Worldwide Mountain & Snow Sports Discussion 2022/23

[carinthian]

Quite bleak today in the village. 48 hours of continuous snowfall, although lighter today but so much colder. Current temp at base is -8c and -14c at top run (2188m ) . Cold continues for the next 6 days with further accumulations of 30cm at 1340m.

C

[Norrance]

Probably last pics from me from my daughters visit to Tignes. First shows the run down to the jump and second what a glorious skiing day they are having. May bore you again at the end of next week as many of my family and friends are heading to Obergurgl

[carinthian]

23 hours ago, carinthian said:

Quite bleak today in the village. 48 hours of continuous snowfall, although lighter today but so much colder. Current temp at base is -8c and -14c at top run (2188m ) . Cold continues for the next 6 days with further accumulations of 30cm at 1340m.

C

Snowfall shows now sign of relenting. 72 hours continuous. This mornings depth is approx 50cm in the village and probably greater higher up. Snow showers are coming thick and fast with poor visibility for the skiers out this morning. Cold as well -7c in village and -14c on top station. The forecast weather models keeping the Alps in a cold snowy set up. Great time to book a winter sports vacation to Austria, prices are very competitive at the moment especially when booking hotels online to get best deals. Plenty of flights out from UK to Salzburg. Stanstead with Ryanir offers Mid week flights which are a lot cheaper than the usual Saturday flights from the UK.

C

[Blessed Weather]

Hello from Meribel in the French Alps. The first two days have been great skiing with pistes in excellent condition overall thanks to the low daytime temperatures, typically -13C in the morning's and -5C in the afternoon. Sun a bit hazy at times but good enough to give enough warmth for lunch outside on a mountain restaurant terrance today. Outlook for the Alps looking good, so as @carinthian says, a great time to book a last minute deal. @Norrance loving the pics and especially the video of the bungy jump - brilliant!. Methinks daughter had a terrific time in Tignes.

A few pics from Meribel. Off to ski Courchevel tomorrow.

 

Edited January 23, 2023 by Blessed Weather
typo

[carinthian]

Clear start to the day. Picture looking towards the main ski hub in the village. Current temp -8c .

C

[carinthian]

Some more impressions from Zauchensee on this wonderful sunny morning.

C

[stuboy]

A rare post from me on here, as I'm heading back to the slopes next week for the first time since 2015 (having young kids to look after does change your priorities!!).

I'm of to Sauze d'Oulx in Italy for the second time, having last visited in 2010. It does appear conditions have improved there now regarding snow. I was a bit nervous a couple of weeks ago. Anyone on here with more knowledge than me, have an idea if I should remain positive before I go out there on the 2nd Feb? It looks like there will be little snow this week following a good fall the last couple of days, but at least it is remaining cold.

Love viewing all the posts on this thread by the way, great pictures!

 

[Blessed Weather]

Hi from Meribel in Les 3 Vallées again. Went over to Courchevel yesterday (Tues 24th) but decided to bail out as the easterly wind strengthened and half the lifts closed due to the high wind. Today we've been over to Les Menuires and suffered a similar problem with a lift closing and another stopping and starting due to the high wind on the tops. But mustn't grumble, still managed to ski some great pistes over there.

A few pics and a video clip:

View of Meribel from the top of Col de la Loze coming back from Courchevel:

View of Les Menuires from the top of Bruyeres gondala:

Not nice going over the top from the Bruyeres gondala back to Meribel:

 

 

 

[Blessed Weather]

One to watch if you are planning a skiing holiday in the French Alps during February as French lift operators are planning industrial action from the 31st January through to the 4th March:

French ski resort workers to strike from 31 January: Will half-term holidays be affected?
Two of the biggest unions representing French ski resort workers are planning “unlimited” strike action from 31 January. The dispute is over pension reforms, pay and working conditions. It could cause chaos for skiers looking to get away during the February holiday season, hitting ski resorts in what is one of the busiest times of year for the industry.
More: https://www.euronews.com/travel/2023/01/25/french-ski-resort-workers-to-strike-from-31-january-will-half-term-holidays-be-affected

