The view from............ Val d'Isere and the Espace Killy

A snowHead

Steve Angus, nice commentary on your clients in this week.

A snowHead

cheers rob@rar - hope Les Arcs will be epic tomorrow... im teaching over there in early Jan for a few days so may bump into you. Hope all is well with you... don't get these conditions at TSC do you?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

No, not often! Tomorrow should be a good 'un Happy

Hope Val d'Isere opens up for you.

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MORNING everyone.

Hey guess what... yep its snowing again. Much harder than I thought it would have been as they were only talking about snow showers this morning but it is more than a flake or two... perhaps another 5cm overnight.

Officially we now have had more snow in the last 2 weeks than fell in the whole of the second half of last season alone... we really are shaping up for a record Winter as a new storm is building for delivery from tomorrow night for 24 hours or so.

Avalanche risk is down to 4 so we should be able to get a lot more skiing in today.... yippee.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

....and just heard heard that they are planning on opening the link(s (possibly)) to Tignes in a couple of hours time... need to do some avalanche clearance on the Lavachet wall as well as the ridge line that runs between the top of Tommeuse and the Borsat.... fingers crossed!

Must get ready for my lessons now.... running a little tight.

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If you wondered just how much snow it takes to cut off Le Fornet.... see here:

http://youtube.com/v/lC8hxu-fq00&list=UUDxPkYE72L66ZIhJQoY1wXg&index=2&feature=plcp

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

...good video... went on a bus ride a moment ago up to Fornet just to see how much snow had come down in the avalanches that cut the road off - in many places you could only see walls of snow out the side of the bus - incredible. I got some photos this pm but (ill post more details later on when I do my daily report) it was very cold therefore the battery was too low to get photos of the walls of snow out the bus window on the way home..... just not enough juice left.

After all it is free

It was so nice to get a break in the weather... even though the snow continued on and off all day but not with much vigour.

As forecast the temperature has dropped massively. Although I seem to remember the same week this time a year ago it was really really cold. There is so little power in the sun at this time of year.

When the sun did come out the visibility was great but there were times (see the clouds in the photos) when you could not see a thing and it felt like last week all over again.

The problem with a pent up demand for skiing, the start of school holidays, soft snow and a less than maximum number of pistes open (Fornet I don't think opened today at all) is that people scrape all the lovely snow so some pistes were pretty mogully (sp?) by the end of the day and in a couple of very small isolated spots there was some hard pack about which people always seem to describe as ice (you know when you have skied ice folks - this is NOT ice - although not dis-similar).

I really enjoyed being able to see where I was going for the most part and when I could see I was looking out into the off-piste to spot the avalanches we had heard coming down the last few days...... I was really surprised as you could not see too much evidence... I reckon this is because there was so much snow that the debris has been buried subsequently and in other cases the wind has played with the evidence. There were certainly some areas where you could see a massive slide had come down.

I think with the massive loading of snow, the variable winds we had and the lack of evidence showing which slopes are / have been loaded there will be some surprises out there avalanche wise. They are talking about reducing the av down to 3 tomorrow but it will be a 3 going on 4 as opposed to 2 going on 3. The last 2 weeks has seen crossloading and some slopes have released and others have not and the evidence as I stated above is not obvious therefore for the next few days the word is CAUTION. Everyone is likely to want to venture that little bit further tomorrow now that 'safer' slopes have been tracked out... be careful and know EXACTLY where you are going.

On the plus side with these cold temperatures the snow is drying out and is lovely and light for the most part - YAY.

More snow is forecast from tomorrow night onwards - another 20cm plus but it has hardly stopped snowing from the big one last week so we may as well just consider snow everyday to be the norm at the moment.

My g/f Eurotest has been cancelled in Austria today so she is on the way home - I may have to go to Bourg at midnight to pick up her up. How ironic - last weeks Alpe d'Huez sittings were cancelled (2 weeks ago they made the call) because of not enough snow and todays was cancelled (when she got there yesterday it was on the cards they were going to pull it) as there is too much to run a race - you could not write a script like that!

