 Poster: A snowHead
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| mountainaddict wrote: |
Thanks for the video @iainm. Looks great. Two Qs:
1. Did you get any turns in on the way back?
2. What's the terrain like overall, in terms of avalanche risk? It looks fairly mellow from the video. |
Access is very straightforward from Mottaret. It's one valley, then a 400m climb, then another valley. On the way back there were a few turns in decent powder, through scrub/bushes. Quite fun.
You can approach it from Aiguille du Fruit on the Courchevel side, that's a better/bigger descent.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| kitenski wrote: |
| @iainm, can you sleep in the same room as the fire & did you get much sleep?? Reckon that'd be too cold for me!! |
the fire is on the lower ground floor, bunk beds on the floor above, so I don't think much heat was retained. I slept reasonably well, but though the night there was avalanche blasting (presumably on mont vallon) and each time the outside metal doors shuddered!
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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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| ShakiraShakira wrote: |
| Thanks @Layne, @Ski Tyke, he's now sorted with new boots. |
Great news!
I'll call in to pick up my commission next week!! 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hi all.
Can anyone recommend a taxi service from Reberty/Les Men to Val Thorens?
Going out in the evening after the buses stop.
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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 can’t recommend any, but be aware it may cost you! Last week our taxi booked by our off piste guide at 5.30pm from Le Bettex (just below Les Men) to VT cost 65euros..(there were 5 of us, but most taxis are minibuses so they can fit in skis).
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| Fridge03 wrote: |
Hi all.
Can anyone recommend a taxi service from Reberty/Les Men to Val Thorens?
Going out in the evening after the buses stop. |
No particular recommendation from me but prepare yourself for the cost... Mrs B and I did a great ski tour last week (with Snowhead, Perty and her other half) and finished (with our guide) at Le Bettaix, near Les Menuires, after the lifts closed.
It cost a bargain €65 for the 5.5 mile taxi trip  .
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Thanks all. I think we have changed our plans now anyway….but those prices are ridiculous.
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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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Be aware that many taxis in the three valleys charge per person, usually with a minimum of 2 passengers. So the fare from Bettaix to VT may be 13 Euros per person. If there are 5 of you in the taxi the fare is 65 Euros.
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@snowrider, that well be true but if so doesn't make much sense (to me at least).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Layne, it's France. Why should anything make sense?
Though to be fair, there's quite a bit of logic in charging by the person, especially when a lot of the taxis are Mercedes Vaneos and the like.
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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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Anyone have intel on the strikes and lift openings tomorrow-31st Jan? It’s our last day. There was nothing posted on the lifts’ A boards when we skied this morning. We start from St M and are hoping to ski the pistes on the Saulire side of Meribel in the morning for a change. It’s something we never normally do before about 2.30pm when en route home from somewhere else. We thought it might challenge our rather negative views about that side of the mountain.. 
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The best snow in Meribel and Courchevel is above Meribel on the Saulire side, just after the traverse.
On the strikes, no ideas, seen or heard nothing.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Perty, Have read in several places and reputable sources that the disruption from the strikes will be minimal.
Good luck with your chosen ski sector in the morning. Like yourself not somewhere I've skied much other than en route.
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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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So excited to get back out to the 3V! Our second trip so we're still somewhat beginners but many hours in Hemel and a few days in Oslo have really made us feel a little more ambitious this time. How is the snow looking? Webcams make it hard to tell but I gather it's not had much new since the dump a couple of weeks ago?
We're staying in La Tania and have some mid day lessons booked on our first few days - what would be the best advice for warming up beforehand as confident beginners/early intermediate? I was thinking a few laps of folyeres so we don't end up too far away but is that being a bit too conservative? Lesson is at about half 11 so don't want to end up panicking to get back in time especially if the lift queues start building up. Also I presume things like Arolles are going to still be accessible etc with l'eclipse closed off?
Sorry for all the questions just really excited and love to over prepare! 
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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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@javindo, Hi, just back from a few days in La Tania. Snow is OK as cold temps have been very beneficial but a top up would not go amiss! Was warming up a bit yesterday afternoon (Weds) and saw water dripping off the roofs for the first time all week.
Folyeres is a good shout and the green run, Plan Fontains is also actually quite good fun with a couple of short sections that are dubiously green but should be fine for you!
If you take the Dous des Lanches chair off the La Tania bubble, its a nice cruise down towards 1850. You could go a bit higher up Biollay chair with some nice blues off it or head down towards 1850 and either get Chenus bubble back (longish queues this week) or carry on under the tunnel and bear left to get back to Plantrey chair (on skiers right) which we found a more pleasant route back towards LT.
Have a great trip!
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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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@javindo, as pleasant as it is I wouldn't just be lapping folyeres for 2 hours.
@Ski Tyke, makes some good suggestions.
If you are progressing well after a day or two skiing down from Brigues from 1850 is a lovely long run and taking Foret back up brings you straight back over to above La Tania.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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javindo,
When do you go to La Tania?
