 Poster: A snowHead
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chewy192, do it... but get a guide right? You took that bit on board?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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chewy192, the thing is, not the top, where it's wide and open but fairly steep, but lower down where it gets narrow and there are obstacles like trees, boulders, streams and so on. there you need to be able to turn and stop at the drop of a hat. Many modern skiers never really learn the control bit properly due to the perfect piste conditions that are prevalent today. Where one learnt that sort of thing straight away in the past, it's often only when people start to ski off piste that they learn it these days. 
It's snowing hard again right now, about another 10cms since last night. this is actually a bit of a pain because I'm waiting for the double glazing peeps to arrive with my new doors.  I don't think they can get down to my house in their van at the moment, and it would be a hassle for them to carry everything all the way down the road. the snowplough has been, but only one pass and they've left a big heap of snow right beside my van rather than pushing it to the end of the road.
Ioda has been out on his harness and lead, and is not too impressed with the snow. 
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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 wouldn't go there without a guide, maybe i'll try some easier off piste to get some practice before i consider it
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I've got a very snowy pic today to cheer all you office based peeps up. It's very light and powdery, and I think it should be good for the opening tomorrow. I'll put new batteries in the camera just to be sure. 
I've currently got the guy installing my doors, the temp in the living room has dropped to about 10deg or less. I tried to shut Ioda in the bathroom, he had his toys, his food, drink and litter tray, + the heater on full and a nice duvet bed - well - he wasn't happy with that and eventually managed to get out over the door (I haven't filled in the space yet). We then had to pursue him a bit under all the chairs until I could catch him. He's now thoroughly pi**ed off in his travelling box in the bedroom.
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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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| easiski wrote: |
| I've got a very snowy pic today to cheer all you office based peeps up. |
Mission accomplished - thanks! 
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I'll be going off soon, and just posted to say that we've never had so much open on opening day as today AFAIK. The Lac Noir chair is open, and all 3 runs off it at 2,600. In addition the glacier including Dome, Signal and routes down from there. Cretes is only open to cross, but Chemin des Demoiselles is open and Valentin expected to open.
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easiski, Enjoy! Looking forward to lots of pics! Chilly, grey fog here Never mind, only 98 days before I'm in LDA!
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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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easiski, R32, still have a very hard frost here at 18m (Ovingham).
Have a good ski today 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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  Right, eventually, after an abortive attempt to drive up the road, I had to walk all the way to the centre of town and the Jandri Express. Needless to say I was totally knackered when I got there! Anyway I went up in the Jandri Express, but there were very high winds and blowing snow (also very cold) at 2,600m so I didn't go any futher than that. I went off to the Lac Noir chair planning to ski several runs there, but found it was so cold and horribly windy that once was enough. I skied down Grand Creux which was actually quite nice (the snow that is), but not as sheltered as I hoped. So at that point I thought it was enough and set off down the Goulet du Grand Nord, which again was fine, and fuller than last year by a fair old margin. The work to the escape route for the Fee has been completed, and they've reduced the top of the slope by a good 10m, and 'gentled' out the slope to a great degree. this has to be excellent news for all those people who get stuck up there.
I found a couple of young french girls on the steeper section, who had taken off their skis, so I helped them to walk around the path and gave them a bit of advice. Neither had ever skied before and they'd just gone up the mountain, put their skis on and tried to copy people. there is a picture of the queue for the Jandri Express 2 and also one of the Toura area.
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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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easiski, So how much was open today in the end? I know someone who's umming and ahing about going out to L2A next weekend (and who might want a bit of teaching if he did...) so just wondering...
Hope you had a top day out there! Jealous.
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 Once I'd got to the Cretes I took a photo looking back showing all the people heading down, either to lunch or out of the worsening weather. I was undecided which route to take down, Demoiselles and Valentin were officially open, but I was thinking of either Sapins or Grand Pente. At that moment Damian Albert shot past me (waving) and disappeared down Sapins so I thought 'fine' and went that way. some of the snow was slightly windblown, most of it was pretty tracked, but the rest was powder to about the top of the boots. I spent a very long time making my way down, trying to find bits of virgin snow to ski in. Some of the best snow was on the Stade de Slalom down in the village - a couple or three turns that were just fantastic. I took a photo looking down Sapins from above the trees (about halfway down the first section).
Even last year, which was a very good start, I can't remember so much open or so many people here for opening day. Last year it was open to 2,600m, and nothing there. I did ski down to the Cretes, but it was pretty rubbish (breakable crust). The year before that it was open to the Cretes (but again nothing at 2,600m), and I did ski down the Valentin, but regretted it bitterly.  I really wrecked my skis.
