Messages posted by : jonG
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Hi Tropicana,
Please don't discount not going skiing in either March or April, this year has been one of the few odd snow years we seem to have. The weather in the Alps in Europe does depend on which direction the wind is heading etc, and the weather can vary from one valley to the next. I have just come back from Les Arcs where although it was warm ( even hot some days) with soft spring skiing on the lower slopes , from about 1900 meters and higher we still had great snow, yet over the in the next valley which is in Italy and the resorts of La Thuile and Courmayeur they have had great snow all season. I usually go out to ski ( Les Arcs) around the 2nd , 3rd or 4th week of April and over the last 8 - 9 years have had some excellent skiing right up to the end of the season ( even having 12 - 18inches of fresh snow some years on the Aiguille Rouge up above 2000 meters to 3226 meters). Although Megeve is a wonderful place to be it is still quite low, so in warmer years can and does suffer lower down, along with many lower resorts. In saying all that I would lay money on next season being much better ( call it a gut feeling) and if you look further afield as stated above at resorts with many North and North east facing slopes, with skiing up to and over 2400m and up to 3000m and above, also if you can throw in a glacier or two you wont go far wrong. Again don't let a couple of bad experiences put you off , January is a good time to go weather wise and is a quite period after xmas , but again there are some amazing deals to be had later in the year especially after Easter. All the best Jon. |
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Hi Ally,
Many thanks, it was only certain areas with banked sides near pistes that gave any concern although a friend said they wouldn't be surprised if the Robert Blanc black above Arc 2000 went at some point unless conditions changed, but it has been a very odd season for Les Arcs with lots of snow early season then from the 13th of January nothing much at all according to some friends in Villaroger.... .....just over the border in La Thuile Italy , just over the other side of the valley they have had some excellent snow all season so I think it's just one of those cyclical weather patterns you get some years. Oh well heres to next season, not long now :) Jon. |
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....soory about the smiley , an avalanche risk of 3 - 5 isn't a smiley kind of thing... jon. |
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Hi All,
Arrived back from Bourg-St-Maurice on Monday evening, had a mixed bag of weather, but snow higher up was good, had some rain below 1800 meters, low cloud and snow above 18oo ish meters on occasions. The remainder of the time it was very warm with blue skies and sunshine, which didn't do much for the Avalanche risk ( 3 - 5 ), on one day while taking the Eidleweiss blue rack over to Arc 2000 there had been a substantial wet slab avalanche across the lower slope, and a few hours later another one took out a large section of the same run....lucky there was nobody skiing/boarding it....phew!. I think since getting back the temps have dropped a little and as we were leaving on Monday morning it was lashing it down with rain from Bourg to Annecy so hopefully this was falling as snow above 1800 meters to replenish the pistes in time for Easter in a couple of weeks. jon. |
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Hi, Yes Rosie and Gordon's ski hire is the one at the bottom of the funicular " Poliare-star"... http://www.polairestar.com/ . If you need any other advice while you are there they will be able to give you totally honest unbiased help with the area. In the mean time I will have a look while I,m there and see what I can come up with. All the best Jon. |
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Hi,
Try Alpine Apartments Agency , I think it's still run by Zigi Davenport, but not been in contact with them for some years now. jon. |
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Hi Tom,
When are you off , if you PM me your address I will post you a piste map. resort information booklet and Tourist Office DVD for the Les Arcs area. As for kit along with the other replies good Factor 30 suncreem ( dont forget to put some on your nose and ears ), decent pair of gloves, ski socks, salopettes coat etc, if you can borrow some kit before you go to save on expense etc also in the highly unlikely event you decide you dont like skiing you haven't spen tlots on new kit. If you hare driving to Les Arcs there is a shop in Bourg-Saint-Maurice you will pass by on the right hand side located just before Lidl's called Technique Extreme, they will have some great bargains on at this time of year, as they sell good quality but very reasonably priced ski kit. A decent UVA and UVB protected pair of sunglasses is a good idea also whenever in the mountains, and these need not cost the earth. Have a great time ( I'm out there myself next Wednesday for a week). Jon. |
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...MMMmmmmmmmm Genepi :D :D :D :D, I'm not sure whether it's the first one that leads to all the problems or the last one too many......hic! :D |
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