Chamonix Snow Report: 21st January 2015

The Balme area at the top of the Chamonix valley is a good bet on days like yesterday (Tuesday) with trees to help give some definition whilst it's snowing, open slopes when the sun pokes out and rarely any queues. You can also take the train to Vallorcine (free with a Carte d' hote from your accommodation) instead of the Chamonix buses and get straight up to the best side of the hill for more advanced riders.

Even though it wasn't snowing hard enough to fill in the tracks from the powder frenzy of the weekend, there are still plenty of pockets of fresh to be had around the hill, though several areas of Le Tour are notorious avalanche accident black spots so as ever if you don't know, don't go (or hire a guide)!

Slightly warmer weather today meant the snow off piste was getting a little heavier as the day went on, particularly on south and west aspects that were also getting the sun. Every cloud has a silver lining though, and this had the advantage of keeping you higher in the snow and away from the rocks that still lurk just below the surface in areas where the wind's previously stripped away the snow.

On piste conditions are much improved with good cover all the way down to Le Tour. Even better, the random icy patches that have been lying in wait to catch you out for the last couple of weeks seem to have been buried and groomed away.

OK, compared to the near perfect combination of blue sky and fresh snow we were enjoying on Sunday things aren't quite as memorable, but its still pretty good up there. What's more, with Chamonix meteo suggesting it's going to be a bit sunnier on Wednesday and then more snow later in the week, it looks like it's only going to get better too.

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Ed: Meanwhile up on Brevent today with the SevenTwenty guys, the conditions are looking good.