It's time to get my boots on for the first time this season on Sunday and it's a coin toss between Font Romeu and Les Angles.
AFAIK snow conditions and open pistes are much of a muchness between the two, but would anyone know which of these two draw more Spanish punters, as it's purissima this weekend?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@moody_git, sorry I couldn’t help. Where did you decide and how did you get on?
If it was anything like here, it didn’t get especially busy over the weekend and we get a lot of Spanish visitors. Conditions were pretty ropey on Thursday and Friday. Thankfully some snow on Friday night freshened things up for Saturday. It also snowed a reasonable amount down to fairly low yesterday afternoon/evening. We could do with a really decent dump between now and Christmas.
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?
Hammerite, we ended up at Font Romeu, more lifts and pistes were open there on the weekend and it was nice and quiet with no queues. On the mountain, the base seems to be ok, although there's plenty of man made stuff and it was cold enough for them to run snow cannons all day at the board park. On one run we found the found a few black and yellow poles marking thinning patches, but not anywhere else on the mountain. Saying that, it'll need more snowfall asap, because it's not quite enough to handle the Xmas crowds
First 3 days of the season in Grandvalira - 10cms overnight Tuesday made for a good mornings skiing. Piste that are open are ok. There are few bare/stoney patches but well marked and easier avoided.
Does need a big dump to fill everything in and get the ski area fully open.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Having stuck to the Grandvalira so far this season, I’m heading to Arcalis and Pal this weekend. It’ll be interesting to see if the conditions are different.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Forecast looks pretty dry and warm now for at least a week..
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With the lack of snow I might be persuaded to try out this lively looking Apres Ski spot -
I wonder if the season pass 10% discount is available for the champagne ?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Had a quick return to Font Romeu on Monday/Tuesday, little git wanted to go boarding with her bf. All but 2 runs are open (both black on the shady side of the mountain) and most of the snow is from cannons. The rain risk last night didn't happen fortunately, I'm hoping rather optimistically for some fresh snowfall soon as we're back up next Wednesday.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Last night of my trip to Formigal, I’ll try to put together a short TR. But snow is very thin, and 2-3 nights rain this week didn’t help at all, though the cannon-formed run back down to Sextas is bearing up well given all that. Base is thin on piste up top, with either icy or brown patches common - except on a few areas where the turns have built up lumps. Sister resort Panticosa apparently fully closed. Temps in town barely below freezing all week, some public thermometers showing up to 10C. It could really use some help, but please weather gods not tonight as we’re back in the car at 8am tomorrow for a 12-hour stint going home!
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.
Second day here at Pas. Lots of loose stones on runs - snow is pretty thin. Bullet proof ice in the morning. Tiny bit better midday then back to hard hard by 2:30. It might be ok for skiers but for snowboarders it doesn't get much worse.
Highest number of injuries I've seen.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
3 days of skiing on rock hard pistes which are becoming thinner all the time.
No sign of any snow in the forecast.
Sharpe edges and suncream needed for the next 7 days at least.
Still got the 10% discount at the Veuve Clicquot bar which pleased the OH.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Orange200 wrote:
Last night of my trip to Formigal, I’ll try to put together a short TR.
Now in the Trip Report forum if anyone is interested.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Ax 3 Domaines - closing on the 31st due to high temperatures and lack of snow.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
It's looking pretty warm and windy over New Year weekend with strong SW flow.
Things definitely need to get colder and snowier in the Pyrenees in January...please!!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
There's a rumour that Les Angles is also closing after Saturday due to lack of snow and the wise/optimistic old folk are talking up the possibility of snow towards the end of next week.
Had a quick return to Font Romeu on Thursday with Mrs Git to get at least one day in 2022 on the slopes after her hip replacement (last year's big crimbo present).
I'm actually impressed that they've kept that many pistes open and in usable condition since my visit at the beginning of last week. We stayed on the north facing runs, switching between the thin hard pack in the middle and crushed ice on the sides. Bare patches started appearing later in the day, but I didn't find any stones.
Fingers crossed that the oldies are right...
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?
I came across this Youtube channel. The chirpy lady author seems to live in Andorra and is posting her ski vids regularly, commenting on the resorts and snow conditions, etc.
She doesn't sound like a seasoned skier or weather watcher and there's some annoying music , but might be helpful nonetheless to get some recent footage of the slopes if she continues to post throughout the season...
Compared to that, Grandvalira doesn't look too shabby on the YouTube report I posted! Pistes looking complete, maybe just a few stones here and there and thinner patches lower down where the sun has got to it.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
So here I am in Soldeu. In nearly twenty years of coming here multiple times a season, I have never seen the resort in so bad a condition - at any time during the season. The snow coverage in general is nothing short of pathetic, multiple patches of stone and grass everywhere, and anything outside the pistes is completely bare. Pretty much every red and black piste is shut.
