Verbier Snow Report: 14th March 2013

Around 10-15 cm of fresh snow arrived in resort over Wednesday night. Chilly temperatures and a bitter cold wind have kept things very cold up the mountain which has not allowed the snow to bond initially.

It has been around three weeks since our last snowfall which saw some long periods of spring style weather, with snow banks in town melting over two days mid last week. The icy conditions that were prevalent during the last couple of weeks are still there but hopefully once the snow bonds and gets bashed down by piste bashers it should do the icy pistes a world of good.

Off piste the risk of avalanche has stayed at a general 2 out of 5 but the Mont Gele and Vallon d’Arbi/ Col des Mines off piste runs are currently closed, as they have been on and off over the last couple of weeks. Higher up the mountain, around the Mont Fort, the snow quality is really good but snow cover throughout the area in general is really good, even though the slopes received quite a battering from recent sun and warm temperatures.

Today up the top of the mountain there was lots of flat light so most people were staying low in the trees, where the icier pistes live. I tried to take a few runs through the forest but found it to be icy dust on crust so gave up.

Below Ruinettes where the freezing level has spent many a day the pistes are noticeably icier than higher up as it has rained from time to time on lower slopes over the last couple of weeks, although there is still good cover all the way down to resort and the new snow was slow but not sticky.

This new snow will be great in freshening up the ski area once it bonds and hopefully spring will not return with too much vengeance.

New snow is also great news for both the Nendaz Freeride competition, held this weekend and the The Freeride World Tour Finals - Verbier Xtreme due to be held next weekend on the imposing Bec des Rosses mountain.

The weekend looks as if it may start with some sun breaks but the clouds are expected to keep rolling in and a fair amount is due for next week if the reports are to be believed. The temperatures are going to be all over the place, as is the freezing level, but generally things will remain chilly and snowy with quite strong winds higher up around the glacier.