 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Welcome to SH Emma.  I know exactly how you feel about the "responsibility" thing, although you'll actually find that none of your group will blame you for weather conditions, you just think they will be! I have a group of 25 coming out to Garmisch Partenkirchen on 10th Feb and I'm really hoping the weather hurries up and gets its ass in gear.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Philip Prior - the old one.
carled - you have my sympathies.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
It's rained more or less solidly now for 3 days in Morzine. As a result, Morzine and Les Gets is extremely depressing.
I've just spent the first day of my BASI Trainee Instructors course going down runs that consist of a mixture of ice, slush, brown stuff and rocks.
But there is good news.
Most / all of that rain has been falling as snow in Avoriaz. One of the guys on our course reckons that 30cm fell yesterday (against 8cm reported) and that 20cm fell on his balcony in the couple of hours between him getting up and leaving this morning. The freezing level today was just above us (we were at 1500m) - so that will have been added to today.
Anyway, the course is being moved up to Avoriaz tomorrow - so I'll let you know what it's like.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Just Back Today from Les Gets- The rain and warm temps +4C have seriously damaged the lower slopes of Les Gets and to a greater degree Morzine. My top tip if you are visiting the area is 1. Hire Skis!(don't wreck your own on the stones) 2. to head up to Avoriaz where things are much better, though a little busy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
PhillipStanton, Avoriaz yesterday was good - a little windy and the visibility was lacking at times but the snow was fantastic - falling down to below Lindarets and as snow half way up the Zorre chair on Super Morzine.
Doesn't look so good this morning as heavy rain last night up to +1900m seems to have washed quite a bit away.
Off to Avoriaz again this morning to see what it is like!
Did the BASI 3 course last Marhc in the rain on the front of Pleney for the 1st week so I can sympathise big time!!!
NEED SOME COLD WEATHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
PhillipStanton, I have sent you a PM. Hope you don't mind.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Been going to Morzine in Mid Jan for about 7 years now. This will be by far he worst conditions I will experience. 
Avoriaz will be busy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
stewart woodward - even the Scottish skiers in our group had never been so wet!
Peter Leuzzi - I've replied and no problem.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Another night of heavy rain last night in Morzine.
Our course was relocated up to Avoriaz today.
We didn't go far - down into the Linderats bowl on Prolays and around Proclou - but I'd agree with snowandtrek that the snow is superb. There was certainly little evidence of rain damage and I suspect that much of last nights rain fell as snow in Avoriaz. I was told be someone from the course that the Super Morzine link is in very good condition.
So, there is a bright side. It's just not in Morizine...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
PhillipStanton, that is somewhat encouraging after looking at today's Morzine webcam. Last year didn't snow for 2 weeks prior to my trip, nor did it snow during my trip there, and the snow across the entire PdS was fantastic.
Still almost 2 weeks before I head out, so save some snow for me!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| andy wrote: |
| ...so save some snow for me! |
I'll try to andy, although the weather forecast is pants at the moment...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
andy, PhillipStanton, Had a chat with some of the locals and they are talking about the end of Jan - here they are big on New Moons!!! (Think this is on the 20th January). They have been right about this before. December 2004 the snow was a bit late and the locals said the 16th and low and behold it snowed on the 16th!! Looking at some of the long range forecasts they could be right!
Yesterday - Tuesday - Skied over to LINGA (Chatel) - great snow and good cover considering the amount of snow we have had - nearly empty pistes and good visibility - who can ask for more!
No skiing today as Wednesday is no school for the kids (so no chance to get out!) so will let you all know again on Thursday or Friday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
I remain hopeful. 22nd-28th are my intended on-piste days, so there's time for anything yet.
Looks like I'll need to persuade the chalet staff to drive us from Les Gets to Super Morzine or Ardent, or make use of the navette. I know there's a bus from Les Gets to Morzine tourist info... anyone know if this carries on up to Avoriaz Prodains? or if one goes to Ardent? I assume they are all free with a PdS pass?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
snowandtrek, Hope they're right I arrive on the 3rd Feb.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Swirly wrote: |
| snowandtrek, Hope they're right I arrive on the 3rd Feb. |
God me too, arrive on 21st. *prays*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I think that, sadly, the Portes du Soleil does not have much of a future as a ski area. I've just pulled the plug on a trip to Morzine for next week, having looked at the webcams and forecast. From memory, the highest point, at around 2400 metres, is only marginally higher than the resort of Val Thorens at 2300. Apart from Avoriaz at 1800 metres, the rest of the villages are very low, and the links between them not brilliant.
