First day of the ski season

drewf · Dec 20, 2014

Well...

I knew there wasn't any snow, but went to have a chat with my friend Sylvan who runs a ski shop halfway up the mountain. Not a happy bunny, as usually at this time of year, his shop is full of punters, the entire area is white over, and today would be pretty busy. Judge for yourselves by the photos... The first few are at the mid-station (that's a 10 minute cable car ride from the base-village), a couple taken from the second cable car going to the top, and the last at the top of the mountain. There are usually around 200 people milling around there...

I feel for the poor sods who have businesses relying on the snow here, and for those people who've come for a ski holiday over Christmas. It's not going to happen. Sylvan is still renting out bikes... We are thinking about taking a couple of our mountain bikes up to the top tomorrow and riding down...

Mr.Cambio · Dec 20, 2014

Is that Switzerland Drew?

Andyk · Dec 20, 2014

Hmmmm...could be tricky skying on that Drew...

drewf · Dec 20, 2014

No, it's in France - the Swiss border is about 12km away. The pistes look the same in most of Switzerland too, almost all the stations have delayed their opening as there is simply no snow.

zagatoes30 · Dec 20, 2014

It will come and it might last longer but as you say Christmas skiers are going to be disappointed.

drewf · Dec 20, 2014

Andyk said:
Hmmmm...could be tricky skying on that Drew...

Yep - it's too muddy to use grass skis too!

The mountain bikes will work well though - might make a significant change to the usual Christmas Day skiing to a mountain restaurant.

drewf · Dec 20, 2014

Yes Zag, and New Year too - there's going to be no snow of any real depth until the middle of January at the earliest. Nothing forecast for 2 weeks... It will ruin some of the less well established businesses

safrane · Dec 20, 2014

Normally go to.Corchavelle for the first week after new year. ..think its off for this year.

casadalloro · Dec 20, 2014

Cerreto Laghi in the Appennines tuscany/emilia romagna border is the same... This pic was 10 days ago... Its all gone green again....we are heading out to our place close by february and usually there is 2m of snow.....heres hoping.....

TridentTested · Dec 20, 2014

Where is this Drew?

I'll be out in CHX in a couple of weeks. It's looking thin there but I've seen worse. http://m.webcam-hd.com/freestylepark/brevent

mjheathcote · Dec 20, 2014

My friend who has a small chalet half an hour from Morzine reports the same, he's been out this week with his boys, very little snow...as high as Avoriaz.
I'm not going out with him until March though, and skiing this year at kids half term in Scotland for a change!

drewf · Dec 20, 2014

TridentTested said:
Where is this Drew?

I'll be out in CHX in a couple of weeks. It's looking thin there but I've seen worse. http://m.webcam-hd.com/freestylepark/brevent

Photos are from St. Gervais Michael, but all the resorts in the Chamonix valley are much the same. Chamonix is closed, all the Grand Massif is closed, La Clusaz, the lot.

mjheathcote · Dec 20, 2014

drewf said:
Photos are from St. Gervais Michael, but all the resorts in the Chamonix valley are much the same. Chamonix is closed, all the Grand Massif is closed, La Clusaz, the lot.

My uncle has an apartment down on the side of Lake Annecy, and is going for xmas with his family....not good then as you know La Clusaz is just up the road.

drewf · Dec 20, 2014

Quite - going to Annecy on Monday to meet up with friends. One of the French forum chaps lives in St. Jean de Sixt, just a few minutes from La Clusaz. Apparently there's nothing there at all.

mjheathcote · Dec 20, 2014

My uncles place is in Talloires, been many times both in summer and winter skiing.
Infact there is a beginners slope at St. Jean de Sixt got the kids going on the first day skiing last Feb half term there!

drewf · Dec 21, 2014

Talloires - nice side of the lake

mjheathcote · Dec 21, 2014

....Overlooking the landing ground of the paragliders.

LeeH · Dec 21, 2014

I'm currently in Zinal in Switzerland and there is good snow on the piste here.

Also skied Grimentz and up high it is fine, admit I would not want to go off piste too far as
Still too thin and rock bound.

Drove through a few resorts three days ago on the Swiss French border and there was not a bit of snow
On the piste, it was like summer :-(

drewf · Dec 21, 2014

Interesting - that's about 2.5 hours easy drive in the car from here...

Mr.Cambio · Dec 21, 2014

Love it when we -as Maserati owners- talk about our chalets in France...This is good living. Now i need to get back to my golf game

(Joking only mates)

First day of the ski season

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