 Poster: A snowHead
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@Jonpim, Was it just showing an old image instead of a "live" one? Maybe that explains why when I clicked it a few days ago there was snow everywhere but the glacier.
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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, 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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boredsurfin, brilliant! I loved the bit where the crane had to help the back of the big lorry round the steep corner.
And time? Well, according to the time on the video, about 5 minutes to get up! Who would have thought it . . . 
Ruswit, yes, that camera feed has been showing the same picture for months.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Temperatures below zero. Clear sunny day.
Snow canons running everywhere - even down in Montalbert 
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@Jonpim, Well spotted for the new webcam at the glacier, some great views from up there.
We're out here doing a few jobs on the studio and it is very wintry. It has been lightly snowing all day and is around freezing.
Forecast for the next week also looks good with about 60cm forecast.
May nip across to Val Thorens later on in the week if conditions are good.
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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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Started snowing lightly around 3pm today in Champagny village, looking nice and white with plenty more due to arrive this week.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Would love to know what the top of glacier's Combe run is like with the new lift. I remember it being a pretty dodgy start to a relatively easy piste once you made it past the start.
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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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@Ruswit, Never been brave enough to try it - in what way was it dodgy? Have watched videos and looks like a narrow track to start?
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I arrived on saturday 25.11 around 3.30 pm in Bellecôte, with some snow on the road from 1800 onwards. I got installed. We are in the same apartment as last year, so ground floor in Bellecôte which is easy for moving purposes. I appreciated this a lot after a 10 hour cross alpine drive with an overnight stop.
Initially I had planned to go out to training in Tignes on all decent weather days, but sunday turned up a bit too soon with everything that still had to be arranged. Wonderful weather though, very sunny and while not a lot of snow everything looked wintery already. I hiked the Dou du Praz over lunch time and planned out all the remaining things to do before the winter season.
On Monday I got up to Tignes for GS training, day #1 training in France of this season. I have skied a bit the past weeks in Austria but unfortunately that was not with my usual coaches so it remains very much a beginning of the season.
It was sunny yesterday morning on the glacier in Tignes untill 10.30am, cloudy untill 1pm, snowing from that point on. I didnt have any issues getting back to Bellecôte for 5.30 pm while it was snowing lightly. The bulk of the snow came later in the evening and through the night. A decent amount, at least 20-30 cm, fell in Bellecote. I had a big job snow clearing the car this morning. Unfortunately the covered car parks in Bellecôte and Plagne Centre aren't accessible at the moment and only open the week before lifts open. The carpark in Belle Plagne should be accessible (90% certainty according to the office de tourisme by phone) but as the road is white at the moment and I have a decent vehicle but not something resembling a jeep, for the moment I havent moved the car to Belle Plagne.
Lots of snow this week. There are a lot more people about than I would have thought, but then they might think the same of me 
Tomorrow I am going out to GS training in Tignes again with a friend from Bellecôte who will be driving.
Winter is here !
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You know it makes sense.
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| chopkins13 wrote: |
| @Ruswit, Never been brave enough to try it - in what way was it dodgy? Have watched videos and looks like a narrow track to start? |
I think it is conditions dependant. Last time I did it was half term 2023, which was notoriously a bad season for snow. The narrow track was almost divided into 2 levels which severely reduced your space to turn and due to it being half term it was busy. There was also a decent amount of rocks about.
Essentially there was a queue of people stuck on the track which was probably the main hazard, including a lot of kids, the path was also pretty bumpy.
If it was less busy I am sure it would've been fine - the videos I have found on YouTube make it look a piece of cake but they all have a clear open track.
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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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@Ruswit, I think a lot of the videos I’ve seen are from when it used to be a pisted track - think it’s now left ‘natur’ and so probably more of a challenge. I’m due out for New Years week so will give it an eyeball from the new glacier gondola.
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Poster: A snowHead
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This seasons piste map
https://www.perso-laplagne.fr/Plan2023-2024.pdf
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| The novelty is obviously the reconfiguration of the Glacier sector, with the disappearance of the tracks and the climbs of the Chiaupe glacier. Another important novelty: the Cornegidouille track is renamed Edmond Blanchoz: the former CEO of SAP who greatly contributed to the development of the station so joins Emile Allais and André Martzolf. Finally, more anecdotic, the Pollux track known as Puy du Fou (partnership). |
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Perhaps a dumb question, but what are the chances of lifts running, lift passes being sold etc a week earlier if the conditions remain this snowy?
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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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Probably minimal, as unlikely to be staff in place to run lifts, patrol pistes, open restaurants, etc
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I would say zero. In my experience the piste prep in la plagne is some of the worst to be found. Although we head out on the 16th for opening week
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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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Also, Ruswit, the cover is not really that good just now: see Begerie Webcam.
