Monday 7 February 2011

Winter sunshine makes for very happy snowshoers!



It's been a few years since we've had what we regard as "normal" winter conditions - weeks and weeks of sunshine as a result of high pressure sitting over the Alps. Recent winters have been far more unstable with some sunny days but always broken by snowfall.
This winter we're back to the old days - snow hasn't been seen falling for at least 6 weeks and I've just had 2 weeks non-stop snowshoeing under clear blue skies.



So everybody's happy, even though the lean snow condiitons mean sometimes our snowshoes serve more as crampons than real "raquettes". Who cares, so long as we do fab walks, with great views and the odd slopes of deep snow which has remained protected from the sun and the skiers.



It's probably worse for the skiers who do set rather higher standards for their snow, but we snowshoers are easily pleased so long as there is minimum snow cover and the Alps and summits are quiet and beautiful, as they have been.
No sign of a change yet so let's hope it holds for the next week, over in the Aosta Valley where they have had more snow than France or Switzerland anyway.
Of course, we're going to pay for all this eventually......but for the moment it's just fantastic!






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