...its snowing pretty hard once again... can't believe it.... will it ever stop?

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Steve Angus, it's almost unbelievable isn't it!

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... and the forecast is for more to come in again ... brilliant. Did I see you had hurt yourself today - hope you are OK.

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Steve Angus, no, just a little tweak of the knee. As most stuff was still closed here I thought better to rest it with an icepack. Seems fine now, so first lift tomorrow.

...just drive the route to / from Bourg and to / from Tignes.... the road is very snowy and 4*4 and / or snow tyred car and / or chained car definitely preferred although the way to about the 1/2 way chainage area... the road is looking pretty clear on the lower parts into Bourg even though loads of snow on the sides of the road. With the low temperatures tonight we could get black ice forming though! There were still a few ploughs working the roads therefore it should be back to normal by this time tomorrow!

You know it makes sense.

Looks like it will be a similar day today to yesterday... a few clouds around, possibly the odd little bit of snow (still supposed to close in tonight again) and again the odd splash of sun. Temperatures currently -12.3 degrees C outside my front door so cold enough to keep the snow we had nice and fresh and light.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

....still snowing and about 15cm forecast tonight.... full update later on.

A snowHead

You have to kick yourself sometime and observe the amazing sights you see in the mountains.....

The day started with an interesting sight.... this pile of snow at the Rond Pont des Piste as I was waiting for the lift up to the Chalet Chardons chalets to meet the (lovely) clients I am teaching this week. Obviously this pile of snow has been piled up by a machine but still that lamp-post will be for the chop if that snow slides, haa haa. The JCB scoop attachment in the foreground was almost as tall as me so this pile of snow is HUGE.

Had a fun morning introducing kids to the wonderful world of skiing - they had a ball even though they were under-dressed but hey I kept em warm - they'll be back for more fun tomorrow.

It was pretty cold this morning as it snowed on and off lightly all day.

Had a lovely lunch at the Grand Ourse and then it was back on the slopes. The afternoon was spent taking someone I have skied with before and we spent the three hours lapping around on the Face.... it was in awesome condition. I am not normally a huge fan of the over-hyped, over skied Face but today with this lovely snow it was perfect. The moguls that formed were soft and forgiving. Half way down the slope we had an amazing sight - clouds that were dropping snow in the valley (Val d'Isere town) with the peaks sticking out above bathed in sun... it was an awesome sight.

The clear up after the storm still goes on.... a friend of mine (thanks Fabrice) got the following photo this evening as they cleared snow from outside his flat.

It is VERY cold this evening... the temperature is falling off the cliff this evening and already it is down to -17 degree C outside... it may bottom out at -20.... BRRRR chilly. Snow (not in huge quantities) may come over the next 24 hours - we shall see.

Take care everyone and wrap up warm for those of you in town at the moment.

A snowHead

SNOW ALERT.... well its hardly news anymore as once again it is dumping it down out there.

looks like we'll be having a nice top up today into tomorrow then Xmas will be absolutely lovely - a true white christmas... seasons greetings and all that!
Very Happy

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Steve Angus, Wow, just read above................... my sister out there for Xmas and she cant stop laughing!!

Have fun in the sun (when it comes!).....it looks brilliant.

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Steve Angus,
Another vote of thanks for your surreal, entertaining and most enjoyable thread. I'm flying out to Val on Xmas eve, so to say I'm excited is an understatement.
If you're ever stuck for work, surely there's a creative writing opportunity somewhere that could use your talents.
ATB,
h.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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I should think any more of this stuff and the workers in EK will be suffering from SAD.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I'm not fooling for any of this nonsense for a minute ... it's very easy to see that all this snow has been photo-shopped onto autumnal green and brown backdrops ! The season is definately not going to get started anytime soon

After all it is free

....someone obviously read what I wrote yesterday...

The same spot where I took the 'massive pile of snow and lamp-post at risk' photo (above).... today they were clearing the pile away... they whack the snow into open top trucks and throw it into the Isere river and it melts / returns to the water cycle quicker than it otherwise would do. I was a little concerned they they might pick my ski poles and gloves (bottom left of photo) up with the next scoop (not photographed).... but they were fine.... they are pretty good drivers!

