Les Deux Alpes Snow Report: 22nd February 2015

It didn't actually look all that promising yesterday morning, with not much more than a few pathetic flakes being instantly whisked away by the wind. Everything above Cretes was closed, with winds of 72kph reported at Toura and 90kph on the glacier.

It calmed down a bit just after lunchtime though, and the snow started to get serious in the early afternoon, just as everyone was about to arrive in resort.

Today was forecast to be more of the same, overcast with snow and high winds, but just for once all the weather forecasts got the whole thing completely wrong and the morning turned up bright, sunny and still. What's more, it wasn't even all that busy, despite the fact that we've still got two zones on school holidays. Maybe they all got here late yesterday and decided to have a lie-in.

I headed straight for Signal and the glacier, where there was hardly any sign of yesterday's hurricane at all, and the whole place was knee deep in fluffy powder. Everything up there was perfect, with the possible exception of the pistes, which were chopped and lumpy. Not that I spent any significant amount of time on any of them - let's face it, why would you?

Leaving the top and heading down towards Toura and the mid-station, there's evidence of the wind in places, and you have to watch out for the odd rock and occasional crusty bits lying in wait to tip you over when you're not looking.

Toura itself has evedently been sheltered though, because down there it's back to fluffy powder and fresh tracks all over the place. Laps round the Lac Noir runs were splendid, with snow up to the knees and above, and there seemed tp have been minimal pisting activity overnight, which meant that just for once it wasn't all flattened into something which looks like the M25 and is just about as exciting.

At Bellecombe a bit further down the snow was still great, and once again there had been minimal bashing, so there was fresh fluffy stuff all over the sector. In particular there was some great riding off the left of the track heading from the top of the chair back towards mid-station - this drops you into a bowl and then back down to the Bellecombe chair. It was fairly comprehensively tracked by mid afternoon, but still fun and with a few fresh turns to be had in places.

I didn't make it to the Fee today, partly because my back leg was threatening to fall off by the time I'd been everywhere else, but it has to be fabulous down there. Tomorrow is forecast more stormy weather coming in, but if they get it wrong and the sun comes out again, Fee will be the spot to head for. 

The rest of the week promises a bit more snow followed by sunny spring weather from midweek onwards. Looking like the perfect holiday week.