 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Am hoping conditions get better by Friday, headed to Cham for Easter....not sure the legs can take much more heavy snow after lmy week last week!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Nice!!!
We took it easier....
Last week was really horrid I heard but temps have dropped again now and there seems to be quite a bit forecast...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Jonpim, It's going to rock today. Snow down to 1000m last night and still going. More forecast for Saturday. Les Houches is very low. It will probably be ok on Monday but will deteriorate quickly if it warms up. Plan on exploring Brevent/Flegere and Les Grand Montets. Don't believe anyone who tells you they are no good for beginners/intermediates. I take all my mates there (half of whom can barely ski) and they all love it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I hear it's forecast sun for later today too
*weeps!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
roll on sunday
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well what a few days!!!!
Currently staying in Les Houches and had an amazing tree day today as decided to stay here instead of going to Grand Montets with the masses. Wish I had someone to take pictures but I did manage some with my iPhone of the conditions.
Jonpim, plenty of easy pistes and all in good condition if you stay at the top but all the runs to the bottom lifts (Belvedere and Prarion) are quite slushy for the last 500-800 metres or so.
Had Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at Grand Montets and had fantastic conditions on Sunday although couldn't get to the top due to high winds and then the sun appeared on Monday with plenty of fresh tracks to be had. Even managed quite a large section off the top of Grand Montets at around 3:30pm. Really good day.
Will probably stay in Les Houches tomorrow as have to drop people off in Geneva but hopefully more forecast snow will keep the Grand Montets in good shape for Saturday and then of to Val for a week where I hope the conditions will be as good as they have been here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cool ....................
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
And that video was taken yesterday before the big cold dump last night. Today was epic over in Verbier. Deepest snow of the season up high. Tomorrow will be another great day with sun forecast. Unfortunately you'll have battle with the Easter holiday masses so get there early!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Thanks for all that cheery news
Someone at SCGB seems to have a wicked sense of humour:
According to their data, Chamonix lost 2.5 meters of snow off its uppers slopes yesterday
April Fool or Error 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
7 days and counting 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Awesome morning around the Index, some very fine descents. Got a little heavier towards 12h00 but still great stuff to be got.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Is there anyone in the Chamonix valley now? Anyone skiied down to Prarion telecabine in Les Houches in last few days? Just curious to know if there is enough coverage to take you to the telecabine? Don't care about it being slushy, we are staying later this week at the apartments 200m from the bottom of the telecabine and don't like having to walk up/down to apartments/telecabine carrying mine and children's skis too.
Many thanks and the photos above look wonderful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
wildnoon, yep - I just had a report this morning that it was still skiiable with plenty of snow on the run to the bottom, albeit slushy...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
wildnoon, it was fine (albeit slushy) on Thursday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
ChrisWo, not warm as such (air temps quite cool yesterday) but on Friday it was mild and south facing slopes were getting lots of sunshine -> lots of self triggering slides (sort of in places you'd expect). Disturbingly, we watched a huge one covering the tracks of a party (or parties) who'd skied the pitch only seconds before.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Many many thanks for the responses and fingers crossed for 4 days time. Les Houches just got even better value too with our family of 6 skiing for 290 euro for a 6 day pass. Already planning next March half term in the Chamonix valley, Vallorcine/Argentiere next year.
And please keep attaching the photos
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Remember that it is the first week of April. It was a clear sunny day. Even if the air feels cold (especially with the wind chill) the sun is striking most ski slopes with an incidence of +/-10 degrees so those slopes are taking in a lot of energy.
Temperatures were only one factor mentioned by the PGHM spokesman for the Isere and he was also talking about the Isere not the Haute-Savoie. In the Isere the zero isotherm was around 1500m at 8am which is quite warm when there has been a lot of fresh snow that has not had time to consolidate.
Yesterday we had the zero isotherm climb 500m during the day and the -10C isotherm climb 1000 meters (info from Meteo France, Haute-Savoie) so again on a sunny day you want to be starting and finishing those tours early.
For me, the major factor in the Isere avalanches was the fresh snow (30-70cm on Saturday night) coupled with strong northerly winds.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To get a good idea of the snow conditions that built up to these avalanche accidents, have a look at my Chamonix Snow Report from last week up till yesterday.
