 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Absolutely possing down in Ste foy, since about 3pm, trying to turn to snow😁😁😁😁😁
Hopefully above the first lift is snow.....
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@chocksaway, suggest a decent bar and I'll buy you that pint! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Any advice on good ski schools so that we can have a few half day lessons to make the most of the great conditions?
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Well the lifts started to open at 9.30 - although the highest one was only Grattalu (eventually) because of the strong winds. There was a large queue at Palafour so I elected to jump on the Almes Poma. I knew the snow was going to be heavy - but when I saw Frenchie from Vallon Blanc wearing a pair of the Admiral's Barges on his feet and he was only managing straight lines I knew I was in for a hard time - it was mainly like concrete. I then tried Palafour but it was so busy I retired to the Jam Bar and a day of cleaning in the apt - deep joy. So any talk of a powder day is delusional or marketing speak  . However, when we can get higher I suspect the snow will be better but it will all have arrived at very high speed so it will not be light and fluffy - spare a few gullies perhaps. On piste will be much better - as all this heavy stuff gets bashed into place - we will have more snow tonight but not as much as last night. This amount of snow augurs well for the Easter week - the pistes should be just great down to about 1800m.
Unfortunately, tomorrow will be as, if not more, windy than today but we may get to see the odd sunny period in the morning - if the lifts are working - Meteo France are saying 110kph in Brev so lord help us up here. We will then revert to snow showers - it is also going to remain warm which will only go and consolidate the snow off piste. Wednesday and Thursday will see sunny periods with the odd shower - it will still be windy but not gale force (hopefully). But the good news is that the temps will drop quite markedly - which will really help the snowpack. Friday looks cloudy and April showers on Saturday - but again confidence in the forecast is not high beyond Thursday.
@t40ora, We might have to meet in the Jam Bar! If you let (PM if you want) me know what kind of lessons you are looking for (age (ish) and standard) I can make a suggestion - lots of the schools may be booked up next week.
As for later in the season - if you fancy a short break after the tour ops have finished The Alpaka will reopen on Sat 25th April with Jill in charge again - contacts remain as before - 04 79 06 45 30 or info@alpaka.com. Trip lengths etc all negotiable at that time of year.
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@chocksaway, Jam Bar sounds good! I'll look it up and let you know when we are actually in resort.
We're old but fit; mid 50's, but the Mrs. is a (half) marathon runner, I'm a gym goer, and we're both expecting to do a non-stop 100km walk in July. I guess we are officially intermediate level; we like nice runs, good reds and blues. We can get down most things but it might be messy! And we do like a 'good' black. Our ski-buddy from January, who knows our limitations, has suggested we make suer that we do the nice wide black, at the bottom of the red at the top of the glacier.
Here's hoping that the wind drops! We had some of that in January, and also in Serre Chevalier last year.
Really looking forward to hitting the piste, and then a few beers afterwards!
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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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@t40ora, I have sent you a PM with details.
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Got it!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Was a bit rough today, lovely wind and as mentioned before the concentrated crowds made the open runs (coupled with low visibility) a bit uneven! let's hope the weather man is Michael Fish and he's wrong (not that there is a hurricane coming)!!
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You know it makes sense.
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@GeorgeVII, Having read my own forecast I didn't set the alarm - so Good Morning! Thanks to a tiny ridge of high pressure the wind is still wild this morning but not quite the extremes that we were expecting - even so just the local lifts open and down to Brev. According to the pressure charts the wind strength may increase this afternoon - so I might get blown over on the way back from the gym. More snow this afternoon. Looking forward to it cooling down tomorrow - the temps exacerbated by the winds are pinching the snow below 1800m.
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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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Regie des Pistes just reported that the winds at 3000m (Panoramic) are about 150kph with gusts to 240kph. Nurse!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Ouch!!
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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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Yip its now proper windy in the village. As I was in the gym the cloud inexorably crawled down the mountain and it started snowing a couple of hours ago. There are still some hardy souls out there, mostly mad dogs and Englishmen I suspect. As I ventured across the Front de Neige I could see a lot of avalanche activity more of that in a minute. And then I spotted a first of the season - no not a marmotte on LSD but a lesser spotted Woodward in the gym!! The only comment I can make on the snow is that its like porridge in the village - but the cooler temps should help address that over night
@Kenzie, Absolutely - the local paper has the Isere rising down the valley and a couple of roads have been cut off but landslips - so I suspect we are in for quite a ride tonight - and I suspect the Pisteurs will be looking after the safety over the roads etc. I wouldn't be surprised if the roads have to be closed for a bit of PIDA (avalanche control to you chief).
