 Poster: A snowHead
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@jedster, @j b, thanks so much for the details.
Out of interest is it best for us to get off a ST Gervais or should we stay on to Megeve ?
Not skied any of the area before . We prefer the off piste rather than bash out the pistes .
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sorry, out last night so didn't reply earlier.
If you don't know the area, suggest St Gervais. The 82 bus from Chamonix apparently stops near the gondola (though must be at a different stop to the one just under the gondola cable where the 84 stops since the Megeve road turns off before that) and you access Mont d'Arbois which has its better skiing on the St Gervais side. Can't advise on off-piste personally though, look for recommendations on this forum.
For the Rochebrune-Cote 2000 sector of Megeve, it would probably be quicker to ski over from St Gervais (there is a gondola link across the valley) than stay on the bus and then wait for the local navette. Again can't advise on off-piste but it is an area that holds its snow well so I would expect possibilities.
The final sector is Combloux-La Giettaz, since the bus goes to Combloux before Megeve probably easiest to get off there if you want to try it. However the bus stop isn't near the ski lift so again you would need the navette.
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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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I'd agree with j b - may as well get off at St G. Bets off piste options are (IMO) Mont d'Arbois and above St Nicholas which are easier from St G. I posted some ideas for off piste around St G earlier in this thread.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@j b, @jedster, Thanks a lot Will get of at St G . And go from there.
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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'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We arrived in megeve yesterday (so many didnt, and loads stuck without being able to get home...)
Dashed out after a quick lunch to make the most of the sunshine. Great weather but pistes very compact: we were mainly around Jardin / Petite Fountaine on the Rochebrune side
Rain at town level this morning, looks like snow higher up but windy too, not rushing out, may brave it this afternoon...
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Le Palais in Megeve do 50% off the balneoforme (heated outdoor pool and saunas) on presentation of receipt for a 2+ day lift pass
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@EarthWindandWater, thanks for that excellent tip. We loved the balneoforme last year but it is expensive at full price!
We are heading back to Combloux on Saturday, in the car for the first time. We are doing most of the driving on Friday and staying between Beaune and Chalon-sur-Saone which is supposed to be about 3 hours away from Combloux according to Google Maps. I know Saturday will be very busy on the roads but it would be nice to take advantage of the breakfast at the B&B if possible. Does anyone have a view on the difference there will be between leaving the B&B at say 6.30am and 8/8.30am in terms of avoiding traffic?
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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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West facing slopes 5 cm of windblown on refrozen rubbish, East facing slopes 10-15 of velvet over firm, very thin below 1400m.
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| Idris wrote: |
| West facing slopes 5 cm of windblown on refrozen rubbish, East facing slopes 10-15 of velvet over firm, very thin below 1400m. |
Which resort?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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A Lot of excitement in StG & Bettex today as President Macron was in town. I have never seen as many security people in one place, literally 100+ armed police in full body armour
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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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Back down to reality with a bump  Hope everyone travelling for half term has a safe trip...
My TR posted here, farewell for another year!!
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Not a great day in Les contamines today - raining even up on the mountain. Was overcast until about 12:30 then the mist and rain came in. We called it a day just before 3 ... Tired legs and wet snow ... Felt like I was going to have a sore fall if I kept going. And on that note - how does everyone else making skiing look so effortless regardless of the conditions when I feel like I'm fighting my legs/skis half the time 
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You know it makes sense.
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@zedzed_uk, yes I looked at the webcams earlier and things didn't look great. I saw a forecast which suggested there might be a little snow tonight assuming the temperature drops, and tomorrow. I hope so, we are coming out on Thursday and would appreciate reasonable snow!
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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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We left StG at lunchtime today & on a morning stroll we seen what can only be described as a hell on earth queue at the bottom gondola
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Jonny996 wrote: |
| We left StG at lunchtime today & on a morning stroll we seen what can only be described as a hell on earth queue at the bottom gondola |
The early morning queues are as big as ever despite the less than ideal conditions. Rather than wait for it to die down I've been skinning up the red run from the car park up to Bettex. Well, walked and paddled in mud for the first few hundred metres then put the skis on. Still better than queuing for an age. Fortunately, my daughter's ski academy doesn't start until 12.30 and she's happy to laze in bed until late then meet me at Bettex at lunchtime so it sort of works.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Mmmm...
