 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
@franga, welcome to the thread! Happy to report that I think the snow is better now than it was at any point last season, which is a good start. It's great area, with something for everyone between the linked resorts. The Totem is in a prime location and was completely refurbed a couple of years ago.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@sj1608, thanks, very reassuring.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
@franga, hard to predict for late March now...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@under a new name, I know! Sorry, was referring to @sj1608's comment re the area itself. I love boarding in March whatever the conditions ...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
@under a new name, and I wasn't professing to have a crystal ball, either! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Hotel Totem looks pretty nice though!
The Grands Montets under the Hearse chair looks to have more snow (and I am told it does have) under it than at any point last year. Even with the rain I suspect anything over 2,000m in the localish area does too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stayed in Totem last year and loved it - pricey, but great ski in/ski out and lovely outdoor hot tub!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Currently in Totem, 2nd visit. Wife and I came for short break in February and this week brought kids for 4 days skiing. Rooms fantastic, need a suite with kids, food is superb and location perfect but as mentioned not cheap, 14 euros G&T. That said would be surprised if anyone found anything negative about hotel. Supermarket across road 9 euros for 12 bottles of Heineken.
Onto the not so good, managed one hour skiing yesterday morning, only one lift open in Flaine that closed about 11 and everything shut today. Been hammering down rain all day but forecast much better tomorrow and Saturday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Update 8am Friday. Thankfully rain has stopped although still looks but grey up top and wind still fresh. Lots of blasting this morning hoping for good day, suspect staggered opening of lifts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All links from Flaine closed. Two chair lifts open quite busy but not too bad, possible another lift opening.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
All links from Flaine closed. Two chair lifts open quite busy but not too bad, possible another lift opening.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
How's the snow though? We arrive in Samoens next Wednesday PM; hoping for a top up of snow between then and temperatures to drop but not looking massively promising by way of of forecasts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No problem with the snow in Flaine can’t comment on samoen as can’t get over but suspect not an issue either. Problem is avalanche risk following heavy rain, guides reckon not seen rain like it in 15 years.
Should be fine in few weeks even without further snow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
As the Tete was closed due to wind, we didn't make it over to Samoens, but the snow in Morillon was in amazingly good condition considering that we are supposed to have had 120mm of rain.
It was supposed to have rained mid-morning but didn't (and the forecast no longer shows rain today), so we looped between Morillon and Les Carroz. At one point to Telecabine was shut briefly due to wind, but it reopened pretty quickly. There were a reasonable number of people about, but nothing like we had expected. I guess that some people packed up and went home yesterday, given that at midday yesterday the forecast for today was rain all day.
There are lots of places where the rain has joined/become a stream and has cavitated the snow, but these are mainly off the pistes. However, we now have the new 'Combe Bas River' between markers 5 & 3 on Combe. Looks like the Gron stream has lost it way and decided to cross/join Combe. The edge of the piste has been extensively bull-dozed and there are lots of nets to steer you round the bad bits.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
@maidstone98, we arrive next wednesday evening also. Flying from stanstead. Hope the weather improves.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Despite the heavy rain below about 2100m across the area a few days ago, pistes today were pretty good, a wide cover on all runs. Pistes quiet between 12.00 and 15.00 hours (that’s all I did today). Looking forward to colder, snowy weather over next few days.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
- thanks for the update. Is the off piste any good or a no-go due to avi risk? We arrive Weds night for a few days so hoping for a light dusting between now and then to top it up, albeit not sure much is forecast?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
@maidstone98, avi risk is down to 2 now, but not many people going off piste. The pistes themselves are still in great condition. The pisteurs have been doing an amazing job of repairing the pistes that the rain damaged. On Portet unless you had seen that yesterday there were bulldozers and piles of earth, you'd have had no idea at all of how bad it had been.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Haven’t been off-piste recently as it doesn’t look good, bear in mind it’s had lots of rain on it and a few freeze/thaw cycles. It’s all got multiple fall-line striations caused by mini rivers of water from a few days ago.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Beautiful blue skies and sunshine this morning 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Quote: |
sj1608 - good day on the pistes then? Any fresh stuff land this arvo?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pistes were generally still very good, although a few bare patches in exposed areas or where there was water damage last week.
Nope, nothing beyond a few snowflakes high up this afternoon, although it clouded up and the light was pretty flat. As of about an hour ago it started raining in Les Carroz. Forecast is for a bit more rain overnight, but I've given up believing any of the forecasts, they've been so inaccurate the last few days.
The wisdom of the optional extra €3 or so per day on your lift pass for unlimited, no-excess insurance was brought home today. Encountered a 2nd day snowboard beginner near the top of Dahu. She'd been sat on the piste for an hour, trying unsuccessfully to stand up, and was physically and emotionally exhausted and in floods of tears. Her experienced skier friends (who'd taken up her up to the Tete as they didn't want to 'waste their holiday by spending it on green runs') were nowhere to be seen, and two further snowboard beginners were waiting for her slightly further down Dahu. A pisteur offered to take her down on the sledge ............. for €386, which she simply couldn't afford. It took us about an hour to get the three of them down to the bottom, with one of them walking most of the way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I'm not sure the insurance would have covered her anyway in this case.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@stodge, pisteur confirmed that it would have done. She may not have been physically injured, but she wasn't in good shape mentally. I suspect they would have put 'mal à la tête' as the reason and left it at that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There was heavy rain overnight last night in Les Carroz, but the good news was that it fell as snow higher up - from well below the top of the telecabine.
