Yesterday I managed to get up on the Tignes Glacier. Very quiet except for racers and a few locals looking for the fresh powder after two days of snow.
Thanks to the racers concentrating on their piste skills I was not disappointed.
Although the pistes quickly became hard packed, with some areas closed for racing. Off to the sides as long as you were careful about where you went (do not want to fall down a crevasse) there was plenty of untracked powder to be found. Only about 15cm at the deepest in places, but real powder.
Even at 3pm as the lifts were closing it was still possible to put fresh tracks down higher up on the Grand Motte amongst the crevasses. Scarry at times, but well worth the effort.
Despite being told by the lift office in the morning that you might have to walk a little to get back down to Val Claret. Managed to ski the whole way from the bottom of the glacier through the off piste area and onto the M piste and down.
The hardest skiing of the whole day was the middle icy section on the piste going down into Val Claret. My old skis do not have much of an edge these days.
For anyone thinking of going up to Tignes. Almost all the lifts on the glacier were running and if you choose a sunny day the views are great. Winter has arrived up there at least. I hope to get out in Les Arcs area soon for a bit of skinning.
I tried three times to make this picture appear. Anyone know how to do it using a facebook pic.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 13-11-12 18:02; edited 4 times in total
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Scarver, I'm out there on the 2nd Dec
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?
kitenski wrote:
Scarver, I'm out there on the 2nd Dec
You're an early adopter - should be fine if it keeps like the views in the webcam though. I still need to sort my work situation out and rally my ski buddies, fingers crossed.
as the lifts were closing it was still possible to put fresh tracks down higher up on the Grand Motte amongst the crevasses. Scarey at times
Quote:
(The powder was) only about 15cm at the deepest in places
Just a good job that you didn't find out that the crevasses were probably a little deeper....
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
snowcrazy, How does one know where the crevasses are?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Where's that picture of Rob's from the summer, with a ski going down a crevasse on the Tignes glacier? And (just) on the piste as well, if I remember correct.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
maybe I'm being a bit slow, but I cannot see from the official Tignes website what runs/lifts are open?? Is there such a summary? The 'interactive' lift/piste map appears to just show everything!!
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.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
cathy wrote:
Where's that picture of Rob's from the summer, with a ski going down a crevasse on the Tignes glacier? And (just) on the piste as well, if I remember correct.
This one, taken just after Marcus was helped by two pisteurs. The crevasse was narrow and on the piste, and bad luck meant that Marcus' ski lined up perfectly so the thing swallowed his leg up to about knee high I believe.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Ow, that could have been a bit of a leg-snapper if things had gone differently. Lucky lad by the sound of it.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
under a new name wrote:
snowcrazy, How does one know where the crevasses are?
I'd like to know that as well.
I remember skiing on the Grande Motte a few times and seeing the usual signs at the edge of the piste warning about crevasses, but couldn't see any sign of them - not off the right hand side of the piste anyway. Presumably they were covered by snow, but there must be some telltale signs?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
^ my widget isn't working. Very annoying!
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?
I remember skiing on the Grande Motte a few times and seeing the usual signs at the edge of the piste warning about crevasses, but couldn't see any sign of them - not off the right hand side of the piste anyway. Presumably they were covered by snow, but there must be some telltale signs?
It's all about the snow cover - in good cover they are filled in and can be completely safe to ski over.
First you see them:
.....and then you don't:
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Not having much luck viewing the Tignes webcams at the moment. Just checked the "Valdinet" cams and noticed quite a lot of snow cannons running....must have cooled down a bit .
After all it is free
After all it is free
Yes, it looks like they're preparing a base for Face and they've had the cannons going around the nursery slopes.
The lake's freezing over nicely too, bring on the snow!
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.
Piccadilly, Your link works fine for me. I've been looking at the tignes.net page. Things are looking pretty good.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Quote:
It looks like they're preparing a base for Face and they've had the cannons going around the nursery slopes.
Quote:
The lake's freezing over nicely too
But I thought the freezing level had been at 2500m+ for about a week or so? The south facing stuff (eg Palafour area) on the Tignes cams all looks rather brown and snowless.....
10 days and counting - let's have some fresh snow please .
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
mountainaddict wrote:
Quote:
It looks like they're preparing a base for Face and they've had the cannons going around the nursery slopes.
Quote:
The lake's freezing over nicely too
But I thought the freezing level had been at 2500m+ for about a week or so? The south facing stuff (eg Palafour area) on the Tignes cams all looks rather brown and snowless.....
