Back there in April as well with family for Easter in your block Helen. Kids enjoyed it last year.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Feckin cold & windy this weekend me thinks then weather certainly looks interesting for next week, big question will be what will the freezing level turn out to be?
All good though!!
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?
You had to be really keen to stay on the mountain yesterday in strong winds along with a severe windchill, plus all that lovely Manchester had been scraped off so not a lot of fun.
Last night was very cold, had -11.5 one of the coldest nights I think I can recall, though my thermometer is on the wall of the housae.
Good news is that it's snowing heavy this morning (see Cam on link in signature) and more importantly temp is -7 when some forecast models are giving around zero for this morning.
Temps are forecast to rise but if we can hold on to minus figs we should see a fair accumulation of snow in the valley over the next couple of days.
@Weathercam, back from the hill and up top was a fair old blizzard going on.
Was lumpy and bumpy on the chopped up pistes and right in front of me, when going down a closed piste, an ESF instructor hit a solid lump of snow cannon ice/snow beneath the fresh and went flying through the air, I had to take his ski down to him.
After that opted to go down through some of the glades off the Prorel Myrtilles run and was good knee deep powder.
If anything seems to be snowing heavier in the valley than up top and since I've got back it's coming down really heavy, reckon the table will disappear soon at this rate.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Oh well as feared the temps did rise and we now have light rain.
Yesterday there was a plan in the making for today with a friend, though I did say, "How to Make God Laugh" = "Make a plan in the Mountains" and he was yesterday far more optimistic than I and my last text to him last night when conditions were looking superb but the temps were slowly creeping up I did say "God could still play a cruel trick on us though overnight".
And at 07:00 my phone pinged with "Funny move from the God guy".
Since then we've decided to pass on today, just too grim, if I were a client he would have had to go such is the work of a guide.
On a positive note this is really good for the valley, this snow is not going to disappear and after today temps drop and there's more snow forecast for the week.
We nagged about avy risk and conditions off piste etc and as he said, it's going to make things very complicated in the short term, but the long term could be good but as ever nothing is text book simple and there could be a cold layer of snow that the rain does not penetrate.
As ever be cautious.
I for one am looking forward to what could be some good cross country conditions this season in the valley for the first time in three years and might even venture up to that other ski resort just out side Briancon (they actually have a couple of cams there!)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@KenX, I feel sorry for the poor bloke who has obviously been buried while shovelling
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@porkpiefox, wondered why the pompeurs showed up while I went inside for a coffee
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Bored so built a racetrack for the dogs with the snow blower
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.
Next door's chicken shack..........
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
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
KenX wrote:
@porkpiefox, wondered why the pompeurs showed up while I went inside for a coffee
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
KenX wrote:
@porkpiefox, wondered why the pompeurs showed up while I went inside for a coffee
Les pompeurs? Do you have a lot of rent boys turning tricks in Serre then?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Had to go to Chantemerle for a customer this morning, driving conditions were appalling, even in a 4x4 with snow tyres........
Problem was the thaw we had last night followed by temps dropping below freezing again (thank god.....) and topped up with another foot of snow
Spotted someone x-country skiing up the main Avenue Republique in Briançon which was odd.......
And driving home the Gendarmerie were stopping cars and lorries for equipment checks, 5km south of us is a steep hill going down to l'Argentiere le Bessée which they obviously don't want littered with crashed vehicles......
Oh, and the col du Lauteret is closed for the time being as well, fun and games in Serre Che
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@davidof, pmsl, damn you autocorrect, thought I'd outsmarted it this time
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
webcams look stunning today. Stunning conditions and no one on the pistes
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?
Took dogs out for walk this morning and they, thankfully had pisted a path, so quick circuit up to the pylons then back down the "road" which was a little bit harder work to say the least but very picturesque!
Cue picture postcard moment
As path was pisted I thought rather than sit on turbo trainer in the garage out with the x-country skis.
I chose to use a mates old skis which he'd left in the garage now he's returned back to the UK, skis were marked up as "Combi Skate Classic" and I thought great, just the job as I want to do more skating and as the piste was not created for x-country (no grooves) thought they would be ideal, which was not the case.
Snow was also really soft and on the return leg back from Monetier I went head first over the handlebars!
Snow has consolidated a hell of a lot and not much difference along the valley which surprised me. They were busy preparing x-country pistes from the looks of things and OH read that they are opening tomorrow.
Great thing about X-Country get to wear all my cycling lycra gear - all the gear and no idea
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Well we've had hardly any of the snow that was forecast for late yesterday and today.
In fact I just had a look at the webcams as here in the valley there's cloud at about 1500m and I did maybe think that it could be snowing up top, and how wrong I was!
