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igm - Member
Stoner - you out at half term
Daft idea. There'll be loads of brats everywhere!
No, just the trip end Jan with Mrs, another in March with a pair of exiles and then back out April 10-20 with th kids for Easter. When are you and the rest of the clan out next? Half term?
Yes. First week of our Easter holiday is the last week of the Les Gets season, so it seemed like a decent year to do half term - particularly as there are two half term weeks and we're in the slightly cheaper one which means it's about the same price as Easter.
And if the season is good we might try for a late booking at Easter.
Well, now sat in Brussels, nearly every Easyjet flight from yesterday lunch onwards was cancelled along with lots of others. 5000 people had cancelled flights.....Easyjet very kindly offered to fly me home free of charge on 4th Jan?!?!
Sooo.....718 Swiss francs for a Geneva-Brussels-Manchester flight this morning it was.
Then need to get to Birmingham to retrieve my car!
Oooh, that sounds grim Tom.
Fortunately all the Brizzle EZY flights seemed to be OK. Our inbound arrived early and we landed at BRS early too. Sounds like it was UK airport fog issues and Briz tends to clear fairly early on being on top of the hill that it is.
Tom 🙁 a friend of mine had his Faro/Bournemouth flight cancelled and had to go to Birmingham today and do a 1-way car rental. All at his cost (2 of them)
seriously hard wind in åre today , a powder day but heavy pow with poor visibility. still fun though!
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We're in Les Deux Alpes at the moment. Not bad considering they haven't had snow for nearly two months, 50 odd runs open, three blacks, half a dozen reds and a load of blues. Very thin and icy in places, my skis will need a lot of p-tex when we get back. On the plus side, not seen a cloud in the sky all week and beautiful blue skies.
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[/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/PySMgX ]Les deux alpes[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
less than two weeks till we return to Sainte Foy. snow outlook obviously looking bleak (which it did this time last year too but we ended up with loads!) but like last year again im seriously considering packing some bike gear just in case. Would White Room or any ski shops be willing to rent a bike a bike out this time of year and provide any guiding for a day or two?
Im looking for a new coat, would like one i can wear at home when its very cold too, so considering the Alpkit Phantac? not technically a ski coat but looks warm and comfortable. any owners on here? anyone skied in one? the filo's looks a bit too bulky for me.
Skied in one??
It's a jacket to keep you warm in low activity situations or very cold conditions, not for skiing!! You'd be dripping if you tried to exert yourself in something like that!
really, that warm!? ok noted thanks.
just looking through the snow reports. one is extremely more optimistic than all the others - how accurate have folk found jet2ski??? 😆
They all run off a couple of models, and basically anything more than about 4-5 days is just fantasy. Get yourself over to Snowheads weather discussion thread for more informed views on what is likely to happen 🙂
Looking at the Vercors and the Chartreuse and the Belledonne: It's like a desert out there. We havn't seen any precipitation for all of December: I've seen reports saying it is the driest decemebr in France for over 60 years. It has been warm and bright blue skies with frosts here at 600m, but since the weekend it's gone sgnifiacntly colder. Freezing fog forecasted for the next few days with maybe the odd flurry then hopefully some propoer snow in a weeks time.
Feel sorry for anyone having been on holiday here recently. I'm strangely detahced form it this year as I am in no rush to get out, recovering from my broken leg. I'm waiting for the good stuff: no way am I risking it on hardpacked pistes.
I this one, not bad. Mountain weather is particularly unpredictable of course.
That's true in the UK but in France the weather is a lot more predictable, especially when the Winter anti-cyclone pays a long visit.anything more than about 4-5 days is just fantasy
We use lachainemeteo and find that it's a good guide for 10 days ahead.
There's nowhere like a ski resort to celebrate the New Year.
Edukator there are plenty of things we agree on 🙂
950 bl00dy cars burnt this year, it's just nuts and not a single burnt car photo on TV !
950 bl00dy cars burnt this year, it's just nuts and not a single burnt car photo on TV !
where? 😯
France, it's about a thousand most years. If you have a fully insured car with a blown engine or gearbox set fire to it on New Year's Eve and the insurers will be less likely to suspect insurance fraud. Also a good time to settle that petty dispute or just be an arse when pissed, high or both.
Edukator - Reformed Troll
anything more than about 4-5 days is just fantasy
That's true in the UK but in France the weather is a lot more predictable, especially when the Winter anti-cyclone pays a long visit.
