 Poster: A snowHead
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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, 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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I went skiing yesterday for the first time this season, and it was pretty good, a lot better than I expected! My son and I concentrated on the area around Le Derby and Vagere chairs, both on and off piste. Our first venture off piste was down the side of Reches (turn left at top of Derby). It was really deep, and great fun, but we got stuck in a dip, and had to pole out, which was difficult, because my baskets were not big enough, and almost disappeared in the deep stuff. We finally clambered out onto the "Liaisons" track connecting to the mid station for Transarc, then crossed over into the forest towards Barmont piste, ending up on the piste towards Vallandry. It was a bit of a mixture of frozen snow and rain lower down, you had to be careful you didn't catch an edge even on the easy bits.
By this time it was snowing hard and continued, on and off for most of the day. The visibility was mixed, the sun peeping through on occasions, on others, it was a little tricky, the best parts were in the trees, off piste, at least we could see them!
So we returned up Grizzly and hammered back down between Renard and Bosses, in one of my favourite areas, not too steep, though I did do a spectacular face plant on one occasion, head first into a BIG snowdrift between two trees, skis sticking in the air, gasping for breath, all good fun.
At this point we retired to Blanche Muree for some liquid refreshment, and recovery, and the staff were most generous with their home-made Genepi, as usual...
After our little break we skied down to 1800 and headed up Vagere, turned left at the top, and whizzed down Froid de Fontaine, one of my favourite reds, to check out the new Arpette 6 man lift. It was closed, but being tested, whether this was due to a mechanical fault, or to high winds on the Arpette ridge at the top, I wasn't too sure, because we didn't stop to find out, returning to 1800 and back up Transarc to the mid station. The top part of Transarc was also closed, so I think high winds were the real problem.
So we returned to the Peisey sector and home, having had a great first day. This was topped off by an excellent Christmas Dinner at La Vache last night, the place packed out, as usual, and Chloe in good form, though a little frustrated that the brand new Parchey chair, which starts outside her front door, is not yet finished, and unlikely to be this season - a problem with the electricity supply, it seems. I see that it is marked with a dotted line on the new piste maps!
As I write this, before breakfast, I see we have had a few more centimetres of snow, and the skies are clear, so it should be another good day, with much better visibility. I have just heard the first bang from the pisteurs, blasting the higher slopes.
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thefatcontroller, same here - see you at the top of Derby - so I can pose for my fave web cam view
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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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Boris, Will PM you before we leave but fancy meeting up for a coffee one morning and a blast around Vallandry? We have from 9.30-12 free every morning?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have been in Les Arcs and Villaroger this morning - only c/o Top Gear but it was nice ! 
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Smokin Joe, Whats the condition of the run down near Villaroger like?
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First post to the forum, but have been lurking for a while! Am in Les Arcs until 2nd Jan - first days skiing today in about 3 years (more's the pity!). Been coming to Les Arcs since I was about 6yrs old (25 yrs ago!  ) and a lot has changed since then. Anyway, the new Arpette was running for us today and it is certainly fast... from buying lift pass at 12.30 down in Bourg, was up the funiculaire, up cachettes, and up on the top of the ridge by about 1.15, including some time fannying about squeezing into the old boots etc. Very quick compared to the old days of the dual button at the cachettes!
Flat light hindered fun towards the end of the afternoon, but a few loops with the family up arpette, down past the lac on the other side, to take the comborciere chair up and back around again - pretty good fun. I was expecting pretty terrible snow from the looks of the valley and the temp on Xmas eve, but on the whole it's actually very good. Certainly up the top of the 2000 bowl, plagnettes etc is very nice. Didn't make it up the grand col tho... Some good powder to be found... although they could definitely do with some more on the lowers and around 1600, a bit icy coming back to the funic at the end of the day.
Hope to do a long day tomorrow and investigate some more of the area - will post back if we make it to some places that haven't been mentioned yet! 
Cya - Jules
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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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slidejules, Welcome to 's
Keep the reports coming.
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Had a lovely day around Les Arcs. On piste conditions were very good, especially on the higher slopes above Arc 2000. Some places are getting a bit icy, moreso on the lower slopes, but generally it's very nice. Off piste seems much more stable than the last few days, so managed to find some fresh tracks in the afternoon. More info on my blog including some video of the dogsled team making a lot of noise...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Snowing hard at the moment
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This morning started off cold and bright, more or less the first solidly blue skies I've seen in a week. Piste conditions are generally good, especially when they softened a bit in the sun. After lunch it started to cloud over, and by mid-afternoon the first flakes of snow began to fall. By 4.30pm it was snowing hard. Nice!
Photos and video at my blog.
