MegaSack DRAW - 6pm Christmas Eve - LIVE on our YouTube Channel
still snowing, or dry since the rain?
Bit of both. Snowed a little last night then dried up. More snow in the forecast for the next week too. The cold drew a fair bit of the moisture out so some legit laps were had higher up today.
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where's that, wnb? spent a season there, but don't recognise it? Might have something to do with it being many, many years ago now! 😀
where's that, wnb? spent a season there, but don't recognise it? Might have something to do with it being many, many years ago now!
That's the top of Sapphire Bowl, looking in from the top of the main entrance chute.
Final event of the alpine skiing world championship is now on, first leg of the men's slalom featuring Dave "The Rocket" Ryding
Available on Eurosport and on BBC red button
Good run from Dave
@whatnobeer - stunning photo, the sort of view we spend the summer dreaming about.
Come on Dave.
Second run on telly ay 11.50
still snowing, or dry since the rain?
Looks like a pretty decent amount of snow in Whistler to me 😀
Limited fresh snow at Kimberly but with sweajnr in day care sweamrs and I caught the first lift to grab some prime corduroy. You can tell where the rain line from the pineapple express is though as it gets icy awful fast near the base.
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nice sweaman2 ... looks like 'Rush Hour' in Kimberley! 😉
Gotta love the Kootenays in the spring!
Are you hiding out in Kimberley to avoid 'Family Week' in Fernie?
snowshoes and snowboard boots....
are these any good?
http://www.outnorth.se/msr/revo-explore-w22#Blue
snowshoes and snowboard boots....
Not familiar with that exact model, but they do look like updated version of the MSR Denali ... which was a very good snowshoe - no problem with snowboard boot fit at all as the fastening is pretty adjustable.
Since buying a splitboard I have a pair of Denalis gathering dust in my shed, but I'm loath to part with them, as I'm convinced I will find a use for them again at some point ...
Can anyone recommend skiers shorts with hip protection please?
Are you falling over THAT MUCH?
😉
Forcefield has always looked excellent. Not cheap, though!
Haha. More worried about crowded pistes and 'some' idiots who think its ok to knock into a slow person like me, because 'I'm in their way'.
Its happened 3 times and is not pleasant. Such a shock when you're suddenly on the floor and not from your own doing.
Edit: forcefield looks good flashy. However I couldn't find hip protection for ladies.
Edit again. Just found some hip inserts. Not sure where to insert though, ha ha.
cheers thanks, snowshoes are great for that 20- 30 min hike from the lifts I think . splibboards are rad but a faff for that especially if you are with skiers IMHO
[quote=CaptainFlashheart ]Are you falling over THAT MUCH?
Forcefield has always looked excellent. Not cheap, though!
a (relatively) recent hip replacement (due to injury) might have something to do with this request, so I'm happy to spend for good stuff. You have no idea how much it means to me that we're going skiing though 🙂
@Digby. Yep. Although we're driving back today via Fernie as the whole family has a taste for Bean pod chocolates so I'm not looking forward to the traffic.
the whole family has a taste for Bean pod chocolates
It is good chocolate isn't?
And in other news ...
nice couloir line from Seb Montaz in Chamonix:
[url= http://www.tetongravity.com/video/ski/seb-montaz-skis-another-insane-couloir ]http://www.tetongravity.com/video/ski/seb-montaz-skis-another-insane-couloir[/url]
[can't link the video as it's a Facebook video rather than YouTube]
Well rest day today on my splitboarding week with UCPA in Argentiere. Not great snow, but skiing up for a few hours means that we're hitting the best stuff that there is. I'm the only one in the group that has done zero skiing, so found that aspect of it pretty tough to get to grips with, really enjoying it though. It's such an amazing area!
Looking like I may have struck lucky again, as our group of ten arrive in Serre Chev on Thursday night (2nd) and if the forecast is accurate, it will be straight after a 30cm dump. Can't recall Eds weather forecast station, but would be interested in what that says if you're around Ed?
He likes La Chaine Meteo. 30 cm at SC would be good for me too.
Week commencing March 4th looks good 🙁
So yeah, good for you Ape. Typically for me, it snows after I leave!
Since junior "borrowed" my Omeglass 64s (165 R12 116/64/100) to work with I've had trouble finding anything in the cupboard I really like for a day mostly on piste. Then three hours ago Madame found a 10-year-old pair on leboncoin.fr for 90e. They're now purchased, holes filled, tuned to 0.5°/88° and waxed. I'm looking forward to skiing in circles again.
Spring snow in Winter here, hard in the morning, nice for and hour around 10:00 then turning to slurry.
