Skiing 2nd April, what to expect?

A snowHead

Planning to go on 2nd April. I've only ever skied in January before, what should I expect. And where should I go. Coming under some pressure to book - but realistically some places have only had one snowfall since Christmas, which fell a fortnight ago, and it's still 3 weeks away.

What to do, what to do?

A snowHead

James the Last,
Early april is usually a great time to ski. this year may be different as there is not a whole lot of base in many places but there is still plenty of time for fresh snow.
Altitude and aspect affect snow more the later the season goes on. To ski all day in pleasant snow you generally need some highish north facing slopes. Generally speaking snow on lower and sunnier slopes start of frozen solid turn itno pleasant skiing for a varying length of time and then go gradually slushy. A slush run back to resort at the end of the day is common. Great skiing high up throughout the day is also common.
I would definately wait and see.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Resist the pressure to book. Much of the weather in January was rather like April - maybe April will be like January? At the moment it seems Italy has the best snow, and the best prospect of more in the next week. Very warm temperatures are amongst the possibilities (and therefore rain except at the highest altitudes).

Have a read of the "weather" thread - where we are told there is still a great deal of uncertainty after this week. Also good idea to read all the "snow reports" threads - a range of opinions available!

Many places in the French Alps have had two or three rather modest snowfalls since Christmas.

What you should generally expect in April is pretty good snow coverage and depth, but tending to be very icy and hard first thing (if it's frozen overnight), then softening to quite nice, then softening to extreme slush/water skiing depending on aspect - you need to try to go somewhere with a range of different aspects, as the needs are v different first thing in the morning. Ski from about 10 till 2, then a long late lunch, can be a good formula for spring skiing.

However, this isn't a typical year and snow coverage in some areas is already like mid April (someone said everything below Les Menuires is artificial only, which is hard to believe and certainly not true throughout the northern Alps).

There are often some good snow falls in April - doesn't last long when it falls but very nice for a while.

Longer lighter evenings. The lifts will be open later than January (which doesn't necessarily mean you'll want to be actually skiing till late!).

Spring skiing can be fantastic - but this year Puzzled

who knows. We have skied till closing in an area which only goes up to 2000m every April since 2003. But keeping an open mind.

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Did a 4 day trip till from 9th April last year to Obergurgl. Only the absolute bottom end of resort runs were a bit slushy by late afternoon.

Going to Stuben 2 April this year for 4 days. Bit lower and I'm a bit more worried bearing in mind current forecasts but am keeping the faith. It's a micro climate there, apparently !

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Going to Val T on 1 April and already getting nervous...but it's high enough there that I'm hoping something will be skiable!

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Buzzsaw, If it's not, then 100+ snowHeads due to arrive from the 23rd April are going to be in big trouble. Shocked

(I suspect you are worrying unneccessarily... chill) wink

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Had a decent amount of fresh snow later than that in Kitzbuehel last season, which is pretty low. It's a wee bit different than usual this season (in Tirol anyway), and bases don't seem to be all that good. Last week most of the lower resorts around Innsbruck still had very nice snow, softening but not to slush, apart from the more southerly facing aspects which were getting pretty bare.

Don't worry though, slush and spring snow are the most fun things to ski after powder.

After all it is free

We went to Montgenevre last year in April and I was pleasantly surprised by the complete lack of slush. We had fresh snow on several days and it felt more like other resorts in Feb.

I would pick a resort with most of the skiing over 1800 and a good number of north facing slopes.

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we've been to Obertauern in mid April when they had the biggest dump all season, then the sun came out and it was just perfect. Going this time on 2nd April and they still have 140 cms on mountain and 100 cms in the village. Temps climbing towards end of this week, but still cold at night. I've watched the webcams in previous years and although the lifts shut end of April/beginning of May, there was still plenty of snow on the ground in June!

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You know it makes sense.

I would suggest deciding (very) late minute.

I have never gone that late to the Alps, but I might also go this year. In my case: mid-April for a couple of days to St. Anton.

I suppose we should expect skiing untill approx. 1-2 PM and then have a long lunch & apres ski, but that's fine for us. We had arctic temperatures mid/end-march last year, so I guess anything is possible.

We will leave it very late to decide if we're going, presumably a week before we want to go. When the conditions do not seem reasonable at the minimum we will opt for an also pleasent city-trip and enjoy the spring that way!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

I think what I'm talking about is not "soup". It's a very patchy thing - some slopes just turn to slush/soup, which is quite low friction. But in some places you get an incredibly slow, sticky, surface (which is not actually slushy) which is extremely unpleasant, slows you right down and there's absolutely no chance of spinning round doing rooster tails. Velcro snow. It kills your legs, because in order to be ready for being thrown forward, you need to sit back.

A snowHead

I've seen slush:

1. Pools of water on the piste which freeze hard overnight and turn into sheet ice before they melt again the following day. Whatever you do, don't fall over into it...

2. Thick, sludgy snow that's like trying to ski through treacle - and if it's a flattish green you have to pole yourself even downhill.

3. Great gloopy heavy snow that trips you up.

What isn't there to like about boiler plate?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I must say I like slush - but obviously you have to carve it, you can't skid round. At the point off-piste where you have to point straight down a steep slope to keep going at all, obviously things have gone too far. However, Eyeopener, you should get good skiable snow all day, even in late April. (Keep in mind which slopes are north or south facing and ski high North facing later if you don't like slush.) It is normally summer skiing when you have to stop early.

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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moffatross, It's even more fun when you're on a Skibob that floats on slush like a dream, zooming past skiers stuck in the soup as they negotiate the mounds!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

James the Last, Just back from Pila in Italy and they had great snow, shouls be fine early April.

Off to Whistler when you are talking about and it is always great over there, they have a 10M base so it is going to take some heat to get rid of that. We have been over there late April and it has been fine. As others have said the runs down to the village can get slushy late on but if you don't fancy it come down the Gondola and miss them out.

After all it is free

grass !

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Go to whistler

http://wxmaps.org/pix/temp4.html
http://wxmaps.org/pix/prec4.html

http://wxmaps.org/pix/temp2.html
http://wxmaps.org/pix/prec2.html

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James the Last, The 3 Valleys will have some great skiing. Have been there early April every year for the past 7-8 years for the British champs and never skied on grass. Had a mixture of fresh powder to great spring snow to hard pack. So many miles to ski too and also quiet pistes then.
I have booked an apartment in Meribel from 26th March to 9th April this year but no longer need it for the 2nd week, 2nd to 9th April.
Sleeps 4 and is the closest apartment block to Chaudanne. Cost me €500 for the week, but open to offers to have it.
PM me if you're interested.

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Jake43, I'm not too sure about a 10m base. Maybe 10m accumulated snowfall over the season?

But if I was booking late in the Alps I might consider Italy which has actually seen some very good snowfall in parts this season.

Sticky snow http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=64018

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Thanks for thoughts.

I had been thinking 3V or Tignes as height will help even if nothing else does.

But what about Italy which I see has achieved two recommendations here and I know has had rather more snow than elsewhere. Where to go in Italy? We will need some sympathetic tuition for a couple of near beginners. Oh yes, and a Spa in the resort for one of the party.

A snowHead

I am so hoping it stays cold. I hate boarding on slush.

In fact, I would probably just not bother going out and abuse my liver.

Fortunately, height is my liver's friend, even if the weather turns against it.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Snow is a good insulator - something to do with all that trapped air. So it can be ankle deep in water on top of permafrost - just ask the polar bears!

Help!!

Skiing 2nd April, what to expect?

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