 Poster: A snowHead
|
@shep, 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
@shep, roflmao 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| under a new name wrote: |
| @zzz, grrrr. I spent my day warching some poor old chap have his liver taken to bits. It wasn't pretty. |
With some Fava beans and a nice Chianti?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@shep, I am reminded of when you stopped the bus at Bar Nash to let your brother Jack off on quiz night.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
We arrived about 18.30 after a very smooth drive down. Can't comment on the pistes as I haven't been up the hill yet but there is plenty of snow in the village though it looks a bit wet and heavy.
Since the snow started at about 19.00 it has put about 6cm of very light snow on top of my car in an hour.
Looking good for the coming week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Drove round from St Gervais to Chatel this afternoon on mostly clear roads below 800m. Snowing pretty hard out there now and cold. Looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Drove round from St Gervais to Chatel this afternoon on mostly clear roads below 800m. Snowing pretty hard out there now and cold. Looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Snow in Chatel - epic yesterday. 2 foot deep under the Cornebois, off piste under Rochassons also great.
Though am heading up to St Jean today, as it does not get tracked out so quickly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
The Avoriaz webcam looks fantastic this morning.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Left Avoriaz this morning to glorious sun and tons of snow 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Quite a day today. Started with warm sunshine, quiet pistes and 50cm of fresh snow. First day on my wide skis and it made a difference in the deep stuff. Started from Barbossine then across to Chalet Neuf, a few runs in Morgins then back to Super Chatel. No queues anywhere. The run down to the Onnaz drag from Morclan was great fun off to the left of the piste. Then over to La Chapelle via Torgon where we found the only queue of the day in the restaurant for lunch. By now it had clouded in and was snowing intermittently.
Still fresh tracks in a few places in the afternoon and headed back over to Petit Chatel around 16.30. Legs a bit tired.
Looks set to stay cold for a bit and there is snow plastered everywhere right down to the valley floor so conditions should be good at least for this week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A couple of avalanches set off today- please be super careful out there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Wow, the avalanche was on the red 'Le Lievre' down the right hand side of Mont Chery. 100m long by 30 wide. Luckily this is a very quiet area, but I did that run 10-15 times last week during mid term with my 10yr old son, as he loves the jump park at the top. Scary reminder of the dangers out there. Chamossiere and Ranfoilly were closed on and off this weekend as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
It was off-piste above the lower part of Lievre skiers left. Has the look of being self-triggered as it went from an inaccessible part of the cliffs. The debris reached the side of the piste (which is why the piste stops where it does). Because it ended close to the piste it triggered a precautionary search, which was negative for victims. The calls to emergency services led to responsible reporting in the Dauphine, which led to hysterical reaction elsewhere. Move along, nothing to see here.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Sun 6-03-16 21:57; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
@shep, while it may have stopped at the edge of the piste, that's a little close for comfort. Have skied this run many times and am due to again next week.
Would be interested to read any advice on how to take precautions while skiing on-piste when the avi risk is 4/5.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
How far from the reach of avalanche debris would you have them place the pistes? There would be precious room for any pistes anywhere, where there's enough gradient to actually move on skis! The advice is that there are no worthwhile precautions to take against avalanche danger on-piste. The risk is vanishingly small; certainly far less risky than driving a car, climbing a ladder, slipping in the bath etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
@shep, I was asking for some logical precautions one could take E.g. Stay away from pistes underneath overhanging cornices etc. I find your claim that there are no precautions one can take to be dubious.
Anyone else with any (informed) opinions?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
They don't tend to design pistes in the path of known Avalanche chutes @5RED, other than not skiing there is, as @shep, said, chuff all you can do. I'm not a veteran of the area but I don't think that particular area has slid off in recent memory.
Think there was one onto the piste in Chatel side last year and we had one in Avoriaz earlier this season. It's not the thundering avalanches you see on terrifying off-piste videos.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
@shep, thanks for the link which mentions plenty of on-piste avalanches. I certainly will make my own mind up and ski as safely as possible. @Nadenoodlee, nah, don't buy it, if you want to be extra careful (for example skiing with children) must be something you can do in terms of types of pistes to avoid, strategies to employ and so on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 5RED wrote: |
| @shep, thanks for the link which mentions plenty of on-piste avalanches. I certainly will make my own mind up and ski as safely as possible. @Nadenoodlee, nah, don't buy it, if you want to be extra careful (for example skiing with children) must be something you can do in terms of types of pistes to avoid, strategies to employ and so on. |
If you want to be extra careful wrap the children up in cotton wool and don't leave the house.
You're skiing in a mountain environment, it's a cliche but the risks are always going to be there to a certain extent. The pisteurs have collectively hundreds of years of experience in their respective resorts - skiing on pistes they have opened is about as safe as you can be in that environment.