10 days and counting - let's have some fresh snow please .
I'd guess it's been very cold at night with clear skies.....
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.
nice
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
mountainaddict, love the before/after shots!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
mountainaddict wrote:
Quote:
It looks like they're preparing a base for Face and they've had the cannons going around the nursery slopes.
Quote:
The lake's freezing over nicely too
But I thought the freezing level had been at 2500m+ for about a week or so? The south facing stuff (eg Palafour area) on the Tignes cams all looks rather brown and snowless.....
10 days and counting - let's have some fresh snow please .
Mmm, the areas which catch the sun are very green!
As kitenski says, I expect it's getting very cold at night..
Can't wait for some proper snowfall. Less than four weeks to go!!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Tignes people- is Double M open? We arrive Sat. Thanks?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
lynnecha, Yes.....see the reference to it in the Val d'Isere thread. Steve Angus mentions skiing down to Val Claret on a mix of natural and man-made snow.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
lynnecha wrote:
Tignes people- is Double M open? We arrive Sat. Thanks?
It's been open for 2 weeks now. The Vanoise chair lift is also open to increase the uplift capacity.
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?
stewart woodward(or any other locals): Any sign of any new snow on the horizon - or falling freezing levels for snow making lower down
mountainaddict, give it a week or so, something is brewing, but too far out to be sure IMHO
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Its that old chestnut "expecting snow at the end of the week" - which more often than not turns out to be something or nothing. Seems it will be colder. There is plenty of time for me - 3 weeks and 4 days before arrival - if I am being selfish. Hope it comes earlier for you early birds.
Forecasts I've seen are showing snow from the 26th onwards
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
mountainaddict wrote:
Quote:
I remember skiing on the Grande Motte a few times and seeing the usual signs at the edge of the piste warning about crevasses, but couldn't see any sign of them - not off the right hand side of the piste anyway. Presumably they were covered by snow, but there must be some telltale signs?
It's all about the snow cover - in good cover they are filled in and can be completely safe to ski over.
First you see them:
.....and then you don't:
I'll preface this by saying that I'm no expert but I am a fairly experienced ski mountaineer at this stage (~50 trips) and more importantly I have skied with some very expert and experienced guides, etc e.g. Roland Steiger & Jim Kerr in Chamonix, etc, in heavily crevassed territory and tried to learn as much as I can from them when doing so.
Basically if you have skied on a glacier in all probability you have skied over crevasses. So you might ask whats the big deal then. This issue is how strong the snow bridges are that have formed over these crevasses. Typically crevasses fill with snow and are covered over by snow through successive snow dumps. Snow bridges form over crevasses through these falls and are hardened though freeze melt cycles which gradually harden the snow cover into durable snow bridges over time. The issue, particularly at this time of year, is how strong are these snow bridges? and the answer is estimateable but not totally scientific or definite (as with many things in the mountains). Their strength is dictated by amongst other things the breadth of crevasse to be covered, the amount of snow that has fallen, the extent of melt freeze cycles and the temperatures since the last major dump and mean temps since the snow bridge started to form, etc. These are the kind of things that the pisteurs will use as well as their invaluable years of experience to help decide if an area is worth scoping to declare skiable or not.
Local knowledge is most vital in the transient phase when snow bridges are forming and firming up, such as at this stage of the season, and you will often see guides dip their heads close to the snow to see the giveaway pock mark type indentations that show where a crevasse is filling. They will also be using their experience in this terrain, from seeing the mountain in spring and summer and from similar terrains in similar conditions.
So how do you ski crevasse terrain safely: talk to the pisteurs, locals and local guides and heed their advice, observe the signs and warnings, and if you cannot make an estimate of snow bridge strength, don't i.e. don't ski in crevassed areas until it is deemed safer to do so. If you are skiing crevassed areas observe the basic principles of safety such as not skiing alone, skiing over crevassed terrain one at a time and wearing the appropriate safety gear, etc. Of course none of the above is 100% preventative but it does at least mitigate some of the most likely dangers.
Once you've done all this just ski safely and enjoy!!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Great conditions for the past few days for our adult and masters training. Some snow forecast so it should top up what we've got, ready for our masters weekend in early December.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
- should be fine if it keeps like the views in the webcam though. I still need to sort my work situation out and rally my ski buddies, fingers crossed.
.
