Chamonix Snow Report: 11th February 2015

Blue skies and warm temperatures make Brevent and Flegere a great choice just now for the middle of the day, as the sun softens the pistes and takes the edge off the bumps between the runs. Add in great views across to the Chamonix Aiguilles and you're onto a winner.

The pistes were generally in pretty good condition, albeit getting a bit more cut up as the day goes on. Although perhaps a little busier than during the quietest spells of January there pistes were still quiet enough to keep your speed up and crank over the turns. The home run is officially closed, though the signage at the top of the run is a little ambiguous. Either way, with the number of stones and bare patches showing through, it's best to download unless you really dislike your skis.

Off piste the weekend's wind has also had it's wicked way with the snow and if you really want to find fresh soft powder then touring is your best bet. The Berard valley was amazingly still in pretty good condition on Monday and Tuesday with (increasingly tracked) creamy smooth snow, although getting there involves crossing a mix of wind polished snow, sastrugi and cross loaded slopes. [Sastrugi is the name given to parallel wave-like ridges caused by winds on the surface of hard snow].

Elsewhere around Chamonix the higher you go the worse the effects of the wind have been for both stripping the snow from northerly aspects and dangerously loading more southerly faces, although some tourers have reported good spring snow conditions on sunny slopes. 

As ever this season, if venturing off piste be aware of the very complicated snow pack we currently have. Whilst there's been no fresh snow for a week the high winds have moved huge quantities around and deposited it on the lee slopes, sometimes quite far from the usual accumulation zones around ridges. Saying that, if you can find snow that's not been exposed to the wind, loaded by the wind (accounting for localised variations in wind direction), cooked by the sun, threatened from above by loaded slopes heating in the sun, crusted by the fluctuations from temperature inversions lower in the valley and well enough anchored to bridge the underlying weak layers, you're sure to find great skiing on smooth consistent snow!

Weather forecasts are starting to suggest that we might be in for some more fresh snow this weekend, though how much is up for debate, best to enjoy the sunshine whilst it's here.