Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The Mountain Moo-vie Experience

The Mountain Moo-vie ExperienceAs we slide towards the spring, local Morzine magazine Yodel have released the emerging details about the various end of season film competitions here in Morzine.

Here's all you need to know about the one they call 'The Mountain Moo-vie Experience'

As Yodel told you last week, there are quite a few fund raising events taking place in the next few months in memory of Heidi Beer. Here's one that doesn't involve cycling hundreds of miles!

The 'Mountain Moo-vie Experience' or the Valley Annual Film Night is organised by Rab and Paulie. It's basically an opportunity for local people with an interest in film and movie making to enter a short film that stirs the emotions - whether they be scary, sad, excited, angry, funny or odd. The screening of all entries takes place on 4th April 2012 at the gym in St Jean D'Aulps and if you'd like to take part you should register your entry with Rab or Paulie in advance. Here's their contact details:

Rab: 06 19 62 91 32

Paulie: 06 78 40 45 75

On the night of the screening there'll be a bar, food and a raffle with quality prizes, all in aid of The Lavender Trust in memory of Heidi. For more information give Rab or Paulie a call!


Sunday, February 26, 2012

Basscamp Festival News and Updates

Check out the speakers...!Check out the speakers...!These bad boys are on their way to Morzine. Imagine how awesome they'll look, standing tall and proud in the centre of the resort? The street party will be literally BANGING. For this and more updates on the up and coming BassCamp Electronic music festival in Morzine then click more >>

Thursday, February 23, 2012

The Sun's Influence!

With sunny and mild weather forecast for the coming week, it's useful to take into account which aspect of slope to ride on- and when. We came across this rather in depth article which really shows what a marked difference the sun can have on different orientated slopes....

The compass direction a slope faces
(i.e. North, South, East, or West.)
Menu
Slope Aspect with respect to the sun:

The direction a slope faces with respect to the sun (aspect) has a profound influence on the snowpack. It often takes several years of experience in avalanche terrain before most people appreciate the importance of aspect. If you don’t know your north from south, then you had better learn, because someone who doesn't know the aspect has missed one of the most important pieces of the avalanche puzzle. Buy a compass. Use it often and work on developing an intuitive feel for slope aspect. No excuses on this one.

The influence of aspect with respect to the sun is most important at mid latitudes, say from about 30 degrees to around 55 degrees--from about the southern U.S. border to about the northern British Columbia border. At equatorial latitudes, the sun goes almost straight overhead, which shines equally on all slopes. At arctic latitudes, in the winter, the sun is too low on the horizon to provide much heat and when it finally gets high enough in the spring and summer, it just goes around in a big circle anyway, shining on all the aspects with nearly the same intensity. Thus, in the arctic spring, aspect has some influence but not nearly as significantly as in mid latitudes. Therefore, the importance of aspec is primarily at mid latitudes.



At mid latitudes in the northern hemisphere:


• North facing slopes receive very little heat from the sun in mid winter. Conversely, south facing slopes receive much more heat. Therefore, a north facing slopes will usually develop a dramatically different snowpack than a south facing slope.

• South facing slopes tend to be warmer and often develop thin ice crusts. Because these crusts tend to grow weak layers around them from near-surface faceting, be careful not to assume southerly aspects are safer.




• How about east and west? East facing slopes catch sun only in the morning when temperatures are colder while west facing slopes catch the sun in the warm afternoon. Consequently, east facing slopes are colder than west facing slopes.


• A cold snowpack tends to develop more persistent weak-layers than a warm snowpack A cold snowpack commonly develops notoriously fragile weak-layers such as facets and surface hoar. Largely because of this, the lion's share of avalanche accidents occurs on north and east facing slopes, partly because that is where we find the best snow and people tend to trigger more avalanches there, but mostly because they exhibit more persistent weak layers.

• In wet snow conditions due to strong sun, it's just the opposite of a dry snowpack: south and west facing slopes will usually produce more wet avalanches than the more shady slopes.

• During prolonged cloudy or stormy conditions when the sun seldom shines on the snow, there will be very little difference between sunny and shady slopes.

• Remember that in the Southern Hemisphere it's just the opposite. South facing slopes are colder than north facing ones.


