J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by snowcrazy2005

Blue Sky and Powder up above your knees, what more can you ask for. Well maybe that it could be a little warmer. It was the coldest day so far this season, but then that is what has kept the snow so good.

Went up today and headed straight over to the 'Red Bull Linecatcher Competition'. Now that we could see the course, it did look rather hard!!! Stayed there taking photos until my fingers could take know more and then headed to the Aiguille Rouge for some back country riding.

For those interested in the event today, take a look at the photos I have posted in the Jan 2013 Album Two on my Les Arcs Winter page, it was quite impressive. Sam Favret from Chamonix won with Parker White taking second place on the podium followed by Nicolas Vuignier in third. Many of the riders now move to Courmayeur this weekend for the World Free Ride Tour and in Chamonix the following weekend. Well worth watching if you are out on holiday in either of those resorts.

Now back to today. When we reached the top of the Aiguille Rouge we headed over to one of the higher couloirs and had an amazing ride down the steep gully onto the wide powder fields below. After a great ride all the way down to Villaroger making our own fresh tracks almost the whole way we headed back up to do it all again by another route. We did this three times, 'no time for lunch on a powder day'. Each run down was by a different route mostly on untracked snow, although I did manage to hit a few rocks with my new skis (very sad!).

After three great runs we headed down through the forest to Comborciere Chair and then down another Couloir (renamed Paulie's Couloir!, he knows why!!). Finally we headed over to the Altiport for a drink before heading home through the meadows of Arc 1600 in more untracked snow even at 5pm. What a day!!

The bad news, sorry no photos of the places we went today. After taking the shoots of the competition my camera did not like the cold weather anymore and refused to work for the rest of the day. The battery was dead, I hope after I have recharged it tonight it will be OK.

Another POWDER Day is promised for tomorrow!! I am very happy!!


The Bowl area.


Looking up at the whole area they used. (not mine)

MongulMonkey. pleased to read you are having such a fun time. If you fancy meeting up for a drink or maybe even a ski, send me a PM. Always good to put a face to an online name.

Powder! Powder! Powder!

We could not see much up high on the mountains today as you will see from some of the pictures, but when we skied down from the Arpette Chair to look at the Linecatcher Course from the bottom of the bowl to skiers left of the Bois de l'Ours Chair the powder was great. Having shown the others where the Red Bull Finish marker was located and the couloirs where the competitors plan to ride just about visible though the clouds we headed down to the Marmottes Chair and then up the Varet Gondola. No racing today due to the weather so not much point in hanging around.

They say the Linecatcher competition might take place tomorrow morning if the weather improves. One thing is for sure, there is plenty of snow for the event this year.

Once up at the top of the Varet lift we skied down to Arc 2000 in poor light, but on great powder well up to our knees. We then decided to head towards the trees where we could see better and made a route called the Par Avalanche down the ridge from the top of the Lanchettes chair and into the forest above Villaroger. The snow down this route was in excellent condition and we could see most of the time.

Once we arrived at the forest we realised we were in for another amazing powder day. Everywhere we went the light fluffy powder was up to our knees or higher and most of the time there were very few tracks.

It kept snowing lightly most of the day, but that did not spoil the fun. We just kept on going until the legs ached and the stomachs cried out for food and water.Time for a break at Le Ferme. After a good lunch, back up again to continue the fun. After several hours we finally had to head for home.

Back up top towards Arc 2000 and then down the right hand side of the Droset piste Nature in more great snow and up the Comborciere chair. When we were sitting on the chairs we started to realise just how protected we had been in the forest. It was very cold and windy.

After our good byes we split to leave for home and a well earned rest before we begin again in certain powder tomorrow morning. AND maybe if the weather man gets it right, blue sky. We did not use many pistes today, but those we did were in excellent condition after the fresh snow of the last few days had settled.

If you are interested in seeing the photos from today. Take a look at the Jan 2013 Album Two on my Les Arcs Winter facebook page. Enjoy!


The photos I like the best today!


In the forest the powder was great

!
Coming down towards Pre Saint Esprit in the powder was very good as well.

What a day! Right now the weather conditions seem to be changing all the time! A bit of blue sky, then fog, then low cloud, light snow, then heavy snow! Cold!