And yet, and yet. Somehow, the majority of the resort is open. The resort crew have managed to concentrate the little amount of snow onto the blues and greens, paying particular attention to the busier sector connections. There is still over 100km open and, while it is all quite slushy, it is definitely skiable. With the family yesterday we had a thoroughly enjoyable day, linking the blues throughout the resort. It’s a good time to train technique, and perfect all those things you know you should be doing but are usually too lazy to actually practice!
The forecast is for colder temps and even a light dusting of snow tonight, which means the cannons will be going to keep things alive. So there’s no threat of anything closing here.
But, goodness me, do we need a proper dump!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Good to hear. We often have the wrong attitude. Skiing is always fun in my experience, and the snow is always better than no snow!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Amazed how much of Grandvalira they are managing to keep open.
Some really manly patches of brown muddy snow with added rocks or gravel in places, but also some parts with really good conditions and plenty of snow. Quite a few pistes closed though with no snow on them.
Went from Pas right over to Canillo and back via El Tarter and Soldeu today.
Unfortunately it’s currently raining in Pas De La Casa.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Just back from El Tartar. Grandvalira desperately needs snow and lots of it.
Probably only 50% of runs open and some that are really shouldn't be. Usually because they are only remaining access from one area to another (every other option closed). Never seen so much mud or rocks. The runs that aren't being devastated by the sun are quickly scraped down to base ice. Only a few exceptions but even access to those requires running the mud+rock fest gauntlet.
Appart from that, we had a great week.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Arcalis has the best conditions currently in Andorra even there it’s not fantastic though. It was snowing when I left there this afternoon.
I’ve given up wincing every time I hit stones. Getting out early where the pistes have at least not been skied on since being managed seems to be the best option.
Hopefully the smattering of snow we’ve had tonight will improve things slightly for a day or two.
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.
The New Year 'heatwave' has been breaking records across swathes of Europe. 16.4C in Belarus in midwinter!!
Bilbao hit a new Jan record of 25.1C, so no wonder the Pyrenees are struggling!
The fun is over, need to get back to normal Jan temps and buckets of snow now!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
What a difference a day makes. Heavy rain at resort level in Andorra all night last night, but fortunately it turned to snow at around 1900m, and above that there is a couple of inches of the fresh stuff, which even permitted some modest fresh tracks for those of us up early enough!
Unbashed pistes have since been scoured and so the bare patches are reappearing. But a good bashing tonight will probably mean reasonable piste conditions for the next few days - as long as you stay high.
Most importantly, the mountains are once again covered in white, and don’t look quite so sorry for themselves!
Yay! It does seem to be properly snowing on the Les Angles webcams from Plateau de Bigorre upwards at the mo- at least filling in the red runs hopefully even if it looks a a bit rainy at resort level.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I skied Pal and Arinsal today. It snowed most of the morning over around 2000m. Looking at the solar panels at the top of Cubil probably 5cm had fallen. It made it a decent day’s skiing and made a nice change to dodging stones.
@mortonia, I missed this from a while back, but it’s a decent evening’s apres at L’Abarset. The food in the restaurant is supposed to be good too although I’ve never eaten there.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Went back to Pal/Arinsal today. The new snow has covered up lots of the stony patches. Arinsal was skiing lovely. Headed back over to Pal at around 2.30pm and it was fine just a bit hard packed where any of the newer snow had been scraped away. All fairly normal really.
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?
In the mountains yesterday in France, on what normally at this time of year would be a ski tour.
This would be lovely open face of snow.
Literally, no snow across the range.
Looking down on the closed resort of Monts D'Olmes.
Still no significant snow in the forecast. More hiking by the looks of things.
Clear blue skies and warmer temperatures returned to Andorra yesterday, and the mountains are gradually turning back to brown.
Fortunately the dusting from a few nights ago, plus a bit of snow cannon work, has meant that piste conditions are still okay, sometime good. For whatever reason they are better on the Soldeu/El Tarter side of the Grandvalira - over towards Pas/Grau Roig things are considerably more stony.
The biggest problem facing the resort is the two thin E-facing strips that represent the only connections between the western side (Soldeu) and eastern side (Pas) of the domain. Neither is covered by snow cannon, and both start the day in bad condition, and by lunchtime are a horrible mixture of slush, mud and stones. So coming back east later in the day is quite nasty, while going back west the connections are all good. Worth bearing in mind when planning a day out.
Colder weather is scheduled to return next week, and a bit more light snow, which will probably maintain the status quo. No dump on the horizon yet though.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
mortonia wrote:
Looking down on the closed resort of Monts D'Olmes.
Glad I didn't book to go there!
Still I might be spending half term on the Costa Brava at this rate!!
Not exactly earth shattering but a bit of a dusting on the Les Angles cams…fingers crossed!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Actually looks like a decent dump now fingers crossed! Still snowing!
After all it is free
After all it is free
I see Puigmal is on 'delayed opening' according to their website but has anyone skied there since they reopened in their new compact form? If there was a massive dump between now and late Feb would it be worth the trip?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Definitely looking a lot more wintry on the Andorra cams today and with the current cold temps it looks like the cannons are on full blast.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