Human Factors:

Seemingly, subtle differences in slope aspect can have a huge effect on the stability of the snow. I can't count the number of accidents I have investigated in which people start snowmobiling, skiing or snowmobiling in a bowl on a safe aspect, but as they use up the snow, they not only gain confidence, but they tend to slowly work their way around the bowl onto the progressively more dangerous aspects, until someone finally triggers an avalanche.

Additional Terms:
Anchors Hard Slab Avalanche Slide
Aspect High Danger Sluff
Avalanche High Marking Snowpit
Avalanche Path Isothermal Soft Slab Avalanche
Avalanche Transceiver Layer, Snow Stability
Bed Surface Leeward Stability Test
Collapse Loading Starting Zone
Concave Slope Loose Snow Avalanche Stepping Down
Considerable Danger Low Avalanche Hazard Sun Crust
Convex Slope Melt-Freeze Snow Surface Hoar
Cornice Metamorphism, Snow Sympathetic Trigger
Corn Snow Moderate Danger Temperature Gradient
Couloir Persistent Weak Layers Terrain Trap
Cross Loading Point-Release Track
Crown Face Probe Trigger
Danger Ratings Propagation Trigger Point
Deep Slab Avalanche Rain Crust Upside-Down Storm
Density, Snow Remote Trigger Weak Layer
Depth Hoar Rime Weak Interface
Dry Snow Avalanche Runout Zone Wet Snow Avalanche
Extreme Danger Sastrugi Windward
Faceted Snow Settlement Wind Loading
Fracture Ski or Slope Cut Wind Slab
Glide Skinning, Skin Track Whumpf
Graupel Slab

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Skiing The Portes Du Soleil Circuit

The Circuit

We're a big fan of skiing the tour of the PDS- likewise Yodel magazine in Morzine who put together this details description of the tour..take it away Yodel..

The Portes du Soleil is one of the largest ski areas in the world with over 650km of marked pistes encompassing twelve resorts. It stretches between Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva, which creates a microclimate that is excellent for snowfall.

Jean Vuarnet was responsible for developing Avoriaz and then linking it to the surrounding resorts creating the Portes du Soleil ski area. The highest point in the area is 2466m and the lowest is at 1000m and there are more than 200 lifts linking the area, which stretches over 14 valleys. Luckily, for skiers and snowboarders who are keen to explore, most of the Portes du Soleil ski area can be reached in a single circuit. The circuit will take most average skiers and snowboarders a whole day to complete so first lifts are advised!

There are two directions the circuit can be skied; clockwise or counterclockwise. Completing the circuit counterclockwise could mean challenging La Chavanette otherwise known as The Swiss Wall or facing the getting the chairlift down. The Swiss Wall is classified as an orange, as it is considered too dangerous to even be a black. The wall should only be attempted if you are a very accomplished skier and are confident you can complete it safely. For this reason, we are taking a look at completing the circuit clockwise – a little bit more achievable for everyone!

There are many different ways of completing the Portes du Soleil circuit but here’s just one of our suggestions…

From Les Gets head up the Chavannes lift and follow signs to Morzine. Ski down the Pleney slope to the bottom where a bus stop is located. Take the petit train across town to the Super Morzine lift, take this up and then the Zore lift and follow the cat track to the Proclou lift, which will take you up to the top of the Lindaret bowl. From here ski down into the bowl - you can even stop to have a play in the famous Burton Stash park on the way down.

From Lindaret, take the Chaux Fleurie lift up and ski down to the bottom of the Plaine Dranse. Take the Chaux-des-Rosées chair up and ski down to Les Combes. Take this lift up and follow the long run down into Linga. From here you can again get the bus across the town of Châtel, to the Super Châtel lift.

If you are doing well for time, you could get the bus across to the Petit Châtel lift and take this followed by the Barbossine. From here ski down and take the Tronchay lift up. From here you can enjoy some great views across Lake Geneva towards Montreux before heading back towards the Super Châtel lift.

From the top of the Super Châtel, take the Chemillon and ski down to the bottom of the Le Corbeau. From here, you can take the bus across the town of Morgins to the Folleuse or it is actually also possible to walk there and take in the beautiful church.

