Worldwide Mountain & Snow Sports Discussion 2016/17

[seaside 60]

another clear and hot day. pools of water at bottom even at 1650m.

20c in valley

6c at 2100m

went on horse sleigh well with wheels into countryside in middle of no where last night. skiing all day with kids in pm who wouldn't stop skiing even bad snow they r loving it. so proud to see and how well they r doing. absolutely frying on the slopes.

got no choice on going skiing next season lol.

another point the pisters do a fantastic job to keep the snow good.

Edited March 30, 2017 by seaside 60

[Paul]

The sun came out today here in Whistler! 

Had a bit of low cloud lower down early in the day:

But pretty much all cleared by lunchtime

Managed to get a nice pano from Blackcomb mountain (7th heaven area) across to Whistler mountain

And finished the day with some nice sunny apres action  

[J10]

The latest blog is now out, and I wish I could forecast North American Style conditions this side of the pond. But alas I cannot. 

Continuing largely springlike, but with the chance of a return to Winter for higher parts of Austria and Italy for a times midweek.

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=news;storyid=8072;sess=

Edited March 31, 2017 by J10

[Blessed Weather]

After recent warm weather in the Austrian mountains, winter is forecast to make a brief return over the next few days. Unfortunately too late for two of our forum members who are now back home after their trips to Katschberg and Mayrhofen. The GFS 850 hPa chart shows the set-up for this Thursday, with a High over the UK and Low over Scandinavia with resultant cold flow flooding south into Austria.

Extracts from the report on the wetter.at website:

Cold front brings storm and snow

Low "Kirk" sends the spring on a break and brings up to 40 centimeters of fresh snow.

First it was only a 'hay' storm with rain and thunderstorms, then a cold front with storm and snow - the April weather will show itself in the next few days from its moodiest side.  In the night on Thursday, a cold front of the Scandinavian low "Kirk" from the north-west meets the alpine north rim and drops temperatures rapidly. The snowfall limit sinks into higher valleys, between 10 and 40 centimeters of fresh snow come together until Friday evening. Behind the cold front, cold polar air is led along with a tight north stream, in the east it is stormy with gusts of up to 90 km / h.

Only on the weekend High "Ortrud" provides for weather calming and brings back the spring.

Full report in Austrian: http://www.wetter.at/wetter/oesterreich-wetter/Kaltfront-bringt-Sturm-und-Schnee/276484129

[carinthian]

On ‎31‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 01:09, Paul said:

The sun came out today here in Whistler! 

Had a bit of low cloud lower down early in the day:

But pretty much all cleared by lunchtime

Managed to get a nice pano from Blackcomb mountain (7th heaven area) across to Whistler mountain

And finished the day with some nice sunny apres action  

Super pictures Paul. Always the same, the sun decides to come out when you are due to come home ! Better late than never. Think they have a good snow season out west this year.

 C

[Duane S.]

What do you think? Avoriaz, Easter BH weekend? 

Ive never been this late or in the holidays. My take would be enough runs still open at 1,800m, the forecast doesn't look detrimental but maybe too many people for the remaining runs?

[seaside 60]

2 hours ago, s4lancia said:

What do you think? Avoriaz, Easter BH weekend? 

Ive never been this late or in the holidays. My take would be enough runs still open at 1,800m, the forecast doesn't look detrimental but maybe too many people for the remaining runs?

Looking at the state of the snow and the snow line over the Alps I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole or even a pair of skies lol...( having just come back from Austria)

Unless you can guarantee a good fall of snow, all skiers are going to be fighting for 50% of the slopes.

However the conditions may also put weekend skiers off therefore making it less crowded.

Also however any more high freezing levels before then really would kill it off.
If my waffling helps then good luck.

[Blessed Weather]

3 hours ago, s4lancia said:

What do you think? Avoriaz, Easter BH weekend? 

Ive never been this late or in the holidays. My take would be enough runs still open at 1,800m, the forecast doesn't look detrimental but maybe too many people for the remaining runs?

Tough call!! If you know the resort and have accommodation in mind I'd probably go for it. There are 36 out of 49 pistes open and a depth of 50 cms on lower pistes and 150 cms at the top. That's according to the French 'bible' on resort conditions published by Le Dauphine newspaper. On the webcams the village is rather bare but the pistes look OK.