Just spotted your question, Rockape. A mate was in Serre Chevalier last week and regretted having made the trip from the Pyrenees - the Southern Alps haven't had much snow this year. Will have a look at the météo and make a guess for next week.
Guess: the temperature range next Tuesday in Brainçon is 3 to 8°C. That means it will definitely rain in the valley and snow will fall from just above the valley base in Serre Chevalier at the coldest with rain right to the summit if the rain is falling in the afternoon. On Wednesday the snowline will drop to valley level. Not ideal but there's a good chance of some nice fresh around 2000m.
Thanks Ed....ski club has updated and saying 64 cm to fall tues/ weds / Thursday so hope that close to reality seeing as we arrive Thursday evening.
64 cm to fall tues/ weds / Thursday
Head up to L'Eychauda for first tracks. Then to the trees!
64cm would be epic. Bonne chance.
Have we done the 6-year old Italian kid snowboarding yet? (That doesn't sound right)
Nice vid, tunes not suitable for six year olds to hear.
DJ Shadow + Run The Jewels. Sweariness abounds
im off to val desere saturday 🙂
Good stuff jedi. Take it you sorted out travel options in the end? What are your plans?
Whats the general outlook for snow over next few weeks. Have some flexibility re timing but have been put off so far by average reports.
Mid/late season dumps expected?
60cm forecast for Passo Tonale before our arrival next weekend. Looking better and better
Looks like there's a fair amount due to drop onto the alps over the next week, which is nice.
gunna be chilling on blues with my girlfriend mostly 🙂
Big drop due in Le Clusaz next week THM, a great spot only an hour from Geneva. Loads of flights to Geneva too.
Le Grand Bornand next door is great too.
54cm on Tuesday night next week. 116cm in total over the next 9 days.
Tomorrow is our last day on the slopes. 😥
Cheers, getting tempted... 😉
PS - Stoner was right, Les Marmottes was excellent.
And if anyone's missed me on that other thread ( you know the one), it may be another week before I'll be back on that one.
xc skier first time in snow after training only on wheels. Good lad!
Adrian...what a man! Brilliant.
Good to hear re marmottes Ian.
I've been excitedly watching the reports as I and a couple of undesirables are heading out at the end of next week. Could be all flavours of orsum if the forecast holds
What's Les prodains like? Spotted a reasonably priced package trip there, never skiied PdS
TMH weather is all over the place. Yes there will be some epic dumps before Easter but where / when ?
64cm on top of what we have had in terms of snow and warm/cold weather 😯 I'd be very cautious about fresh tracks
@Jedi great choice ! At least one apres ski beverage at Folie Douce, bring a warm hat as it's a shame to leave as soon as the sun goes. Try and get some tips for slack country areas, plenty around from easy to oohh-err, TDC as I mentioned are great. Valley Perdue over in Tignes is easy - top part certainly, not sure how the gully is on a board.
EDIT: just seen the chilling post ... day 1 up above Solaise then. The whole Tignes/Val area is huge, worth having a bit of a tour about, take Furnicular at La Daille for the experience and also the fast one in Tignes. Tignes Glacier at 3500m with distant view of Mont Blanc. Don't for to La Fornet Glacier if its cold and at all windy, 'kin freezing 😐
@nbt - Prodains is basically a collection of chalets at the base of the main gondola up to Avoriaz. There's a bar or two there, but not much else. Well, couple of ski shops. It's not realistically walkable from Morzine, and taxis are hard to come by so not the place if you're keen on your apres. Great access to avoriaz side of PdS, but not Morzine or Les Gets side.
The general area is fantastic, but is low - tops out around 2300m, and snow is currently pretty poor. Last fall was about 3 weeks ago. But it does look like things might improve rapidly if this snow comes at start of march...
Middle Class nightmare 😉
Since [b]junior[/b] "borrowed" my Omeglass 64s (165 R12 116/64/100) to [b]work with[/b] I've had [b]trouble finding[/b] anything [b]in the cupboard [/b]I really [b]like[/b] for a [b]day[/b] mostly on piste.
If I had to choose one place in the Alps for the next two weeks it would be Les Menuires / Val Tho'. Lots of snow at resort level and sunny days between the falls. But as the conditions are so good we're skiing local.
And if anyone's missed me on that other thread ( you know the one), it may be another week before I'll be back on that one
You have missed nothing other than numerous repetitions of points made months ago.
