Chamonix Snow Report: 11th January 2008

The off piste is also a mixed bag. Below 2200m the snow, while looking inviting, has in fact set like concrete having been affected by the rain. Above 2200m where the snow was unaffected it's still soft and fun to ride or ski, but being Chamonix it is all getting totally tracked out. It started snowing mid afternoon and while it only amounted to 5cm or so it really did seem to be freshening things up nicely.

On Thursday we headed over to Les Contamines, it's just less than an hour by car, unfortunately getting there by public transport is a bit of a mission and not recommended. Les Contamines is quite a change from the Chamonix valley and well worth the effort; its wide and open pistes are flattering and great for a spot of high speed carving with not a bump in sight. This is especially true when it's as empty as it was on Thursday. It is also nice to see a different aspect of Mont Blanc.

All the pistes here are in great condition with soft snow over a firm base and perfectly groomed. The off piste followed the same pattern as Grands Montets with 2200m altitude being the point at which the off piste goes from being powder to pants. Les Contamines also boasts some excellent on the hill dining opportunities, not that we were interested in that - not much.

Friday saw us up at Le Tour in glorious sunshine. The car park was empty and we got straight on the Gondola without any waiting. The chair above was also quiet but, despite the full sun, it was bitterly cold. All the pistes here are holding up well and are still in excellent condition; however the home run down to Vallorcine has been closed for lack of cover. Again the off piste conditions were totally altitude dependant. The Aiguilette des Posettes and the area above the top of the Vallorcine gondola are in reasonably good condition, if occasionally a little wind blown, while only the top section of the area below the Tete de Balme chair is in good condition.

One welcome addition to the facilities at Le Tour is a small buvette (café) that has opened just above the bottom of Aiguilette des Posettes drag, its menu is typical Savoyard tucker comprising various combinations of ham, cheese, potatoes and more cheese, plus large myrtle tarts to follow. It's not yet marked on the map but even on a quiet day like today it was full to the rafters.

If you're in the valley for the season and fancy some ski instruction at advanced level, BASS Chamonix still have a couple of places left on the regular Wednesday morning seasonaire sessions.

The forecast for the weekend is for two minor dumps of snow, both of 10-20cm, with a freshening wind and dropping temperatures. The avalanche level is currently 2/3, which according to Meteo France is altitude dependant with the higher level appropriate to higher altitudes.

To sum up the snow conditions, it has been the best start to a season for years if not decades. While we have not had another snowfall like the December “Mother Lode”, the regular top ups combined with the reinvigorated efforts of the piste bashers have provided great riding and skiing throughout the valley ever since, the only question that remains is:

Where is everybody?

So this week's top tip is - flex the plastic and bust your butt to Cham, before the crowds arrive.

Check out what to do around town once the lifts have closed with our latest Apres Ski Report - a weekly round up of what's hot and where to party in Chamonix!

Useful Information
Cross-country skiing is Open
Piste Maps for Chamonix (pdf format), Les Houches (jpg format), Cross-country skiing (pdf format), and Mountain-bike trails (pdf format)
Current status for opening of Pistes & Lifts
Chamonix Webcam Index

We will be keeping this Chamonix snow report updated often during the season, but if you want even more up-to-date news on the ski conditions, why not sign up for our Dump Alert? We'll email you each time it snows enough to significantly change the skiing conditions. It's great to know that the snow is falling in the run-up to your holiday, and it might even allow you to book a last-minute weekend when the snow is particularly good. The service is free, and you can unsubscribe whenever you like.

Useful Links
Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research
French Avalanche Research Institute
Meteo France - Mountain weather and avalanche conditions bulletins (in French)
Henry's Avalanche Talk - popular avalanche training sessions based in French Alps as well as translation of current avalanche conditions
PisteHors.com - Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding News in English for the French Alps. Excellent coverage of avalanche safety and advice.

Additional snow and weather information provided, with thanks, by meteo.chamonix.com and the Tourist Office