 Poster: A snowHead
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Warm sunshine today has helped to soften things up a bit. VT seems to have suffered worse from the winds than other 3V resorts, unsurprisingly, so it's rather a case of 'Best conditions on the lower slopes'.
Although the pistes are generally very hard packed across the 3Vs, there is some nice skiing to be had in almost all areas. 1650 was very pleasant today and the conditions in the Meribel valley better than I've known them for a while. Les Menuires also nice in places although a little rocky in others. Jerusalem OK on the whole and Biollay down to St Martin also good.
Goitschel on the way back an interesting mixture of ice, soft moguls and people (some horizontal) looking as though they're wondering what they're doing there.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Another warm day - more like April than 1st Feb. Pistes holding up well - plenty of pleasant skiing to be had.
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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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What the chance of fresh snow heading out on the 11th, by my calculations its been about a month since the last dump surely thats not normal??
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jtobin03, certainly conditions aren't what you would expect for early Feb. However, I wouldn't worry too much yet - people seem to be expecting snow next week. One good dump could impove things dramatically.
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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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good that makes me feel better as i keep seeing the snow levels going down on the VT web site and was strating to get worried.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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A glorious sunny day (not too warm) with empty pistes, as it's Saturday. A nice day. Slopes just managing to stay in reasonable condition across the Three Valleys, but rocks and patches of ice are fairly widespread. The Les Menuires are is looking decidedly brown in places, with grassy areas. The Courchevel valley is probably in best condition at the moment.
With the resort filling up today the pistes can expect to get a fair hammering over the next few days, and without fresh snow I fear conditions may become fairly grim. I hope I'm proved wrong.
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| Quote: |
A glorious sunny day (not too warm) with empty pistes, as it's Saturday.
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Funny you should say this, we had a 3pm transfer in Westendorf and thought -"Fantastic, a quiet day ski-ing" - it was heaving with day trippers! snow-forecast is predicting a little bit of snow this week.
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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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Just got back from Courchevel too and Helen101 is right, was getting pretty icy out in the 3 Valleys. Luckily the snow cannons were keeping the Greens and Blues manageable. Did a run out from 1850 to 1650 on Friday and the runs in 1650 were much better than in 1850.
I heard from the rep out there that Courchevel was in the best condition with Meribel and VT being quite poor and a lot of people were coming over to Courchevel for that reason.
I also heard that they were expecting 1cm last night, but that really isn't going to help much.
And don't get me started on luggage problems!! 
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echo that, I trashed my rental skis yesterday on the run over la loz from meribel into courcheval. Its getting very ropey.....was great last week if you're after a tan though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just back from a week in Les Menuires. Start of the week was pretty good, but as the week progressed the amount of debris on the slopes increased and the condition of my skis worsened proporitonally. My skis needed a full service after 3 days (having been freshly serviced before I left), and are in need of further p-tex work after another 2 days (although partly due to large distances travelled and an instructor who insisted on trying to find us off piste runs). Remarkably (due to the good work of instructor) ended up being waste deep in (old) powder on Wed & Thursday. Although it was crusty and not ideal.
By the end of the week (e.g. yesterday) the slopes were becoming very hard and thin with several runs now closed and considerable debris on many slopes. The snow forecast for the next week should bring some relief but it will also present a potential avalanche risk (currently at 3 with 3 small avalanches occuring early last week in the 3V), with a week wind-blown layer.
Several ski instructors were commenting that this was the worst they'd even seen the 3V for this time of year. Whilst most pisted runs have been kept open, they are becoming very thin and there are stones everywhere.
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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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kind of a bummer to hear that the 3V is in such terrible shape. hopefully it will get some snow before we arrive next sat (feb 11)
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May nip up to Courchevel later today, if not will probably be there tomorrow morning. Hopefully a little fresh snow expected on Thursday, but nothing substantial 
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You know it makes sense.
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I got back from Val Thorens on Saturday, following a week when:
* No skis or boards were on the outbound flight.
* Once they arrived, I managed to trash them twice over because of the conditions!
For the first few days of last week, the on-piste conditions were OK - but things deteriorated quite markedly by the end of the week. I'm off to Val d'Isere in a couple of weeks, so hoping for a big fall soon!