I did notice the webcams showing crowds of people at Bettex and at the top of the Arbois lift.
Coming out Thursday, so it sounds like we will need to work out how to time our days. Is the queue for when the lift opens (I think 8.30, though it might have changed since January) or around ski school time?
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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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Yesterday in St Gervais horrible queues and wet snow conditions, loads of dangerous people, pistes with massive slush bumps I’ve ran back to Chamonix and won’t be back until it gets colder and snow - if it happens.
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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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Supposed to be snow in Les Cont tonight / tomorrow - I'd say that would be good as mornings are ok - bit hard but fine, but by 2:30 everything is slushing up pretty badly.
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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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@j b, it’s only this week so you’ll only suffer Friday and Saturday.
It does seem to be for the 10.00 ski school & the fact the home run is closed make return busier
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks @Jonny996. Actually both those days we will necessarily have a late start, so we can head up after ski school without feeling we are wasting time. Friday we need to pick up daughter's ordered new skis (though I guess we could get that done Thursday depending how arrival works). And Saturday morning we have a sofabed delivery at 9.
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I'm back out next Wednesday for 3 days skiing and I'm thinking of trying le houche via the TMB
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@Jonny996, yes that is on our wish list this time too. Does anyone know if a season pass holder can trade in their voucher at the TMB station in St Gervais, i.e. have the trip up included in their pass?
(I may have asked this before but replies only told me it would be logical for that to be possible. But what is logical isn't always what happens).
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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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Just got back from Les C on Friday 21
We had a little snow before we arrived then a couple of small top ups in the week. One fall started as rain and turned to snow.
Overall excellent conditions.
Pistes had been getting firm (rather than icy) but top ups kept a nice soft layer. We skied plenty of shallow powder but would find the crunchy rain layer underneath from time to time.
Cover is excellent above 1500m but very thin below - relatively high rain/snow line for much of the season.
Usual HT queues at the bubbles in the morning but - Grevetaz drag aside - nothing to mention up on the mountain.
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We were in Les Contamines last week also (16th to 21st). We found the conditions great in the morning, but (as novices) we really struggled after about 2 - 2:30 in the afternoon. It felt quite warm and mostly blue skies (apart from Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday). The pistes seemed to get quick slushy (lower down), and also got very "mogul-y" all across the mountain. I don't remember that happening in Avoriaz 2 years ago (our first ski holiday) - but maybe it did! My 11yo son actually refused to do a step blue (bottom of "Coins"?) on the Thursday afternoon and took his ski's off and walked down! I also fell on a red and hurt my leg on the mogul-y stuff, but that was me probably going beyond my ability. That said, I did the same run earlier in that day no issues - but at 2:30 - too icy and bumpy and down I went.
We had a good time - and the food on the Hautlace side of the hill was actually pretty good value for money (well, relatively speaking). The town itself is nice, although being HT we tended to eat at home most evenings as everywhere was fully booked. Even the guy on the mobile pizza van in town told us we'd have to wait 2 hours if we wanted a pizza!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We were in Combloux last week. Noticeably less snow around than the same time last year but the pistes were holding up surprisingly well (although very much spring conditions in the afternoons especially). We had an afternoon of rain on Monday which we avoided skiing in but the kids didn't as they had a lesson. They were soaked! After that it seemed to get a bit colder and we had some snow on Wednesday which freshened things up a bit.
A few queues but nothing terrible after Sunday morning when the main chairlift from the foot of the pistes was broken for a little while in the morning. We bought passes for the whole Evasion Mont Blanc area this year, since we were staying down in the village not far from the Princesse lift up into the Megeve/St Gervais area, and the kids' skiing lessons weren't until 3pm each day. But the only day we went over to that area, the queues at the lifts we made it to were so long that we ended up heading home pretty early for fear of getting stuck somewhere and not making it back to Combloux in time for the lessons. We might have been unlucky but it would put me off going over there again during half term (even though the snow was noticeably better).
