 Poster: A snowHead
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Ok as I've just arrived for winter and more importantly the resort opens Saturday for Toussaint it seems a good time to start a new thread.
Links
http://www.meteoexploration.com/forecasts/Les-Deux-Alpes/?lang=en - Forecast
http://www.les2alpes.com/en/ - Official Site
http://www.2alpesnet.com/ - Alternative Site
http://www.bensbus.co.uk/ski-transfer/grenoble-airport-les-deux-alpes-transfers/ - Transfers from Grenoble Airport
http://www.2alpesnet.com/buses - Lyon and Geneva to Grenoble shuttles and local buses to resort
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=120415
- Latest on road to La Grave, Serre Chevalier, etc. New tunnel now closed again so that it can bé complèted. Relief road reopened.
If you want British instruction there are several options -
- Easiski (Charlotte) has been here a long time and has many SH fans
- European Ski School have several British instructors. Alex Chapman who's a SH and several friends have had great lessons with her and Ian Huyton who several friends rate highly too. I think ESS are having one more Brit stagiaire too.
- BASS Rod Frazer who is highly rated.
- all other schools, ESF, ESI, Firstrax and Évolution 2, have other English speaking French and Italian instructors. Some I know personally are very fluent.
- for off piste adventures any of the above but Damien Albert is probably the best especially if you want really gnarly.
For those interested English Football is shown in the Red Frog (open all day) and the Secret Bar (although not open all day so prob not lunchtime kick offs).
If you decide you want to buy boots in resort Cedric at Jacques Sports is highly recommended. He did mine the winter before last and did a grand job.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 9-03-17 18:56; edited 4 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Looking up the mountain earlier this morning (it's now shrouded with cloud) there is fresh stuff above about 2500m. Should be great conditions on the glacier for Toussaint. I'll post some photos as soon as conditions allow.
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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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Any snowhead out there ever use Firsttrax ski school in LDA?
I'm renting an apartment from Lungostyle Apartments over the Xmas hols, who seem to be affiliated to the ski school. At first glance on their website the private lesson rates seem pretty reasonable.
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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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@debtors#2, I've not used them but know them. They are all Italian I think but all with very good English. Lungo is Luca who instructs too. His partner Sarah is English.
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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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Just in case anyone is coming this way over next few weeks. Disruption due to safety work.
http://www.les2alpes.com/fr/acces-aux-2-alpes.html
RD cut 1091 for securing cliff, at a place called "Infernet" close to Freney.
From October 20, 2016: road closed from 7:00 to 7:30, from 8:00 to 8:30, from 9:00 to 9:30, from 10:00 to 10:30, from 11am to 11:30, 13H at 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., 15H at 3:30 p.m. ET to 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m..
These traffic restrictions measures will apply until Friday, November 4, 2016 at 12:00. They will be followed by a series of cuts in half duplex by floor until November 25, 2016 at 12:00.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Lifts opened today for Toussaint until 1st November. Just the glacier open and conditions were superb. Not too busy, plenty of race teams and the 4 or 5 others I spoke to on the T bar were all up from Grenoble for the day. Enough snow to get down to 2600 although completely unpisted and a fair few were doing it.
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Hello...
As it seems, this winter season I'll be visiting L2A for the first time. Since I am slowly transferring myself from on-piste only to a more off-piste skier, I am interesting in off-piste lessons (two to three day half day lessons). Since all my friends are in upper league (I don't want to slow them down during our visit) and since the private lessons are very expensive, I would like to join a group of 4-5 skiers doing a course. Is this even possible? Do ski schools in L2A offer this type of off-piste lessons?
I can ski any type of piste without any problems (technique and form maybe not the prettiest) and I have some off-piste experience -> from top of La Masse in Les Menuires to the Lac Du Lou (http://www.camptocamp.org/routes/50867/en/lac-du-lou-via-la-masse) in brilliant 30-40 cm champagne powder. I did fell few times and i did the route very back-seated.
Can someone recommend me a good school with off-piste group lessons?
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@matejp, I'd try contacting European Ski School and BASS to see whether they have anything that week. ESF probably will but may not necessarily cater for English speakers.
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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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Getting ready to open after the fresh snow of the last days
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Yep I'm going up today about 11 or so I think 😀 Tomorrow too probably as I'm doing other things over the week-end and early next week 😃
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| matejp wrote: |
Hello...
As it seems, this winter season I'll be visiting L2A for the first time. Since I am slowly transferring myself from on-piste only to a more off-piste skier, I am interesting in off-piste lessons (two to three day half day lessons). Since all my friends are in upper league (I don't want to slow them down during our visit) and since the private lessons are very expensive, I would like to join a group of 4-5 skiers doing a course. Is this even possible? Do ski schools in L2A offer this type of off-piste lessons?
I can ski any type of piste without any problems (technique and form maybe not the prettiest) and I have some off-piste experience -> from top of La Masse in Les Menuires to the Lac Du Lou (http://www.camptocamp.org/routes/50867/en/lac-du-lou-via-la-masse) in brilliant 30-40 cm champagne powder. I did fell few times and i did the route very back-seated.
Can someone recommend me a good school with off-piste group lessons? |
I'd second Rod at BASS. I had piste lessons with him which were supposed to be part of a group (up to six in a group) but ended up only being my wife and I. I was really impressed with the lessons, we both made massive improvements. He also does trips to La Grave and whole mountain clinics.
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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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Bit windy today, it will be nicer tomorrow.
Alpe d'Huez has opened the glacier, but only for ski teams.
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Wind wasn't that bad, 20kph I think. Snow was nice but freezing point had been fairly high so snow around Toura was a lot thinner.
