J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by snowcrazy2005

What a day Tuesday was!! It started snowing yesterday and it just kept on coming. There was 10cm by this morning and at least 30cm I would guess by 5pm this afternoon in the sheltered areas. Not bad for April.

Looks like being another great end to the season, I just hope it does not get too warm or start raining! YUK!! and make all this new snow go off before we can put tracks everywhere!

This morning I was on the first lift, Surprise! surprise!! Headed straight over to join some friends and explore more of the Montchavin forests. Went up top and played a little in the powder fields above Les Coches and then back down through the forest a few times by different routes until lunch. Found a few cliffs in the forest today. Interesting route!! Made it out safely!! Deep powder helps to make little drops safer!!

After meeting up with others for lunch, two of us went to play in the powder again. I never can get enough of the white fluffy stuff!!

By early afternoon it was snowing so hard all the tracks of the morning were covered and everywhere we went we found untracked powder. After quite a few routes through the forest we finally had enough and headed for home. Tired, but very happy!

Did not have time for photos in the morning, but have posted a few photos of the afternoon session in the April 2013 Album Two of my Les Arcs Winter facebook page. Take a look if you fancy seeing just how amazing conditions are now.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.461168820626256.1073741832.195692797173861&type=3

On the way home the snow was starting to go off on the lower slopes and became quite heavy. The clouds cleared for a few minutes and the sun even tried to push it's head through so I managed to grab a quick photo of the valley below.

The pistes everywhere are now in excellent condition although a little sticky lower down. The off piste is amazing again. But may go off quickly. If you have the chance, get out here while these conditions last and bring your all mountain terrain skis!! (You can rent various models from Polaire Star Ski shop by the Funicular if you do not have any. http://www.polairestar.com/ )

I was told it was snowing right down to the valley at one point during the day and I just heard it is still snowing up top right now. Tomorrow should be another excellent powder day.

Here are two photos I liked from today!

After a nice rest yesterday, it was first lift up this morning and met up with friends for a fast ski over to the top of the Roche de Mio in La Plagne. The Glacier was closed today due to the weather so we headed to the Bauches Chiar instead. Very mixed snow all the way down. Not many people about anywhere.

Then with poor light we decided to stick to the trees and found a challenging route from the top of the Salla Chair down to the Mont Blanc piste. Then another route through the forest back to above Montchavin and time for lunch.

After a nice long lunch (it was raining/snowing outside), headed back to Les Arcs and finally a drink at George's Wine Bar in Arc 1950 before going home.

The fresh snow today made the pistes quite pleasant and we even found some good spring snow off piste. Unfortunately the poor light for most of the day, did make it rather hard to see where we were going at times and I only managed a few photos. Those I took today will be posted shortly on my Les Arcs Winter facebook page in the new April 2013 Album Two.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.461168820626256.1073741832.195692797173861&type=3

The forecast for tomorrow is not great, might mean a tree skiing day. It was snowing up top when I left so there may even be some powder about! Hope so!!!

Yesterday (Sunday), the mist and clouds stayed all the morning and it did not really clear much until after 2pm. I ended up taking the day off. However my friend that did go up reported that the snow was quite heavy and wet during the morning with very poor visibility. After 2pm the sun did start to break through and it turned into a very nice late afternoon just as the lifts were closing.

The photos for the last week are now posted in the April 2013 Album on my Les Arcs Winter page. Take a look. Enjoy.

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos_albums

YESTERDAY (Saturday) was a mix of everything. For those lucky ones staying another week or leaving in the evening we had very empty pistes which allowed us room for some fast skiing all day.

We all met up at the top of the Vagere chair and then headed to the Varet Gondola. From the top of the Aiguille Rouge we had a play in the soft snow on the glacier before a fast piste ski most of the way down to Villaroger with a little detour onto one off piste area for a challenge. The snow off piste was very mixed, soft in places with a lot of hard cruddy lumps amongst the nicer snow and some areas of firm chalky snow in the more well skied areas. The piste was excellent, really good for carving all the way to the softer spring snow at the bottom coming into the village.

Then back to the top of the Aiguille Rouge again for a run down the Glacier and then the Robert Blanc piste and couloir to skiers left. The snow here was excellent, firm and chalky the whole way down.

Once at the bottom it was time for lunch and then over to Malgovert for one final play before going to the snowpark and then the Waterslide. Nobody got wet today. Well done!

Then the 'Big Drop' over above Vallandry where almost everyone had a go. A certain person did a lot of screaming but made it down without falling, excellent !!

After a fun day, time to go and pack. I look forward to skiing with you all again next season and a few of you staying for another week or just arrived. If anyone wants to meet up for a beer and maybe a ski please send me a PM or see me in George's Wine Bar around 5pm in Arc 1950. Hope all those leaving last night made it home safely.

I will try and post the rest of the lasts weeks photos today. Take a look in the April 2013 Album on my Les Arcs Winter page later today.

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos_albums

Here is the report on the last couple of days.