I remember thinking this on a holiday in Chatel some years ago, and things seem to have got worse since then. It's scary to see the way things have deteriorated in the last 30 years. The invention of snow cannons has saved the day to a certain extent, but has probably only delayed the inevitable in the long term. I, for one, do not like ski-ing on artificial snow, either.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowandtrek, I hope you are right . Personally I think it's a load of cods. The locals were talking about a warm Autumn followed by a very cold spell and a massive dump....... in November!
stephen buck, I remember Christmas Day 1984 (I think), before the days of global warming, standing on top of pleney looking at the grass all around. Compare that with last year at the christmas. Who knows?
cheers
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
zzz, I agree that Xmas has often been marginal. I can only remember one year in the past 30 odd, though, where mid / late Jan has been so poor. It was circa 1990 (sorry, can't remember precise year) and there was little snowfall until Feb, but at least it was cold, so the snow that was there did not melt.
This year the problem is warm temps, not lack of precipitation. I've never seen such slushy / wet snow conditions before in Jan like this.
Agree that there are always exceptions to the rule, but the overall trend over the past years is not good. I think that only resorts with extensive ski-ing above 2000 metres have a long term future in Europe. They will, of course, then become busier, with the extra demand.
North America, on the other hand, seems in general to be flourishing - pitu it's such a trek!
It's a great pity to see the sport that I love and was brought up with, in long term decline in Europe. I do worry for my young children's ski-ing future.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| stephen buck wrote: |
| I think that, sadly, the Portes du Soleil does not have much of a future as a ski area. |
I really don't see how you can say that based on a poor start to this winter. Last year, before Xmas there was some of the best skiing in the Alps in Les Gets and Portes du Soleil, I was there enjoying deserted pistes and plenty of snow..
I have pictures to prove it!
regards,
Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
don't worry everyone, I've been skiing 3 times now, and everytime it has dumped just before I go (2 years ago I went to Les Gets, and a couple of days before they had to shut Geneva airport due to snow!), good news is I'm due out there again on the 3rd of Feb, so expect snow chaos!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
davejsy, tell me about it! I ended up exchanging boarding pass for a ride on the ICE train from Frankfurt to GVA via Basel after all the morning flights were cancelled. Got to GVA as it was re-opening. Very few people from 3 Lufthansa and 3 Swiss flights took up the offer of a train ride (which was empty), and many waited to try to get on standby on a 16:00 or later flight! (and no we did't feel sorry for them).
The others in the chalet ended up diverted to Grenoble, and 1 couple were redirected to Zurich (and also got train).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
andy, year before that roughly the same week, we stayed with some friends in Les Allue (think thats how you spell it, its just below Meribel), same thing a big dumping of snow just before we got there. On the second day there I skiied all the way back down to Les allue basically to their back door, they'd been there 3 years and had never had enough snow to ski from meribel to Les Allue! Can't remember if it dumped around that week last year, as went to St Anton but not till mid March, tons of snow then too though. fingers crossed for a repeat this year!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
davejsy, Thanks for that....so what you're saying is we won't be able to get home that weekend because you're turning up and it will be dumping down? Could you just arrange things so that we get some for the full week?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
homphomp, tricky - would suggest delaying your depature, or alternatively book at snow-mobile! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
kitenski, Hi Greg - I think it's always possible to find good weeks in all resorts in most years, but it's the overall trend that counts. The good weeks in the Portes du Soleil are gradually becoming fewer, season by season, decade by decade, and the poor weeks more numerous.
Cheers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Evening all, just found this old post so though I'd drop in my two pence worth. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, but I truly believe there is a culture of mis-information regarding snowfall patterns vs altitude.
