Rained / snowed all day in town. Numbers in the morning will be huge. Not quite sure what will open tomorrow.
Spent 3hrs skiing powder up high in Courchevel while it bucketed down with snow up high and rain below 2000m no viability but no-one around. Most high lifts shut but good day until all the gear was completely sodden by 1pm. It’s been snowing the whole time up high and still is so tomorrow should be great. Just hope all the gear dries by tomorrow
Another day another 50cm. The guy I skied with today said our first run at Grands Montets was potentially his best ever. Got tracked pretty quick though as the main lifts at Brevent & Flegere didn’t open due to avi danger. Time to start walking I think, wasn’t keen today with avi 4/5 but it goes down to 3 tomorrow.
According to yr.no tomorrow looks like it could be a good one in Cham with snow clearing by morning. Next year I’m going to save a few more leave days up my sleeve so I can make a call last minute. Conditions looks great atm.
Off back to Australia but what a week in Courchevel. First time in the 3Vs and really got lucky with the snow and as @CarveMan said POW all week. I love skiing in Japan but this reminded me how good Europe can be when the snows on. There is just so much diverse terrain and long descents. Always sad leaving the mountains but only 12 days until hit the US for another weeks skiing so pumped.
@piolet Sent my ski bud @Swede s vid ( shit day GM ) . And he quizzed about how much of a stroll from top lifted point to the start of the vid is that ? . Didn’t get that in far in Cham in early Jan . Cheers
From Bouchard I guess you traverse the contour at about 2750m then climb to col des rochasses at ~3040m and launch, pick a 5/600m line. It may be more convenient to take hearse, less traverse and a tad more climbing and save potential exposure to the above pendant icefall/steeps (another great descent btw!)
Please note - glacier des rognons is crevassed! I know a bloke that learnt the hard way and ski patrol may no longer be as close by? Easy to disappear if not watching your buds
If travelling to Italy note that a large part of the North is in lockdown. Rumor has it that all lifts in Aosta Valley shut from Monday.
On a more positive note, in Tignes the pisteurs have put up barriers to prevent people skiing under the Grattalu chairlift - the snow depth is enough that they would be in danger of being hit on the head by the skis/boards of the lift's passengers.
Looks like the Dolomite resorts are following suit on Tuesday. From www.snowheads.com:- DOLOMITES SKI RESORTS TO CLOSE Dolomiti Superski, in agreement with the major entities and in coordination with the political authorities, has decided to end the current ski season. Here are the details from the ski area: “This in consideration of the rapid spread of the coronavirus in the Italian territory and the potential risks of tourists, staff and local population in all the ski areas served by its lifts and in order to preserve first of all the health and tranquility of all.” Resorts affected are Plan de Corones, Alta Badia, Val Gardena / Alpe di Siusi, Val di Fassa /Carezza, Arabba / Marmolada, 3 Cime Dolomiti, Val di Fiemme / Obereggen, San Martino di Castrozza Passo Rolle, Rio Pusteria - Bressanone, Alpe Lusia / San Pellegrino, Civetta. The closure will take place by tomorrow, Tuesday, March 10, 2020, in order to allow an orderly return of the tourists currently hosted. “We are extremely sorry to have to take this absolutely exceptional decision, but we believe that this step is of fundamental importance to stem as far as possible even in our territories with a very high tourist density, the rapid spread of the Corona virus,” said the ski area in a statement. “We would like to thank all the skiers we have hosted in our ski areas during this season and we hope to welcome them back soon in the Dolomites."
It’s mad. Friends are in La Rosiere and said La Thuile in Italy has been shut which is half the resort. It would be the same with montgenevre/Claviere, Zermatt etc etc. Crazy times. The only bonus for me was that flights back from London to Aus were half-full so had 3 seats to sleep across. Best trip back ever.
Heard that one of the Haute Route huts has announced they will close and that will probably set off a domino effect with the others
Well just to let you know, Denmark is in a kind of lockdown from now on. And it seems it is alike in many other countries in Europe. Seems a lot of people came home form skiholidays in Austria and Italy and and a explosion of seek people followed.e Special emergency legislation will he past in parlament tomorrow..
Interesting Similar post Italy ski trip thing in Sweden afaik I wonder what'll happen there. Inlaws are in Portugal and say it's pretty quiet
Tell you what, every day going by makes me more glad that we got off the plane in Milan and drove straight to France. That said France now has way more cases than Italy did when we left. The Milan stamp on my passport is going to prompt some grilling when we get home.
I still remember the day that Ess played Haw early in the season, I had no data as I was in Switzerland but @mick chopps was kind enough to text through updates somI could troll CG.
Ahem, sorry to interrupt the AFL talk in the Euroski thread... @CarveMan what was the story on the Petit Envers? Did I hear you also skied Col du Plan? I have done Petit Envers (in poor conditions) but definitely not Col du Plan (and never will). Make me jealous. https://fatmap.com/routeid/22357/Petit_Envers_du_Plan/ Petit Envers du Plan A great variation on the classic Vallée Blanche offering wide open steeper skiing options and excellent off-piste skiing in an absolutely breathtaking setting. The environment is very serious and should not be underestimated; the route is not maintained, secured or controlled and follows extremely crevassed terrain. People die here every year and you should only set off if you have the necessary skills, experience and equipment for skiing on a glacier. The route is long and excellent weather is required to complete the route safely; this is no place for bad weather or poor visibility. If you have any doubt, hire a mountain guide.
Nope never skied Col du Plan, beyond my pay grade. Skied Petite Envers again yesterday, avi danger went through the roof due to new snow and very rapid warming, it’s a very safe line in the VB, steep stuff was popping off all over the place, the noise in the valley was insane.
