 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@pieman666, I’ve not heard anything. Is the hike and XC down near the bottom of the Pla de Pedres lift and over towards the tow rope to the bottom of the Solana lift?
It’s a bit of a key lift to not be working. Bizarre that it’s the only lift to link from Encamp sector to Soldeu.
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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 now notice that both Portugal and Spain are talking about drought conditions  , Portuguese news talking about “the last two months” and BBC about dried up reservoirs. Hope we all get precipitation soon.
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I was wondering looking at how brown la Molina is, figured it couldn't just be temps it was more f all precipitation
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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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@pieman666, I think Pla de Pedres was running today - I didn’t go up today though. A friend did some digging and it was a fault on the lift. The reason why no work was being done was that they were waiting for a replacement part. She said it wasn’t due to be running until tomorrow, but when I was out yesterday the lift was moving without anyone on it.
As for brown slopes, I noticed yesterday the snow looking brown or yellow in some places, for the first time since the last snow a month ago. Thankfully it should be snowing over the next day to help things out again. It should be cold enough for the cannons to this week too.
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@hammerite, you are right it was working. I didn't try it as the weather was poor today. Thick cloud high up made seeing the piste markets a real challenge which i failed on more than one occasion!
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@pieman666, yeah, that’s part of the reason I didn’t go up. The other was that I was just feeling a bit lazy today!
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The forecast is showing some snow for this week? Hoping it tops up enough for our arrival on Saturday!
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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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Molina webcams certainly looking a bit less like the Chinese Winter Olympics anyway
Although due to be 10 degrees at 2000m in a few days so the whitening may be unfortunately short lived
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@massistar, it snowed a little overnight and this morning (down to about 2,000m at my end of the valley - but lower down further up the valley), but not loads, went sunny again this afternoon (but cold) and is forecast to snow overnight. There’s then a dusting forecast for most of the week. Should top things up a bit. As @8611 says, it’s forecast to get a bit warm before the weekend.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Good piste skiing weather though I would think
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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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@massistar, are you staying in Pas? Youngsters love it there.
It snowed a bit more this morning. Down where I live I looked out the window when I woke up to see no snow. By the time I drove out of my car park there was about a cm down in the 30 mins or so while I was getting ready. I’d not even noticed it had started snowing. It all melted pretty quickly around here though but it was pretty cold all day up on the mountain.
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You know it makes sense.
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@hammerite.. no, we're in Soldeu this time. Went to Pas 2 years ago and really enjoyed it, although the nightlife was a bit wasted as we're too old fogey and the kids were just a bit too young.
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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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General question about Grandvalira area, haven't been to the Pyrenees for years, but looking for a cheaop hol probs 2nd week in March. Do the links between the various parts of the area stay open all season, or do you start to lose some as we get into March & warmer weather & if links are lost where is the best place to be staying to still have a sizeable ski area?
I see there's a little snow in the forecast during the next week, which may help a little?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Afternoon all.
Quick question if anyone can help please. Due to school hols I only have one week I can ski which this year is first week of April. I usually go to France but I am considering Andorra this year, perhaps Pas but open to suggestions. Can anyone tell me what the snow might be like then please? Appreciate you never can tell exactly but is Pas high enough to hold the snow that late in the season? It is 2000ft so if in France would be, but not sure in Andorra?
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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| Russbost wrote: |
| General question about Grandvalira area, haven't been to the Pyrenees for years, but looking for a cheaop hol probs 2nd week in March. Do the links between the various parts of the area stay open all season, |
General answer; I believe they stay open, though I usually go only at half term. The main link to go down is the Encamp gondola due to wind. Otherwise the have lots of snow making to keep links open.
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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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@massistar, Soldeu should be pretty safe for the teenagers first foray into nightlife. It’s fairly quiet.
@Russbost, the majority of the ski area is between 2,000-2,500m-ish. If the links between the areas are closed, then pretty much the whole area will be. If temps are high/snow retreats, then it’s more likely that the home runs down to Canillo, El Tarter and Soldeu will close but even then, those runs don’t see a huge amount of sun so should be ok. I can’t see this happening as quickly as the second week of March anyway - Soldeu and El Tarter are hosting the Europa Cup Finals that week. The area will be being managed very carefully.
@Boofont, it should be fine, barring disaster! The area isn’t due to close until 18th April.
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@Boofont, I researched similar and found old threads and I think YouTube videos reporting good conditions so you might well get lucky
I assume if scheduled to stay open they will keep a decent proportion of runs open with artificial snow if not naturally topped up
Most ski resorts the same at that time of year anyway
Did I read somewhere of a phenomena of late season storms coming up from the South? With extra dry powder?
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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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Today was hard work. Got out early to find poor visibility (which I wasn’t surprised about) and bulletproof pistes (again not surprised after how warm it was yesterday). The worst part was the rain (it hadn’t quite turned to snow at 9am) which froze on my goggles - added to the poor vis anyway it was almost impossible.
As the morning went on the precipitation turned to proper snow and it was pretty heavy. You then had fresh snow on top of bullet proof hard pistes so I had to take a bit more care. Probably the least enjoyable conditions of the season so far for me so packed up at lunch time (meant I could watch the football!) - still glad I got out!
Tomorrow should be pretty good though.
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Hard to get it right@hammerite, heavy cold dry snow plus low following temps rarely seems to happen!
