 Poster: A snowHead
|
Dont see much snow on the immediate horizon - at what point do the french alps normally turn white?
Personal interest for me is Alpe D'huez for new year!
Just checked previous years posts - seems like arguing and panicking starts around mid November if there is no snow.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 30-10-07 11:50; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Curtains, I was in Zell at christmas last year - first trip in 10 years - so limited snow didn't bother me at all. However, I am well up for being knee deep this year.
Seriously addicted to webcams and snow forecast!!! Quite sad really!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Mattmulkeen wrote: |
Just checked previous years posts - seems like arguing and panicking starts around mid November if there is no snow.
|
Mid november is still early. You would expect somewhere like Val Thorens to have a bit of snow by then but it is not unusual for there to be no settled snow below 2500m until the final half of November. The problem last year was not so much lack of snow but very high temperatures which melted what fell below 2000m. There was a good fall in the 2nd half of November then in early December. If we hadn't had the warm weather it would have been a bumper start to the season in the Savoie/Isere area (less snow fell further north).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Mattmulkeen, Meteo France were saying on Sunday night that conditions are about average/normal temperature and precipitation wise.
Curtains, while last year's and this year's conditions aren't quite independent, it can be crap two years in a row. Take 88-89 (bad) and 89-90 (worse) for example. But this far out? Who knows. Take it from me though that I definitely, definitely want it to be a season with lots (but not too much) of snow and a good early start too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I too am in a holding pattern on this. I sort of remember in the past seeing ski sunday in December and there being lots of snow around then.
In my mind I thought November would be about right to see snow. Seems that that is likely to be too soon. I was half hoping to get a pre Christmas trip in, but only if there was a lot of snow about. Not sure if I will bother if I need to wait till mid Dec to see significant falls of snow.
Seems to me the ski season is very short. Late Dec to early April at best? No wonder it costs so much - I'm suprised it can be economically viable in three months to make any money.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
johnnyh, you, the world and its dog. This is why there are some ridiculous Chrizbit bargains out there at the moment.
You'll all end up with egg on your faces if it dumps in November though. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
| Late Dec to early April at best? |
no, in many places snow is great until several weeks after early April. Our resort is only 1650m but closes three-quarters of the way through April. Until last year, when it was rubbish after mid April, because of the sky high temperastures, we have had 5 wonderful Aprils with fresh snow and a good base. Late season is a much better bet in many resorts than trying to go skiing at Christmas. Why does everyone think the season ends at the end of March?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What this thread needs now is some graphs and charts and some conjecture about what it all means!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Quote: |
Why does everyone think the season ends at the end of March?
|
Pam, let them continue to think that. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Claudia said:
| Quote: |
You'll all end up with egg on your faces if it dumps in November though.
|
Is it not the case that the lifts don't actually open until a certain date though? Or are they really flexible, in that if it snows do they get it all up and running? I'm waiting on the view from the webcams before I book my flight.
As for the end of the season, I guess it's driven by the package holiday timings and the fact most people in the UK start to focus on their summer break as they head out of Easter. I also think the flight timtable relfects the end of the season. Newquay to Geneva, which is catering to skiers is a winter only timetable. So regardless of snow conditions, if once can't get there, then the season is over (for us UK folks anyways). Nevertheless, for those who live out there it may appear that the season is longer, but for those in the UK looking at booking a holiday it seems as though the resorts switch off around the end of March. I have been skiing in April, by the way! If I lived out there, I guess I'd be happy if there were fewer people around later in the season. Nevertheless, I think it must be hard if you need to make all your money in such a short time span.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The season is only really getting going properly in March which is four months away ! IMHO Skiing is really a spring and winter sport rather than a winter and spring one
I suspect it also has something to do with the race season which starts ridiculously early and finishes early, perhaps because spring snow gets too cut up ??
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| Quote: |
| Is it not the case that the lifts don't actually open until a certain date though? |
that's certainly the case in our area, though they do open up at weekends for local visitors from early December. No point running expensive lifts if there's nobody around to pay for lift passes! They will also close lifts on a pre-determined day towards the end of April, no matter how many piles of fluffy white stuff there are. Some of the high resorts have longer seasons, of course. There are plenty of flights into Geneva throughout the year, if not from some of the further-flung UK local airports. What is very annoying is that easyJet doesn't publish their flights for end of March and April for ages yet!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
^ which means what exactly?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| johnnyh wrote: |
| ^ which means what exactly? |
That it may or may not snow when you want it to
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
oh great! I thought as much.
|
|
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
| pam w wrote: |
| What is very annoying is that easyJet doesn't publish their flights for end of March and April for ages yet! |
It was November 27th last year, and November 18th in 2005, so soon time to start checking.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Matt: C U there!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Mattmulkeen, I skied on opening day last year on the 9th of december and the pistes were fantastic.... enough base due to the snow cannons working for a while and a fresh 30 cms dump the day before. Christmas was good but no off-piste really...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Mattmulkeen wrote: |
| at what point do the french alps normally turn white?/ |
After it snows.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Awful 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
johnnyh, what I mean is that as soon as there is a sniff of good snow for Chrimble and people start booking, TO prices will rocket back up to their usual peak season rate and there will be no more 10p for a week's full board deals going on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Damn those market forces. You're right, though, and I would guess that last years conditions mean everyone holds back right until the very last second.
By the way, where's the link to the 10p for a week's full board, I might go for that anyways - seems cheaper than nipping to Tesco?!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Mattmulkeen wrote: |
Awful |
But accurate.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Looks like France missing out on this snow fest - any signs of one on the way?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sunny and warmish looks like the pattern in the Western Alps for the next couple weeks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
|
Predominantly dry, but not warm. Temps mostly below average for the next week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Can anyone tell me why France is missing out when the rest of the Alps seem set for massive dumps? I'm not so clever on the forecast reading front...
|
|
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
smudger, 2 things:
1. it's too far west, so the (dry) influence of the high pressure to the west of Ireland will be stronger.
2. The weather bringing the snow is coming from more or less due North. Moisture gets squeezed out of the air as it hits mountains, so anything downwind of a big mountain range will tend to miss out.
You might find that the most northern french alps, with a bit of northern exposure, eg. Flaine, pick up a few cm at the weekend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Thanks brian,
hopefully there will be a change in fortune for the French alps soon...it's early days and I have my fingers crossed...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
