Skip to main content Buy your ski passes now
SeeMorzine

Morzine Snow Report: 3rd January 2013

Busy Days in the Portes du Soleil

featured in Snow report Author Debbie Priestley, Morzine Reporter Updated

The weather forecast for the coming few days looks set to be hot. Well, hot for a ski resort, expect bright sunshine and warmer temperatures, above zero, at least until Tuesday.

Expect light cloud cover on Thursday and Friday morning, and after that we’re due some fairly strong winds that will blow all the cloud away for the foreseeable future. The nights are going to be a little on the cool side, but with the freezing level set to be higher that the top lift in Avoriaz from Sunday until Tuesday - expect to need sun cream rather than cold sore cream.

With this forecast in mind, South facing slopes are very likely to be icy, with the sun melting the snow, and colder nights re-freezing the melt into sheet ice, so watch out. The melt-freeze cycle is also going to cause some interesting off piste conditions, and on-piste, some mega moguls towards the end of the day.

If you are intending on skiing off piste, remember to check the avalanche forecast online before you head up the hill and on the day at the ski patrol huts. The avalanche forecast is also available on most bulletin boards in resort, especially outside the Mayors offices.

The pistes today were insanely busy, especially in Avoriaz and Morzine. Further afield in the outskirts of Les Portes du Soleil, it was a lot quieter. The amount of people passing through also caused some mammoth moguls, and really choppy pistes towards the end of the day. In Morgins, on the Swiss side, it was quieter, but the snow was a little on the icy side, and the run into town was pretty much bullet proof. Chatel was busier, with the links back to Avoriaz taking forever to pass though, and Les Gets was similarly packed.

Today I skied from Avoriaz to Les Crozets, and the slopes were packed. Then going from Les Crozets into Morgins it was a little quieter. Morgins to Chatel was quieter around Super Chatel, but from Linga to Pres la Joux it gradually got busier, and as you dropped over into the Lindarets bowl, it looked almost like a mass of ants was swarming below you, it was so busy.

For the rest of the week, you need to remember that sun cream! It’s going to be bright. Goggles or good sunglasses are going to be essential. Snow blindness really hurts, and it is very easy to get out on the slopes. Remember it’s not just the sunshine you have to watch out for, it’s the reflection off the snow too!

The slopes are going to be busy, so get up early to make the most of your day, and head away from the central areas of Les Portes du Soleil. As mentioned in my last report, areas a little further afield will always be quieter. On the French side, Mont Chery is a good place to head, as well as St-Jean d‘Aulps as they’re a little less central. St-Jean d’Aulps is accessed by bus though, and not able to be skied to directly. Over on the Swiss side, Morgins, Champery, Champoussin and Les Crosets are all pretty tranquil. Les Crosets is the busiest of the Swiss resorts as it is easily accessible from Avoriaz.

If you are intending on dining out at lunchtime, it really is advisable to book ahead, or go for a late lunch as the restaurants really are rammed right now. With the forecast for sunshine, sitting outside is always an option, but do be aware that as soon as the sun drops behind the hills, it gets very cold very fast.

If you wish to ski loops around the entire Portes du Soleil ski area, check your piste map as there is a little guide on the back showing you the quickest routes between each ski area. That said, if you’re on a snowboard, watch out for flat runs as there are a lot of them about, especially on the Swiss side.

After the weekend the resort should quieten down a bit with the holidays coming towards a close. Everyone here is looking forward to the reduced lift queuing times and more tranquil slopes. We are, however, hoping for some snow soon, as it is starting to look a little bare here.

Fingers crossed for some more snow soon, but until then, enjoy the sunshine.

Have a great holiday!