 Poster: A snowHead
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It's Been Snowing again!!
thefatcontroller, you beat me too the pic. Looks good.
Blue sky and fresh snow on the mountains. Has the winter really started to arrive. I hope so. Soon have the skis back on. The high passes are closed and there is enough snow to start forming a base higher up if the cold spell lasts.
Is it time to start praying to the snow gods!!
Take a look at the webcams. It looks good. Enjoy!!
http://m.webcam-hd.com/lesarcs
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks Boris - we are almost booked up with evo2 now. Been a bit of a struggle getting hold of them so far. I get the impression that they are not in the office too often this time of year. Just trying to negotiate a discount now!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm taking 3 noobs out to Les Arcs in March for my 4th trip to the area - I really can't think of too many other places better to learn. Can't wait to see their faces for the first time  Will be glad when the indoor lessons are finished as well - hard on my emotions as well as my wallet !!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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ArseCaptain, Hi and are you here for the season? If you do go up, make sure you post some pics when you get there so we can all see what it looks like thanks.
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snowcrazy,
Thibaud is a great guy. But you know that right?
Sponsored by Arc1950, he took the owners out off piste last year a couple of times - having grown up here, the guy really knows the area like no-one else, and where/when to ski/not to ski. To the extent of giving MiniRoll (you recall my daughter?) and other kids of 10+ advice on safe areas or aka "where to stop after a pitch to avoid avalanche risk" when we were in the Vanoise, skiing the chutes. Awesome day.
He's her hero.
And let's face it, possibly mine too - although they do say never let your heroes be younger than you
(... and NEVER wear a jersey with a name or number of a player that is younger than you!)
See you in January.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
ArseCaptain, Hi and are you here for the season? If you do go up, make sure you post some pics when you get there so we can all see what it looks like thanks.
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Yes, and don't worry, I will provide photos 
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ArseCaptain, are you in Peisey or Plan Peisey for the season?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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julietp, 'Just' Peisey; will have to cope with the extra 10 minutes commute
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I done the season there couple of seasons ago, great place, great locals. where are you working / staying? you'll be driving to the vanoise hotel to park before you know it rather than take the lobster pots up I bet.... we used to !!
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| Quote: |
I done the season there couple of seasons ago, great place, great locals. where are you working / staying? you'll be driving to the vanoise hotel to park before you know it rather than take the lobster pots up I bet.... we used to !!
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I think around half way along Route de la Courbassiere. Not entirely sure as I've not been there yet! I'll be doing software development contracting work over the internet whilst I'm there, so shouldn't need to miss any powder days for work
Are the lobsters really slow then?
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You know it makes sense.
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well its the walking in the village as it gets really really icy (black ice) as the village is in the shade for the first half of the season, so by the time its sunny later on, too lazy to bother with them and the Vanoise hotel is a nice end of day beer in the sun most of the season. a lot of slipping accidents !!
also at the top of the lobsters is an elevator, which was not working for three weeks early Jan and kept being closed, so just found it better to drive up and ski down to peisey lift or V express
you are not to far from Gregs bar where you will spend a lot of late nights (you will wonder why on your first visit) but everyone goes there as its the only bar.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
| ArseCaptain, Look forward to seeing your pics |
There's something very wrong about that sentence...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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There's something very wrong about that sentence...
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I don't really know why I chose this user name, or why I continue to use it 
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Give me a shout when you are around if you can take time off on powder days. I guess if you are working for yourself you can do as you please. We often meet up at the VE for trips across the other side. Do you ski or board
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I do indeed set my own hours, so I'll be working hard when the weather/snow is bad so I have free time when the going is good! We (my wife and I) both ski, although she's only done a few weeks so isn't so keen on more adventurous stuff. Hopefully I can train her up over the winter! I'll definitely be up for meeting up to ski, would be good to see some of the less obvious routes!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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snowcrazy, I do have a very sick mind you're quite right.
I don't like the photos you've posted to be honest, but that's a matter of personal taste and I thank you for posting them nonetheless and look forward to many more. Those graphics give me a migraine and the cables on the Vanoise look rusty again to my eyes. My advice to the Les Arcs lift company re graphics would be to paint a picture of Samantha Lewthwaite on the Transarc and hope one of Obama's drones scores a bullseye.
ArseCaptain, Stop me if you've heard this one before but if you get promoted will you be a RearAdmiral?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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snowcrazy, I know it's the handbags birthday, but painting it like that has done it no favours - in my opinion. And I have to look at it from my balcony 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Tracks of the top of Derby today. Very nice.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowcrazy, its probably got the type of graphics on that you get on buses that you can see through from inside
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...yeah, probably the same as the buses and I expect (hope) it's got lots of little holes in it. Otherwise people might get quite travel sick I'd imagine!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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That's a big snow fence.
Surprising how common they are in the Alps, Pyrenees and north America when you look out for them.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Peter S, I don't think it is a snow fence in the tradition of helping to catch wind blown snow. To the left of the fence is a gully which is strewn with massive boulders, which although covered by snow are still a considerable hazard. I'm guessing that the resort stuck that fence there is restrict the number of people tempted to head in to the gully..