I organised some group and private lessons for my crowd in VT. We used Prosneige and were very impressed with them for all levels.
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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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Welcome to snowHeads GaryJ! Sounds like an eventful week, hope Val D'Isere is better! 
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Poster: A snowHead
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PG says some snow possibly Thursday . What's the short and medim term forecast for Trois Vallees. At the minute I'm consoling myself not out for 5 weeks but it would be nice to see a base being built up.
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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 I'm going on Friday and I'm worried. OK i only want a bit of piste to ski, but I like to get around on snow. As far as I can see the only snow going that way is coming via the UK as rain, so let's have a bit of rain dancing please.
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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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Chris Bish, easy solution - take lots of T-shirts and sunscreen, and leave wet/cold weather gear at home... usually works for me on holidays - the heavens open  At least the forecast at the moment is colder than last week, so what snow there is won't be melting at the same rate, and they'll be able to get the snow cannons running. (I was told that they can't work until it's -4 degrees or colder?)
Plus the less luggage you have, the less they can lose! Most of ours took 4 hours from landing to appear in reclaim. Still - it was skiing and it was fun (mostly) so I shouldn't grumble too much.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Temperatures are indeed colder in the 3Vs than they were last week, so what snow there is is remaining in reasonable condition - there just isn't enough of it!
Condtions at the moment are such that most pistes are open but rocks and ice are the issue. Expect your skis to take a bit of a hammering, but as things stand at the moment you can still have fun. If you're particularly sensitive about damaging your skis, rent.
Just had a very nice day out.
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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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Thanks Alastair, You just cheered me up no end. As modest-abilty piste skiers with quite cheap skis I think we will be Ok. As for the sunshine bit, Helen101, I don't mind that at all. For one thing I am so much braver when I can see where I'm going and I do think a bit of sunshine brings out th hops in a beer nicely.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
I organised some group and private lessons for my crowd in VT. We used Prosneige and were very impressed with them for all levels.
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We used Prosneige for the past 3 seasons for adults and children and had nothing but praise for them.
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Just got back from the 3V. Lots of sun last week, but snow conditions deteriorated significantly - hard, rocky and icy everywhere by the end of the week and off-piste was all ice and depth hoar. Helmets were selling well in the shops and there were lots of collisions.
All good practice for us on the Snoworks all terrain course though!
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Hi Stevo, Any chance you could write up a quick review of that Snoworks course? I'm thinking of going on one myself in March. Be great to hear first hand about the setup.
Cheers,
Mark
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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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Chris Bish, hope to see you at the weekend. Admin has been showing me how to ski moguls, which has been very helpful. You can see a picture of Admin skiing moguls here.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I fail to see what relevance the above two post have to "snow Reports" and am considering exterminating 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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He appears to have one ski on. What is the point of this? It only gets in the way when you are sliding down on your backside I reckon!
The snow in the picture looks white and cold too. What's wrong with it?
Alastair, Nice to meet up with you if possible. I've refrained from suggesting it because you don't yet appreciate how bad I am..(at skiing that is..)
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he? its very skillful to ski moguls with one ski
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You know it makes sense.
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Alastair, Which run did you find the moguls on? I can then take avoiding action and stay well away from them - I usually manage to get one ski on either side of the bump and end up looking rather like Miss Muffet - but with out the spider!
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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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Just got back from Courchevel 1650 and can confirm that it has the best snow of the 3 valleys. Skiied over to Val Thorens only to find bare slopes or ice! Even in 1650 there is a lot of grass and rocks...Lets hope it snows soon!
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Poster: A snowHead
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In case people think I'm being over enthusiatic about conditions here, today's report will come to you from admin.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Mme Brain, Alastair and I decided to check out the validity of some of the scurrilous rumours doing the rounds about the Three Valleys area - grass, rocks and swarms of Parisians have all been suggested as potential spoilers of the domain at the moment.
Diligently, we set of early (about 9.10am), up the Plein Sud and the snow conditions down into Motterat were surprisingly good. At the Pad du Lac, we encountered the first queue of the day and waited almost 2 minutes.
