 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm off to St Gervais Feb 4 for a week. Is anyone godlike enough to be able to (reasonably) acurately predict whether the current snow will have settled by then ? (I don't like the idea of getting caught in an avalanche, or (worse) being prevented from using pistes because of the risk of one!)
Or is it the usual case of "watch this space" and some anxious staring at met-office.gov as d-day approaches?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well I'd hazard a guess that you're in for the most fantastic conditions possible! It's going to be very cold for the next few days with little snowfall so the pisteurs can get busy blasting and grooming. Somewhere like Megeve is bound to have a lot of pistes open as they do work hard for their punters. "watch this space" and pay attention to the avalanche warnings......enjoy!
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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 will also have a fantastic long queues in the chairlifts if you catch the French mid term break.
I can't think of any place in St Gervais/Megeve/Rochebrune that you can catch an avalanche. People normally ski from the top of the mountains there.
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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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saikee, Mt Joly. There were three people killed there only three years ago.
I'm not sure what to make of your comment really. If you've been to St Gervais and skied Mt Joly then the risk is blatantly obvious.
If it's not blatantly obvious then I'm beginning to get some context about why I continually see people skiing in dangerous areas. Last time I skied Mt Joly in a meter or so of powder I was pretty appalled by where some people were skiing.
In addition to Mt Joly there's of course most any slope with snow on it to a greater or lesser degree, I could list slopes but it's hardly the point.
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Mt Joly is the steepest and one of the highest part of Megeve and I have never seen a decent condition of it myself. May the avalanche you refer to is different in magnitude to mine. St Gervais itself is pretty low. Skiers aren't normally able to ski to the bottom which is full of houses.
I suppose if one skis off piste to any area one wants then there should be plenty chance to find an avalanche. Many resorts mark these places too but the general idea is to stay away from it instead of go inside to catch it. It is just new to me that St Gervais is associated with avalanche risk that skiers have to stay away.
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saikee, pause, take a breath, take a moment, and ask yourself if you want to tell me about St Gervais 
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Manda, apart from Mt. Joly, the other piste often at serious avalanche risk in the domain is the Marmottes, a black down from the top Côte 2000 chair. It's _the_ furthest run from St. Gervais - a quick mental calculation says a minimum of 8 lifts from the town (including the Rocharbois cable car) and 5 (mainly long-ish) pistes to get there. If you make it over to that side (and it is well worth it), you deserve lunch at the Radaz - they do fantastic omelettes!
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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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8 lifts or take the bus  But, yes, if we're ranking the risk Cote 2000 and Mt Joly would about tie for first.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ise,
Before I developed the habit of visiting one resort per day I used to go up St. Gervais in the cable car there and have driven up to Le Bettex when I ran a mobile home in Chamonix. However you have an apartment in St Gervais and have to be one of the snowhead most knowledgeable in the area.
From resorts I have visited the majority area of St Gervais/Megeve/Rochebrune is by no mean extreme. The area is advertised as a classic skiing resort.
About three years ago I was skiing one day in Megeve but the next day the rain made a large part of the resort unskiable. I thereofre drove to 3 Valles and then L'Aples Du Huez and found better snow. Thereafter I never ski a resort twice in the same trip unless I run out of choices.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Thu 27-01-05 10:38; edited 1 time in total
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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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There's all kinds of trouble I can get into round St Gervais
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| Quote: |
However you have an apartment in St Gervais and have to be one of the snowhead most knowledgeable in the area.
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Right then, ise, start spilling. Where's good, what's bad & what should I watch out for? (other than avalanches). I'm in La Fayet on 5 Feb for a week - it's my first time outside the Savioe region.
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You know it makes sense.
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It's all good, too much to type really. Skiing under Mt Blanc, you can't go wrong.
Auberge du Christommet is one of my all time favourite mountain restaurants, it's over in Combloux. Snowcoach will probably take you to Combloux. Combloux is really nice, apart from bits I can get into trouble on, it's an intermediate paradise standard-wise and just a great place to be and ski.
Restaurants on the Megeve side of the hill aren't too good in my opinion, but that might be personal. It's better between Mt Joux and St Nicholas. St Nicholas is really nice but gets slightly icy at the end of the day.
Ski down to Les Communales and there's a couple of nice places for lunch.
Les Contamines is a Snowcoach hangout, that's pretty excellent as well. Excellent snow record and some nice runs. Not so many great lunch spots, but they're not to bad.
It's still the Savoie of course, it's the Haute Savoie dept though.
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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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ise, have you skied the new Giettaz (sp?) area on the other side of Christommet yet? Any comments, if so? I might go over there on my next visit in a couple of weeks. It's actually a while since I've skied Jaillet/Combloux at all.
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Poster: A snowHead
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laundryman, new? I've skied La Giettaz a few times over the years, there's no new lift though is there? You've always been able to just walk over from Christommet or ski some pretty nice off-piste down. Is it on the pass this season then?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ise, yes, there is a new link and the Megève and Evasion passes now cover La Giettaz. See here. I hadn't realised there was an existing area there. There are two new lifts apparently.
