 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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Yesterday, two very different perspectives.
Number One.
OH and daughter went up the hill around Noon. Had a good time piste skiing though reported that it was very icy in parts, and that is on the lower sloped where they have made it possible to ski all the way down. Also a lot of rocks so don't be tempted to ski the wide piste but take the chemin down.
Very busy but queues not too bad though restaurants were packed and that was at 14.00.
Cloud did roll over yesterday in the afternoon, and overnight temps were minus 15 and a minus 20+ up the hill but not as much wind as the day before, which nicely leads into.......
Number Two.
Three of us went ski touring up to Galibier, conditions as were driving up looked superb and we were salivating at the prospect. Once skinning up soon became apparent that the wind had trashed the snow and we ended up skiing down every conceivable type or leg breaking slab / crust, so bad in places that you had to kick turn downhill to get out of the mire.
It was probably better further up but we only went half way as were concerned about one of out group not being able to hack it.
Damn cold again this morning.
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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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17:15 and gridlock coming down from Monetier direction into Villeneuve and I should imagine on to Chantermerle and Briancon. Saw it a couple of times like this last season.
Everyone is up for New Year judging by being around this morning from the looks of things as I was in Briancon at the VW garage trying to buy a new wiper blade unit only to be told that not possible in France is it's right hand drive 
And went to take dogs out for a walk going up Col de Granon and never seen so many cars parked up!
Then lunch at the new refurbed Station (bottom of Luc Alphond Chantermerle) after the fire, and at 14:30 that was mobbed.
Always a good place for nosh as damn good value eg cheese & ham omelette and chips and salad €7.50
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I quite liked the Station, a good place for an end of day beer or two. Nice view of the hill. I still have some kind of credit card/loyalty card thing in my wallet from several years ago. Might have to head back soon and see if they accept it......
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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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Should have mentioned that evidently, as would be expected, lift queues very very busy.
Dad taxi service today, here to Tignes, pick daughter up (her twin already with us), then back to Turin to drop them off then from Turin back past home here in SC up over the Col for New Years with friends in the Hotel Edelweiss in La Grave.
Friends staying with us are going over there to ski LG today, but not that much is open up there, basically P3 to P2.
Very cold overnight, minus 10 on the gauge this morning so must be minus 15 in the valley.
Ciao and have a good one what ever you end up doing and Happy New Year
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we have flights booked to Turin at the end of January, they were booked with the idea of skiing the Milky Way.
There are 4 of us all blokes so will have a car and the more I look at the SC domain the more it appeals to me. Is it an easy transfer from Turin?
I can't see any passes that would be shut and I have looked at hotels in Briancon and there are plenty to choose from.
Your opinions would be appreciated.
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@northantsred, it's a really easy one unless the weather is very bad as you do need to cross the Col de Montgenevre. It is not unknown for it to close, but as a main route towards Gap it tends to be kept open if at all possible.
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Very very rarely is the Col de Montgenevre shut, you're more likely to encounter traffic like last Saturday before they shut the Col unlike the Lautaret it is well protected from the wind.
This season I have a few friends coming out (one tomorrow) who fly BA ex Gatwick inc car rental as an all in package at a very good price if not travelling weekend and high season.
I regularly drive to Turin airport and do here to Turin in an easy 1h 40min though last night (New Years Eve) have never seen the road that busy with everyone going to Sestriere and Bardonechia, must be a big thrash up there judging by the number of people.
We were in Bardonechia having a pizza mid afternoon and the train station was really busy with people coming up from Turin.
Anyway very good hotel to stay at is the Plein Sud in Chantermerle, have friends staying their for three nights this week and I even spent a couple of nights (I seem to recall) there last summer for my mates stag do!
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@northantsred, the transfer takes about 2 hours, though can be quicker with light traffic and no delays (and avoiding the Frejus Tunnel.....  )
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@Hells Bells, @Weathercam, @Cacciatore, thanks for that. We have decided to wait until the week before we fly before we decide where to go. With the shortage of snow generally we might even head up to Cervinia or monterosa area. But hopefully the snow gods will start working soon?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@northantsred, a very good plan, forecast not looking at all good 
Have another friend now staying and we just don't know what to do, could be cross country.
At least should be a lot quieter now out there as the hordes go back, friends who chose to ski last week endured some very busy pistes and massive queues.
We might head off to take a look at Val Frejus / Val Cenis in the week out of curiosity as when I drove through the Frejus on New Years eve looked like they had more snow and no wind judging by the snow still on the trees at altitude.
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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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Looks lovely doesn't it and not exactly a lot of people and some nice stashes of wind blown pow along the edge and off the piste to be had, hence the reason I stopped to take a photo.
