Three Valleys and La Tania End of Season Report 2006/2007
How the snow REALLY was this season by Nick of Nickski
9 May 2007
La Tania Gondola base station 22nd November 2007
Considering all the doom & gloom merchants and the UK Press "No Snow in the Alps" etc etc the season was pretty much an average one with a few differences compared with normal, but what is normal?
For anyone who is new to the 3 Valleys a few details: We probably have the most modern lift system in the world with an uplift capacity of in excess of 250,000 people per hour, with about 150 miles of pistes with snow cannons and about 400 miles of pistes in total. Not to mention the huge off-piste potential and if you want a nice small friendly resort that sits between Courchevel and Méribel with fast links into the system you cannot beat La Tania and her tree lined runs. You can also have a lively night out with live music almost every night if you have the energy after a hard day skiing.
The season started much warmer than usual and it was only mid December before La Tania could run snow cannons but it was all systems go higher up. The facts as I saw them:
1. Val Thorens opened 24th November, later than planned due to the warmer than normal temperatures.
Val Thorens opening day - 24th November 2006
2. Courchevel opened 10th December, 1 day later than planned but awesome untracked powder everywhere and that day we skied all the way home to La Tania (not officially opened until 16th) and continued to do so until the 22nd April.
Courchevel 1850 opening day, skiing back down to La Tania - 10th December 2006
3. La Tania opened 16th December as planned and we skied to the 4th Valley and back, all skiable and no down loading for the links. Folyères, the resort run was skiable but opened officially a few days later after cannoned snow was pisted. Towards the end of the week the rolling program of opening had about 80% of pistes open in the whole area, getting on for 320 miles.
Top of the 4 man chair above La Tania. Opening day in La Tania 16th December 2006
4. Still remaining warmer than normal and lower pistes suffering by New Year but then a big dump of snow mid-week and the green run opened back to La Tania.
The SUMiT GPS Challenge stating in La Tania - Dumping on 2nd January 2007
5. By the week of 20th January lower runs were suffering again but still open.The green run shut for a few days then after another heavy snowfall it reopened and even Jockeys was skiable with half a metre plus of champagne powder.
Snow cannons kept things topped up when needed - Méribel Valley 27th January 2007
6. After this everything was back to normal and the Grande Couloir opened along with Jockeys to Le Praz and 100% of the area was officially open, about 400 miles.
Off piste above Couchevel 1650 on 9th February 2007
7. Snowfalls continued in February and early March. By late March lower runs without cannons were beginning to close as normal. The green run, Plan Fontaine, remained open until 28th March.
La Tania resort webcam on 26th February 2007
8. Folyères remained open until 22nd April as planned along with at least 80% of the 3 Valleys pistes.
First track on Lanches just above La Tania - 31st March 2007
9. We skied to the 4th Valley and back on the last weekend, the pistes still in lovely condition, no downloading required through Mottaret and we skied back down to La Tania.
Saulire on the last day of the Courchevel Season - 22nd April 2007
Val Thorens still had 70% of it's ski area open when it closed on 8th May 2007
So, all in all a pretty average winter season here albeit warmer than usual (but not unique, 92/93 was by all accounts similar) with only 2 weeks below minus 10C, one in January and the second in March.
The total snowfall was just over 5.5 metres for the season. None of our guests ever complained about poor snow conditions and I had a great skiing season.
Nick Newell, Nickski
www.nickskithreevalleys.co.uk
Read Nick's rant back in February on the "No Snow in Europe" UK Press reports here
Update 28th May 2007 - More Snow!
And the Daily Mail is still telling lies on 29th May 2007...
"Ironically, the weather follows one of the worst winters ever for snow at Alpine ski resorts"
From If you thought our Bank Holiday weather was bad article.
