J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by snowcrazy2005

Snapzzz, come join us for a ski tomorrow if you want or after skiing at George's Wine bar in Arc 1950 around 5pm.

Today was one of those days you just do not want to end!

Everywhere we went there was fresh powder to be found, most of it untracked.

After a quick warm up going down under the Arpette chair and then from the top of Bois de l'Ours Chair off piste down to the Marmotte chair below Arc 1950, we headed over to the National Park behind the Aiguille Rouge and made a circuit of one of the shorter routes before some people had to leave to take part in a ski race.

Instead of stopping for lunch the rest of us headed back into the park by one of the longer routes making our own tracks in most places until it was time to head home via a nice forest run and finally off piste from the top of the snowpark back to Arc 1800.

The fresh snow has left most piste in an excellent condition. Only where it is very busy are the pistes becoming hard packed and tricky to hold an edge. The off piste has been transformed by the fresh snow and it was great fun today. However this surface will become compacted and firm over the next few days and could present other difficulties.

Here are two of the photos from today that I like.





If you are interested in seeing more, take a look at the latest photos in the Jan 2013 album of my Les Arcs Winter facebook page. Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter

Pauljames, I was talking about the new video machine in the Snowpark. The kids really like watching themselves on the big screen. They moved it from last year and it works much better.

Powder days are here again!

Last night the snow started to fall just as we were heading home. By this morning there was enough to freshen up most areas.

A group of us headed over to Mont Albert and the Omelette restaurant for lunch. With poor vis from the start, we took the forest track to Peisey and then across the Vanoise Express (VE) and over to Plagne Bellecote via a few gullies before trying our luck on the Champagny side. Good powder, but poor vis forced us back over to Plagne Centre via the 'Indian Gully' and then up the new chair by the race course (very nice). Down the powder field off the ridge towards the Mont Albert chair and then lunch at the 'Omelette restaurant'. Always very good.

After a great lunch, back over to Plagne Centre via the powder fields near the chairs in poor light. And then a little more fun on the way down to the Arpette chair in Plagne Bellecote. Finally a last play in the waterfall gully on the way back to the VE.

After a quick ride over the gap it was a mad rush to get the last lift back into the Arc 2000 bowl. Some of us made it, others took the bus all meeting up in George's Wine bar in Arc 1950 for a well earned drink. He has some very nice British real beer right now as well as his usual selection of wines.

All the pistes today were in great condition in the morning. By the afternoon some had become a little slippy, but still ok. The off piste was excellent with powder everywhere. Now that La Plagne have also added some Piste Nature areas, there are plenty of safe places to play on the other side of the VE as well. Despite the poor vis at times, everyone had fun both on and off piste.

Take a look at the pics I have just posted in the Jan 2013 Album on my Les Arcs Winter facebook page. Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter


Playtime in the gully!


Powder everywhere!

I hope everyone had a good New Year's Day!

The weather man got it wrong this morning. But now it is snowing on the mountain and raining in the valley.

What a fun day we had today!
Having agreed to being on the first lift up Aigle Rouge last night, well early this morning really (what a silly thing to do), I managed a few hours sleep and then made it for the first lift out of Arc 1600 with blue sky and little wind rather than rain and snow as predicted. I was very pleased the weather man got it wrong today.

We made it all the way to the top of Aigle Rouge when it opened. The snow was good, but it was cold on the top! My nice new heated gloves did the trick!! (I love Christmas presents!)

We managed to get from the top of AR down to Villaroger with a mixture of piste and off piste in variable conditions which woke us all up and made the brain focus. Finally having a drink at the Soillet before heading off to lunch.

Met the others from yesterday for lunch and then headed back up the Varet and all the way down to the Comberciere Chair and up to the Malgovert piste nature. We never get bored of this route. Finally all the way into Arc 1600 and up to the snowpark. A few jumps later and a quick video session with the new machine they have installed and down past Arc 1800 after a nice drink at the Altiport.

One more long run all the way back down from the top of the ridge above Arc 1800 and finally home.

The pistes are well used as it is quite busy, but they are still in good condition. The off piste everywhere is well skied, firm and grippy with a few powder areas still around. If you like moguls you will be very happy.

The bad weather only really arrived around 4pm and then it came in fast. Snowing up top right now. Take a look at the pics of yesterday in the Dec 2012 album and for today in the new Jan 2013 Album over on the Les Arcs Winter page. ( I will post them later tonight) ENJOY!!

Not much time for an update as I am about to go out. Sorry. I will post todays pics later.

