Poster: A snowHead
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@honky2, I live in Andorra and I skied today. It was ok. It started to get slushy today all over the area which it hasn’t done much so far this week. There’s a bit of snow forecast tonight/tomorrow up higher with rain possibly in the valley. The snow is very welcome! There should be some snow during next week at some point too. I think you’ll be ok.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 15-02-24 21:59; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@hammerite thanks v much!
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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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Currently snowing across the Pyrenees.
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Well the season continues to hold on to life by its fingertips. It snowed 10-15cm a week ago, then warmed up and melted, then last Friday another 10-15cm of wet snow fell, but by this afternoon the temps were approaching double figures and it had pretty much all melted!
I drove up to Baqueira on Friday and arrived in Vielha (low in the valley) in moderate rain. Saturday morning dawned foggy but by 9.30 the sun was out for a bluebird powder day. That sounds lovely but with the coverage so poor the off-piste was a major gamble, I bagged a few nice lines but I was with the family so could only play on the sides of the pistes. Also the powder was very heavy so not the best. But one can’t complain too much about fresh tracks.
By Saturday afternoon things had warmed up and freezing level was above the top of the resort, and stayed there overnight. So Sunday was a couple of hours of reasonable piste conditions in the morning then corn-moguls everywhere by midday.
More warm temps this week will melt a lot more snow, but then a proper cold snap and decent dump is forecast for the end of the week.
However I shall not be partaking as I’ll be on a plane to Colorado (sorrynotsorry!)
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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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Looks from the webcams that La Molina has gotten its first actual snow of the season (might have got a cm or two previously).
Its been busy nonetheless whenever I look at it!
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Hopefully good things in store for much of the Pyrenees over next while!
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@8611, that’s interesting, my colleague lives on the other side of the valley to La Molina. He said this morning that it looked like rain had washed it out - pistes that were white the day before we’re white. Meanwhile only a few km away he had to clear a foot of snow off his car before coming to work.
Here in Andorra we had a few cm which made everything white. It’s been snowing on and off all day. Nothing has stuck where I live but it’s looking promising higher up.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Sun 25-02-24 19:58; edited 1 time in total
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No that could be right, I was going on the highest webcams showing the mountain (finally) going white, but the resort level cameras show it a bit more diluted so probably a mixture of snow and rain
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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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Bergfex forecasting 70cm of snow this week ? Surely wrong but I’ll take it !
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8611 wrote: |
Looks from the webcams that La Molina has gotten its first actual snow of the season (might have got a cm or two previously).
Its been busy nonetheless whenever I look at it! |
Just back from Half Term week there!
Snow Thursday night made a huge difference to the resort as a whole as by Wednesday it was pretty grim!
I have been skiing over 40 years and I have never seen a resort that bad for snow (maybe I got lucky)
I hope for their sakes the 'snowmageddon' forecast materialises!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I think its been like that for most of the last three years. I was there two years ago and it was streaks of white through brown mountains, then last year I watched the webcams most of the season and it thankfully snowed a day or two before I arrived to give it a sense of Winter.
Still enjoyed both trips, was good for my kids to learn in. Presume that's the appeal, people want a cheap place close to a city to learn to ski.
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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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Completely agree. Ski School was excellent and some of our beginners were on the (only open) Black Run by the end of the week!
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Any planks on the ground in Baqueira this week? Snowfall and forecast look pretty non-trivial indeed. Very snowy an colder than the Alps.
Could be a great March there.
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You know it makes sense.
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From the forecasts I am see, 52cms by tomorrow night. How much that is true we will see
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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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It has snowed a fair bit above 1800m in Baqueira since Friday. Catalonian weather service indicates tomorrow could be very snowy. Looking forward to next week out there.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Well got the phone call this morning to start work tomorrow over here in the west end of the Pyrenees ! So we must be expecting a fair bit to arrive! About time. Although I have had to search through boxes for all my stuff and take off the storage wax on the fat skis. Will update with conditions tomorrow from Artouste.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Theobane, it’s been a pretty snowy evening in the places that matter. Possibly about 10cm in Soldeu judging by the snow on cars driving past. That’s a reasonable start to the 50-ish cm forecast.
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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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hammerite wrote: |
@Theobane, it’s been a pretty snowy evening in the places that matter. Possibly about 10cm in Soldeu judging by the snow on cars driving past. That’s a reasonable start to the 50-ish cm forecast. |
looking at the models and forecast, the heavy snow will hit tomorrow night I think. Either way, looks like there will be a good lot of snow.
Weather temp wise for the next two weeks seem to be mild or cold, not sure how long that will last though.