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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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mmm... not sure what I think about that really, it was a nice little station (La Giettaz) before and very quiet. Combloux was also pretty quiet, if the link makes them busier that'd be a shame. I've always enjoyes Combloux, it gets some great snow and not too many crowds.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
there is a new link and the Megève and Evasion passes now cover La Giettaz
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Speaking of passes, the resort website's a bit confusing as to lift passes - possibly because I've yet to grasp a sensible idea of how the area networks together. "Evasion" covers what areas exactly? Is Evasion a subcategory of a wider Mt-Blanc pass? I bash pistes - e.g. in 6 days I knocked off most of Paradiski without too much trouble. What's the chances an Evasion pass will keep me happy for 8 days?
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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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NB - I don't "do" off-piste as yet, unless it's within 2metres or so of the piste markers.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I thought the snowcoach deal was them taking you to other stations in the area?
Evasion should be enough otherwise, St Gervais, Megeve, Combloux etc and Les Contamines are all included.
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ise, yeah, if I were going independent I would at least include the ones you mention - but as yet I have no idea what Snowcoach have planned.
What are the "other" stations?
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Loads, I've seen Snowcoach at Courmayeur I think, Les Houches, Chamonix etc, Praz sur Arly.
You'd think someone here might have been with them ?
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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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Manda, the Evasion pass covers 113 lifts and 440km of pistes in the places ise mentions. I think (not certain) that you can get cheap upgrades if you opt for a day out at one of the Chamonix stations, so unless you're certain you're going to exhaust Evasion, which would be going some, I wouldn't opt for the full Mt. Blanc pass.
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laundryman, looking maps available on-line: I speculate that within the scope of a normal 6 day holiday I can easily knock off the majority of pistes within coo-ee of St Gervais. Am there for 8 days skiing tho! Upgrading an Evasion pass on the days I feel like a trip outside the Evasion network would work - was wondering whether anyone could indicate at what point it's worth paying for the more expensive Mt Blanc pass? Any ideas?
ise, there are "someones" who've said they've been with Snowcoach, but none to St G.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Manda wrote: |
laundryman, looking maps available on-line: I speculate that within the scope of a normal 6 day holiday I can easily knock off the majority of pistes within coo-ee of St Gervais. Am there for 8 days skiing tho! Upgrading an Evasion pass on the days I feel like a trip outside the Evasion network would work - was wondering whether anyone could indicate at what point it's worth paying for the more expensive Mt Blanc pass? Any ideas?
ise, there are "someones" who've said they've been with Snowcoach, but none to St G. |
You might enjoy your skiing more if your attitude wasn't how many pistes you "knock off" in 6 days There's more skiing than you can do in St Gervais if you were there all season.
It kinda depends where Snowcoach will take you doesn't it? You could use the train I guess and make your way to Chamonix if you really wanted. The decision's a bit out of your hands really, chill, go with the flow.....
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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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Manda, so how was it? You've been now ?
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ise, nah - a lift pass has to blimmin well pay for itself! I wasted enough money in my early ski trips, failing to make much use of the mountain and but still paying to access to it all.... also I like to ski as fast, & it's boring doing the same run twice unless it's a particulary fun one.
! Best conditions I've had this year so far! Snowed before our arrival, snowed Fri, skiing offpiste conditions onpiste Sat am until the piste bashers arrived - snow up to knees in parts!! Rain on Sat helped slow me down   Found some of the world's most wonderful refuges in which to watch the conditions worsen from.
You'll hate me for saying it, but I did knock off most of St G (2.5 days), Megeve (1 day), Combloux (1 day), Contamines (took 2 days, should've taken only 1 but I was a bit slow on day one), and had a fair whack at Les Houches (1 day).  Valle Blanc route wasn't organised for us as conditions were particularly bleak.
Would love to go back to the region and finish off the bits I missed!
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You know it makes sense.
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Manda, Glad you had such good conditions...apart from the rain I'm hoping to ski Contamines around Easter....which lift did you use to access the slopes? we'll be driving over from Les Houches.
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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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| Quote: |
| You'll hate me for saying it, but I did knock off most of St G (2.5 days), Megeve (1 day), Combloux (1 day), Contamines (took 2 days, should've taken only 1 but I was a bit slow on day one), and had a fair whack at Les Houches (1 day). |
Manda have you decided whether to enter the downhill or the queue jumping event at the Turin Olympics?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Combloux is really nice, apart from bits I can get into trouble on, it's an intermediate paradise standard-wise and just a great place to be and ski.
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ise, thanks very much for this. An instructor I did a week's cross-country course with last year, at Les Saisies, told me that Combloux was a great area to visit, but we haven't got round to it yet. Your enthusiasm has made me resolve to do so as soon as possible, especially as I have to drive through Combloux often, picking up visitors from Geneva airport. The snow must be great there at the moment.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| laundryman wrote: |
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| You'll hate me for saying it, but I did knock off most of St G (2.5 days), Megeve (1 day), Combloux (1 day), Contamines (took 2 days, should've taken only 1 but I was a bit slow on day one), and had a fair whack at Les Houches (1 day). |
Manda have you decided whether to enter the downhill or the queue jumping event at the Turin Olympics? |
She'll be competing I presume.
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