Today we went off piste in search of good snow. Much to my surprise, we managed to find a few places where the wind had not destroyed the powder. Very nice!!

Did a couple of routes down towards Nancoix and the Chapel, then back to the Ferme for a late lunch and then a play in the offpiste above Arc 1800 before finally coming home.

Blue sky all day, a mix of soft powder, breakable crust and well skied snow everywhere. More snow forecast for tomorrow. Should be fun.

Hope everyone enjoys themselves tonight!

If anyone reading this is out this week, some of us will be meeting at the Bulle (Mushroom) above Arc 2000 for a New Year Day drink at 12 noon. Hope to see you there!!

First day back after my Christmas break and very nice it was too!!

Started over in Arc 1600 for a little warm up about 10.30am and then headed over to Arc 2000 bowl to meet the others for an early lunch (for me anyway, they had all been out skiing since first lifts) at the Bulle. With blue sky and loads of snow after another 20+ cm a couple of days ago, we went searching for some nice snow. managed to find some good areas off the varet and up on the Grand Col before heading back to Arc 1950 and then Malgovert for a little play in the Piste Nature before finally heading back to George's Wine bar in Arc 1950 for a well earned drink.

Although the resort is very busy, it is still possible to avoid some lift queues and the off piste areas and some piste natures are not busy so there is plenty of room to enjoy yourself.

The bad weather they mentioned in the morning report never arrived and the blue sky stayed all day. Tomorrow promises more of the same. It is great to be back out in the snow!

Anyone coming out, the roads are clear and although busy, the traffic is moving around the valley without a problem. Right now you do not need chains to get up to the resort stations. More snow is promised in the next few days!! Conditions are excellent right now! Next update tomorrow with photos I hope. Sorry forgot the camera this morning!

My last update before Christmas as I am having a break for a few days.

I just heard that the snow fell most of the day yesterday and it is looking good today with fresh powder everywhere and you can easily get down to Bourg if you know the way off piste.

The snow depth at Arc 1600 is 115cm, at Arc 2000 about 143cm, at the top of the Transarc around 174cm and at the top of Aigle Rouge a massive 335cm so I think I am safe in saying there will be plenty of snow for quite a while.

Needless to say the roads are slippy and you might well need to have chains if you are driving up the mountain, but getting to Bourg should be ok.

I am sure those out over the Christmas period will keep the posts coming.

Merry Christmas for anyone out over the festive period and I will start posting again later next week.

Bonne Noel!!

I really hope when I get back after Christmas the updates each morning arrive in time before I leave for the hill. Sorry no update again this morning. Next post will be after Christmas.

But!!! What a fun day we had. Loads of fresh powder!! Blue sky and little wind. Perfect :D . We spent almost the whole day playing in the safer off piste areas.

Started with a few runs around the Arpette Lift to warm up. Then over towards the snow park to see what is happening. They should have at least some of it open very soon.

Then back up to the ridge and down to the Altiport for some great sandwiches. Very nice. You must go and try their special for 7 Euros!! :-D

Over to Arc 2000 side after lunch and a couple of runs down the middle ridge. Fun, but they are putting in the sledge course again , very bad!! :twisted:

Time to follow the sun, so over to the Vallandry side and in the bowls above the forests before going down through the trees to the Derby Chair. Made a couple of loops and then we headed off piste all the way back to Arc 1800 and the Vagere Chair, which had just broken when we arrived. :evil:

Finally the group split, some to the bar, whilst others skied down the blue track back to Arc 1600 and home.

Here is one photo of the many jumps people tried today. If you got it wrong it did not hurt with all this fresh powder!! :-D



What a great day!! More Photos in the new 'December 2012 album' over on my Les Arcs Winter page. :D

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.406627372747068.91864.195692797173861&type=3

Hi Daved, I will try and leave some untracked powder for you, but I cannot be sure!! If you fancy meeting up for a beer and maybe a ride send me aPM.

Sorry folks no update this morning, the details did not arrive in time and I had to go out.

It is snowing lightly down to Bourg right now and although the vis was not the greatest today, the snow is amazing and loads of it. You can still easily ride down to Bourg from Arc 1600 if you know the way. But do be careful off piste, the snow is very unstable out there right now.

I will try to add some pics tomorrow.

Anyone coming out by car will need to have chains as they are stopping people driving up to the stations as the roads are getting worse tonight. The roads are quite bad already higher up. There is snow settling on the side roads around Bourg now.

Tomorrow should be amazing as they 'SAY' the weather might improve. I hope so. Time to get the camera out!!