Friends just back from Val Tho/Les Menuires and it was as Edukator says, skiing was good enough, they stayed high and enjoyed the weather
@nbt - we've just come back from a few days in Prodains. As above, easy access to Avorias, Chatel etc and Switzerland. We also did Morzine and Les Gets - there is a free bus every 15 minutes or so between Morzine and Prodains, so transport was not a problem. A good bar, couple of restaurants and a couple of ski shops - quiet and not full on like Morzine or Avoriaz - we loved it!
Snow was deteriorating quickly when we left on Wednesday, but still most of the pistes were open.
If anyone's in Obergurgl next week you'll do very well indeed. It's thrown down all day today. Pleasingly tomorrow or our last day and it's forecast for blue skies and no wind.
Couple of snowboarding buddies of mine riding the ENSA couloir with McNab.
It's been on my 'todo' list for a few years now, but has never been in condition whenever I've been out in Chamonix sadly. These boys got lucky though and managed to tick off quite a few of the big ones a couple of weeks ago.
If I had to choose one place in the Alps for the next two weeks it would be Les Menuires
Les Menuires was holding up very well high up, but getting a bit slushy and wet at resort level when we left it this time last week. Cracking bluebird days while we were there mind you. Not sure what it has done since.
Take care this week
The photo slide show here has a couple of arresting images, that's quite a slab. Will work my way through article with my dire French. "Avalanche, the big unknown"
http://communitytouringclub.com/lavalanche-la-grande-inconnue/
nice bit of XC this morning then out with the boy for some snowboarding today . I also ate 3 sausages from the bbq. *burp*
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Just looked to the Bridger webcams.
28" so far today!
just watched that Digby looks great! steep AF and nice for slashes!
nice article on my local place
‘Here in Jämtland, people will ski during their lunch break’
Off to Val D'Isere in the morning, wonder if I'll spot Jedi?
He'll be riding branches up in the trees
We skied in a time warp today, Hautacam. 100% button lifts which haven't changed since they opened the resort.
Shiny new kit though. Madame bought the 50:50 skis rated by Ski Chrono: Fisher Koa 84s. I played on them for a couple of descents: really pleasant little things for tight turns and low speed, can be carved as speed picks up but it all gets a bit Tokyo drift when air resistance becomes the main thing slowing you down. They clattered through the off-piste tracked up clag just fine.
Only 4.8kg the pair with Marker F10 Tour bindings, that's 2.2kg less than my slalom skis.
Just back from 4 days in chamonix. Not the best conditions to be fair with some quite manky slopes lower down in Le Tour and Grand Montets. Still love the town though and Chambre Neuf for a 'quiet drink with friends'...
Weather forecast for our destination just keeps getting better - checked the forecast over the weekend and snow-forecast.com (also known as snow-guess.com as their reliability is not massive) was saying 30cm or so on tuesday night
this morning, it's telling us around [b]60cm[/b] on tuesday, with another 60+cm through Friday and Saturday
fantastic
same here.
Forecast for over a metre accumulation between now and the weekend. Just hope the weather holds back from Sunday onwards for some blue sky and fresh snow days on empty mid-term pistes! Flying out to GVA on saturday pm.
Just waiting to be for my return transfer after a long weekend in Morzine.
Very poor snow conditions at most levels; compacted snow, ice, and slush all on the same slope sometimes. Avoid was much better so we went there on the full days but still not great. Luckily for the them it's due to snow quite a bit this week.
Still we skied everyday and the sun was out on 4 of them, and with the rugby on the apres ski was great.
80cms this week? Balls, Balls, Balls. Have fun! 🙂 👿
Just back from 5 Days in Le Fornet/ espace Killy with my wife, a uni friend I've spent a bout about an hour with in the last 18 years, her husband and 3 of her friends. Everyone was brilliant fun. Good gamble with people we didn't know.
Had a really good time, despite the below par snow. 2 days touring, found about 30 turns worth of fluff, but good to be away from the crowds and get some air in the lungs. Other than that, good food, nice wine, smashing about on the pistes chasing a guy who spent 6 years racing with the army. Pistes were in pretty good nick apart from a couple of icy patches in the usual sort of spots.
Still really want to demo some more boards, the 5'5" D1 carves pretty nicely, but the taper and the deep sidecut aren't always helpful. Fun little board with a great compromise for pow and piste, but do I want a more piste oriented board?
Kessler the Ride, Amplid Creamer and UNW8, Korua Stealth would definitely be on the list. Anyone ever joined one of those industry demo things? Anyone know how you can get on them?
woo, and indeed, hoo!