It was going bonkers up the top of the mountain this afternoon... this was the scene at the top of the Olympique gondola when I emerged this afternoon.......... however the view at the base on the beginner lift for my morning lesson was not much better.....

...this was the Savonnettes poma lift down at the bottom - those little kids in yellow (felt sorry for them) - they are Oxygene Ski School 'Snowmen' (first time (week) skiers) - and boy did they do well in those tough conditions - bravo.

Sad news from the road today in that a Tignes lift operator (STGM) died after a head on collision with a lorry about half way down at 7am this morning near St Foy... unclear reports are that her very young passenger also died - someone said it could have been a heart attack but I am not sure a 3 year can have a heart attack but I suppose it is possible. Anyway very sad news... the road was closed for about 3 hours whilst an investigation took place.... thoughts to everyone concerned on that one.

Well as the photos show it was SNOW SNOW and more SNOW again today... similar tomorrow.... by which time this batch of weather will have given us another 0.5m potentially.

Did a little off-piste this afternoon with the clients and there was so much snow that we could hardly move at some points - so when im off-piste tomorrow I need to balance up a little extra steepness but with the safety aspect in mind since the risk will still be 4/5.

Still forecasting sun from Thursday onwards - yeehaa - looking forward to seeing that round glowing thing in the sky again.

...looks like a little brighter than it was yesterday at this time... a few flakes coming down but should clear up somewhat and then 4 or 5 days of perfect (not too warm, not too cold) wintery sunny weather.... those of you coming for the festivities.... you could not have timed it better!

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Steve Angus, great reading your posts and seeing your photos - and I'm not even coming out to Tignes Toofy Grin

Very sad news about the lift operator and the little girl Sad

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More news on that:

http://www.ledauphine.com/savoie/2011/12/20/une-habitante-de-sainte-foy-tarentaise-se-tue-en-partant-travailler-a-tignes

snow reports

paulio, that report points out that her husband, who was also brought up in Ste Foy, died a few years ago on the same road a bit higher up. Very sad.

Very rough translation Sad

"Nadia Arpin never arrived at Tignes, yesterday morning. She had left Saint-Foy-Tarentaise where she lived to go to work at the ski lifts of the STGM. But around 7 a.m., on the RD902, before the hamlet of Thuile, her small car was embedded with the left back of a delivery truck which went down towards Bourg-Saint-Maurice. The accident occurred on the level of the old tunnels, a sector known for its danger The driver died instantly, victim undoubtedly of a covered with snow road, a bad visibility and a very tight turn.

The death of Nadia Arpin, at the 52 years age, plunged the village into disbelief and sadness. This drama recalled to much that crossed by this mom and his/her daughter thirty years ago. Gilles Arpin, the husband of Nadia, him also a child of St-Foy, had lost the life on this same road a few kilometers higher. "

You know it makes sense.

Is Arpin a common surname? There is a family by the same name in La Ros - I think one may have been an Olympic ski Jump champion - and they own/run quite a few chalets/ski hire/ski school there. My daughter (4 then) had a lesson with Jacky Arpin IIRC. Condolences to the family - those that I met seemed extremely pleasant (assuming same family).

Sorry, slightly OT there.

Great reports Steve Angus snowHead

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

How does it look in terms of the rest of the pistes opening? It seems to be around the 60% mark recently, I'm guessing this isn't because of lack of snow but much more likely avalanche danger. should I expect that to raise steadily throughout the week? I'm heading out on Boxing day for a week, getting very excited now!!

Thanks for all the info and pics Steve Angus, it has been getting me through these last few days in work!

A snowHead

Any view on the longer term forecast.......

A snowHead

Mad4snow, ask the question on the weather outlook thread snowHead

... go on, I dare you Laughing

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I've been reading these reports by Steve all week we've been out here, although the Internet is so slow I've never logged on to see the usernames.

Only this evening did I realise that it was Steve who took me, my wife and some fellow chalet guests out for an off piste intro session this afternoon!

