Errant Verbier Ski Instructor and Snow Reporter reporting in. The ski addicts out there will love my excuse for being a bit slack on reporting back the good news!
Yes , I have been out there playing in some of the finest snow available. I am now on about ten consecutive days of fantastic powder. Starting last week in Zinal for four days with some great clients and then heading back to Verbier in time for Christmas and yet another dump of snow on Christmas eve.
As of today all the classic Verbier itineraries are skied out. However, with a little walking it was possible to find some great snow. Particularly good today was Rocky Garden where the snow was just perfect.
Please contact me if you think you’d like some help with your powder skiing skills?
https://www.roddywillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/rock-garden-march-11-023.jpg11552048Roddy Willishttps://www.roddywillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/RoddyWillis-logo.pngRoddy Willis2013-03-11 08:00:292021-02-01 08:42:36Epic Powder and Cuckoo clock chalets
Cabin Fever Cure. If you have been in the Alps over the last few days and have been holed up inside sheltering form the Snowmageddon. Then you might be suffering from Cabin Fever. Symptoms include: Restlessness, irritability, paranoia, irrational frustration with everyday objects, forgetfulness, laughter, excessive sleeping and a general distrust of everyone.
Unsurprisingly, not many cases of Cabin Fever have been recorded over recent years! If current predictions for snowfall are correct, then there will be more days of no skiing. Simple, because there is too much snow. Then we should expect to see outbreaks of Cabin Fever in ski resorts across the Alps.
There are not many cures for Cabin Fever. Here are some of the ones we know about. Go outside! Research has shown that even brief interactions with nature can promote improved cognitive functioning and overall well-being. I cured myself today by going outside and skiing some lush Pow and to boot the sun appeared for two runs, see photo above. Now as I look out the window it is dumping again! And I am starting to feel a little restless.
If you have a good cure for Cabin Fever or if you just want to go outside and ski some fresh tracks let me know.
https://www.roddywillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/powder-ski.jpg11472048Roddy Willishttps://www.roddywillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/RoddyWillis-logo.pngRoddy Willis2012-03-11 07:44:162021-02-01 08:42:37Today We Found The Cure For Cabin Fever
If you read some of the press in late November and early December you’d have thought that there was going to be no snow or skiing ever again in Switzerland. Well, the no skiing part might have been right on some days like today but the reason certainly isn’t a lack of snow! Today the lifts were shut and we skied Verbier Off Piste to le Chable, great snow and great fun.
https://www.roddywillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Medran-to-le-Chable.png450600Roddy Willishttps://www.roddywillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/RoddyWillis-logo.pngRoddy Willis2012-01-11 07:23:492021-02-01 08:42:37Skiing from Medran to La Chable
In Rocky Garden Verbier today the party was still chilled. The darkened corners of Rocky Garden away from the heat of sun there is still epic powder to be found. If, corn or spring snow is your thing then the season to be merry is here for those in the know. Like all great parties timing is the key, arrive to early and be welcomed by a crusty hard host. Arrive to late and all the guests have turned to slush and mush. Please contact me if you need a party guide to Verbier.
https://www.roddywillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/rock-garden-march-11-021.jpg5811030Roddy Willishttps://www.roddywillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/RoddyWillis-logo.pngRoddy Willis2011-03-02 07:36:152023-03-23 18:23:03Rocky Garden Verbier – Let the party rock
It seems to be only a few days ago that we were celebrating Shrove Tuesday. Eating banana filled pancakes smothered in chocolate sauce and washed down, nicely, with a little too much white wine. So, what on earth has this got to do with a snow report from Verbier? Well, as I said it seems like only a few days ago that I was stuffed to the gunnels and in need of forty days of Lent to recover from my over indulgence. However, with a sudden rise in temperature, it is as if the forty days of Lent have passed and the skiing is more akin to Easter. All very interesting. But, I think we will be firmly back on track with Lent from Saturday with the return of minus temperatures and HOPEFULLY some new snow.
The picture above shows my overheated skiing companions on the run to Mache and enjoying some fresh tracks high up the valley then soft slushy bumps on the lower slopes.
https://www.roddywillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/verbier-9-april-2010-003.jpg5811030Roddy Willishttps://www.roddywillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/RoddyWillis-logo.pngRoddy Willis2011-03-01 07:07:282021-02-01 08:42:37Forty Days Of Lent… In Verbier!
