We went out in the Portes du Soleil today, no sign of any instabilities, felt super stable, even when it warmed up ( it felt like the first time this had happened for a week) under the mackerel sky none of the steep slopes up above moved.

Great skiing on old dry powder. Not bad for mid February, a week? after snow.

I’ve not been out much due to a cold. It has got much warmer, almost spring like yesterday. When the clouds finally cleared I went up to take a look at the Dent de Crolles

http://www.skitour.fr/sorties/dome-d-arguille,25243.html#sortie

The tracks look ok but you could stick a ski pole 1 meter into the snowpack - it was completely isothermic and there were some purges from the cliffs above. We only skied the prarie, not wanting to risk the passage to the summit which looked likely to purge at any moment.

Today return to rain in the valley but I’m reliably informed that 20cm will fall above 800 meters by tonight. That might mean 20cm on a soggy base which will complicate things.

davidof - 19 February 2010 12:42 PM

Today return to rain in the valley but I’m reliably informed that 20cm will fall above 800 meters by tonight. That might mean 20cm on a soggy base which will complicate things.

I think so too, looks like it’s setting up for a good March, crowds from Feb hols will be home soon and it’ll be quiet until the later Easter, could be pretty good !

endlessride - 16 February 2010 10:46 PM

Now I see why he’s touring so well, he’s taken up Urophagia to conserve body salts!

Dangerous last 10 days of Feb in Sancy, new snow with strong winds changing direction, mild temperatures and humid base. Quite a few skiers were taken for a ride by windslabs with more fear than harm but a lone climber died in an avalanche last Sunday and was found only a day later…
Next days on the same tune.

When things will settle down into spring mode, couloir skiing will be great! But now, with the current conditions, why are we going to Sancy nevertheless? Let’s find out:

I love French tarts.

Been a busy week for me. Monday KenR and I toured to the Charmant Som and the wonderful Sunday snow was already going off under the big foehn wind. Tuesday up to St Nizier de Moucherotte or the Olympic resort of St Nizier. Hard to believe this resort once had an extensive ski area with 700 meters of vertical and attracted the French Jet Set such as BB, talking of French tarts. Apparently la Bride sur le cou was filmed here although IMDB claims the Haute-Savoie.

Anyway just 50 meters of vertical remains and junior and I had to do laps to get in some vertical in a complete whiteout. Will post the film sometime. Thursday we were up at the Col de Porte in grey weather. The foehn was less fierce and it had snowed down to 1400 meters. The off piste was soggy but not impossible. Today I was back at the Col de Porte with Kenr and we toured to la Pinea and descended the Couloir Vermorel to then ski Mount Cheese (Mont Fromage) which ken said was the worst conditions he had ever skied in his life. It was pretty dire with a completely humid snowpack and about 1cm of graupel as the only fresh. We are hoping for a good refreeze tonight to improve things.

Apparently Val d’Isere got 20cm of fresh and good conditions were reported in the Haute-Savoie even at quite low altitudes. There were also some good conditions found higher up in the Ecrins range - but you had to know where you were going given the avy risk of 4.

Feb finishes with violent winds again and windslabs all other the mountain + mild temperatures…

Found some cornices and stable slopes to have fun anyway

Now let’s hope March brings spring stabilization to what has become difficult to analyze with the succession of different events…

Yes February came in like a Lamb and left like a Lion. Gusts of 255km/h on the Pic du Midi in the Pyrenees and I bet the winds were similar on the Sancy. You really got the feeling of being directly in the jet stream yesterday. The weather was pretty poor for much of the month and snow levels have degraded in the Alps with snowlines more in the 1000-1300 meter range.

Lets hope for more stable conditions in March.

I was nordic touring last week and it was wild, Friday on the climbs around La Sagne and Vud-des-Alpes I was nearly being blown over. Wet heavy snow sticking to my bases stopped me being able to glide effectively as well so it was hard work in places. I think we’re sue some colder weather and snow this week now.

Final graphic of the rate of fatal avalanche incidents in France