© Wayne Watson
Challenging conditions in Val d'Isere this weekend
Changeable weather but pretty perfect pistes
After one of the most stunning powder days imaginable on Thursday we’ve endured three of the toughest consecutive days that I can remember in quite some time.
Thursday’s snow was deep and light and of the highest quality but we then had a sudden rise in temperature Thursday night, which turned the snow into a heavy and almost un-skiable mess. Every off-piste guide in the resort was surprised with the change of conditions and many needed to turn around and abort their chosen itineraries.
At the Fornet, there was a nasty and totally unexpected crust even up on the Glacier. You’d expect a heat or sun crust on the sunny exposures but not on northern slopes, so it must have rained during the night before refreezing or the crust came from the humidity in a cloud freezing. Whatever the reason there were many guides in the Fornet sector that were ambushed.
My colleague Chris and I were luckier and we had some decent skiing on the Altiport and Lower Lavachet followed by a good couple of pitches in the Sachette. However, half-way down the snow turned to concrete and we needed to cut out back to the piste. Even the snow we did ski was heavy but it was what I call ‘skiers snow’ and was enjoyable.
On Saturday, nobody was expecting too much after going from wonderful snow on Thursday to extremely difficult conditions 24-hours later on Friday so we headed as high as possible and skied the Grande Motte. The pistes were excellent and the only off-piste run worth skiing was the Rosalin, which we skied before ‘skinning’ back out.
There was very little improvement on Sunday and we ended up returning to the Grande Motte and skiing pretty much the same as the day before. It is very rare to have so few options in this wonderful domain but, during the past couple of days, we’ve sadly had very little choice.
If you’re a regular follower of the Snow Report, you’ll have guessed by now that I do not spend that much time on the pistes but I must say that they have been a welcome relief this weekend. The pistes in Val d'Isere are always beautifully groomed. By Friday, some people are tired and, if the weather is a little iffy, they don’t seem to bother coming out so they can be quite quiet. Saturday is always the best ‘piste’ day of the week as it’s turn-over day and most people are travelling to-or-from the resort. Sunday is another travel day and is normally the second quietest day of the week. So, if we are going to have three difficult days in a row, the weekend is the ideal time!
Hopefully, we’ll get some more snow on Monday, which could add up to about 30cms. And even better news is that the temperatures are forecast to drop and a good solid re-freeze will help to stabilise the mountain again. On Saturday the avalanche risk below 2300 metres was bumped up to 4/5 and I was surprised to see it lowered back down to 3/5 on Sunday. But, with all the snow and heat we’ve had, the risk of avalanches is high and extreme caution will be needed in the week ahead.
Monday and Thursday are forecast to be overcast with light snow but Tuesday and Wednesday are the best bets for some sunshine.
Have a brilliant week and look out for another update on Friday!
Follow more from Wayne on his Daily Diary.
Ski safely off-piste
Exploring beyond the ski resort boundaries is an amazing experience for anyone who's physically fit and has mastered the pistes well enough. There are, however, risks associated with venturing outside the safety of the marked/patrolled ski area, including awareness of your actions on those below you on the slopes. Mountain guides are professionally qualified and have extensive knowledge of the local terrain, to provide you with the safest and most enjoyable possible experience in the mountains; as a visitor here we highly recommend you hiring one. Many ski schools and also mountain guides provide instruction in off-piste skiing, avalanche safety and mountaineering techniques. Make your time in the mountains unforgettable for the right reasons, ski safe!
