Ski Breezy News Updates – what’s going on???

This page is aimed at sharing some Ski Breezy news and updates as to how things are in the Chamonix Valley. What we get up to skiing, telemarking and snowboarding in and around Chamonix.

Monday 1st March - St Davids Day
The last week has been really unsettled weather combined with periods of poor visibility. Having said that we have had a top up of snow about every other day. Saturday was a great morning with cloud coming over in the afternoon enabling one client to join a group to get a Valley Blanche done. The top third was in great fresh powder.
On Sunday a trip through the tunnel to Courmayeur to escape the rain in Chamonix town revealed a fresh dump of 30cm. Not even the roads had been cleared let alone the pistes groomed.
Today the sun shone and Grand Montets provided fresh tracking entertainment all day now that the Half Term rush has passed.

Half Term Week
We were very lucky to have a lovely Danish family staying with us for half term week this year. Always good to have different nationalities in the chalet. 3 different generations who have been to Chamonix before so knew the area quite well. A mixture of skiers and non skiers. The kids did really well with their lessons and all got their next badges with ESF.
Mixed weather for most of the week.
2 glorious days at the beginning and then some fresh snow and some better weather towards the end of the week.
Not as busy and chaotic as usual so Al and I got some great skiing in too.
Good to catch up with "Reidy" an old uni friend at the week end whilst he and his wife Lucy managed to escape from parental duties for a long week end. The sun shone for them on 2 days out of 3 so they were lucky!

Monday 15th February
A couple of days of snow in Chamonix Valley made us get through the tunnel and ski Courmayeur. It had snowed there recently and we were treated to blue skies and baltic temperatures.
Since then the conditions have been stable with very cold temps in Chamonix.
A Valley Blanche on the standard route showed us a lot of crevasses open still and a long pole out from Salle a Manger. Snow was good but wind affected up high.
Toured from Brevent over to Aig Les Houches in fantastic snow and a descent off the west face in fresh tracking powder.
Today to get away from the crowds we dropped off the north side of Le Brevent, acres of completely untracked powder to play with - however every turn down is more skinning to get back into the ski domain. Well worth it though. See the pics here.


Monday 8th February
Blue skies and sunshine all day. A great first day for the guests who headed up to Brevent and Flegere for their first day. They all had a great day and loved the amazing views they got from there.
Al and I had booked a bin to the top of Grands Montets for 10am to head off and tour over the Col de Passon. The bin booking was not needed as we walked staright on to the top bin with no queue.
A fantastic ski down from the top before a 2 hours ascent on skins and crampons to get to the Col de Passon. We had the Col to ourselves for lunch before a powder descent with freshies all the way to Le Tour. The snow was a little wind effected but we found the soft fluffy stuff, very happy and tired legs all good.


Saturday 6th February
Blue skies and loads of fresh snow.
Kate and Sauze joined us for 3 mid stations in waist deep snow, light powder and huge amounts of fun. Some of the best powder this season. Cold temperatures keeping everything in excellent condition.


Thursday 4th February - Glacier du Mort
First ski tour of the season was great. Fantastic weather as we left the top of the Floria lift at Flegere and headed up the first col. A ski round to the second col and a group of blokes kindly broke trail. Once gaining the top of the col there is a half hour mixed snow and rock climb to gain the summit and ski off towards Buet. Having descended 300m we came accross a lone skier stuck on a cliff face so called in a chopper rescue.
The descent was slightly wind affected but great skiing. See the album.

Week Commencing Jan17th
So far this has been the best week of the season.
We had fresh snow on Sunday always good to see when arriving into resort and fresh snow on Wednesday. A great group of people in the chalet, lots of repeat guests out for fun both on and off the piste. Fantastic snow conditions and sunshine all week there were a lot of happy faces around. Great skiing and plenty of variety finding fresh tracks every day which is always a bonus.
Ski wise we managed a trip to Courmayeur mid week for some good skiing and of course a good lunch at Christiana's plenty of pizza and pasta and of course the odd glass of prosecco. Back bowls of Le Tour were in great condition and the video camera was out to get the action shots of the fresh tracks. Lauren's birthday involved a piste picnic up at Brevent in the sunshine with more Prosecco and birthday cake to be enjoyed by all. The Jekyll was the place for the night off after a meal out to boogie the night away with 80's music.
We even managed a cheeky mid station explore with some good fresh tracks at the top and plenty of bumps at the bottom!!!
We had a day at Grands Montets and had a couple of good trips up the top. Followed by the legendary Saturday chuck picnic not to be missed.
A top week thanks to you all for so much fun, see you next year!!!

