 Poster: A snowHead
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Probably off to La Thuile in Feb. Went there many many years ago but cannot remember much apart from it snowing for a week. Hard. Recall that the red back to resort was like a half pipe at the end of the day and the 2 blacks back to resort are proper blacks but we'll groomed. Anyone got any tips on decent blues to warm up on and reds to graduate on to? Is the way to la ros well marked? Any favourite runs or ones to avoid?
I recall apres being quiet but it was a long time ago.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Easy enough to get over to la ros although speed is your friend as it's pretty flat, getting back over requires a long drag lift but some nice blues back to resort.
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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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@francium., thanks
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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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@Onnem, cheers. Looks like the last time I was there. Except there was more snow. Way more snow
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The red back to resort is a road during the summer, so it's never really steep. Very picturesque though. Lower down, it criss crosses the blacks back to resort, so if you try them, and find yourself struggling, there's plenty of opportunity to get off them. Franco Berthod is properly steep in a couple of places though.
The blues that funnel back to the main gondola or good for a warm up - nothing very challenging.
The reds and blacks over the back, heading towards La Ros are great - once you're away from the lifts they're always pretty quiet.
Apres is very low key. 2 or 3 pleasant bars, but lots of great, reasonably priced restaurants.
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| Quote: |
the 2 blacks back to resort are proper blacks but we'll groomed.
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Surely proper blacks are never groomed.
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To warm up just take the gondola up to the snow field and come down the same way.
The black down from the gondola station is steep, but it did feel good, slithering down sideways on the ice.
I don't think I could do it now, no more botttle.
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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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@johnE, not in Italy. I can't be doing with this ungroomed stuff 
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| johnE wrote: |
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the 2 blacks back to resort are proper blacks but we'll groomed.
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Surely proper blacks are never groomed. |
The blacks back to the resort are insanely steep. The piste markers at the top claim over 70% on a couple of them, though I didn't get my protractor out to check!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Black 3 is one of my fave pistes in the Alps - insanely steep but wide and normally lovely snow and therefore enjoyable and you can actually ski them skilfully rather than the mogul inspired crawl downs with no gas that so many blacks have. I'll never get that - I look at those kind of blacks like The Tunnel in ADH and just think "what is the point of doing that, it looks boring and more trouble than fun"
Good eating spots in LT - the Coppapan had the best Lasagne I've ever eaten - about 200 yards walk to the left of the main gondola looking at it. Nice rustic Italian restaurant.
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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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I skied the one very steep section of Black 3 very badly and nervously. Luckily the group of 8-11 yr olds these were with waited patiently at the bottom for us and generously clicked there poles t9gether as we eventually arrived.
It looks tame but then you go round a corner and over a hump.......and the world just disappears
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I loved the more varied La Thuile area when I stayed at La Rosiere and went over there whenever the weather permitted. La Rosiere is basically 10 samey runs down the same windswept face, whereas La Thuile has lots of different pitches and seemed more sheltered and had better snow when I was there.
The gondola takes you up to Les Suches where there is a big bowl with some easy blues and steeper reds from the top. Under the gondola on the front face there are some very steep blacks. Over the back there are more reds down to the St Bernard Pass. Nice sweeping red runs out from Gran Testa that eventually drop down through the forest back to the village. Don't bother with the run that goes out to the right on the piste map and follows the St Bernard Pass road back to the village, it's too flat to keep momentum. Great restaurants dotted around too.
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You know it makes sense.
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@luigi, cheers.
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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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There are better places to go .........
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| BCjohnny wrote: |
| There are better places to go ......... |
Allegedly, there's a load of freeride if you know where to find it.
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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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@BCjohnny, maybes. But it'll suit our family, shouldn't be too busy and is cheap (insofar as any skiing hols is cheap)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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dobby not being a dcik and enjoy your trip, but for a family somewhere like Adamello would be a better bet, and is often 'cheaper', in the sense that monetarily it's usually less but you still get good value ........ and there's also a fair bit of 'freeride' too for the more adventurous.
The terrain naturally splits the areas into progressive learning zones, and being two centered gives a sense of travel too. Accommodation is mostly a short walk to the lifts, no gondola required, and the runs back into the village Tonale end are suitable for most.
Maybe worth noting for future reference. AAJMCO
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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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@BCjohnny, I'll have a look at Adamello. Thanks.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@dobby, DO NOT WORRY - it is quiet, cheap, there is some very nice skiing. Food on the hill is generally excellent. The trip to La Ros is nice. There are a number of nice runs over there- All the reds down to the Fort Chair, Tetras - the main blue down to La Ros, and one of the great runs, if there is good snow low down - Fontaine Froid, a red through the trees down to Ecudets with a nice but basic cafe at the bottom.
All of the 4 main lifts in resort are now high speed detachables.
That said, if the weather is poor or windy then stay in Italy. On the way back, if you have time, get off and head left after the first drag lift as there is some great skiing and snow in the Col area.
As said, the Red 7 run is very dull, but ok for young kids and nervous skiers (never understood it's red classification), red 6 on the far side is a fab run back to resort.