Since when has forecasting mountain weather been predictable??? 10 days out is mainly fantasy, either in the UK or the Alps. Sure, you can check the ensembles and charts as they are run several times a day and pick up on patterns emerging, but they are broad themes and lack any detail. Forecasting that far out is very rarely reliable, even when there's a massive and stubborn blocking high in place, as even they can break down suddenly and unpredictably!
Take a screen shots from lachainemeteo for say Tignes and Font Romeu then get back to us in 12 days and tell us how the forecast compares with what happened.
I've changed holiday plans on the basis of the 12 day forecast and not regretted so far.
Today is Tuesday. There's no snow forecast for Gourette for a week so I'm expecting cold sunny weather (cold enough to make artificial in abundance as of Saturday and maybe a little tomorrow. The following week it will remain cold and snow a little most days with heavier falls over the weekend of 14/15 January. RDV in two weeks time for the verdict, but if I were booking a holiday I'd be confident of skiing in good conditions as of 15/1/2017.
Check out my post on page 16 of this thread based on machainemeteo:
Pyrénées are icy and thin below 1800m at present. We took an eternity to ski down from 1600 to 1400 yesterday. It's not going to improve for as long as the weather forecast is reliable.
By "improve" I meant there would be no new snow and I was absolutely right. Every time I post long term forecast on this thread (and previous ones) somebody rubbishes it yet I'm right every time.
Jet2ski forecasts an almighty dump in Ste Foy starting towards the end of next week, none of the others do tho...
French Cars. TV originally said that it was only 650 vs 600 last year and then someone pointed out that was not counting all the cars fire damaged just the one they actually set on fire. Mrs B agrees it's always like that in the "sh.tty areas", TV doesn't cover it as they don't want to encourage it 😯
Verbier conditions have been OK-ish at the very top but anything below 2000m and facing South is pure grass, not even artificial.
Edukator I admire your mid Jan will be OK viewpoint, seems very optimistic to me
Edukator - Reformed Troll
Every time I post long term forecast on this thread (and previous ones) somebody rubbishes it yet I'm right every time.
Why don't you post your long term predictions on the snowheads weather thread - they'd love you over there 😉
Resorts only need cold weather and full reservoirs these days, Jamba. My local resort can turn a forest road at 1360m into a nicely groomed piste with three days at -5°C. That's why I'm confident skiing conditions will be fine by 15/1/2016, even if the forecast snow isn't enough the cold temperatures will allow enough artificial snow to be produced.
Natural snow is a bonus obviously but the erosion by skiers is such that even in a good year resorts can't survive on natural snow only below about 2000m (and rising). There's only so much pushing snow back up hill and back onto the pistes can achieve.
The climatic change issue is a thorny one but I've been skiing long enough to see trends, Madame has been skiing our local resort for 33 years. The tree line pushes steadily higher, the season gets steadily shorter and the number of days with a temperature inversion seems to be rising exponentially. Now there's a doctorate subject for someone - "Changes in the temperature gradient with respect to altitude in the Pyrenees since 1950, with a focus on periods of temperature inversion in Winter". So far this Winter we've had at least two weeks of lower daily minimum temperatures at 175m than 1400m, hence the inability to produce artificial snow.
I agree with Edukator. We have continental weather not a polar maritime. They can predict weather with more sucessful than in the UK.
However being cold enough to make artifical snow is fine...but... at least here it has been so dry over the summer as well as the autumn and winter so far that the reservoirs in the resorts are low if not dry : no water no artificial snow....
Anyway. Looks like snow from middle of next week for Grenoble area at least.
The southern alpes have been faring well I have heard: around Barcelonette etc in the haute ubaye. Amis Saw some great powder shots of Val Cenis area just before Christmas.
Just read in today's Metro that Sir Bradley of Wiggins will be a contestant on this year's series of [s]Snow, Ski and A & E[/s] [i]The Jump[/i] - that should be entertaining! 😆
too much send
Top Jerry
Resorts only need cold weather and full reservoirs these days, Jamba. My local resort can turn a forest road at 1360m into a nicely groomed piste with three days at -5°C. That's why I'm confident skiing conditions will be fine by 15/1/2016, even if the forecast snow isn't enough the cold temperatures will allow enough artificial snow to be produced.
