Snow for the Euros.

[Scottish_Skier]

Big wet snow avalanche yesterday afternoon in Verbier on the south face of Vallon d’Arbi. 4 people still missing. Very sad....

http://www.rhonefm.ch/fr/news/avalan...repris-1046340

Horrible news.
Remarkably the itinerary seemed to be open?
Though this was on skiers right off the official route marked by yellow poles.
I.e wasnt the usual black spot on first traverse path.

https://www.lenouvelliste.ch/article...rompues-744129

[peds]

Wow, I saw mention of that slide on Xavier de la Rue's instagram. He has some pretty terrifying photos here: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgb_OwJh...=xavierdelerue

That's a real shitty situation. He said that he thinks it was from one of those gaping cracks that appear with heat creep... I'm staying out of the lower altitudes for a while I think!

Incredible conditions here in Chamonix today, 50cm+ of cold and stable snow at high altitude.

[peds]

Just a few photos from the Chevalier Couloir on the Petite Verte yesterday.

[BFD]

looking good that line go clean after the rap?

[peds]

Yep, fattest it's been in years. I've only ever skied it from a quarter, a third, two fifths of the way down before... but we skied from about 15m below the col that day, and if we had gotten our balls out of our purses, we could really have gone it without the rope. But we wanted to stamp up and down, kick some mushrooms off, try and get a reaction from down in the couloir before getting stuck in.

I really hope it's a sign of good things happening further along the Argie basin! Fingers crossed I get the chance for another trip up that way this coming weekend, too.

[hafjell]

Finally stopped snowing in Alta Badia. Skied the Holzer yesterday. Near whiteout conditions but great visibility in the couloir. Impressive array of terrain around the Sella massif and especially off of Sass Pordoi. Saw folks farming easy powder laps on the Forcella. Colder today but finally some sun.


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[I've seen black diamonds!]

^^^^did you need a rope at the ice bulge?

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[hafjell]

^^^^did you need a rope at the ice bulge?

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Yes. A better skier might have hucked it. Soft snow through out.
I think the problem with jumping isn’t the drop; it’s the narrowness of the couloir not allowing for much left or right to check speed after the landing.


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[taynton]

Anyone in Chamonix or area up to do some turns? Here for a week on a solo trip. Up for pretty much anything involving more downhill than up.

[peds]

^^ Sorry dude, I'm daddy daycare Monday to Friday, then this weekend I'm skiing with my parents in Italy. Good luck, have fun!

[Rossymcg]

^^ Sorry dude, I'm daddy daycare Monday to Friday, then this weekend I'm skiing with my parents in Italy. Good luck, have fun!

where about in Italy? you got to stick to groomers or your parents go after it?

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[peds]

where about in Italy? you got to stick to groomers or your parents go after it?

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La Thuile, where I did most of my skiing growing up. Love the place.

My folks have got nearly 150 years on the planet between them, they used to put the effort in on the black pistes a few decades ago, but they go a little slower these days. I'll be on the groomers in the morning on a pair of telemark skis (to slow me down), then up with the wife in the afternoon when granny is babysitting.

[Rossymcg]

sounds like a nice weekend all round. what's it like off the groomers in La Thuile? I've been skiing with a guy in a guided group in St Anton today that was raving about it(I like Italy cheap friendly and wholesome tasty food)

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[kungpow]

Looks like lots of rain in the Cham valley next week when I arrive... What weather sources are you guys using?

[gimpy]

Peds bringing it!!!
Come to be my favorite poster on this whole site. Thanx for sharing mang+++

[peds]

^^ Haha, cheers gimpy, just trying to make the most out of the time off I get! Hopefully got some good days coming up during the Easter holidays.

sounds like a nice weekend all round. what's it like off the groomers in La Thuile? I've been skiing with a guy in a guided group in St Anton today that was raving about it(I like Italy cheap friendly and wholesome tasty food)

La Thuile is as flat as an ironing board in the middle, but the edges are as steep as you want.

