Les Arcs Season Thread. (Where you can ask questions on Les Arcs , La Plagne or chat)

snowcrazy2005 wrote:Now I have a question to anyone. How do I post pictures direct to this thread? If you can explain it to me in a simple way, I will try to add pics sometimes if it can be done direct.

http://www.j2ski.com/ski-chat-forum/posts/list/4575.page

:)

The heavans have opened and it has been dumping down for two days and still snowing right now higher up. Here is a mini trip report of some fun I had today.

A Trip to Remember, Les Arcs to Bourg!

What a fun day it turned out to be. When I looked outside this morning. last nights dump did not let me down. There was loads of snow, up to my knees as I cleared the path. Did a few jobs then time to go and play.

Tried out the downhill skis with the step-in 'add on' touring bindings. If you have never tried this system, it is fun, but you do need to have OK balance and watch your knees. (Ask at Polaire Star Ski and snowboard rentals by the funicular if you want to find out more about these, they turn your normal downhill skis into touring skis.)

After a good warm up, my first time on skis since last winter. Had some lunch then made up my mind to go out even if the vis up the mountain was bad. The snow had finished falling a few hours before, but the mountains were cloaked in cloud and fog getting ready for the next dump tonight I hoped.

Managed to hitch a ride up the mountain to Les Arcs 1600. The higher slopes were not visible and with so much snow about (around 30 - 40cm, I guess) it was better to take a safer option. There is a great route back down to Bourg so time to go. After 2 hours or so of a mix between downhill and traversing I made it from Les Arcs 1600 right back to the lake in Bourg, only taking my skis off to cross the roads and to avoid the odd fence or tree.

Really fun. Knee deep powder, maybe even more at the start. Then slowly as I got lower crossing the meadows and passing farm buildings to avoid the forest where possible, the snow started to get heavier as the vis improved. Even below half way the snow was still Ok and nearly up to my knees right until I reached the lake. The final meadow smelled of cattle, it was still green fields three days ago, but now a white untracked carpet.

I did not do this route last season. What a treat today was, fresh tracks the whole way, nobody else around, just what skiing is all about. Might even do it again tomorrow in better vis I hope. What a great way to start a season. All alone in the white expanse of the mountainside above Bourg.



Here is one photo, more can be found on my Les Arcs Winter page of this trip and conditions last night, link below. Hope you enjoy them.

Iceman, thanks for the help posting the pic, but I think one is enough since they have to be hosted somewhere. People might as well go to the 'Les Arcs Winter' page to see the rest.

I like seeing pics

Nice one Chris

Yesterday I had another little trip. Was really fun. Here is the report.

Another trip into the back country, this time with a scenic photo shoot in mind.

Blue sky, fresh snow, an empty mountain and no tracks in sight. What more could I wish for.

As I shall be based in Arc 1950 as a ski host for the Film Festival VIP's again starting from tomorrow I thought it would be fun on such a nice day to get high and look across to Les Arcs ski domain and get some photos of the whole area.

Time to head up to La Rosiere and into one of the back valleys looking across to Les Arcs.

What a great day. As always with La Rosiere you need to choose where you ski quite carefully to avoid wind slab, but there are some great off piste areas if you plan your route. As my idea for today was to get good photos plus finding some off piste. I headed high on skins and got onto the ridge away from the pistes. If only the lifts were working to get me half way up. Oh well!

Having made the ridge, I had a photo stop and then headed into the valley. More untracked snow with great vis, but did give myself a little scare when the snow started to make strange noises. Ops!!! Time to get onto safer ground quickly. All alone on unstable snow is not a good place to be.

(Remember folks, like they say on TV, do not do this yourself. Well that covers me anyway. As I do enjoy being out in these places alone sometimes it is a risk I am willing to take. Please do not copy what I do unless you really know what you are doing. Ok I think that's enough, now back to the report.)

Once heading into the valley, on a very safe line I skied down towards the forest, stopping on the way for more photos and then finally arrived back at La Rosiere after a bit more skinning. Once I got away from the wind effected unstable stuff the snow was great. Managed to put fresh tracks everywhere I went and really enjoyed the calm peace of the place before the lifts open on Saturday.

Looking across at Les Arcs ski domain. The runs down to Villaroger are complete and they are getting them ready for skiing. The whole of the Arc 2000 bowl looks great and the off piste into the national park looks very tempting, but I think it might be very unstable right now.

Here is one of the photos, the others can be seen on my Les Arcs Winter page. Link below.

Today I have moved up to Arc 1950 where I am the Official Ski/Snowboard Host for the Festival de Cinema Europeen des Arcs. I had to add that as it sounds very posh!!

http://www.facebook.com/festivaldecinemaeuropeendesarcs

For anyone thinking of coming out, this is a great week to be here. Now the snow has arrived most areas will open (see next post) and the films are interesting to see and quite cheap.

Did not manage to get out on my skis or board today as was to busy , but there is loads of snow about and if you have a quick scan of all the web cams in the links section, you will have a good idea of the amount of snow around.

What you cannot tell is that the wind picked up and made some areas very dangerous due to wind slab and the temperature is up and down like a yoyo today so there are going to be very mixed conditions tomorrow, but I think we will still find some great places to ride.

If it stays cold we are in for some good riding over the next week as the base consolidates and new snow arrives. Fingers crossed that it snows and does not rain as happened last year.

More info about changes up in resort stations and what's opening this weekend to follow shortly.

If there is anyone coming out his week, do let me know. You can always PM me on here or on facebook. We can meet for a beer, even if we do not go out in the snow.

Love these, keep them coming!