At the moment it is quite busy in the ski resorts and many people are keen to go ski touring to escape the crowds. Normally it is good to wait and let the snow settle a bit first. The last week not many ski touring routes have been skied at all, and we got meters of snow meanwhile.
Today the slopes are even more unstable than yesterday due to the rising temperatures. It is the first time that all this fresh snow gets really warm (0 degrees on 3000m in Chamonix). We did go ski touring today, but we were up early, descended a north face, and were down by lunchtime.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Eskil, wonderful picture. Where were you?
And how did you get there?
(Just for interest - not thinking of trying it without expert guidance)
Warm again today with glorious sunshine: Les Houches car park full, but no queues anywhere and slopes wonderfully empty.
Surprised so many keeping their helmets on despite the heat.
Daughter Rosie says none of the girls will take their helmet off for fear of showing "Helmet Hair"
I keep mine on to prevent burning the recently exposed areas due to receding hair line 
Still able to ski down to Prarion: indeed, Karl who hasn't skied for 6 years managed it today.
Quite impressed how they have managed to preserve the piste, though not sure it will still be open come Friday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
I'm sure that the Easter break and great weather had something to do with it, but the queue for the bubble at the end of the Mer de Glace was about an hour on Friday afternoon. Luckily the train down stayed open for at least an hour after it should have closed.
It's a long walk down otherwise......!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Whitters, I understood Friday was often an extra busy day as people left the Big Run to their last day, and most people transfer Saturday.
We are off to try Brevant/Flegere today. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Thanks Jonpim, I'll remember that next time!
Have a good day today and let us know how Brevent/flegere are holding up. I might pop over at the weekend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Whitters, we had a great time in Flegere/Brevent. Went from one end to the other and back again.
Very warm. I was skiing in just base layer (fleece in back pack).
Picture shows our picnic spot - anyone recognise it?
Snow was bit soft at the bottom, but hardly anyone there: no queues for anything anywhere
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Very different weather today.
Picture shows Linds top of Les Houches.
Cloudy all day - promised afternoon sunshine never appeared.
Weather continues rather warm: +3°C
You can still ski down to both Prarion gondola and Bellevue cable car, but piste for last 500m or so is white strip surrounded by green, and you have to enjoy "granulated sugar" snow to try.
Tomorrow we're off to Courmayeur.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Thanks for the update - I'll venture out sometime over the weekend, the weather forecast looks good too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Many thanks, especially to Jonpim, for the Les Houches reports, our family hit the village tomorrow afternoon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Courmayeur was wonderful
A quick drive through the Mont Blanc tunnel, and you're at the Entreves cable car in under 45 minutes.
Runs a bit hard that side early on, but were fine later on.
Snow rather better in Courmayeur than Chamonix, and a coffee only 1 euro.
Picture shows glorious pic-nic spot at bottom of Zerotta chair (1525m).
Unfortunately the resort closes tomorrow (Sunday)
A real pity, as the place could clearly continue for another week or so.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Today was Flegere in the morning and Le Tours in the afternoon.
The Brevent-Flegere sector is south facing, and gets the sun blasting it early on.
It was getting soft below 2000m by 10.00am.
For a time it seemed more busy off-piste than on, as at least 40 skiers headed up from the top drag above L'Index chair
Then at 11.00 they closed red run 12 (Combe Lachenal) and our favourite run - Crochus (13) - got rather crowded:
it was time to move on.
Le Tours was delightful.
Quiet, and better snow on the north facing slopes than at Flegere.
There's a fun snow park, and the red run by the chair from Tete de Balmes was still lovely at 2.30pm.
Tomorrow? I think its time we tried Argentierre and Les Grands Montets .
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
At the moment it is raining hard in Chamonix, we will get a few last powder days on Grands Montets this week...
But with 3 weeks of sunny weather the ski touring has been great and conditions good in the high mountains. Read my full snow conditions and ski touring report from late April in Chamonix for detailed info.
Photo is from Glacier de la Neuve (ski touring to Col Sup du Tour Noir skiing down to La Fouly). Get the full story in the photo gallery from ski touring 28 April.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ay caramba! Powder days today and tomorrow too I hope!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
