Round up of the snow, road chaos, where we are & BYS NYE

In the blog entry last week we wrote:

“Not quite the Perfect Storm but the “wigglies” GFS forecast models don’t often look better than this…. it could be a difficult transfer day on one of the busiest of the season.”

Maybe it was the Perfect Storm after all and the timing was so perfect to cause maximum disruption on a Saturday. The roads gridlocked with minor accidents, vehicles stuck and people fitting chains meant snow plough clearance work couldn’t operate as efficiently as it should. Freeezing rain (not hail, but rain freezing on ground contact) caused the main dual carriageways from Albertville to Moutiers to become an ice rink and it had to be closed. Then it snowed some more…

Tails of transfer journeys of 24 hours or more were coming in and emergency accommodation in town halls and sports centres in several towns was set up. Good stories too of people helping each other, putting people up for the night, the great work by transfer drivers and reps, Eurostar supplying blankets and finally somehow getting everyone to La Taia where at least the skiing was going to be so much better than the Christmas Week.

Some of the twitter feed from last Saturday…

@davidzof: French media says worse transfer day chaos in living memory, blames chaotic snow clearance on autoroutes.

@davidzof: Emergency phone number: 08 11 00 06 73, the French will tell you where to go. #snowmageddon

@davidzof: French interior minster says 29,000 cars stuck on the roads of the Savoie tonight.

@benclatworthy: STRANDED SKIERS IN MOUTIERS: @Eurostar have confirmed overnight train to London is running and has seats available.

@benclatworthy: Roads are gridlocked. N90 Albertville is closed. Some have been stuck for 8hrs. Beds being set up in St Martin de Belleville. #Alps #Snow

We hear some transfers that left at 11am are still at Moutiers. Everyone trying their best but looking like the snow has won tonight with emergency accommodation being set up in many towns. Maybe it was the Perfect Storm after all…

The Skiing
Meanwhile on Saturday morning during the road chaos there was at last some fresh snow and great skiing as T Wall got out to do a snow report:

Some great snow pictures here

Folyeres opened down to resort for the first time on Saturday afternoon and although it took a while for the higher runs to be secured as off piste Avalanche Risk was raised to 4 out of 5 (HIGH RISK) much more of the mountain was opened up by the start of the week.

By Tuesday Murettes & Brigues/Amoureux down to Le Praz was open and the Lanches piste from Chenus opened. Dou des Lanches (the black) and Moretta Blanche remain officially closed for now but pisteurs working hard to open more runs. Val Thorens boasted 100% of lifts open on Tuesday although some runs still remain closed.

Outlook for the week is cold but largely sunny with possibility of snow forecast at the weekend / start of next week (poor transfer drivers). Nothing ike last weekend though…

The road chaos was reported in the UK as follows:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30613481

The Telegraph http://fw.to/EM9eZkF

And a good summary from Pistehors here

Here’s to a Snowy New Year and 2015 – It all kicks off with a Bring Your Sisters full line up at The Ski Lodge celebrating French and English New Year’s plus bacon sandwiches for breakfast at 4am! Cheers…

Rock n Roll – Bring Your Daughters…