When up to check out the conditions today. At this time of year it’s normally close to minus 30°C with gale force winds and zero visibility. This year it’s the complete opposite – perfect training conditions. Even the off piste is fun with both wind pack and ski pisted areas. Unusually for Tignes there is no overcrowding – for me that is as close to heaven as it gets.
Fresh snow is forecast for about a week from now and the temperature has just dropped so the snow machines can work at night. Last week we had a Foehn wind (South/ East) that brought the temperature up and prevented any snow production – but that has turned around now. Had to bring the chilli pepper plants in from the balcony so they don’t keel over dead.
Off piste there are places with over a metre of powder – but you’d have to use skins to get back out. There’s probably a lot more over at Le Fornet but that won’t open for a couple of weeks yet – plus it’s not safe over there until things have really settled in. I like to wait until at least the first round of avalanches have been triggered by others who are not so fussy about staying alive.