Half-term ski holidays for hundreds of thousands of Brits could be ruined after French unions voted to shut down lifts during school break
February half-term ski holidays for hundreds of thousands of Brits could be ruined after French unions voted to shut down lifts during the school break. The two major unions for seasonal and lift workers announced 'unlimited' strike action from January 31, as a dispute over pension reforms rumbles on. 
More: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11674445/Half-term-ski-holidays-Brits-ruined-French-unions-voted-shut-lifts.html

 

[Norrance]

16 hours ago, Blessed Weather said:

Hi from Meribel in Les 3 Vallées again. Went over to Courchevel yesterday (Tues 24th) but decided to bail out as the easterly wind strengthened and half the lifts closed due to the high wind. Today we've been over to Les Menuires and suffered a similar problem with a lift closing and another stopping and starting due to the high wind on the tops. But mustn't grumble, still managed to ski some great pistes over there.

A few pics and a video clip:

View of Meribel from the top of Col de la Loze coming back from Courchevel:

View of Les Menuires from the top of Bruyeres gondala:

Not nice going over the top from the Bruyeres gondala back to Meribel:

 

 

Looks like  a very good idea to get down from the ridges asap.
I skied Val Thorens  a good few years ago and at that very spot the air was full of ice crystals in bright sunshine with not a breath of wind. Despite the wind I suspect that you are having a great time.

[Blessed Weather]

Always a slightly smug feeling when you're above the cloud enjoying beautiful sunshine, but further down the valley it's a "claggy" grey day".

 

[carinthian]

A beautiful day in Alpendorf today.

 C

[carinthian]

Its great ski-ing in the high altitude Obertauern ski obitital but heck its cold !

C

[matty40s]

Wow, that looks awesome!!

[DavidS]

12 hours ago, carinthian said:

Its great ski-ing in the high altitude Obertauern ski obitital but heck its cold !

C

That looks perfect. 3 weeks until my trip to Obertauern.

[carinthian]

2 hours ago, DavidS said:

That looks perfect. 3 weeks until my trip to Obertauern.

"Let it be "

[matty40s]

I was going through some old photos from the 80s and 90s, we have always loved this picture and display it at Christmas, but never managed to work out where it was....

Then I had a brainwave, google image search. It wasnt straight forward as nobody of all the thousands of skiers has taken a picture from that angle( into the sun) but eventually I managed to succeed. Antonius Kapelle, Pralongià in the Dolomiti Superski area.

 

I also found this one...

 

What a bloomin poser I was, on the right.

 

[johnholmes]

16 hours ago, carinthian said:

Its great ski-ing in the high altitude Obertauern ski obitital but heck its cold !

C

Yes watching the skiers getting off the train at Kleinne Scheidegg ready for the chair lift to the top of the Lauberhorn last week, with temperatures around MS 15-17 C cured me once and for all wanting to ski, also a 15 mph 'breeze' to help!

[Typhoon John]

It looks like some heavy snow forecast in Austria for the back end of the week.

[carinthian]

A beautiful sunny Sunday in Zauchesee.  Ski-ing on your doorstep.

C

[Norrance]

Did say that I was going to post scenic pics of my family outing to Obergurgl but so far all photos received appear to be of people drinking and occasionally eating. Background views looks good though beer must also be tasty.

[Norrance]

Following another round of pics of mountain restaurants and bars with drinks of heisse chokolade mit rum I have sent the following message to my brother.

"We have seen loads of pics of people eating and drinking. Anyone been skiing yet?"

They were at the highest bar >10000feet admittedly.

Got this reply from my sis in-law at lunchtime. My bro is in his sixties now so I suppose 50+ mph is not bad going.

"My ski  app days 45 km skied norrie ! My max  Speed 73.5 km/ hr, think your wee bro has recorded for 50mph!"

Edited January 30, 2023 by Norrance

[carinthian]

White out today. 25 cm of new snow . Another 50cm plus expected over the coming days.

C

[Norrance]

Similar conditions in Obergurgl today according to my brother. Poor visibility but excellent powder was the message.

[Hotspur62]

5 hours ago, carinthian said:

White out today. 25 cm of new snow . Another 50cm plus expected over the coming days.

C

Love the pictures you send and Austria looks to be hit pretty hard over the next 5 days which should set the ski resorts for a good last 6 weeks of the season(obviously longer in the higher resorts).

we can only look with envy here in Blighty but there is still hope for us for last third of this month and early march for us to see some of the white stuff but maybe not to the extent you are experiencing atm!!