Amazing conditions for Verbier Xtreme

I managed to get out early on Saturday morning to enjoy 20cm of fresh powder and, even through the trees above Medran, despite there being a slightly crusty snowpack underneath, the snow was deep and light enough to ski hard and put in some heavy but soft turns. The off-piste to the sides of the runs running down from the top to the bottom of the Mayentzet chairlift was also fantastic, and remained relatively untracked throughout the day, providing a large playground of fun, playful, and easy-going terrain. The best snow, however, came higher up on the awesome slopes of the front side of Mont Gele, where I skied two different couloirs, both of which had an amazing 40cm of new snow on top. At times it felt like I was skiing BC or Japanese powder, with plenty of face shots and waist deep turns to be had.

The snow on piste seems to be quite icy in the morning, as the cold temperatures overnight are freezing the slush from the day before. However, as soon as the sun hits the piste this quickly turns into a perfect layer of soft and grippy snow. That being said, as the day progresses, the spring weather is beginning to take its toll on the snow, as the lower slopes are beginning to become very wet, heavy and slushy towards the end of the day. Patches of grass are starting to appear on the lowest slopes in resort, such as the Le Rouge piste, which sees a lot of traffic towards the end of the day as skiers head to their notorious apres-ski parties. However, above 1800m there are is no sign of the ground at all, thanks to the impressive base that we still have.

There are signs of multiple slides on many of the South facing slopes, particularly around Savoleyres and Col des Mines, and the current danger is reflected by the Level 3 avalanche warning we have. Needless to say, take care when heading off-piste. Looking ahead to the coming week, a mixture of rain and snow is predicted to fall on resort on Wednesday night, accumulating up to 10cm by the morning. Following that, it seems as though we might finally receive the long-awaited, warm, spring-skiing conditions that many in resort have been eagerly awaiting. In town, temperatures could reach up to 11 degrees, meaning although the snow on the slopes might suffer a little, there will be plenty of opportunities to lazily sit in the sunshine, enjoying a nice cold mountain beer.

On Saturday, Verbier will see the Verbier High Five by Carlsberg come to town, an open-entry event in which participants can take part in 3 different race skiing disciplines, as well as take a shot at the infamous water-slide.

With the weather set to be stunning over the event, and the snow conditions continuing to be epic for this time of year, now is a great time to book a last minute holiday, with Ski Armadillo and Ski Verbier Exclusive still having chalets available and at heavily discounted rates.