Dès ce week-end, Météo France annonçait des chutes de neige à venir. Ce lundi, les prévisionnistes du centre départemental basé à Briançon confirment leurs analyses : la neige devrait son retour dans les Hautes-Alpes dans la nuit de lundi à mardi à partir de 1400 mètres d’altitude. Il pourrait neiger un peu plus bas dans le Briançonnais et dans le Queyras. Jusqu’à 20 cm sont ainsi attendus. Demain mardi, le temps devrait rester perturbé. « Avec des précipitations marquées » précise Météo France. La limite pluie-neige devrait s’étager de 1000 à 1600 mètres selon les massifs. Une couche de neige supplémentaire de 20 à 40 cm est envisagée.
Almost exactly a year ago, we struck gold (or blue and white if you prefer). Here's hoping we manage the same dumb luck this Sunday
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Lindaret - March 2016
Out in Denver. I can see snow in the foothills, but all work - no time to visit the slopes. 😥
Stoner - there's a good chance you will!! Looking very good for snow over the next few days so should give you plenty to play in. Very jealous, but it is very much needed.
Last run I did in PdS a few weeks ago was the big bowl in the top left of that pic - skinned up breaking trail the whole way but it was worth every step!! Just taken delivery of a small bundle of labrador so has put further ski plans on hold, but hoping for a last minute late season trip depending on the snow.
Looking very good for snow over the next few days
Over 2000m yes, lower down expect rain, sleet and snow. The first thing the resorts are going to get is rain which will hopefully turn to snow.
Already snowing >1200m in PdS. FL up and down a bit today, but dropping to 1000m later ahead of the main snow coming in later this afternoon / overnight. Biggest issue is going to be the wind - pretty much all of Avoriaz is shut today!
A 1200m iso level is more than acceptable for you lucky people hitting the slopes later this week. Gits. 😀
Over 2000m yes, lower down expect rain, sleet and snow.
Snowing heavily here on the Italian/French border ... down to 1200m 😆
#WhichWasNice 😀
@nedrapier korua stealth is seriously stiff, wasn't for me. amplid looks to be very pow leaning, but haven't tried it. you seem to like premium boards!
skeleton key, Jones hovercraft, Rome powder division Mt all rail groomers and are awesome in pow.
Snowed all day yesterday in the Grand Massif but high winds meant the resort was closed.
We went shopping down in the valley instead, on the way down the freezing level was 1500m but when we came back up is had dropped to about 1100m which was great. The drive was interesting and a big thank you to the man in white van who forced us into the gutter because he was driving down the middle of the road!
Still snowing now....should be good
you seem to like premium boards
Well that's the thing. I'd be quite happy to test a bunch and find I really got on with some mid-range, intermediate board!
I remember a blind test they did in a motorbike mag years ago where they blanked off the clocks, bodywork, all distinguishing features (bar engine note, obvs) on a range of bikes, hypersports to touring, big to small.
They got a similarly broad range of people to ride them round a track. Asked them how they felt, which felt quick, comfy, easy, difficult. With no preconceptions about the bike, which ones should be fast and which ones shouldn't be, and no speedo to give them clues, the "winner" in terms of lap times and easiness to get on with was something like a GSX750F, something most people would overlook as bland and ugly.
I suspect this sort of thing happens with all sorts of sporting equipment.
Edit: and spending mega bucks on something you could very well irreparably damage on the first go out seems to be a bit ridiculous. And it tends to follow that the more you spend, the lighter and more fragile a board you get. I'd only ever buy in an end of season sale.
OMG today's the day!! 😀
Flying out to a Turin this afternoon en route to Briancon where fresh powder awaits! 😀
probably all tracked out by now Rockape ! kidding have a good one!
spending mega bucks on something you could very well irreparably damage on the first go out seems to be a bit ridiculous
I've ridden my board down an icy road before.
I wouldn't be doing that with a shiny £500+ board! 😆
Early reports are mixed but looks like at least two people, possibly three, have died after avalanches in the Val Veny here in Courmayeur following recent heavy snowfall and rising temps ...
Be safe out there folks ...
@nedrapier...D1++ owner here, bought at an end of season in Whistler three years back. Best board I've ever ridden by far.Superquick on the piste and a blast in the pow. Seems to be holding out well in the face of loads of abuse. Would probably only replace it with a new one. Heading out to Whistler again on Wednesday so credit cards are coming with....just in case?
Forecast for PDS (Avoriaz) is more snow through the weekend and into early next week (+50cm) and staying below freezing above 1400m which is great. Flying out Saturday lunchtime.
Im strictly a piste-basher personally, maybe with a tiny teensy bit of slack within arms length of the piste markers. But whats the best advice* for those upcoming conditions in terms of avalanche risk even for those sticking to the pistes?
* and what in the forecast and conditions makes the risk?