Courchevel, and the Creux was a bit stony. Up the Chanrossa chair and the runs at the top above 1650 were a little patchy, although further down everything was in great condition. Right over on the far side of the domain, we rode the new Chapelets chair and took the Roc Mugnier down towards Courchevel 1850. It was a little stony, but I’ve seen it very much worse. Up the Aguille de Fruit, the Suisse and Parc City were both in good condition, and down through the Jardin Alpine, everything was very pretty.
Through Courchevel 1850 and on down to Le Praz, the black runs (Jockeys and Jean Blanc) were both closed, but the red Brigues was in lovely condition all the way down.
We checked the Arolles above La Tania on the way round the Loze, which was fine. Heading down to Meribel, again the black Tetras was closed, but the blues and reds all seemed to be complete. Up the Tougnette and down the 'smile making' Jerusalem and on to St Martin, everything was in fine condition, and we even spotted some reasonable off piste to be had were we not on our hectic mission.
Working our way up to Les Menuires, la Masse was fantastic.
As we made it back to VT by 3.30pm, we thought we'd better check out the fourth valley (Orelle), just to make the picture complete. This was a bit of a shock. The piste, although complete, was a windswept boiler plate and we were all thoroughly relieved once we were on the chair back out. On the way up, I exaggerate not, we saw someone take a tumble at the top of a long straight steep stretch of red piste and slide about 300m. Everyone on the chair cheered when he stood up without help.
The run down into VT was fine and we finished the day, as we began, riding the Plein Sud up for a well-deserved vin chaud at the top.
In summary, the pistes are mainly complete, with the lower runs generally in better condition than those higher up. I went out on newly serviced skis this morning and there are about half a dozen light scratches on the bases now. As Alistair said yesterday, if you are particularly anal about your skis, rent.
The one thing that astonished us all day, was just how quiet it is around here. The longest queue we were in all day was barely even 5 minutes long. You'd think someone had been spreading rumours to stop people coming.
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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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admin, ooo...dear, I recommended Orelle to someone travelling from work last Friday...
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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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admin, pretty much sums up my experience of skiing Courchevel and down to Praz today. One thing though, the much warmer temperatures made it a lot easier to get about, the snow was considerably softer than in recent days. A great run down to Courch 1350 (Le Praz, see photo) - the lower slopes are better just about everywhere around the north-facing resorts at the moment. And very, very quiet, even smack in the middle of 1850...
Down at Le Praz...
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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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Admin,
We're off to Meribel next week, thanks for your comprehensive update, much appreciated to allay the worst fears. I guess the British hordes have yet to arrive though....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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lets keep it that way... bwahahaha
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off to VT for half term, please please please let it snow first!!
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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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| markP wrote: |
Hi Stevo, Any chance you could write up a quick review of that Snoworks course? I'm thinking of going on one myself in March. Be great to hear first hand about the setup.
Cheers,
Mark |
The Snoworks course was the first time I've been with them - a number of the other 30 or so people were repeat visitors. I only went because my usual February-trip crowd cried off and I had a gap to fill. So, I went with some trepidation (on my own), but there were lots of similarly afflicted lone skiers and the whole thing was great socially - we all got on brilliantly and I got to ski with almost everyone during the week.
The standard varied from cautious intermediate to expert. A couple of people probably shouldn't have been there, but will still have gained something from it. Others were not much worse than the instructors! I was in the middle somewhere (but with a mental block when it comes to bumps).
We were split into six groups - three 'all terrain' and three 'off piste' - although the snow conditions meant there wasn't a huge difference. The groups were graded by ability/speed and, after a first-day reshuffle, each group seemed to be evenly matched. We were looked after by three instructors, taking a morning group and an afternoon group each.
The instruction was superb: my skiing came on leaps and bounds - ironically, the poor conditions probably made it more worthwhile: ice, hard moguls, rocks, etc. The instructors were enthusiastic and good humoured and provided useful tips and feedback on the slopes and in the evening video review sessions.
At £250 for the week's instruction, I feel it was worth every penny and I'll probably go again in the hope that I continue to move up the levels.
Oh, and I'm getting to grips with the bumps.
Highly recommended.
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Blog update plus photos from Tuesday's trip to Courchevel and Le Praz.....
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FAQ
<edit>... actually there was fresh snow in Lyon when we landed - which meant that we ended up waiting for 1 1/2 hours to get off the plane via bus, and then another 2 1/2 hours trying to track down our luggage 
Nice one 
