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La Plagne Snow Report: 5th February 2016

Put your powder boots on!

featured in Snow report Author Anita Gait, La Plagne Reporter Updated

The snow gods are truly spoiling us in La Plagne this week. We have been blessed with almost perfect conditions the last few days; the dream combination of dumps of fresh snow followed by blue sky powder days.

It snowed all day Wednesday and dawned bright and clear on Thursday for a fresh tracks day of powder skiing, then in the late afternoon the weather closed in and the snow started back up again dumping throughout the night before clearing up again for a stunning blue bird Friday.

Unlike last week’s sad and soggy snowfall, this was light and fluffy flakes of giant snow that wasn’t chased away by immediate rain, and it’s not over yet! There’s a whole lot more on the way we’re being predicted another 60cm of snow over the next week and temperatures low enough to make the most of it. Whatever your ski level this week, in the powder is the place to be!

The way things have gone the last few days, the pistes have been coated in fresh snow each morning bringing off piste on piste whether you like it or not. There is nothing better than a groomed run with a foot of fresh powder on top, it’s the smoothest powder riding experience ever and I’ve been up and out for first lifts the last two days to make the most of it.

If you’re not a confident powder rider, it’s worth getting out there to practice in these perfect conditions but if you’re not sure about it then not to worry, on piste powder has a tendency to be tracked out and flattened down within a hour or so of the lifts opening, leaving the pistes firm and powder hunters heading further afield to get into the fresh stuff.

Off piste riding in these conditions is absolutely wicked and La Plagne has no shortage of awesome off piste areas to choose from. The avalanche risk across the Alps has dropped since the dangerous days of January, but there is still a real risk so you do still need to be sensible, check the risk level before you head out, always take the right equipment and never go it alone, take someone with you who knows what they’re doing and knows the area. That being said, off piste skiing and riding is epic and La Plagne is the perfect spot for it.

Plenty of people are out there hiking and trekking and split boarding into proper back country wilderness but if you’re not feeling quite that gnarly, there are plenty of powder spots easily accessible from the chair lifts. If you’re just starting out on your first forays off piste I’d recommend heading to the Arpette chair lift where you can play around on the powder between the three blue runs. It’s steep enough to keep you moving but not steep enough to be scary and you’re never too far away from a piste should you want to get back to safety.

If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous head over the Arpette and up the Crozats chairlift, under that lift is a powder field of rolling hills and troughs that are really good fun. Again there are runs there that you can stay close to if you wish and you can venture further afield as you get braver, keep an eye on the Crozats chairlift though because it’s easy to over shoot it and end up too low to get back on the chair. A similar level of off pisting can be found over on the Champagny side of the hill off the sides of the Bozelet blue run, it’s a wide open playground with a decent, not scary gradient and the piste is clearly visible should you wish to return.

The more you ride any off piste area the better you’ll get to know it and you’ll find the best lines to take, once you’ve mastered those few spots there is no shortage of gnarlier areas to choose from, I love the powder off the Mercedes black run and everything off the Cretes drag lift, but don’t tackle too much to quickly or you’ll scare yourself. Take it in stages and never follow any one onto any off piste areas that you are uncomfortable with, head out with someone sensible that knows the area and won’t take you anywhere stupid. Booking an off piste lesson with a ski school or private instructor is a great way to get started too and those instructors always know the best spots to take you.

Plenty more snow is on the way so get your powder boots on and get amongst it!

Location

Map of the surrounding area