The true story of the day, probably the worst days skiing ever !!!!
We drove to Monetier, as at 10:15 the website had all the top lifts open. Once we were there saw how windy it was and what a surprise Yret was shut, which threw a spanner in the works for what we had planned.
All the runs down to Monetier resort were closed too.
So with the wind howling off to do the Vallons as we planned to ski over to Chantermerle for lunch. And superb it was at the top, and then the ice, where it had rained over night it had then frozen and then OH stacked it quite badly and I was all over the place on my old Mission which just do not hold an edge.
And then they shut the Vallons so no way back to Monetier
Then it was more of the same with people (though not that many) sliding at speed out of control as no way could they stop if they had to.
The only good part was the lower part of Luc Alphond down to the station.
And then we had to take the bus back to Monetier.
So my mate who paid €46 for a ticket was not best pleased.
And has to be said, what with the lack of snow in the forecast we are stumped as to what to do, touring off piste is bad, no cross country, might have to invest in some carving skis 
We might go and take a look at Val Frejus / Val Cenis Tuesday / Wednesday
Many Russians out this week as evidently it's Russian week as it's their Christmas week according to SnowAngel who I bumped into in the Station, and she did not know why with a season pass you no longer get Montgenevre but you do get a day if you buy the weekly pass
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What's the snow like at the moment on piste, and any sign of the runs opening down to Monetier?
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You know it makes sense.
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Heading out on the 17th of Jan and staying in Le Bez... Still plenty of time for some snow but would like to see a bit more on the forecast!
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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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@sugarmoma666, as I said runs down to Monetier closed.
Pistes range from wind blown powder / snow canon snow through to hard pack frozen courdroy to nigh on ice.
Not at all pleasant unless you have uber sharp edges on carving skis.
We Need at least a meter!
Friends pencilled in for Jan 10 have postponed
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Poster: A snowHead
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Where's the webcam feed gone Gav???
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@KenX, can't work that out as I can see it on my internal network and not externally like you, and my daughter has just confirmed that, mind you not that you are missing a great deal 
Will have to delve deeper, though not too sure what the issue is as I've been checking all the settings
Yesterday we went for a little tour up from Le Laus to just below Le Col Perdu, which if we'd gone over that would have dropped down to the Reguge Napoleon on the Col d'Izpoard.
Must have scored all of 12 or so decent turns.
Did hear a few days back that on New Years Eve four ski tourers were caught on the Pic Blanc with one dead, and media reports were not too clear as to what had happened.
Davidof reporting on his site that they were with a guide, whilst other reports were contradicting the exact location of the incident.
We were in Riquet sports last night and the guys in there that I know told me that it happened on the East facing flank of Pic Blanc and that they were not with a guide, and that they were well known to Etienne from Riquet who went up there the next day to see the exact location. They had been coming up to Serre touring from Marseilles for ten or so years.
Seems crazy that it could happen as so many people have been up there, they were caught whilst skinning up what seems the steep flank, so maybe something above them triggered it?
If you look at http://www.skitour.fr/actu/3458-avalanche-secteur-galibier you'll see the usual Internet Forum armchair pontificating about such incidents.
Edit to the above, the exact location was on a little summit just above the buildings by the tunnel to the NW which is referred to as Petite Pic Blanc - and now makes a lot more sense as the location and how it happened as it would have been so loaded there from the wind.
I've been up there a couple of times...............
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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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All good again in the world of the bird-table...............
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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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| Weathercam wrote: |
Davidof reporting on his site that they were with a guide |
From the Briançon guides, that's according to the CRS.
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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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@davidof, I totally understand as some reports talk about they were with a guide and that the guide was interviewed afterwards
http://www.dici.fr/actu/2015/01/01/hautes-alpes-deces-dun-homme-de-40-ans-dans-une-avalanche-au-galibier-545190
But the guys in the shop who know them very very well said that they were not with a guide. I have not talked to Etienne and it's always difficult in these circumstances, especially as they were friends.
Maybe as there were probably so many guides in the vicinity with so many groups up there, the guide reported here was at the scene almost immediately ?
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| Weathercam wrote: |
| @davidof, I totally understand as some reports talk about they were with a guide? |
the statement was on the CRS or prefecture website; can't tell you more than that.
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@davidof, I'm typing this straight after having heard that they were indeed with a guide and the guy who was telling me knows him very well.
So does indeed sound that they had a guide, though is a wee bit bizarre in that they've been here so long and know the area, and that area is quite simple to navigate so why have a guide. I've been going up there, even on my own a couple of times a year, but mainly in the Spring mornings when conditions are far more stable.
The fact that they could well have been with a guide as ever points to the inherent dangers.