There are loads of easy warm up runs on the main plateau above Les Suches and all of the reds off the Argillien Express are gentle, progress onto the Col reds after that
Enjoy
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Thu 5-10-17 9:48; edited 1 time in total
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Feb in La Thuile not too busy compared to many other resorts, you can even notice the difference as you cross into La Rosiere.
There are some great reds and blues above Les Suches which generally funnel back towards top of lift station which is handy when the fog descends.
Snow conditions always seem better on the Italian side possibly less traffic.
Generally easy skiing although beware of the blacks to resorts in less than optimal conditions.
Some great off piste with some short or long walks to access it, we were making fresh tracks in powder two weeks after a snowfall 
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Thanks to all who've posted here, it's got me wondering about La Thuile for a trip in Feb half term with a car full of the 'Js'.
Could anyone comment on driving there from Calais? Given that I'd usually plan to drive on Friday, stay somewhere Friday night and then finish the trip with no more than (say) 2-3 hours to drive on Saturday, it looks like it could be doable - on Google Maps, at least. That would be stopping somewhere like Bourg en Bresse on Friday night, then driving past Geneva and through the Mont Blanc tunnel on Saturday morning.
I've never attempted this, and even as I type it I can feel the collective wisdom of SH about to be unleashed. Yes, I'll fit winter tyres. And chains. But what about the tunnel - major bottleneck?
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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 normally drive, stay somewhere like Sallanches then can be in La Thuile early. I’ve never had a problem at tunnel 8-9am.
Road from Pre St Didier, up the hairpins was interesting last Feb as it had been snowing heavily overnight. That was with winter tyres on, I had chains in car but trusted the tyres, just.
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@dobby, we did La Thuile at HT in 2011 when the kids were 8 and 7 (not sure what age yours are). We had an absolute blast - relatively cheap, minimal queues and a good variety of piste skiing. We'd been over for a day or two in 2008 from La Ros in an adults only group and there was plenty for everyone.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Lovely little town and some great places to eat too. Skiing is good and varied but the lift system could be better. It's worth getting the bus to Courmayer for a days skiing, it's only 20 minutes away.
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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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Anyone know if there are any picnic rooms on the slopes in La Thuile? Mrs Dobby loves a sarny rather than having to pa for lunch (too many ski trips to Scandinavia where there are lots of warm stuga). Cheers
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@tomj we travelled by car geneva to la thuile last year in Jan. With the exception of other half stalling the car every time we came to a pay booth for the motorway, it was a doddle. Just do it by day and take your time. There were no ques at Mont Blanc. I don't think we qued anywhere - except Manchester airport......... I never want to do red 6 or 7 again......ever.
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You know it makes sense.
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Fantastic thermal resort just few minutes down the road from the resort. Well worth a post skiing visit some evening.
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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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@dobby, I think there’s a picnic place at the top of the main lift up from the valley. We found a few nice spots outside to eat our lunch, depends on the weather I guess. I know a few freeride lines if you’re interested.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Freeride areas marked with a yellow cross. Usual caveats re safety correct equipment etc.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Only got a day and a half there (La Thuile) en route to Aosta. Are we better off going to Courmayeur?
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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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| Quote: |
Freeride areas marked with a yellow cross. Usual caveats re safety correct equipment etc.
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@jbob - I cannot get my head around where those crosses are on the normal piste map?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@sheffskibod, the the main lift running up the middle of the image is the Fourclaz Express, with Roxi Bar at the bottom of it.
Been to La Thuile quite a few times. Red 6 back to resort is best avoided early in the day as it is north facing and can remain icy for quite a while.
@dobby,
If you get the chair up rather than the gondola, there are some nice blue options down to the Chalets Express chair, which takes you back up into the main bowl. The blue that takes you over to La Ros is gentle and usually quiet, you need to do a red first to get you to the Belvedere chair that takes you up to the start of this blue, which will take you round to the Fourclaz Express (if you don't want to go over to France). A really nice red, usually quiet, red to warm up on is red 18, the one that takes you past Offshore Bar. It has one steep section but that is fairly short.
Some very nice restaurants in town. Pepita is our favourite despite its unassuming position behind the petrol station forecourt.
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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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| sheffskibod wrote: |
| Quote: |
Freeride areas marked with a yellow cross. Usual caveats re safety correct equipment etc.
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@jbob - I cannot get my head around where those crosses are on the normal piste map? |
My photo is from the NNW the piste maps is from the East so most of the off piste is hidden. I’ll see if I can show it with the lift names.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cheers @dode , I just couldn't get my head around that fatmap !
Love staying in La Ros , but prefer La Thuile skiing. Great runs with no one on them...
Shame they are so keen to shut the link , doubly frustrating when you can see the Italian lifts running but the pisteurs have taped across the top of the bouquetin red...
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@jbob, thanks for the picnic stop advice. Won't be making use of the freeride areas (not deliberately, anyway...)
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@Debra, thanks for the comments on Red 6 and 7. I recall Red 6 turning into a half pipe in new snow. Bit awkward.
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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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Thinking about a mid-December trip to La Thuile / Courmayeur for a few days. How are they in terms of early season snow records?
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