Messages posted by : admin
|
Firstly, sorry to hear you got broken and all the best for a speedy recovery!
As birdymiller says, weight, ability (and height) are all important; but a correctly set modern binding should release when you need it to and not when you don't - so if it didn't release when you "fell awkwardly on an easy blue run" then you're right to ask why. It's a good idea to know your own optimum DIN setting and give your skis a quick visual check every time you click in (or collect them from the hire shop). There are various guides online and if in doubt, chat to a ski tech so you know enough that you can tell the shop how to set your bindings. |
|
|
That's close to our shortlist for Easter too! With The Dolomites as a last-minute outlier if it gets cold too... 8)
They're all pretty good choices with the possible exception of Gressoney if apres-ski does matter to you; brilliant location if the snow's good, however, and probably our preferred option by a whisker at the moment. Champoluc has more restaurants, bars, etc. I haven't checked this year yet, but the Monterosa resorts usually do some free-lift-pass-with-accommodation offers for the last week or 2 of the season. La Ros probably least likely, for us; it's high and sunny so needs to stay cold for Easter to be good (for us) there. Good spot for some Spring skiing and cold beer in the sunshine after though. Right now we're waiting to see how the snow falls and will go North or South of the main alpine ridge accordingly. The snow could really go either way at the moment; next week is looking pretty good for the north side of the ridge and Chamonix valley, PdS, Grand Massif, etc. look like getting the goods as March arrives. That said... a Genoa Low is starting to feature in the forecasts beyond next week and that could push some decent snow into the Aosta Valley and maybe the Dolomites. Wait and see? |
|
|
J2Ski Snow Report 20th February 2020
The view from Cauterets, French Pyrenees, picture (c) Iain @ Skipedia Snow then sun for the Alps, a real mix elsewhere. The Snow Headlines - 20th February - Deepest base in the Alps reaches 4.5 metres - biggest so far this season. - Heavy snowfall again in the Rockies - Jackson Hole passes 10 metres for the season. - Heavy snow in Scotland, but strong winds close lifts. - More big snowfalls in Western Norway. It's been a quieter week in the Alps, in terms of fresh snowfall, than the previous three, but it has kept snowing if only a few centimetres/inches for most resorts over the past few days. That is, until now with the sun shining across much of western Europe (and likely to continue into next week), with temperatures getting warmer through the weekend before cooling again next week. Snow should be arriving Monday/Tuesday-ish. Snowfall has been heavier in northern Europe with storm Dennis bringing big accumulations to some Scottish areas, although the accompanying gales have closed lifts and restricted access. Scandinavian ski areas have also seen some of the biggest snowfalls of the past week. Elsewhere some fresh snow reported in Bulgaria and a little in parts of the Pyrenees although it remains predominantly dry and sunny there. Over in North America, most areas have had some fresh snow in the last few days, with the heaviest again in the Rockies and the Pacific Northwest where the deepest base in the world, at over 5 metres, continues to grow ... although the Alps can now boast a 4.5 metre base in Switzerland so it may yet catch up. In the Alpine Forecast Mild in The Alps until the middle of next week, with a return to cold - and likely snow - now on the cards for the northern Alps at least, although the forecasts are very uncertain at present. 
Norway's getting the goods this week...
