 Poster: A snowHead
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@smag, A full report in a bit, but just skied (on 4 week old skis) down to Brev and Boisses. The main pistes are fine, the odd stone, some small muddy patches. You will be able to ski within about 60m of your hotel. However, I would forget your Sunday plan, the free lift is grass bound at the top and bottom, so you would have to whip your skis off and walk down hill for 75m. Piste Myrtilles (the summer road and the only one accessible from the free lift) has little snow at the top so you would probably be facing a muddy poling slushfest at best. But if you are keen I would jump on the free bus up to Le Lac and lap the free Rosset instead. Oh the magic carpets in Boisses are also shut, so don't overshoot the hotel!
@peter w, Ta, still spring snow around, if the weather is sunny enough to let it develop.......
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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This morning was very pleasant, a bit cooler, a few clouds around and not many people. So for want of anything better to do I did a 'top to bottom' (but not necessarily in that order). Initially I skied all the way down to Les Brevieres (1550m), the main pistes are still OK, Myrtilles (the road) is now impassable at the bottom and doesn't look good from Boisses. But with just the odd stone to avoid the red down there is fine (the odd bare patch to the side where a piste basher has got 'a bit close to the wood'). I then popped down to Boisses, same story really, the main piste was fine, though I imagine in the afternoon it will be a slush fest. You can't ride the chair from Boisses in skis as there is no snow at the top. Following that I went to the top of the Grande Motte (3456m) where the snow was excellent all the way to Val Claret. So in total I covered 1904m of vertical - not bad for mid April. I also managed to get off the Telepherique and ski all the way to Val Claret without stopping (thanks to good snow, lack of crowds and superb athleticism  ) so a run of 1351m vertical. A great morning was made better by the spotting of a single eagle over Les Boisses.
In other news the Cugnai chairlift is probably shut until the end of the season as a critical but difficult to obtain part has broken. Given the age of the thing they are probably trying to find a blacksmith! I have had a look at the Savoie Route status a few times today, either it is broken or they got the forecasts wrong, because there seems to be very little traffic about. So perhaps tomorrow will not be busy on the pistes, time will tell!
The weather continues to be tricky! The Atlantic chart is a mess so the forecasts are going to be out in terms of timing. A lot will depend on the battle between warm air and the cold blast from the North, we seem to be on the half way line for a couple of days, so standby! The cloud will continue too thicken this evening and sometime tonight there will be a light shower of snow down to 1700m but the winds will pick up. Tomorrow will start with sunny periods and windy. The air temperature will drop and with the wind it will probably feel more like mid March, the top lifts may well close and light snow showers will form later in the day. Monday will see fast moving sunny intervals. Tuesday is when the temperature drops again, current forecasts show freezing at midday at resort level with strong winds, early March really! But the sun will come put between the clouds. Wednesday will be cool, with gentle breezes and sunny periods. Not really the weather for spring skiing, I'm afraid.
For the travellers, tomorrow the UK will be dogged by showers with bumpy winds around them, nothing to affect flying though, Manchester are forecasting a 'Manchester soaker' though. Over here it will be much better. There should be no problems on the roads. "Bing-Bong cabin crew - doors to automatic"
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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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Decidedly chilly today! A sharp breeze above 2400m, the short sunny spells and drop in air temperature made it seem a lot colder than yesterday. As the end of the season approaches it was a cruise round the pistes of Val D'Isere today. On high the pistes remained hard for a good while, down low it was soon very soft. Today also marked 'Le Tignes Trophy' as groups of amateurs, pros or families shoot round the resort doing all sorts of disciplines from Boardercross to the waterslide (best of luck with that!!).
I am expecting it to start snowing lightly as the lifts close, this will continue until the wee hours. Tomorrow will dawn with fast moving sunny periods, and the wind will be stronger, so it will feel cool and some of the high lifts may well be closed. The air temperature on Tuesday will drop 5 or 6 degrees and the wind will blow even harder, wrap up warm the sunny intervals through the window will be deceiving. Wednesday will be pretty much the same. Thursday will see the clouds and wind disappear, a blue skies and sunshine day, but still cool in the shade. Spring looks like returning for Friday with a jump in temperatures and a warm day.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Arrived yesterday in Boisse hoping for a cheeky ski down in the afternoon to Breviere but the green run down is closed now. You can still get to Boisse by no further unless you use the red into breviere.
Had a quick trip up to le lac on the bus for reccy of the snow. Looks much better than at Boisse.
Blue skies this morning and a bit colder so hopefully a good day ahead.
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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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After a very (very) light dusting of snow last night the day dawned with blue skies and a stiff breeze which picked up through the day. Mont Blanc had a very complicated hat on today - multiple layers of 'altocumulus lenticularis', the ones that look like flying saucers! This is a sign of mountain wave activity and high winds aloft, not much sign of any real bad weather for us. The pistes were again quite hard, although there was a few nice turns on 2cm of soft new snow in a gully or 2 below Lanches.
