Tony Crocker":29vle478 said:
With regard to snow I have no hard data but I would expect March to be the prime month based on altitude, steep terrain, etc.
I always prefer March (regardless where), because the snowpack is generally at a maximum. Mind you in March in the Alps, spring has already started.
Tony Crocker":29vle478 said:
Val d'Isere/Tignes has a good snow reputation and I think the annual snowfall there is a around 300 inches.
(...)
Are the Tarentaise areas similar in snow conditions at the same elevation, or is Val d'Isere/Tignes a high snow microclimate? If you visit multiple areas on the same trip, it's not hard to figure this out.
The major areas in the Tarentaise are (order has up follow up the Tarentaise river upstream)(+ my experience with each of them):
les 3 Vallées (Les Menuires, Val Thorens, Meribel, Courchevel - it was the world biggest area, don't know if it's still is?). 6 days / March 16-22 2003
La Plagne (a link to Les Arcs was done in 2003)
Les Arcs
2 days late January 1993
The small Ste.Foy (which I saw refered in a US ski magazine lately)
Val d'Isère/Tignes
2 days late January 1993 + 3 days mid-December 2000
Tony Crocker":29vle478 said:
The other question is whether Patrick has been to any of these areas in the same late Jan/early Feb. timeframe. If so, was most/all of the expert stuff open? And what did the locals say about conditions relative to later in the year or other seasons?
Having followed World Cup since I was a kid, I know that generally Val d'Isère is one of the few places on the World Cup Circuit were there is snow in really bad years. Val d'Isère also has the first downhill of the season in the first week of December. I can't really say if and why it gets more snow? If so, is it because of a micro-climate or simply due to the general higher elevation of the whole area around it?
Bad snow year:
We experienced this ourselves just prior to Christmas 2000. There wasn't any snow to run any type of WC competition across the Alps. A GS had been canceled at Les Arcs down the valley (40km). Val d'Isère has extensive snow making at the bottom elevations (1800-2500m), conditions were marginal on natural snow trail up to maybe 2500m. Mind you this varied generally because of exposure of the slope. Tignes and Val d'isère also has glaciers. Had great fun and was able to ski some steep stuff.
Normal year?
In first visit to the region was in January 1993. If I remember correctly, if hadn't snowed in 3 weeks when we arrived at Les Arcs. Stayed 4 days, skiied the first 2 day at Les Arcs and the next 2 at Val d'Isère/Tignes. Although the trails conditions were relatively hard (for the Alps and the West), snow was excellent on the steepest runs/chutes at Les Arcs. Snow was also excellent at Val d'Isère/Tignes regardless of the lack of new snow. Also skiied Alpe d'Huez twice that year during the Christmas holidays, conditions were good higher up.
Late January/early February?
I would say in a normal year, you should be fine. In a bad year, Val d'Isère/Tignes is probably one of the few remaining good places. The size of this place is amazing.
Late February/early March:
BEWARE!!! I believe this is PEAK time when schools are on spring break.
Here are a few numbers from resort guide ski magazine (1992-3) - the 350 for Val d'Isère seem odd when compared to the others.:
Snow on the ground at the bottom (cannot find total snowfall):
Tarentaise Areas from East to West:
Val d'Isère (alt: 1850m): dec: 25cm, feb: 350cm, apr: 130cm
Tignes (alt: 2100m): 80, 120, 150
Les Arcs (alt: 1800m): 110, 190, 90
Val Thorens (alt: 2300m): 90, 150, 60 (connected to Les Menuire / higher up just south)
Les Menuires (alt: 1850m): 60, 100, 90
Areas close to La Grave (skiing from top of La Grave to Les Deux Alpes is possible)
Alpe d'Huez (alt 1830m): 54, 90, 89
Les Deux Alpes (alt: 1650m): 50, 80, 40
Serre-Chevalier (alt: 1350m): 50, 80, 70
Chamrousse (alt: 1650m): 60, 80, 30 (just above grenoble)