Piste report 7th April

The weather is rather warm at the moment over the French Alps, but it's set to cool down around Tues next week. Here's the 14 day forecast from Meteo-France - looks rather inviting for an Easter break! Not silly warm warm by day, around freezing at night, and plenty of sunshine to sit outside for coffee and lunch stops!

7th - 13th April  14th to 20th April

However - if you're open to the idea of another resort I'd aim for a resort that has pistes at a higher altitude than Avoriaz (where the top station is only 2,275m). I only say that only because it means you have the choice of skiing higher in the afternoon on better snow, when lower pistes are turning very soft or even slushy. But with 150 cms at the top, you'll certainly be able to ski at Avoriaz, whatever!! Good luck with the decision and please give us mountain junkies a report from wherever you end up!

[seaside 60]

2 hours ago, Blessed Weather said:

Tough call!! If you know the resort and have accommodation in mind I'd probably go for it. There are 36 out of 49 pistes open and a depth of 50 cms on lower pistes and 150 cms at the top. That's according to the French 'bible' on resort conditions published by Le Dauphine newspaper. On the webcams the village is rather bare but the pistes look OK.

Piste report 7th April

The weather is rather warm at the moment over the French Alps, but it's set to cool down around Tues next week. Here's the 14 day forecast from Meteo-France - looks rather inviting for an Easter break! Not silly warm warm by day, around freezing at night, and plenty of sunshine to sit outside for coffee and lunch stops!

7th - 13th April  14th to 20th April

However - if you're open to the idea of another resort I'd aim for a resort that has pistes at a higher altitude than Avoriaz (where the top station is only 2,275m). I only say that only because it means you have the choice of skiing higher in the afternoon on better snow, when lower pistes are turning very soft or even slushy. But with 150 cms at the top, you'll certainly be able to ski at Avoriaz, whatever!! Good luck with the decision and please give us mountain junkies a report from wherever you end up!

Re highlighted text above,

Having learnt some more over the last week on ski slopes when we went.

Its very important for it to freeze well at night, if it doesnt its total slush soon into the day.

If it freezes well at night the pisteurs can mix up the snow and lay it down well and it lasts well into the day.

The differnce between a good frost and none was stark, even with high tempos in the day.

I think it must have changed but Avoriax used to have horrendous queues, think go with Malcs recommendations go higher if you can.

[Duane S.]

Thanks all! :-) Some great information there and pretty much ties in with my thoughts. On the risky side.

Maybe, assuming we bite the bullet and go, somewhere like Argentière? Never been but looks suitably aloft.

Chamonix in some form I think, maybe Le Brevent area. I think I remember going there 20 odd years ago in Mid April and there was loads of the white stuff.

Edited April 7, 2017 by s4lancia

[J10]

Latest and penultimate forecast blog for the season.

Largely mild at the moment, but turning a bit colder from midweek, with perhaps some moderate snow for the higher slopes of Austria before next weekend.

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=news;storyid=8089;sess=

 

 

[J10]

13 hours ago, s4lancia said:

What do you think? Avoriaz, Easter BH weekend? 

Ive never been this late or in the holidays. My take would be enough runs still open at 1,800m, the forecast doesn't look detrimental but maybe too many people for the remaining runs?

 

I like Avoriaz and have been there twice.

However the current webcams are not that promising and I don't see condition's improving over the next week or so.

http://www.avoriaz.com/decouvrir/decouverte-interactive/webcams

I would try to find a high resort in Austria, seems to be far better conditions over there.

[seaside 60]

Seasons over most places nice and green then snow forcast.com produces a run where by Katschberg in Austria could have 70 plus cm  on top and even 50cm in the village.

Coldest run I have seen in about 2 months.

[J10]

Latest Snow Blog out, and as above it does look like winter is set to make a return.

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=news;storyid=8097;sess=

Edited April 14, 2017 by J10

[carinthian]

The snow returns this morning to the Austrian Alps. Here is a picture from Oberlech. I am sure some resorts will still be open for this coming week but the lower ones will have packed up for the season. All a bit late to save a poor end to the ski-ing season.