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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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Luca has had a bad injury this summer but I'm sure he'll be back sometime. Marco who works with him is very good too.
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Poster: A snowHead
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How do you think the tunnel's going to pan out this winter?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Chamcham, I believe the plan is to open it, although not 100% complete, in time for the start of the season. I believe they will then close the road again sometime in March to complete it with the route de secours being used again until it's all done.
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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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@matejp,
I'll also 2nd Rod at BASS....I did two sessions with him last year and a group booking ended up as a 3hr plus private lesson, on and off piste....you need to get on the website and contact his wife to prebook your slot......excellent instruction.
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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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@Belch, @Chris, @Claude: thank you for your suggestions I will examine them later. In the meantime I've also found this offer by Evolution 2.
http://www.evolution2-2alpes.com/en/off-piste/50-off-piste-day-safety-technics-monday.html#/type_of_practise-ski/week-choose/ski_or_snowboard_equipment_rental-no/insurance-no
Off piste day & safety technics - Mondays
Do you have a passion for fresh snow and virgin slopes ? Our off piste & safety day is for you. This is a fun day off piste and away from the crowd, wrapped up with safety training. Wether you are a young freerider, a cross country skier or a powder addict, this day is a great way to discover the area and keep safe. To join the course you need to ski or snowboard on all pistes and have already experienced off piste.
What to expect?
A few off piste runs, away from the crowd, chosen based on the weather forecast and snow conditions. You will be joining a group of maximum 8 people, fit and ready to have fun.
Safety training subjects
How to choose your off piste, your line, your couloir or the best slope?
Avalanche and weather report, where to get it and how to decipher it?
Why does it go, why does it stick?
Influence of the weather and terrain
Simple snow profiling exercises
Distance between riders?
Following tracks, good or bad ones? (local skiers, levels, speedriders)
Avalanche, how to get out of it? How to save a friend?
Transceiver, how to use it properly?
Calling for rescue. How? The Y and the N, right phone numbers...
Avalanche airbag, is it worth it?
The idea of the day is having fun and getting off piste onto some beautifull slopes and enjoy great surroundings. Our local instructors will show you a couple of great spots. The aim of the whole day is getting a safer attitude and gain knowledge to evolve off piste safely. We planed this day especially at the beginning of each week so you can ride the rest of the week with more knowledge of the area and in a safer way.
Does anyone know them? Are they any good?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@matejp, Évolution 2 are in many resorts in France including here. Their instructors will be mainly french with perhaps some Italians, their English should be ok. I dont know any of them personally.
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Torrential rain in resort all night, the fog has just cleared and I can see that it snowed down to about 2350m. More due over the weekend with a freezing point around resort level. I'm heading for the flatlands but expect things to be much whiter when I come back on Tuesday.
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| Claude B wrote: |
| It has continued to be warm here for over a week now. I didn't ski again |
I don't blame you, tales of monster queues over the weekend and grumpy lift staff.
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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, I skied the first day and the following Thursday. First time here at Toussaint. I timed it for lunchtime and things weren't too bad. Racers are an ignorant lot of pita's though. I had an ESF moniteur try to get on the T Bar with me half way up only he stopped immediately in front of me. My avoiding action took me the wrong side of him leaving him stranded 
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Got back yesterday afternoon and the mountain was much whiter although nothing in resort. However it has snowed all day and is really cold. Even more forecast tomorrow. View from my balcony this afternoon. The run between the trees is the Diable black.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks @Claude B,
I forgot how much your thread makes me smile whilst I should be working.
Hope you have a GREAT season and keep up the photos................
Now, where did I put that spreadsheet 
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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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@Claude B,
Looks a bit different from when we saw you in August !
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Lots of rain in resort for the last week but the freezing point had been around 2500m. Most of the lower snow has gone but it must be great higher. Last night it rained very hard and I could see on the mountain (not now fog has rolled in) that it snowed down to lower than 2000m. We open next Saturday and I suspect it will be necessary to keep pretty high to find the best snow.
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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 are in LDA for Christmas week, had a great time last year for the new year, skiing wasnt great but we managed to have a really fantastic time, fingers crossed for slightly bettter conditions this year. Bring on the Snow gods.
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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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Spoke to a friend who is a pisteur last night. Snow is superb above 2600m but not below which is what I expected to hear. Snow cannons have been running on Valentine, Diable and return blue (probably others too). Open Saturday Resort is getting busy as seasonal workers arrive and commerces gear up for opening.
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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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Hi Claude. Looking at the MW place at the top end of the resort. Close to the Belle Etoile chair - cannot remember ever using that lift....how useful is it? I cannot make it out from the map/piste map
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Bérangère, it's a bit up the mountain towards L2A 1800 aka Village. Ski down to Belle Étoile which is normally quiet and goes up to Crète. Ski down to Crète 4 man chair and up. I used it all the time for 2 seasons when I rented before I bought this place.
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@Claude B, thanks.
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With the terrible snow forecast currently being proposed up to Xmas, what proportion of the mountain is likely to be skiable if we get only sun and warm temperatures out to Xmas? Is only the glacier safe at the moment?
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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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@debtors#2, I dont think the forecast is that bad, certainly not as warm as last December which was the killer. 2600m upwards (not forgetting the top is 3600) is my worst case scenario.
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@Claude B, out of interest, how much snowmaking do they have from Cretes to 2600?
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FAQ
Forecast is for quite a lot of snow over the weekend with the freezing point low enough on Sunday for it to fall in resort. I'm away so will miss it.
Was going to go this week but snow isn't really good enough now after several freeze, thaw cycles. Lots of snow due in next week but freezing point above resort so wet here. Took this photo from about 1950m on the Demoiselle yesterday whilst stretching my legs a bit.