If they bother to invest in snow cannons. Just back from Les Duex Alpes and they had bugger all snow cannons high up, just a few on the lowest slopes. We were skiing on water ice and gravel with just a dusting of snow which they kept moving around during the week. They need to up their game and invest in snow making if this sort of weather pattern continues.
That's a worry footflaps - we were thinking about going to l2A near half term.
Been there a couple of times before and find it great for the kids - but the most of the bunny slopes are at the bottom.
Was it not any better up at the glacier or was that tracked out?
There's a big dump of snow predicted later today across much of high altitude Switzerland. That should also carry on into Portes du Soleil, Chamonix etc. Unfortunately it's going to be accompanied and followed by high winds at altitude so not sure how much of it will hang around.... 🙁
not sure how much of it will hang around.
Enough. Enough to create some nice plaques à vent that skiers can avalanche.
From distant memory (twas a long time since I was there) Alpe D'Huez has snow canons up pretty high on the blues.
Fingers crossed for snowfall, personally I have limited interest for an all on-piste mostly artificial snow type holiday. French friends did go for Christmas and kids did classes but parents hardly skied (1 or 2 days), saved money on ski passes and equipment rental and just did some walking, relaxing and reading etc. A bad snow season plus weak £/€ could hurt businesses and resorts pretty badly. I remember the local from Peisey saying last year that the Brits had "saved the day" recently.
Seen on Snowheads - the prettiest weather website I ever did see.
www.ventusky.com
That's a worry footflaps - we were thinking about going to l2A near half term.Been there a couple of times before and find it great for the kids - but the most of the bunny slopes are at the bottom.
Was it not any better up at the glacier or was that tracked out?
Well yes, but only if you like flat blues with a constant 5-15 degree gradient. Fine if you want to learn to snowplow but after clocking 70mph carving on Signal for the 100th time each day, it gets a little boring. All the reds / blacks were covered in stones / rocks and have eaten my skies down to the metal base plate (and they were brand new). They'd even dumped straw on one piste as a substitute for snow! So you got to ski on rocks and straw rather than rocks and snow (bottom of La Fee).
I would guess it will be back to normal by half term....
beanum - Member
There's a big dump of snow predicted later today across much of high altitude Switzerland. That should also carry on into Portes du Soleil, Chamonix etc.
Very little forecast for PdS and Cham, "dump" is further east into Austria etc. Glimmer of hope out around the 11th Jan for PdS etc, but long way out yet.
footflaps: yeah it was Signal I was thinking of. Okay run that one, but only for a [i]few[/i] laps!
If even La Fee had straw on it then you must have been very limited in what is already a pretty small resort. 🙁
You're right the main drag off the glacier is pretty dull and slow in places - though that little subway funicular train to the top is quite cool. 🙂
From distant memory (twas a long time since I was there) Alpe D'Huez has snow canons up pretty high on the blues.
Les Deux Alpes is not Alpe D'Huez (remarkably common misconception). L2A is a much smaller resort, next to La Grave: http://www.les2alpes.com/en/ski-area.html
From distant memory (twas a long time since I was there) Alpe D'Huez has snow canons up pretty high on the blues.
We thought we could see Alpe D'Huez from the Glacier at L2A and if so, it had very little snow. The helicopters were running 1 way traffic all week, bringing people to L2A from all around as we had the 'best' snow in the region....
[url= https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/417/31290380473_1ccc6907df.jp g" target="_blank">https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/417/31290380473_1ccc6907df.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/PF2nYv ]Alpe d'Huez?[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
We're in val d'isere at the moment. Yesterday was blue skies and good to v good snow all day. Today was a bit cloudy at times, a bit windy at times but always good visibility and mostly good snow - a bit icy on the less travelled pistes from time to time. Yesterday slopes were super quiet, today anything heading down to a main lift was pretty busy!
Graham, I know they are different resorts, they are nearish each ofher hence my comparison.
@wallop love that site bookmarked 🙂
We're in val d'isere at the moment.
My favourite French ski resort!
it is snowing in Morzine and Les Gets tonight . not sure that will be enough though .
30cm of snow here last night, you're all holidaying in the wrong places
Graham, I know they are different resorts,
Apologies - it wasn't clear from the context and I've had a couple of other people make that mistake in the past.
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Blue sky and great conditions in Sestriere.
Might be a bit nippy tomorrow though (-15 forecast)
We won't get negative 15 till the weekend here in Fernie - it was -30 this morning.... no skiing and no biking either. No uncovered skin or it will go white in a couple of minutes.
