the Xmas lights festival, that what they really were looking forward to was closed, the Grand Bains.
It just seems crazy when it's billed as an opening weekend and coincides with a big Italian long weekend holiday that somewhere like the baths remained closed
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
12:30 Monday and pretty grim out there, but not torrential stair-rods like ten days ago and snow still holding up as best as can be expected.
Temp +2 so hopefully snow at circa 2,000m but can't see up the hill that much.
Avy risk 3 here and 4 in Thabor and Pelvoux very much brought about by the strong winds at the weekend and snowfall.
Think will have a couple of daysoffski, and then maybe Wednesday back on the XC.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Thank you for the regular updates! I'll be in Villeneuve for a few days after Christmas - never my favourite time on the slopes, but better than grey Paris
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Weathercam wrote:
12:30 Monday and pretty grim out there, but not torrential stair-rods like ten days ago and snow still holding up as best as can be expected.
Temp +2 so hopefully snow at circa 2,000m but can't see up the hill that much.
Avy risk 3 here and 4 in Thabor and Pelvoux very much brought about by the strong winds at the weekend and snowfall.
Think will have a couple of daysoffski, and then maybe Wednesday back on the XC.
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?
Grim again first thing this morning with continual dripping water coming off the roof with the snow-melt; that said snow still holding up all around even though it's very wet and soggy, but if the sun was shining as opposed to the dank cloud mist then it would look nigh on picture postcard.
And if to prove that point, this is the latest screen grab from the Cucumelle webcam; and we don't often down in this part of the world, compared to the resorts of the Tarrantaise / Savoie, see classic inversions like this with the cloud in the valley like we have this morning.
One could almost be tempted to get the lift and go up and see what the off-piste is like, but I suspect it looks far better than it actually is, as no fresh snow on the trees and not too much fresh on the picnic tables etc
The forecast still very volatile with temps circa +5 and then tonight dropping to circa zero and maybe 10cms overnight?
Thank you @Weathercam for the updates. We'll be there for Christmas and New Year, we hope that we'll have better snow than two years ago!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
So elements of good, and elements of bad news.
The bad, was that we never saw the low temps that were forecast for the valley floor, so the drizzle & rain continued and finally it would seem that the snow is rapidly disappearing from the garden and terrace, and just leaving a slushy mess all around, and lower down, on all the main pistes into resort they're in quite a bad way, with most now closed.
The good is that finally there was a defined snow line on the trees, so you can sort of put up with the rain in the valley if it's snow higher up.
In fact, we postponed going out at 09:00 as it was so grim, it was only when the cloud cleared a little and we saw the snow on the trees that we got our act together, and twas an excellent call, though lifts were a bit of a problem.
Luckily we parked up near Aravet which was open, but came out of the lift at the top and La Foret chair was shut, so it was back down the Marteau and which had around 5-10 of fresh and we were some of the first down, so that was rather sublime, especially for the friend I was skiing with who is not a great off-piste skier but he had his fat skis and together they were loving the conditions.
Then was saw that the Casse was closed as well, so it was back up the Aravet and the Mickey was in quite a sorry state, then from the Aravet we took the green over to Ratier to meet some others as La Foret was still closed.
Then from the top of Les Combes it was down an untracked Echaillon to Gauthier chair which opened just as we arrived, so it was more dreamlike skiing 5-10 fresh on the pistes.
Should also mention that the earlier cloud had more or less dispersed so conditions were as good as they get.
And that was the theme for the next hour or so, then the group went our various ways and three of us decided to head towards Vallons, and once off the lift there I talked one of our group, a mid 30's son of one of our friends, to follow me under the Cucumelle chair, only trouble he was on piste skis, mind you I'd only grabbed my 93 Scott Sleights, he was well gung-ho wiping out accordingly two or three times but thankfully not loosing his skis, at the bottom he said that was the steepest and deepest he had skied!
So he and his dad carried on to Monetier whilst I made a pig of myself skiing it another four of five times as was rude not to.
I did think about a Vallons ridge hike for a homeward final ski but it was getting overcast, and I was not tooled up with arva kit anyway.
So a most unexpectedly good session and considering I was only on 93 wide skis I didn't really notice the reduced width.
