 Poster: A snowHead
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Nadenoodlee, if I were there over new year, I'd be in for sure! Sadly a condition of me spending 3 months away from Lady Flashman is that I at least spend Christmas and NY with her. So unreasonable 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| dennisp wrote: |
| driz, just noticed a price for an Avoriaz/Chatel pass. Is this something new as I thought it was either an Avoriaz pass, or the PDS pass?? |
That's interesting, where have you seen that? That is probably the extent of our skiing for the vast majority of the time, though we do go down to Les Crosets a bit.
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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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sarah, http://www.avoriaz.com/en/ski-area-opening-0 has details on the limited first week opening and has a combined Avoriaz Chatel pass.
I suspect this is just for the first week though - there's not much else in the PDS open and the per day rate in Avoriaz this weekend is just €17. It would be cheaper to buy one of these and a Chatel 1 day pass for €25.20 (http://info.chatel.com/les-forfaits-debut-et-fin-de-saison.html) than a PDS pass (€47.50).
I don't know if this is something new for this week (first time for me going the first week) but I am 99% certain that these options are discounts for the fact that it is the first week...
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So I arrived in Morzine on Tuesday night for my first ever season  I'm living with Harry Flashman so between us I'm sure we can keep you all updated on the conditions here. At the moment, there is still a bit of snow in the town, mostly in the shadier parts, but the sun is really strong at the moment so not sure what it's doing to the pistes. It's quite nice otherwise though!
Had a day of exploring the town yesterday, looking forward to getting out to Avoriaz tomorrow for the opening though. Looks like some of the ski bus routes are starting running tomorrow too.
If any other snowHeads are out in Morzine already and fancy a beer, let me know!
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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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No wild parties in our home, ciaranw.
Or none that I'm not invited to, anyway.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Harry Flashman, 
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driz, thanks so there's not a permanent Avoriaz-Chatel pass offering then it seems, this is just an opening week special ticket to make the most of the area actually open I guess. I think that a Chatel/Avoriaz pass would be a good idea as an in between option. We need more than Chatel only but don't really get the full benefit of the PDS pass most of the time.
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Just been to buy our PDS season passes this morning - tourist office (where we usually get them at this time of year) has a notice saying get the passes from the lift office - get there and the sign sends you back to the tourist office which is actually selling them. Love the French! Beautiful sunny day - pavements in Les Gets are lethal as usual.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Pamski, am always surprised how poor the pavements are (for the residents never mind the visitors), especially the ones in the centre of the village.
Bon ski aujourd'hui
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Just a little advice please. Used site for a year or two but normally just read!
I'm hoping to get away 19th - 24th Dec, is there plenty of lifts open and are conditions worth it. Or better at a higher resort?
Any local knowledge would be appreciated.
Mike
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Question re season passes. As well as my Morzine Residents Association card, do I need any other ID to get a pass. Do I need a passport photo or do they take a digital one?
Thanks.
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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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noggy, when I got my season pass the other day, they just took a photo of the photo on my drivers license. It comes out pretty poorly on the actual season pass itself, it could be a photo of anyone! They asked for some ID, although it could have just been for the photo.
Hope this helps!
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OK so I should take my passport then. Thanks. Driving out on Monday/Tuesday for Christmas. Should be good. Hopefully the electrician has finished!
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You know it makes sense.
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marmotte16, someone from our village at home walked out of the Belle Vue last year to go and collect passes and halfway along fell and broke his arm - they drove home a couple of days later.
Great few hours up at Avoriaz this morning - very quiet - we certainly raised the average age as I didn't spot any other like us there! Good job there is snowmaking nowadays and the pistes that are open are in good order.
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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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Is it worth taking the wife to Chatel tomorrow for her first ski of the season? Webcams looking a bit thin. She is timid skier and so we need some easy non-icing runs to break her in on.
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Poster: A snowHead
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At the risk of wasting my breath (fingertips?) and with no expectation that it will work any better than last year, can I suggest using this thread:
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=85195&start=920
that sanman woke from it's slumbers the other day for issues other than weather / snow conditions?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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A walk up Super Chatel area this afternoon found some nice pistes have been made (this area due to open on 21st). Report and photos now online at www.chatelweb.com
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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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Juddernaut - the green Belette run at Pre La Joux is open this weekend - bit icy in places but mostly OK on skis as it is very gentle.
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I guess quite a lot of pistes are going to be icy until there's fresh snow but that photo is a great illustration of the work that's going into maintaining and preparing pistes when, overall, snow levels are low. That's what we pay for!
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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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Chatel Snow, thanks for the info. Will let you know if we pop up.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Juddernaut - an update - bottom half of the Belette green path has been closed - so you have to use the bottom bit of the red Rochassons to get to the bottom.
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Looking very grim on the webcams. Very foggy in Geneva this morning so we didn't go up.
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Hi Juddernaut - we went up for a couple of hours this morning with our 5 year old - snow was fine and vis was was ok - though cold wind higher up. Lack of the bottom half of the Belette was causing some issues as that was the only green slope open - however it loked like they were opening up the nursery rope tow as we were leaving. There were a few flakes falling from time to time too.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Sat 14-12-13 13:42; edited 1 time in total
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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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Juddernaut, was covered until about 12h00 in Cham, clouds breking up nicely. Wasn't Geneve miserable and sleety first thing - our car was covered in clear ice.