We will get four days of snow from the weekend to make up for the cold.
Thanks Griz.
-20 the last couple of days in Whistler. -14 today and due to warm up a bit, which my toes are thankful for 😀
Snowing in the Grand Massif and it was in desperate need of it!
Fingers crossed it carries on and more of the resort opens soon.
I'm off to Flaine next wednesday for a few days, have been following the snow conditions via the grand massif app over the last few weeks, hopefully the snow over the last 24 hours will open up more runs.
If things dont improve I may not go at all.
Sprootlet -Is it worth me going next week , or is everything that is open super icy and very busy?
A cautionary tale for those who like to wear a backpack when riding 'inbounds':
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38516109 ]Dangling skier rescued from Utah chair-lift[/url]
A cautionary tale for those who like to wear a backpack when riding 'inbounds':
Could have been worse
I always ski with a backpack, but carry it on my lap on lifts.
When I wear a pack it is this one:
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BD Bandit
Specifically chosen because it is low profile and doesn't have loads of straps and stuff that could get caught up on a lift.
(I did once, back in the day, suffer the indignity of somehow getting my suspenders caught on a chair resulting in an hilarious comedy wedgie when I got off. 😳 )
I always ski with a backpack
Do you mind me asking what's in it? I'm often curious what's in these backpacks when I see Brits in Europe cruising the groomers (i.e. not heading "back, slack or side" with transceiver, shovel & probe)
It's a personal thing for sure, but I love the freedom of not wearing a backpack and the weight of it sometimes throwing you off-balance - both on the bike and the board!
I had a gap in between backcountry trips in 2015 so arranged to meet a friend in a nearby resort - for the first few runs, I had that feeling that I'd forgotten something, but at the same time had an overwhelming and 'giddy' sense of freedom when riding. Then I realised it was because I wasn't wearing a 10Kg+ backpack! 😆
somehow getting my suspenders caught on a chair
Oooh missus! That's the great thing about snowsports isn't it? You can wear the wife's underwear beneath all that GoreTex Pro and no one else will be any the wiser! 😳
I'm lucky it wasn't my thong.
I ski with a backpack when with the family as I am the family mitten/hat/waterbottle/coat/marshmallow mule.
I'm lucky it wasn't my thong.
... Eurovision Thong Contest? 😉
Saw there's loads of lifts closed today in Serre Che. Was it wind? Or has all the snow disappeared 😥
From previous page - nowhere is very busy at present as there are so few people on holiday.
Don't forget there are webcams in most resorts if you want a better idea of the conditions than a snow report. I use viewsurf.com both Winter and Summer.
I think backpacks varies depends on resort and type of skiing... when I was skiing in Europe and and was younger / keener I'd have a backpack. It'd have food / water for the day along with spare gloves etc. If you're cruising a big resort like Les Arcs you might not be returning to base until late in the day. Stopping to eat meant less skiing time.
Now skiing in Canada where in most resorts (excluding Whistler) you're probably ~2 lifts from base at most I just leave everything in the day lodge. Being older I also stop more to warm up etc.
Do you mind me asking what's in it?
Mine is a 14l Marmot ski touring specific bag (can strap skis on and climb up steep ground etc).
I generally always carry on a hill (whether skiing or not)...
1st Aid kit
Survival Bag
Head torch
Camelbak bladder with 1-2l of water
Spare gloves
Spare mid layer
Some snacks
Spare iPhone battery booster thing
Compass, whistle, map
Goggles
Quite handy if you cock up off piste and have to climb back up something steep and narrow, just strap the skis on the backpack and climb up in boots using poles.
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Quite handy if you cock up off piste
I'd add a shovel and probe to that list if you are heading away from the pistes ...
Thanks for the list though footflaps - I'm genuinely interested in what folks carry around on the piste/inbounds with them.
Your pack must weigh quite a bit with upto 2Kg of water as well as all the rest of your gear!
Mine up there carries my shovel, probe, spare batteries etc if I'm planning on going off piste (slackcountry at best usually).
As per Stoner, if I'm wearing it on in-bounds days its because I'm hauling supplies for the kids or missus 😀
Your pack must weigh quite a bit with upto 2Kg of water as well as all the rest of your gear!
Can't say I notice it, probably 5-6 kg all in, which is nothing when you consider you probably have the same strapped to your feet...
