 Poster: A snowHead
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| pam w wrote: |
| If Val Thorens were the only place in the 3V with good snow at Christmas I'd rather save my money for another time. |
You may not like it but most do. With the climate changing, and becoming more noticeable, more and more investment is going into the higher altitude resorts. The outlook is pretty grim for the lower resorts.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If I go to the 3 valleys starting 13 December, which village would be best positioned to the most open pistes?
I've never been.
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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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| HeidiAmsterdam wrote: |
If I go to the 3 valleys starting 13 December, which village would be best positioned to the most open pistes?
I've never been. |
Val Thorens.
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@Whitegold, and if I didn't want to be in Val Thorens, because I think it looks ugly, what would be the other village.
Mind you, aesthetic requirements may be dropped, but apart from that, if it looks it will snow that week, which we should have a better idea of by say Thursday, then being closer to the tree line may be an advantage.
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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="HeidiAmsterdam"]@Whitegold, and if I didn't want to be in Val Thorens, because I think it looks ugly, what would be the other village.
Sit and absorb the beauty and green meadows of St. Martin.
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I've never been. Obviously I'm coming to ski.
Am I to surmise that it is one or the other? Above the tree line with concrete blocks, or below the tree line in the cow pasture.
I understand the weather conditions challenge the situation normal, which is why I'm asking.
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I have no objections to Val Thorens and would enjoy skiing there this week. But if the entire 3V is heading up there in a busy week? No thanks.
@HeidiAmsterdam, if conditions stay as they are then personally I d head to Tignes as having the most high altitude skiing. However it's unlikely that conditions will stay as they are for long.
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@pam w,
This is the week of the 13th, it isn't so busy. Last year, we ended up in Cervinia because it was the only place with decent conditions, and there were people there, 2 minute lift lines. 2 out of 3 people had booked somewhere else, and switched to Cervinia because of conditions. So, I'm not worried about the crowds.
For the week starting the 20th, well that's a whole 7 days further down the road. I'm going to be bold, and say we have snow by then in most areas.
So, it's just really the week of the 13th I'm worried about, and thinking I should book something Wednesday or Thursday.
All that said, this extra week of holiday my kids get, isn't such a blessing, it stresses me out. I want to ski - feel obliged to make good use of the off season time, and yet it's like the worst off season week.  I have suggested this move this week to after the Christmas holiday (I mean, what's the difference?) but my suggestion wasn't welcomed.
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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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@HeidiAmsterdam, I'll be out in Val Thorens from 12th December. You did put it bluntly but semi-accurately when you asked if the choice is concrete blocks or cow pastures.
The freezing line has been knocking around the 2000m mark and above for the last week. This early in the season the snow will be good on piste in VT and pretty scratchy much below. Last year people were being bussed in from every else.
If it's skiing you want next week then go to VT. Don't worry about what Pam is saying, even if people are being bussed in it is still a quiet week and they'll be no queues at lifts. There's also the brits in the ski cross championship to cheer on as well.
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| Quote: |
Don't worry about what Pam is saying, even if people are being bussed in it is still a quiet week
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What Pam actually said was
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If Val Thorens were the only place in the 3V with good snow at Christmas I'd rather save my money for another time.
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People reading this are not just thinking about the pre-Christmas week, for which Val Thorens would no doubt be an excellent choice (would be my second choice after Tignes  )
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I am leaning towards Tignes or Val D'Isere... it has more appeal than Val Thorens
More than that, I am a bit bummed with myself that I didn't book tickets to SLC for 331 EUR return last month when I had the chance. With the epic pass, I could have skied Park City and then drove out to Tahoe, and have Christmas with my brothers and parents, which has happened for decades... but husband needs to work, and claims to not be able to manage his work remotely with a 8 hour time difference....
Anyhow - off searching for something catered in Tignes or Val D'Isere. No matter what, I taking a vacation from the kitchen.
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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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@HeidiAmsterdam, On the weather thread you've said that you've booked, and cancelled Sestriere, which is at 1300 odd metres. Surely you should take the advice of Pam and others and forget the cute village looks and go somewhere with early season snow?
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I booked Sestriere months ago. It is a bit higher than that, 2000 meters to be exact. But snow gods haven't been kind to the Milky Way this year.
Yep - will be taking the good advice from folks here... will end up in Tignes or Val D'Isere I expect.
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You know it makes sense.
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think we'll see the cannons on this week, temps look to be nearly back to average with colder overnight and freezing levels back to more sensible levels.
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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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| Little Martin wrote: |
| think we'll see the cannons on this week, temps look to be nearly back to average with colder overnight and freezing levels back to more sensible levels. |
Thats great news for the lower slopes 
As a piste skiier, hows the top half doing?
Any particular lines I'm meant to look at on the squiggle chart on page 1 for incoming snow??
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Poster: A snowHead
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we want the bottom lines to match up with each other, and preferably tall, nothing to get excited about yet 
check the live map link for open pistes, should see more open this weekend.
27 sleeps to go...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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But is the chart indicating potentially more snow from the 14th?