EUROPEAN ALPS Austria Austrian ski slopes have had a little fresh snow to start this week and for most of the country's main international destinations, resort conditions are looking good. The Arlberg region, home to Lech and St Anton, reports every lift turning, every run open and snow depths of around 1-3 metres. The best conditions, as temperatures rise above freezing through the weekend, are likely to be up on the country's glaciers, most of which report the snow lying over 3 metres (10 feet) deep. Probably more 'spring-like' in the sunshine elsewhere, but colder weather is expected early next week with the possibility of more (so far light looking) snow from Tuesday in the longer-term forecast. France There was fresh snowfall across much of the French Alps this week on Monday and Wednesday. Quantities weren't great, generally just a few centimetres, although some - including Chamonix - got 10cm in 24 hours; enough to refresh the slopes in the middle of the busy schools half-term main week. Generally, the picture continues to look good for almost all major destination resorts across the country. Bases are good, as deep as 3.3 metres (11 feet) at La Plagne, but pretty good in most of the French Alps with snow cover down to the valley. Italy There's been little change in conditions in Italy, which has tended to largely miss out on most of the February snowfalls further north. There was some report of a little snowfall in the Piedmont region, and indeed a few centimetres here and there across a wider area on Tuesday-Wednesday, but mostly it has stayed dry and the week ahead is looking like wall-to-wall sunshine, at least to the start of next week, as is the case of much of western Europe. Again a similar picture to its neighbours in that most Italian areas have decent snow depths from earlier falls, and everything still open, but little fresh off-piste to be found; a good dump would be very welcome now. But there's nothing like that in the forecast at present. Switzerland Andermatt continues to post the deepest base in Europe at 45cm to 450cm, and those stats illustrate the stark difference between lower and higher altitude snow depths this winter so far. Andermatt also reports similar conditions to most of Switzerland's other leading resorts that is (1) some light fresh snow earlier in the week (2) everything open (3) great conditions (4) full sun now! Scandinavia Ski centres in Norway once again posted the biggest snowfalls in Europe over the last seven days. Voss on the West Coast reported 1.2m (four feet) of snowfall and Roldal 1.5 metres (five feet). The latter now says its snow depth has reached 3.7 metres so it is heading towards being the deepest in Europe if things continue in this vein much longer – and forecasts for the week ahead are that they will. Elsewhere there's been plenty more snowfall across much of Scandinavia's ski slopes. Resorts like Levi and Ruka up in Lapland report every slope open and longer opening hours as the daylight hours rapidly get longer now up there. Pyrenees A story about a small low French Pyrenees ski resort using a helicopter to patch up snow cover has gone viral in news feeds around the world, but really the overall picture in the Pyrenees, despite not much snow for the past week, is good, at least for the main destination resorts in Andorra and indeed French and Spain, as they're fully open with decent bases from heavy snowfalls in December and January. Small, low centres are indeed suffering as those heavy snowstorms earlier this winter were rain showers at lower elevations and it has been too warm for snow-making too. Against that gloomy picture, several resorts in the French Pyrenees were posting pictures of light fresh natural snow cover and snow guns blasting in a temperature dip this week in a bid to counter the bad news story of the helicoptered-in snow. Scotland Scottish ski areas, especially Glencoe and Nevis Range in the West, have actually had some of the heaviest snowfall in Europe over the past week. The problem has been that Storm Dennis has made it too windy for lifts to open for most of that time so skiers couldn't access it. That improved from mid-week though and around 50 runs were open across the country on Wednesday, though almost half of them at Glencoe, which is almost fully open when accessible. Centres further east (The Lecht and Glenshee) have been less impacted by the strong winds but have less snow. There's more heavy snow forecast but also, unfortunately, more gales which at present look likely to close slopes again at the weekend. Eastern Europe There are not many parts of Europe where it is expected to snow over the final days of this week, but Bulgarian slopes (along with ski areas in Europe's far north) are due to benefit. The past few days have been dry and sunny but there was some snow earlier in the week as well and whilst the ongoing problem of little snow at lower elevations continues, upper runs at least (and in some cases entire ski areas) are looking good at most areas in the region. North America Canada