Chamonix Snow Report: 25th January 2015
A mixed bag this weekend...snow, ice, sunshine & clouds
After the excitement of the Swatch Freeride World Tour 2015 event on Saturday I opted for the calmer slopes and more relaxed atmosphere of Les Houches for my Sunday ski.
With high winds forecast in the valley it seemed like the best bet to stay out of the clouds and the winds...plus I was a bit like a duck out of water as I donned my skis for only the second time this season, rather than my trusty snowboard!
The pistes of Les Houches are perfect for cruising on a sunny afternoon, and with several beginner skiers in the group the terrain suited us perfectly. The blue runs at the top were in great condition with good coverage and were nice and grippy, so you felt that you could carve with confidence. The views from here are stunning as well, both up the Chamonix Valley and down towards Servoz and Sallanches.
With no wind at all and the sun shining down it was actually fairly warm in the afternoon, however the clouds did come over a bit for the last hour which made the light on the piste quiet flat and it was hard to see the undulations of the piste and was quite disorientating when the cloud came low. Luckily is was only fleeting!
We decided to test out the pistes down the backside of Les Houches but were sadly disappointed. There is quite a thin covering on the piste so there are a lot of stones, twigs and grass coming through, plus a few icy patches. Quite a contrast to the nice soft snow and good coverage above and on the front (Chamonix) side.
So although we could certainly do with more snow this week, there's still some nice piste skiing to be had around the valley, and for a fun cruisy day on the slopes, Les Houches is the perfect place to go!