Next time I meet Etienne I will ask.
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| Weathercam wrote: |
| @davidof, I'm typing this straight after having heard that they were indeed with a guide |
The guide might simply have been a friend of theirs.
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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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@davidof, agree with you on that!
In that it was an "invitation" in the French sense of the word.........
But Eric assured me that it was not the case, so a wee bit weird, as I know you understand as per your locale, that if you were going up one of your local Belledonne routes you would not take a guide n'est pas ?
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| Weathercam wrote: |
@davidof, agree with you on that!
In that it was an "invitation" in the French sense of the word.........
But Eric assured me that it was not the case, so a wee bit weird, as I know you understand as per your locale, that if you were going up one of your local Belledonne routes you would not take a guide n'est pas ? |
Well there is a long tradition of skilled people skiing and climbing with guides so it doesn't surprise me if people hired a local guide given the current conditions. It doesn't seem like an obvious route to use a guide but maybe they had plans to ski something over the other side of the col and they wanted a guide's advice on conditions or help with guide type stuff like dropping in on ropes; although being from Marseille they might well be experienced sea cliff climbers. Without knowing more it is all speculation.
They were climbing at the time of the incident. The slide, a wind slab, went in a fairly obvious spot - a hollow on the lee of a hill with what looks like a nasty terrain trap at the foot - slide depth around 60cm so not a huge slab but when it is all piled up in a hollow. It was windblown snow onto the fragile layer that is all over the place at the moment - particularly some south aspect slopes at altitude. It is easy to say this after the event but it is hard to see why a guided group were traversing under or across the slope that went. I will see if the accident investigator will tell me a bit more but as their is a potential court case it may be difficult.
As for the Belledonne, it is a big, dangerous mountain range but I live there, not 300km away on the coast, which changes my viewpoint. On the 29th these were the conditions
combined with the very thin snowpack below 2000m, no high level access into the range, ski touring didn't seem worth the bother compared to the risk. Even if 2015 is a washout there will be other winters. (Since N.Y. the high level rain has consolidated the snow below around 2200/2400m locally). I can see people thinking a south facing col with thin snow pack presented limited risk but we had days of a strong northerly wind.[/img]
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
We Need at least a meter!
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| Quote: |
Even if 2015 is a washout there will be other winters.
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Oh no, I'm doing the 'snow snow snow' dance in my head! Out fist week of Feb to SC again. I have been superbly luck with conditions in SC the last two years (last year the snow arrived with me, and had pow pow pow all week) so suppose I might be due a bad week. Still, three weeks to go... Can spend more time in the Thermes if there's no decent off piste which won't be too bad a thing anyway.
Keep us updated on the conditions @Weathercam 
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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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Quick update on the avalanche histoire...
Mate was taking his skis in for a service and we were talking about what we'd seen today up in Bonneval and we then talked about the incident, with a degree of sensitivity with the guy that knew them and who went up there the next day.
And he told us that the guy had been in the shop the day before looking at ABS bags, but could not make his mind up, how feckin tragic, and yes he was with a guide.
Other half is now looking to go back to the UK next week as the forecast is looking so shite, and then come out with a friend who is flying out on the 19th - tis dire, glad I have my push bike !
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Would the advice be to head to the EAST (Austria my choice) and leave Serre Che for another day. We had such a glorious holiday in Serre Che last year I am reluctant to gamble with nothing chilly on the horizon?
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much  on Thu 8-01-15 23:46; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
Would the advice be to head to the west (Austria my choice)
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I'd check which way you hold your compass first. 
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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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| Quote: |
I'd check which way you hold your compass first. |
Never was my strong point. Still thinking I living in Russia!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Weathercam wrote: |
Other half is now looking to go back to the UK next week as the forecast is looking so shite, and then come out with a friend who is flying out on the 19th - tis dire, glad I have my push bike ! |
You're managing to make Stanton's pre Xmas Arlberg snow updates sound positively upbeat. I'm hoping as on piste skiers on our annual holiday the snow will still be good enough for us to enjoy ourselves.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yep, Weathercam really is a glass half-empty kind of guy . I'm off there in the morning, I will be in the mountains and I won't be at work.
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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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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| Yep, Weathercam really is a glass half-empty kind of guy . I'm off there in the morning, I will be in the mountains and I won't be at work. |
Have fun. I'll be interested to hear how you find the conditions.
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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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Those hills look to be one quarter or one third full (of snow)? Not quite half...
A few centimetres due on the weekend of 17/18th?
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Ooh, the forecasts are now showing quite a bit of snow towards the end of next week, although it looks like it might fall as rain at valley level. Fingers crossed.
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Fuuuuuuuurk those hills look really really green!
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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
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