Canadian ski areas are in good shape across the country now as snowfalls in Quebec over the past few weeks have finally got that region back on track, with most areas now fully open and the kind of low temperatures that are the norm here in February after the unusually warm first few months of winter. Over in Alberta and Eastern BC, that's not been a problem; it got very cold, as usual in mid-winter and the snow has been dumping down as usual. Fernie opened more terrain this week, some for the first time this season, after more big falls. Some snow on the Pacific Coast too, although not so much as recent weeks. But resorts like Whistler, now fully open, are probably happier that it has been cold with freezing temperatures right down to its base. USA A similar picture to its northerly neighbour with some good snowfalls in the Rockies, the Northwest and in the East over the last few days. Starting with the Pacific Northwest, the snow here continues to be the deepest in the world at present (as it often is) with Alpental in Washington State reporting another 50cm or so more snow in the past few days and its base up at 5.2 metres – over 17 feet. Similar snowfall, if not quite such a deep base, for resorts in Colorado and Utah and on the east, nearer 20-30cm (8-12 inch) falls have kept things fresh on the (fully open) slopes of states like Maine and Vermont. Thanks for reading, until next week... |
|
|
J2Ski Snow Report 13th February 2020
They're busy with the shovels in Val d'Isere this morning... Big snows and strong winds this week. The Snow Headlines - 13th February - Storm closes slopes, and a few ski areas, at start of week. - Huge snowfalls in US Rockies - up to five feet (1.5m) of powder. - Up to 90cm (three feet) of fresh snow reported in the Alps. - Most terrain of the season so far open in Scotland. - Best conditions of the season so far in Bulgaria. - Best conditions of the season so far in Quebec. The big weather news this week has been Storm Ciara (Sabine in German-speaking countries) which has been battering Western Europe for much of the past week. The good news is that it has brought plenty more snow; the bad news for those in the Alps (and indeed Scotland) is that the storm force winds accompanying that snowfall have closed high runs and lifts in many resorts, and some areas have been closed completely for several days. The storm began to pass from Wednesday, but the snowfall has not really stopped other than a lull on Wednesday. The northern Alps expect more on Thursday/Friday, then a clear weekend before the snow returns at the start of next week. Elsewhere in Europe; it has stayed mostly dry and a little warm in the Pyrenees and much of the southern Alps, but has been snowy in most other areas. Eastern European areas, Scandinavian and Scottish centres have all had some of their best snowfalls of the season so far in the last few days. Across the Atlantic, the big news is probably the heavy weekend snowfall in Colorado and Utah but it has stayed very snowy in the northwest corner of the continent and there's been more snow in the East, including some of the best snow of winter so far in Quebec. In the Alpine Forecast Enjoy the rollercoaster! After more snow today and tomorrow, it's looking clear and mild for the weekend, with more snow and cold coming in early next week. 
Snow, sun, snow for Switzerland and most of the Alpine area.
EUROPEAN ALPS Austria Austrian ski areas posted the biggest snowfalls in the Alps from Storm Sabine (as it was named there) after strong winds closed slopes and some high glacier areas like the Dachstein and Stubai completely for a day or two. Most areas reported 20-40cm of snowfall but the Zillertal Arena ski area and the Arlberg at Stuben both reported 5cm (over three feet) of snowfall, most of it arriving on Tuesday before skies started to clear from Wednesday on. The snowfall was right down to the valley too with the cold temperatures that have sometimes been lacking this winter. France Snowfalls in the French Alps did not quite measure up to the volumes expected in forecasts at the weekend with the biggest reported around 30cm (a foot) on Monday/Tuesday. The country's ski centres did get the strong winds though and many had higher runs closed at the start of this week because of them, with several, including Avoriaz, closing completely for a time. The snowfall has pushed the deepest base in the country through the three metres/ten feet mark with La Plagne up to 310cm up top with about half that snow depth on lower runs. Italy Not a lot of change to report in Italy's snow conditions with a bit of a repeat of the previous two snowstorms – that is snow for resorts along the country's northern and north-western frontiers with France and Switzerland, but not much of note elsewhere. The strong winds have been a factor here too though with two of the biggest areas – Dolomiti Superski and Via Lattea (The milky Way) amongst those seeing quite a lot of lift and piste closure early in the week as a result. But otherwise little change from the