It was a great, if exhausting, session for us all! The snow depth was unbelievable!

We all had a great time, thanks again!

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nealw, welcome to Snowheads! Now you've worked out just how small the skiing world is, you'll become an addict!

Steve Angus, thanks for the reports - and keep them coming. I'll be out on NYE for a week and your reports and pictures have made me even more excited than normal! One question..... Fabrice (photo above) - is that Fabrice from The Lodge? Great guy! One of the friendliest bar owners in Val D'Isere. If it is, he is well used to large snowfalls - I remember him telling me about the early season snow there a few years ago that fell so heavily he literally had to 'swim' through the snow to get home. I wonder whether this year was worse than that because that created some amazing skiing early that season.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Scampi Dellahanti... no not that Fabrice - although I love Le Lodge - it is Fabrice an instructor at Oxygene ski school.

nealw small world ehh... glad you had fun - the snow was deep... in fact you made photo of the day (well one of them) below!

Mad4snow not sure what you mean by 'longer term' but here is what snow-forecast.com reckon for the next few days - SUN!!!!

nollafb yea is relates to avalanche control in the most part - the pisteurs and bashers are rushing around trying to secure and get the main runs and links open... and they have been stretched so have not been able to get everything open - that will change very shortly so fear not I would imagine we will be nearly 100% open very shortly!

ARPIN suppose like many other surnames around hear there is a lot of family connections and history but pass on the answer to that one.

Anyway back to todays report....

It was was mostly snow again today and more of it... but not nearly as cold. My morning kids lesson are now turning so we could make it to the top of the nursery slope tomorrow - yeehaa... they went on their first lift ride today to have lunch at the top of Solaise with mum and dad and boy were they excited about riding the lift.... bless. BTW - amazing ravioli 5 cheese pasta lunch at the tete solaise restaurant (NOT the self service but the proper restaurant in there) today.... yummy.

The afternoon as nealw said was spent with him and others from his chalet and an intro to off piste. Conditions were quite tough in the fact that the weather had moved in again and there was a lot of snow. We were pretty close to the piste but still got some nice pitches in...

... there were a few more splats in reality but I don't have the guts to post a 'splat' here.

Had to drive down to Bourg this evening.... YES OF COURSE it was dumping down in Bourg St Maurice... in fact it has only just now this moment stopped snowing... lovely dinner out and now looking forward to my bed after I have posted this.

Super U in Bourg St Maurice - there were cars spinning all over the place even in the car park down there - very wet snow I hasten to add down there but snow non-the-less.

Sleep well... only another 4 sleeps til the big day - hope everyone is looking forward to it.

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NEWS HEADLINES.... not that i'm complaining... but it looks like it has stopped snowing and we could be in for a lovely day on the slopes... a bluebird day could materialise. A little low lying cloud in valley at the moment but hopefully that will burn of. Razz

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Given the expected bluebird today, would be nice to get some pictures of the snowy landscapes on here... wink

Two more days to go till I am out there. Can't wait!

Not sure how to stop myself looking at the forum and webcams and start doing work...

After all it is free

Oleg, just give in .... you know that work is futile with all that snow only 2 days away ..... am Going green

- have to wait another 30 days til i get there .....

hmmmm not exactly as planned....

The valley had a thick cloud hanging over it all day that would not go away... so the bluebird day, although close, did not quite materialise although you could tell the sun was trying...

It was not too cold and there was no wind - the cloud which hung at about 2200m upwards to nearly 3000m just sat there all day.

In the morning I was back on the Savonettes with the kids...

This was NOT one of mine but was with the ESF and everytime she came past was singing to herself so I decided she (bless) could make it onto todays post... that was when she had not fallen over and was being dragged up... the singing stopped then I can tell you.

Had a good ski in the afternoon and in the bus on the way home saw some people skiing the 'white rabit' off piste route... how many skiers can you see in this picture... I KNOW the camera is not the highest resolution but guess how many skiers are on the face in between and around the trees you can see?

Pretty knackered therefore having an early night tonight.

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I'm going for six...

Help!!

The view from............ Val d'Isere and the Espace Killy

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