 Poster: A snowHead
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I wonder if global warming has done for it? In recent years it seems to have been well into the season before it gets cranked up. Tho how much of that is down to STGM's 'maintenance' I don't know. Rosolin has become a standing joke the last week, but one mate conjectured that the thinning and shifting ice can't be helping it any.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Not that I've been early season but can't recall leisse every being open before mid jan in the last ten years???
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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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Just rumors but heard a few years ago they were thinking of giving up on it as the last bit of the run to the start of the lift (through all the boulders) was getting hard to manage due to lack of snow depth.
On a more positive note, Termignon and 3500 have been running pretty regularly and that's not happened the last 3 pre-seasons. Opens up a nice big area to lap on without having to go down to the box and rare to see any queue even when gates and teams are set up.
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@bobski62, I think I saw a post from chocksaway saying much the same a while ago. Last time I was down there was about 4 5 years ago in jan and the last bit was sketchier than I remember
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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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| stevew wrote: |
| @bobski62, I think I saw a post from chocksaway saying much the same a while ago. Last time I was down there was about 4 5 years ago in jan and the last bit was sketchier than I remember |
1976. I imagine conditions must have been decent for you then - before global warming.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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4 to 5 yrs ago ...
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Tignes has farmed snow for the last few years to put on the top of Double M for French team training, maybe they have used this experience to sort out snow for the bottom of Termignon as well.
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@stevew, Good memory, we shall have to see what this season brings. There is also the issue of crevasses to consider, if they open Leisse it encourages people to ride direct from the top to the lift to the Leisse base station. Because of the shape of the terrain there are many crevasses on that route, it really needs a lot of snow to form the bridges. Indeed the crevasses are about as wide as they will get at this time of year. The advice I was given years ago was effectively don't do that route until after Christmas!
Well, I am sat in the weather office (UK) at the moment (awaiting a phone call about my cars MOT), I have just had a look at the webcams and Lanches chair has skiers on it going up and down, so clearly Double M is for rockhoppers. (Looks like the list of lifts needs updating on skiplan though!)
Looks like the glorious weather is set to continue for the week with virtually unbroken sunshine. Mid week there may be a few high level crowds as the ridge of high pressure ebbs and flows. It is only just dominating the western alps so the confidence in the forecast to the end of the week is not at its highest. For the next couple of days it sis going to be cold enough to run the snow cannons down to Lac (they are runnning on Rosset this morning). But later in the week it is going to warm up significantly during the day (maybe temps above zero up to 3500m in the middle of the day) so some of the snow in the sun is going too disappear. The areas in shade (Double M) should be fine as its going to freeze quite hard overnight. I think the cannons are blasting lower down to ensure a reasonable coverage to ensure the ground does not warm up too much. So all in all looks fab!
And even better, the car has passed, its popped up on gov.uk before the call from the garage!
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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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Snow and conditions report: repeat of yesterday.
Thanks for the explanation @chocksaway, I shall tuck that away in the back pocket and avoid that area till much later. I tend to stick to the bumps itinerary run anyway if I'm up there and aiming for Leisse chair. Though might drop down lower this winter and explore the route to the refuge and try a skin back up over the Col de la Leisse.
Did see folk downloading on Lanches. It was hard to be sure from the distance but looked like teams and racers. I've seen them set up on the very top section of Double M in the past and use a skidoo to lap. So made me wonder if they were doing that and using Lanches for the initial access and then to get down again after their session.
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@chocksaway,
True now a days, but as a sign of age I can remember using Leisse back in the 365 days a year era - and the Double Plan drag!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Kenzie, Yip I remember Double Plan, including jumping over the boarded bits when the snow got a bit thin in the summer!
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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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Snow conditions: little change from day before, in other words, most excellent. Minor exceptions: a bit polished on the lower section of Glacier red piste, before you turn under the end of Champagny Stade. Final approach to Vanoise chair ditto - care and attention advised!
All T bars running, all chairs Vanoise and above but not Leisse and box running too.
Noticeably quieter today compared to Saturday so wonder if that's the end of the half-term peak now.