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Webcams looking very wintry this morning across Baqueira.
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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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Andorra here, dumped all night. About time
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Good to see the area looking white again.
Been a bad season.
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Whitegold wrote: |
Good to see the area looking white again.
Been a bad season. |
It has. I blame Greta!
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If it's still decent 14th march i may book a LMF!
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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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Quick question, which is the biggest of the andorra resorts as considering a last minute visit?
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nickH wrote: |
Quick question, which is the biggest of the andorra resorts as considering a last minute visit? |
I'm guessing Pas de la casa. The terrain is great however the town is a ghastly concrete monstrosity.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Great thanks @Mrmeaner, not too fussed about the ambience if the skiing is good
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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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@nickH, Don't overlook that a large proportion of holidaymakers there are under 30 and on the lash.
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@nickH, Pas is linked to Soldeu and El Tarter, the areas called Grand Valera, El Tarter the quietest and Soldeu more lively, I’ve stayed in both, but I would avoid Pas, far too many reports of dodging vomit each morning on the way to the lifts.
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You know it makes sense.
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@nickH, as Geoff says, the Grandvalira is all linked. Decent sized area of just over 200km although only around 120km has been open all season. With the current snow hopefully a bit more will open up.
Pal Arinsal is around 60km with La Massana or Arinsal the main places to stay.
The best skiing is at Arcalis though. It’s a small area of about 30km but with the best freeride in Andorra.
Personally, if I was visiting and wanted good skiing over anything else, I’d stay in Encamp. The Funicamp up to the ski area puts you right in the middle of Grandvalira making it easy to get to Pas or Soldeu/El Tarter. It isn’t possible to ski down from the Funicamp. Then you can drive easily enough to Arcalis (about 30 mins from Encamp) and to Pal to access Pal Arinsal.
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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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Btw the snow isn’t coming down, it’s horizontal coming past my apartment and isn’t settling at all. I’m too low for skiing here anyway.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Soldeu is the best place to be situated if you want a few decent amenities and close to gondola.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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hammerite wrote: |
Btw the snow isn’t coming down, it’s horizontal coming past my apartment and isn’t settling at all. I’m too low for skiing here anyway. |
Looking at Vallnord from Sunday 03 March for a week.
Worth it please?
Been before, loved it.
Would like to return with powder.
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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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Thanks everyone for the advice, crap architecture i can live with, vomit perhaps not!! Will look into your suggested alternatives.
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@nickH, where I suggested, Encamp, is a normal person’s town (not flash and not massively touristy - I really like it!) with a few hotels and a ski lift. It gives easiest access to all three ski areas. La Massana is another one that’s similar. It links to Pal Arinsal but it’s drivable to Encamp in 10 mins and Arcalis in 20-ish. If you prefer somewhere touristy and with bars go to Soldeu.
@Mike Pow, Yes definitely. 100% of Pal Arinsal will be open from the weekend (100% of Arcalis and roughly 85-90% of Grandvalira). Pal is looking great (will ski there tomorrow), Arinsal looks much better than it was but a bit wind blown at the top (100+kph winds last night). The bonus now, we have a very good base with about 30cm of fresh forecast to fall Saturday into Sunday. If you come, make sure you make the effort to get to Arcalis.
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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 could stay in la Vella , then the whole of Andorra is your oyster, quick bus to encamp, bit longer bus to arinsal/pal bit longer bus to arcalis and all the delights of the capitol of an evening, I think this is my next trip to Andorra, ( substitute drive for bus if you've got a car , on that subject anyone hired car from Barcelona, how to get over the taking to another country), I'm only a visitor so mr hammerite is certainly more informed than me,
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Massana seems to be coming up quite a lot on the late offers. It looks to be at the fringe of the ski area, any thoughts on this please?
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@nickH, Yes it is on the fringe. You don’t have direct access to skiing. You have to get a lift up from La Massana to the ski area (like you do in Encamp). The only villages that give direct access to skiing in Andorra are Soldeu, El Tarter, Pas and Arinsal (Arinsal has one piste down which is very rarely open and often covered in stones!).
The ski area La Massana links to (Pal Arinsal) is small at about 60km of pistes and a small amount of off piste. In comparison. Grandvalira will have 180km open by the weekend.
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@Gitty, I’ve hired a car from BCN to Andorra. Some companies don’t allow it, some charge a premium to cross the border, others it’s included. You just have to do your research. Just one thing, parking is mostly expensive and free parking isn’t common especially in ALV. If you come at height of the season, parking can be tricky too.
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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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Thanks for the replies
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Great, thanks @hammerite,
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