 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm off to Avoriaz (well, Ardent) tomorrow. I'm aware the conditions aren't great currently, but we've committed to this week and just have to make the most of it. With that in mind, I wondered if I could get some recommendations about areas to ski - and in particular where is likely to be the best bet at different times of the day.
I'll be starting from the Lindarets bowl. My understanding is that the valley runs roughly north/south, so I'm guessing the Avoriaz side (around The Stash) will get the sun in the morning, and the runs on the other side, coming back from Mossettes and the Chaux Fleurie will be softer in the afternoon? I'm hoping that the Swiss side of Mossettes going down towards Les Crosets, and perhaps the other side of Lindarets going towards Plaine Dranse, will be quieter? Looks like the Chavanette/Fornet are above Avoriaz is the highest ... but possibly not high enough to offer any great advantage in the current conditions? Any other recommendations welcome.
I'm a fairly strong intermediate, but haven't skied for a while and will need a couple of nice wide runs to find my ski legs. Any recommendations for where to head on the first morning after I drop my son off at the ski school in Lindarets? (I have got a couple of refresher lessons booked for later in the week, but I'll be on my own to start with.)
Thanks. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Given the generally clear, sunny skys/+8°C forecast I'd expect conditions to generally be better up un the Fornet bowl with Lindarets OK but getting worse lower as the day goes on.
Given that I'd start with Adrant bubble/Lindarets chair and do the forest run down to Ardant as it's a nice run and will be both at its best and quiet first thing.
I'd then head back up Ardant/Lindarets and do the various blues back down into the Lindarets bowl. You should have warmed up by then so head over to the Fornet bowl and, well by/before then it will probably be time to collect your son from ski school.
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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?
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| Mjit wrote: |
Given the generally clear, sunny skys/+8°C forecast I'd expect conditions to generally be better up un the Fornet bowl with Lindarets OK but getting worse lower as the day goes on.
Given that I'd start with Adrant bubble/Lindarets chair and do the forest run down to Ardant as it's a nice run and will be both at its best and quiet first thing.
I'd then head back up Ardant/Lindarets and do the various blues back down into the Lindarets bowl. You should have warmed up by then so head over to the Fornet bowl and, well by/before then it will probably be time to collect your son from ski school. |
Perfect, thank you. I'm keen to do the run down to Ardent as we're staying there and was pondering whether it'd be best to do it in the morning while it was still shady but potentially icy or in the afternoon when it would be softer but slushier.
At the moment, I've got an area pass, but my son (who's not done much skiing) and my dad (who's 83) haven't. Do you reckon it'd be worth upgrading to get them over to the Swiss side? I was wondering if people tend to linger around Avoriaz, leaving the other side a bit quieter?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| ChrisP71 wrote: |
| Mjit wrote: |
Given the generally clear, sunny skys/+8°C forecast I'd expect conditions to generally be better up un the Fornet bowl with Lindarets OK but getting worse lower as the day goes on.
Given that I'd start with Adrant bubble/Lindarets chair and do the forest run down to Ardant as it's a nice run and will be both at its best and quiet first thing.
I'd then head back up Ardant/Lindarets and do the various blues back down into the Lindarets bowl. You should have warmed up by then so head over to the Fornet bowl and, well by/before then it will probably be time to collect your son from ski school. |
Perfect, thank you. I'm keen to do the run down to Ardent as we're staying there and was pondering whether it'd be best to do it in the morning while it was still shady but potentially icy or in the afternoon when it would be softer but slushier.
At the moment, I've got an area pass, but my son (who's not done much skiing) and my dad (who's 83) haven't. Do you reckon it'd be worth upgrading to get them over to the Swiss side? I was wondering if people tend to linger around Avoriaz, leaving the other side a bit quieter? |
I don't think you should rush into buying a full area pass for them until you've assessed how well your son and dad (good on him) are adopting to the conditions and, more importantly, are enjoying their skiing.
