 Poster: A snowHead
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@ snowisawesome, I would guess 60-70% on average, but should be a lot higher this year
@ underanewname, just noticed you hang out in champoluc, have been going there recently with a few lads, what an amazing resort, a real hidden gem
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Why higher this year? There was a huge dump in Nov last year but it all melted before Christmas! The same could easily happen this year. It was only about a week ago that temps were in the high teens in many places...
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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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| langball wrote: |
| @ underanewname, just noticed you hang out in champoluc, have been going there recently with a few lads, what an amazing resort, a real hidden gem |
Glad to hear this - I have recently signed up for a week there with ski2 with the family at Easter. We may also manage another 5 days there at New Year too 
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| Snowisawesome wrote: |
Hi,
I'm hoping to head down to PdS over Christmas but was wondering how much of the pistes can be expected to be open. I'm sorry if this sounds like another "what will the snow be like in 4 wks time" question - it isn't...hopefully.
I have heard that last year's Christmas was a particularly bad year. Is Christmas a time when piste closures are inevitable, or in the "average" season, can you expect to ski around a substantial bit - 80% or more ish? If someone could give me a figure of "abt % on average is open for Christmas week", that would be great! It's just after all these headlines of "snow drought", "lift closures", I can't really seem to find the norm expectations. Either way, it would still be a gamble - but better to know the odds first!
Thanks. |
I really don't see how this is an unreasonable question. There are statistics available, even if only in the memories of fellow snowheads and where there are statistics, there are odds. I can only base my experience on the last 4 seasons, in Chatel, but only 1 out of those 4 seasons, i.e. last season, there was reduced skiing available at Xmas. Even then the top half of Plaine Dranse was open. The other seasons were mixed, one very good, some average, but the three areas of Chatel, i.e. Super Chatel, Linga and Pre la Joux and the links to Avoriaz were mostly open. There may have been the odd black piste shut, but that happens all the time.
Your question was about an "average season". Each year Chatel schedules to open Pre la Joux for weekend skiing early in the season, last weekend of November/first weekend of December, then Linga a couple of weeks later and finally Super Chatel from the Saturday before Xmas. The November weekend opening is a bit speculative and is often postponed a week or two, in fact this year it's postponed by one week, but I'd say on average there's usually plenty to ski on by Xmas.
As for the rest of the PdS, Avoriaz is as snow-sure as Chatel. Torgon/La Chapelle has less snow-making. I don't know much about Morzine or Les Gets so will leave others to comment, but from Morzine, you can easily get to Avoriaz, though it might be crowded in bad year.
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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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@langball, Yes, my better half's father was born there. So the family have an apartment.
@Joy Zipper, you'll have a lovely time. The Ski2 crew make real efforts to provide a level of service rarely seen elsewhere these days unless you pay huge £££.
Snowisawesome, last year was unusually poor. As snoozeboy suggests, while Xmas week is by definition risky for snowcover, the resorts generally expect to open a fair but of stuff by then. Especially for on piste skiing where modern techniques mean (especially if it's cold enough to run the cannons) you don't need nearly so much natural snow to get things running.
But it's not predictable.
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| snoozeboy wrote: |
The November weekend opening is a bit speculative and is often postponed a week or two, in fact this year it's postponed by one week, but I'd say on average there's usually plenty to ski on by Xmas.
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Boo hiss! We're coming out this weekend to sort out a few bits and pieces and I was hoping for a couple of days sliding. Now will have to focus on clearing out the cave and eating too much cheese.
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| DJL wrote: |
Boo hiss! We're coming out this weekend to sort out a few bits and pieces and I was hoping for a couple of days sliding. Now will have to focus on clearing out the cave and eating too much cheese. |
Champery Tourism reporting that Crosets will be open, which surprised me, so a 20 minute drive.
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| DJL wrote: |
| snoozeboy wrote: |
The November weekend opening is a bit speculative and is often postponed a week or two, in fact this year it's postponed by one week, but I'd say on average there's usually plenty to ski on by Xmas.
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Boo hiss! We're coming out this weekend to sort out a few bits and pieces and I was hoping for a couple of days sliding. Now will have to focus on clearing out the cave and eating too much cheese. |
Could be perfect by the weekend, only takes one dump!
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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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Looks like snow tomorrow!
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@ dashed.....nov temperatures have been freakishly high, but right now it's baltic, I don't think it's been this cold in november for at least 3 seasons, it's forecast to turn a bit milder towards end of this week, so who knows, but am willing to bet several Guinness (anywhere in les gets on NYE) that this xmas is going to better than the last 2 (nice low threshold )
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I concur @langball,
Bloody freezing in Montriond- even in the sun!
Not as cold as it feels right now down at Lac Leman 'baltic' would be about right
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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 can bise off @BergenBergen, I was over when that happened in 2012- it was amazing. A coffee table book has been released (according to the SWISS inflight mag).
I normally sit outside on the boat. Not this time!!
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You know it makes sense.
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Nope, no Bise at the moment, not a puff of wind down by the lake. When the Bise comes to town there's no mistaking it, your trees will be horizontal.
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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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Nice to see on the webcam the swimming pond at Montriond frozen over and the lake starting to freeze over
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Poster: A snowHead
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Seems all the cams for morzine have frozen (unfortunately not literally), the only one I can see appears pretty grim, possibly rain. Maybe someone in the area can report if the predicted bit of snow dropped last night?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@duncansarmy, we are in Les Gets, our chalet is around 1200, and it has snowed overnight. The bathroom Velux is all white, the snowplough had been up our road a couple of times, it is a very white wintry scene outside.
