 | Home > Off Topic > Ski resorts / global warming |
 
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| Huttopia Member Since: 23 Feb 2016 Location: West Midlands Posts: 1972  
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We went skiing last week to Portes du Soleil. I'd not been before, but its a collection of valleys, with a max height of circa 2200m. The snow was chuff below 1500. We stayed in a really nice little chalet in Col du Corbier, which had its own ski area - Drouzin-le-Mont, or at least it did until 2012 when it was all shut down and cleared away. Here is a link to the wiki page on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Col_du_Corbier Essentially it failed to make money as a result of a lack of snow (it is at 1230m) and the backers pulled the plug. It is perhaps inevitable we will see more of this in the next few years.
Whilst we were there I had a video from a friend in Norway showing 3m of snow at 600m (Myrkdalen, 1h 30 from Bergen). I think that is where we will head next year! |
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25th Feb 2020 5:45pm |
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| ickle Member Since: 22 Jul 2010 Location: South Vendee Posts: 1786  
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we're much further north in the south of the Vendee, and just above sea level but locals here say spring is two weeks earlier than last year and last year was two weeks earlier than the year before that, so probably just a blip. This year November was cold and wet, in years past I've seen 27 degrees over the same period.
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25th Feb 2020 6:04pm |
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| Huttopia Member Since: 23 Feb 2016 Location: West Midlands Posts: 1972
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Nice, we went to Chatel for a morning- I found it was missing a few signpostes on the piste! It took several attempts to navigate our way over to Switzerland. Hangover may have not helped.
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25th Feb 2020 7:24pm |
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| keith Member Since: 15 Aug 2012 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 2214 
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Never mind the snow report........
iv just come back from a meeting at kids school about their Italian skiing holiday in 2 weeks. The carona Virus has shut down half of Italy and the holiday reps are still saying that our kids will be going 
There’s No way they’ll be going, even the government has warned not to go. My kids will be gutted when cancelled. Keith |
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25th Feb 2020 7:46pm |
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| Huttopia Member Since: 23 Feb 2016 Location: West Midlands Posts: 1972
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At 5.30 today public health England issued guidance to those returning from Italy last week (school ski trip) to say they must contact 111 and be checked for symptoms- despite the fact the resort they went to is miles from the nearest outbreak. Most odd.
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25th Feb 2020 7:49pm |
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| muddypaws Member Since: 22 Jan 2013 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 122  
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Ah, busted. Norway is where we have headed in recent years after years of Alpine skiing. Trysil is our favourite. 2 hrs from Oslo on deserted scenic roads & loads of snow at stupidly low altitudes, even into early April. https://www.trysil.com/en/ Richard Defender 90 SVX |
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25th Feb 2020 7:52pm |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5829 
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I’m afraid Huttopia, any resort you go to under 2000m will be complete chance these days, whether in France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, or even N America and Japan. I’ve lived here (Chamonix, then St Gervais) for 12 years. In that time we have had epic amounts of snow, and like this year, not such epic amounts. Actually this year has been odd not because of the amount of ‘precipitation’ but the temps. Snow, rain, sun, snow, rain, sun....and repeat. Quality of snow above 1500m has been good in general and we’ve had loads of days of precipitation, but then almost every two or three days a spike in temp taking the freeze level up to 2500m. Even 3000m one day. Today we’re in the middle of a dump down to 350m, with as much as 1.5m expected above 1500m. But on Friday there is again a spike.
But back to my point. In that same period we’ve kept an eye on other resorts and have many friends who are ski obsessives, guides and pros, all who hail from across the globe (We know many Scandies, N Americans etc) and/or who travel worldwide. And obviously when we have a bad year, we look to see who’s having a good year. Unfortunately the ski conditions are as variable here as anywhere else, below a certain altitude. Japan is rated as having the best snow year on year and we’ve heard even they’re struggling this year. I skied Whistler over 15 years ago with metres of snow one year, none the next (remember the Olympics?), I’ve been on an ‘arctic warfare course’ at the Norwegian Army’s Arctic Warfare Centre in Elverum, a couple of hours north of Oslo, in late December with no snow and we had to drive north. That was in 2002. No snow in December, yet two years before I’d been on another course with metres of pow. I could go on. Clearly it’s a problem, and clearly lower altitude resorts get hit harder when the snow is not so good. But don’t think you can simply pop to another country and find snow because they had it last year. If you really MUST have snow, I’d suggest focusing on altitude rather than location. We skied Cervinia in Nov with tonnes of snow, and have popped over to Verbier and Val d’Isere this season, with pow everywhere. I don’t like skiing Cham anymore, but our friends, pro-level skiers have said it is great high up. But it is worth remembering that high up can mean more challenging skiing. If you want high, good value, family friendly, think the French mega resorts (Val Thorens, La Plagne, Les Arcs, etc) or some of the Italian resorts. They’re butt ugly, although usually sensibly priced and family friendly. But don’t ignore low altitude resorts entirely. We’ve had visitors every other weekend and all have loved their skiing, bar one day of rain at 2000m (most of our skiing is between 1400m and 2100m and spread across hundreds of kms). But, on days when it was snowed in, or so warm that the skiing became difficult by the end of the day, they didn’t care, because the lower altitude of our town meant we could go for walks, to the pool, chill in a bar or restaurant etc. So the future is accepting that you are going on a holiday that happens to have some skiing, rather than a ‘ski holiday’ so that you are willing to do other things. Walk, mountain bike, visit lakes, etc. So much to do. So don’t get fixated on region, it still might come to bite you, either think high altitude if you MUST ski for the duration of the hols (But be prepared for occasionally tougher skiing and conditions) or choose a Lowe altitude resort with loads of other stuff to do and enjoy a mountain holiday which offers skiing (If a good season, all day every day), but lots of other things as well..... 
