 Poster: A snowHead
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Queuing for my 3rd lap of GM and it's actually really good up here. Not that busy yet and first two runs were proper top to bottom powder runs. It's a little wind/rain affected as you get back to mid station but otherwise it's far far better than expected.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@under a new name, interesting. Other weather forecast for Cham are about 3 degrees higher.
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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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@Steve77, excellent!
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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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@Juddernaut, i find meteoblue more accurate, at least insofar as straight models go. It uses a more sophisticated technique than, say, snow-forecast, according to someone over on the weather thread.
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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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@under a new name, Hope you and meteoblue are right. It's our only hope....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Steve77, nice one, did you use the new lift?
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| jbob wrote: |
| @Steve77, nice one, did you use the new lift? |
Not on the way up as I wanted to make sure I was front of the queue for the next telepherique, but I made sure I got it on the way down. It's nice and big and fast so it'll radically change powder days there, hopefully not for the worse, but it's great to see Chamonix getting some modern infrastructure. They've also tarted up the mid station and put in TVs where you queue there etc.
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In Chamonix at the moment - my son is also on the commute to La Thuille from tomorrow. The chat is that it will start to get colder from boxing day, and that will at least allow them to use snow cannons. Les Houches expecting to be ok by end of the year. Not sure how accurate that can be though, this far out.
At the moment, apart from lack of snow falling, it's just too warm - and the big problem is that the ground is also warm, so will need to get a lot colder before any snow will lie at reasonable levels.
Spoke to some at French clubs last night - they just doing fitness training, not skiing. I was also just going to gym tomorrow as well, but might give GM a go, given steve77 comments. Prob head elsewhere on Monday.
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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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@footsoldier, how is it at La Thuile?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Looks like you got some decent snow off the top bin@Steve77
I am in GM today and mainly skiing the opens pistes (with rocks showing through on Marmottons) and messing around on the small bumps which seem to have better snow cover.
Fewer people than I thought there would be up here so actually fairly enjoyable, apart from the odd couple of base and edge repairs I will need to do!
Les Houches was only open got 'debutant' ESF lessons today. All other lessons seem to be on GM but these look really empty (2-4 per ESF group)
They have been running the cannons non-stop above Lognan which will help things.
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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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| Juddernaut wrote: |
| @footsoldier, how is it at La Thuile? |
I haven't been, but my son says that they had decent skiing yesterday. Front side under the cable car is no good, (if that means anything to you...) but down the back and then up the next peak over was good he said. Good, soft snow and not very busy. Having said that, he's been on dry slopes for the last 6 months, so any snow is good!
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@footsoldier, thanks. Cancelled plan day at La Thuile after looking at the 1450m cam, where I saw snow melt before my eyes. Will get there if we get some snow before April.
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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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Need some advice on Chamonix/Les Houches.
Have been skiing Samoens, Flaine last few days and though they have done an excellent job in getting some lifts open, we are looking for some variety.
Where should we head to. Where should we park. Don't know the area at all
Thanks in advance
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Poster: A snowHead
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@AP1, only Argentiere (Grand Montets) is really worth a go at the moment. There is parking at the bottom of the lifts. Les Houches only has the top learners open for lessons and for walkers/sightseeing. At GM, they do well to get the pistes in shape for the morning but don't bring your good skis as there are many small and not so small rocks around at the moment.
Also, after 11am it starts to get very crowded so I would get there early.
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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 Touchguru.....Argentiere it is
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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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whats the forecast on the ground looking like? they still hopeful for the 27th for some snow?
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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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Do people think areas will open up by the 4th jan?
Le Tour, Brevent etc?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It will have to get a lot colder and get a good dump for these areas to open up, but surely that has to happen between now and Jan 4.
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Skied from the top bin of Grand Montets and whilst conditions are obviously much better than from the top of Bochard (no rocks coming through yet) it is in the worst condition I have ever skied it.
Decided to go to the ADM to ski Vallee Blanche this afternoon, but it looked really wind blown and sketchy and didn't fancy a long walk out at the end so I downloaded, which was disappointing but hopefully the new year will bring better conditions!!
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Pics and news plz?
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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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Picture from Instagram tells the story in Chamonix well enough
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Lots of snow (25-30cm?) in Chamonix town since around 4am. No real skiing due to high winds closing lifts (which were limited before today).