There is plenty to do in the Lindarets bowl, there's the blues over in Fornet / Intrets, the run down to Proclou or the Prodains cable car to entertain them for a few days. One area that I would highly recommend is Plaine Dranse / Pre la Joux over the ridge towards Chatel (Chaux Fleurie to access) - you will need a full area pass to head over the other side of the Chaux Fleurie ridge.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| franga wrote: |
| There is plenty to do in the Lindarets bowl, there's the blues over in Fornet / Intrets, the run down to Proclou or the Prodains cable car to entertain them for a few days. One area that I would highly recommend is Plaine Dranse / Pre la Joux over the ridge towards Chatel (Chaux Fleurie to access) - you will need a full area pass to head over the other side of the Chaux Fleurie ridge. |
I would second that - and definitely if you're in that area head up to Tete du Linga. The Linga area is sort of north facing and seems to hold snow quite well.
But I wouldn't bother with Super-Chatel is the snow is not good - it's lower down so doesn't tend to be "super".
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks.
Any particular recommendations for easy runs near Lindarets that will be in decent condition in the afternoon? The company we're going with does lunch back at the chalet for the kids, so it just occurred to me that it'll probably be gone 2pm by the time I get him back onto the mountain. I'll see if I can have a chat with his instructor too.
Don't suppose my dad will venture out first thing, so my mornings - at least the first one - will be spent scoping out places to take them in the afternoon. A bit tricky as so much will depend on the conditions this week. I'm thinking it's only likely to be me who does the run back into Ardent as I've heard it has a tendency to be quite icy even without the very warm temperatures they've had recently.
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On a random note, I've just realised that the "Fantasticable" that I thought was a lift is, in fact, a zip wire. So, I might give that a go if the snow isn't brilliant.
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For your son and father there's more than enough to keep them entertained with just a Avoriaz pass - so use your 'solo' time while dad in bed/son in ski school to drop down the Swiss side one day, Chatel way another.
For the group of you skiing together the blues above Avoriaz are very good too. Miles wide so they can handle a lot of people without feeling busy.
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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.
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Snow must be melting like crazy in Avoriaz
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@Ram80, not necessarily and there’s loads anyway
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Managed to first duplicate then delete my post! If you want easy, avoid or tackle with great care the blue run down from Chaux Fleurie (grand plan) as it gets very messy from mid morning - although the worst thing is not the run but the many bad skiers on it losing control! I have seen many accidents on there.
I am not a huge fan of the run to Ardent either - pretty shaded and icy at worst. But can be nice at the sides.
Just realised that all sounds rather negative so for an easier ride I’d go up Lechere and Mossettes for Abricotine (long and easy blue just gets a bit flat on the green coming back to Lindarets). All off the Brochaux and Prolays chairs are fine too. Even easier go up Lindarets and try Proclou but the chair at the bottom can get busy weekends with people coming up from Morzine.
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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.
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| Ram80 wrote: |
| Snow must be melting like crazy in Avoriaz |
Constructive, thank you.
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Based on this week you need to avoid the Fornet bowl like the plague. Very icy/scraped. The best conditions we had over the last couple of days were in Super Chatel. Swiss side also not bad.
Today we had an early start and everything above PLJ was well groomed and crispy. By 1200 it was all scraped and icy. Very busy as well. PLJ car park completely full.
It needs more snow. The run down to Ardent was OK earlier in the week.
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You know it makes sense.
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So today everything was either ice or the hardest of hard pack before 11am/softening up nicely after that - more or less everywhere.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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We had a great week in the end. Snow conditions, not surprisingly, played a bigger part than the runs themselves, but I was pleasantly surprised. Personally, I don't mind hard pack but I was less keen on the slush bumps in the afternoon. For me, the mornings were the best time to be out.
The long Abricotine blue was a great one to warm up on, and the Vautna red next to it proved to be one of my favourites in the local area once the legs were working.
If anyone's looking for something super easy then Proclou is a great option. The turn at the top can be a little busy, but after that it's wide, gentle and very consistent all the way down. Slightly surprised it's a blue rather than a green, to be honest. The Seraussaix run from the bottom is nice too, although the middle section was getting a bit cut up in the afternoons.
My favourite place to ski was around Plaine Dranse, heading towards Chatel from Lindarets. It consistently seemed to have the best snow, the fewest crowds and the nicest runs, with a good mixture of stuff above and below the treeline.
My one venture into Switzerland from Mossette wasn't overly inspiring - slushy and quite mogulled by the time I got there in the afternoon, but I think that's probably as much to do with the timing as anything else. On that particular day, at least, the French side was nicer. Also quite a narrow run down if you have any nervous skiers in your group.
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