For anyone interested, I wrote an article on this last year:
http://www.white-peak.com/weblog/index.php/?p=7
I have since found out through a bit of research that Avoriaz allegedly gets the most snowfall in the French Alps, at over 9m annual snowfall on average (I think it was 9m, my memory isn't what it was). If anyone has any figures to back this up/contradict it, I would love to see them...
I went for a ski today up at Pleine Dranse/Linga in Chatel. Lovely day and the skiing wasn't bad for April. Er, hold on, January 10th??!!! 13 degrees in the resort today! However, the snow is still holding up well and most of the area is open with good on piste coverage. Not sure how long it can last though.
Has anyone on this forum got any long range weather forecasts to cheer me up? I have heard that the changing of the moon in a couple of weeks may bring cold temperatures and snow, but that sounds a little like clutching at straws to me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
stephen buck, I am curious - how many weeks a year do you ski? You are making some pretty big statements, have you the data to back them up?
I will agree that in the last 18 years the perception is that seasons have been arriving later and leaving later - but this is simply a perception and I have not seen any sensible analysis to back this up.
18 years ago I well recall the season you refer to - and again at the same time everyone was talking about going to North America. Hmmm. Didn't happen. North America has it's share of bad seasons, but my observation is that as it's a continent and not a bunch of countries, there's always areas with great snow that get talked up as though representative of the whole continent and areas with no snow that get conveniently forgotten.
Equally, one sees occasional comments on here such as, "I had a week in Morzine/Tignes/Andorra and the snow was crap I'm never going there again". I kid you not.
Will global warming (if it exists as an anomaly, if it continues, etc.) bring more snow or less? One warm year does not make a crisis. Heck, it may even presage a new European Ice Age. Wouldn't that be fun, not.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
And another thing...
People do seem to have very short memories.
1) Last year was a great season in the Alps but the Northern Alps (and Austria) consistently got the lion's share of the snow.
2) Everyone talking about how wonderful North America is seem to have forgotten that Whistler's winter season didn't start until mid Feb a couple of years ago.
And for those talking about the shrinking winter season in the Portes du Soleil, from someone who has lived here for many years, the season always starts early and finishes late. Even though this winter has had a rubbish start, this area is doing as well if not better than many other domains in Europe.
Over & out!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
there is a rhumor flying around serre che today, by the team coach (a rossignol pro) that morzine is closed!!! Is this true or just a viscious rhumor????
thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
snowangel. - the local rumour is that they are closing the Pleney area on Saturday. zzz or snowandtrek might have a better insight.
I was out in Avoriaz again today and, to be honest, it's all rather strange. The snow in Avoriaz is holding up well. The run down to Ardent isn't bad (I've saw it a lot worse last season); as is the Super Morzine link - until you get to Zore - which is a mess and now closed.
Basically, winter seems to start at around 1500m - above that winter seems to be quite reasonable - below it's a mess.
Welcome to s Snowmonkey - do pitch in with snow reports!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PhillipStanton, well i'm glad its not totally closed. hoping things change for you real soon
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David Murdoch, I guess my view is based partly on perception, but I can't necessarily see much wrong with that. I've always had serious doubts about the PdS area, just not being high enough to support good, reliable ski-ing.
It is a fact, however, that some resorts I have skied over the years, now have official advertised opening dates that are later, and closing dates which are earlier, than they were in years gone by. There's also been a reduction in the number of resorts that offer glacier summer ski-ing, and the number of weeks each year that they can offer it. There must be reasons for all this. These are long-term trends, not just one-offs.
In answer to your query, I've been ski-ing a number of weeks each year since 1969, including 5 full seasons as a guide in a variety of resorts in Europe and N America, the rest as a recreational skier.
Cheers.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Thu 11-01-07 19:23; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
snowangel., PhillipStanton, is right, the local area skiing closes tomorrow night I think, but it seems the Avoriaz skiing is ok; I might go and check it out tomorrow. Have been for a short randonnee today and the snow all the way up to 1800m was mush. At least the sun is shining though.
Will report further tomorrow if Mr Stanton doesn't.
cheers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trouble is, if it is raining in Morzine, the snow that is falling in Avoriaz will be sticky, wet, heavy snow, but I guess better than no snow at all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
