Morzine & Portes du Soleil in Bad Weather

Bad Weather Ski Areas in Morzine & the Portes du Soleil

Morzine and the wider Portes du Soleil ski area are ideal for variable ski conditions as a function of the variety of altitudes the various villages constituting the resort reside at. The higher areas in, around and above Avoriaz exist above the tree line and lack the contrast required for orientation during white out conditions. However, Morzine, Les Gets and Linderets all sport runs below the tree line providing vast amounts of skiing/snowboarding when the flakes are falling.

Avoriaz in Bad Weather

If you�re staying in Avoriaz the closest sheltered runs are down to the Secteur Linderets and onward down to the Ardent t�l�cabine. The latter is a perfect place to park if you are staying in Les Gets or Morzine and have you own transport. Alternatively access the area via Super Morzine, Express Zore, and the t�l�si�ge Seraussaix. This will pace you above Avoriaz and Linderets itself and offers up multiple options. In terms of piste the Combe a Floret and Les Tannes are fairly enclosed runs offering the shelter required and have multiple off piste cut throughs for more advanced skiers and boarders. To repeat the various options use the Express Linderets to return you to the top. Further along the same mountainside the Express Prolays lift opens up more reds and blues again sporting multiple lines and cut throughs off the pisted runs. The edges of the piste throw up many opportunities to get briefly into the trees and back to the piste without running the risks of hitting more demanding terrain further from the marked runs.

On the opposite side of the valley the new express version of the Chaux Fleurie will whisk you up to the exposed Col du Bassachaux where you can vacate the extreme elements of a white out day by dropping down the multiple lines under and near the lift line. Caution, some of these lead to some smallish cliff drops putting this off piste out of reach for the less experienced who would be advised to stick to the Grand Plan blue and Chaux Fleurie red converging at the bottom of the aforementioned lift.

Don�t ignore the home run down to TC d�Ardent, the Parchets blue, although not designated a more demanding colour the run is extremely entertaining off to the edges on each side of the piste and in particularly bad conditions means it�ll keep you entertained for multiple runs without having to freeze on an exposed t�l�si�ge in between.

last updated 29-Jan-2008

Les Gets in Bad Weather

Above Les Gets the off piste run under the lift line of the TC des Chavannes provides a number of lines and surprisingly for such straightforward access (no hiking) takes a fair time to become overly tracked. Although not so demanding in its self, less experienced member of your group can opt for the on piste option and instead take in the bottom half of the Gentiane blue or the only slightly more demanding Orchis red run, all of the runs reconvene at the bottom of the t�l�cabine known colloquially as the red egg for obvious reasons. The other plus is rather than being exposed to the elements on the neighboring Chavannes Express the bubble car allows you to keep warm in between runs - save the former for sunshine days.

Still within the Les Gets ski area but a little further form resort is the Chavannes bowl. This large ski area offers multiple lifts emanating from the same point and multiple runs; blue, red, black and off piste, all converging on the same lift area. To reach the Chavannes bowl you�ll need to brave the long Chavannes Express lift but this is a much better option than the TC des Chavannes followed by the TS de la Croix which decants to the same place, the latter lift vies with the Belvedere at the Pl�ney for slowest lift in the world and is not the place to be sitting in a snow storm. Upon emerging from the Chavannes Express take the Violettes blue all the way down to the centre of the lift system. This, like all the runs in the area offers lots of little cut-throughs off to the sides of the piste near the trees to gain the contrast required in white out conditions. And failing that much adventure, the edges of the piste offer up multiple little kickers and drop offs to keep you entertained.

To really get up close and personal with the trees in the Chavannes bowl use the TS Rosta, Grains d�Or Express and the Ranfoilly Express to spy out the off piste cut-throughs accessed directly from the end of the lifts or a little way down the pisted runs. For the less experienced the latter are all tree lined and are a good way of getting into un-groomed areas down the edge of the piste without getting to far afield or too tight into the trees where making that turn is compulsory not optional. Your friends can get together at the lifts gathered at the bottom of the bowl, emanating like spokes from a wheel hub, making it difficult to permanently lose anyone from your party.

Another option for this ski area would be to drop down to the Perri�res Express on the M�l�ze red and explore the cut-throughs and edges down to this relatively unused piste. Mostly people park at the bottom of the express lift for the day and do not ski the home run and its little off piste off shoots until it�s time for home meaning if your there earlier in the day there is a good chance you�ll have the place almost to yourself.

last updated 29-Jan-2008

Morzine in Bad Weather

Morzine has many runs accessed via the Pl�ney t�l�cabine and a number of t�l�si�ges; TS de la Crusaz, TS des Mouilles, TS d�Atray and TS des Fys. The runs are an even mix between blues and reds, the latter spanning the intermediate ability levels whereby some would maybe constitute black status if they were not running directly into resort.

Slightly further afield the T�l�si�ge des T�tes and the Charniaz Express both provide a vantage point to spy out the red runs under the lift and a number of easy access off piste runs situated in the tree cover for when conditions are white enough to warrant closer proximity to the greenery. This ski area is known as the Grand Pre and sports a number of restaurants to shelter from the elements or take a breather in between runs.

last updated 29-Jan-2008