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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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| Pamski wrote: |
| @duncansarmy, we are in Les Gets, our chalet is around 1200, and it has snowed overnight. The bathroom Velux is all white, the snowplough had been up our road a couple of times, it is a very white wintry scene outside. |
Ah that's a great start to my morning, thanks for the update Pam, let's hope it sticks around!
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About 15cm at village level in Les Gets and it's still snowing.
@Dashed, it didn't snow like this in November last year. There was a small dump and then the temps went straight back up. What we're getting at the moment should provide a decent base, especially as the snow cannons have been on since the weekend. There is a new reservoir where the chavannes blue and red meet and a of new looking cannons in the bowl.
Decision should be made today for opening this weekend.
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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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We got back from Taninges about half an hour ago and no sign of our tracks now in the snow on the drive.
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| duncansarmy wrote: |
| Seems all the cams for morzine have frozen (unfortunately not literally), the only one I can see appears pretty grim, possibly rain. Maybe someone in the area can report if the predicted bit of snow dropped last night? |
Yeah, how is Morzine looking?
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Snowing.
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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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| gordonrussell76 wrote: |
Last year its true was pretty bad, although when you say bad, avoriaz itself was about 70% skiable. You just could not link up into the other areas. It was not fun, but I skied and had fun.
However since 2009 that the first 'bad' christmas I have had. In previous years my only complaint has been too many people and lift queues that week.
Part of me is secretly hoping that no-one books because of last year, we have epic snow fall and i and a few other nutters will have the whole place to ourselves 
G |
Let's hope so!
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I hope not- too many friends trying to make a living from tourism here to wish anyone empty.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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My tongue was firmly in cheek.
Interestingly we are not out boxing day itself this year, so you can include me in that group as the week before we get there is not currently reserved on our flat yet. Hmm if it does not get reserved and its epic might fly out earlier
I hear you though, and I think the area needs an amazing winter this year, because last winter was a disappointment thanks to that first week.
G
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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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| Quote: |
last winter was a disappointment thanks to that first week
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How do you mean? The winter is longer than a week. I had some excellent powder skiing in the PDS in early Feb 
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You know it makes sense.
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Not snow wise but financially for a lot of operators @under a new name,
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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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Maybe, @Nadenoodlee, that's because there are too many operators? And are you referring to your neck of the woods or generally? I know that it did hit a couple of Cham hotels with "soft" cancellation policies hard as they went from 100% booked to ~40% in the middle of December.
I was fully expecting a rather shaky start bookings-wise this year but even though we still have one apartment available for both Xmas and NY week (NY a surprise) our bookings in general are significantly stronger than last year, especially in January.
I am not complaining.
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Poster: A snowHead
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We are not let for Christmas yet either, and I am secretly wishing that we would just say, no, no bookings available, and then we could leave everything how we like it, and arrive back on the 27th. But the income from a let would be helpful.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Mine is not let for Xmas either, almost every other week in the season has gone.
Normally Xmas is the first to go.
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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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If conditions come good (and it's far too early to say, obviously) I think a last minute rush of bookings is highly probable. If I were looking to ski this Christmas and didn't have my own place I wouldn't have booked yet. 
Our immediate neighbours at Bisanne 1500, a lovely family who have mortgaged themselves to the hilt to buy a piste-side restaurant and have been working flat out to improve it, had a shocking start to last season because our piste was closed until "snowmageddon". They will have everything crossed for a much better start to this coming season. And even after snowmageddon (sic) the piste wasn't great for a bit - that wasn't actually a big snowfall at all.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| pam w wrote: |
If conditions come good (and it's far too early to say, obviously) I think a last minute rush of bookings is highly probable. If I were looking to ski this Christmas and didn't have my own place I wouldn't have booked yet.
Our immediate neighbours at Bisanne 1500, a lovely family who have mortgaged themselves to the hilt to buy a piste-side restaurant and have been working flat out to improve it, had a shocking start to last season because our piste was closed until "snowmageddon". They will have everything crossed for a much better start to this coming season. And even after snowmageddon (sic) the piste wasn't great for a bit - that wasn't actually a big snowfall at all. |
Fair point, well i wish them and everyone else the best of luck. Nothing but vested interests here.
P.s. @Timc thanks for that, looks like it's still snowing, must have had quite a bit by now
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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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| Quote: |
Normally Xmas is the first to go.
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We find Xmas a bit tricky. No idea why. Typically EN half term, then NY, then anything else. We do even provide Xmas trees and have pix of them (or we used to have pix of them )
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We are not booked for Christmas week either. We are practically giving it away and we are still getting the response of last years bad start. Now we have a ton of snow outside our door (ski in / out) is definately on the cards now so I hope that will sell it!! Fingers crossed!
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| Libertine wrote: |
| We are not booked for Christmas week either. We are practically giving it away and we are still getting the response of last years bad start. Now we have a ton of snow outside our door (ski in / out) is definately on the cards now so I hope that will sell it!! Fingers crossed! |
Where abouts are you?
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We have had pretty last minute bookings for Christmas, with me agreeing to let it and price just before we left for the States for Christmas ourselves, and not being able to check the money was in the bank till we got there. That family came back a couple more times and I think there was another baby who they always referred to as the Les Gets baby.
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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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@duncansarmy, In Les Gets, just by the Mont Chery telecabin on the Chamois piste and a minute from the center of town so a spot on location. I am confident we'll book it - fingers crossed!!
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| Libertine wrote: |
| @duncansarmy, In Les Gets, just by the Mont Chery telecabin on the Chamois piste and a minute from the center of town so a spot on location. I am confident we'll book it - fingers crossed!! |
I hope so. Good to know too for next year should we return.
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