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Made it to the mountains again at last. Had a great day on the snow and another few days to go. Did it the lazy way and went up to Tignes and used the lifts. Will be in Val or Tignes again tomorrow even if it snows tonight as the lifts are open across the whole Espace Killy area this weekend. Should be good.
If you stay above 2000m the snow is in good condition in most places despite the high winds of the last week. There was still untracked powder to be found on my first day out in Tignes! Result! And even better, I was on my board for a change.
Will post a few photos shortly on my facebook page. The season for me has begun, I am very happy!!
If you want to go out on skins or snowshoes the conditions in Les Arcs are also very good higher up. Even if it gets warm, there should be a base to support most pistes in Les Arcs for the opening on the 15 Dec.
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You know it makes sense.
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Had a great weekend on the snow. Just got back. Managed an extra day in the sun today as well. Nice!! Only had a quick look at Les Arcs as spent the time up at Val d'Isere and Tignes for the opening of the lifts and 'Ski and Snowboard free Test weekend'. Managed to test 10 snowboards and a few skis, but mostly snowboards this year. I did find a couple of snowboards I really liked so after ten years with my K2 Eldarado maybe it is time to get a new board.
With over a dozen ski and snowboard companies represented this was a great way of testing loads of kit for free. Well done Val d'Isere. I think Les Arcs should have something like this. I shall be letting them know.
I will post the photos of my days over on the Les Arcs winter page in the 'Pre-season album' for those that are interested.
When I drove up to visit a friend last night in Les Arcs, it did look like there is plenty of snow everywhere and with more forecast in a week plus the cold temps we have now, it should be a good start to the season.
Hope to see some of you on the first day when the lifts open.
I have also checked all the links on the opening page and made sure they are still working to help people with there planning.
Plus here are the links for the Carte Neige http://www2.ffs.fr/carteneige/online and Carrie Neige http://www.carreneige.com/en/index.php Insurance.
I have Carte Neige for the season which works well with my private medical cover and European Health card. But I do advise everyone to read all the small print before making your mind up what Ski Insurance to take. Everyone's needs are different. Hope that helps.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I'll finally be driving out to Peisey tomorrow night, looks like good weather for driving up the mountain on Wednesday.
snowcrazy, can you give any recommendations for private medical cover in France? I've gone for Carte Neige with season pass and have a EHIC, but have no idea where to start with health care. I get the impression that CN + EHIC could be sufficient; I'm not fussed about equipment / delay to travel etc, I just want to be brought down the mountain and not charged a bomb to get fixed.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'm taking the family for a week on the 14 Dec, its only our second time after putting on skis for the first time in Borovets last Jan. Do you think it will all be open? Have gone dizzy looking at the snow reports thread and the myriad of forecasts for snow!! Cheers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| vfr750cbr wrote: |
| Do you think it will all be open? |
Welcome to snowHeads.
Yes, it will open as scheduled. Conditions are generally excellent for the time of year, so the resort will be open a good proportion of the lifts and pistes.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks for the answers! Yes I can't wait. We did a cheap one in Borovets to see if we liked it. At the age of 52 I wish I had discovered skiing 30 years ago. The slopes at Bor were more ice than snow so really looking forward to going somewhere decent. Already planning a trip to Austria in March with the Mrs. I know its not this thread but I have managed to go from snowplough to parallel at Chill factore. Aiming to progress to carving on the trip, anyone have any recommendations for schools to provide lessons in Les Arcs?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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vfr750cbr, Where in Les Arcs are you staying. Everyone Iv'e had come with me has been very satisfied with ESF in Arc 1600.
I had a friend who started skiing about the same age as you and he eventually became quite a competent skiing. But the last I heard of him was being evacuated just below the summit of Mont Blanc on a ski mountaineering trip.
I've skied at both Borovets and Les Arcs and in every way Les Arcs is much better and I really enjoyed my experiences in Borovets. I suspect you will be wanting to come out again before the season finishes.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'll be at 1950.
Think I'll be taking it easy so there won't be any ski mountaineering!!!!
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vfr750cbr, welcome to  welcome to 1950
As a school, Spirit in 1950 will be fine for you: and that week coincides with the film festival, so a lot of action in the village. You'll have a great time. If you've any questions on what where how, when or who, feel free to drop me a PM (top right: "send messages").
Web cams showing a little melt in the village today, but not enough to worry about. ( see arc1950.com for generic and general information)
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ArseCaptain, for private medical cover from the UK the only one I have any knowledge of is BUPA. Maybe someone else can help you with that. I do know people that come out for the season and only have Carte Neige and EPHC and say it is enough. But I am sure others would not agree. It depends on what you can afford. I have my private health cover through work. If I was paying I think I would make do with just EPHC and Carte Neige for the season as I do not need all the other travel insurance stuff either. But please do remember we each have our own needs, so what suits me might not suit anyone else. Hope that helps.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowcrazy, thanks for the reply, how do I PM you??
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