 C

Edited April 17, 2017 by carinthian

[carinthian]

6 hours ago, carinthian said:

The snow returns this morning to the Austrian Alps. Here is a picture from Oberlech. I am sure some resorts will still be open for this coming week but the lower ones will have packed up for the season. All a bit late to save a poor end to the ski-ing season.

 C

2Ocm of fresh snowfall today in Obertauren. Picture taken at 1900m asl.

C

[Reefseeker]

Snowing at a good rate in Les Arcs: http://en.lesarcs.com/livecam-arc1950.html#ong333.

Watching the cameras, it doesn't seem to be sticking so probably a little too warm, at least in Arc 1950.

 

Edited April 18, 2017 by Reefseeker

[seaside 60]

You think the weather is cold here.
Katschberg in Austria at 2000m is -12c all day and even the lower valley is -2c all day and of course snow, more than the last two months I think.

Of course all the Alps must be getting this as well, well not the Les Gets area just checked there all green.

[carinthian]

3 minutes ago, seaside 60 said:

You think the weather is cold here.
Katschberg in Austria at 2000m is -12c all day and even the lower valley is -2c all day and of course snow, more than the last two months I think.

Of course all the Alps must be getting this as well, well not the Les Gets area just checked there all green.

Seaside 60, sods law for you. Picture below taken this morning from the famous Edelweiss Alm at the nearby resort of Obertauren . Looks like a raging blizzard going on there ,judging by the depth of snow on the outside seating area. Also note a few hardy ski souls out in it. Possibly the heaviest fall of the season. Obertauren ski area is quite vast and above the tree line, so navigating the runs will be difficult. However, Obertauren will continue to operate the lifts for a couple of more weeks and can be skied using the Lungau ski pass that includes the Katschberg area as well. Some great deals if you can get there !

 C

[J10]

Some great photos there , it does look as if there have been heavy snowfalls and to quite low levels in places too.

As said above though, pity this didn't happen a few weeks ago.

 

[dubmuffin]

I've seen some fantastic snow pics lately, Germany, Austria and eastern Europe have done well from this spell of cold weather. We are off to Val Thorens today for 5 days and the weather forecast is for sun with warmer temps than of late,  which is good news for us but it doesn't look like there has been much new snow there according to  Bergfex. I'll be taking tshirts this time!

[carinthian]

Seen this many times. Katschberg and Obertauren ski resorts are only 25 km apart and at the same height absl, but look at the difference in snow accumulation this morning! A raging blizzard been going on in Obertauren for 36 hours and hardly a covering in nearby Katschberg. The directional wind shear over the Salzburg Range of Mountains in this present situation produces persistant snow fall in that location. Sometimes the reverse occurs when the Adriatic low forms and produces heavy persist snowfall in Carinthia. Many times I have seen snow clouds producing the goods over Obertauren  ,whilst Katschberg a short distance away as the crow flies remained in sunshine.

C

[jules216]

Some pics from nearby Ski Areas in Slovakia, Zdiar - Hight Tatras,cca 45cm, Mlynky-Slovak Paradise 40cm, from this morning.

[J10]

A quick round up, good snowfalls as mentioned above for parts of Austria with 60cm and 55cm respectively for Obergurgl and Mayrhofen with excellent on piste conditions up high.  Elsewhere across the Alps a continuation of the thaw.

A lot of precipitation expected for the Alps next week according to GFS.

Edited April 21, 2017 by J10

[Blessed Weather]

3 hours ago, J10 said:

A quick round up, good snowfalls as mentioned above for parts of Austria with 60cm and 55cm respectively for Obergurgl and Mayrhofen with excellent on piste conditions up high.  Elsewhere across the Alps a continuation of the thaw.

A lot of precipitation expected for the Alps next week according to GFS.

The late snow is excellent news for anyone going on an end-of-season break to one of the 'late closing' high resorts!

But I don't know what you think Julian, it seems to me to be a trend that early season is becoming increasingly unpredictable with regard sufficient snowfall for resorts to open properly, whilst just as resorts close in late season the snow arrives!! Frustrating or what......!!

And while I'm here, may I say a big thank you for your excellent weekly blogs over this last season and the hard work you must put into writing them every week. Much appreciated!!