 Poster: A snowHead
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A dusting and stopped not long after 8 pm. Doubt anything significant.
But all pistes in top piste order. Nothing to worry about there.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| under a new name wrote: |
@dsoutar, haha more fool me, there is a Castor hotel with bar opposite church in Champoluc as well...  |
Not sure if you're ever in Gressoney in an evening, but if so you ought to check it out. Its a bit of a hidden gem
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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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Sadly @dsoutar, being in Gressonney of an evening is unlikely other than as result of very poor time keeping 
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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weather forecast today shows cloudy and snow today in champoluc...... webcam has a different take on it...very sunny ...so no need to worry about poor conditions . i'm there on saturday at the champoluc hotel,,,.. so will be in the Bistro at about 4pm to check on the apres ski and wine quality
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Azur skies, empty slopes v. cold
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| under a new name wrote: |
| Azur skies, empty slopes v. cold |
That sounds utterly perfect to me. Hope it snows a bit this week or next then reverts to that for my trip. Due to get a little warmer in a week or so though I think. Not too warm, but nearer towards 0.
Amazing how well Italy copes with little snow. Can't wait to try it for myself.
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Here at the mo, concur with all the reports. Great pistes and TOTALLY empty. Unbelievable
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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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How are things looking after this last snow? I'm trying to decide wether to come out on the 21st last minute, is there more than just piste skiing now? Thanks
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@torquil, if you are competently strong off piste there are nice patches of transformed snow in the Alagna bowl and Punta Indren is open...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@torquil, if it's of any help I stuck to more moderate off piste on the Champoluc side. A lot of it blew around on Friday so a lot of icy patches but stashes of powder were to still be found, depth not so good, have a couple of pretty bad core shots on my board. By the 21st you never know
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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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Thanks @Aviatork, and @under a new name, I was going to stay up at the Orestes hut but they say it's mostly turned to hard wind slab which is not inviting and not too much in the forecast this week. I'm back out there in Feb so I might just leave it till then.
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Very good on piste in champoluc.. still a lot of artificial snow be8ng ade as the temperature was minus 17 yesterday morning (when i broke my leg thanks to another petson sking intome from behind)
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You know it makes sense.
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ouch - bad luck sir, f that
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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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Just back from the Hotel Valverde in Gressoney - thought I'd update. Pistes still in excellent condition, if getting a bit icy in places (lots of fake snow about, sharp edges needed). Despite the conditions, we went out with a guide one day, Tomas Busca (www.monterosaexperience.com) and would highly recommend him. Ended up doing 4 descents, 3 off Punta Indren and he found good snow for us. He was great with my gf who hasnt had much off-piste experience - she pretty much had an off-piste lesson all day and it was great for her confidence.
In terms of restaurants - can highly recommend Frantze off the red run down to Champoluc, probably one of the best restaurants I have eaten at in the alps, great food, very reasonable (plus 1/2 ltr of house wine for 6.5 euros!). Also enjoyed Shopff, left hand side of the red run down to Alagna. All in all a wonderful area, we will be back and hope for a lot of snow when we do - imagine that this area is unsurpassed for off-piste after large amounts of snow.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@tjgadd18 - With Esprit? Were off out there in March
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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_Quads - yes, due to gov ban on taking children out of school during term time it was passed over to Ski Total (although there were still a few kids). Great location, about 30m from the lift. Food was ok (much better on the mountain) and I'd go for a room on second floor if you can - can be a bit noisy.
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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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Great conditions today. 8 inches of powder on the pistes first thing. Lovely in the off only issue was the vis. Mainly poor but did clear a little late on.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Nice
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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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Not jealous at all 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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How are conditions at the moment?
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edited
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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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@mbsnow, welcome! I'm pretty sure I've spotted a very, very small beginners slope there before, hidden behind some buildings.
Btw, there's a bunch of snowHeads in the Hotel Dufour from the 4th for the GnaBuG, why don't you say hi?
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@mbsnow, welcome to SHs. Why don't you check the Monterosa website for such a thing? I would have thought it would be listed?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks @Harrison the Rabbit. We're going to be at the Valverde. Had a fantastic week there last year, arrived as about 70cm of fresh snow fell. Just been reading up on the GnaBug, sounds like a cracking trip; are these trips usually an all ages setup? All skiers or bit of both?
@under a new name, sorry I should have said, I have spoken to our travel company (who weren't sure about it) and checked the maps, where its not currently shown, so I was a little dubious but still hopeful. Will have to see.
