Marmotte & snow?

barrybridges
barrybridges Posts: 420
edited May 2013 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Interesting to see that the Galibier stage of the Giro yesterday was shortened due to snow on the Galibier.

With only 6 and a bit weeks to go until the Marmotte, we've obviously seen a pretty hard winter in Europe. Is there any risk that the Galibier will still be out of action come the start of July?

Comments

  • foiegras
    foiegras Posts: 18
    I have experienced snow on the Galibier in mid July but the road was open
  • Roman Schoolboy
    Roman Schoolboy Posts: 14
    Have done the Marmotte a few times and although there has generally always been some snow at the top of the Galibier the roads have always been open and no problem to ride on. if you get a bad day though it will be 0 degrees at the top and not much fun..!
  • barrybridges
    barrybridges Posts: 420
    I've ridden it before as well - and I know there's always snow - but in the Giro the roads were actually closed.

    How likely is it that the roads at the top won't be opened in the next 6 weeks?
  • shazzz
    shazzz Posts: 1,077
    According to the inrng.com the Galibier road doesn't normally get cleared of snow until late May. This doesn't guarantee it will be fine in July (!) but I don't think there's any reason to start worrying about road closures yet...

    http://inrng.com/2013/05/sunday-shorts-22/#more-15021
  • dsoutar
    dsoutar Posts: 1,746
    IIRC a few years back a stage in the TdF was curtailed due to heavy snow on the Galibier. A mate of mine cycled up then shivered at the top waiting for the cyclists and they all went past in their team cars !!
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    Yes no chance the road will still be closed in July - some chance you may get British Winter type weather. Seem to remember the Etape suffering poor weather a few years ago - just take some cold weather kit with you to france - if the forecast is good no need to actually cart it round the Marmotte with you.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • term1te
    term1te Posts: 1,462
    It may actually snow whilst you are up there, but the road will be cleared by then. The weather can be very changeable though. I rode the Marmotte a few years back and it was warm and sunny at the top when I went over, a couple of hours later there was thunder storm and it was freezing. Wasn't the Giro stage curtailed due to avalanche risk, rather than a blocked road?

    I'm riding the Tour du Léman on Sunday, around lake Geneva, and the forecast is for snow!
    The Master
    The Moser
    The VN
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I was at the Tour the day it was closed on top of the Galibier. Hideous weather. It could happen at any time.

    I did the Stelvio last week - the day before the Giro was meant to and conditions were great. The snow banks at the side were 8 feet tall in places though. The day before and after fresh snow meant it was impassable.

    The Gavia had a few kilometers of snowy road at the summit - I didnt fancy wading up and down through that so I turned back at the snowline. That was cold enough.

    So its definitely possible that the Galibier could be closed with snow in July - just unlikely. They won't send you up there if conditions are bad.

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