Season 14/15 Banter thread

Fattes

It's ok here this am we have new snow down to 1,200 meters and more falling

sallymomo

Fattes wrote: »

It's ok here this am we have new snow down to 1,200 meters and more falling

Nice and fresh looking! Enjoy...

Fattes

Snow down to about 1,200 Meters today but sadly looks like a really nasty Fohen wind on the way tomorrow so make hay while the sun shines

fmlarnapairce

Fattes wrote: »

It's ok here this am we have new snow down to 1,200 meters and more falling

when did you take up snowboarding (second picture)....

Rew

Snowing in Les Arcs ATM:

https://vine.co/v/OgXBjwVB09Q

Fattes

am i bovvered wrote: »

.
Hey Fattes, now I am really starting to freak out !!!!
But still trying to put on a brave face
It does not look good for the next 7 days, although after that hopefully conditions will change.
Couple of questions please..,
What is the best website for forecasting weather ?
What is the best resort within driving distance of Les Saisies for decent piste conditions ? I was thinking Valle Blanche

Not really that great on the areas around Albertville! Sorry, I think Megeve is doable but only really Cote 3000 is likely to be open! It will be quiet as Megeve is not really a ski town, more a fashion parade.

It really is a weird season and despite all the joy about todays snowfalls it will be short lived be it here, Les Arcs or anywhere. The Fohen wind is back tomorrow and temps are going to go up again! I wish there was better news but sadly everywhere is having a bad start.

I guess having resorts open and lifts running on all right limited conditions is better than bus transfers to crowded areas! trying to cope with skiers from 15 different resorts!

There is a pretty tense vibe in resort this week, the instructors are panicking about space to teach and where to teach newbies for Christmas week, Freeriders are hucking off more desperate lines in search of a rush, and Some have given up for now.

Falling into the instructor/freeride category I should be pulling my hair out, but I am just trying to get out every day and enjoy it the best I can!

CardinalJ

http://www.stantonamarlberg.com/en/service/lifts-and-pistes

This is not pretty.

24 days till our group are due to go to St Anton.

CardinalJ

Even more grim, Direct Ski have pulled the plug on trips to Soll that were due to leave this Sat.

Edit - Not my trip, thank god.

Fattes

CardinalJ wrote: »

Even more grim, Direct Ski have pulled the plug on trips to Soll that were due to leave this Sat.

I thought Soll had 100% snow cannons and an excellent snow cover record

Gutted for you mate, did they not offer an alternative? Where does it leave you holidays wise and snow time with work?

sheesh

CardinalJ wrote: »

http://www.stantonamarlberg.com/en/service/lifts-and-pistes

This is not pretty.

24 days till our group are due to go to St Anton.

yera, 24 days is loads! 3 weeks! at that stage they will have had the snow cannons out

Fattes

CardinalJ wrote: »

http://www.stantonamarlberg.com/en/service/lifts-and-pistes

This is not pretty.

24 days till our group are due to go to St Anton.

Hopefully like last season by mid Jan things will have improved, the Fohen winds traditionally cease around the end of Dec. Which means lower temps and the chance to fire up the cannons.

All the warm weather and rain will have the snow cannon lakes full for when things do drop. We are looking at a freeze level of about 2,300-2,800 meters over the next few days :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Then at the weekend the weather says maybe, temps dropping for the weekend again

AlternateID

Fattes wrote: »

I thought Soll had 100% snow cannons and an excellent snow cover record

Haven't seen the cannons running in about a week or I missed it every time I looked at the webcams.

Fattes

AlternateID wrote: »

Haven't seen the cannons running in about a week or I missed it every time I looked at the webcams.

Its a comment on the stupidity of claiming a resort is snow sure or has an excellent snow record but has 100% snow cannon coverage! In N.America the marketing works the other way, we have no cannons!!! Soll is so low and has such a poor snow record, on average one of the lowest snow packs in europe it has invested heavily including in Above zero snow making machines that work up to +5 and yet.. Here we are! no runs or lifts open for Christmas this year? It could be a freak occurrence, or if taken with the conditions over the past 10 years a sign of things to come!

Snow making is expensive and the snow is of poor quality to natural stuff due to the high water content and it breaks down very quickly. In fact within 60 minutes of it being bashed and the run being opened it starts to break down.

Now it has its place, they use it here to extend the home run by a few weeks at the end of the season or to open it earlier, and in one or two heavy traffic, wind swept areas of the resort but I would say approx 90% of our terrain is natural snow!

lbj666

Fattes wrote: »

Its a comment on the stupidity of claiming a resort is snow sure or has an excellent snow record but has 100% snow cannon coverage! In N.America the marketing works the other way, we have no cannons!!! Soll is so low and has such a poor snow record, on average one of the lowest snow packs in europe it has invested heavily including in Above zero snow making machines that work up to +5 and yet.. Here we are! no runs or lifts open for Christmas this year? It could be a freak occurrence, or if taken with the conditions over the past 10 years a sign of things to come!

Snow making is expensive and the snow is of poor quality to natural stuff due to the high water content and it breaks down very quickly. In fact within 60 minutes of it being bashed and the run being opened it starts to break down.

Now it has its place, they use it here to extend the home run by a few weeks at the end of the season or to open it earlier, and in one or two heavy traffic, wind swept areas of the resort but I would say approx 90% of our terrain is natural snow!