past fortnight in that everywhere is pretty much fully open, thanks to earlier snowfalls, at least for the main destination resorts. After some light snowfall on the western side of the country again to end this week it does look like, after a clear weekend, we could see heavy snowfall across Italy to start next week. Switzerland Swiss ski areas were also impacted by Ciara/Sabine with many areas closing more exposed terrain. Now the winds have largely eased they're opening again, although there's snowy and sometimes windy weather on the way again. Snowfalls so far have not quite added up to expectations at the start of the week but still, most areas have had 20-40cm of fresh. Elm, in the east of the country, says it has had a metre of snowfall this week, way more than any other Swiss resort. Andermatt continues to post the deepest base in Switzerland and Europe but it has dropped 10cm despite getting 10cm of snowfall, to four metres. That's actually down 30cm on a fortnight ago. More heavy snowfall is expected to end this week, heaviest in the west, then a clear weekend, and then heavy snowfall again on Monday and Tuesday for much of the country. Scandinavia Scandinavia is a really mixed picture this season. Much of Norway, at least central and northern Norway, has been reporting consistent snowfall all winter and the past week has been no different with Voss reporting another 1.5 metres (five feet) of snow, more than anywhere in the alps. It has snowed here almost constantly since Christmas. This week has been snowy over a wider area though with much of the region turning colder and getting good snowfall – which has not been the case in more southerly areas around Oslo and Stockholm or further south, which have reported their warmest ever winter and little snow until now. Pyrenees The Pyrenees appear to have largely escaped the excesses of Storm Ciara and have indeed had a fairly quiet February so far compared to much of the rest of Europe. After the heavy snowfall at the end of January which bolstered base depths after a dry six weeks before then, it has been back to mostly dry, sunny weather, sometimes a bit too warm for comfort, but with so much snow lying, thawing is not much of a problem. All major areas in the region remain fully open, Andorra's Grandvalira (Pas de la Casa and Soldeu el Tarter), the biggest, reporting a 50-140cm base and 207km of 210km of piste open this week. Scotland It's the best few days of the season so far in Scotland after storm Ciara deposited lots of snow on the country's slopes. Prior to this most of the five centres were closed for up to four days from Saturday to Tuesday as the storm raged with winds far too strong for lifts to operate safely. Things started to return to normal on Wednesday although access roads needed to be cleared of snow first at most of the centres. Currently around 30 runs are open across Scotland, more than half of them at Glencoe. We are still some way from centres being fully open (other than Glencoe), but this is the best Scotland has had this season so far. More snow is in the forecast and temperatures should stay low so hopefully, further, improvement is likely. Eastern Europe Eastern European ski areas too are, on the whole, in the best shape they've been all season so far too. Storm Ciara/Sabine impacted the Tatra Mountains in the Northeast bringing strong winds and some additional snowfall to the Czech and Slovak Republics as well as Poland and there's been more snowfall in Bulgaria as well where ski areas like Pamporovo and Borovets had been suffering previously from limited cover. Now they are looking quite wintry at last, and Bansko reported heavy snowfall on Wednesday. North America Canada Canada's deepest snow is on the Western side of the country, and many areas here saw more healthy snowfall, with some getting several feet into the weekend - Fernie opened its famed Polar Peak chair for the first time this season. The bigger news is probably in the East, where this season it has often been warm and wet instead of cold and snowy, and there have now been some good snowfalls too with 20-40cm, the best snowfalls of winter so far for most, widely reported. This has transformed conditions for the better and most of the region's medium to large ski areas are now, finally, fully open. USA The biggest snowfalls the US last week were once again in the far northwest with Alpental in Washington state currently the only ski area in the world with a 5 metre plus base (it has measured 503cm on its upper runs) after getting another 1.8m (six feet) of snow in the past week. Ski areas in the Rockies came close over the weekend with resorts in Colorado and Utah reporting up to 1.5 metres (Five feet) of snowfall in 72 hours. That caused operational difficulties, road closures, slope closures and avalanches at various times in various places, oh and a huge lift queue at Vail when all but one access lift closed. Fun in the waist-deep powder ensued once it could be accessed! The East is also looking good after more snowfall here, at least in more northerly states (rain further south again, unfortunately). But ski areas in states like Vermont and Maine are in their best shape of the season so far. Enjoy your half-term if you're heading out, until next week... |
