J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by snowcrazy2005

Another powder day today! Yes, powder even a week after the last snow. It just goes to show if you do not mind a little hike ( I did complain whilst I was doing it mind!) there is still great snow to be found. I have loads of pics that need posting of the last week or so, will try to get them up on my facebook group page in the next couple of days. Trouble is I am having to much fun each day and when I get home after a few drinks and dinner it is time for bed. Such a hard life.

For those interested in the general conditions. The pistes around Les Arcs are holding up well higher on the mountain and even lower down into resort stations, although hard packed and icy in places. They are ok to ski. Just watch out for the ice on the narrow tracks where there is no choice but to ski across it. The off piste in resort is firm and has a good chalky covering in higher areas. Lower down it has melted and re-frozen, but if you ski lower down later in the day then it is not to bad as it get's soft again by then. Next few days might bring a little fresh snow, we will just have to wait and see.

:)News flash from Les Arcs :-). If you want to get a 20% discounted 6 or 7 day pass for the week 5th / 6th Feb go to this link, but hurry or look on my facebook group page first for further details.

http://lesarcs.paradiski.com/FlashSales.aspx

Did not do the Challenge today as I had planned. Instead I tested some skis. The new Dynastar Sultan 85 (Legend) that came out end of last season. Very nice, wish there was deep powder to really test them out, but they were very good holding an edge on the steep chalky snow off piste today.

We skied around the various off piste areas of Les Arcs back down into resort today. The snow higher up in all the north/north west facing slopes where there has been little sun or wind seem to have become this hard chalky base. Great for turning on even when steep if you can hold your edge, but not good to fall on as you could slide a long way. On the slopes facing the sun or where there has been rain lower down, the snow still has a crust in some places where it keeps freezing and melting then re- freezing each night. Very interesting to ski. Maybe not what you would call fun mind.

The pistes are still all hard packed and icy in places, but all areas are passable with care. Even down to Villaroger on the blue if you do not mind the blue ice. More snow would be good, but it is still not that bad for mid Jan, although this warm spell is more like March or April weather.

The weather people say it might start to change later in the week and bring a little snow. We will just have to wait and see.

On Sunday some of us did a cruise of the whole Les Arcs pisted areas and also the snow park, boarder cross, all race pistes and Flying K (KL) areas. After the sun of the last few days in some places there is now a layer of firm chalky snow. In other places it is very hard packed with icy patches, but it is still possible to ski down to all stations in the Les Arcs domain including Villaroger by the blue pistes although this is also very icy and has some bare patches towards the bottom. More details of specific areas and the off piste conditions will be posted later today.

For those interested in the daily update for Weather and snow conditions each morning before you go out to ski/board, it is posted on the wall of my facebook group page (link below) which if you sign up too will go direct to you when I hit the share button I have been told. But you need to wait until I get up and do it as I have to put it into English. Normally done by around 8.30am each day.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=134900026541300&v=app_2373072738#!/group.php?gid=134900026541300&v=wall

Also, Arvi training this Tuesday (tomorrow) in Les Arcs, see thread in discussion section of my facebook group for details. (Link below.)

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=134900026541300&topic=170

Grizwald, most of your questiobns are very specific to La Plagne 1800. Someone might be along to help you out shortly or you could have a look at the La Plagne web site as they have a lot of info there.

For getting around on the slopes, you now have some good lifts out of 1800 on both sides so you can get into the main ski area without any trouble. After that, head hi and you will find plenty of good snow and getting back is easy now with the new piste from Plagne centre. Hope you have a good trip.

Just had two great days in the powder. We have found that all the pistes are in much better condition now across the whole Les Arcs and La Plagne ski areas than they were a few days ago. The off piste is also much better with loads of places to put fresh tracks as long as you know where to go. If anyone wants to explore the off piste and they do not know the area well. Take a guide and stay safe. Some slopes are very unstable right now whereas others with a different aspect are good to ski. The forests are also starting to get better snow and loads of fun when the light is poor.

As I look out the window right now it is still snowing a little lower down the valley and also up at resort level. The bad news is French meteo say the snow / rain limit might be at 1800m tomorrow at first, but then maybe sunshine later. We will just have to wait and see. For anyone driving up to resort, main roads are ok tonight, but as you get near the stations you will need winter tyres or chains.

Just home after another night out, I really must start going to bed earlier.

Today despite the rain lower down yesterday evening we found some good 5 - 10 cm of powder up on the Grand Col where it had not rained in the off piste areas. Good fun and were able to make some fresh tracks on a very hard base. Then over to AR area and good snow high up again with more fresh tracks in shallow powder going down Par Avalanche ridge area back towards the piste. Both runs were quite short but with nice powder on a hard base above the rain / snow line.

Then as we went lower off piste, anywhere below about 2200m had been rained on and was a real mixed bag of breakable crust, rough crud or just plain ice and very hard snow all thrown in together. These conditions are a real challenge and very good for tuning those skills, but it does hurt if you fall down.

The pistes around the resort are hard, firm and icy, but many places today had a thin layer of fresh snow on top and the lower slopes are still ok because of snow canons everywhere. Although the resort does need more snow, you can still ski everywhere if you stay where there are canons and take care not to ski to fast and then hit an icy patch. Even all the way down to Villaroger.

For those coming out, you will still find plenty of firm hard snow, but not deep powder unless it snows again. But it is still better than being stuck in an office.

The kids call this the mouse hole as you have to climb/crawl or if you are lucky, ski through it. Not really a tunnel, more a long hole in the ground. Last time we did it you had to climb down a rope about 2/3meters.

There are a few places you might need to take your skis off depending on the amount of snow.

Not hard as long as you can control your speed, but really fun. It is not a piste, just a route everyone skis in a deep gulley. Have fun.

Make sure you pay Les Arcs a visit. Let me know when you are coming and we can try to meet up.