Thursday 14th January - Le Brévent & Flegere
Had a crackin day today after the snowfall yesterday. Managed to get the second bin up the top mid morning and put fresh tracks in beside the piste, then made our way over to Flegere with cheeky off piste runs most of the way. The lift up to Flegere was closed due to valley wind so the place was comparatively deserted so we had all the terrain to play with. Forecast is very cold with new disturbances due to start on Sunday.

Thursday 7th January - Priviledge Card
The New Priviledge Card is out and easily available around town.
What is it? Well it's about the size of a credit card and it opens out to be a really useful map of Chamonix Town with loads of bars, restaurants, shops and other interesting places marked on it.
What is the benefit to me? There are also a stack of vouchers for free stuff and money off etc. For example if you are planning to buy an MBU Ski Pass for 3 or more days you get 5% off. If you want to eat at the Jekyll with a friend you get 2 for 1 on main meals. Fancy a quick half a beer - pop over to Mix Bar before 8pm and you get 1 free. Plus there are 10% and 5% vouchers off some shops.
What's the catch? It costs €10 for the card. Having said that the minimum off a ski pass is €12 so you are already €2 up and you still have loads of discounts and free stuff to cash in on. There is no catch!
We have a stack of cards at the chalet and will certainly recommend clients use them.

Tuesday 5th January - 36hrs of snowfall
It has been a busy time with all the NY festivities, loads of snow, clearing the drive 3 times a day!!! and now it is back to quiet slopes and powder to be had.
I trundled up to Grands Montets today, blue skies and fresh snow and had a great social ski with friends. The powder was light but had a slight wind crust so the skiing was actually better where it had been chopped up a bit rather than making fresh tracks.
Conditions are great now and people are skiing back down to town which was not always possible before NY week. Temperatures are much colder so keeping the snow very nicely. Looks like January is going to be a good ski month.

January 1st 2010 - HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!!
What could be the nicest way to start the NY?  Fresh tracks at Grands Montets. Blowing away any excesses from the night before with fresh powder and nobody around, it was worth getting out of bed for.


Saturday 26th December 2009 - Christmas Day / Boxing Day
On Christmas eve we went into town in the evening to see Santa's arrival. In true French style it was a little bizzare with Gregorian chanting and nobody dressed in red at all. There were fantastic fireworks and free vin chaud though.
Christmas day was a blizzard and complete white out at Le Tour where we arranged to meet Keith & Lyn to have lunch up the hill. We went to the Alpage Restaurant under the drag lifts and funnily enough we had the place to ourselves but the food was fabulous.
Boxing day and blue sky powder at Le Brévent putting down fresh tracks from the top station.

Sunday 20th December 2009 - Le Brévent Day 2
This week has seen regular snow showers and yesterday the whole valley opened for Christmas week. Breezy and I have been venturing out to check out conditions in different areas in preparation for the first guests. Today we were up at Le Brévent cruising beautifully groomed pistes and putting fresh tracks in light fluffy powder in between them. The entire valley is white and really Christmasy with more snow due for the next two days. Bring it on!!!

Saturday 12th December 2009 – Courmayeur
A day trip to Courmayeur to check out the snow paid dividends. Pistes in great condition and small forays off the sides were good too. The bubble lift above Plan Checrouit was open and the Youla; the Arp was only open to pedestrians. Snow fell continuously all day though not heavily. Après ski was taken at a small bar in town and entertainment was provided by 4 old guys playing jazz swing numbers on a double bass, banjo, saxophone and washer board. Fantastic!

Thursday 10th December 2009 - Blue Sky & Grippy Snow
Having said that we could do with a few over night snow showers; that is exactly what we have had. Add to that a whole day of rain in the town and all of a sudden Grands Montets has a great cover of snow and the off piste is in fine fettle. Blue sky and great grippy snow! We have been keeping tabs on the Courmayeur website and they have had significant falls in the last few days too, so off there on Saturday to check it out.

Saturday 5th December 2009 - First Day at Grands Montets
Today saw the opening and people turned out in droves (well there were a lot of cars in the car park). The renovated telecabine is no faster just a different colour so most people were queuing at the bottom. The Bochard was open and the piste was in good condition without the usual areas netted off for lack of snow. Off piste looks very inviting with few tracks in, but there is probably a very good reason for that. Experience says that a handful of 20cm overnight falls will see the off piste come into condition without risking the base of skis and boards.