New Songs, New Facial Hair, New Season The beginning of the end……
Helen, Andrea and Phil of Snow Retreat on the piste for the first time this season. After a few sunshine runs on fresh corduroy, we retired to a mountain restaurant where we met Nick and Joey of Nickski. We had lunch outside in the sun with a couple of glasses of the red stuff – lovely ! Then back to the pistes for a couple of hours hooning while there was virtually no one around. Nice start to the season 
Thanks to Helen’s husband Nick for the photo. http://www.snowretreat.co.uk
Nickski Snowreport
Val Thorens opened today and I was there for the 9.15am opening of Peclet. Good conditions on the cannoned snow. As usual on the first day just a couple of lifts open (Peclet and Cascades and beginners tunnel) with more due to open for the weekend, probably the area between Peclet and the Grand Fond as the pistes looked ready. Despite a good days skiing we are waiting for colder weather and the first proper snow to arrive.
Nick www.nickskithreevalleys.co.uk
Zoom photo of the new funitel from the top of Portette chair, not sure what its called though. Nick www.nickskithreevlleys.co.uk
Quiet pistes lower down at Val Thorens today. The power and scale of the snowmaking system in The Three Valleys opening the ski area before some decent natural snow falls. Most forecast models starting to agree that things will change by the end of next week and the blocking high pressure system will finally be broken and hopefully lead to some decent snow fall.
With the High Pressure system finally looking to move away next week, all focus will be on the incoming snowfall.
Not since Bill Manson has there been such weather geekery in La Tania – this from A Freeride Republic guest…
*Weather predictions for this year – genuinely a very interesting scenario and there are conflicting models; however, this is what I think will happen: the current mild spell could end as early as mid next week as a deep Atlantic storm passes over Britain dragging down a cold Northerly across Europe behind it. So, first significant snow (you haven’t had much yet have you?) could be with you end of next week. Beyond that, it may mild up briefly, but all the signs are for a particularly cold second half of December – and especially January. The air mass will be from Siberia, so unfortunately, mostly dry, BUT as any fronts pass through they will absolutely dump! Therefore, I would expect alternate weeks of dump / dry & severe cold. Beyond January, I would expect much of the same, with an unusually long season. HOWEVER, the season will end abruptly when it does with sudden warmth and storms. Does that sound precise enough? Let me know on my accuracy through the months. “*
The building of the pistes begins…. Showing the run down Saulire down towards 1850 and the snow on the Biollay ridge starting to form the piste there too.
