Chamonix Snow Report: 30th October 2008
SNOW! Stop the press, it's finally arrived. At about 8.00 yesterday morning, we woke up and looked out the window here in Chamonix to see the first few flakes of snow mingling amongst the raindrops. Every so often a car would drive past that had been parked up-valley in Argentière overnight, with a wedge of snow on top of it. By 11.00 it was full-on puking in Cham town. Thick, sticky flakes were pouring with December-density out of a cloud-base just 100m above the village.
I'd forgotten how good it felt to have snow falling and melting on your face as you walk around.
By the time I'd finished work around 19:00, the ground temperatures had cooled enough for the snow to start properly sticking, and the drive home felt like midwinter, having to pull over for snowploughs and gritters en route. By this time I had 2/3cm on the gates of the steps into my building in Chamonix. We decided to venture up to Argentière around 8pm to take a look at what things looked like up-valley. It wasn't Armageddon, but it wasn't far off. Between Les Tines and La Joux, at the top of the hill, there were maybe half a dozen abandoned cars, all resting in different degrees of rotation, and a gleeful-looking towtruck driver shuttling motorists back home. I was content to have been lazy in the springtime, and not removed my winter tyres, as I flew up the hill. I received a particularly indignant look from the lady driver of a British-registered Range Rover as I cruised past her clouds of wheelspin-smoke.
There was twice as much snow in Argentiére (5/6cm).
The Office in Argentière felt like an après-ski joint, with plenty of excited locals propping up the bar as ski-jacketed beanie-wearers smoked outside. Everyone was wearing winter boots and had that look of powder psychosis in their eyes.
Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. The Grands Montets isn't open for a good few weeks, but that didn't stop us having midnight fresh tracks at the Savoy slope in Chamonix town. If you saw them this morning...yes, I plead guilty. October 30th - the first powder day of many this season.
We'll see you up here in the high country soon. Bring it on!
Your Chamonet Snow Reporter,
Tom Wilson-North
PS As I write (17:00 on 30/10), it's just started to snow again.
Stats
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3
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0
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Alt. Resort: 1050
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Alt. Summit: 3800
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Alt. Last Snow: 2300
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High Temp.: 6
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Alt. High Temp.: 1050
