 Poster: A snowHead
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Just posted photos for 'March 11 and March 12' over on the Les Arcs Winter facebook page in the March 2013 Album Two. Take a look if you are interested in seeing what we have been doing for the last week. I plan to catch up the rest of the weeks photos later today. More to follow after lunch. I am taking the day off as the wind is blowing and the visibility is not that great today.
http://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos
Yesterday was a couloir day. Really fun and we finished with the meadows on the North Face of the Bellecote in untracked powder. What a day!
For those coming out or just arrived. It is windy and snowing lightly up top I have just heard. The snow is forecast to continue tomorrow and the wind should drop after a while. More powder days are on there way. Conditions are looking great for the coming Easter break. Most of the pistes yesterday were in great condition after the fresh snow and with another top up, everywhere should be open and you can ski down to all stations. Even going down to the mid station of the Funicular is still ok, just. Not bad for mid March. With all this snow, I think April is going to be good even if it gets warmer. If you have not booked already, hurry up and get out here.
If you want to try the fresh snow with great all round skis, Polaire Star Ski and Snowboard rental shop at the bottom station of the Funicular have a wide selection of 'All Mountain' skis and snowboards which are excellent for riding the ungroomed areas as well as on the pistes. I have slowly been working my way through the different brands and really enjoy the Salomon Rocker 2 skis and the Movement 94's.
http://www.polairestar.com/
araird, what a surprise, NOT!! This was all over the papers a few days ago. Nobody in town really expected this to come off, but it was a nice dream. It might have had some benefit for everyone as more lifts would have been upgraded quickly. Now we must wait to see what the knock on effect will be to future development in the valley. 
Gilly28, the waterslide is great, if you take a look at the photos on my facebook page you will see quite a few of the kids, even young ones making it across.
ringingmaster, yes, I do go over the waterslide most days on the way home, but no it is not me that splashes everyone everyday, well sometimes I do if I am honest, but then they do throw snowballs at us as we go across the slide. All part of the fun. The Big Air and Wateslide tricks day last week was fun.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sun 17-03-13 13:35; edited 2 times in total
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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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snowcrazy, Was it you on the petit Nord Face yesterday around 12ish with a couple of others inc a man in orange(Keith??)? I saw you while racquetting opposite through my binoculars. looked very quiet - in fact just saw the one little group.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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ringingmaster, I did not think you were, but it is fun to splash people sometimes when there are loads of kids standing there throwing snowballs when you go across. 
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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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genepi, no, that is a guy from Bourg, he wears the same colour suit as my mate. I was chatting with that guy on the funi in the morning. We did not go down the Petit Face until quite late in the day to make a few powder lines on the way home. Spent most of the day over the other side doing laps of different couloirs. The conditions were great yesterday. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
araird, what a surprise, NOT!! This was all over the papers a few days ago. Nobody in town really expected this to come off, but it was a nice dream. It might have had some benefit for everyone as more lifts would have been upgraded quickly. Now we must wait to see what the knock on effect will be to future development in the valley.
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I think we may have seen the potential benefit already, namely the Mont Blanc lift.
[The plan was to close Cachette lift and piste for to the public and make MB the main Arc 1600 uplift. The Arpette blue piste (still can't get to this name, for me it will always be 'Sources') was going to pass under Cachette in two tunnels.]
No doubt the political ructions will be interesting to follow....
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Gilly28, not if you ski across properly... 
If on the other hand you do what I did, then yes, you are soaked through, and despite the potential for body drying in the restaurant, it won't get the boots dry. For some reason, they don't drain very well. In fact, despite significant efforts through the night, one was still slightly aware next day that they had been washed from the inside.
Still, its spring, its warm, and its only a few lifts...
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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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Gilly28, Yes, it is a bit of a long way for anyone to get back to Montchavin with wet feet and even worse if you have been soaked right through. But as Artic says, it is possible. Good luck and I hope nobody falls in the water.
araird, the new Mont Blanc chair was built as part of the development for the new residence in Arc 1600 and to reduce the numbers on the Cachette queue as more people were coming up from Bourg, at least according to a member of the old council that approved the planning permission. It was planned for a while. The idea of closing the cachette to the public would never have worked due to numbers at peak times. They do not even do that in Val D'Isere for world cup events.
There were a number of other ideas talked about within the race club re. improving the racing facilities such as adding a new lift and extending the race piste to La Grange etc. as was once considered many years ago. But this was all just speculation dependant on the new centre going ahead. As I said earlier, a nice dream, but some of us always were very sceptical of this ever going ahead. Maybe one day!!
As for any other developments projects and more importantly work for local people in Bourg. It is going to be interesting to see what happens now. From what I have heard, all the regional grant money and maybe the army money promised has been put on hold. France is broke like everywhere else in Europe right now. Times are tough even in the Alpine departments for funding development projects. Bourg has little money to spend as they are also in debt according to the local paper (if you can believe what the papers say?).
The local newspaper for anyone good enough at French to understand: http://www.ledauphine.com/savoie
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As for any other developments projects and more importantly work for local people in Bourg. It is going to be interesting to see what happens now. From what I have heard, all the regional grant money and maybe the army money promised has been put on hold. France is broke like everywhere else in Europe right now. Times are tough even in the Alpine departments for funding development projects. Bourg has little money to spend as they are also in debt according to the local paper (if you can believe what the papers say?).
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All true, Bourg has debts of €35-40 million (see last issue of Le Petit Borain) and the argument in the conseil municpal has been whether to pay this down or spend on new projects - these austerity versus spending debates are becoming rather common!
Hence a rather cautious compromise has been reached, see http://grangedalice.blogspot.fr/2013_02_01_archive.html.
