Just wondering if anyone has any experience of riding in the Les Arcs or La Plagne areas during that time. I seem to remember being told that snow can still be around on some of the bikeable tracks in late May. Is this true?

Have been before in July/August and did several rides that were over 2000 m , one in particular over 2500 m (Trans Arc). Just wondering whether these would be possible at those times.

Time restrictions on riding buddies means that the July/August period is probably out – so we'll be doing all the climbing by pedal power!

When I took the bike to Morzine in early may last year I could just about ride down from just below avoriaz, but the first few hundred feet vertical were on snow. Lower tracks were Ok. Obviously no uplifts.

Or try an other area with uplifts?

We are based near the med in the maritime alps

take a look at rivierabike site is currently being updated though!

a vid here and here

Not sure when the lifts open, but I think its nearer July – but try the guys at TrailAddiction, they are based in Les Arcs.

Can also recommend them, we went last year.

We have just booked with Whiteroom for Aug.

http://www.whiteroomchalet.com/sumintro.htm

However, looking at their website their season starts in mid June, using a combination of vehicle uplift and some climbing (less than an hour a day)

http://www.whiteroomchalet.com/backcountryweeks.htm

And they claim this still provides access to most of the trails that would be ridden during the peak/lift assisted season

Trailaddiction indeed do a back country week in June with van uplifts…

Been on guided holidays in that area twice now so have an idea as to what the riding is like and it saves a hell of a lot of cash self-guiding.

Not interested in Trail Addiction as I don't have an aversion to riding uphill and don't want to spend every night boozing.

The lifts make some of the further out stuff more accessible though, which is what I would intend to use them for. I want to, and am indeed happy to, do a lot of climbing. No intention to sit on the lifts all day so the fact that it is outside the July/August lift opening times is not a massive problem. There is always the funicular in Bourg St Maurice to aid some height gain to the more interesting stuff

Have been before in July/August and did several rides that were over 2000 m , one in particular over 2500 m (Trans Arc). Just wondering whether these would be possible at those times.

Unfortunately you definitely won't be able to ride trails off the Trans-Arc in late mid-to-late Spring… there will be too much snow up there.

There is always the funicular in Bourg St Maurice to aid some height gain to the more interesting stuff

The funicular will open on either the last Saturday in June or the first Saturday in July.

I don't know who told you that tA did nothing but booze every night and just ride down hills, but I'd call that a slightly unfair anaylsis 🙂

1000m positive inclination on this ride (ok 3400m negative too ;-))

Ash
trailAddiction

Crap. Thought the funicular might be a year round thing.

Ash, that wasn't meant as a dig as such. I'm sure that is the perfect holiday for a lot of MTBers. I've looked at your website before and it does seem quite heavily weighted towards riding DH. The other problem with guiding as well is that my buddies and I are a fit bunch and have been a little frustrated on past guided trips at having to wait for people not as fit. I don't mind it to a point but when it is our holiday too and you end up sacrficing a lot of it for the benefit of others which can become a bit much.

Fair play, good point well made. That's why we employ several (5-6) qualified guides and keep the guide groups small and "streamed" (i.e. same kinds of riders doing the same kinds of rides)…

… but I won't turn this into a sales pitch 😉

Have a great time!

Good job you like climbing, you'll be doing ALOT without a van uplift or chairlift1

On our holiday with the White Room we were doing anything from 2500m to 4000m of descending a day!

There would be plenty of trails below around 1600-1800m but that depends on what kind of winter snowfalls they get this year.

If you need to ride "out of season" try southern spain. A bunch of us have just got back from a long weekend in Malaga and the riding was ace, cheap flights, rediculously cheap accomodation, and ace weather!

Need i say more

Nickegg I've spent a 2 week holiday there before with rides peaking at ~ 2400 m and only gotten one lift so quite happy to do the uphill riding.

End of May/start of June appears to be the start of the 'season' for holiday companies in the area so I have some confidence that some of the higher up stuff will be rideable. The only pain is that there won't be the option of a lift if we fanced an easier day but I'm sure we'd cope.

Been riding in Spain before, liked it. But I think I prefer the Alps for the trees and green scenery.

Does anyone know Mt Jovet? Is that likely to be passable at that time of year?

Does anyone know Mt Jovet?

yes 🙂

Is that likely to be passable at that time of year?

unless the winter season is very short on snow and it's a very warm spring, then almost definitely not 🙁

When we went with TrailAddiction we split into groups based upon the first days riding 'ability'; somehow we got into Ash's group…

He may not have made us ride up all the hills, but he certainly kept us honest. While I and my buddy used fullface lids, nobody else in the group did – and the only DHing we did was one run down the DH track – the rest of the time was spent uplifting, connecting and running down on the numerous trails.

In the slower groups they took a more leisurely pace, and I think had more 'stops'.

Boozing was purely through choice, and only on an evening – either from the fridge or if we could hobble to the local bar.

I'd recommend them.

I know little about the Alpine climate but I'm suprised that there would still be snow on Mt Jovet at the start of June. I had thought that because the ski season finished at the end of April it would be ok 5 weeks further towards peak summer.

A lot of the best storms of winter come in the last few weeks of winter lifts and the first few weeks after they close. Better yet, most of the punters have gone… 8)

Done a bunch of seasons, happens almost every year. The weather gets into the patterns that just make it work that way. Warm and windy to create moisture laden clouds, hits the mtns and gets stuck so dumps as snow. Not always the best pow day of the season, but always a welcome last gasp of the winter season. However, means more there to melt off and keeps temps down for a while longer too as well as cloud blocking out the direct sun that makes for speedy snow melt.

Also at 2000m+ it may be spring, but it's not yet warm, so it does take longer for the melt to take hold.

But so what? The snow adds to the adventure, right? 😈