Weather has now closed in as I type this and it's actually snowing in the valley, but we'll be lucky to see 5cm; as ver hope I'm wrong.
Looking forward that is the last of the precipitation for a while, though I see the 10-day Meteociel has a straw clutching snow-fall on the 22/23.
Some pics of the day.
This was circa 11:00 and glorious conditions that make an average intermediate skier think that they're a rock-star
Though this was a little more challenging
And possible slack-country playground for tomorrow with the skins etc there used to be a drag lift up there but was taken away about 15yrs ago.
It's days like this when Serre Che really delivers in that it's just not busy beginning and end of the season, though you have to put up with the vagaries of the lifts like today
So far better than the grim valley of yesterday as colder today and the snow holding up well, just one more day before the weekend hordes so probably head for the same playground
After all it is free
After all it is free
Man down
So after the great session yesterday, we headed back up there, except the wind had been howling all night and the snow at altitude was trashed
We headed over towards where we went but the wind was ballistic, I went to drop down a bit of a gulley to see what the snow was like in the lee of the wind and turned round to see the OH down and not getting up with a ski behind her with KenX by her, so I thought she'd come unstuck in the wind-blown snow.
I side-stepped back up and towards her and the snow was bad, and she was in quite a bad way, and I thought maybe it was a blood wagon job, but she got back on her skis and she nervously skied down with us taking the Frejus chemin all the way down which was pretty glorious as it was still closed and pisted ready for opening tomorrow.
Once down she said it was the wind that had blown her over
So hopefully only very severe bruising to the bone on the inside of the knee below the patella, so she's been icing all afternoon and on ibuprofen gel and pills along with a compression brace, so will take a view in the morning as to go for an x-ray.
Anyway on to more important matters
The snow has really been trashed at altitude, but on skiing down past Frejus village I was looking at the terraces, and Le Bez piste has been groomed but was closed, so I decided to take Ullr up there for a quick ski-tour, and sure enough the snow on the terraces and in the forest was way better than expected.
But the best news...
Just as I was starting I bumped into a guy working for Comag the new Pontillas lift contractors, and I asked him when it was opening as the gondolas have been running a fair bit.
He answered the holidays and I replied asking "February" and he said no Christmas
So couple of pics in the mutt in the snow.
Mmmmm just as I've been writing this she's stood up and not good, so think off to hospital tomorrow, which hopefully will not be too busy
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.
Went to the hospital circa 09:15 yesterday and OH was out within the hour after an x-ray, and confirmation that nothing was broken but she's going to be off games for a while I think.
And they've moved the entrance to the Urgences, it's now down the hill about 300m to the left of the old entrance.
Fair number of visiting cars yesterday, but it was never really busy; what was nice was a very welcome return to warm sunshine, and we were actually able to sit out on the terrace and soak some rays up
With the cold night, I was out on to the Cross Country piste at Monetier by 09:30 heading firstly towards Guibertes, which was not the best of decisions bearing in mind the little descent there.
I do love the fact that no-one seems to get their act together till around 10:30 so the pistes were empty and in very good condition.
They've done a very good job of creating more pistes from Monetier to Le Casset and twas all very picturesque up that way.
Bottom of Monetier, Pre Chabert was not exactly busy at all so suspect next week will be quiet.
Arrived back at the van and then could not find my wallet which I could have sworn put into my back left gillet pocket along with my pass in the right, but not there, so was convinced that I never put it in there. Then looked at my phone and there was a message from Amandine who works in the XC cabine at Monetier that she had it there, so must have somehow come out when I was trying to show her my pass. One of my last sorties last season resulted in me losing my phone which was handed into the lift pass office, so will probably be car key next
Couple of pics, and you can see plenty of snow in the valley.
Looking towards Monetier from Les Guibertes
And looking back down the valley, the start of the awkward descent!
The forecast is now showing zero precipitation as High Pressure takes hold.
I might take the E-Mtb out tomorrow and go take a look up Les Fonts?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
It's always a strange time of year watching the Valley prepare for the holidays.
Having a bit of a chill-out day today as have been quite busy the past few days, though haven't actually been up the hill!