Anyone been in Spanish Pyrenees as opposed to Andorra and can comment on current mask situation? I know Catalonia dropped them outside if not crowded but suspect they may still be wanted in lift queues
My main q is will a buff suffice for skiing and will I need ff2p inside hotels / restaurants or are cloth masks sufficient?
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Today was excellent!
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Currently in Baqueria - hardly any masks on the chair lifts and in the queues for the lifts. Signs for masks on the gondola and most people were wearing them at the start on the way up and the enthusiasm for them on way down seemed to wain.
Restaurants have signs and tannoy messages to stay you should wear one and most people were to be fair.
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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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Buffs I were told weren’t accepted but have seen people use them. Most those were wearing surgical or ff2p around resort and in restaurants. Hardly any cloth ones.
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Thanks
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Elsie80, how is snow in bacqueria?
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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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It’s good - complete snow coverage across the area we went to today. It was getting soft towards the end of the day at the bottom near 1700/1500 - but some lovely runs across baqueria and Beret. Some hard packed icy patches here and there but not too many.
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Masks fairly lax in la Molina. Seems most wearing them in restaurants and hotels though I suspect there'd be reasonable tolerance for not wearing them too.
Sugar snow out of the machines though I've not been higher. Perfect for kids.
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You know it makes sense.
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How’s the piste conditions across the Grandvalira? Any fresh stuff on the horizon?
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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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Certainly very very spring snow in la Molina. In fact pretty remarkable they keep the non shaded runs open. Higher up the mountain is dry and brown with streaks of white for the pistes. Steeper slopes hardpack, the rest predictable artificial snow.
A really good dump would freshen it up but assume it'd be warm immediately afterwards anyway.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Fridge03, nothing fresh on the horizon. Warm and sunny during the day yet pistes remain in decent enough shape.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi all,
Thinking of booking this weekend for first week of April and narrowed it down to Pas or Soldeu. Again, I know it’s hard to say right now but will there be snow down to Soldeu in April?
Also, perhaps off-topic but what can I expect from the two resorts? I’m going with my 14 year old son, looking for a nice but not too luxurious accommodation, ideally close to slopes I’m unsure to book half board or just a room and eat out each night, my son is fussy! Plenty of food places? Soldeu looks nicer than Pas, more Alpine looking with tress etc? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
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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 was in soldeu recently. A lot of good value mid range hotels there. I stayed in hotel piolets centre, maybe 50m walk from the main lift. Good breakfast. Small pool and jacuzzi. There are other similar options, think it's called the Himalaya across the road and another one maybe 100m down the road.
I also looked at the fancy hotel on the area, the hermitage, for Easter and it was very reasonable, or at least the four star version was. I think those hotels have internal access to the main lift. Excellent spa and pools in that hotel open to non guests and I think your son would be old enough to use it.
There were a few good restaurants in that hotel complex including one just below the hotel I stayed in. Also a few restaurants in the town (which is really just a road).
If fussy half board might work as lots of options but you can also usually just pay on the day for dinner buffet including in hotels you're not staying in.
Snow hard to predict anywhere that time of year
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@8611,
Thanks for a very constructive post (off-topic but that's my fault - sorry!  ). I found a place in Pas that looks OK also.
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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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I only skied to the lift in pas so can't help. Has reputation of being boozey which may or may not be a good thing?
Not really off topic, the snow reports are really resort threads with a bit of snow chat
Post how you get would be interested to see how Easter goes
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@Boofont, for Easter Pas has the benefit of being high, whereas Soldeu’s home runs have the benefit of being mostly sheltered from the sun. It’s really difficult to know what it’ll be like in April. I’m confident there’ll be some skiing, just not sure how much.
Thankfully, the forecast for later in the week has changed. Should be getting cold and snowy (not metres, but regular topping up) which is gratefully received! I’m off work this week so hoping to get out every day between now and Sunday. Arcalis tomorrow.
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Off to Grandvalira next week... how hot are they in enforcing the quality of face coverings in e.g. chairlifts and lift queues? I see Andorran websites insisting that buff-style neck gaiters need to be "approved". I have several ordinary buffs, can I just wear one of those or am I going to get sent shopping by the lifties?
Thanks in advance 
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Well guys I’ve booked for first week in April, arrive the 3rd to Pas. It’s just my son and I and as he’s a fussy teenager I felt there might be a broader choice of places to eat - he loves chicken and steak so happy to hear any suggestions!
Also, again as it’s just me and him, be very happy to meet anyone else who might be on the same week as me?
Anything I need to know regarding Covid protocols please? Flying in via Spain?
Thanks guys.
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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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Back to the mountains after a Covid enforced break. Looks like I'll be bringing some snow with me.
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@moosepig, face coverings only needed inside restaurants when moving around or on gondolas. It’s not heavily enforced on gondolas any more so a buff is usually fine. They have checked that I was wearing a mask (not a buff) to go into a restaurant though - any type of mask is fine. I’ve just been wearing a standard reusable fabric one.
@Boofont, lots of options to eat in Pas. I can’t recommend anywhere specific though. For lunch, I really like Burger Brothers and there’s one of those in Grau Roig. I’m not 100% sure on the current covid regulations to get into Spain. My OH flew out at the weekend, but she’s triple jabbed and just had to do a PLF. Not sure on the rules if not triple jabbed.
@mortonia, the snow is/was needed. Lots of places were starting to look a bit crappy and brown this morning. We stopped for lunch and by the time we were back out everywhere was looking lovely and white again!
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FAQ