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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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@NatalieG,
We are always in Les Contamines that week and have stopped bothering even thinking about getting EMB passes because in decent weather the queues in St G /Megeve are much longer than Les C. I imagine Combloux is a bit more like Les C in being less hectic.
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Combloux is lovely but being sun-facing the slopes do get battered in warm weather.
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You know it makes sense.
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Updated for 20/21, really hope we can get over at some stage during the season.
Partial opening from the 12th onwards. General opening on the 19th of December. Partial closure on the St Gervais side on the 4th of April (Princesse gondola will be closed on the 28th of March) and general closure on the 11th of April. Les Contamines is generally open a week longer.
NEW: The Mont d'Arbois top station has a new beginner ski area and the Col button is replaced. In Contamines the TSD6 Olympique construction has started but will be done over 2 summers, this will replace the TSF3 Roselette.
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Thu 10-09-20 9:14; edited 1 time in total
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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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Great info, will get a sneaky Easter week in if Covid allows, do you know what the have replaced the Col button with for the beginners?
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Poster: A snowHead
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We've booked to go back in Feb half term (with free cancellation of the accommodation until 13 Jan and a flexi booking on the Eurotunnel). Fingers crossed! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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BASS have been posting Facebook videos & it looks fantastic
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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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I have been checking the webcams, snow seems to be holding above Bettex. The last couple of nights has seen snow as low as the village though it melted off the streets during the day. When we were there the week before Christmas it was clear they had been making articial snow right down the home run, though it was still in piles waiting to be pisted.
A few ski tourers visible up at the top, plenty of people at Bettex but mostly families taking kids sledging. A few on skis, I wondered if they were running some nursery slope teaching. (Over on the View from Val d'Isere thread Steve Angus reports that over there the ESF magic carpet for little ones had been deemed to be private and thus not subject to public restrictions on opening)
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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'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Was that your own drone footage, good skills. Fair skin up from Bettix to the Follie
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| Jonny996 wrote: |
| Was that your own drone footage, good skills. Fair skin up from Bettix to the Follie |
Skinned form St Nicholas to épaule, then up the bump to Follie, skied out to St Gervais.
740m up 1370m down
Yup drone is mine, planned an hour of filming, got under 10 min total - lots of Fu(ups by me. Drone hates cold, moisture in the phone charging socket causes issues. Realy bad interference and possibly drone/phone blockers in some places. Also freezing my hands. Will get better with time.
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| Idris wrote: |
| Jonny996 wrote: |
| Was that your own drone footage, good skills. Fair skin up from Bettix to the Follie |
Skinned form St Nicholas to épaule, then up the bump to Follie, skied out to St Gervais.
740m up 1370m down
Yup drone is mine, planned an hour of filming, got under 10 min total - lots of Fu(ups by me. Drone hates cold, moisture in the phone charging socket causes issues. Realy bad interference and possibly drone/phone blockers in some places. Also freezing my hands. Will get better with time. |
Nice vid. It’s certainly easier said than done and freezing fingers is a real challenge. Which model do you have?
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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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| BobinCH wrote: |
| Idris wrote: |
| Jonny996 wrote: |
| Was that your own drone footage, good skills. Fair skin up from Bettix to the Follie |
Skinned form St Nicholas to épaule, then up the bump to Follie, skied out to St Gervais.
740m up 1370m down
Yup drone is mine, planned an hour of filming, got under 10 min total - lots of Fu(ups by me. Drone hates cold, moisture in the phone charging socket causes issues. Realy bad interference and possibly drone/phone blockers in some places. Also freezing my hands. Will get better with time. |
Nice vid. It’s certainly easier said than done and freezing fingers is a real challenge. Which model do you have? |
Mavic air - bought it when they first came out in Japan a few years ago.
Worked out how to stop it freezing, carry inside pocket of fleece.
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FAQ