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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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@mbsnow, from the satellite / streetview images it doesn't look like there is anything skiable in that area although there is a "baby snow park" just across the road, shown on the piste map link below
http://www.monterosa-ski.com/wp-content/uploads/skirama-70x50_2016-2017-BASSA.pdf
enjoy and let us know what you find - we're out there the first week of April (taking the kids for their first taste of skiing)
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@mwareing, we used the area across the road last year. Its a bit too limited for what we need this year. Will certainly investigate the mystery slope and let you know.
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You know it makes sense.
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Hi! We're headed to valverde on the 11th  Save us some snow!
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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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Will certainly try!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Just back from a few days skiing based in Gressoney La Trinite. The skiing was more like April than mid February, but great piste conditions all across the valleys. Alagna run was a tad slushy towards the bottom, and virtually empty all the way down from Salati. Pistes were generally compacted and firm with some skid-off snow around, but this rapidly changed as the sun got on to the south facing slopes.
Best run was Moos into Stafal, and a couple of runs on Punta Jolanda where conditions were better on the north facing slopes.
I did not even bother with any OP. Conditions looked grim.
Despite some really good piste conditions all the Monte Rosa needs new snow, and much lower temperatures.
And despite the Feb Half-Term, pistes were frequently empty, queues were limited to bottlenecks like Frachey, and mostly Scandi's in the bars! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Good first day, mostly off piste on sun softened spring snow, stripping off the layers it was so hot. Eagle gully in flat light and hard moguls less fun. Same again for tomorrow and then hoping for snow Tues, although more in hope than expectation with the current forecast. Great fun watching the rugby post ski with some knowledgeable Italian supporters
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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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So snow has whitened the green today, 10cm in Champoluc where we skied some chalky North facing off piste, 5cm in Gressoney. Winds picking up, lifts limited by "power issues" rather than wind. An odd but not unenjoyable day. What you might call a technique focussed day...
... and yes Scandi families much in evidence
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Very jealous that some decent snow is arriving, we (family with a 8 and 11 year old) had a decent enough week based in Champoluc 10th to 17th Feb and could see that with a little fresh snow the area around Stafal would be amazing, especially on the off piste. I'm already planning for 2018 (as half term restricted) and thinking of basing in Gressoney La-Trinite, somewhere like the Hotel Lo Scoiattola if anyone has any views on it?
I'd also appreciate any comments on how the Stafal based ski school is for intermediate skiers of 8 and 12 years old? The advantage of Champoluc was that the children's' ski school lessons ran from 10am to 3pm so we were able to get some time to explore the area. In Stafal, I can only see group bookings being taken from 10 to 12:30. Any ideas on how we could get a longer lesson including a supervised lunch time on a couple of days for the children?
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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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D@robbristol, I recently stayed at Lo Scoiattolo in Gressoney. It's billed as a 4 star, IMHO it's only just scraped there. Despite any reviews on Booking.com (I did not leave one as I would not be that complimentary) I would merely say that it is a solid, comfortable, and very well run hotel. The location is close to Punta Jolanda rather than Stafal, and the hotel shuttle heads to Punta Jolanda. From there its a couple of lifts to Stafal, on some ratner lovely pistes. Rooms are a good standard, food is a good standard and quite varied, staff are excellent. However, I was expecting something slightly better. Quiet location in hamlet that was a Walser village, so don't expect discos.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@robbristol, are Ski Esprit still operating to any of the Gressoney villages? that might be an option. Must say though, you need quite a lot of snow, really quite a lot of snow, for the off piste around Stafal to be amazing.
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Lunched today alongside a clutch of very happy Esprit kids at restaurant on the way from Bettaforce to St Anna. They were in the 6-8 age group I would guess, and were collected by local instructors after lunch.
Our skiing made use of wind blown snow on the N facing slopes above St. Anna, not great, but the best our guide could find with high lifts out of Gressony shut. Pistes in really good nick though, very little ice considering. Skins on for off piste tomorrow....
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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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Cream crackered after a big day off piste in blown snow (with a guide, those poor guys in Courmayeur) staring around Bettaforca in soft snow on the north facing off piste, then down to Stafal on untracked snow in the Betollina valley, although the end was a comedy of roots slush and rocks. A quick lunch then skinned up to Col de Civera for more fresh tracks to Gabiet and a tired ski home. Our rental touring skis were out of the 80's in cut, kit really is so much better now I wonder how I stayed alive in my risk taking youth!
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It's already snowing briskly outside to give the pistes a refresh, and if the forecast snow arrives some of the lift accessed off piste will be a joy as well. Lucky guys coming out tomorrow although expect slow transfers behind the ploughs in both directions 😏
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FAQ
