Snow in Latvia

Today I was speaking with my friend in Riga and she told me that they don't have much snow there. It's a bit annoying to me since I definitely need it  to be able to pull the pulka and to snow-shoe.

But according to several weather forecast websites, it will snow next week. I just hope to have enough snow, not that I need 60cm of course, but a good 20 cm would be satisfactory.

On another hand, the  Ski Resort "Milzkalns" is fully open, and several web-cams all over the country are showing snow.

Let's wait and see.

Shopping

This week is shopping week! I've been searching for the best deal to buy all the equipments. I have found almost everything and placed my orders to different suppliers in France, Belgium, England and Latvia. 

Now, I'm waiting for deliveries.

I'm back home!

After more than a month training in Courchevel, I came back home to prepare for the trip to Latvia.

I left Courchevel  under a coat of fresh snow. 

This year wasn't as usual. Cumulated snow for 2012/2013 was over 12 meters, and I really wonder if this year will reach 5. But the season is not over yet. Nevertheless, I can't help thinking about the potential effect of global warming. Just look at some figures from last December: 18°C in Biarritz, 14°C in Metz; 11°C in Moscow, 2°C in Ijevsk (occidental Siberia), while NY was facing unusual -38°C! Isn't it thought-provoking?

By the way, my friend Olga, who lives in Aykhal, Sakha Republic in northern Siberia, wrote me two days ago that this week, with a temperature of -35°C is much warmer than last week. It was -57°C!!!! Must be Siberian humour)))

At last it is cold in Latvia. Previous weeks were abnormally warm and snow was missing. Just like here in Courchevel where the temperature raised up to +8°C last week.

February is the coldest month in Latvia with an average temperature of -8.9°C. The city of Daugavpils holds the record for the lowest temperature ever measured in Latvia, -43.2°C on February 8, 1956.

©weatherspark.com

Today, in the city of Liepaja, just above the starting point, temperature read -7°C, while in Zilupe, above the arrival point, -9°C (-12°C at night)

I really wish those temperatures to lower down near -20°C. I'm ready for it)))

Today I have reconsidered my budget and decided not to buy those expensive polar clothes and sleeping bag since, as it seems, the forecast for February indicates that temperatures won't be extremely cold.

Indeed, these equipments are really made for extra cold temperatures, from -40°C and above. Therefore, they might be to warm for me to feel comfortable and avoid sweating. 

The budget is now set to 4200€.

A big THANK YOU to all those who supported me so far.

COURCHEVEL

This year is not very charitable in snow. Nevertheless, last week was very generous and fresh powder snow is covering the forest and the summits with a 2 meters thickness coat. 

For the past 5 years, I've been spending the winter season snowboarding and snow-shoeing in Courchevel.
This season and the previous, I have started to train myself to sleep outside in the cold, at low temperature such as -15°C.

So far, I only have a +5°C rated sleeping bag and don't have a 4 seasons tent. So to protect myself from snow falls and cold, I build a shelter made of branches and packed snow. A pad on the ground to protect from the lost of heat by conduction is more than enough to receive my sleeping bag over it, granting me peaceful nights.

The 4 ski resorts of Courchevel are comprised between 1550 and 1850 meters, but ski pistes and tracks can take you up to an altitude of 3500 meters. Since walking tracks are mostly open in summer, I can enjoy them covered by immaculate deep snow.