Zinal slope-report? Might be there 9.4.-13.4.2011

Post by **Matti** » Monday 21 March 2011, 18:05

Has anybody been at Zinal? How are Le Col an Bart?
Might be there 9.4.-13.4.

Post by **manuchill** » Monday 21 March 2011, 19:39

I'll be there this weekend and will let you know in this topic

Post by **l-ju** » Monday 21 March 2011, 21:36

Hi

Around 15cm of fresh snow fall on saturday.
There is enough snow for the moment. Snow was too soft for EC yesterday but just incredible today (I was at work today but I've received some informations directly from the slopes... a very frustating situation !)
As the temperature will be very high during the coming week, this could be another story very soon.
Not sure that we will have the same conditions in 3 days !
It's the spring my friends !!!

Best regards,

julien

Post by **manuchill** » Monday 28 March 2011, 23:03

Oke, arrived home at the beginning of the evening after 3 days of Zinal and here's what I can tell you:

I arrived Friday in the morning and after checking in at the hotel went up with the gondola. Barthelemy was still in good condition despite the high temperature. Le Col was a no-go area, to many brown spots and most likely lots of stones. So Barthelemy was my friend of the afternoon till 15:00

Saturday started off very nicely, beautiful weather, slightly high temperature early in the morning, Barthelemy nicely groomed and the first one to be there together with Patrice

Unfortunately, at around 10:00 or so the temp was so high the snow was getting wet already. Luckily some clouds arrived, so the temp dropped a few degrees. Also had some flurries of snow this day, but all in all, Barthelemy and Durand were the places to be.

Sunday was the best day for me, cloudy but the sun shined a bit through it so good visibility. Julien joined me and Patrice for some nice fresh tracks on the nicely groomed Barthelemy and Durand.
After a few runs on Barthelemy, this slope was filled with stones. Only on the last part of the slope it was 'safe' to make laid turns. So, after the first tracks on Barthelemy, we moved to Durand which remained good until 14:00

To sum up:
- the temperature is to high at the moment
- there is not enough snow anymore
- Le Col is full of stones and has lots of brown spots
- Barthelemy is getting like Le Col
- Durand is still good
- the best time of riding is in the morning, so you should take the first lift for sure
- the snow is getting wet during the day in a very fast pace

So if you are planning to go to Zinal, you should get in contact with a local person there or maybe Patrice so they can tell you how the conditions are at that moment, because as I see it now and experienced the past days I don't think it's possible to do some nice runs as of 9.4
To little snow, high temperature, stones, no snow planned for the coming days... so it doesn't look good
So you might want to look for a different place... good luck on your choice

Post by **Hans** » Monday 28 March 2011, 23:19

It's already glacier time!

Post by **manuchill** » Monday 28 March 2011, 23:30

indeed, I saw some live footage from Zermatt @ 3800 meters and looked very nice....

Post by **pokkis** » Tuesday 29 March 2011, 8:24

Hans wrote:It's already glacier time!

No need, we have very good snow coverage on 100m over see level

I just built race tracks on weekend and for every pole there was more than 60cm good snow on slope.

Finnish glaciers will be used for training much later in summer as in pic below

Post by **harald** » Tuesday 29 March 2011, 9:54

In Norway it is still tons of snow. Hovden in Oppdal was a real rush two weeks ago. Even the local slopes in Oslo is still in good condition, but the mountain resorts are better. The daylight lasts till 8:15 am, but lifts close at 5 am in big resorts, 10 am in Oslo.

Post by **Matti** » Tuesday 29 March 2011, 17:47

Thanks for the snow / slope report.
Oh it´s a shame to give up

.
See you there next year.
Luckily we still have a snow here in Finland

.

Post by **Hans** » Tuesday 29 March 2011, 20:37

On our journal they said that the scandinavian countries had lots of snow the last few days. Lucky you (Harald, Pokkis, Matti). And also low temps...

Post by **harald** » Wednesday 30 March 2011, 13:11

Just to rub it in and make you even more envious. I have just returned to office after 1 hour EC'ing on our local slope here in Oslo, the only carver and almost alone. Very good spring conditions, pretty hard surface. sunshine. The snow in Norway have been at the Northwestern part and not in Oslo, but still the conditions are good here too.

Post by **starikashka** » Wednesday 30 March 2011, 14:10

Hans wrote:On our journal they said that the scandinavian countries had lots of snow the last few days. Lucky you (Harald, Pokkis, Matti). And also low temps...

It`s snowing now in Moscow. We are not lucky in this case

Post by **redhead** » Wednesday 30 March 2011, 15:05

harald wrote:Just to rub it in and make you even more envious. I have just returned to office after 1 hour EC'ing on our local slope here in Oslo, the only carver and almost alone. Very good spring conditions, pretty hard surface. sunshine. The snow in Norway have been at the Northwestern part and not in Oslo, but still the conditions are good here too.

Yesterday i was in my place and like you said, snow on the slopes is damn hard. Today also sunshine and everything i can see from my office yeahh

But still i prepare just little bit softer snow than concrete