Snow for the Euros.

[hop]

^^^^^ other wrist, meet another knife.

[Mulletizer]

Alas, the one thing that can keep me away from copious snow is going to keep me away from copious snow. Not that that's a bad thing....

Normally the copious snow is what keeps the skiers away from the copious snow. The roads always seem to get plowed as snow turns to rain... Bienvenu au fuck-fest ecossais.

[Ripzalot]

flying out of nyc, bound for geneva next sunday 1/26 with mags, thincover and cojones. some of you probably have heard from them via PM i think. we are hoping to ski chamonix and la grave, but are leaving our options open based on where the snow falls. if any of you feel like giving us a push in the right direction of the goods, folks who feel like meeting up, or advice on hostels, etc would be appreciated. can't wait to get out out there. enjoy.
andy

looks like lots of dumpage this week thru the weekend. just about everything in the alps will get a goodly amount of snow, but looks like more in the french alps closer to your arrival. i would suggest to target chamonix or la grave upon arrival. they should both be awesome. maybe la grave first, then work your way back to chamonix. hit up something different in between. after chamomix, cross over into switz and hit verbier or something in the valais region. i'm not sure if i will be free during that week but definitely on the weekend of the 31st. maybe i can take a little road trip whereever. keep me posted.

[jumpturn]

flingle and I climbed Cousin Hubert today while waiting for some snow accumulation. Ice conditions in les Hautes Alpes are excellent after a couple lack luster years.

Cousin Hubert, 5+, 130m is the thin center ice line with the forming Cigar des Violins, 6, 150m on the left and Les Visiteurs, 5, 160m on the right, Freissiniéres, France, January 17, 2009.


flingle leading the 1st pitch of Cousin Hubert, 5+, 130m, Secteur Cascade des Violins, Freissiniéres, France, January 18, 2009.


jumpturn leading the 2nd pitch


flingle following the 2nd pitch.


flingle rapping off.

[verbier61]

birdos demo days in verb have been really useful. I've learnt a lot. A review will follow in teach talk. Left verb at 5PM with some 10-15 new snow, and the same was in crevacol and aosta. The coming week is shaping ubersexy, most likely I'll ski something on thursday (the first day after the storm, according to meteosuisse), and I have a very tiny snowy spot as a target....

[jwolter7]

25 cm of new in Crans and I have tomorrow morning off.

We could get a meter of new snow on Monday night with a big storm coming in from the West.... That will be great for the next couple of weeks, except for the avalanche danger, in what has been Sunny/icy Crans...

[Marius]

hui. powder ahead! i'm CUMMMMING!

[geo039]

Ripz and I are on a mid-week mission...keep us in the loop...

most likely I'll ski something on thursday (the first day after the storm, according to meteosuisse), and I have a very tiny snowy spot as a target....

[jumpturn]

Went tree skiing today in the storm at Puy Saint-Vicente in Les Hautes Alpes at flingle's suggestion. His anglo locals never turned up, but it was easy enough to ski fresh 900-1100m vd lines all day. It snowed all day and freshened up the already considerable base. Pretty fun flying off stuff and landing on deep pillows. Here are several photos to give a feeling for the place. There are some couloirs as well but the visibility was poor.

[Incompetent Boob]

Cool, don't see much from Puy S.Vincent. Even quieter at the end of the valley is Pelvoux, but with 1000m vert has some interesting options around too.

[jumpturn]

Cool, don't see much from Puy S.Vincent. Even quieter at the end of the valley is Pelvoux, but with 1000m vert has some interesting options around too.

Yeah, flingle has got me on the no-name ski program between ice and huge approaches to rad couloirs. Lots of very cool
options in the area ranging from 11-25 euros/day.

[freak]

snowing pretty hard in front of my window atm

freak~[&]

[LaZapatilla]

new snow in engelberg






and still coming down

[Tectonically_Neglected]

Possibly hitting up W-Valais this w/e with a bunch of dutchies...

[Incompetent Boob]

I just looked at snow-forecast for verb and zermatt and nearly pooed myself. Are the other sites saying something similar?
I don't think I can get down there this weekend, but if it keeps snowing into next week then maybe I can take some time off...

[geo039]

No snow and orange here in CH!

Possibly hitting up W-Valais this w/e with a bunch of dutchies...

[geo039]

Who's skiing tomorrow? (CH/FR/IT) Normal partner in crime is really sick and need peeps to role with. PM if your heading out and can add +1.

[keksie]

forecast for tyrol/arlberg has changed and for once for better.. more snow falling than was forecasted, tomorrow looks very promising for some treeskiing.. avy risk rising to 4 though

[Vihren]

I must admit I am a bit confused ... heading towards the French Alps next week, will stay in La Grave and around for a week.. the forecasts are crazy! 1,5 meters of snow over the next six days??? WTF, is that even possible? I need to buy new skis for this trip , my first real backcountry experience in the Alps.. any advice, besides getting more practice on skiing in the back seat with my tiny 94 mm underfoot skis?
On a more serious note, how long would it take before any of the big slopes are satble enough to ski on them after such a dump?

[verbier61]

Who's skiing tomorrow? (CH/FR/IT) Normal partner in crime is really sick and need peeps to role with. PM if your heading out and can add +1.

I'll go the day after tomorow. 2-3 small spots as a target (ticino or valais, depending by tomorrow's snow reports....).

[verbier61]

I must admit I am a bit confused ... heading towards the French Alps next week, will stay in La Grave and around for a week.. the forecasts are crazy! 1,5 meters of snow over the next six days??? WTF, is that even possible? I need to buy new skis for this trip , my first real backcountry experience in the Alps.. any advice, besides getting more practice on skiing in the back seat with my tiny 94 mm underfoot skis?
On a more serious note, how long would it take before any of the big slopes are satble enough to ski on them after such a dump?

la grave is where black diamond has its test center. I am sure they will propose you some stick to try....

[Roo]

On a more serious note, how long would it take before any of the big slopes are satble enough to ski on them after such a dump?

Lots of factors at play there, Vihren - most notably what the wind has done. Bear in mind that we've just come off three weeks of high pressure and some aspects will be glazed/faceted/wind scoured, so best get local knowledge if you can. I was in the Oisans after the last significant snowfall and the lee slopes were soft slab then which will likely have melt/refrozen to a decently slippy layer.

I want to get out there with my shovel and have a good dig about.

[davidof]

On a more serious note, how long would it take before any of the big slopes are satble enough to ski on them after such a dump?

Well some forecasts are saying rain to 2500 meters in places so that will clear out a lot of the gobelet that has formed over the last month or so of cold. If it is colder then it is going to be explosive, especially with some of the forecasts for westerly winds.

You have to ask yourself what is going to make a line stable? If it is south facing then you can assume that the base is pretty solid. You really have a problem where the new snow is not bonding with the base. So those lines will be skiable shortly after the weather system clears out. You need to take care on any line that will purge - usually in the 24-48 hours after the weather system has gone.

North sector slopes and that means west through to east in the winter. Well there you will have weak layers and the only factors that will stabilize them are bridging from the fresh snow after it settles and bonds, or rain then a freeze bonding the depth hoar. Again approach things carefully, low angled stuff, no terrain traps, ridges etc, avoid anything wind loaded or cross loaded.

[Tectonically_Neglected]

No snow and orange here in CH!

??? Les marecottes +44cm is what I heard... nendaz +40, Verb +30...

[geo039]

Rumor..didn't happen. ...a little place up the road I heard may be good too!

Get intouch before you get down. I will SMS you right now with the new digits.

??? Les marecottes +44cm is what I heard... nendaz +40, Verb +30...