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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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I'm off to La Plagne soon. Very much looking forwards to it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Yesterday's snow stopped falling towards the end of the evening, with maybe 5-10cm at resort level and the snowline down as far as the valley floor making everything white once again. It's currently -3º and overcast, but due to warm up to +ve temperatures over the next three days. Snow forecast on the higher slopes (above 2400m?) but rain on the lower slopes.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rob@rar, Fingers crossed the rain doesn't appear to high 
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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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Started to snow at about 9.30am and has been snowing all morning. Just little flakes, and not snowing hard, but nevertheless still snowing
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Rob I thought you weren't here?
We've been out with Snowcrazy this morning snowing the whole time. Now 1/2 one, still coming down in 1950, and reasonably hard. Looks like set for a while as well. As Rob says warmer than yesterday, just got to hope it doesn't get any warmer. Still OK down to 1600 though, was snowing all the way down.
Overnight an couple of inches or so on top of the hard pistes, soon scraped away but now... oooh its nice. Taking a short break at lunchtime before heading out with SmallW and MrsW. Visibility ... poor, but underfoot is very good.
New Arpette is quick, and although intermittent and heavily queued yesterday, was empty this morning.
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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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It's bucketing down here in Bourg as well... Sweet!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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A brilliant afternoon's skiing (except for the part where I was stuck in a bush for about 20 minutes). It's snowed hard for most of the afternoon, and it's still snowing now. Blog report with photos and stuff in a little while.
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Can anyone confirm or give a guess on the snow depths - its been showing 70cm upper and 30 lower since before christmas on all websites...you are all reporting lots of snow so i was just curious - only 10 days til we get there!!! Thanks in advance!!
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I've no idea what the official depths are but I would say that yesterday the only probs I found were a few icy patches on the last bit of the cachettes on the way down to 1600. If you get up into the higher regions it should be fine. And with today's snowfall I'm sure it'll be even better... Don't worry about the numbers!
Funny to see the weather forecast today on igoogle, saying that here in bourg would be overcast with a 40% chance of rain... ha ha, it's snowed solidly for most of the day!
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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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macduff, I'd guess a bit more than that, although icy patches were more apparent this morning on a number of busy pistes as the New Year crowds begin to take their toll on piste conditions. Meteo France is reporting 150cm at 3,000m in La Plagne, and a bit more has fallen today.
The skiing this afternoon was lots of fun, as the falling snow turned heavy with on and off piste conditions improved by the snow. Lots of chopped, loose snow on piste, and fresh tracks to be made off piste. Visibility was poor above 2500m so I stayed in the trees and bushes around Arc 1800 for most of the afternoon. Sometimes I got a little bit too close to the bushes, taking 20 minutes to extracate myself from one rather too close encounter. It's been a long time since I got stuck in a strange bush.
More photos and a snow report on my blog.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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rob@rar, enjoying reading your blog and looking at the photos. Looking forward to 4+ weeks time 
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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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depths off piste day before yesterday were upto my nipples and i'm 6ft. If you go on the vagere lift about half way up you can still see my pathway as i had to swim through the snow.
And i hit a tree/bush and a skier today...... My bad. I blame the ice.
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You know it makes sense.
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Currently +2º and raining at 1800m.
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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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+3 in Montalbert but not raining, dont you love Mountain weather. (We can see LA1800 from our balcony!)
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Greetings from 1950
Rain and snow (snain?) this morning all morning in the 2000 valley up to about the bottom of the Varet - R' les Arcs reporting a snow line of 2300 by mid afternoon so I guess not too far wrong.
Best skiing today was from Lanchettes down towards Villaroger - some lovely powder on the piste, and although a few stones to get to the mid lift ( no way was anyone getting down to La Ferme on their own skis - rentals maybe!) was perfectly doable. But again, raining on the lift on the way up, turned to snow by the top lift.
But with luck the snow depth will hold up for next week's visitors - it is definitely in the + temps at the moment tho'.
Was shown an 'interesting' route into 1950 this morning: for those who know 2000, its not quite under the cabriolet, but pretty damn close, you end up just above the bridge and come into the village via the jardin des enfants. If you are out this weekend, look for a huge hole where I thought it would be easier head first...
Now 1:15: again, mixture of sleet and snow out of the window. Heading out and up Arcabulle in a few minutes, got a village council meeting at 4, so want to get a couple of hours in, and need to be dried off and ready to discuss politics. I feel a large G&T coming on.
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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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bertie bassett, Have you not been reading all the threads - winter tyres are better performers in any temps less that +7c and grip better in wet 
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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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Bleuuch.
Rain below 2100, sleety snow above.
Poor visibility.
Off piste sodden.
On piste not bad, especially as the icy patches of the last few days are now a bit slushy.
Thank God for Goretex.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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rob@rar, Is there any chance of you having a word with the Snowgods and booking something decent snow wise for punters due in resort the last week of January? 
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| Megamum wrote: |
| rob@rar, Is there any chance of you having a word with the Snowgods and booking something decent snow wise for punters due in resort the last week of January? |
Can you make that the 15th please...
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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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FAQ
, not snowed down low last night.
but about time you had a dose of reality after all this SNOW you've been having! 