Piste map:


Off the back of Chaz Dura and Le Belvedere there's great off piste laps to be had down to the Fourclaz Express, some nice routes at the top right in "Secteur Suches" but with pretty long lap times with the trip back down to town, and on the front side there's some of the best tree skiing in the region between Black 5 and Red 4. There's also some great touring to be done to the north, setting off from the bottom of Fourclaz Express.

[Rossymcg]

Looks like lots of rain in the Cham valley next week when I arrive... What weather sources are you guys using?

wepowder

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[subtle plague]

Wepowder. Hehe...yeah sure. Best ever
#staystoked!!!!

Meteo Chamonix
http://chamonix-meteo.com/chamonix-m...r_forecast.php

is pretty decent because they have a human forecaster (who doesn't make 6day powder forecasts) . Be sure to click on the English version.
For online weather model comparison (if you're geeky) try kachelmannwetter.com
Here:
https://kachelmannwetter.com/de/mode...derschlag.html
for accumulated precipitation.
For best results stay within 2-3 days and beware of the higher numbers in the high resolution models as they have some weird elevation bias. One million models to choose from.

And here
For Long range temperature and precipitation probability
https://kachelmannwetter.com/de/vorh.../temperatur850
The 850 temp is roughly around 1500m
This works better for mountain environments than the 2m temp forecasts. Also 3 different models to choose from although the rapid update is very short term.

[powderfanatic]

This is helpful. thank you. I have had a long season of pulling my hair out trying to triangulate 5 different forecasts that are all, always different and we powder always blowing pow amts like its going out of style......

[Rossymcg]

I know but you gotta love the wepowder guys
"stay stoked"

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[I've seen black diamonds!]

Anybody skiing in the Dolomites next week?

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[subtle plague]

With that death rain coming on the next weekend. I doubt anyone will have fun skiing below 2500m.

[babybear]

With that death rain coming on the next weekend. I doubt anyone will have fun skiing below 2500m.

when you grow up skiing ice, rain can bring a welcome softness to the snow

[powderfanatic]

This is a tough one but thought i would throw it out to the experts---this is crystal ball type stuff- if you were to plan a trip in the alps(location is wide open) with your family (and not chasing snow last minute), for the 2 weeks around Christmas 18, where would you be thinking. I know it will probably be a zoo anywhere i go at least post christmas week. I am looking for a large mountain with diverse and fun terrain, on and off piste knowing full well that December could be considered early days for a season (minus this current one). Trying to put myself in a good spot that would provide me the best possible outcome. We would be there from the 20th of December to the 1st of Jan. Finding historical snow data isnt the easiest thing and in some cases, really doesnt help too much. I know the simple facts of going somewhere high like Val Thorens or Tignes but not sure if those get me super excited.
Was thinking of MAYBE Serre Che OR Verbier......again, both of which may be busy but have a good amount of terrain and if all goes to hell, there are things to do off the snow....Any help would be super appreciated....ANY!!!

[hafjell]

I am looking for a large mountain with diverse and fun terrain, on and off piste knowing full well that December could be considered early days for a season (minus this current one). Trying to put myself in a good spot that would provide me the best possible outcome. We would be there from the 20th of December to the 1st of Jan. Finding historical snow data isnt the easiest thing and in some cases, really doesnt help too much. I know the simple facts of going somewhere high like Val Thorens or Tignes but not sure if those get me super excited.

I think you know enough to answer for yourself. The beauty of Val d'Isère, obviously, is the altitude and the snow security that brings. But given recent weather uncertainty, I wonder if it isn't wiser to pick a few great areas based on skiing and then decide on a final destination based on other factors--language, food, proximity to major airport. We just returned from 2 weeks on the Dolomites with a 4 year old and a 1 year old. Got very lucky with conditions; but had we not, we'd still have been fine because the other priority was food. And being in Italy. And day care. Long-winded way of saying, you can't know for sure, so just pick a place that you like or think you'll like.
I am now very jealous of the single guys who book flights months ahead, and then pick the specific area a week out. Brilliant.