Now, stop making silly comments and go enjoy the snow 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@timlongs If you consider my genuine question to be a "silly comment" I can only hope you aren't representative of all Snowheads. Just looking for information here and don't quite understand the aggressive response.
Oh, and you may trust the pisteurs. I'd rather trust myself and my informed judgement. Will go and look elsewhere for said information however.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
@5RED, Your question was a bizarre one.
'Would be interested to read any advice on how to take precautions while skiing on-piste when the avi risk is 4/5.'
If the avi risk is 4/5 the pisteurs will only open safe slopes, usually after some avalanche control (see vid below). Of course, nothing is 100% certain, but I don't really understand how you can minimise the risk even more?
Also, I'd definitely trust a pisteurs judgement - those guys have years of experience and work daily in their respective resort. And work damn hard to keep us safe.
But for a more helpful response:
If the weather is bad on said 4/5 day - stick to slopes well within your ability and don't get lost! If the vis is really bad, follow the markers down - all piste markers on the RH side of a piste have reflective tape on the top, the markers that mark the LH side of a piste do not - use that to orientate yourself.
If the weather is good, don't be tempted to ski closed slopes/follow others tracks/ski off piste without a guide and the correct gear.
Here is an example of the sort of stuff pisteurs do to keep pistes safe: https://www.facebook.com/323138794380118/videos/vb.323138794380118/1041268489233808/?type=3&theater
That is from Les Arcs last winter.
Don't mean to offend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@timlongs, more helpful, thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
The point is you rely on the pisteurs to assess the risk for you. They are experts and will not open a piste if there is any danger.
It is far far far more dangerous driving to a ski resort than skiing an open piste in a responsibly run european ski resort.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@BobinCH, ha I was over in your neck of the woods the previous weekend....did Bruson for the first time as it was cloudy in Verbier, some nice tree runs. I would have posted some pictures but I spent more time in Farinet than on the slopes.
I do have one pic from LG to share, on the subject of sliding snow slabs, can be dangerous walking along the roads too:
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Can't help with a PDS snow report as we went to Thollon. Lovely spot only 45 mins from Chatel. More here: http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=2864948#2864948
As we headed home via a beer at the Fer Rouge the snow started but has since stopped though it has really clouded in. Might be a bit more overnight.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Snow overnight and pretty cold so snow removal and ice scraping from the car early on.
Day spent over on the Swiss side via Lindarets. Lindarets runs mobbed with plenty of out of control or just on the edge skiers, Swiss side virtually deserted with plenty of fresh tracks. Visibility not great at times.
Around 20-25cm of fresh snow at the top. Really very nice conditions especially the bits off the side of the upper part of Grand Paradis.
Shaping up to be a classic week if not exactly the usual March picnic weather.
Skis in for an edge and wax - hope I'll then be able to keep up on piste.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
@DJL, sounds good! I'm back demain
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@sarah, skiing demain or settling back in? Let us know if you are up for a ski.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
@DJL, arriving tomorrow afternoon so around Thursday Friday Saturday potentially for skiing and or beers. Let me know your plans!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Just back from a long weekend in Champoussin. Four very snowy days, I can remember the snow being this good, but I don't remember it ever being better.
Visibility not always brilliant, especially on Sunday, but lots of snow and still very cold. Swiss side very quiet mostly, to the point where we didn't bother venturing over to Avoriaz at all; we tried to make Chatel on Monday, but it was so sunny we kept ourselves occupied in Morgins. Here's hoping it stays til Easter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
@sanman, missed you again!
We spent the day both sides of La Chapelle. Cret Beni first in sunshine, blue skies, perfectly groomed pistes and still a few fresh tracks to be had. Run back to the bottom was firm first thing which was a shock to the system after three days of soft everything.
Lunch at the restaurant below Braitaz gondola top station (very good burger) and then afternoon over Braitaz, Torgon, Barbossine side. More of the same though it was starting to get a bit crusty in the odd spot and the pistes firmer and in places scraped. Might go back to the other skis tomorrow with a better chance of my poor technique getting a carve. A bit of high cloud later on and now looking distinctly grey off the balcony.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RIP. Corniche collapse not avalanche. Sounds like they got too close to the edge on the traverse into the second bowl of the Col du Fornet/Valee de La Manche. The notch where you can see down to Grande Paradis often has ski tracks where people have stopped for the view. There ain't no mountain under the snow there, it's a big overhanging corniche. The Col du Fornet off-piste is not as benign as lots of people think.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
ESF Morzine according to the Dauphine. 2150m was the altitude. I think Morznet need some french lessons!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Can a cornice be 2150m long @shep,? Sorry for stupid question but that seems bloody big
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