At some point I'll also get a couple of the avalanche balloon backpacks (for the wife & I), just waiting for the Black Diamond / Arcteryx battery powered ones to come down in price a bit; seems a far superior solution to the gas canister ones.
In the spirit of "you show me yours and I'll show you mine"
I purchased this last year for touring etc:
Plus points are that I can easily fit my helmet inside it! 😆
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Backpack. Mine has caught in lifts before when I've been lazy and not put it on my lap. Cautionary tale.
Mine generally has spare clothes, eg warm hat for when I take my helmet off in the outdoor apres ski bar (eg Folie Douce), spare gloves/liners, windproof in spring which I wear on high/cold lifts, sun cream, shoes if I have a decent walk before/after skiing ... as above I can strap my skis to it if necessary for a hike up
eg warm hat for when I take my helmet off in the outdoor apres ski bar (eg Folie Douce),
yep forgot that, always carry one!
I rarely take water in my pack, just eat the snow (provided it's not yellow, or has a fag stubbed out in it)
yep forgot that, always carry one!
Nothing is more miserable than being too cold to enjoy a (extra) beverage. It is a holiday after all. Outdoor bar with view always superior to being crammed inside a place.
Never had one.
But I never go off piste.
And only wear a helmet if kids are with me.
probably 5-6 kg all in, which is nothing when you consider you probably have the same strapped to your feet...
Indeed, however it's having weight on my back that I dislike as I find it impacts my 'centre of gravity' / 'cone of balance' etc so I have to adjust my riding accordingly - landing drops etc with a backpack on, even in heavy powder has a tendency to throw me off line if I'm not careful - even with the heavy stuff at the bottom of the pack.
Interesting that as others have commented, it has become commonplace in Europe to wear a backpack inbounds. Completely understand though when skiing with kids and having to carry spares etc - but shouldn't they be in [s]day care [/s] ski school though? 😀
And only wear a helmet if kids are with me.
I always wear a helmet, you never know who will take you out e.g. right now I have a duff right shoulder after being wiped out by a snow boarder who took me out on a blue in a designated 'slow ski zone' by failing to stop and ploughing into the back of me when I was just skiing along at 5mph. I had another near miss with an idiot who was skiing at about 40mph whilst looking over his shoulder behind him, I managed to take evasive action and missed him by inches. I don't think he even noticed me at all. Would have been very nasty, we were both carving fast across the piste, towards each other, so something like 60-80mph potential impact. Luckily I was actually looking where I was going...
a bit like on the bike , i guess i need to try a few and buy one which fits properly , not like rental ones .
Helmet. Yes above you don't when someone is going to smash into you.
I am going skiing on Saturday to Risoul , southern french alps.
There has been no new snow for about a month, and there is very little below 1800 - 2000m . The webcams look rather green.
I love powder , I have Shoguns which are 101 underfoot so plenty of float, plus arva kit. My mate has similar but always has poor conditions and rarely gets to go off piste into fresh snow.
I got a xmas bonus, and having seen the forcast for Arlberg did some research and found alot of offers at £299 for CC's in St Anton and Lech.
So I ring him up and offer the chance to go on me( only difference to him is LP price + £60 so not alot really ) to a big resort with 50cm fresh today, 50cm+ due next week
................and he turned me down.
So I am spending a weeek in cruddy Risoul skiing on worn out man made stuff when for not a huge amount more we could be knee deep in the Arlberg
Fresh snow last night here in val d'isere - but today saw big winds and limited visibility. We found a run that worked well given the days conditons and which thus kept us happy through the morning but didn't head back out after lunch - much to mrs markie's disdain!
Fingers crossed tomorrow is good (and that mrs markie is functional - jr and I left her with her friends in bar xv an hour and a half ago and all the signs pointed to a big night)!
Helmet. Yes above you don't when someone is going to smash into you.
And the worst part is that the person smashing into you [i]will[/i] be wearing a helmet, which is ironically probably the best argument for wearing one yourself!
Markie
we used to head down to La Daille in grotty weather .
There are some runs in the trees that pop you out by the funival that always seemed sheltered.
Off piste is also good down there, in between a red and blue , nothing steep and the trees give good cover from wind and prespective if its flat light , snowy etc
3 weeks to go until we head to claviere, looks like the pistes are all artifical but nearly all the lifts open. Just hoping for a stack of snow before we head out there