But then it was all over! My last day of skiing this season. The decision was made after nearly being knocked over on Piste Henri by a testosterone laden guy showing off for his girlfriend who was shooting a movie of him; they will have to edit my part of the soundtrack out! Never have a last run.... So the ski kit is drying on the balcony, tomorrow is the big clean and Wednesday Le Grand Depart. There will be news and a weather report tomorrow. So for me it was another injury free season, the only casualty being a pair of shades that were crushed by a mate when he skied into me!
The clouds will continue to build this afternoon and there may be a light shower of snow overnight. But tomorrow the mercury will plunge, the air will be 7 or 8 degrees cooler tomorrow and with a fairly strong wind it will feel cold compared with today. There will be a bit of fast moving cloud about. Wednesday will be pretty much the same, the temperature on Thursday will climb a little and the clouds will disappear. Order will be restored on Friday, it will be sunny and a good few degrees warmer.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@chocksaway,
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But then it was all over! My last day of skiing this season. The decision was made after nearly being knocked over on Piste Henri by a testosterone laden guy
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Best to depart while still in one piece. Thanks for excellent updates throughout the season. 
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A massive thanks from me (and I'm sure lots of other SHs) for all your reports, advice and weather tutorials @chocksaway - this, together with Steve's blog, is my favourite thread on this site. Enjoy your summer, looking forward to next season's thread already.
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Thanks for all the great reporting..your weather forecasts have been spot on and great to read.
We start the final clean up tomorrow and will depart on Thursday..
An interesting if not a classic season in EK but we have,as always,faired considerably better than most..
Thanks Chocks please come and find us in Val one day we owe you a beer or three...
Cheers
Mike
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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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Have a great summer @chocksaway, and as others have said, many many thanks for an entertaining and most helpful thread. I look forward to picking up again in the autumn, but in the meantime enjoy sunny Yorkshire and restore all those reserves of energy for next winter! Safe journey home.
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@chocksaway, Enjoy the cleaning & your last couple of days in Tignes.
Currently clear blue skies & 2'c in Yorkshire. Colder than Tignes 
C U next season if not before.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@chocksaway, We ski Les Arcs but still read your stuff here, safe travels and thanks for updates...
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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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Thanks everybody, glad that folks have enjoyed my musings.
And for the last time this season, here is the weather:
It was cold today as I looked out of the window with scrubbing brush in hand. There was a brisk wind which closed some of the high lifts and there was more cloud than forecast. It was thick enough for a little bit of snow to fall, so where it has landed on snow then there may be a couple of cm to enjoy tomorrow. The sky will progressively clear this afternoon leaving a starry night which will be very cold for April (hint I have just turned my radiators up!!). Tomorrow will be sunny in the morning and a few clouds will build in the afternoon. The air will be a couple of degrees colder and the wind will be nearly as strong - wrap up warm. Thursday will be similar but with a marked drop in the wind. Friday will be 4 or 5 degrees warmer and sunny before the wind and clouds arrive to make Saturday a miserable day.
I'll still poke my nose in here if anyone has any questions. See you all next season!
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@chocksaway, Thanks for your reports and flying forecasts. Have a safe trip back and a good summer.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks to everyone's contributions on here. Very informative to read as always. Have a great Summer and let's do it all again next season.
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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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Just getting ready for last morning skiing then off to airport. Had great skiing this week. The colder temps certainly made things hold up better.
No skiing down to Brev this year unless you drop in on the red that is below sashe.
Lovely snow high up on tignes and Val glaciers.
Good skiing all way down to le lac still.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| chocksaway wrote: |
Thanks everybody, glad that folks have enjoyed my musings.
And for the last time this season, here is the weather:
It was cold today as I looked out of the window with scrubbing brush in hand. There was a brisk wind which closed some of the high lifts and there was more cloud than forecast. It was thick enough for a little bit of snow to fall, so where it has landed on snow then there may be a couple of cm to enjoy tomorrow. The sky will progressively clear this afternoon leaving a starry night which will be very cold for April (hint I have just turned my radiators up!!). Tomorrow will be sunny in the morning and a few clouds will build in the afternoon. The air will be a couple of degrees colder and the wind will be nearly as strong - wrap up warm. Thursday will be similar but with a marked drop in the wind. Friday will be 4 or 5 degrees warmer and sunny before the wind and clouds arrive to make Saturday a miserable day.
I'll still poke my nose in here if anyone has any questions. See you all next season! |
Great to catch up in March and many thanks for all your guidance !
Give us a shout when you are back home.