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A good days skiing today around Avoriaz. Snow not as bad as we'd feared and with lift pass price of 34 euro for the weekend it's cheaper than a trip to the snow dome
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Another good day on the slopes in Chatel - piste conditions were good and it was fairly quiet this morning (perhaps everyone had gone over to Avoriaz!)
Latest forecast online.. copied from our website
Chatel Snow Forecast Update 15/12/2013: 5.25pm
It looks like we are still on for some snow on Thursday, with then another potential bite of the cherry on Sunday! Together, the 2 potential snowfalls could be very useful indeed. There is still some uncertainty on the snow/rain limit and amounts of snowfall for Thursday's event, but it would be very surprising if we do not receive more than the 4cm that is currently being forecast for 1700m and 1cm for 1200m by some of the automated GFS weather model websites (eg snow-forecast.com), as the synoptics, although not partcularly chilly, do look as though they are capable of bringing us a decent snowfall. Before Thursday, it looks we will have a few days of sunny and rather mild days on the slopes.
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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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The pictures are encouraging, they seem to have made good use of the available snow. 
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tafflondon - I think they have done an excellent job - they are helped at Pre-La-Joux and Linga by the orientation of the slopes but I was really pleasantly surprised this morning and also when I hiked up to Super-Chatel on Friday. If this snowfall comes off on Thursday, then piste skiing should be fine for the run up to Christmas. There is no easily accessible off piste whatsoever, but things can change very quickly - so lets hope we get a couple of snowfalls in the next week!
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You know it makes sense.
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Chatel Snow,
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perhaps everyone had gone over to Avoriaz!)
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think you are right there. We came over to your side yesterday where it was not busy and enjoyed the piste skiing - Avoriaz today was very busy and not my cup of tea. Lindarets was a bit quieter and my terrace at home for a bit of lunch in the sun even better.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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As said above pistes in Avoriaz were relatively busy today. Great skiing to be had high up first thing though before the hordes arrived!
Many stones starting to appear on the busy runs so be careful if on your own skis!
Looking forward to heading over to Chatel for a change tomorrow and hopefully Avoriaz will be quieter as well now that the Rock On Snowboard Tour has finished
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Roger C wrote: |
Many stones starting to appear on the busy runs so be careful if on your own skis!
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And be careful if you are on hire skis or face a damage bill.
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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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All much quieter today - Fornet and Chavanettes area first thing, back to Lindarets and then over to Linga. No queues, no feeling of being mown down - the sun was out and it was a great day. Agree you have to be a bit careful to avoid the stones.
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Yeah stones everywhere on the avoriaz side especially up around arare and chavanettes, basically anywhere without snow making. I think at one point on sunday i ran over an actual rock fixed into the ground, the traffic had moved the snow around too much. Bases are not 100% happy. Chatel side is brilliant though, seems to be loads more snow making there (never made it over before).
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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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driz I agree, the pistes on the Chatel side were still in great condition today and also very quiet. A great day somewhat spoilt by. 2hr delay in GVA on the way home 
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Snow report just updated - more of the same, glorious weather and some decent piste skiing in Chatel. www.chatelweb.com
Below is this morning's view from just above the Combes chairlift. About to head back out to get some more photos.
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Another great sunny day, Fornet area first thing and then over to Chatel Linga - pistes in good nick still and we soon learnt where to avoid due to a few stones and small rocks appearing. Back to Flo for a very late lunch before heading back to Ardent. The only real queue we saw was at 1.30 on the lift back up to the Plaine Dranse area where it looked like a large school party emerging after lunch.
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First foray of the season yesterday up to Avoriaz and Chatel and I was pleasantly surprised at the piste conditions. As others have said a few stones around in certain areas and there are some icy/scraped sections, particularly where there has been snowmaking, but generally nice grippy pistes. Credit to the resorts as they have done a great job with limited snow. That said tomorrow's snow (and next weeks if it comes) will be very welcome.
There is considerable snowfall required before the off piste comes into play, but no issues on piste. A great opportunity to be perfecting your carving!
Bob
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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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Latest local forecast this morning suggesting 25cm to 40cm snow at 1500m by end Thurs night and 10 to 15cm Fri morning. With a snow/rain limit of between 1300m and 900m.
Automated GFS forecasts eg snow-forecast .com consistently showing a light snowfall.
Will re-visit this post later on Friday after the event!
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Chatel Snow, I take it you are more of a fan of the Chamonix-meteo.com site than the others? For what its worth same here - over the years it has tended to give the best guidance to what we might get in Chatel. In my experience we have often had a bit more snow than stated so I hope I haven't jinxed it by saying that.
Cessation of snow fall during the day on Friday would work for me - we've leaving UK on Friday morning early and should be coming over the Pas de Morgins during the evening.
A thin snow day in the mountains is better than any day in the office so it's all good.
I see from the Chatel piste report that they have reclassified Rhododendrons as a black. Excellent! That should keep the traffic down a little bit. I've always thought it was a marginal red but once down the first steep bit it really is the best carving terrain in the Chatel area.
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FAQ
