© Sam Birch
A snowy start to half term in Les Arcs
Gold medal piste conditions across the whole of Les Arcs
The Winter Olympics have started in Pyeongchang and it is difficult not to shift your focus to the quite frankly spectacular things the international athletes can do on, and sometimes many metres above, the snow. This may explain why the pistes have seemed so quiet despite it being the start of British and French half-term holidays.
Whilst the professionals in Korea have been struggling with strong, gusty winds, the last couple of days in Les Arcs have been dominated by cloud and snow. This has reduced visibility but increased fun. Mother Nature has provided us with a bumper season of snow and conditions both on- and off-piste are exemplary. Fortunately, the sun has begun to emerge today, revealing the pistes and their possibilities.
Half-term
It was a very strange start to the school holidays. Over the weekend and into Monday morning some sectors were almost eerily quiet. At higher altitudes, where the cloud and flat light made the visibility particularly difficult, the lifts were practically empty. On Sunday you could walk right onto the Aiguille Rouge gondola to reach the top of Les Arcs; this is by no means a common occurrence, even in the least popular weeks. The weather has thus ensured that fresh tracks were available on many of the uppermost runs: for the majority of this morning, pistes like Clocheret and Comborciere were deserted until the sun broke through the clouds. With meteorological conditions likely to remain mixed throughout the week, if you know the area and have the confidence, it can be prurient to visit the cloudier pistes when the weather comes in. However, remember that half-term brings a lot of small people to the pistes and there will be an increased number of ski-school snakes on the pistes, so always stay vigilant and adapt your speed accordingly.
There are a few ways to avoid crowds during peak periods. Skiing through lunch is a popular technique and, if you have the skills, aim for more difficult pistes. The Grand Col, Aiguille Rouge, Arandelieres and the various black runs accessible via the Varet lift can be good options. Typically, the busiest lifts across the resorts tend to be Pre St Esprit, Arcabulle, the Transarc and Peisey, although this can alter dramatically according to lift closures and weather conditions.
Aiguille Rouge
Over the weekend, a trip up the Aiguille Rouge gondola was not only easy but also very rewarding. The entire 7km run down into Villaroger was an absolute dream, with the frequent additions of fresh snow ensuring smooth and comfortable riding conditions. As usual, the lower section of the red run is moguled, but the bumps are soft, well-spaced and easy to navigate. Only the very bottom of the Lys blue run into the village felt a little icy, but that was very much the exception to the rule. Monday morning saw the gondola close temporarily, and clear skies will likely see a rush to the top but, with the pistes performing so well, it is a recommended ride regardless.
Pistes
All the blues are fantastic at the moment with Foret and Mont Blanc standing out in my mind. The riding is very easy across all the resorts, inspiring confidence underfoot even when visibility is an issue. Peisey-Vallandry has been a treat over the last few days, with the trees helping to mitigate the mist. The only real issue can be when groups of skiers decide to stop across the pistes, or snowboarders sit down in the middle of a run; it is even more important during busier periods to ensure that, if you must stop, that you do it at the edge of the piste leaving plenty of room for other people to pass.
Off-piste and park
Whilst we may not have seen huge powder days recently, there has still been 10-20cm of snowfall in the last 24 hours. This has made the off-piste very shreddable indeed. When the clouds lift, I expect the most popular areas to get tracked out quickly, so be ready after every snowfall to head to the best places.
If the events in South Korea are inspiring you to more technical tricks and bigger air, head straight for the snowpark above Arc 1600. It has been in beautiful order all season and has a variety of different runs, lines, jumps, rails and boxes to suit every ability level.