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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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After two seasons of very good snow cover into mid May, perhaps Tignes might keep more lifts open longer next season? If Toviere, Fresse and Tufs stayed open, along with free bus between Le Lac and Val Claret, it would make a decent amount of piste accessible. Or do resort economics and uncertainties of snow make that unlikely?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
| Not a cost cutting measure, an end of season measure. The lifties and STGM staff all have other jobs, holidays etc lined up as do the staff at hotels, restaurants etc. |
Have to say I'm not convinced on that...We've skied Tignes in the last week of the season on 6 or 7 previous occasions (albeit not for about 3 years) and had always found about 50% of the ski area open. In fact in all our end of season visits we've always skied down to Les Boisses and often down to Les Brevieres.
Is this the first time they've done this? ie closed everything but the glacier (plus the runs to Val Claret) for the final week?
Don't get me wrong, we'll make the best of what's on offer - but it is very disappointing, given the fantastic snow cover, which is not unusual for this time of year.
On a positive note, it's snowed non-stop at resort level since we arrived at about 5pm this evening - torrential rain all the way from GVA and thick fog above Les Brevieres. Powder day tomorrow - but not sure we'll see a lot of it....
EDIT: 08.20, Sun 7 May: Still snowing - whiteout; avalanche blasting going on; could well epic when it clears - but unfortunately looking like that could be after the last day of the season tomorrow ....
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Sun 7-05-17 7:40; edited 1 time in total
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@mountainaddict, hire a guide and go touring?
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We do have touring kit with us Gämsbock as we were planning on skinning on Tuesday after the lifts close.
Had planned on some gentle slopes or pisted runs only as we don't have avalanche kit and aren't experienced enough in avalanche risk/assessment. We've always used a guide for ski touring in the Alps - but weren't reckoning on all this new snow at this time of year.When we booked the trip we were thinking sunny skies and settled snow pack!
All this snow and the amount of blasting going on (followed by some big rumbling avalanches) has now got me thinking twice about skinning anything but pisted (closed by we tackle them on Tues) slopes....
I have thought about a guide but it's a lot of €€€ for 2 of us for potential whiteout/see nothing conditions.... 
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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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There appears to be a race of some variety (looks running) taking place at Le Lac?
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@mountainaddict,
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Is this the first time they've done this? ie closed everything but the glacier (plus the runs to Val Claret) for the final week?
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I was there until 2 May last season. The Toviere gondola was still open, along with Tufs chair, so runs down to Le Lac still open and in very good condition. Palafour side of Tignes lifts all closed.
Also Val D looks to have great snow right down to village and I imagine La Fornet is excellent, but lifts closed a week ago!
Enjoy that untracked powder when you get to it
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
| There appears to be a race of some variety (looks running) taking place at Le Lac? |
Saw it at Val Claret - runners on foot; went up behind the horse stables/piste basher garages beside the car park; turned left; traversed the hillside; then left again straight down the main piste towards the funicular bottom station - some were sliding on their @r$€s for a speedier descent! Flags flying on the marked route showed the word 'Yeti.'
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| Enjoy that untracked powder when you get to it |
We did indeed ! Late start (11am) as visibility was so bad. Lapped the free Bollin Chair a few times to see if weather improved - it did to reveal lots of fresh untracked snow off Bollin itself. Great!
Then went up the glacier - shocking visibility at the top but improved a bit lower down for more fresh tracks off the side of Double M. We even had some sun for a few turns. Got some good freshies in off the side of the Genepy piste too!
A much better day than we'd envisaged - though got a bit heavy at the bottom. Not as much fresh snow as we'd thought (it had seemingly snowed non-stop since yesterday afternoon) - about 10cm off Bollin Chair; 15cm higher up.
Runs were virtually deserted - amazing to ski Double M in such good snow with only me and Mrs MA on the run!
Still snowing lightly now so should top things up nicely for the last day of winter 2016 season tomorrow.
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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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@mountainaddict, Tignes, the gift that just keeps giving, eh?
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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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😍😍😍😍
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Poster: A snowHead
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@mountainaddict, great pics! Keep off that lake.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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^^^^ We walked back over the lake after a night out in Le Lac....(but that was in January, a year or two ago!!....😉. Nevertheless, Mrs MA wasn't keen, despite the marked path - I have a great photo of her face of terror 😄)
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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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@mountainaddict, great pics.
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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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Apparently there is some construction going on near Rosset lift. Does anyone know what work is being done?
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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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There are 2 projects thereabouts (causing traffic chaos going by the emails). The one nearest the Rosset on the snow front is the new nursery school which will have some posh flats above and some more car parking underneath. The second is on the site of the old Pramecou chalet hotel (last occupier Alpine elements) behind Chalet Corniche and the Paquis which is the new British Academy called Apex 2100 led by Clive Woodward. Will be set up as a school and ski training centre for aspiring Brits.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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If I had that much to spend, I think I would want to be a bit further away from a municipal kindergarten!
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I would be looking in Le Fornet if I had that much to spend.
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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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@chocksaway, I couldn't be looking in Tignes full stop, when that buys you a very decent place in the centre of ValD.
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@Dr John, Horses for courses, but I would hate the centre of Val.
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FAQ
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of snow forecast at altitude in Tignes this week.