Now seems according to various people that Pointless will open by the end of the year and not for the start of the holidays, though one of our favourite spots the little cafe on the lake is is now open, and Matt says the same, though no sign of them preparing the XC piste yet.
As for the weather, the forecast was only right about one thing for today and that was the wind, the earlier grey overcast sky has given way to a nigh-on cloudless sky, though the forecasts seem to change every time you look at them, as could have sworn that yesterday I saw some snow 27-28 but that now has been replaced by sunshine, and the next ten days look dry
.
Yesterday took the bike up the Granon road to around 2,100m leaving it under a tree and then ski touring up to the Gardiole and then skiing down every type of conceivable snow-pack with Ullr, though was quite worrying to see him running along the surface and then one leg sinking through the crust into the soft snow.
So been playing around with 3D imagery and not too sure if this will work on here?
And video from yesterday's ride & ski-tour up the Granon, did go up the day before, but half way up I realised I'd left my skins at home
It has been a very sunny week, however, in the last couple of days we've seen the wind increase along with very mild temperatures which have decimated the snow on the south-facing slopes and our terrace!
The locals call this as l'épisode de Bise Brune - which translates as A Brown Kiss, which I presume refers to the snow disappearing just leaving brown terrain, which is L'effet de foehn.
Early hours the wind was ballistic and I see that various records for wind gusts etc were broken across the Hautes Alpes, but can see various lifts running, but not Gauthier.
Looking forward no real signs of precipitation on the horizon unless you believe in ten-day forecasts.
We've had a few days off, mainly as the OH is still very crocked and my knee is suffering a bit from skiing all that crappy snow
Mid-week we were in the Cocoon and there were a load of pisteurs in there for a birthday and most were new to the valley working here for their first season, and one was an American on an exchange from Sun Valley which his father did 25yrs ago, and I asked him what he thought of "Little Old Serre Chevalier" to which is exclaimed "Little" and proceeded to be most enthusiastic about here and the gigantic size of the terrain and how nearly all of it is not developed??
Cross-Country technique lesson tomorrow with my neighbour just hope the wind eases a lot more.
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.
Yes, there is big scope for growth in Serre Che.
The mayor could chop down a million trees and open way more trails.
Then raise the price of a lift ticket by 50-100%.
More riding, more lifts, more dolla.
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
Went up today for a CARV session on the pistes, noticed a couple of British-sounding names on the leaderboard, Neil and Andy, anyone from Snowheads?
I was pleasantly surprised how good the snow was after the gale force winds of yesterday, but the off-piste will take a while to recover sadly, maybe up high a bit of freeze-thaw will do the trick, that's if the temperatures drop below zero at night.............
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
We cancelled the XC lesson last evening as the forecast was for it still to be windy this morning and temps were probably going to be the wrong side of zero, along with a strong probability of wind-blown debris all over the piste, so far from ideal gliding conditions; and then all this was confirmed this morning when I saw my neighbour and had a chat!
And whilst dozing this morning I was already conjuring up another plan, and that was to use the E-Mtb to see if I could pull my daughter up on skis to the Refuge Napoleon just below the Izoard.
And twas a great success, though was surprisingly quite hard work for me at times, but we got a good technique going, in that as soon as I felt the snow too soft I shouted "Pole" and Loulou would start poling which was enough to keep the momentum going, and this happened on most bends!
There were many ski tourers out and we met Rob Benton on his way down as we were going up and he confirmed that the snow was shite. Then five mins later saw this XC skater going up what was the piste, covered in places with wind-blown branches etc and it was my local XC pisteur lady on her day off!
As we came out of the trees so the snow on the piste was a bit thicker and it became more challenging, and then 300ms from the Refuge the battery died, as I'd been on Turbo mode for the 8km which I was quite surprised at, but cold temps but have also helped drain it too?
We had a lovely filling soup which hit the spot, and my daughter was very happy with it all, and acknowledged it as a day to remember as opposed to a few hours on the piste, and for me considerably cheaper too
And prices up there for food and drink are well below resort mountain restos.
The descent was very amusing with many of the people using the refuge's toboggans (which you then leave at the bottom) and a handful of dogs all added to the experience playing and chasing each other with Ullr in the thick of it
And then there were quite a few groups walking up presumably for dinner and then a toboggan back down?
