J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Ranchero_1979

Chamonix or Aosta might both be good options.

Must have been a lot of snow in the night as some pretty long rumbles after the initial control blast. Looking at trees, seems rain to at least 1500m (maybe higher) which matches the 6 degC in town last night. Really need a big temperature drop with next weeks snow.

I would be careful offpiste in Tignes. At 2000m everything in resort has come with a huge wind making it one of most dangerous ski areas in Alps at the moment.
Never been but am sure there is some safe snow for you to enjoy and next week is looking huge.

The new snow seems to of turned everyone into a potential powder hound. Have been out a few days this year (conditions are not yet great) but it did make me sort out my equipment. So what gear do you really need to seek some adventure. Here is my list, would be interested to know what other feel is necessary. Fits (just) into a 30L rucksack although 35L would be better.

Ski: Accessories
I think there is a decent argument that anyone skiing offpiste should consider having touring bindings and skins. Just seems a big assumption that you would never need to help someone above in event of injury, avalanche, lost ski etc.
1 x Skins
1 x Ski crampons

Clothing: Additional in rucksack
1 x extra gloves
1 x running hat
1 x down type jacket
1 x buff
1 x goggles (in event of face plant)

Avalanche Equipment:
1 x transceiver (spare batteries and greater than 50% charge on installed batteries)
1 x probe and shovel

Glacier Gear / mountaineering: As required
1 x ice axe
1 x crampons (Midi ridge or climbing at end of skin)
1 x belay device (only if abseil planned)
1 x single rope 60m (There seems to be a trend towards people taking 30m randonee ropes. My concern with these is the limited about of working rope if someone fall into a hole whilst roped up. Plus they are nearly always so thin that prusik loops are very skiddy on them.
2 x ice screw
2 x prusik with locking carabiner
1 x micro traction + locking carabiner
1 x harness + daisy chain or sling with locking carabiner (to be clipped high on backpack)

All of that should really be on anyone planning on skiing off the two big Chamonix lifts (GM and the Midi). From a pure cost perspective is easy to see why people are often unprepared but am not sure which part you should be leaving behind.

Rain to 1700m overnight in N Alps which is not great news, with many of lower runs still struggling for snow. Looks like conditions will persist until Sunday. Disaster for the lower resorts and won't be great skiing for rest as visibility will be very bad. Basically a tough week to be in Alps although temperatures should be dropping next week with more snow forecast.

Great news for the glaciers though, which should be filling in nicely after what has been a very dry 9 months for them.

Today might just be heaviest snow have ever seen. Looks like about 5cm/hr at moment in Chamonix, with at least 20cm already in town.

Basically anything above 2000m was delivered with a huge wind making a very cohesive and pretty thick layer. Until that has bonded to the layer below risk will remain very high. Right now just needs time and some temperature cycles.
Really I don't expect good offpiste conditions until the weekend. Unfortunately the low altitude, low angle slopes which are safe to ski, simply don't have a deep enough base to be fun. Looking at forecast these should be in good condition within the next few days, so people just need to be patient.

Piste conditions are fantastic in Chamonix today. Grippy cold snow and very few people so you can really open things up. Have not even considered going offpiste yet, went to Les Houches today. Great piste skiing and has to have the best scenery of any ski resort in the world. Just a line of giants Mt Blanc, Aguille Du Midi, Dru, Vert, Chardonnet to look at as you head up the lifts.
I was surprised not to see more signs of natural avalanche activity in the mountains. The relatively warm afternoons and cold nights seem to be / will hopefully allow things to settle pretty quickly if people can be patient. 11th looks like a good day to go and find some powder, just be careful not to go on anything too steep, avoid big slopes and terrain traps. All this snow is coming with very high wind, so if you do trigger whole slope may be joining you.