It was also significantly colder, which made our decision to start from Molliets a bad one. The Saix Express didn't open until about 9.50 and Molliets lift after that, due to ice on the cables. By the time we got onto the 2nd chair up the Saix Express there was a long queue of people behind us, as they had been funnelling into what had become a dead end with neither chair running.
While we were waiting we saw the helicopter carrying snow, so I guess that last night's rain caused something serious that they were patching up.
Once up high, conditions were good on the fresh snow, probably about 20cm of it on the Tete. For the first time since the really heavy snow, it was clear that people were venturing off piste. It clouded up during the morning and the light was really flat, which made for quiet pistes.
Safe travels tomorrow, @maidstone98.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Thanks
| Quote: |
sj1608 - so on the snow cover, do you think it's worth me packing the snowboard, or best to just stick to the skis as i'll mainly be on piste? I'm thinking just ski's with the forecast over next few days and lack of too much additional fresh stuff...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@maidstone98, I'm purely a skier, so not really in a position to judge, sorry. There are plenty of boarders about at the moment, but have no idea if they are enjoying the conditions or not (apart from the beginner from yesterday, she certainly wasn't!).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| maidstone98 wrote: |
We arrive Weds night for a few days so hoping for a light dusting between now and then to top it up, albeit not sure much is forecast? |
@maidstone98, not sure how you have such good influence over the snow gods! Despite there being no snow forecast for today, it snowed virtually all morning in Flaine - mixture of very light and reasonably heavy, but all very dry crystal type snow. Hasn't added anything much in the way of depth (you only asked for a light dusting, anyway!), but still counts as fresh snow. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
@sj1608, I wish I did have the power to turn on the snow showers ! Our first day here today in Samoens and skied mainly over here, Morillon and Les Carroz with a brief venture over to Flaine. Lovely day and great conditions. Looking forward to spending most of day in Flaine tomorrow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Typical. The hubby just arrived in LC with his mates for a skiing weekend and he gets sunshine. I arrive next Thursday with my friends and due for a white out. Same thing happened last year as well...grrrrr
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Is Gers open?
I LOVE Gers!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
@rungsp, don't think it's been open since the rain, and it's not en prevision tonight.
@Cheesie168, based on the accuracy of the forecasting over the last week or so, I wouldn't worry too much yet!
Another dusting of snow in Les Carroz last night and then mainly sunshine today. Skied over to Flaine where low cloud blanked out the view from the top of Fred, which is finally open. Snow conditions great and still relatively few people here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Just back from 3 days in Samoens. Great skiing conditions and bluebird skies for all 3 days. The upcoming snow this week will be a welcome top up - very jealous for anyone heading out next weekend!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
@rungsp, Gers is open, with some rather nice snow, off piste is a bit tracked and lumpy, but still very pleasant. the black is grippy moguls so fine Really cold wind coming back up the drag. First thing this morning totally empty. Vernant to Gers is rather dangerous due to lots of cracks appearing and resulting in crevasses to fall into. Pistes in flaine are superb, low down in les carroz its very sugary, huge piles of it. The little short black from the top of molliets (used to be a never groomed red) is superb and grippy, and empty.....
It was a really good 3 1/2 hours this morning, best day of season so far
snow due for the rest of the week............
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Still 2 months to I make it out there but loving the descriptions of the pistes and conditions. Please keep it coming to give me my regular "fix". Any photos would be great - and news on the new pistes and lift.
Thanks to all of you and hope your trips go well.
Alan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Arrived in Flaine on Saturday evening having had a very easy drive from Calais, remarkably little traffic on the roads, 7.5 hours from Calais to Cluses for the obligatory supermarket stop. Sunday morning skied mainly on piste in Flaine but there was some nice off piste by turning right off the top of the Aup de Varan and turning right off the top of the Aujon drag. Went over towards Morillon where some of the slopes had been scraped of all the snow leaving sheet ice exposed. Bergin was very difficult, almost impossible to get an edge in places, and the new run, Chars, was also very icy. Monday was much better, probably because there were less people around and the pistes hadn't been scraped of snow to the same extent.
It started snowing at about 7.00 last night and the wind had really got up, exactly as forecast. Still snowing this morning. It is difficult to say how much snow has fallen because the wind has blown it all over the place.Wind still seems to be an issue. I cannot see the top of the DMC or the Aup de Veran due to cloud so visibility is going to be an issue today. It will be interesting to see whether they get all the lifts open in this wind and whether the links will be open.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It snowed for a while in Les Carroz last night, but then turned to rain, and it's still raining now. Glad to hear from @Chris Mason that there's snow in Flaine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Raining down in Samoens, there has been a lot of blasting going on, it will be interesting to see what conditions are like.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Having seen that the links are closed, and the message from @sj1608 and @bobrun I am getting a sinking feeling about my trip to LC the end of this week. I am going to pack my swimming costume.@Chris Mason - my other half said the same about Bergin this weekend, really hard to get an edge and not enjoyable at all. They did have fun in the Gers bowl and on Diamont Noir though. I suspect I won't even be able get over to Flaine for the 2nd ladies ski weekend in a row! I am haunting the weather thread as well and seems no light at the end of the tunnel...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