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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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yes, but it always tends to show something happening that far out as they can't predict accurately or even remotely accurately that far out.
http://www.spodnet.net/weather/
you can watch the last few days there of wiggles, what we want is something to track all the way along showing on the majority of runs
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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 like a small amount of snow might fall overnight, not a lot but something is better than nothing
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Snow canons are on in 1850 today
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looks like the disturbance in the force around the 15th, lets hope that stays around, what comes afterwards at the moment doesn't look pretty.
Help me FI, you are our only hope
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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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I'm still toying with looking for late availability for 19th to 26th December, this weekend. Prices are dropping in 3V - not so much VT part though.
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Hi everyone. Can anyone recommend a taxi service from Moûtiers (Salins-Brides-les-Bains station) to Val Thorens?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| t40ora wrote: |
| I'm still toying with looking for late availability for 19th to 26th December, this weekend. Prices are dropping in 3V - not so much VT part though. |
Yeah, I'm looking for the same deal (or anywhere that's got access to high slopes). THe longer we go without decent snow the more the price drops for the rest of the 3V, but reckon VT will stay relatively expensive as it becomes a target for everyone if there's no fresh stuff. Not easy holding my nerve, I've got half a mind to just book a trip and deal with whatever conditions I let myself in for
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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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@oleksii,
Look up the altibus time first from Moutiers to VT. Lot cheaper: €11 ish last time I checked. Pre book your seat.
Think the taxi charges are pretty standard unless anyone knows different.
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@SnoodyMcFlude,
| Quote: |
Yeah, I'm looking for the same deal (or anywhere that's got access to high slopes). THe longer we go without decent snow the more the price drops for the rest of the 3V, but reckon VT will stay relatively expensive as it becomes a target for everyone if there's no fresh stuff. Not easy holding my nerve, I've got half a mind to just book a trip and deal with whatever conditions I let myself in for
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I think Meribel is looking quite good for deals, and simple access to VT.
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You know it makes sense.
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@oleksii, a taxi for two of us from Moutiers to Les Menuires (27km) is 75€ so VT is going to be a little more as its another 10km up the valley.
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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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@oleksii, might be worth checking the various seasonaires/tarentaise valley facebook groups, might be able to get a cheap transfer if someone has space
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Poster: A snowHead
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Whiterides are reasonable but only if there is 6-8 of you. (in my experience!)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Winter's here Yesterday was whiteout / low cloud down to 1600M with some snow up top. Today is cold and the canons are running everywhere...
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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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Huzzah!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Raceplate wrote: |
| Winter's here Yesterday was whiteout / low cloud down to 1600M with some snow up top. Today is cold and the canons are running everywhere... |
Fantastic stuff! The squiggles around the 15th and 16th still look promising.
Question though... How bad is VT in weather like yesterday? Will a good set of yellows lenses see me right?
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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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00Z looks ok, 06Z needs to repeat, but does look like something around the 15th is getting more likely, possibly with several lots of precipitation to follow in varying quantities. FL might be a little high for the lower resorts, but anything above 1800m should be ok which probably covers the majority of runs in 3v, get those cannons on when they can and lower resorts should be skiable still
Temps could take a dive around Christmas in FI, lets hope Santa delivers a sack load of snow too.
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@letsgetpiste, VT in Dec /Jan can be very cold, windblown and suffer from low cloud so yes, yellow lenses can be good. Trouble with 3V's though is that the weather can change dramatically over 2-3 hours so photochromic lenses are the best. I recommend Bolle modulators.
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| letsgetpiste wrote: |
| Raceplate wrote: |
| Winter's here Yesterday was whiteout / low cloud down to 1600M with some snow up top. Today is cold and the canons are running everywhere... |
Question though... How bad is VT in weather like yesterday? Will a good set of yellows lenses see me right? |
In proper bad weather VT is the grimmest place I've ever been, ever, ever, and I've been doing this since 1982 (4 times a year for the last couple). Yellow lenses might "see you right" but you won't want to be out there, trust me.
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| Raceplate wrote: |
| @letsgetpiste, VT in Dec /Jan can be very cold, windblown and suffer from low cloud so yes, yellow lenses can be good. Trouble with 3V's though is that the weather can change dramatically over 2-3 hours so photochromic lenses are the best. I recommend Bolle modulators. |
I'm there from the 30th of Jan so I may well miss the worst of the conditions if you are correct! I dont think I've got another pair of goggles in the budget this year as I'm hitting the EoSB in VT as well this year. I'll definitely look into the modulators moving forward. Never imagined you could get photochromic lenses.
| andyrew wrote: |
| In proper bad weather VT is the grimmest place I've ever been, ever, ever, and I've been doing this since 1982 (4 times a year for the last couple). Yellow lenses might "see you right" but you won't want to be out there, trust me. |
Is this where the 3V pass pays off? I was chatting to my brother about this and he has Meribel noted as being more tree lined?
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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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The tree lines of Meribel will definitely save you on a poor visibility day but, that is entirely reliant on the links over the top being open!
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