Take the lift up and then ski to the Bochasses following signs for Champoussin. Ski to the bottom of the Aiguilles des Champeys and take the lift up then ski down to the bottom of the Pointe de L’Au, take this lift and then you can ski down into Les Crosets.

From Les Crosets, take the new Grande Conche lift and ski down to the bottom of the Cuboré, take this up and over lift into the Fornet area. Then ski back down into Avoriaz, take the Stade lift and ski down the Prodains home run.

Again take the A bus back into Morzine and take the Pleney bubble up, from here follow signs all the way into Les Gets. Then enjoy a drink before collapsing after a long days skiing - phew!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

MOUNTAIN CAR SHARE

Share a ride to the mountains or from the mountains

Car-Share from mountain to mountain.

Or what about from the airport to mountain or mountain to airport? Maybe somewhere along the way?

Check out the new Mountain Ride Share site and help cut back on those pesky CO2 emmissions! And obviously get to eher you want to be....MORE

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

The Playground Jam

The Playground Jam

This one's just for the ladies. On 30th March 2012 the La Chapelle park in Avoriaz plays host to The Playground Jam - a girls only slopestyle ski and snowboard competition.

Last year the Playground Jam was held under blue skies with a sunshine backdrop. The snow wasn't in the greatest condition but the enthusiasm of the girls involved more than made up for it - local lass Laura Berry set the bar very high from the off.

With the amount of snow on the ground this year, the event is sure to be a cracker. And for the first time the event is open to female skiers as well as snowboarders too!

The Playground Jam, organised by Gilly Seagrave kicks off at 10am with registration - you can enter in advance here. The event is sponsored by Eka, Vans and Nikita and there are some great prizes to be won. And Gilly is keen to let everyone know... all abilities are welcome so please don't be shy!

Yodel and Doorstep Skis will see you there, and we'll see you at the Cavern apres party in Morzine afterwards!


Friday, February 10, 2012

Climate Change is Impacting Winter Sports

Although we're having a great season so far here in theAlps, the overall trend, and the current season in the states doesn't make for encouraging reading.

Here's what Theo Spencer's blog was saying about the current snow fall trends in the states;

So far, it hasn’t been a great winter for skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers and folks who depend on a lot of snow for their recreation and livelihood. Some states—Washington and Alaska—and some ski areas like Taos in New Mexico, and Telluride in southern Colorado, have gotten dumped on. But most resorts across the country are hurting for snow and hurting for dollars as a result. (See my colleague Kelly Henderson’s recent blog post on this topic).

Some people have been arguing that this is just a normal fluctuation that comes with El Nino and La Nina weather patterns as well as the position of the jet stream, and that a warming climate has nothing to do with it. You can see evidence of this in the comments in response to Kelly’s blog.

Those weather patterns certainly do effect seasonal precipitation. But what we’re seeing this winter is part of a trend which is the result of more than just the current La Nina weather pattern. It is also the result of a buildup of heat-trapping carbon pollution in the atmosphere. As the US Global Climate Change Research Program states, “Snowpack has reduced over the last 50 years, due to temperature.” See their very helpful map of the trend in decreasing snowfall near bottom of page 42.

NASA scientist James Hansen shows in a recent paper that heat-trapping pollution has loaded the climate dice. Not only are severe heat waves becoming much more likely, but the warmer atmosphere holds more water. In the summer that means heavier down pours when it rains and more extreme droughts when it doesn’t. In winter it means that a larger share of precipitation comes as rain rather than snow, but when it does snow we can expect bigger blizzards. California skiers know how frustrating this can be. Last year big blizzards often made it impossible to get to the slopes, and this year has been patchy at best.

Negative human impact on the climate and winter recreation hasn't been lost on people like professional snowboarders and skiers. Protect our Winters (POW) was founded by one of the pioneering and most celebrated boarders, Jeremy Jones, after Jones noticed that so many of the places he was riding all over the world had less and less snow as the years have gone by. Jones and fellow advocates Grethen Bleiler (an Olympic silver medalist), and extreme skiing champion Chris Davenport, have taken their argument to Washington, lobbying members of Congress to pass legislation to cut carbon pollution. Big retailers like The North Face, Patagonia, Vans and O'Neill are behind POW--these companies make a lot of money selling winter gear. Less snow and shorter winters mean lower sales.