Are you out yet @Mark1863?
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Snow conditions: holding up well, still terrific. Windy start to the day (so telecabine stayed closed but T-bars, Vanoise and Pano all opened). Wind calmed down a bit in the afternoon when snow flurries came in. Temps: getting a little milder each day - hoping that doesn't nudge up too much more.
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You know it makes sense.
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Are the different ski pass prices making any difference to queues? I haven't seen anything that indicates whether the club price includes the téléphérique.
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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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| Quote: |
| Are the different ski pass prices making any difference to queues? |
Not that I can tell. There is no control on the telecabine (other than a gate counting how many are allowed in each cabin) so can't see why anyone can't use it once they're up there, ski tourers included and most certainly clubs and teams.
Things that are affecting lift queues right now are: half-term (now over, so much quieter everywhere); if box is running (not today, so long queues on Champagny until folk spread across other lifts); 'first lift syndrome' - all the teams want to be up first thing, so 9:15 funi onwards pretty quiet.
But none of today's queues were tragic other than first ride up Champagny. By 2pm we had Rosolin pretty much all to ourselves, lift and piste included.
Having Termignon/3500 running has made a massive difference compared to the last few years. Much better spread across the whole glacier and majority of the terrain still usable even when the cable car can't run. I chatted to a lad training with the French team on one ride up and he also confirmed that after the late start two years ago and race teams therefore turning to other glacial areas, they have stuck with those other areas - including the French team on occasions. That I think is also reducing the pressure on Tignes and making STGM buck their ideas up - possibly why they've gotten 3500 going.
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Poster: A snowHead
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No lifts open today owing to high winds. Raining in Lac. 50cm of new snow forecast for the glacier. Will see tomorrow - if we are allowed up.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@bobski62, Tignes has also increased the cost of a training lane which may have caused groups to look at other glaciers.
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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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| rjs wrote: |
| @bobski62, Tignes has also increased the cost of a training lane which may have caused groups to look at other glaciers. |
How much are training lanes now? They were very cheap previously compared with other resorts
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@stewart woodward, They are €25 per day on the glacier, think they were €8 the last time I paid for one. Hintertux was free the only times I went there, don't know the cost anywhere else.
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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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@rjs,
2 years ago courchevel was €450 per day so €25 is pretty cheap
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@stewart woodward, Didn't know Courchevel had a glacier. The cost of a lane on Lognan will be a lot more once the winter season starts, it was €140 for half a day 20 years ago, have been charged similar amounts in Meribel.
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Can anybody recommend a good guidebook for ski touring round Tignes, I've already got the Vamos off piste one, and done most of the routes in that.
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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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+1. It's excellent and well written, some quite funny bits which you wouldn't expect in this type of book. Same gang is currently working on a Val d'Isere version.
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Looks good, will buy when I arrive, thanks both.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
| How much are training lanes now? |
Checked today with a coach: gone up to €32 now. Our trainer overheard and asked if I was going to buy one tomorrow. Told him I'd take three and stand at the top shouting "get orff my piste!" at everyone before my run down... 
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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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| bobski62 wrote: |
| Quote: |
| How much are training lanes now? |
Checked today with a coach: gone up to €32 now. |
The rules say €25.
You don't usually have a problem keeping other people out of your lane once you have set up a course, have had a BASI trainer ignore this a couple of times though.
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You know it makes sense.
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Noticed people skiing down Double M to Val Claret on webcam this afternoon.
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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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They've made a narrow track to the bottom of artificial snow haven't they. Aren't we sad 
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Poster: A snowHead
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| stevew wrote: |
| They've made a narrow track to the bottom of artificial snow haven't they. Aren't we sad |
Wonder if it will officially be open for the weekend?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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And now for the weather for the next week. Its a bit more unsettled and forecasting confidence is not that high, I have to say. The high pressure will no longer dominate and a low over the Gulf of Genoa will develop, which as regular viewers will know, may well lead to a retour d'est, where precipitation may well be heavy in Le Fornet and negligible in Les Arcs, with a sliding scale in between. But the glorious days have moved on for a bit, of course at this time of year the conundrum is the snow line, for the next week its somewhere between Les Boisses and half way up Double M. So that's the excuses out of the way.
