Val d'Isere Snow Report: 3rd January 2012

The conditions today were almost perfect. The pistes were beautifully groomed, and the off-piste was full of fresh, untracked snow. The skies were clear and the sun was shining. It was a magical day.

Being the slightly crazy individual that I am, I was up in Le Fornet before the lifts even opened, waiting to be first up the mountain. The wait was justified; we got to the top of Pyramids and dropped in on an awesome line to the skier’s right of the bubble lift. We blasted down the mountainside after a quick transceiver check, and hit the piste that winds down to the bottom of Le Fornet. We dropped on and off-piste on the way to the bottom, between soft light powder and corduroy piste. It was an amazing first run. The day only got better, the snow was out of this world everywhere. We had a hundred and forty seven pistes open today, which is the best it’s been so far this season, to my knowledge.

So, the weather forecast now. And more snow is definitely coming. It should be heaviest on Thursday, but moderate tomorrow and Friday. Unfortunately it looks like there’s going to be some pretty strong wind on Thursday too, which isn’t so great. The wind speed looks set to be around fifty kilometres per hour at 2700m which is pretty strong. From Saturday onwards it’s looking a little better with the sun sticking its head out occasionally next week.

The avalanche risk has been very high of late, and if the snow keeps on falling, it is unlikely to drop so make sure that if you are going off piste, that you have the correct equipment. That said, don’t be scared of the off piste, it can be paradise on earth, and it’s pretty easy to get to grips with using your kit once you have it.

My advice for skiing tomorrow is to get up early to avoid the crowds, enjoy the on or off piste and respect the mountain by making sure you have the right kit for what you are doing. There should be a little more snow in the morning and then clear skies again in the afternoon with moderate wind and a temperature of around minus nine. The freezing level will drop to around seven hundred and fifty metres tomorrow night making the road conditions likely to get very slippery again so be careful if you are driving.

This fresh snow should make for some magical skiing. Check out our Stay safe this winter article for a basic introduction to avalanche safety.

Enjoy the mountain!