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

Been very busy for the last few days having fun in the powder, staying out late and leaving early in the morning to find more good snow so know time for updates until now.

I have just posted the last photos for this weeks in the Feb 2013 Album on my Les Arcs Winter facebook page. If you want to see what we have been doing over the past week take a look.

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

The conditions over the past few days have been great. Fresh powder most of the time and a mix of good light with blue skies and cloudy poor visibility days.

The fresh snow has kept the pistes in great conditions in most areas of the paradiski, even where it is busy. The off piste although well tracked is still soft and light in the more sheltered places. As we approach the busy period the sun is promising to come out and with good snow depths right down into the stations anyone coming on holiday should have a great time.

The roads on Saturday are likely to be very busy in both directions coming into Bourg St Maurice and first thing in the morning it could be icy. Take care all those driving out. See some of you on the hill on Sunday.

Hi folks, been really busy just having fun in all this powder and staying out far to late so just not made it home in time to keep up with the posts.

A quick update of the last few days.

The snow came again at the end of last week and topped up the pistes and off piste areas very nicely. For the last few days, despite there being more people about than a week ago, we have not had to many queues so far, although it did seem more crowded this afternoon as the holiday makers started exploring further afield.

With the blue sky each day since Saturday and little wind, it really has been quite nice even on the pistes, in the snow park, border cross courses and of course in the trees and off piste areas.

The Pistes, despite being busy, are still in very good condition in most places, even coming into the stations or lifts. The warmer afternoon temperatures make it quite pleasant to get around the whole paradiski area. So far I have not seen many bare patches and few very icy pistes except on the north facing well used slopes. If the top up that is predicted for later in the week arrives then these good conditions should continue into next week.

As for the off piste, take a look at the photos I will be posting shortly of the conditions in the last few days. Even today we were still finding untracked powder off the beaten track. Right now it is well worth taking a guide if you want to have some real fun in the back country. Send me a PM if you want some contacts for guides or fancy meeting up.

The piste nature areas and most 'in-bound' off piste areas are well skied, but the snow is still soft and light in many places although it is also becoming hard packed and even crusty where the sun has been directly shinning onto the surface, ' breakable crust' YUK!!

Overall I think the conditions are great, even better than last year. For anyone coming out, you are going to have a good time and if you like the off piste, get some fat skis and join in all the fun!!

If you want to see the photos of the last few days, take a look at my 'Les Arcs Winter' facebook page. Enjoy!!

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

Wednesday 20 Feb. What a good day we had. Even nearly a week since the last powder we were still able to find about 1 km of the untracked stuff, might have been even more.

The Bellecote never gives up all it's secrets at once, you have to work hard to find some of them. Today we headed to the Glacier above La Plagne via the cliffs of the Roche de Mio and then over onto the North Face.

On the way over the snow was well tracked, but still soft, fun to ride and quite stable which meant we could try yet another route.

After dropping onto the North Face we made our way down until we passed the tracked out areas and entered a long section of light almost champagne powder. It was such fun making our way through this untracked snow we just wished it would not end. Tried a bit more synchronised skiing and finally hit the forest. Then headed down into the river valley and out to the Chaval Restaurant for a nice lunch before returning to Les Arcs.

Once in Les Arcs we went back to the Arc 2000 bowl and looked at all the new skis and snowboards for next season at the test area at the top of the Transarc plus having the chance to try out the Snowpulse Air Bag system and even testing the inflation method. Most effective! If you can afford the cost, any one of the ABS, BCA or Snowpulse air bag systems are well worth getting if you spend your time off piste as we do together with having your own transceiver, shovel and probes of course.

Then it was time for the 'Boardercross Course' and a little race which one of the kids won before heading to the snowpark and a few jumps (I took the photos). Finally it was time to go home for some hot wine. More too come tomorrow!

Although the pistes and lift queues are getting busier, the pistes are still in good condition and whilst the off piste is well tracked, it is still fun with the odd surprise if you know where to look. More snow might come this weekend so if you are coming out soon it should be good.

The photos of the last couple of days will be posted shortly in the Feb 2013 Album Two of my Les Arcs Winter facebook page for those interested in seeing what we have been doing. Enjoy! :D

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

Photos I liked from the last few days.


Les Arcs Backcountry!


Quite a jump!


Getting started when you are young is always fun!

can you tell me, I am coming to Les Arcs 1800 Apr6th for 4 days. I have booked the Massif des Arcs ski pass, does that cover the whole of the Les Arcs piste map? I am confused because there is a Paradiski as well (more expensive) and not sure of the difference. Will the Massif des Arcs pass be good enough for 4 days?

Summary for the last week. What a great time we have all had!!

Not as busy as expected on the lifts for 'English half term week' and loads of snow.

Powder and fresh tracks almost everyday with blue sky most of the time. It was cold, but then that is what has kept the snow so good.