I guess it will be tomorrow before we can see what's now going to open, but definitely looking more seasonal out of the window at the moment!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Chamonix town hall have warned against off piste Sunday due to extremely unstable snowpack and fresh snow. Best check your ski insurance is ok if you go out.
They are not saying don't go off piste but to take extreme care if you do.
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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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France meteo are calling 4/5 avi risk, take it easy, it's not ony about insurance but how long you can hold your breath.
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So despite the snow, not much has opened at Brevent/Flegere and much of Le Tour is shut.
so why? when will it open?
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You know it makes sense.
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@bezthespaniard,
Not enough snow?
High wind?
Avalanche risk?
It not being a two minute process to prepare slopes?
Who knows? Ask someone who might - CMB website, etc.
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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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Headed up to Le Tour this morning, first thing. We easily beat the crowds and were on the 3rd bubble up the mountain. Very very cold on that next chair though, despite us all being in our toughest, warmest gear. Heard some good reports from friends in Brevent though.
Much of the slopes still being shut - well they were still very thin even on the open slopes in Le Tour, with grass coming through in quite a few patches. It's easy to forget with all the hype about 'snowmageddon' that this is just the first dump of the year, and snow levels are still very low - much more is needed. It was painfully obvious to us today looking around Les Houches, and yesterday in GM - looking at the grass, rocks, etc still to be covered, gulleys to fill in etc.
The lift companies I think have been doing an excellent job over the past few days clearing gates, pisting runs, moving snow to where it is most needed/useful, and avalanche control. But it's a big job, with limited snow levels overall. More will open in time 
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Poster: A snowHead
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What do you think will be open by the 4th-10th Jan?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@bezthespaniard, if the very cold temperatures continue, and we get the snow that is cautiously predicted for this weekend, I think you'll be looking at the vast majority of pistes being open easily. More and more will continue to open all week as the pisteurs can change their focus from digging things out and avalanche control, to putting poles in place for more runs (there wasn't enough snow before to set poles in!), ploughing any drag lift tracks (thus opening more areas), and moving even more snow around from cannons to where it is needed.
But it'll need a lot more snow for me to be able to really enjoy my favourite off-piste areas But then they really are best from Feb on every year anyway, this year is no different.
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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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@bezthespaniard, sorry, reading back through the thread, and I think you're a bit worried about the snow conditions you're going to find next week, given how bad the early season reports have been...? Which would be very fair.
So here is a hopefully clearer and more positive report:
I think you stand a very good chance of having lots of pistes available to you, and with very good snow, next week.
Yes, there is limited opening at the minute, but that's exceptional circumstances, and sometimes happen in winter resorts. A huge amount of snow fell over a short period of time, coupled with a huge number of people arriving in resort.
Getting pistes ready each day for opening in an efficient and safe manner is a big job, and when it involves dealing with that much snow in one go, it takes a LOT of time and labour. Both being fixed, it inevitably means that things open/improve slowly over a number of days, rather than overnight. And in this instance, the large volumes of people for NY week mean a lot of the available labour etc had to be used for clearing roads, driveways and carparks, and controlling the crowds/lines at gates, issuing tickets etc, rather than preparing pistes.
But I reckon you'll be arriving at just the right time - once all the work has been done this week, it's all open, and the crowds have left!
P.S. I got talking to a few pisteurs on Saturday, having a snowball fight just outside my apartment. It was coming down so hard that they simply weren't allowed to be on the mountain for their own safety. They were frustrated, and knew it meant a really heavy workload once they could get up and start working, but they were looking forward to being able to ski again themselves!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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fixx, only a few more days until I'm there 
Were none of our fave off piste bits at Le Tour skiable?
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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.
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Pity, was hoping to start my season with some of those runs. I suppose that, with the lack of snow, the Geneva lot have been singlehandedly keeping the Cham bars in the black? 
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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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i was up in les houches today, top half of the slopes were ok, but as you got further down they got worse quite rapidly..... does anyone have any suggestions of where to go tomorrow? also is it worth getting a guide out this week or is it all a bit thin and sketchy?
cheers
ps does can anyone recommend a good bar in les houches where they might show the footy?
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Thanks so much for the update!!!
EXCITE
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FAQ
As for the Sud bars and Amnesia, best not to even ask...
