Chamonix Snow Report: 8th January 2005

The Marmottons blue run down to Lognan is in great condition, mainly because of the artificial snow cover; the snow is hard but not too icy. However, the Coqs blue run (accessible from the Tabe and Plan Roujon chairs) has no snow making and is consequently very worn. Next we took a ride up the Bochard gondola, the top section of which was extremely windy. The wind has stripped some exposed parts of the mountain of snow almost completely. As you look up to top cable car station it isn't difficult to see why it is currently shut as blue glacial ice is clearly visible in many places both on and off piste. The red Bochard run has suffered from the wind, and has a minefield of exposed rocks on the upper section, making it look more like off piste than piste. The snow that was there was good though, very firm and good to turn on, but the upper section is very moguled where the rocks are exposed. Lower down the run things improved with the rocks being less frequent and the piste smoother.

Next on the agenda was the Herse, 6 person chairlift. As we ascended we could see that Combes (the red run that leads back to Lognan) was very worn in places (with bare rock showing), so we decided that it would be better to take a detour from the run down a cat track that looked to be in better condition. The top of the Combes is moguled and punctuated with exposed rocks, just like the top of the Bochard. This run also improved greatly lower down, with fewer rocks, and being sheltered from the wind there was plenty of loose stuff on the surface to get an edge in. The cat track off to the right proved to be a good choice, as it avoids the worst section of the main run, and today it had some soft windblown snow drifting across it.

We thought we'd also give the lower part of the Combe de la Pendant (Lavancher) a try, so headed over there via the Marmottons chair and down the blue run Arolles. It's a little sunnier on this run and the snow is softer and wetter, even a little slushy in the mild temperatures we've been having recently. It was thin in places too, with parts very worn and the snow turning brown where it's mixed in with soil and vegetation.

We had to head back down so took the Pierre a Ric back to Argentiere. This proved to be the best run of the day. Most people use this run purely to get down off the mountain, but at the moment I think it's the best run on Les Grands Montets and worth riding up the Argentiere-Lognan cable car a few times just to do it. The snow cover is complete and there are no worn patches or rocks to worry about. It's a little hard in places but nothing too icy. Because it's cold and sheltered it hasn't been affected by the wind like the higher runs, and the snow is wickedly fast. When we came down it was practically empty. I guess everyone was watching the Kandahar downhill race at Les Houches!

Useful Links
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

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