Skip to main content Buy your ski passes now
SeeMorzine

Heavy snowfall to end the week in Morzine

Outstanding conditions for the Portes Du Soleil

featured in Snow report Author Giles Towler, Morzine Reporter Updated

This week started with lots of fresh snow and overcast skies. Things changed on Tuesday when the sun came out again, allowing skiers to really take advantage of the conditions. The snow cover throughout the resort was perfect, and the slopes have been mostly quiet all week.

As is often the case when it’s a bit of a whiteout, skiers tend to congregate in Lindarets, but on the Pleney side it was far quieter. Mt Chery was almost deserted. The snow cover on the lower slopes of Pleney and Les Gets has also improved, as it had been slightly icy at times last week just on the very bottom sections, but this is no longer a problem.

Heavy snowfall to end the week in Morzine

The sunshine didn’t last, however, and by Wednesday it was snowing once again. It wasn’t quite as heavy as the last snowfall, but it continued throughout the day and helped improve conditions even more. The only downside was the very strong wind. It was fine in more sheltered areas, but anywhere more exposed was not so good. The snow was blowing sideways at high speeds and this, combined with the cold temperatures, made for a less than fun experience at the top of some slopes. Some of the pistes really began to suffer by the end of the week and were quite wind scoured.

However, this was only the case in the most exposed areas. There are plenty of bowls and tree areas for skiers to get away from the wind. The high winds have also made some off piste areas unsafe. The best bet for off piste at the moment is probably amongst the trees. The avalanche risk at the moment is 4/5, and is up to 5/5 in some other resorts, so the utmost caution is needed if skiing off piste. With up to 25cm of fresh snow on the higher slopes it is very tempting to get in the powder, but it is advisable to wait for the snow to settle.

Heavy snowfall to end the week in Morzine

Some of the pistes have not been fully pisted at the moment, meaning there are large moguled sections. The amount of snow falling this week has meant that there is a lot of work for the piste bashers to do. More snow is falling at the moment and is expected to continue throughout the day, with some intermittent snow over the next couple of days. Despite the high winds it has been an incredible week for snow. Visibility is currently very poor, and as usual the tree runs provide the best skiing. Hopefully the wind will have died down and the snow can settle. At the moment it looks as though Saturday could be mostly sunny, and it will be well worth getting up early to head up in the fresh snow.

Heavy snowfall to end the week in Morzine

Overall, despite the wind, this has been a great week for skiing. There has been fresh snow almost every day and there is now a base of around 2.5m on the highest slopes, and over 1.5m on the lower slopes. The cold temperatures have also helped to keep the slopes in pristine condition. At the moment, the forecast for next week looks like a return to previous weeks with some snow and some sunshine. We are almost half way through the winter season now and, after a slow start, it has been a very good season. There has been fantastic snow for the most part and just enough sunshine to really enjoy it. Now hopefully the wind will die down a bit and things will be perfect.

NB: Exploring beyond the ski resort boundaries is an amazing experience for anyone who's physically fit and has mastered the pistes well enough. There are, however, risks associated with venturing outside the safety of the marked/patrolled ski area, including awareness of your actions on those below you on the slopes. Mountain guides are professionally qualified and have extensive knowledge of the local terrain to provide you with the safest and most enjoyable possible experience in the mountains; as a visitor here we highly recommend you hiring one. Many ski schools also provide instruction in off-piste skiing, avalanche safety and mountaineering techniques. Make your time in the mountains unforgettable for the right reasons, ski safe!

Off-piste skiing and mountaineering are dangerous. The opinions expressed in these articles are very much time and condition-specific and the content is not intended in any way to be a substitute for hiring a mountain guide, undergoing professional mountaineering training and/or the individual's own backcountry decision making.

Location

Map of the surrounding area