Chamonix Snow Report: 10th March 2012

Although the sun was out in force, there was quite a chilly wind blowing in the valley but up top it was pleasantly warm. All the fun and action of the Black Weekend is taking place at the base of the Herse and several people in the crowd had stripped off down to T-shirts although you still need a few more layers than that when you’re actually skiing. From their vantage point at the base of the lift, the spectators had a bird’s eye view of the Hot Dogging Competition that was taking place underneath the bottom part of the Herse chair.

In similar style to the Boss des Bosses of years past, teams comprising skiers, boarders and telemarkers were battling it out on a course of moguls followed by a big air jump at the bottom. Many were fully into the spirit of the weekend and properly fancy dressed up – the girl in the gold lamé ski suit should have won a prize all of her own! With DJs pumping out tunes, various food options laid on and the latest Black Crows ski available to test, it’s a great way to pass a few hours in the sunshine.

Snow wise, the pistes in Grands Montets are pretty hard packed everywhere at the moment with only slightly more forgiving snow at the edges where it’s been pushed to the side. From the top of the Bochard, we headed down the Chamois black run which is a fabulous descent but prone to being very icy on the steepest part about halfway down. Having ducked off the piste at the top, I was pleasantly surprised to find some nice soft (but bumpy) snow to play in just off the main run so I opted to do the same again to dodge the nasty mid-section. Parts of the run were really lovely but you always have to be on the alert for the hard packed bits that catch you unawares. At the bottom of this run by the Pendant chair lift, there’s a really nice little mountain hut – teeny tiny but with a larger menu than you might anticipate. It seats about 20 people on its sunny terrace and is really quite reasonable when it comes to eating on the hill.

If hard packed pistes are not your thing then you want to get yourself over to the sunny side of the valley – Brevent/Flegere (or Le Tour as long as that wind has dropped). I popped up Brevent at lunch time today and it was just gorgeous. Spring is definitely in the air up there. I always feel a bit naughty skiing on a Saturday – clearly I spent too many years working for companies where skiing on a transfer day was practically a sackable offence so I still get a little feeling of rebelliousness sneaking up the hill when most of my friends are working at the airport. Sad really.

Anyway, this afternoon was wonderful. Still making the most of that quiet 12-2 part of the day when everyone’s eating, the pistes on the south side of the valley have got that lovely spring like feel them. They were a little bit chopped up today for the real knife through butter feel but it certainly wasn’t slush puppy riding as the temperatures might make you think. On the approach to the main lift intersection at the Cornu/Parsa chairs, the snow was getting a bit sticky in places but I think that was more indicative of my board needing a service than anything else. Definitely time to drop it off at the shop.

Suncream is still very much on the agenda for the next few days but with a fairly feisty north east wind keeping the mornings chilly and the snow crunchy early on. Afternoons should be warming up nicely and Tuesday afternoon in particular should be spent in a deckchair! (16 degrees!)