More snow is forecast, but we all know how fickle the Snow Gods can be: could be huge, could be just sprinkle.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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With all this fresh snow, we can’t possibly wait until 16 December! Get your skis ready to make your first tracks on 9 & 10 December.
We will be opening:
Bécoin and La Lovatière chairlifts out of Plagne Centre
Verdons, Marie-Chantal, Puy du Fou, Banzaï, Carina (lower section), Mont-Saint-Sauveur and Pavane runs, as well as Samba and the lower part of the Jean-Luc Crétier slalom field, according to snow conditions.
La Plagne passes will be sold for these dates at the single rate of 15 €/day. On sale in Plagne Centre, on the website skipass-laplagne.com and on the Paradiski Yuge app.
Season passes will be valid from 9/12 and can be ordered or recharged online.
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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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That's really good news!
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boredsurfin, well done for finding this!
But, do I understand correctly: they plan to open some lifts on the Saturday and Sunday only?
The lifts will then not run during the week up to the original opening date of Dec 16th?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Jonpim, Yes the way I read it is just the weekend.
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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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@boredsurfin, Well I'll be damned, my question wasn't as stupid as I thought!
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You know it makes sense.
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@boredsurfin, I can’t recall ever seeing early opening anywhere in Paradiski before the advertised start of the season. Is that something you’ve seen before?
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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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@rob@rar, Nope, Ive never seen it before ... But in previous years the 'Altitude' resorts opened a week before the lower resorts (and VE) this year all the resorts open at once. ie The altitude resorts were a week later than usual.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| boredsurfin wrote: |
| @rob@rar, Nope, Ive never seen it before ... But in previous years the 'Altitude' resorts opened a week before the lower resorts (and VE) this year all the resorts open at once. ie The altitude resorts were a week later than usual. |
It is frustrating that it’s the 3rd Saturday of December this year, normally it’s the 2nd Saturday at least for the higher resorts, as you say. Definitely feels too late for those of us who like the relatively empty slopes of the opening week. Wonder if Les Arcs will do the same and run a few lifts the previous weekend. No sign on their website of an early opening, so far…
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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@rar, I read somewhere, possibly on Perso Plagne that the number of operational days and lift opening hours is reducing every season, there was reference to lift maps from 30 years ago with the lift opening times during the season and indeed there is a big difference. However, I seem to recall lifts being closed for a 2 hour lunch break in the 'old 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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Yes, we thought the "altitude" resorts always opened a week earlier - they had done so for as long as we can remember, so was quite a surprise to see a different timetable this year.
Well, it seems they (SAP?) picked the wrong year to go for a change.
My earlier comment of poor snow cover at Bergerie level now completely rubbished.
From the webcams it seems the afternoon melt at Montalbert has been repaired, and now temperatures are forecast to plummet tonight to levels threatening for brass monkeys.
Wonderfully amazing weather
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Jonpim, Good to hear your glass has gone from half empty to nearly full.
Looking at the webcam the new gondola at 3000m is nearly completely buried, not sure how deep the snow is up there but 1.63m at 2000 metres is pretty good for this time of year. It's also been dumping it down today so could be up to 2 metres at 2000m by next weekend.
We were told by the owners of the hotel near us that the low altitude resorts opened the same time as the high altitude resorts every 4 years, no idea why though.
We will make our way round for next weekend then move onto Tignes for a few days before coming back for the official opening day.
When are you due out?
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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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| skichampcouk wrote: |
| We were told by the owners of the hotel near us that the low altitude resorts opened the same time as the high altitude resorts every 4 years, no idea why though. |
I wonder if that is related to the way the Saturdays fall in December? If they had opened on the 2nd Saturday this month the opening date would have been the 9th, which would have felt early compared to the last few years. So they delay the opening to the 3rd Saturday, the 16th, which feels quite late but everything opens on the same day rather than a staggered opening with low villages and the Vanoise Express being one week after the higher villages.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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rob@rar, your explanation seems quite plausible. Just a pity the Weather God's didn't forewarn of their plans and suggested the 9th not such bad idea after all.
skichampcouk, we intend to arrive Tuesday 12th. Enjoy your Tarrentaise tour
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Everything looking wonderful on webcams this morning. Snow down to the valley floor and Champagny. Snow cannons running everywhere. Great start to the season.
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Yes, chopkins13, it is indeed a great start to the season.
If it wasn't for a week chocka with engagements we would be driving out now.
But I've been thinking about the News Flash that boredsurfin discovered and then referred to on Friday by skichampcouk: 1.63m at 2000 metres?? I don't think so.
It is certainly not that high at the Bergerie lift. And the Weather Page states 167m at 3000m.
A little slip of the pen methinks.
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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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FAQ
Snow makers all blasting away at the mo.
️ and almost -18° tonight. 
