Les Arcs Season 2014 - 2015, New Thread for this season starts on page 29.

snowcrazy2005 wrote:NellyPS, Evo 2 are good and normally speak English, but not the cheapist. ESF are ok, but you need to make sure the guy will teach in English!

Have fun and maybe we can meet up for a beer one lunch time. Send me a PM if you are interested.

Thanks for that! Will probably decide when I get there, will drop you a pm about meeting for a beer :)

Something different again today.

Went over to the Bellecote via the Roches face which still had good snow and over the back down the Petit North Face route. Then back to Les Arcs and a little ski around to the bar in Arc 1800 for a drink before heading home.

An real mix of snow conditions. First, the pistes early on were in quite good condition considering the weather yesterday as we went from Les Arcs to the Roches de Mio and then over to the Bellecote. The entrance to the North Face, despite a few cms of new snow last night was rather rocky, but we found better snow until just before the second section around 2200m.

From then onwards it was breakable crust everywhere all the way to the forest track which was very busy and also icy.

After spending quite a bit of time waiting for an ESF snowbaord group in front of us to finish the track we arrived at the bottom for a late lunch.

Although a challenge, most people agreed it was worth the effort and now we look forward to the fresh snow which has been forecast over the next few days.

Photos of today in the Jan 2013 Album Two on my Les Arcs facebook page (They are in date order).

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter


Todays start of the Petit North Face of the Bellecote.


Even the easy way has some steep places!


The snow looks good, but it was breakable crust from here.

Just got home, what a day!

Went up a little late as some lifts were delayed from opening. It was raining when I left the valley and it was still raining at Arc 1600. We headed up the Mont Blanc Chair and by half way up it was snowing.

From then on the morning was powder for the first half of every run and wet for the second in the forest areas where we could see a little. Having been down the bottom half of Malgovert forest and on both the left and right side of the Mont Blanc forest we headed over to the Arpette restaurant for lunch and to dry out.

We were going to head for home, but then the clouds cleared, the rain stopped and it was snowing lightly at around 1900m. Went across to the Derby and made a number of loops of this lift through the forest on both sides plus a little detour which meant I had to go round the ridge to find some ones dropped ski pole. Found it and he did reward me with a beer later.

Then after some very good snow higher up and plenty of wet heavy snow lower down in the trees we headed back towards Arc 1800. Just before reaching the bottom one more mishap! Someone ended up crossing a snow bridge just as it collapsed and head planted into the bank. Time to rescue their ski. Just as I was about to do so the whole thing collapsed and I ended in the ditch up to my chest. Interesting! At least it was dry and he was ok, just winded, he now owned me another beer!. As nobody was hurt, including me, it was very funny!! Having climbed out we headed down to the bar and then home.

The top lifts and the links were closed most of the day and the wind became so strong that the Mont Blanc chair was also closed in Arc 1600 by late morning. Despite the high winds, wet snow and rain below 2200m it turned into a good day with powder higher up in the sheltered areas and through the forests. If the snow predicted for tomorrow really arrives it should be an interesting next few days. The pistes higher up were powder today, but the lower runs into the stations were all wet, sticky and heavy. It really needs to get colder!

If you want to see the pictures from today take a look in the Feb 2013 Album on my Les Arcs Winter page tomorrow. Time for bed now and dreams of powder above my waist tomorrow!

For anyone driving out or driving home, right now the roads are still clear lower down, but very wet and covered with a little snow higher up. Tomorrow it might be a different situation. Check the morning update for more details.

Powder in the trees, but poor visibility and getting colder with strong winds. Quiet on the mountain and many lifts closed today. The fresh snow in the valley did not arrive, but there was plenty up high together with strong winds (approx 30cm). It has started to get cold again and although the wind has badly effected the snow in exposed places, in the trees it is powder. The pistes higher up are in good condition after the fresh snow and even lower down where it was raining (below 2200m) they are ok now that it is colder.

