The Bochard cable car at the Grands Montets opened today, for the first time of the season, with excellent conditions!
I even managed to sleep in and get on the lift for some wonderful deep fresh powder lines, as they didn't open it until noon, due to safety preparation and a gradually clearing sky. The sun came out and the day developed into a beautiful sea of cloud, with the Aiguilles Rouges and the Mont Blanc massif looking like islands.
There were the usual rocky areas, where the wind always scours exposed places, and then some isolated rocks in between, but for the most part the coverage was really good. Considering what it normally looks like at this time of year around the Bochard area, I think we are doing really well.
It was amazing to feel the cumulative snowfall of the past week of storms underneath my skis, especially with last night's 20 centimetres of fluff on top. I could feel the individual crystals dancing as my ski base plowed through them.
The Lavancher bowl (Pendant) got skied down to the cat track that swings you back through the tunnel to the Plan Joran, and it was super fluffy in there, where the wind had been less effective. The pistes were also good and smooth - the descent from Bochard partly groomed and partly fresh powder. I think that they will groom it nicely for tomorrow. Les Houches was also looking good today, with some great cruisy groomers.
The snow is slowly stabilising as the next storm approaches, but there were many small slab avalanches today on steep rollovers. The backcountry and offpiste has quite a high risk of avalanche right now.
We are all set for a beautiful sunny day tomorrow, and with all the snow around, the Chamonix valley is going to look stunning and shiny bright! I can't wait to see the Mont Blanc in the morning.
Here is a video from the last few days:
