 Poster: A snowHead
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There carnt be too many commercial ski runs that only rely on natural snowfall these days ? Man made snow has less air in it and is much more resilient than natural packed snow so at this time of year ski resorts are all trying to build up a base.
Piste grooming machines can now detect depth below their tracks so I assume they have target depths for each part of each that they know will provide season long cover.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Peter S wrote: |
Piste grooming machines can now detect depth below their tracks so I assume they have target depths for each part of each that they know will provide season long cover. |
I wonder what one of these state of the art Piste Bashers costs these days.
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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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| Jonpim wrote: |
| And Colosses packed up at lunchtime. Had to take the bus back to 1800. |
Envers Ferme again today but running - just closed to passengers. At what point will they give in and replace it with a lift that is reliable?
Almost needless to say they hadn't bothered to piste the run down to La Roche so the bottom section was scraped and icy in the shade.
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Lovely sunny day again today bit busier with lots of locals adding to the UK folk who have arrived. Pistes still in good condition lots of man made being made, next natural snowfall maybe Dec. 31st. Bless them, at 12.30 we had pistes to ourselves as they all headed in for lunch 
Lots of French flags around supporting the French team tonight.
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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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boredsurfin, interesting how much they are running the snowmakers for the lower sections.
We went down Pierre Blanche today and snowmakers pouring out all the way down.
But higher up no snowmaker action at all.
Lots of screaming round here just now as Mbappe scored the equaliser 
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Weather forecast has changed - for the worst!
Rain at 2000m on Christmas Eve and the New Year snowfall has been replaced by sunshine...
+6c on the balcony right now
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Silly warm on the mountain today. +3 at the top. Pistes are pretty scrapped already. Lots of rocks showing down sources. Rain below 2000m forecast for all day Wednesday. Not sure the lower pistes will be in great shape by the end of the week
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boredsurfin, now you really should know better.
Any forecast for the mountains is fantasy beyond 2 days.
No one site gets it right all the time.
When we arrived 11 days ago MeteoFrance had it snow-free. My phone predicted snow. MeteoFrance was wrong and the phone was right.
For the next snowfall last week MeteoFrance did better.
Right now MeteoFrance, Meteoblue, Meteoexploration, Wepowder and my phone are all predicting snow Wednesday and Thursday.
And today didn't feel as quite warm as the forecasters suggested.
True, @Boarderfarce, the pistes in some places are looking a bit sad, brown, and rocks are appearing.
It will be what it will be.
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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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@Jonpim, sad to say worst piste of the day award went to an 1800 one!
What have they done to Jean Marie next to the new building the surface was covered with gravel and slightly larger stones and Lovatiere next to it doesn't exist anymore?
On a brighter note there were signs of life at Au bon Vieux Temps (sp) a chap was blowing snow off the terrace and smoke from the chimney so hopefully it will be open again this season.
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Yes, boredsurfin, Bon Vieux Temps has new owners and will open after 3 years shut.
And another "re-opening" was Envers. It was running today! And we had a go. Awful uncomfortable lift, but does prevent need for dreaded ski down to La Roche.
Lovatiere is on the piste map, so presumably will open eventually .
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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boredsurfin, webcam shows montalbert looking quite healthy.
All that snowmaking seems to have got the place looking good, so we'll give it a go.
The Trail Map indicates only the blue runs are open, but should still worth a little jaunt over.
And thanks for the warning about Jean Marie, but i note that Lovatière has an hour glass over it suggesting it will open today. Might give it a go on the way back.
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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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@Jonpim, if you come down Gentil passing Fornelet restaurant be careful there is much man made snow and it gets interesting after the sun has melted the top surface, but yes after that there is good cover all the way into the building sites of Montalbert (there are 5 new builds at the moment!) Good news re: Au Bon vieux temps. Sadly the Arbrevoir in Montalbert will not open this season - a victim of Covid
and the lack of “Les Anglais” last season.
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Generally an Easter LP family, but thought we'd treat ourselves this year so don't have anything to compare this year to prior years really. Sat / Sun / Mon were all great - nice and sunny and crisp, but taken a turn for the worst today. The red out of the bottom of Aime 2000 = mud, Reservoir = mud, as highlighted already - someone has made a total mess of the run into 1800. Also felt like a noticeable increase in volume of people today, which combined with the warmer temps meant it was almost spring slush by mid-afternoon. Definitely need a top-up of snow for the Xmas / NY week because the slopes are getting hammered.
Also, on the Envers / Roche subject, watched a total helmet ski straight off the left-hand side of Cornegidouille this morning. Envers was shut and this guy was going WAY too fast - nearly took a couple of other skiers with him. Seemed to be fairly unharmed, but total fluke that he missed the trees I think.
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You know it makes sense.
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@LondonHawk, Yep totally agree, was surprised by the red from Aime2k Ive never seen it scraped so badly before, the lower track is ok so far...
It was +8c down in Montalbert this lunchtime and has only dropped to 6c now 18:15
Envers was fixed and running by 4pm - just as well as Cornydoghuile will be a scraped mess in this warmth!
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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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My first day of the season skiing in La Plagne today. As @boredsurfin, @LondonHawk, @Jonpim, @Boarderfarce, all have shared (Thank you !): it's warm outside and pistes are suffering. Open spots with mud/small rocks. The stade de slalom in Belle Plagne has a visible garden with long grass peeking out of the snow around the middle. I've personally never seen it like this during the season. I had a good first skiing day though. Time to get back at it seriously.
When I went up on Blanchets at 13.30 pm, the lift stopped just as the line before me sat down on the chair and I and others of my training group waited for the chair to arrive. The line before me was a woman and daughter. After some time the lift restarted and the woman cried out because the tails of her skis had gotten blocked underneath a wooden part of the onload platform. So the chair started moving but she felt pressure on both limbs as the skis were blocked. It took seconds to stop the lift, ultimately both bindings had released before the lift stopped, but you could see how the pressure got bigger on both skis before that. She turned out completely fine but this was very scary. I tore my ACL last season and this was horror in my mind. Fortunately, all fine, but we have to seriously watch out. Accidents happen too quickly.
I will be based in Bellecote for the winter. After ACL surgery on the 10th of March of 2022 I did rehab very intensely. I returned to ski on my artificial slope (mat /skiplex style) end of August, I returned to biweekly training in Landgraaf on indoor snow end of september, I skied in Hintertux for 8 days early november, I skied a week in Amnéville with French coaches 11-16 november, I trained in Tignes for a week at the end of november. I did all this in an extreme effort that started the 2nd of February when the day after rupturing my ACL I succeeded the French test technique (slalom exam, entrance exam to be allowed access to the French ski instructor courses). The next step is an exam called the 'Cycle Préparatoire ', 2 week course with an oral exam/''descente technique ''/demonstrations/ note de stage, to become a ''stagiaire'' instructor in the French ski system. I attended this course the first 2 weeks of december. Last friday, the website showing the result said ''eliminé'' instead of ''admis'' next to my name. I did not succeed in the ''descente technique '' so I will go to the retake exam in March 2023. Not ideal. Lots of people believe in me so I can only take this longer training opportunity and be grateful for it. Sidejob in the works as I won't yet be able to teach in France. Yet. Long story, sorry for hijacking the thread, I will be in La Plagne again for the season, and now you know why 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all. Has anyone booked equipment hire with SkiSet in Belle Plagne this season? Just gone to book and it’s probably 100% more expensive than last year for a short hire. The place down in the commercial centre (Bertrand?) is still similarly priced to previous years but it’s location is significantly less convenient for those of us staying at the top of the village…
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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, an interesting day.
We really enjoyed Montalbert section, both sides.
Yes, there were some bare bits, but all easily negotiated. And usual lovely crepe at the bottom.
Envers was closed when we came back at 1sh, but run down to La Roche empty and quite pleasant.
The start of Jean Marie was everything boredsurfin mentioned and more. Only went there coz thought Lovatiere was open. It wasn't. Won't try again.
Roll on tomorrow. Rain or snow or nothing. We wait and see.
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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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Looks a miserable day today.
There was a little snow earlier (around 6am), but now raining.
Low clould, dull, damp - more UK than French alps.
A perfect day for getting in the car and driving to the airport - which is what we are doing.
The Jonpim Transfer Service. Includes stop-off for explore and eats in Annecy. Very reasonable rates
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@Jonpim, Same down here - lady in the bakery said I have bought English weather with me!
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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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Rain from this morning on, after it's been dry since a little after 11 in Belle Plagne/Bellecote but once everything you wear is weg, it gets cold quickly. My coach said at 9 this morning : 'Julie, you seriously don't have a cape (long raincoat)? That must be because it rains so often in Belgium that you've built up immunity. Sometimes the rain turned into very wet snow. The weather means not so many people around on the slopes. I'm still deciding if I put on the second set of everything and go to the afternoon training.
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Got very wet this morning and called it a day at lunch time. Snow above 1900m but heavy rain below that. Top of mont blanc piste was closed and we decided to get the lac noir lift back down to les coches. Bottom pistes are now sheet ice or bare patches.
Hopefully the high pistes have had a little top up.
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Yep - not nice this morning at all, had the apartment rads cranked up to 11 to try and get everything dry for the afternoon session. Cleared a little and then even had a little 30mins of blue sky right at the end of the day on the way back from Champagny.
Sad to report that I don't think the wet snow / rain has made much difference. Aside from Serac and (weirdly) Verdons, pretty much any slope has a surprise mud / rock patch on it. Anything high traffic Capella, Trieuse etc but even what I would consider to be a quiet piste - Geisha, has some gnarly parts.
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Hmm - have been all set to drive down for Christmas but wondering whether we should delay a little (we are retired so can come any time). What are the pistes like ? On the webcams they look ok but comments above seem to indicate things are not at their best.
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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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Apologies, also forgot to mention which may be of interest to the LP gang, that Patrice "Boot Doctor" down in 1800 no longer keeps his machines on-site in Boudu Sports and has to take the boots away overnight before bringing them back next day which may not be so handy (Mrs LH decided not to bother and we'll try and find somewhere reliable back in London)
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@boulevardier, depends on the next 24 hours! some forecasts say rain some say snow but with rain up to 2000m today on a thin base its a bit marginal in some places BUT in others there are some good conditions on piste.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@boredsurfin, Thanks - much appreciated.
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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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Well, it rained overnight little change in Montalbert but looking at the webcams it fell as snow above 1900m
Ominous clouds and warm again this morning, rain/snow forecast for this afternoon and evening
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Thanks - bergfex is saying 38cm snow tomorrow but with a snow line of 2,500 m so presumably that means a lot of rain lower down. I think we will keep our fingers crossed and hope they're being pessimistic .....
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You know it makes sense.
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Had a successful full day on the snow today. It stayed dry all day thankfully. Much better than the rain yesterday. Although it feels like the freezing level is rising at the moment and rain and snow due all night and tomorrow. Its our last day tomorrow here in les coches. Even if its a complete wash out tomorrow we've had a brilliant 7 days
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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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Yes, Boarderfarce, today was quite excellent.
The weather was clement, stayed cold into the afternoon, higher pistes (above 2000m) were quite yummy, and no or minimal queues.
Runs down to Montalbert still passable. Champagny side getting brown patches but all easily avoidable. Run down from Roche de Mio to tunnel was lovely. As were runs down from Arpette.
All in all a good day. Perfect first day for our new guest.
Tomorrow likely to be up a lift, down a run, an into a restaurant for the rest of the day.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Lots of precipitation due today, fingers crossed it comes down as snow not rain! Fingers crossed the snow line is lower than they are forecasting.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Handy Turnip, unfortunatley your wishes have not been granted ("Oh yes they have!" "Oh no they haven't!).
Gloomy dull and soggy. Rain been falling steadily since before dawn. Snow level certainly above 1800m.
Most impressed with the few people i see going up the lift. We're all still in pyjamas and dressing gowns.
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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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@Jonpim, Its a put another log on the fire day - all day. Have checked the Webcams I cant see any snow - RdM is covered in Cloud. Becoin 2345m is raining ... I see France Meteo has issued a flood warning for Savoie and has next snowfall 30th and 31st with a 30% probability.
+7c at 2000m on Christmas Day, I guess we will be sunbathing on the balcony down here at 1400m
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It was extremely wet out this morning. A lot of rain, wet snow on the ground. Roche de Mio supposedly had 20 cm new but very heavy snow and no visibility. A couple Col de Forcle breakdowns to get everyone to sit on wet Blanchets chairs. The precipitation changed during the morning, sometimes heavier, here and there when the wind took up, it wasn't a nice encounter with the face. The second part of the morning was a little bit better out but if you were out before, you were wet already. This morning's ski clothes are drying/dripping in the bathroom right now. Al-ways very grateful to be out in the mountains though !
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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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Managed two runs today whilst the kids were at lessons. Very heavy rain. Snow extremely wet and sticky. Had to walk the last bit of the run back to the chalet as there is no snow.
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| Jonpim wrote: |
Most impressed with the few people i see going up the lift. We're all still in pyjamas and dressing gowns. |
We were 3 of them! We only get 15 days a year in the mountains so unless there isn't a lift running (and there is always a couple!) I like to get out.
I did want to fist pump those I saw today. To be honest if I could have stayed dry enough I would have stayed out but we called it after 3 hours.
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Rained again in the night, its looking more like April than December out there. Avalanche risk is 5/5 and lots of pistes now closed. Even for a Saturday its very quiet on the village pistes.
Apparently there was 25mm of rain at 2600m yesterday. But there is a possibility of snow on Boxing Day.
On a brighter note I have been up in our loft and got our heat distribution pump from the log burner working again - it stopped working 2 seasons ago. The rain gave me more time to look at the pump and finally in the very cramped corner of the loft where its fitted I found a panel on the pump box secured by 6 screws and behind that the control knob for the thermostat, a bit of a fiddle to get it moving but all now working again so now no need for the electric heaters in the bedrooms to be switched on - a little victory along the way.
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Super calm on the slopes, very soft conditions, we spent some time snowboarding on the upper Montchavin slopes, my partner then went to the meeting point to teach a snowboard lesson this afternoon and I took Blanchets and tipped over to the Champagny side. Pure enjoyment after yesterdays rain. Sun and a few clouds. Happy christmas eve tonight !
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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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Yes, an unexpectedly wonderful day.
After yesterday's daylong torrential rain I was expecting the worst.
Instead conditions were (are) on the whole quite pleasant.
Initial poor visibility with flat light changed completely when the sun came out at lunchtime.
Pistes largely fine until you get below 1900m and the pistes are without snow makers - Pierre Blanche had some tricky rather earthy sections until you got down to where the snow canons were working full blast last weekend.
But all of the central bowl above Plagne Centre and Bellecote were most enjoyable
Helped a lot by so few people about.
Ending with Vin Chaud, Pizza and Chips at Monica's: a really lovely day.
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Gorgeous day. GS training on the stade de Slalom de Belle Plagne this morning. I'm not super confortable on GS skis yet. It's a work in progress. ''Descente technique'' training with friends late this afternoon above Champagny. Grateful.
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FAQ