As to the weather - we are expecting light snow overnight and the winds will continue to howl - as they will in the morning. So I expect many lifts to be shut in the morning, especially as a whole host of avalanche work will have to be done. We should then have sunny periods (which will be whizzing across the sky) and there will be a marked drop in temps as the freezing level will be somewhere near 1200m. Thursday looks grey, windy and snowy with a snowline at 1400m so the lower resorts might get some respite. Friday will be similar and April showers is the best way of describing the weekend. It will also warm up a bit. However, a word of caution the pressure charts are a bit complex so all of this could change - between us and Switzerland there is a lot of snow about - pinning down its final destination is a bit trick.
And now the word of warning - from Thierry Arnou, todays avalanche risk forecaster. En ski de randonnée ou hors-piste, les conditions sont très dangereuses en ce moment. Don't think I need translate that. But with all the temp changes, wind transport á grand vitesse and the wet snow there is a lethal cocktail of conditions out there, the risk of very large wet avalanches is great (risk 4) especially overnight. He is warning that all travel is potentially dangerous up here; there is a real threat to mountain refuges and ski lifts.
I think I will use the Palafour Gallery to get to the pub!
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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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| Quote: |
| @chocksaway, no not a marmotte on LSD but a lesser spotted Woodward in the gym!! |
I got lost on the way to the Jam Bar
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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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@stewart woodward, 
On a more sober note there were two avalanches today in Tignes - the most notable being in the Chardonnet bowl - luckily she was dug out by her partner in a couple of minutes. But a lot of pisteurs and a helo pilot had to risk their lives in marginal conditions to assist with the recovery.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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A day of complete rest! I can't remember the last day I didn't ski, swim or gym so today it was a rollover! Having said that with the gusty wind outside it wasn't a hard decision  The wind howled most of the night and continued this morning. The other big change was the drop in temperature -6 degs on the balcony this morning. It has gradually abated and progressively more lifts opened but I am still amazed at the preoccupation that a certain age group has with getting to the Folie Douce; it was the major source of conversation on the bus as I rode round the villages looking at the sales. I also chatted with some mates who had ventured out - there was some nice snow higher up - you just couldn't see it for the snow blowing in the wind and the cloud. There was some sunny periods this afty - but it has really been snowing lightly all day. Bodes well for tomorrow.
Tomorrow should be mainly cloudy with snow flurries in the afternoon, there will still be a gusty wind but hopefully not quite as strong as today - the snowline will be down the valley. Friday, will be similar but less windy and a snow line at 1800m. Sat - same same before we have April showers on Sunday. There is quite a lot of snow to the north east of us forecast over the period and the situation is very fluid - so much could change. There have been 250 reported avalanches over the last 48 hours in the Savoie and the risk reduces a bit tomorrow to level 3 which is still considerable - so still much caution required.
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April showers? Rain in resort but snow up top?
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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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| t40ora wrote: |
| April showers? Rain in resort but snow up top? |
Snow in resort, cold & more snow up top 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
So all in all next week looks very good - so put the kids on E Bay throw a sickie and get out here
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Luckily my Son is 24 and doesn't live here, or he'd be sold!
Looking forward to that first sunny day on Sunday.
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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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| t40ora wrote: |
Looking forward to that first sunny day on Sunday. |
More than likely will be snowing
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Sun/snow - looking forward to the piste!
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Snowing right now, settling on the paths.... Not sure how long expected to continue overnight
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Poster: A snowHead
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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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@stewart woodward, You didn't fancy a run through the gates yourself then?
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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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| Quote: |
Enjoy today and get ready for more Brit holiday makers next week
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That'll be us then! Keeping the tourist economy alive, because we can't manage to live out there.
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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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Great update. Flying out early tomorrow. Cant wait.
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Lol love the closing line...what do you fly chocks?
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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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FAQ
It is showing a healthy 20cm overnight & it is still snowing 