Yesterday (Thursday) was a real mix. Started off by going up Aiguille Rouge with clouds about although the light was not to bad. Then decided to head over into the National Park as reports were that the snow high up was still ok. Saw a group heading for the Valdez Couloir. Hope they had fun.

We went down Genepy with good snow at the top, but it quickly became very mixed as you came out onto the meadow. Did not go lower and headed over to the Lanchette exit on a very cruddy traverse then a bit more ok snow before hitting the breakable crust lower down.

Quite an experience for some that are still learning to deal with the mixed conditions, but all made it down safely. Then up the lifts and through the forest to Pre St Esprit for Lunch.

Met up with others and had a little play in Malgovert before a run down Arolles on a very nice empty piste and then over to the Waterslide. A few wet people this time.

Finally back to George's in Arc 1950 for a drink. The off piste everywhere yesterday was very mixed with all kinds of snow to deal with. The pistes were in very good condition in most places although wind blown and hard packed on the exposed areas or coming into lifts and stations in the busier areas.

Today (Friday) , we had a fast ski over to La Plagne in poor visibility and then a fun play in the gullies going down to Plagne Bellecote. Then up to the top of the Roche de Mio and down the 'hidden valley' for a little off piste in very mixed snow on the way to the 'Tunnel of Dreams'.

Through the tunnel and back over to the 'Les Coches' side and into the 'Waterfall valley' for another fun off piste run all the way back to the Vanoise Express.

Finally back up the Peisey chair and a fast ski on the black ecureuils piste down to the Vache restaurant for lunch and a birthday party.

After quite a few drinks amongst many friends, old and new, some of us headed to the waterslide (no one fell in today) and then home. A really nice day was had by all and for the lucky ones another day tomorrow before late flights, the eurostar or a long drive home.

All the pistes we skied today have remained in good condition with only a few hard packed areas. The off piste is very mixed, but in the more well skied places it is now starting to turn to spring chalky snow which I like. They have forecast a little more snow in the coming days. I shall have to wait and see.


Just posted the photos from the last few days in the April 2013 Album on my Les Arcs Winter page. Only todays photos left to post now. Will try to catch up the rest later tonight. If you want to see what the conditions are like or have been out with us. Take a look. Enjoy.

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos_albums

What a day! Tuesday 2 April. Fresh powder mostly untracked and much better visibility than was predicted for most of the day.

When I left the station to go home it was snowing lightly at Arc 1600. I hope it kept going all evening.

Today we went across to the Bellecote bowl and played around making a couple of laps finding some fresh untracked snow and a few steeper sections. We then headed onto the Petit North Face of the Bellecote and down to the forest, finally out along the river path. Then a nice late lunch and back to George's Wine Bar in Arc 1950 for a well earned drink.

What a treat the conditions were today for one of the group who had his first trip over the back at the ripe old age of 13, He did very well.

The pistes we crossed on both sides of the Vanoise Express were in great condition after the resent snowfall. The snow was still a little unstable in the afternoon sun, but it was holding up well. More to come tomorrow we hope!

The photos from the last few days have been posted in the new April 2013 Album on my Les Arcs Winter facebook page if you are interested in seeing what conditions are like. Todays photos will be posted later. Enjoy!

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos_albums

Here are a couple of photos so you can see what great snow we have right now.

Abcurtis, Yes, the lift is free and it is a chair. Good for a warm up, but as it is free can be big queues.

Yesterday Monday, was a POWDER day again. Blue sky and good snow.

We headed high early and were very lucky to arrive at the Varet gondola just after it had opened. Made a few laps of the area under the lift and beside the Robert Blanc piste nature.

Then were even more lucky and had first tracks down a number of routes around the Grand Col lift when that opened.

Finally we headed into the back valley and arrived in Nancoix after a great run down in more untracked powder to the track out which was very cruddy.

Back in Arc 2000 we had a quick lunch at the Mushroom before a run down from the top of the Varet to Plagnettes chair and then the Border cross and finally over to the snowpark and waterslide before heading for home.

A good day and very mixed conditions. Untracked powder most of the time off piste in the morning and fun in all the play areas in the afternoon.

Photos from yesterday will be posted later today.

What a fun day Easter Sunday was. Despite the weather not really matching up to the forecast for today. Only a few sunny patches all day. We found plenty of untracked powder together with a real mix of crud, breakable crust and even a bit of hard packed snow on some pistes.

Skied around Les Arc domain all day on and off piste. We managed to hit a few spots just as the lifts were opened after a few delays so we had fresh tracks in many places.

If you are interested in seeing what the conditions were like. Take a look at the photos I have now posted in the 'March 2013 Album Three' of my 'Les Arcs Winter' facebook page. Enjoy!

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos_albums

With all this fresh snow about, although a little heavy lower down. Everyone that is out for Easter week whether skiing 'on piste' or 'off piste' should be in for a good time. But do take care out there, it was 'level 4 avalanche warning' today so you need to know where you are going off piste and be equipped properly if you want to stay safe or go with a guide and have him supply the necessary safety equipment.

After the accident last week in Les Arcs, you can never be to well equipped. You can get a slide anywhere! Take care!