Chamonix Snow Report: 17th March 2008

An early night last night in preparation for a powder day today was some what wasted, as we awoke this morning to the Boom, Boom, Boom, of the avalanche control work. A look at the Compagnie du Montblanc web site showed that the lifts would be a little late opening, and the web cams revealed the appalling visibility.

We still had not made our minds up between Grands Montets and Le Tour as we drove up the valley hoping that the clouds would clear a little. In the end we went for Grands Montets and unusually for a “powder day” walked straight on the cable car. Up at the Lognan it was easy to see why. There was certainly a thick layer of new snow, but unfortunately there was a thick layer of cloud to go with it.

The Herse was still closed so we headed up the Bochard into a proper pea-souper. We dropped into the top of Lavancher bowl and while the foot of slightly stiff powder was very nice, the minor detail of not being able to see as far as your own feet did rather spoil things a bit. There was powder snow on the Black, Chamois piste, but the poor visibility combined with some large soft but invisible bumps, made it easier by far to ski just off piste. One nice thing about the new snow is that its now deep enough that you are not cutting through to the hard base.

A large avalanche warning sign had been placed near the top to discourage going into the off piste on skiers left of the bowl, but quite a few brave/foolhardy souls were ignoring it.

By now the Herse was running but if anything the cloud looked even thicker up there, so we dropped into our foul weather standby the Dream Forest, it was amazing. The new snow in the forest was if anything thicker and lighter than on the open mountain, with plenty of untracked lines to go at.

I spotted a French skier in the forest who I guess must be in town for the Boss des Bosses competition on Wednesday, he dropped a thirty foot jump on sight, right in front of me, and later I watched him rail a fallen tree for twelve feet then hop off the end and nail another jump, just fifteen foot this time.

The on and off piste conditions were fairly similar today, but I guess by tomorrow the pistes will have been battered flat again, hopefully with the temperatures set to drop, the off piste will be delivering yeeeeehaaas and whooopeeys, for a few days to come.

The avalanche threat level today was 3, considerable. A lot of snow has gone down onto a very smooth base after a month without snow, so if you are riding or skiing off piste and carrying, shovel, probe and transceiver, also take careful note of the French Meteo Avalanche forecast Here and hopefully avoid the need to use them.

There is fine weather forecast for the next two days with more snow due Thursday, and Friday possibly quite a lot.

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!