Europe 23/24
- Thread starter Sbooker
- Start date
Fraser anticipates your
in red below. BobMc in Andermatt sez "yesterday was clear; socked in again today."I'd love to be in the Maritime Alps right now.
3.45pm Monday 4 March 2024 – Huge snowfall totals for some southwestern parts of the Alps
The storm that hit the southwestern Alps over the weekend has delivered some staggering snowfall totals in places, far greater than originally predicted.
Around 80cm of new snow has fallen over the weekend in Auron in the southern French Alps
The regions that saw the most snow were the Italian Piedmont and far eastern Aosta (e.g. Prali, Sestriere, Monte Rosa, Macugnaga), close to the Italian border in the southern French Alps (e.g.Isola 2000, Queyras), and in the Haute- Maurienne (e.g. Bonneval sur Arc). These areas have seen between 1- 2m of new snow in the last three days, and in some cases 1m or more in just 24 hours alone.
Other areas that have done very well, but with slightly less extreme figures, include Montgenèvre, Val d’Isère (although over 1m has fallen on the Pisaillas glacier), Zermatt, and Saas-Fee.
Note that, as is normal with a ‘Retour d’Est’ type situation, these huge snowfalls were quite localised, with huge differences between one valley and the next. For example, while this storm delivered over 1m of snow to the far southern end of Val d’Isère, Tignes only received 25cm, Les Arcs just 5cm and most of the northern French Alps saw little if anything. More generally, the northern and eastern Alps (including Austria) also missed most of the action this time around.
The good news, though, is that the next storm which is due to hit the Alps on Tuesday/Wednesday will favour those areas that missed out this weekend – namely the northern half of the Alps –although it is only forecast to deliver a more moderate 10-30cm of new snow.
All in all, it’s turning into an interesting March in the Alps, after what has been a rather disappointing season so far, at lower altitudes at least.
ChrisC
Well-known member
Fraser anticipates your
I'd love to be in the Maritime Alps right now.
3.45pm Monday 4 March 2024 – Huge snowfall totals for some southwestern parts of the Alps
The storm that hit the southwestern Alps over the weekend has delivered some staggering snowfall totals in places, far greater than originally predicted.
View attachment 40107
Around 80cm of new snow has fallen over the weekend in Auron in the southern French Alps
The regions that saw the most snow were the Italian Piedmont and far eastern Aosta (e.g. Prali, Sestriere, Monte Rosa, Macugnaga), close to the Italian border in the southern French Alps (e.g.Isola 2000, Queyras), and in the Haute- Maurienne (e.g. Bonneval sur Arc). These areas have seen between 1- 2m of new snow in the last three days, and in some cases 1m or more in just 24 hours alone.
Other areas that have done very well, but with slightly less extreme figures, include Montgenèvre, Val d’Isère (although over 1m has fallen on the Pisaillas glacier), Zermatt, and Saas-Fee.
Note that, as is normal with a ‘Retour d’Est’ type situation, these huge snowfalls were quite localised, with huge differences between one valley and the next. For example, while this storm delivered over 1m of snow to the far southern end of Val d’Isère, Tignes only received 25cm, Les Arcs just 5cm and most of the northern French Alps saw little if anything. More generally, the northern and eastern Alps (including Austria) also missed most of the action this time around.
The good news, though, is that the next storm which is due to hit the Alps on Tuesday/Wednesday will favour those areas that missed out this weekend – namely the northern half of the Alps –although it is only forecast to deliver a more moderate 10-30cm of new snow.
All in all, it’s turning into an interesting March in the Alps, after what has been a rather disappointing season so far, at lower altitudes at least.
He badly forecasted Monterosa. If you are an expert in the Alps - and everyone else calls it right. I just think he puts a few chips on whatever.
I think Fraser is basically unhelpful except for 3 days out or his experience.
Not great.
I know you like him, but please stop posting until he's right a few storms.
skiandgolfnut
Member
The France vs Italy/Switzerland on mountain dining opinion was probably based on past internet research but limited to the mega resorts. My understanding was that the on mountain dining in France was more basic with a lot of the restaurants owned by the lift companies. Happy to be wrong, especially since I would very much like to get to Val D'isere and Tres Valles as I work through ticking off some of these larger areas. I only ate at La Rosiere not La Thuille. Did not have time for both but I did take note of the amount of restaurants I passed and at least how they looked. The place I ate did not seem bad, there was a menu service area and a self service area. Just turned out the lentil soup and baguette I took from the self serve area was the worst thing I ate all week. Might have been bad luck.
skiandgolfnut
Member
I was definitely satisfied, the trip was a win. The powder days could have been some of the best of my life had that warmth not crept in. Seems like it was just bad luck. But I typically go in 5 day intervals and for the most part, unless Im getting great snow and Im able to ski it, I prefer the visibility. Perfectly happy on chalky snow if I can see where Im going. And these guides seem pretty good at finding the corn in sunny conditions. I did the most I could within my control IE book a couple days before to have a positive outcome. While it wasnt perfect, I certainly have no regrets.