Got up early to find the weather had closed in overnight. I still headed up to the 'Red Bull' Linecatcher event to meet up with some of those competing and get there opinions on the area being used for the competition and take some photos.

After taking a look from lower down at the area of the bowl, it was clear with such poor visibility that the event was unlikely to go ahead today and taking photos was a none starter.

I went back up to the top of the Arpette and spoke to a few people. Quote " Oakley from the USA (Ranked 5th in the Free Ride World Tour last year) said the area was great and if the event can take place it should be possible to pull some sweet moves."

Other competitors echoed his opinion, so despite the poor weather following the course inspection earlier most seemed very happy with what Les Arcs had to offer for this event.

Having had another short ski off the top and back up Bois d' l'Ours Chair I then attended the briefing where it was announced that the event was now being postponed, but hopefully would take place on Wednesday. This has yet to be confirmed due to the current weather conditions.

I thought my new Salomon Rocker 2 skis were big ( I love them), but looking around outside the pisteurs hut on the Arpette ridge where everyone was crammed inside for the briefing. The size of some of the skis was well over 122cm under foot. Off piste backcountry riding really has changed since I first started on my slalom skis. Am I really getting that old.

Having heard the news that the event was being postponed. I headed over to Bar King Mad in Arc 1800 for a coffee down the pistes which were in excellent condition after the fresh snow and then to visit a friend before heading home via the Altiport just as the lifts were closing. Although most of the day was taken up with the Linecatcher event, I did manage a few runs down through the trees above Arc 1800 in the fresh powder and across the meadows in Arc 1600 on my way home.

Take a look at the photos I took today in the Jan 2013 Album Two on my Les Arcs Winter page to see the change in the weather from yesterday.

I hope conditions improve tomorrow!

Todays photos.


Looking down towards Arc 1800 and the valley below.


Looking down towards Arc 1600 and Bourg St Maurice below.

Hi david,we will try but cannot be sure. It is all so much fun right now.

Today was a Blue Sky Powder Day AGAIN!!

The weather man got it wrong. The sky cleared and the wind dropped, the powder stayed light, fluffy and it was cold when you were out of the sun. We set off early and had a quick blast across the pistes of Les Arcs to reach the Peisey Vallandry forest. After a fun route down through the trees we headed over to La Plagne and made a quick run down off piste to the bottom of the Bauches Chair off piste. Then back up and over to the Bellecote.

We managed four trips down from the top through the bowl in mostly fresh untracked powder. No time for a long lunch on a powder day. Had a bit of fun with some jumps and found some routes that were still totally untracked. Could it get any better than this?

Yes!! we made a quick decision to go home via the North Face. Dropped over the back and after some careful route finding and avoiding a few avalanche areas including stepping away while some loose snow slide away below us before descending one passage (a good learning experience for everyone) we made it onto yet more powder fields below.

After more than 2000m of vertical decent on almost completely untracked snow the whole way we stopped at the bar for a well earned drink before heading back to Les Arcs. With only a few people around today we quickly went up the lifts and from the top of the Derby and went directly to Arc 1600 crossing various pistes on the way.

What a day. We arrived back as it was getting dark with all the lifts closed and headed home. Today was one of those day you will always remember! Great job guys!

For those just out, there are more powder days coming. The snow is falling again tonight and the forecast for the next few days should produce excellent conditions on and off piste. Hope to catch up with some of you in George's Wine Bar in Arc 1950 after skiing.

If you are interested in looking at the photos from today take a look in the new Jan 2013 Album Two on my Les Arcs Winter facebook page. Enjoy!

Here are the photos I like the best from today.

Great conditions today! The sun shone and the powder was light and fluffy. The cold temperature kept the snow fresh and soft. The winds did not arrive and nor did the clouds or more snow as predicted by the French meteo. We were very pleased they got it wrong. There were smiling faces all day!!

After heading up the Arpette Chair we made a couple of warm up runs back down the same way in good visibility and fresh untracked snow under the lift. Then after watching the helicopter getting some shots of the Red Bull Linecatcher area above the Arpette ridge it was time to go start the days real work.