I was in soll a few years ago and conditions were terrible , mid february but spring like conditions and it looked to have been that way for a few weeks, only snow around was scraped onto the pistes. I'd say temps were in the teens by afternoon. Crusty as f**k in the morning and slushy in the even , there extensive grooming that they had just seemed to even out the snow not fluff it things up. Just wondering in those conditions does snow making work or does the high water content just make the crust/slush conditions worse, can't remember what way the resevoirs were.

I would have though snow making was just good for making a base layer , but is it even good for that?

DoraDelite

This is just depressing, it's going to be a rubbish week for skiing. I will have to resign myself to spending most of the week skiing grass

AlternateID

DoraDelite wrote: »

This is just depressing, it's going to be a rubbish week for skiing. I will have to resign myself to spending most of the week skiing grass

If there's no snow I'm going to learn to ski

DoraDelite

or learn to ski in a bar!

Fattes

lbj666 wrote: »

I was in soll a few years ago and conditions were terrible , mid february but spring like conditions and it looked to have been that way for a few weeks,
I would have though snow making was just good for making a base layer , but is it even good for that?

This is its big problem at Solland many other low lying resorts!This attitude of it should be soft in the afternoon! No it bloody shouldnt not untill at least mid March! Snow making has mixed purposes, getting the season started early and extending it, keeping snow in areas where it would otherwise be sparse, wind effected, high traffic areas etc. But if it is required in 100% of your resort you should probably look at how you market your resort and your business model.

DoraDelite,AlternateID the next few days don't look great but, by christmas day it could change! Christmas week will be a nightmare for me I am fully booked with clients a mix of levels etc, but limited with the amount of terrain available, and how to get beginners to terrain that is suitable for them but half way down a red run :cool:

AlternateID

Oddly I don't feel concerned just yet. I'm going on the 27th regardless so no point stressing.

In other news I have a balance board set up in the hall. Good idea or should I call an ambulance now? :P

DoraDelite

Great idea obviously!

Fattes, fingers crossed for a a couple of good days next week. If there's even one run open I'll ski it. You'll just have to get those beginners down on their arses down the red, it'll make them or break them

sheesh

I would be giving them a heads up lol

I want videos of this!!

Eurovisionmad

Slightly gloating post: most of the slopes in Grandvalira are open and roady for business although it looks like the temperatures are going to rise fairly significantly next week but I'm sure it'll all be grand for the 4th of January when we get there!

Fattes

Eurovisionmad wrote: »

Slightly gloating post: most of the slopes in Grandvalira are open and roady for business although it looks like the temperatures are going to rise fairly significantly next week but I'm sure it'll all be grand for the 4th of January when we get there!

I would take a good look at the webcams before being to gloating But I hope you get hte best conditions possible. Its like here i would say about 20% of the terrain that is open probably shouldn't be its barely covered, but its Christmas!!! So the lift company are opening it anyway.

Its actually raining at 2,400Meteres here today!!! So I will be catching up on paper work, ah who am I kidding I am going drinking After stopping the naked snow dances on the advice of Sallymo, I have decided they are coming back

CardinalJ

Snowed down to the village in St Anton last night and some more snow due tonight/tomorrow.

Just need the temps to sort themselves out.

Fattes

CardinalJ wrote: »

Snowed down to the village in St Anton last night and some more snow due tonight/tomorrow.

Just need the temps to sort themselves out.

Its looking like colder weather from Fri across the alps Fingers crossed! Traditionally Fohen winds do not last beyond Dec. My FB feed is stuffed with negativity from friends all over europe and I keep reminding them we are in the mountains until May so be happy!!!!!!

sallymomo

Fattes wrote: »

I would take a good look at the webcams before being to gloating But I hope you get hte best conditions possible. Its like here i would say about 20% of the terrain that is open probably shouldn't be its barely covered, but its Christmas!!! So the lift company are opening it anyway.

Its actually raining at 2,400Meteres here today!!! So I will be catching up on paper work, ah who am I kidding I am going drinking After stopping the naked snow dances on the advice of Sallymo, I have decided they are coming back

Fattes, ignore me please! At this stage, do what you gotta do, for everyones sake!!!
Stupid warm temperatures...

Rew

Im sure its sponsored by resorts but....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/snowandski/skiing-news/11296842/Skiing-No-snow-doomsayers-are-wrong-theres-plenty-in-the-Alps-this-Christmas.html

Fattes

Rew wrote: »

Im sure its sponsored by resorts but....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/snowandski/skiing-news/11296842/Skiing-No-snow-doomsayers-are-wrong-theres-plenty-in-the-Alps-this-Christmas.html

He is full of ****, the telegraph own the Ski Show in the UK and Snow and board magazine, they rely heavily on advertising from snowsports companies

Skied Andermat last week its an hour from here, it ok but that 3m of snow is at the very top like here we have 2.4M at the top (Avalanche training last week so got a good idea of snow depth), but below 2,200 meters it things out fast!

The women's races will be cancelled the day before, trust me! They cancelled training for the men today too.

fmlarnapairce

dunno what webcams ye're all looking at, loads of snow here!!

Fattes

As you do fire yourself off the worlds steepest natural ski jump!!! Spent an hour watching these lads in the rein this afternoon the footage does not do them justice!