© Wayne Watson
© Wayne Watson
© Wayne Watson
© Wayne Watson
© Wayne Watson
Sunshine & clouds in Val d'Isere this week
It has been a bit of a mixed week weather-wise
There have been moments of incredible flat light and times when we’ve enjoyed totally unexpected sunshine.
On Monday, it was grey and overcast so we headed towards the Sachette in Tignes where I feel fairly comfortable skiing when I can’t see because it’s pretty smooth underfoot without any nasty drops or things to ski into in the way. We had some fantastic powder on the upper slopes. It was so good my colleague Chris and I ‘skinned’ up for 10-minutes to get some extra vertical and, for a tough day, it was a really good result.
On Tuesday, the skies cleared and we profited with a brilliant morning off the Grande Motte. It had snowed a few centimetres overnight but, with the northerly winds, about 20 to 30 cms had blown in off the Genepy and we had some great skiing.
On Wednesday, we had a two-hour window in the morning where the sun was shining and I took advantage of the good visibility to ski off the Fontaine Froide and Epaule du Charvet, the Marmottons in the Manchet sector, a Super L into the L, and the Grande Vallon before the clouds started to roll in. We then skied the Combe du Signal and a run on the Glacier but, by this time, we were in a fog but we did profit with some wonderful light early on.
On Thursday, when I looked out the window at 7 o’clock it was overcast and I thought I was in for a seriously tough day. But, as so often happens lately, the sun popped out and we ended up have a brilliant morning.
Everyone in town is now ready for some sunshine and spring snow with lunches and drinks on the terraces and music in the street. Although I’m a powder skier at heart, it would be nice to ski powder on northern slopes only and have the option of spring snow everywhere else while walking around in tee-shirts in the afternoon. Unfortunately, that isn’t going to happen anytime soon!
The weather over the weekend is a little mixed but we should see a little sunshine each day with the best chance being in the morning. So, get out early and take advantage of any sunshine we may have and get the best of the skiing as well. Have a great weekend and look out for another update on Monday!
Follow more from Wayne on his Daily Diary.
Ski safely off-piste
Exploring beyond the ski resort boundaries is an amazing experience for anyone who's physically fit and has mastered the pistes well enough. There are, however, risks associated with venturing outside the safety of the marked/patrolled ski area, including awareness of your actions on those below you on the slopes. Mountain guides are professionally qualified and have extensive knowledge of the local terrain, to provide you with the safest and most enjoyable possible experience in the mountains; as a visitor here we highly recommend you hiring one. Many ski schools and also mountain guides provide instruction in off-piste skiing, avalanche safety and mountaineering techniques. Make your time in the mountains unforgettable for the right reasons, ski safe!
