© Barnaby Bos
© Barnaby Bos
© Barnaby Bos
© Barnaby Bos
© Barnaby Bos
© Barnaby Bos
Fantastic conditions in Verbier over the week
Fresh, powdery snow on and off the piste
We’ve had some fantastic skiing conditions here in Verbier over the last week. While we haven’t quite been hit with the masses of snow that some resorts around the Alps have, we have definitely had plenty. This, in a way, has also been a good thing. While many resorts have stayed closed due to excessive snow and high avalanche risk, Verbier has continued to stay open and thus provide some great skiing opportunities.
On Monday night, 10cm of snow fell in the town and around 40cm in the higher areas of the resort. I spent Tuesday skiing around Bruson, and the conditions were fantastic. Down lower on the mountain, the snow was relatively heavy, but near the top there was some amazing, knee-deep off-piste powder to be found.
Wednesday was a great day, with the upper lifts opening up after two days of being closed. We started the day by traversing the face of Tortin before dropping into a beautiful white field of perfect, light powder. The snow underfoot moved easily and didn’t hold your skis or feel heavy. The crowds have massively reduced since Christmas and New Year, so there is lots of space on the piste, and the off-piste doesn’t get tracked out too quickly.
After this long off-piste run, we caught the “Toblerone” or “Tortin-Gentiannes” cable car up to 2950m. From here, we traversed a long track to reach the top of a tight, steep couloir which opened out into an expansive, north-facing slope. The snow was incredible, untracked and deep. I found a perfect small 6ft rock drop which had an easy landing into soft snow.
By the afternoon, the visibility began to get worse which meant that it became hard to distinguish any bumps and compressions in the snow. Because of this, we headed for the trees above Siviez, and had a brilliant time picking lines in relatively untouched snow.
The conditions on piste are perfect at the moment, with the grooming team doing a great job of moving the snow around and levelling out the pistes. Towards the end of the day, some of the busier slopes are seeing a few moguls forming but, for the most part, the runs are smooth and a pleasure to ski on.
The forecast ahead is exciting too. Currently, most sites are predicting a big storm-front coming in on Tuesday and, unlike the past couple of weeks, it’s very likely the temperature will be cold enough for snow coverage all the way down into the valley. Forecasters are predicting between 50-100cm to fall between Tuesday and Friday, which would add to the base and provide an amazing snowy playground.
The lift queues at the moment are the best part of the resort. On Wednesday, I did not have to queue once for longer than 2 minutes. Compare this to two weeks ago and Verbier feels like paradise. Now would be a great time to come out here, as you’re bound to get plenty of time on the slopes and not queuing for lifts!
Ski safely off-piste
Exploring beyond the ski resort boundaries is an amazing experience for anyone who's physically fit and has mastered the pistes well enough. There are, however, risks associated with venturing outside the safety of the marked/patrolled ski area, including awareness of your actions on those below you on the slopes. Mountain guides are professionally qualified and have extensive knowledge of the local terrain to provide you with the safest and most enjoyable possible experience in the mountains; as a visitor here we highly recommend you hire one. Many ski schools, and also mountain guides, provide instruction in off-piste skiing, avalanche safety and mountaineering techniques. Make your time in the mountains unforgettable for the right reasons, ski safe!