These are St Gervais, all this season. Quality (not depth) is some of the best snow I’ve skied, albeit the home run to town (850) has for the first time ever, been impossible. That might change today. 
 Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Monsieur Le Grenadier I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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26th Feb 2020 7:49am |
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| Huttopia Member Since: 23 Feb 2016 Location: West Midlands Posts: 1972
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Nice pics Grenadier! I know what you mean about the variance in temp, even last week it was 2c then 12c then 3c then 11c....the snow doesn't stand much chance!
Myrkdalen is only at 600m, but has 8m of snow or more every year, so I don't think altitude is that important if you go far enough north. It will be bloody cold though, a friend just returned from Finland where it was -32. That isn't much fun, especially if you've got little ones. I made it out to St Gervais a few weeks ago, completely failed to bring any window blocks.  on friday we had lunch in the Tremplin and dinner in the 4 Epices, on Saturday lunch in Sous le Freddy, dinner in Le Galeta. Sunday we went for a gastric bypass in Geneva Hospital.  |
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26th Feb 2020 9:35am |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5829
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No problem. Glad you enjoyed it. Good selection. Tremplin the best resto on the pistes by a sea-mile. Sous Freddy perfect for traditional Savoyard, 4 épices an absolute gem (we go weekly) and galeta is a perfect evening Mountain experience. For Fondu I rate the Comptoir Alpin, whilst the steaks at the Bistro are spectacular. But both are very grown up, so not great if you have young kids. Have you tried Ferme de Cupelin or Rond de Carotte? Again, grown up, but fantastic. On the pistes, try Cerf Blanc (burgers) or the Rosalita. Great, informal spots. Talking of spots, the new Le Spot bar/DJ is a great way to finish the day. All in all, lots to do. Love it here.
Quite right about ‘going north’. I’ve skied a number of times at temps as low as -35c, in the US, Canada, Norway etc, and its frankly brutal. Fine as part of military training, absolutely no fun with wife and kids. The cold and the cost are probably the two main reasons Scandies come down here. For many it is easier and cheaper to fly here to ski, than drive to a resort at home. I remember being on the Bobby Dazzler in Lillehammer in 1996 and even then pints were £10+. Can’t drink quite as much now, so the final bill probably balances out, but that’s expensive. And I’m saying that living in the Alps where the Folie Douce charge 6€ for a bottle of coke. Monsieur Le Grenadier
I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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26th Feb 2020 10:13am |
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| muddypaws Member Since: 22 Jan 2013 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 122
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Trysil resort altitude 350m, highest lift 1132m
Current depths 86cm in resort, 136cm at top Have skied twice in early April
However, still paying for the alcohol bill a couple of months later Richard
Defender 90 SVX |
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26th Feb 2020 10:30pm |
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| jst Member Since: 14 Jan 2008 Location: Taunton Posts: 8051  
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I must of missed you by 12mths on AWC! We ended up in haardstad, (sp?) Cheers
James 110 2012 XS Utility 130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper 90 2010 Hardtop 90 M57 1988 Hardtop |
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27th Feb 2020 7:27am |
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| Zed Member Since: 07 Oct 2017 Location: In the woods Posts: 3312 
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Ski seasons are getting shorter and 'once in a generation' droughts and high temps ever more common. Even above the arctic circle they are reliant on snow cannon and some now storing snow from the previous season to open in time. High altitude is more reliable but even then conditions nothing like they used to be. This is further compounded by more visitors searching for decent snow. There is still plenty of fun to be had but it definitely takes more planning these days and some resorts will unfortunately go to the wall. WARNING.
This post may contain sarcasm. |
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27th Feb 2020 7:51am |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5829
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I hope that stays the case MuddyPaws, as that’s the same region where I did my arctic warfare course with the Norwegian Army 20 years ago, with absolutely no snow in the region. And when I say no snow, I mean NO snow. Some of their instructors who had served for years, were stunned by how bad it was. And it was warm. Above zero warm by day. We had to drive 5hrs north to find any snow we could train on. But conversely, doing our resort watching over the years, we have noticed how much more snow Scandies have had the last few years. Much like the UK. Our problem seems to flip-flop between lack of precipitation (50% slow starts over the last six years) and warmth. They don’t often come together. Two years ago we were hovering around -10c average for a whole month, but with no precipitation. This year we’ve had gallons of precipitation but it’s been too warm. All down to the jet-stream which has moved a few hundred kms north, so as it whips up, it pulls warm N African air to us, and as it whips down, does so through the Arctic and keeps the northern countries wet and cold. Last year ironically, we could have had both, (cold and precipitation), much like Austria with its metres of pow. But we didn’t get any of it. I was talking do a meteorologist and the reason this time (apparently) was that the cloud layer coming down through Scandinavia, Germany and Austria, with all the white stuff you could wish for, was too low to get over the Mont Blanc Massif so dumped everything in Austria and Switzerland. Go figure.... Monsieur Le Grenadier
I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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27th Feb 2020 8:00am |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5829
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2002. There should be ‘metres’ of snow in these photos, too much to walk on, but you can clearly see how flat and hard it is.....
Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Monsieur Le Grenadier I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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27th Feb 2020 8:08am |
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