Ironically the failure of the CSNHN project should release funds for other schemes, unless it all goes towards paying the debt (the Army money, which I think they have already received) is ring fenced for the 'redynamisation' project.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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araird, I hope you are right about the Army money. If they have not got it already, it might never arrive. Now that the Centre for training has been halted, I wonder if they will convert the hangers in the old army camp to sports areas still or use them for something else. We shall all have to wait and see what happens next.
One thing I have noticed that might interest readers here is that there are many properties for sale in the area quite cheaply right now. The Army had a number which are slowly being sold. If you have some spare cash, it might be worth a long term investment. If you google estate agents in Bourg you can find out the info you need.
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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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Aahh taking a 5 year old back to Montchavin with wet boots may not be the best idea.....we might take the car round one day. Wee one will be happy throwing the snowballs though! 
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5pm in Arc 2000. Really, really chucking it down. More later.
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You know it makes sense.
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thefatcontroller, It is in Plan Peisey too. The other side of the valley has vanished.
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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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Apart from losing a fight with an edge sharpener today was good. Stayed in the bowl in the morning but by lunchtime the light was poor so headed over to Peisey. It had started to snow lightly in Peisey by 1pm. Decided to go over to 1600 via Vagere in 1800. However those that know Vagere will know it is along, long lift and by 2pm the wind was sideways and it was freezing. Decided to head back into the bowl via Arpette. Those 2 lifts are so exposed when the wind it up.
No denying slopes below 1800 were a tad icy but conditions are fantastic and that was before todays snowfall. I think every single run in the resort is open.
Gave up at about 3pm. its St Patricks day so drink to be drunk.
Its 10pm here in 2000 and still chucking it down. The bashers have been but their work has been undone by more snow!!!
Till tomorrow.....................
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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6.30am here in the Arc 2000 and still snowing heavy. Looks like from some bare roof tops we took as a gauge last night that in old money at least a foot has fallen if not more. I think more but once over the foot fallen who's counting and no sign of it stopping.
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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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Live video report from Arc 2000. The top of the lift is Lanchette lift and it was bare last night. Winds dropped so snowing falling straight down now. Bashers are losing battle. Can't wait to get out there.
View My Video
Oh yeah, forgot to say. Have a good day in work everyone.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Down here in Les Granges we have about 15cm, and it's still coming down. And the sun's coming out this afternoon, according to France Meteo!
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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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araird, Winds dropped in 2000 but still chucking it down.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Snow on our path in Plan Peisey half way up to my knees, when I was on the bread run. But be warned - very slippery snow, not nice & crunchy. Came a cropper, despite the treads on my boots.
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boredsurfin, Up to you to click them, nowt to do with me, though happy to remove link if you want?
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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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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 will post more later if sober or tomorrow morning but just quick update. It stopped snowing.........................................for about 30 minutes but now snowing heavier than last night in Arc 2000. Just been to 1950 to get some foo and as soon as you made steps in the snow they got covered. Bonkers. The olympique promenade in Arc 2000 has risen about 2 foot in the last day.
Got to go, dinner to cook and wine to drink
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Get in.......
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You know it makes sense.
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Still snowing in Arc 2000. The road up from 1950 is not visible
Right today. Morning a wipeout with a lot of lifts shut and blasting everywhere. Saw Bois open at about 1 and headed straight down. Memo to all those idiots on Bois this afternoon who were clearly struggling, read the closed signs muppets. Wind and visibility was horrendous all the way down to 1600 from the top of Arpette but as soon as we got to the top of the Mont Blanc lift the sun started shining. Did Mont Blanc in beautiful powder a few times. Cachette was even powder. Boy, haven't they built the top of Mont Blanc lift in an exposed spot. Terribly windy there.
For an adventure we took the red down to Les Granges on the way back. 1st time we did it. Lovely run. By the way, all the above was done on our boards. Coming along nicely we are, still some major falls but you ain't falling, you ain't trying. Ache a bit tonight.
Hopefully the snow stops soon (one can get a bit sick of heavy snowfall you know ). Tomorrow promises to be amazing. More boarding me thinks. Might looking at checking the slow lifts in La Plagne Wednesday.
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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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Never been down to Les Granges before? Did you know there are 3 pistes to LG including the 'hidden piste' (impossible to find the start of, look behind bottle bank behind Arcelle restaurant.It's wonderful, especially when the many streams crossing it are partially covered! I've been here 12 years (mine is the big posh chalet as you go into Les Granges) and you can normally ski down here until mid/late March. Sometimes in April too. Do ski down and have a cup of coffee, anytime. I can tell you the story of how Les Granges was once the hub of the Bourg St Maurice ski area in the 1960s, before Les Arcs existed...
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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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Snow down to the valley and the roads have warning signs flashing again tonight (you must have chains to drive up to the stations right now). There was 30cm of fresh snow today and more falling tonight. Many lifts were closed today, but tomorrow they are predicting better weather in the afternoon. It should be an epic day if they can get the avalanches cleared early enough to open a few more lifts.
If this snow keeps up you might even be able to ski down to Bourg again without destroying your skis or snowboard.
I shall try and post a few more photos from the last few days shortly. 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 need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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araird, Am an avid reader of your blog and it was the blog that made us go down for the 1st time. Been coming here for 8 years now and never thought of trying it. Its a lovely run to be fair. Getting the funi back up to is no real issue.
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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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Any early views on the forecast for this weekend and into next week guys? Thanks
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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snowcrazy, Sorry, no idea how to but as soon as this page flips over to the next it goes away.
It stopped snowing here in Arc 2000................for about 3 min. Still coming down.
Visibility is good though, we can see Bois De L'ours lift from the apartment and it ain't moving at the moment. If that ain't moving we are staying put. No blasting at the moment which is surprising.
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Does someone have a link to the webpage that shows what lifts are open, that is live?
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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
