J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by admin

That sounds like an epic trip and a top plan! I'm jealous already...

The only thing I might change is maybe swap Chamonix and Zermatt round to get into Chamonix a week earlier. Although the Grand Montets almost always has great snow through April, if you want to do other stuff (like the Vallee Blanche) then earlier might be better.

Bus and train will get you to plenty of places from St.Anton and you've got a good chance of finding some other Aussies (and others) on road-trips if you're there for three weeks.

It'd be great to see how you get on, so please post some reports once you get to Europe!

bandit wrote:Looks like SPAM, smells like SPAM :lol:

And gone like spam... 8)

Great report - thanks Lynn! Arabba's on the "one day" list; did you get a feel for how much freeride / away from the piste stuff there is in the area?

Dave Mac wrote:Mmmmm, Voralberg? oder Arlberg.......

Wrong country Dave; Valberg is in the Southern French Alps.

Not been there myself though - anyone?

An update for anyone planning to head up to Treble Cone tomorrow - this just in...

MORE New Snow arrives

First a dusting over Wednesday and then a decent westerly dollop Thursday morning followed by a day of snow showers has made an amazing difference to the mountain. By Friday evening 35cm was in the carpark AND THEN it kept snowing. As of Saturday afternoon we have received 65cm at carpark and the fronts are stacked up to the west well into next week promising a hige dump.

Avalanche hazard HIGH

In proceeding to open the Home Basin tomorrow Patrol has noted that this amount of snow directly onto wet tussock has created a VERY high avalanche hazard. Both Brenda and Simon from Patrol have not previously encountered such instability at Treble Cone in their ten years here.

Progressive opening

So, Treble Cone will have a progressive opening starting tomorrow, Sunday 10th of July with the Platter lift and Learners area. Mountain food & beverage, rental and snowsports school will all be operating. The Learners lift is free of charge at Treble Cone.

There will be no Scenic chair rides nor access of any kind above the base area.

With the amount of new snow it is expected that ALL vehicles travelling up the ski area access road tomorrow will need to have chains.

We will be looking to take advantage of any weather clearances to carry out avalanche control but with the current forecast and very high instability cannot set anything other than 'as soon as possible' on progressing in steps towards opening the Home basin and then proceeding out to the Saddle basin area.

We are very excited to have all this snow and look forward to the fantastic season which must surely follow.

@Treble Cone, Wanaka, NZ

New Snow arrives

The following just in from Treble Cone

First a dusting over Wednesday and then a decent westerly dollop Thursday morning followed by a day of snow showers has made an amazing difference to the mountain.


www.treblecone.com/
...

Limited opening

After receiving 35cm of snow in the last 36 hours Treble Cone will have a limited opening of the platter lift and beginners area on Sunday 10th July. This snowfall fell on to bare ground without a base and as such Treble Cone requires either 48 hours snowmaking or another substantial snowfall to open the home basin. The Amisfield bubbles will await the opening of the home basin for those of you concerned about this.

Mountain food & beverage, rental and snowsports school will all be operating. The Learners lift is free of charge at Treble Cone. Scenic chair rides will be offered from noon - 1pm with visitors able to enjoy the stunning views over Lake Wanaka from the sheltered base area.

The new Wanaka office on Dungarvon St overlooking Pembroke park will switch to winter hours and be open from 3 to 6pm daily for season pass pick up and new visitor inquiries and ticketing.

@treblecone

An interesting report on Explorersweb describes analysis of a snowpack with a difference; the result of the June eruptions of the Chilean volcano Puyehue.

French avalanche specialist Cedric Larcher, who lives in Bariloche, close to the volcano, made an analysis of this snowpack. Compression tests, ECT and rutshblocks gave a good stability.

Image (c) by Cedric Larcher

For the full report, and more pictures, click here.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports gale force winds across Victoria, but more snow is expected...

A series of cold fronts is expected to move across south-eastern Australia from today, bringing more icy winds and the biggest snow dumps of the season so far.

Wilson's Promontory bore the brunt of the night's wild conditions, recording wind gusts of 127km/h, while Falls Creek recorded 102km/h winds and Aireys Inlet 98km/h.

Weatherzone senior meteorologist Brett Dutschke said this week was expected to be the snowiest of the season so far, with all major alpine resorts expecting between 30 and 50 centimetres of fresh snow.

For the full report click here.