This weekend sees the opening of Grands Montets in Chamonix, Les Houches, Courmayeur and Les Contamines as well as a large number of resorts across the Alps. The snow is fantastic and the forecast is for more over the weekend.
It’s a brilliant start to the season and our early courses in December and going to be enjoying some fantastic conditions in Ste. Foy and Chamonix. I’m off skiing at the weekend and looking forward to getting out on the mountain again.
28 November, 2008
25 November, 2008
The snow has arrived
Over the weekend we had some excellent falls of snow in the Alps. It snowed all day on Friday to below 1000m with an accumulation of around 30cm at 2000m. Saturday and Sunday were mixed weather with snow showers and sunshine. The intrepid headed out on Sunday to ski tour in the lower tree lined resorts of St. Gervais and Megeve and skied some fantastic powder between the spells of heavy snow.
On Sunday night as Jodie and Ian were being voted off Strictly Come Dancing the snow really began to fall outside in Chamonix, I did not know which was more exciting to watch! In the morning there was 20cm of light fluffy snow, it took me an hour to clear my car and shovel the driveway clear to leave to get to work. The snowline fell right down to the valley floor with snow all the way to Geneva on Monday.
This morning I headed out with Stuart MacDonald to ski tour up Les Houches, putting on ski’s and boots by 0815 in the freezing cold and heading up the newly pisted slopes was wonderful. With the sun rising and illuminating the peaks of the Dru, Aiguille Vert and the Midi, the trees laden with fresh snow and the noise of the snow cannons blasting out we headed to the top of the Prarion. Arriving at the top the view towards the Aravis and Mont Joly was beautiful, a real winter wonderland. We took our skins off quickly as it was windy and cold and headed off down the piste and into the powder where the piste machines had not been working. The snow was around 2ft deep and light and fluffy and with a few wobbly turns we whooped and smiled our way back down to the bottom.
Here are some pictures of our ski tour.
Susie skinning up the piste
View of the Chamonix Valley
Stuart
Heading down
Enjoying the powder
On Sunday night as Jodie and Ian were being voted off Strictly Come Dancing the snow really began to fall outside in Chamonix, I did not know which was more exciting to watch! In the morning there was 20cm of light fluffy snow, it took me an hour to clear my car and shovel the driveway clear to leave to get to work. The snowline fell right down to the valley floor with snow all the way to Geneva on Monday.
This morning I headed out with Stuart MacDonald to ski tour up Les Houches, putting on ski’s and boots by 0815 in the freezing cold and heading up the newly pisted slopes was wonderful. With the sun rising and illuminating the peaks of the Dru, Aiguille Vert and the Midi, the trees laden with fresh snow and the noise of the snow cannons blasting out we headed to the top of the Prarion. Arriving at the top the view towards the Aravis and Mont Joly was beautiful, a real winter wonderland. We took our skins off quickly as it was windy and cold and headed off down the piste and into the powder where the piste machines had not been working. The snow was around 2ft deep and light and fluffy and with a few wobbly turns we whooped and smiled our way back down to the bottom.
Here are some pictures of our ski tour.
Susie skinning up the piste
View of the Chamonix Valley
Stuart
Heading down
Enjoying the powder
20 November, 2008
The Big Freeze
Well I had my first ski of the winter season on Saturday in Cervinia, Italy. Conditions were excellent and almost all of the ski area was open with great snow on the piste and some good conditions off piste, even getting some fresh tracks in nice soft powder snow.
We have a very active cold weather front heading towards the Alps arriving tomorrow bringing huge quantities of snow right down to low altitudes, very exciting! The meteo forecast is predicting up to a meter of snow at 1500m over the next 4 days, a brilliant beginning to the season. They are also predicting chaos on the roads, sounds a bit like the UK, hopefully everyone will have got their winter snow tyres on the cars by now!
With snow falling well into next week I expect there will be some other ski resorts opening at the weekends very soon, why not pop out to join us for a cheeky early season ski in Chamonix or Les Contamines, we have spaces on our early season ski trips so give myself or Chris a call to book your place.
Here are a few pictures from last weekend...
Great snow and fresh tracks to be had.
More off piste
On the chair lift
Roger happy to be back on the slopes
We have a very active cold weather front heading towards the Alps arriving tomorrow bringing huge quantities of snow right down to low altitudes, very exciting! The meteo forecast is predicting up to a meter of snow at 1500m over the next 4 days, a brilliant beginning to the season. They are also predicting chaos on the roads, sounds a bit like the UK, hopefully everyone will have got their winter snow tyres on the cars by now!
With snow falling well into next week I expect there will be some other ski resorts opening at the weekends very soon, why not pop out to join us for a cheeky early season ski in Chamonix or Les Contamines, we have spaces on our early season ski trips so give myself or Chris a call to book your place.
Here are a few pictures from last weekend...
Great snow and fresh tracks to be had.
More off piste
On the chair lift
Roger happy to be back on the slopes
14 November, 2008
First Ski of the Winter
I'm off for my first ski of the winter tomorrow in Cervinia, Italy I can't wait! With new snow during the week and cold temperatures at altitude and I am in eager anticipation of some good snow and even powder ;).
Checking the forecast the weather will stay good for the early part of next week before a new frontal system brings snow on Wednesday and Thursday with the Chamonix Meteo saying, I quote: " Abondantes chutes de neige en montagne..........!", YIPPPPPEEEE
Wax those ski's, find your gloves and goggles and book a flight to the Alps, join us for our Early Season Skills Weekend or our Zermatt Intermediate Off Piste week from the 13th - 20th December. Don't get left out on getting your first tracks of the season before Christmas!!
Checking the forecast the weather will stay good for the early part of next week before a new frontal system brings snow on Wednesday and Thursday with the Chamonix Meteo saying, I quote: " Abondantes chutes de neige en montagne..........!", YIPPPPPEEEE
Wax those ski's, find your gloves and goggles and book a flight to the Alps, join us for our Early Season Skills Weekend or our Zermatt Intermediate Off Piste week from the 13th - 20th December. Don't get left out on getting your first tracks of the season before Christmas!!
06 November, 2008
Metro Ski & Snowboard Show, London 22-26 October 2008
Check out the photos of our stand at the recent Metro Ski & Snowboard show which took place at Olympia in London from 22-26 October.
This was the second time we've had a stand at the show - first time was 2006 - and something of a last minute decision!
Thanks to everyone who visited the stand and made the show worthwhile! We're already in discussion with the show organisers about next year's event - we're hoping to get some support for a 'Backcountry' feature where we can demonstrate ski touring skills - e.g. skinning, uphill turns, avalanche search and rescue. Watch this space for developments!!
This was the second time we've had a stand at the show - first time was 2006 - and something of a last minute decision!
Thanks to everyone who visited the stand and made the show worthwhile! We're already in discussion with the show organisers about next year's event - we're hoping to get some support for a 'Backcountry' feature where we can demonstrate ski touring skills - e.g. skinning, uphill turns, avalanche search and rescue. Watch this space for developments!!
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