J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by verbier_ski_bum

Yes, they replace sunshine with some snowflakes in forecasts for some resorts. Well 1 cm won't change anything, it needs a big dump or a week of snowfall and there is no sign of this happening yet. The pressure stays high and it has to be low for snow to fall.

Bootfitter should be able to stretch the cuffs. Also, you can remover spoilers at the back of the boot and this should give you more room for the calves. Also, there are boots on the market marked 'SC' for "short cuff". They can be an option too. The downside, these boots are usually race-type boots and narrow, so if your feet are not narrow they may not fit you. Plus they are stiff, though shorter cuffs will help to flex them as your calve muscle will be above the boot and it will give you better leverage.

I wouldn't say that there wasn't enough early season snow - after all this is what people have been skiing on all this time topped up by some mad-made stuff. But it's getting thin and with warmer temperatures it will be getting even thinner. But unless it will be some sort of record year (hope not) it should snow between now and April, and people with holidays later in the season are in a better position than people who booked their holidays for now. Resorts usually publish on their sites information on other activities available in case of no-snow, so you won't have to sulk in the hotel room:) We booked paragliding for next weekend. I figure it will be more fun than skiing in the conditions especially considering that it's half-terms and slopes will be very busy.

It's hard to tell yet whether this year will go down as a bad year for snow. It's only beginning of February so plenty time to go. I know that Western Swiss Alps didn't see much snow since Christmas and the same goes for France. There was some snow in January, but not that much and it was during the warmer weeks so was gone very quickly. Basically what everyone is skiing now on are leftovers from November-December snow and artificial snow that resorts managed to make during cold weeks. Bad news is that warmer temperatures are back. Tortin in Verbier was officially closed last weekend due to lack of snow cover - there is almost no way now to negotiate rocks at the top, and too many rocks are showing under and between moguls if you can make it there, two major accidents there on Saturday so Sunday morning it was closed. Couple other off-piste itineraries are also closed. On Saturday on piste at 2900 m I saw grass sticking through snow cover - this is how thin it is. Avalanche danger is at 1, which is quite ridiculous. On the other hand, given how long a decent dumpage may last, 2-3 good dumps will make conditions skiable well into April and it will be just an average season for this part of the world (last 2 years were exceptionally good). So far no snow is expected in the next 10 days, locals talk more about end of the month. With warmer temperatures this means that some runs might be closed and no off-piste will be available. But it's still early so good chance that the year won't make history books.

Don't buy skis now. Rent until you move up a level from a beginner. You'll get better idea then which skis you may like. If you get beginner skis now you'll outgrow them fairly quickly especially considering that you are 15. On more advanced skis you may have problems learning.

Austia apparently got lot of snow and it should last till March even without any new snow. France hasn't seen any snow for a while now and none is expected soon. the same goes for West of Switzerland. On the other hand if it dumps there, it will also last well into April - as it usually does. But so far Austia looks like a much safer bet.

Tony_H wrote:Oh yessssss it most certainly is!
And Switzerland is getting it in many places too.
Looks like a rough time for France and the western alps unfortunately.

Not so sure about many places in Switzerland. Some snow in North East last week, but that's about it. very dry January and no new snow expected in the nearest future. Reports on this site are not very accurate. Almost laughed reading here that Verbier reports powder, only it's not very funny. Offpiste's so packed and skied out it is the same as piste, you can carve on it.

at the current rate there won't be any meaningful snow left by April unless it starts dumping pretty soon. What is there now won't last till April.