BobMc just sent a couple shots taken by Jackattack at the TGR Euro Bobby Baker Invitational (BBI). Today, they were at Splügen, 90 minutes from Andermatt. Several pages of powder pix in the TR thread.
A comment by a SLCer on the lack of competition:
I think today is likely my best day of inbounds skiing. Ever. It felt like the only people who were actually skiing the mountain was the BBI crew. Country-club conditions, with every lap being nearly completely untracked. Every time I ran into another group of mags the consensus was universal "We have been skiing the best snow and untracked lines ever, we can't believe no one has been following us".
A comment by a SLCer on the lack of competition:
I think today is likely my best day of inbounds skiing. Ever. It felt like the only people who were actually skiing the mountain was the BBI crew. Country-club conditions, with every lap being nearly completely untracked. Every time I ran into another group of mags the consensus was universal "We have been skiing the best snow and untracked lines ever, we can't believe no one has been following us".
I think James is going to check out Splügen on one of his trips!
Bob now understands why I go to the obscure joints over there.
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ChrisC
Well-known member
Yep. Sometimes even at an outlying zone at a major Euro complex.
ChrisC
Well-known member
Too bad the Dolomites/Monterosa/Zermatt did not establish an off-piste base until mid-March. (Although Zermatt still has not opened its Rote Nase tram from Hohtallii - its best terrain. It's been closed for 2 seasons now. No wonder Americans come away from Zermatt - nice cruising, but disappointing). Despite its reputation, US expert skiers should go to high snowfall resorts with great terrain - St. Anton, Engleberg/Andermatt, Verbier, Val d'Isere/Tignes. I have usually avoided Zermatt.
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ChrisC
Well-known member
It looks great!
But it's on the Swiss/Italian border and might require Genoa Low storms - Southern Alps - to power it to worthwhile status.
I’m just over two weeks out from wheels up. I’m going to do a five day course with Snoworks at Tignes the first week. I was intending on doing some off piste tuition but I see they’re offering an Introduction to Ski Touring course for my dates. I’ve always been curious. Does anyone have any comments on whether this is a good idea? I’m thinking there’s a better chance of me skiing away from the crowds with the touring course.
Touring = Level of fitness + low sensitivity to altitude. You have been skiing long enough to know these things about yourself. The attraction of the Alps is that with the far flung lifts it is very easy to get away from crowds, though that generally means with guides unless you know the terrain and the avy forecast. There are situations where 20-30 minutes of uphill will get you to unique places so it's useful to have AT gear if that is part of the program. But a dedicated 100% touring day in the Alps has little appeal to me unless it's something unique like the week long Haute Route. And I have aged out of that type of trip.
Thanks. I’m sure my fitness would be fine as I would not be touring with touring veterans.
I’ve never skied with touring bindings. Some sources suggest it’s a completely different feeling to normal alpine bindings. If it is that different I would like to be in a scenario where I can’t ski properly and I hold a group back.
If you need AT boots, that's the same process as buying an alpine boot and it took me a long time in 2011. In the alps with the typical 20-30 minute scenario for a run or two, they are fine with you using your own alpine boot but with a ski with compatible AT bindings. Your skiing should be transparent with no different feeling in that case. The alpine boot with compatible (usually plate) binding is heavier, so for the dedicated all day touring situation a lighter weight AT boot with tech binding is preferred. The latter was required for my Antarctic trip in 2011.
ChrisC
Well-known member
I think it would be a great time!
I have touring and telemark ski setups that seem to get little use these days. Sigh.
I'll bring the tele setup out on below-par days. It takes me 15-30 minutes to remember the feeling. I think I peaked in the 2000s with telemarking—perhaps at Big Sky when I was skiing all the Alleys, Dictator Chutes, etc. on them. I learned how to ski moguls Back East before this.
Val/Tignes is a great place to learn the skill. I always see the disappointment on a guide's face when I show up with downhill-only requirements. You do not have to do much touring-wise to get to even more impressive terrain.
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I see the metal insert in the toe of sbooker’s boot than means it can used with a tech touring binding.
I work with my brother. He will be covering for me while I’m away in a week. But just now he has come off his motor bike and is in the hospital. His foot will be undergoing surgery on Tuesday once the surgeons are back from Easter holidays.
I’m really hoping I don’t have to cancel. Especially as it is highly unlikely I’d be covered by insurance.
I’m really hoping I don’t have to cancel. Especially as it is highly unlikely I’d be covered by insurance.