Snow report Vallorcine, 01/17/2026

Snow condition

As long as you stay above a good 1,500 meters, there is still enough snow. Descents down to the Col des Montets were doable without any problems. We didn't hit any rocks at all.

Snow quality

The warm temperatures change the snow increasingly and noticeably. Up to around 1900 meters the snow was pretty wet, higher up it became harder and windblown. A few isolated turns still feel like powder, but this will probably become increasingly rare over the next few days.

Saw a few snow slabs and cracks on the way up, all above 2,200 meters, in the north and northeast (see photos; on the photos with ski poles there were three avalanches right next to each other). Otherwise, we didn't notice anything on the way; snow profiles dug at 1,500 meters showed no dangers.

Overall impression

In search of (still) good snow, we set off for the Col d'Encrenaz. The east-facing tour can be reached without lifts. The snow was very wet up to around 2,000 meters, from then on it got a little better. Due to a lack of time, we ended the tour at around 2,200 meters; other hikers continued on. At the moment, it is still a reasonably rewarding tour with a few surfy turns, and the descent to the Col des Montets through the light bushes is amazing fun and still very easy with good skiing technique.