The off piste for the past week has been in excellent condition most of the time in the backcountry with plenty of places to put down fresh tracks in knee deep powder. Even within the bounds of the resort ski area although well tracked the snow stayed in good condition and was fun especially in the trees.

The pistes have held up well to the busy traffic and there were not too many icy patches coming thorough even into the lifts and resort stations.

The youngsters enjoyed the snowpark, boardercross and speed skiing areas and some even managed to pull off some new tricks which was great to 'watch!' The toboggan run in Arc 2000 bowl was also fun. Although one friend did hurt her knee so be careful how fast you are going when you hit the walls.

Those that had lessons found the ESF Instructors to be mostly very good and making an effort to explain in English which was great to hear. If the kids are happy, the holiday is much easier! Everyone managed to get their badges and some good race results as well.

Last night as we said our good byes, the feeling amongst everyone was the conditions have been great and everyone hopes it will be the same again at Easter.

It was snowing again last night with about 7cm of fresh snow by this morning, but it is very cold again. - 21 degrees at the top they have predicted. I am having a day off today, then back up again tomorrow.

I have just posted the last of the photos from this week so if you are interested in seeing what we have been doing, take a look in the Feb 2013 Album Two on my 'Les Arcs Winter' facebook page. Enjoy!

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

If you fancy discovering some of these great off piste areas send me a PM and we can see what could be arranged. I know many local English speaking Instructors/guides if you need one.

Here are a few photos from the last few days.


Amazing powder!


Careful does it, you do not want to get wet!!


What a great view of the apartment!


They learn quickly when young!!

Hi Abcurtis, the Les Arcs ski pass only covers the Les Arcs area. If you are only here for 4 days then the Les Arcs area pass is enough. You will have loads to do in just four days. Hope you have a good holiday. If you fancy meeting for a beer send me a PM and we could arrange to meet up. It is always nice to put a face to those that post questions. Hope that helps.

Hi,

We are going to La Plagne on 9 March and can't wait :D
Trying to decide which of the 2 area ski passes to buy. We will definetely visit Les Arcs at least once during the week.
Could you please tell us your favourite Les Arcs pisted runs doable during a day trip from La Plagne Centre and your favourite mountain lunch eateries?

Kind regards,

Welcome to the 'High Season!' Today it took some effort to find untracked powder, but we managed it. Only a short section, but enough to make it worth the effort. Then a nice ski down to the trees for lunch in the sun. Even though the wind was blowing high on the mountains on the sunny south facing slopes sheltered by the trees it was actually quite pleasant.

After a nice picnic we headed to the lifts in Peisey. The early morning queues we had experienced were even bigger. As we made our way back across Les Arcs there were many people about and it was time to head off piste again. The snow was still good in the trees coming down towards Arc 1600 and we met some guys taking a bit of air!

The pistes across Les Arcs today had held up well to the busy traffic and although hard packed in many places you could still have a bit of fun carving on the wider pistes. The off piste lower down although well tracked had a nice cover of fresh snow, more in fact than higher on the mountain and we also found some good untracked sheltered areas higher up.

It was very cold again today, but the sun made it quite pleasant. Tomorrow I hope the queues are not so bad as we hope to head across to the Bellecote in search of more fresh tracks.

If you want to see the photos I have just posted of where we went today, check them out in the Feb 2013 Album Two on my 'Les Arcs Winter' facebook page. Enjoy!

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

Here are a few photos from today!


He landed this! Just!


Welcome to 'High Season!'


Still places to make your own fresh powder turns!

Today, Tuesday 26 Feb, we headed over to the Bellecote as planned and were pleased to find both the Gondola and Traverse Chair running. The wind was blowing strongly on the shoulder of the North Face as we approached and when we looked over the edge all we could see was breakable crust or cruddy snow most of the way down. Time to change our plan.

We made a lap of the bowl area instead, finding some fresh snow not effected by the wind and sun. Then back up to the top. After another inspection we headed for the Friolin Bowl in the hope of finding better snow. Good choice!

From the corner of the ridge into the bowl to the valley floor far below we found untracked powder most of the time with a bit of crud and one spot of breakable crust (sorry about that Mr. P!). Then more powder in the trees right to the piste and chair lift.

Up the lifts and down the ridge from the top of the Dos Rond all the way to the Vanoise Express off piste again. More good snow in the sheltered areas and finally home with a hot chocolate stop on the way. The pistes on the way over to the Bellecote in the morning and back to Les Arcs in the afternoon were hard packed with a thin layer of chalky snow on top. Fun to ski as long as you could hold your edge. However the lifts and pistes were very busy again today and you had to hold your edge or risk a slide as the pistes becaame very well used in places. The off piste despite being well tracked in places was still ok to ski and we did find more fresh powder which was an excellent reward for the days effort.

The photos of today have just been posted in the Feb 2013 Album Two of my 'Les Arcs Winter' facebook page. Enjoy.

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