So today was the best start I can remember here. There was even a lift working on the nursery slopes and people with beginners lessons all over the place. There were huge cannon hills all over the nursery slopes and the cannons were still running at about 11.00. It's snowing again now, and tomorrow is supposed to not be too good, so I probably won't go up again until Monday or tuesday or whenever the weather clears up. As the light was so flat I couldn't see the point in taking photos of the new 'improvements' to the pistes, but will do so as soon as.
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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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easiski, Great stuff, sounds like a mixed day! Looks like a pretty wild night over there tonight looking an the cams & radar pics...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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red 27, It does look pretty snowy......
Main road:
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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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blizt, red 27, R32, It was snowing very hard when I drew the curtains. Looks like heavy snow on Sunday night, so Monday am might be good, but I have to get to the vets on Monday pm with Ioda for his rabies jab. I've discovered that he likes bread, butter and peanut butter. Ooops - GS on again - byeeee
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| easiski wrote: |
| ...I have to get to the vets on Monday pm with Ioda for his rabies jab. I've discovered that he likes bread, butter and peanut butter. |
Get a big pack of cat-litter and some feline-immodium while you're 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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easiski, or anyone else out there - the L2A website is showing 6 runs open (mostly greens) and 7 lifts running. Is that accurate? Seems like ever so slightly curious numbers. Any finger-in-air estimates as to how the piste-opening schedule is going to pan out for the rest of the next week or two?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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paulio, It's a fould day, and clealy blowing a hooly. It looks as if they've opened the 2 chairlifts on the Cretes which weren't running yesterday, with access to 2,600 via both the cable car from the Cretes and the Jandri Express 1 from the bottom. Valentin and Chemin des Demoiselles are open, so clearly it's not safe to open anything else today. Shame, but there you are. Descents from 2,600 are all blue with a little bit of red, but one part of one blue is really red. Grand Cretes is blue and Petit Cretes is green as is Demoiselles. Valentin is black. Of course Grand Pente and Sapins are skiable although not officially open - Grand pente is not actually a marked run in any case. Sapins is, but it's easy to get under the fence.  There's been a fair bit of snow overnight, and lots more forecast for the week. Generally nasty December weather!
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easiski, thanks, Nice to have a spy on the ground, as 'twere. Coming out there on the 6th looks like a risky-ish venture at the mo doesn't it...
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paulio, No, not at all. Even with only that little open there's still plenty of skiing to be done, and I would expect them to open Bellecombe before too long. The top of the Thuit is accessible if Grand Cretes is running too. By the time you get here there'll be much more open. They never do open all that much the first week, as they don't expect many people. I think they were caught a bit on the hop yesterday, but I don't know why ..... 
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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easiski, 1000x thanks, but the silly sausage has decided not to do it after all. His talk to trouser ratio was a bit high on this occasion. Sorry for any time wasteage. Carry on!
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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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easiski, I know I know, I know. He's a wally. I was going to point him in your direction too! C'est la vie.
(although I am going to turn the screws on him a bit more today in an attempt to goad him into going  )
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You know it makes sense.
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It's been pretty nasty all day and I got the van stuck across the road, one rear wheel in the ditch and had to ask the tractor to tow me out.  At least I did get down to Bourg d'Oisans where it was raining. It's been snowing lightly most of the day here. Ioda now has an electronic chip and a rabies vaccination, and a passport although he can't go anywhere for 7 months. Poor little chap was really stressed, he wasn't the only one.
There are two pix today: one showing the non-view from my balcony, and the other (with twigs in the foreground) showing the non-view of the Diable - you get the picture.
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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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It can keep doing this until I get my pass in two weeks time if it likes!
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Poster: A snowHead
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We had a great day today, unlike yesterday there was virtually no wind and although visibility was poor at times perseverance paid off and gorilla and I got some runs down from 3200m-2100m where we didn't see anyone. There's currently about 6 inches of snow on our balcony which is pretty sheltered mainly from the wind yesterday and Saturday.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have mild windburn but otherwise a successful day. Piste conditions were pretty good considering and we managed half a dozen powder turns around and about. There is no one here save a few cold looking Dutch guys and some Norrona clad Scandis.
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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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Swirly, gorilla, Good stuff Lads - keep the reports coming!
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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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Swirly, glad you got here safely.
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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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Today has been the opposite of yesterday - sunny and sparkly all day. Almost the exact same photo as yesterday - see the diff!
Just for those who are interested a picture of a snow cat (small variety).
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easiski, when are you getting him fitted for ski boots? And will he be a quad-planker or a two-planker?
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Nice one easiski, Im going 2alpes 7th feb, cant wait!!!! Keep us updated EVERY time it snows
Well done on the pics mate, it looks like there is a fair amount of snow there already?
Do you live out there year round? What do you do for a living? I have a mate that lives out there every winter as a ski instructor.
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easiski,  cat!
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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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wow that is a great picture! What site is that webcam on? Edit- found it!
His name is Mark Hollands, not sure what company he works for tho
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