© Giles Towler
© Giles Towler
© Giles Towler
© Giles Towler
© Giles Towler
© Giles Towler
Snowfall through the week with a rising freezing level
Heavy storms hit the Portes du Soleil at the start of the week
Following high winds that shut much of the lift system towards the end of last week the storm finally arrived. Approximately sixty centimetres of snow fell last weekend and continued into Wednesday.
However, the freezing level continued to rise meaning that much of the precipitation, even on the higher peaks of Avoriaz, fell as rain rather than more snow. This has had the most negative effect on the lower pistes around Pleney and the lower parts of Les Gets.
Whilst Morzine received approximately forty centimetres of snow around Tuesday, the rain has meant that there is not much evidence of the snowfall in the town itself or in the trees, although conditions on the pistes have improved. The base is approximately sixty centimetres at the moment.
Conditions in Avoriaz are significantly better, with the precipitation remaining as snow till Wednesday, with an extra fifteen centimetres of snow, adding to what had already fallen at the weekend, bringing the total up to approximately eighty centimetres and a base of one hundred and sixty centimetres on the pistes.
The high winds have left some of the higher, more exposed slopes wind scoured. Whilst the wind has generally settled down now it is a good idea to check for any potential lift closures, particularly in Fornet and Mossettes, as they are the areas most commonly affected by closures. Some of the black runs around Arare are being checked to see if they can open, such as Coupe Du Monde and Combe Du Machon.
The Crozats Bowl, a popular off piste area accessible from the Arare, has suffered a serious avalanche that took the snow right down to the rocks and travelled far down into the valley. The avalanche risk is now at 2-3, which would suggest that things are becoming safer, but it is still not advisable to head off piste unless you know the area well or are with a guide. Thee have been a number of serious avalanches throughout the Alps in the past couple of weeks and there is evidence of them throughout the Portes Du Soleil. A large avalanche came down next to the Swiss Wall towards the end of last week.
There is plenty to enjoy on the pistes at the moment without heading off piste. Aside from Morzine/Avoriaz/Les Gets which currently has one hundred and eighty three out of a possible one hundred and ninety eight lifts open, and two hundred and seventy nine out of three hundred and thirty one pistes open, Chatel has also benefited from the recent snowfall. They currently have a base of one hundred and forty centimetres at the top and fifty nine out of sixty lifts are open (with sixty eight out of seventy six runs open).
Work has continued on the half pipe in Avoriaz with the walls being built up. The Stash is also mostly open now and the Super Chatel and Chapelle parks are shaping up.
Some of the best conditions at the moment are around Linga as the wind has blown some of the snow from the higher areas down into the more sheltered areas around Linga.
There is currently light snowfall forecast for Sunday in Avoriaz (Probably falling as rain in Morzine/Les Gets) followed by extended sunshine for the next few days. Temperatures are set to stay low and the wind has dropped, so conditions on the pistes should remain good for now.
The pistes are a lot quieter now that the busy half term weeks of February are over. Hopefully there will be some more significant snow soon but conditions for now are amongst the best they have been all season.