Tomorrow morning looks like sunny periods, the cloud will progressively thicken and there will be a bit of light snow /drizzle in the evening depending upon your height above sea level! Sunday will be a bit cooler with again sunny periods in the morning followed by thicker cloud and precipitation in the afternoon. Monday does not look great, cloudy all day and light precipitation, wet in the main villages, snow aloft. The wind will start gusting in the evening at height, it slowly moves to a south easterly during the day so this when the forecast could be wildly out. Tuesday will probably be grey with a few sunny periods, it will still be above zero in the villages by day. Same for Wednesday at the moment.
I know its the age old question, but I really wouldn't like to say how much there will be, the Apps are varying wildly regarding the amount of snow, from Sunday through Monday. It will be down to those in resort to get the ruler (or the bucket) out!
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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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Turned out to be light snow pretty much from the get-go on the glacier; wind not a problem so the cable car ran but very misty and therefore flat light. The poor viz combined with masses and masses of weekender skiers made it frankly an unpleasant place to be so none of us persevered much beyond 1pm before coming down. Falling as snow (just) at Le Lac but sleet and light drizzle any lower. Mostly dry once down in Bourg where the Bourse aux Skis was a disappointment. Wallet stayed firmly closed.
STGM have opened the Bollin chairlift and the beginner slope underneath - possibly just for the weekend.
Police were checking for masks in the funicular lobby yesterday and reminding folk. More Police at the top, taking to one side anyone still not wearing a mask including those doing a 'nose job'. No idea whether what followed was a stern talking to or a fine. Riding shotgun on the shuttle bus was another Tignes staffer being pretty short with anyone getting on not wearing a mask.
By contrast no masks or Passe Sanitaire checks in last night's bar-resto of choice, which shall remain nameless.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@bobski62, Cheers for that one.
Is it clear yet if the requirement (and hence policing of) is for a specific mask type, or are they allowing simple "buff" type face coverings?
Wont make any difference to me when I am out, I have both but I know that in Austria they require a certain level of mask.
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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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Is there good ski touring in and around Espace Killy? I would be getting a guide
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@GreenDay, buffs are fine and not being challenged.
@conor90, yes but the slight 'inverse' frustration is that so much terrain is already so well lift served. But drop behind eg Palet, Ves, Leisse, Fours,... and fill your boots.
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| conor90 wrote: |
| Is there good ski touring in and around Espace Killy? I would be getting a guide |
Yes!!
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Thanks for the answers. A follow up question:
How does it compare to Chamonix or La Grave, purely in terms of touring and off piste - don't care about the pistes.
I have done a decent amount of touring and off piste in Chamonix. This year I (we, a group) are thinking about La Grave. However, it is a mixed ability group so the plan is to stay in Les Deux Alpes, and then those of us that want to tour and go off piste will drive to La Grave every morning. I'm now thinking somewhere like Val D'Isere / Tignes might be easier, if the touring is good. I have been to Val D'Isere before a few years ago but that was before my off piste days.
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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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Report on today.
Out with a small group from Snoworks.
It was windy and snowy. So going sidewards. The cable car never opened. They closed all about 1 pm as wind speed became too high.
What did fall seemed to have good texture and I would put probable fall at altitude at 20-30cm possibly more this afternoon. There was several inches of powder on the panoramic terasse at lunchtime.
Snowing steadily in Le Lac this afternoon but now stopping.
Unless the wind has done significant damage I suspect we will have good conditions tomorrow on the glacier.
There has not been significant enough snowfall down to resort level to change matters that much. We would need two or three more of today to open these slopes.
Probably been enough to get Double M properly open if the temperature doesn’t get too high
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Thanks @Mark1863, for taking up the reins and a fair summary of today. Will keep an eye out for you tomorrow on the deck - are you with Tristan? My group is Ru G's. Likewise hoping for blue skies rest of the week and that my kit dries out (laps on a soggy Bollin after we came down).
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FAQ