|
|
J2Ski Snow Report 6th February 2020
Dude, where's my car? Lech, Austria, yesterday... Every sort of weather this week, more snow on the way! The Snow Headlines - 6th February - Good snowfalls in the Alps again after a warm, wet weekend. - World's deepest base passes 5-metre mark for first time this year. - Europe's deepest base climbs back above 4 metres. - Weekend rain in Alps and Pacific Northwest affects snow cover for a time. The Alps have had another heavy snowfall which, combined with last week, has brought quite a few high altitude areas more than a metre of snowfall in the past 8-10 days, and one Swiss centre more than two metres. The result of that is that base depths are finally growing again back above the 4-metre mark in the Alps that they stalled at just before Christmas and the start of "dry January" (which had a different meaning to the common one when it came to most of Western Europe). The news is not all good; the weekend saw warm temperatures in Western Europe and the freezing point reaching above the mountain tops so many areas had rain, spoiling the fresh snow from a few days before. For some lower elevation areas that rain has washed away thin cover, but that's not the case for most of the major destination resorts which had decent bases from the big snowstorms of this winter, and thankfully now have more fresh cover. In terms of avalanche danger though, the snowfalls, temperature fluctuations, periods of rain and gale-force winds have left off-piste cover unstable and the Avalanche Risk Level is still widely 3-4 (of 5 - Considerable to High). Take care if thinking of heading off-piste! Elsewhere, there's been snow for Eastern Europe too but it has been dry and a bit too warm in the Pyrenees. Scandinavia has had more snow (notwithstanding the fact that overall it has been a much warmer than average winter here too). In Scotland, the cycle of storms/thaw continues with currently calm weather and some runs re-opening on the West. Across the Atlantic, there was weekend rain too for the Pacific Northwest but snow since and one ski area in Oregon is the first in the world this winter to break the five-metre snow depth mark. Elsewhere many areas have seen low temperatures and some fresh snow across Canada and the US. In the Alpine Forecast Clear and mild this weekend, after which another substantial snowfall is building in the forecasts for early next week; details very much TBWGA (to be wildly guessed at!) at this stage, but Monday through Wednesday looking to be very snowy in the northern Alps and possibly beyond! 
What's that coming, over the hill? watch this space...
EUROPEAN ALPS Austria It's a snowy picture across Austria after a wet weekend with resorts across the country excitedly posting pictures and video of heavy snowfall down to resort level. In fact, Austrian areas have posted some of the biggest and best numbers for accumulations over the past three days, and some of the earliest powder alarms back on Monday. Galtur, near Ischgl, and Bad Gastein both posted 40cm falls in 24 hours to Wednesday and over the last 72 hours, Loser has had 60cm (two feet) of snow. The snow will continue for many through Thursday after which a period of clear weather is expected to start the weekend, with above-freezing temps again, although this time hopefully only a degree or two above zero, before more snow arrives around Tuesday next week, according to the current forecast. France Some great snowfalls in the French Alps over the past 48 hours with 20-50cm of fresh for many areas. La Plagne, La Rosiere, Les Arcs, Chatel and Flaine amongst those posting the bigger accumulations but good falls almost everywhere. The snow did arrive after first rain, then strong wind caused issues at the start of the week, however, which are a few days to forget for many French areas, but hopefully, now we're due sunnier, fresh snow days before the next lot of snow clouds arrive next week. Italy Italy's snowfall over the past few days has, as forecast, been heaviest along the country's north and west, but there was a little (largely not forecast!) snow in the Dolomites too – at least Arabba has reported 8cm (three inches) of fresh since Monday. The biggest fall though (20cm) was at Cervinia, but most of the active snow-bearing weather front passed along Italy's northern border. Now ski areas that weren't left in the sunshine are back in it as the front has moved off East. The week ahead looks like a sunny one and mild (+2C to +8C) at more southerly Italian centres. Things should change early next week with a snow-bearing front expected to move in from Tuesday. Switzerland Swiss resorts have been posting the biggest snowfall totals of this week and from last week's storms. In fact, the Lotschental region briefly reported it had a 7 day total of 2 metres of fresh snow by