© Graham Pinkerton
© Graham Pinkerton
© Graham Pinkerton
© Graham Pinkerton
© Graham Pinkerton
© Graham Pinkerton
Storms to sunshine in the Chamonix Valley
The weather takes a turn for the better and we get some sun
Snow sports are pretty stupid when you stop to think about it. We pick the coldest, most miserable time of year to head to the highest, least hospitable environments on the planet, relying on the bad weather to provide plenty of precipitation before we get there, yet hoping the clouds will clear and the wind halt once it's time to enjoy the snow.
Frustratingly, it doesn't always work like that and the last week has been a good example. There's still been some good riding to be found, if skiing fresh snow through the trees in low visibility is one of your preferences for good riding, but lift openings have been limited and the increasing avalanche risk has been a valley-wide concern.
With a rare maximum avalanche risk of category 5 and almost all the Chamonix valley closed (even parts of it being evacuated) Les Houches was the only game in town on Monday. The forecast of heavy overnight rain to 1800m turned out to be a little pessimistic and the rain/snow line was a bit lower overnight, however our hopes of light fluffy snow at the top of the hill were quickly dashed.
Never mind, a bad day on the slopes is meant to be better than a good day in the office. Sure enough, with low expectations, we had a surprising amount of fun. The pistes weren't too busy, away from the sticky untouched snow the slopes were running well enough and modern outdoor clothing does a remarkable job at keeping you warm and dry!
As Tuesday saw the return of that rarest of sights in 2018, the sun, we decided to skip the Chamonix excitement and head for a relaxed day in the sun at Les Contamines. Holders of the Mont Blanc Unlimited pass have been making much use of the unlimited access to the nearby Evasion Mont Blanc ski area (comprising of Megeve, St Gervais and Les Contamines) this past week. These lower altitude resorts don't have the same threat of avalanche from above nor are they as affected by high winds, so they can keep their lifts turning whilst the Chamonix valley is shut down. It's easiest to reach these areas from Chamonix by car, a 20 to 40-minute drive depending on resort, but it is also possible by train to Le Fayet followed by local ski bus, or even by skiing at Les Houches then taking the Tramway du Mont Blanc down to St Gervais for a multi-lift adventure!
Below 2200m, the snow off the edge of the Les Contamines pistes was humid and heavy but, for the handful of meters above that altitude, we found some really smooth and creamy snow. The pistes themselves were great once they'd had a bit of sun but in shady areas were teeth-rattlingly firm. As you'd expect really. Even if the snow conditions weren't perfect, the combination of blue skies and quiet slopes was a welcome change from the limited opening storm days of the last week.
For the rest of the week, another couple days of warm dry weather mean that, if you're piste skiing you can't really go wrong, it's all going to be good! Just remember to let south-facing slopes soften off a bit first in the morning. Off-piste, the warmth and direct sunshine is going to cause numerous issues with the snow quality and stability on the south-facing slopes. Higher altitudes and more northerly aspects will keep their powder snow but have a good long think about the risks before diving in and check the advice of experts.
What does the weather have up its sleeve for us next? Well, right now it looks pretty warm and sunny. Friday through to Sunday will see some form of disturbance pass through the valley, maybe with a little snow, maybe with more snow for Italy, but nothing like the storms of the last few weeks. Then? Well, it looks like being calm, settled, and about the seasonal average for temperatures, or maybe a touch warmer, all the way through to the end of the month. I know, something must be wrong... no storms!