However, if thinking of going up there during the holidays, will be best to book now, and remember you need cash as they don't take cards!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Thanks for all of your updates Weathercam, very interesting and useful info. Hope your OH makes a speedy recovery.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Joyeux Noel
From a very quiet Serre Chevalier, though that will all be changing by late tomorrow!
Yesterday was stupidly quiet up on the hill and on the whole pistes were not too bad, and the Casse was actually quite enjoyable all the way back into resort, but taking the Marteau initially; though driving through Chantmerle the Luc looks grim, and I heard via my neighbour (a Monetier instructor) that runs back to resort there were not in good condition either.
But given how those few days of Fohn winds decimated the snow then things on the Alpine side are holding up.
Same can not be said for the Cross Country and that now, apart from the Parc Colombiers and by the Stade, is all closed
Though they will be preparing pistes up at the Lautaret, which they have done in the past when there's been no decent coverage in the valley.
And as has been mentioned the off-piste here is dire, which is a tad frustrating as a mate called me up on WhatsApp video yesterday as he was skinning up in 15cm of fresh somewhere up near Chamonix.
Not too sure what the plan is today as all six "bitches" are all still in bed, I might drag Ullr out for a run
Here's a picture showing how lovely the off-piste snow pack is, and we saw yesterday an instructor dropping off down the South side of the Prorel towards where Pierre Vaultier had his Red Bull feature and he put one turn in and then frantically shouted back at his two clients (who were good skiers) not to follow him
Oh and of course what precipitation was showing for the end of the year has now disappeared....... oh hold on, just seen it's come back!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Snow wasn't too bad today considering, and there were no crowds unless you were in a restaurant. Bit sketchy returning to Monetier, on the lower runs, but not bad up top considering. Dogs are still finding some snow to roll in. We went out about 10, had lunch in Echaillon where it is a lovely sun trap then I headed home for dog duty while hubby and kids are having another few runs.
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?
Christmas morning went for a run with Ullr as opposed to going up the hill and then back for brunch followed by a drive up to the Lautaret for a little hike up there the dogs/family and then a drink outside Fred's in the lovely sunshine, though if considering doing that, the sun disappears behind the Combeynot for 45mins or so and then comes back out around 14:00 again.
Then did first lifts up the hill this morning and we had the park all to ourselves for 4-5 runs making the most of the lush corduroy.
Then we did 3-4 runs back to the valley via Marteau/Casse and Frejus and that too was lush as the hordes stayed up the hill rather than go back to the valley.
After 3.5 hours pistes were getting skied out so called it a day, then once backed down out with the other daughter for a run up to Monetier, bumping into my neighbour who was teaching XC at the state and confirmed tomorrow the XC pistes will be open up at the Lautaret.
And think maybe Pointless 2 might open tomorrow as they look like they were getting the park n'ride carpark ready which is just up from the Circuit de Glace, though be interesting to see whether the Frenchies will actually use it or not?
Bit of a Ground Hog Day, nigh on an exact repeat of yesterday, but this time @KenX, came along.
First of all we had the Vole trying to hitch a ride on my skis at the top of the Snow Park, and pretty sure he would have become piste-kill if I hadn't moved him.
Think we did 5 or 6 runs in the park again before more groups started to turn up, then it was another Marteau / Casse descent on a nigh on empty piste. Once back up we headed over to Chalet de Serre Blanc and ended up more confused about coffee names, as it seems that different restos have their own interpretations on what constitutes a Grand crème, café crème, and here I put my hand up as I've never been a big coffee drinker!
Both my daughter and I were convinced I'd ordered the same as we had the other day, which was essentially a cappuccino at €2 each and yet today it was a different coffee and more expensive at €7.60 for two
After that we made our way back and the queue at Les Combes was massive, thankfully we have @Joy which is where we have a priority lane and as you can see it's rather fantastic, and worth the extra expense when it's holidays, but it did seem that away from a few bottlenecks it was not at all busy and the Aiguillette chair and run was deserted!
