Courchevel Snow Report: 20th March 2013

Wow this season just keeps on giving! Another foot of fresh snow has fallen in the 3 Valleys over the last few days as spring seems like a distant memory and we are once more immersed in a winter wonderland. It started with some light snow on Saturday evening followed by a heavy fall on Sunday and Monday.

Tuesday saw a brief respite in the weather treating us to a bluebird powder day and the perfect setting for Le Ski’s 30th Anniversary Race Day which took place on the Stade piste in Courchevel Moriond. Guests and staff spanning the 30 years Le Ski has been in operation took to the gates and retro ski gear was definitely the theme of the day. As we tucked into the BBQ and enjoyed a cold beer in the sunshine surrounded in deep powder it dawned on us just how perfect this season has been.
The sun wasn’t to last though, and as I type this the snow gods have looked down on us yet again as we’re treated to another fall of heavy snow. All this snow means that the pistes are once again covered and the hard packed snow and emerging ice are deeply buried providing excellent conditions, especially for so late in the season. This time of year we’re normally digging out our rock hoppers as we dodge the stones on the piste. It was therefore with great delight that I pulled my powder skis out from the back of the cupboard yesterday and reattached my transceiver which was all but packed away until next year.

This is great news for all those preparing to join us for a late break at Easter! Yesterday the pistes were a bit bumpy as all the powder had been chopped up but with the pisteurs working hard over night to groom the fresh fall the pistes are bound to be epic again today.

Off-piste yesterday the snow was incredibly deep. As we skied the Fork Tree area near the Chapelets lift in Moriond the bushes which you normally need to dodge were buried, with pillow lines aplenty. The deep powder which blanketed the trees, rocks and slopes resembled a North American ski movie – spring skiing just doesn’t get much better than this!

Despite the heavy snow, the temperatures are still hovering around the freezing point at 1,500m so the snow is a little heavy. If you’re heading off piste get out early for the best conditions and be sure to wear your avalanche safety gear (transceiver, shovel and probe). With heavy snowfall and rising temperatures even the smallest slide can have devastating consequences with the snow setting like cement. Unfortunately three people lost their lives yesterday across the Alps in avalanches, so be very cautious.

Looking ahead, we’re expecting sunshine over the next couple of days with more light snow forecast over the weekend. Temperatures are due to rise slightly with the freezing level rising to around 1,800m.

Tonight we’re heading up to a refuge at the top of Les Avals with friends for an evening of fondue and whiskey. Off the beaten track and far from civilisation, it’s usually a serene spot although I doubt this will be case this evening as we toast this bumper year. I just hope I get up in time to make it back for work.

My reward for this early start will be a beautiful run down fresh corduroy back into resort in the morning – every cloud……