adding together the two big dumps it received! Like most resorts in the Alps, the country's snow cover was affected by warm weather and rain at the weekend, although some high centres, including Zermatt, reported a foot of snowfall when others were getting rain, although they didn't specify if that was just up on the glacier. For the latest storms, which are just winding down, the last stats we got on Wednesday afternoon showed Belalp and Lotschenal posting 70cm+ snowfalls this week, Zermatt 45cm. Here too sunny weather is forecast now through to early next week with temperatures hovering around zero before the next snow arrives Monday/Tuesday. Scandinavia A second Norwegian ski area is posting a two-metre base after another week of regular snowfall. Roldal has joined Voss Myrkdalen in publishing this deepest-of-deep-snow stats by Scandinavian standards. Meanwhile, in northern Sweden, where Riksgransen ski area opens for its spring skiing season at the end of this month, they're reporting the pre-season snow depth is the best this century there – showing the contrast between the relatively good conditions in the north and record warm temperatures in the south of the region this winter. Pyrenees Despite all the weather drama happening a little to the east in the Alps, things have been fairly calm in the Pyrenees, the main weather factors being sunshine and occasional strong winds that did close quite a few lifts and the runs they serve in Andorra mid-week for a time. Spring-like weather has led to some thawing but most areas have good bases so can survive this and still stay fully open for the time being. Fortunately, the forecast is also for cooler temperatures now. Scotland Another week that has seen Scottish ski centres battling to open more terrain as the elements try to prevent them. After the thaw a week or so ago now temperatures on the hills have stayed at or below freezing most of the time and there has been some snow build-up, again in the West, as has been the case in recent weeks. Nevis Range say they don't have enough yet to re-open but Glencoe had managed to create a few complete runs by Wednesday – only for lifts to be closed by strong winds. Hopefully, they'll be open later this week. For most though it's just the small beginner areas created with all-weather snow-making machines again. Eastern Europe It's been the snowiest few days of the year so far over the past 48 hours in many parts of eastern Europe. Slovakian ski areas have posted some of the biggest snowfalls anywhere in the world in the past 72 hours with many of the country's bigger resorts reporting 60cm (two-foot) accumulations on higher slopes. There's been snowfall down in Bulgaria too, which has had very little so far this season. The numbers were not in at the time of completing this report and the snow was still falling but posted images appeared to show at least 30cm of fresh cover. North America Canada More snowfalls in western Canada and again the heaviest on the pacific coast of BC. Whistler has reported another 50cm of snow over the past week with rain on lower slopes, but it has 99% of its terrain, North America's biggest, open now. Inland, smaller falls have refreshed cover at resorts like Revelstoke, Big White and Lake Louise. Eastern Canada has had more fresh snow, but it's still far from a normal season with some of the best conditions currently down in the eastern townships of Quebec on the US border where Mont Sutton reports it finally has every trail open after a little more fresh snow there. USA More big snowfalls for the northwest USA after a rainy weekend, with Mount Hood Meadows in Oregon, suddenly increasing is claimed upper slope base depth by several metres (compared to a week ago) to nearly 5.7 metres – making it the first in the world to claim more than a five-metre depth this season. Alpental in Washington State, reporting another 60cm (two feet) in the past 72 hours, is in US/world second place on 442cm. Across the rest of the country, the picture remains pretty good, except in southern states. Ski areas in Colorado and Utah have healthy base depths and are reporting up to 45cm of fresh snow since Monday. There's less fresh in the east but after recent weeks of good snowfalls, things are generally looking much better than they were here too with almost everything open. An interesting week coming up... thanks for reading... |
|
Dolomiti Superski Snow Reports - February 2020
Started by User in Snow Reports from Ski Resorts, 6 Replies |
|
|
Windy but a bit crowded? 8)
|
|
Latest Snowfall Arrives in Western Europe, Driven in on Strong Winds
Started by User in Ski News, 1 Reply |
|
|
217km/h gust reported by the Val d'Isere pisteurs yesterday evening! :shock:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/pisteurval/posts/ |
|
Pyrenees likely to miss out on tomorrow's falls (as are the southern Alps), and the forecast is looking a bit mild and dry at the moment. When are you heading out there? Brucie's out there and may be able to update you on the conditions on the ground? |
|