Other internationally known winter sports athletes, including two time Olympic gold medalist Seth Wescott, are also getting involved in helping boost support for cutting heat-trapping pollution

In a related development, as the Washington Post reported recently, the Department of Agriculture released a new plant hardiness zone map that shows generally warmer low temperatures for winter than the department’s previous map from 1990. The zones cover all 50 states and Puerto Rico and were drawn from the average winter low temperatures between 1976 and 2005 at 8,000 weather stations. The Agriculture Department did say, though, that the new map is not specifically a tool to measure climate change and that many of the boundary shifts are the product of better and more complete data and sophisticated computer algorithms.

As to the trend of overall human-induced warming temperatures, check out the recent New York Times article reporting on a new striking video NASA produced showing how temperatures around the globe have risen since 1880.

While weather does fluctuate year by year, and El Nino/La Nina do have an impact, the long-term trend is less snow and earlier snowmelt. This means more frustration for snow sport enthusiasts and a negative impact on the snow sports industry just as we are seeing in so many parts of the country this winter.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

SALOMON BBR TEST REVIEW 2012

Snoworks instructors 4 x Olympic skier Emma Carrick-Anderson and Course Director Phil Smith test out the latest BBR 8.9 skis from Salomon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPOE8aSRjpM&feature=youtu.be

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Mountain Etiquette

Mountain Etiquette

With the super busy holiday period almost upon us, local Morzine magazine Yodel put together a couple of mountain eitiquette points which should make life on the hill a bit for all of us. Take it away Yodel...

It’s an easy thing to forget that all the skiers and snowboarders on the mountain are at different levels to everyone else and yourself.

For this reason it is really important to observe mountain etiquette so that everyone can have a good day on the white stuff.

1. Stick to runs that suit your ability. If you are a learner, do not attempt a black run until you are ready. It will only frustrate the more competent people around you.

2. Don’t push in. Everyone can understand the frustration at waiting in long lines for the lift or ticket office but everyone’s going through the same thing!

3. Respect learners. If there are people who don’t look very comfortable, don’t just go whizzing past them with little space to spare. Always remember how intimidating it can be to learn so give them plenty of room.

4. The person in front of you has right of way. Whether you’re stopping, turning or trying to cross a run, always remember to watch for the person in front of you. They don’t have eyes in the back of their heads to predict your moves!

5. Control your speed. Ok so half the fun of the mountain can be riding fast but ensure you are always in control. Your good spirits will only be destroyed if you can’t stop yourself before smashing into a ski school!

We’re all here for the same thing so respect each other and have fun – it’s what we’re ALL here for!

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Nike 'The Chosen' Series comes to the PDS

We've been waiting for details on this event for ages. Nike 'The Chosen' series competition takes place in Chatel on Saturday 11th February and here's all the details you need to enter...

Nike 'The Chosen' series makes 9 stops across Europe this winter and the French stage takes place in Chatel.

The Chosen is the opportunity of the year for amateur skiers, snowboarders and film crews to take the spotlight. Nike are looking for teams to push the boundaries of style and the competition gives you the chance to submit showcases of talent and creativity. The Chosen series also gives you the opportunity to ride slopestyle jam sessions with pros while reps from Nike scout out the next unsigned ripped amateurs. The best amateur rider from each of the 9 events goes forward to a final in April.

The French round of The Chosen series takes place at the Chatel snowpark on Saturday 11th February from 9am. The Chatel snowpark has been specially shaped for the event. You can download your rider registration form here. Registration takes place in Chatel between 9am and 11am followed by a qualification jam between 11am and 1pm. After a break the final takes place between 2pm and 3pm with prize giving shortly after that.

Admission to The Chosen is free and includes a lift pass to use the Chatel snowpark. For more information on The Chosen Series visit the Nike website

Nike 'The Chosen' Series comes to Chatel

Partying Hard In Morzine and Avoriaz

  Partying Hard In Morzine and Avoriaz ...