Down off piste to the Marmottes chair then up the Arcabulle and back down the middle ridge in more fresh snow. Then off the Col de la Chal to Nancroix. Again making our own tracks most of the way before catching the bus and crossing over the Vanoise Express to get to the meadows above Les Coches. The snow there was also in good condition.

Time for a picnic lunch in the sun followed by a number of runs down to the Bauches chair by different routes in more excellent snow. Finally finishing with a route from the Tow rope all the way back to just above Les Coches through the forest and onto the Vanoise Express.

Crossing from Peisey back to Arc 1600 by a mixture of pistes and off piste with one final run down the small hidden meadow above Arc 1600 to give us one last chance to make more fresh tracks after the lifts had closed and then heading for home.

What a fun day!!

The pistes we used were all in great condition most of the time and the off piste was mainly powder with a few hard patches mixed in to keep you awake. As it was a Saturday the resort was not busy so no lift queues anywhere.

Take a look at the photos in the Jan 2013 Album of my Les Arcs Winter facebook page if you want to see what the conditions looked like today. Enjoy!

These are the photos I like best from today.


What a great start to the day!


Into the back country!


Nice Air!

What a great day!! They expected 15cm, maybe 20cm at most and we had 30cm by the time the lifts opened at 9.15am and it just kept on snowing. It was still snowing lightly when I came down at 5pm. I cannot wait for tomorrow.

Today we left from Arc 1600 as the links out of the Arc 2000 bowl were all closed at the start of the day and after a quick ride down through the trees and off piste into Arc 1800 we headed for the Peisey -Vallandry forests.

The snow was great although the visibility was very poor higher on the mountain. At times the snow was up to your waist. Even higher if you fell! The cold temperatures had kept the snow light and fluffy! AMAZING!!

When we reached Peisey - Vallandry we made a few different routes down through the trees on the right, left and centre from the top of the Derby and Grizzly Chairs all the way to the villages below and even one ride back up on the poma tow above the chapel run. Again the powder was in very good condition and the few pistes we crossed were also excellent. The new snow has really freshened everything up well 'on and off piste'.

After a quick lunch we headed back towards Arc 1800 through the forest again and then back over to Arc 1600. Some of us kept going and found more excellent powder in the Malgovert forest. Before finally heading for home. Going down to the middle station of the Funicular was good and some people were going all the way down to Bourg. Not me today. New skis!

What a great day. Powder everywhere you went without really trying hard. Most of it untracked. Tomorrow should be another special day.

Take a look at the photos in the Jan 2013 Album of my Les Arc Winter facebook page. Did not take many pics today, to busy having fun! Enjoy!

These are the photos I like best from today.


Canadian Powder in Les Arcs again!


You can spend a night in these in winter if you wish! Really fun!!


Powder power!!

MogulMonkey. you need to have a permit to go in the Reserve and you are only then allowed to go in certain places. The sign I took the photo of marks the places you cannot go.

Another day comes to an end with snow falling since about 3pm and continuing tonight right down to the valley with about 5cm settled on the ground so far as I walked home.

Today, before the snow started falling we skied across Les Arcs and up the Aiguille Rouge without any lift queues. It is very quiet on the pistes this week. They have held up well in the warm temperatures and now with fresh snow tonight should be in excellent condition tomorrow.

After a few photos we headed over into the national park and all the way down to Villaroger on mixed snow. Sometimes soft, other times a little crusty and towards the bottom hard packed chalky snow.

It was such fun we headed back up again and this time passed through the 'Whistler Gate' (the entrance to the Lanchette off piste valley) and down towards Villaroger again by a different route. This was again very mixed, but also fun to ski. Finally we went through the forest down to the restaurant at Pre Saint Esprit for a late lunch as the weather started closing in.

After lunch the snow had started to fall and the light was poor as we made our way across pistes and through the forest to Peisey Vallandry and then finally home.

I did manage to take some photos today, so take a look at the Jan 2013 Album in my Les Arcs Winter facebook page, plus a few from yesterdays that I will now post.

The pics I like the best from today.


Yet another day with some powder and now it is snowing again!!


What a fun route. From the top right of the mountain in the backround all the way down to the forest below

Thanks for the PM AllyG. Hope to see you all for a drink and maybe even a ski or snowboard whilst you are out.