La Plagne & Les Arcs Shut for Skiing with ‘Very High’ Avalanche Risk in the Alps
La Plagne and Les Arcs have taken the rare decision to shut down their entire ski area.
“All lifts, slopes, ski schools and mountain activities will be shut,” said La Plagne in a statement on Wednesday.
“It’s a full closure for safety – for guests and for staff.”
Access roads remain open, but the resort urges people to expect delays or disruption.
The whole of the Savoie area in France, that contains many of the biggest and most popular resorts, is on a Level 5 alert for avalanches – ‘Very High’.
This is the highest level and is rarely reached.
It means there are extraordinarily dangerous avalanche conditions.
“Due to heavy snowfall at altitude and the risk of exceptional avalanches, the ski area is closed,” said Paradiski.
It is one of the largest ski areas in France – 425 kms of slopes with 70% of the terrain above 2,000m.
The closure comes in the peak of the tourist season and during school holidays.
A statement from Les Arcs, issued just after 11am on Thursday said “for the security all the ski area is closed”.
However, it said some lifts were still open to give pedestrian access to the villages:
Arc 1800
– TC Dahu
– TC Villard
Peisey-Vallandry
– TK Lonzagne
Arc 2000
– TC Cabriolet
Arc 1600
– Funiculaire
Other resorts, including Val d’Isère and Morzine have warned of significant delays as extensive avalanche control work will be required before any lifts can open.
Across the French regions of Savoie, Haute-Savoie, and Isère many ski areas are expected to severely limit operations on Thursday.
Level 5 Definition:
The avalanche situation is exceptional.
Numerous very large and extremely large naturally triggered avalanches are to be expected.
These can reach and endanger roads and settlements in valleys.
Météo-France has issued an Orange avalanche alert across much of the Northern Alps – ‘Very High’ risk – (5/5).
Parts of the Southern Alps are also under a ‘High’risk – (4/5).
PlanetSKI reader, David Morgan, is in Tignes where there is a Level 5 risk.
“Lift and piste openings could be very limited and there may be some risk in town itself,” said David.
Tignes, France. Image c/o David Morgan.
In Switzerland there is a Level 4 risk on Thursday, meaning there is a ‘High’ risk of avalanche.
Avalanche risk in Switzerland, Thursday 12th February. Image c/o Swiss Avalanche Institute
Level 4 Definition:
The avalanche situation is very critical.
Avalanches can be easily triggered on many steep slopes.
Warning signs and remote triggering are frequent, and very large avalanches are often likely. Transport routes (roads, ski slopes, hiking trails etc.) may be at risk.
According to the latest Swiss avalanche bulletin, large amounts of fresh snow and drifting snow have built up over an older weak layer of snow, meaning avalanches can be easily triggered or may occur naturally in many areas.
With more snowfall and strong winds expected throughout the day, the avalanche risk is set to rise further.
Swiss authorities warn that very large avalanches are expected within the affected zones.
The avalanche bulletin warns that exposed sections of roads and paths could be affected.
For the Alpine region stretching from the Bernese Oberland to Graubünden, the avalanche bulletin has set the risk at Level 3 – ‘Considerable’ danger.
There have been avalanche fatalities in France in the past few days.
66 people have died in avalanches in the Alps so far this winter, and that number is expected to rise as it is currently around halfway through the ski season.
The average annual winter death total is around 100.
Much of Italy is missing out on the latest storm, but there have been 10 avalanche fatalities in the past week.
Italy’s Alpine Rescue service has stressed the dangers of the current conditions.
Fresh snow from recent storms has created wind-loaded layers atop weak underlying snow.
The passage of even a single skier or natural overloading from snow weight may be enough to trigger a major slide.
The current storm in the western Alps is expected to continue into Friday and 1.5m of snow is forecast in places with wind affecting where the snow builds up.
There is flooding lower down in the valleys, with a number of roads blocked or cut off.
The areas seeing the biggest snowfall are in the north west Alps and include parts of France, Italy and Switzerland.
These are some of the resorts seeing the most snow:
France: La Rosière, Flaine, Chamonix, Avoriaz, Les3Vallees, Tignes, Val d’Isere & Les Arcs
Italy: Courmayeur & La Thuile
Switzerland: Verbier & Glacier 3000
Despite the avalanche danger it all bodes well for those heading out to the Alps for the main UK February half-term next week with the weather clearing at the weekend.
Here’s Les Menuires in Les3Vallees:
View this post on Instagram
(@lesmenuires)For those unable to ski at present La Plagne says that “It’s a great day for indoor stuff”.
It recommends swimming, bowling, cafes, card games, hot chocolate or a chilled-out recovery day with the kids.
There are further details of the snow in the updated PlanetSKI Snow Report
Do check back for updates…
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