And the @WhiteGold factor not too bad currently on the piste but there are certainly a few around
Made the effort this morning to go for first lifts at the new Pointless - arrived at 08:50 and only a few cars were parking up, with three local plod there ready to direct the traffic - so was all very calm.
Think we were on the 3rd cabin at 09:02, which takes 10 sitting down, and was very quick, we skied straight back down and were on the next at 09:26.
Weather up top was grim, very grey and windy, in fact the Gauthier chair was closed, and the Pointless stopped a good few times; I asked the liftie at the top about windspeeds and he said circa 90kph and indeed we did see it being tested in strong winds.
It has been very busy and we've only been doing a couple of hours managing to ski groomers most of that time, the strategy being to ski back down into resort which the vast % of skiers do not do - this morning I did 3 runs and it was getting busy in a few of the bottlenecks and below Frejus Cafe on the chemin it's getting very bare indeed.
Out now for a quick run up the hill.
As for new snow, forecasts are changing all the time, and there's so much disparity between all the various sites.
I think the only prediction that is 100%, is that tomorrow might be a little Compliqué
Have a good one everyone, and here's to a snowy 2024.
@Weathercam, have a good one, we've been down to Turin for an airport run, gloomy all the way there and back. Piddling down here now.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Rain now turning to big fat wet snowflakes
After all it is free
After all it is free
Well that rain that turned to wet slushy snow froze, and as we walked home circa 01:00 it was treacherous, and God only knows how many people saw the New Year in with a badly bruised body or worse.
Consensus is that (and think I write this every year) this year is the busiest holiday period we've ever witnessed, and that is from bar/resto owners and people who have been here for well over 20 years. We've seen more apartments and chalets occupied than ever before and the traffic jams along the valley are now far more widespread with the worst from 16:00 to well past 18:30 which is occurring now as I sit here.
And could be more busy than usual as many of the stations further South don't have much snow, and I heard some (near Gap) were closed.
I went to bed thinking I'd not bother with first lifts, but awoke around 08:15 and decided to go for it, with daughter and OH passing, and twas a good call as I parked up at a nigh-empty Pointless which is what's so good about making the effort on New Years Day, along with the possibility of some fresh atop, and as the telecabine zoomed up with me just inside so snow on the trees was looking good and once out the lift there was a good 10-15cm only issue was that with my fuzzy head and my impromptu decision I'd hadn't really considered what skis to take, with the net result going up on the Vallons chair I knew it would be challenging on the GS skis with their 74mm waists.
But the snow was light and I made the most of it though was tiring on the legs and knees; I then made a bad decision of skiing all the way down and lower down was very icy and not at all pleasant. So back up on Pointless and then I lapped the Crete drag a handful of times which was surprisingly quiet whilst the Mea drags were rammed with ski-schools.
So all the morning was untracked though knees were suffering, and the last run down was horrible, especially as the hordes had finally made it up the hill.
And still meant to be very busy for the rest of the week as French kids still on holiday and Italians making the most of two Bank Holidays this week.
Could be in for another 10cm tomorrow (FL 1950m), still marginal in the valley with probable rain and maybe similar amounts at the end of the week but with a much lower FL, but still a long way off the decent dump that we really need, especially for the Cross Country.
Not too sure what to do tomorrow?
Off the Vallons.
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.
I have never seen it so busy on NY day before. Past experiences have been fairly quiet pistes until late morning but car park was rammed from 9am. We stopped after lunch, pistes up top were good, but it is still sketchy towards the bottom despite the fresh snow. We were spared the ice last night, as the hot spring waters which run through the village had melted the snow/ice just enough to be able to safely walk home from the village, which is just as well, as it is a fairly steep slope. Our car park may be lethal by morning though.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Copied from a friend ranting on WhatsApp.
Their apartment is at the bottom of the Luc three floors up, so they have excellent views.
Never before have I seen so many incompetent and terrified people coming down Luc at the end of the day. Many abandoning their skis and walking or sliding down. And families with children who clearly don't have the skills....last ones down at 5.45pm in the dark. I appreciate the conditions were probably much icier than they'd expected, but foolhardy when there's a perfectly comfortable cabin back down. Rant over.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
) and she heard a whirring noise and the new gondolas were running, which is something as they were only delivered last week!