Tomorrow when the sun comes out (hopefully) it should be a better day and I will get some photos if it is not to cold. No photos today, but check out my Les Arcs Winter facebook page for photos of the last few day. Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter

MORE AMAZING SNOW IN LES ARCS!!! Powder days are here again!! Monday 4 Feb.

Although the light was coming and going all day, we were able to get some great powder. Having crossed over the Vanoise Express we made a route from the top of the Salla Chair down through the meadows and forest to the La Roche chair and then back up to Plagne centre for a picnic in the hall.

After lunch the sun came out for a while and we went from the top of the Grande Rochette down to Champagny via the south facing slope. Had to take care here, but the snow was still good and the ride down was fun. Then up the Roche de Mio and down the centre ridge for a few more fresh powder lines before heading home through the hidden valley and then the off piste down to the bottom of the Bauches Chair.

Once back on the Les Arcs side of the Vanoise Express a quick ski across the pistes and off piste areas to the trees above Arc 1600 before a final ride down in deep powder again to the meadows in Arc 1600 and home.

The fresh snow in the last few days has made all the pistes in great condition right now. Even the north facing well skied pistes have held up to the extra traffic from the growing number of people around as the February holiday ski period gets started.

The off piste is still powder and although you must be careful to avoid the more unstable areas, if the fresh snow promised in the next few days does arrive, those coming out for the holidays are in for a great time.

Take a look at the photos of the last few days in the new Feb 2013 Album on my Les Arcs Winter facebook page. Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.429402117136260.95575.195692797173861&type=3

Only 3 sleeps to go now! Great to read about the conditions, I'm obviously delighted that the snow I ordered arrived this week. So that should bring cold sunny temperatures next week for when we arrive :)

After posting the update this morning as it was windy, raining and some lifts were delayed from opening I decided to take the day off. I was given the following report by someone that went up anyway.

The mist made the visibility poor 'on and off' most of the day. The snow was wet and heavy lower down, but powder higher up. The winds increased as the day progressed forcing some of the higher lifts to close later in the day. The forest riding was good, but you were dropping through onto cruddy snow quite often. Despite the mixed conditions he said he had fun and did not come down until mid afternoon although he did look very wet when I spoke with him.

Tonight it is snowing heavily up top right now and even lower down the snow is settling. They have now forecast snow for all day tomorrow and the winds are still blowing very strongly tonight. It should be an interesting day. Next update tomorrow morning around 8.30am.

Powder! Powder! Powder! Today it just kept on snowing!!

Now all we need is a bit of good weather to really enjoy the backcountry without nearly falling in the holes we cannot see.

Today was another one of those excellent powder days when everywhere you went you were able to make fresh tracks and the powder was flying up into your face. Because some lifts opened late we went up at 10am and then stayed around the Arc 1600 area in the trees and powder fields. After lunch we headed over to the Peisey Vallandry side and again played around in the trees and also in the open areas when the light improved.

We made one effort to go high, but the light was very flat and although the snow was excellent, you could not see anything and I hate falling in holes so we went back to the trees again. Looking across to the Arc 2000 bowl, it was very misty and poor visibility so we did not try going in the other valley.

By the time we went home when the lifts were closing it was snowing right down to the valley and tomorrow should be all fresh tracks again. It was colder today which is great for the snow and the wind had dropped a little which will allow the snow to settle a little. Today was a level 4 avalanche warning day so we did not try anything exposed in the off piste, but still found a few jumps and steeper places to ride safely.

Tomorrow they say the weather will start to improve a little. Looks like we shall have a few more powder days before the week is over.

Take a look at the photos of today (did not take many today in the poor visibility) in the Feb 2013 Album on my Les Arcs Winter facebook page if you are interested in seeing what the conditions are like right now. The amount of snow in the trees in some places is quite amazing. Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos

Here are some I really like.


Great powder, but in this light it is hard to see where you were going!


Now for something a little bigger!!


Can you see him!?