Each year I like to have a go at predicting the level of snowfall coming next winter to Verbier. You might remember last year I predicted that Volcanic ash would cause the ‘Mother of all Dumps’ and it was going to be a season of mega Pow! As you might imagine I need to find a different method of predicting next winters’ snowfalls, volcanoes in Iceland with strange names really didn’t produce the goods last winter.
MysticMikey (the guru of snow prediction) on Twitter has suggested trout swimming the wrong way and a ton of berries = SNOW. But I now think the number of oversized spiders in Verbier is the real talisman of mega snow. And here is the proof that next winter will produce the hundred-year-storm and we’ll ski fresh tracks every day of the winter.
More spiders…
If you have any pictures of whooper spiders that prove my theory? Then please do send them to me and I’ll publish them. Or, if you have seen any other signs that the storm is coming then please let me know.
Sitting around waiting for the skiing to start again I am predicting the future weather and snow in Verbier. If my research is correct we should be in for cooler climes over the next few years and that might mean more snow than usual next winter. So what is the reason for my snow prediction?
In the years after Laki erupted the climate chilled in Europe and thousands died from famine caused by crop failure due to the cooler weather. I am not sure the size of the current Icelandic eruptions will cause a famine in these modern times. However, it might cause cooler average temperatures which could result in a fantastic snow conditions in Verbier next winter season.
Mean while it is time to enjoy the summer and I am off out the door for a spot of fun.
You might be thinking from my last blog ‘The storm is brewing‘ that it is all doom and gloom in Verbier. I can report that there is still skiing on the pistes in Verbier. Above 2800 meters the snow is still dry and crisp. All north facing itineraries are now open again. The itineraries Vallon d’Arbi, Col de Mines are closed. In the morning the pistes are firm and defrost with heat of the day, turning to slushy bumps in afternoon. So, the afternoons are fantastic fun for the keen mogul skiers.
Here are some pictures of the aftermath of the events last Sunday. So, the positive side is the snow which has fallen onto the piste can be used to maintain the skiing over the Easter holidays.
https://www.roddywillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/avalanches-verbier-030.jpg5811030Roddy Willishttps://www.roddywillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/RoddyWillis-logo.pngRoddy Willis2010-04-11 11:33:182021-02-01 08:42:38Verbier After The Storm
The avalanche risk this morning shifted to Level 4. The avalanche bulletin also had warnings for all aspects of the mountain, especially on steep slopes below 2600 meters. What is extra-ordinary is that the increased risk is not from a massive snow-fall but a sequence of extra-ordinary weather.
Three days of very hot sunshine causing wet snow slides in the afternoon on southerly aspects of the mountain. This is not un-common for this time of year. But the mild temperatures over night have stopped the snow pack re-freezing, which has increased the risk of avalanches. This has caused large slides on the Col de Mine, Route Carrefour and Creblet. Also, closing some ski lifts and all the classic itineraries in the afternoon.
Saturday brought heavy cloud cover and the threat of precipitation. As I skied back to Verbier the weather turned for the worse with rain at over 2600 meters. At the same time there were avalanches on all aspects of the mountain. During the course of Saturday night the rain fell like cats and dogs, increasing the risk of avalanche from yesterdays 3 to 4.
Mountain Security
This morning the residents of Verbier were awoken with the noise of the mountain security teams blasting, a noise normally associated with a powder dump! Not a rain dump…. This morning as I met my clients at 9am it was still raining. After hanging around drinking coffee till 11 waiting for lifts to open, normally the sign for a great day of powder, the resort decided to close all lifts for the day due to avalanche risk.
In my 22 years in the Alps, resorts have shut because there has been too much snow but not because it has rained! Hopefully the predicted drop in temperature later this week will stop the thaw and maybe bring some fresh snow.
An interesting phenomenon appeared on Saturday, a new form of snow fell on the streets of Le Chable, consisting of flat colourful discs and falling in a localised area on the main road through la Chable. All very interesting and I have decided to call the Swiss weather service to report my findings. See picture above.
Anyway onto the real news, my skiing partners for today arrived at the meeting point looking a little bedraggled from the previous evenings carnival festivities. They talk of visiting all sorts dancing spots and strange bars as it is the 25th anniversary of the Carnival des Bagnes. All this leaves me wondering if this has anything to with the strange snow I have seen!
It is half term week and the slopes are getting are busy and with a low temperatures there are still pockets of powder to be found in a few secret stashes around the four valleys. Closer to home the pistes in Verbier are firm and well groomed in the morning then turning to bumps and ice in the afternoon with the half term traffic. The skiing off the groomed pistes in Verbier is turning to moguls as can be seen in the second of my photos which is lots of fun if that if moguls are your thing!