All the cams are showing nigh on blue skies with the layer of cloud really obvious in the valley!
Cams are also showing how pisteurs are busy getting ready for the weekend season opening.
Yesterday we skinned up the piste, although it had not in parts been pisted to Frejus where we then skinned up behind Pi Mai across the terraces and meadows into the forest and it was nigh on bottomless powder.
We skied down in great snow eventually joining Prairies which was unpisted and untracked. Twas really good skiing over the rollers.
Quite a few lifts opening tomorrow and quite a few not, but no complaints.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Really enjoying all the pics and vids as we should be there next week. Does anyone know if the Chambon tunnel and opened?
Thanks
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.
All open, decorated and illuminated! Open permanently now
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Snowing here and looks like more than forecast.
Going up the hill shortly to take a look - hopefully if this continues tomorrow might be rather good.
Watch it snowing in the garden and the blue tits on the link below - I've just zoomed the cam in
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Bit of pressure today in that the wife of a good friend who is a guide in La Grave asked if she could tag along with us.
Pressure was in that she was expecting powder and I was a little skeptical of how much we'd ski but I did tell her to pack some skins as there was an option off the Prorel.
So usual suspects, OH and @KenX, and as we were going up we looked across to Cucumelle and the tracks from the weekend were covered so we headed straight up the Vallons - and did two laps to the left and right of the chair skiing some very nice powder.
Then we hiked all the way up to the top of the old Balme chair and skied the old piste which was lovely - video below - snow was not great but still enough to get a "Yip" out of JoJo
All the way back down to Chazelet for a refreshment then back out and bumping into a few instructors I know and we talked options and as OH went back we decided on a Cucumelle hike and traverse to do the Grand Pré - and it was feckin superb. Excellent cold deep powder and steep lines in the trees.
Jojo who is simply a superb FreeRide skier was really impressed with the terrain and this from someone who has skied / lived in LG for 20 years.
Twas awesome and I very rarely use the "A" word
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.
I'm amazed we keep on finding powder like this a week after it snowed AND was windy.......... Just the way it transforms and it's been very cold, and most of the slopes are N facing so keeps in top condition
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
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
More rad skiing - two days in a row now on the thin skis
Actually probably more to do with all the rad socialising now more geezonaires are turning up and have been feeling distinctly shabby in the morning(s) and more to come
Whilst it's quiet and also at lunchtime we can chance it on the cross country piste with Les Chiens, as the "Jobsworths" don't really start till the Feb holidays and all the various cross country skiers be they classic or skaters do not have a problem with Les Chiens, also helps that they are small so they don't mess up the track.
Went up to Monetier to see Uncle Tim who is now working at the Halte and was having a chat with a couple of gnarly FreeRide French dudes about routes etc and ten mins later Tim tells me that Yret had just opened so I went back to the two dudes and told them, were they happy or what with me!
So might be a plan for tomorrow?
In the meantime a couple of nice photos.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
This is really one of the most beautiful valleys in the Alps
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@bart_bdv, it really is
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
But don't tell everyone......
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@bart_bdv, you should check out Vallée de la Clarée / Nevache and Vallée des Fonts de Cervières all really close and dead ends, stunning !!!!
But yes there is just no comparison between here and the likes of Morzine!!!!
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?
Hello all - haven't been before but planning a day in Serre Che (staying in LDA) with folk that are happy on reds and blues - can anyone suggest a favourite itinerary which would show us the best of the area in a day?
Hello Serre Chevalier experts. I would be grateful for some advice. I am visiting Serre Che Feb half term 10 Feb-17 Feb(don't mock). Have skied the area before(and loved it) staying in Briancon. This time I am staying in Villar St Pancrace and my question is related to parking. Where would be the best(and cheapest) place to park up each day to access the area? I assume car parks may get very full, very quickly? This wasn't an issue last time as I was based in Briancon within walking distance of the Prorel. Also- is there still a day in Montgenevre with a six day Serre Che lift pass? and do you have any advice re parking up for a day in Montgenevre???
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@barbossine, all I can say is that all the car parks will be very very busy. You do get a Montgenevre/Claviere pass with the SC weekly pass
The first car park there as you drive in from Briancon is Chalmettes, although Claviere may be less busy, but there'll be others who know better.
After all it is free
After all it is free
There's a large free car park on the right just after the roundabout as you enter Chantemerle, Briançon is a PITA to park for the Prorel lift........
Villeneuve has a large car park at the bottom of the one-way system, failing that, carry on round the one-way and there'll be parking on the road there to access the Frejus Gondola/Casse du Boeuf chair
Monetier has a mahoosive car park so no probs there
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.
@Hells Bells, @KenX, Many thanks, useful info there, much obliged.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@barbossine, it is rare that Monetier's car park is full.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