And what lift pass will you have? Courchevel only? Or 3Vs? 
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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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Thanks for all the great advice and suggestions!
Sorry should've said - arriving Sunday and have a 6 day 3V pass so very flexible. Happy to get first lifts to maximise warm up time before lessons so have a couple of hours each day to play with but don't want to end up in a scenario where we're having to rush back over from somewhere. Seems like 1850 wouldn't be too out of the question in that case with a million options once there.
Really appreciate the tip particularly on routes back to LT for our ability 
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@Bergmeister, there was little sign of the strike on Weds-a few minor lifts weren't running which made no difference to our final day at all. Piste skiing on Weds was excellent. We headed up Mont Vallon, expecting the usual morning frenzy on the descent down the Combe du Vallon (where you are frequently passed by out of control kids and "lads on tour" in semi snowplough, with their backsides out over the rear of their skis very proud of the fact that they didn't need to put in a turn other than if there is a bend the piste). Despite the reasonable number of people up there, we found a window of calm and the snow was very good all the way down. The wide blues/reds back on the Meribel side from the top of Saulire were also very nice late morning.
We then went over to La Tania via the Loze chair. We could see the impact of the World Championship fencing and set up for Eclipse piste on the overall access to La T. From the top of the chair-the Dou des Lanches black is open, but the Lanches red (regraded black a couple of week ago) at the other end of the Col de la Loze is shut-the red netting of the Eclipse downhill piste comes right over the piste at the point it widens. So,if you don't take Dou des Lanches, you have to pole up at the other end of the Col de la Loze. On Weds you could then ski down the far side of the fencing, but it was a bit random with stones and bumps before joining Arolles and going through the new tunnel under the piste to get to Folyeres. The alternative would be to have gone a bit further onto Arolles. @javindo, you should be fine for accessing the pistes you need. Folyeres was lovely on Weds morning BTW. One annoying thing which seems to be permanent at the moment-the Coqs chair is closed-the one next to Biollay that gets you back to the top above La T. It seems to be permanently shut, but maybe it will be open during the forthcoming busy weeks. Otherwise you have to ski all the way down to Plantray (of the bubble-which is a faff).
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@javindo, I think you'll be absolutely fine sticking to Folyeres for the first couple of days. You're looking at 15mins up on the gondola with Feb queues and 20-30 minutes down at your level. It's a fantastic run but far from easy for someone on their second week.
As @Ski Tyke said, the Plan Fontaine green is not very green either on the top half and that might be a better first run. The start of it can be hard to find - you turn right out of the gondola and take the (flat) start of the red run on your right before you reach the bridge. Plan Fontaine starts with a path about 150m on the right after the start of the red but you cannot see it until you are on the red. It basically starts below the back of the Bouc Blanc restaurant.
To stretch things out, I would take the Bouc Blanc chair and go left to Arolles (stay left where it forks around a rock or you'll end up in C1850), which will then bring you back towards the top of the LT gondola. Yes it will still be open - they built a massive tunnel under the race piste so the public can still get back to LT when the racing is on. To get to Bouc Blanc chair, you take the first 200m of Folyeres and cut right through the trees.
Don't go up Dou des Lanches yet, you'll just be poling to get back to the LT side. It is a good option for later when you have more time or confidence as the easiest blue way into C1850 but you can also go Bouc Blanc chair, turn left towards LT, right at the rock and sharp right again onto the green which goes to the same place as the Dou des lanches route into C1850 without poling.
I absolutely wouldn't recommend you go down Brigues (red) to Le Praz - if things are going well, maybe ask the instructor to take you that way later in the week to see if you can cope with it - there are no escape options once you're on it!
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@javindo, if you do decide to go into C1850, one of the best pistes to do circuits on would be Tovets above C1550. Very easy to cut across straight to the Plantrey chair and back to Arolles to return to LT when the time comes.
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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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Actually, Plan Fontaine might be tricky next week, as part of it is right beside the race piste netting so I'm guessing it may be closed/ full of spectators, officials or some such?
@Raceplate, I never realised you can get to Bouc Blanc chair from Folyeres - usually enjoying hooning down too much but that's a good idea! Also good point about Dous des Lanches - easy to forget there's a bit of poling for those carrying less speed, although it felt like the piste has been re-profiled at some point since I was previously there and has a bit more gradient where the nearly flat chair used to run? Is the reservoir on skiers right new?
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@Raceplate, thanks for such an in depth and informative response! For reference I was recently in Oslo skimore and could do everything marked "red" (which I understand is basically a French blue) and a few of the bits marked black which I guess in France would be an easy red so hoping to at least be able to manage folyeres off the bat but I think you're right about giving Fontaine a go first just to get our bearings.
I presume by poling people are referring to cole de la Loz? I seem to recall I went along that last year coming up from the loze chair so not entirely opposed to that if it makes things easier.
How would people rate Coq as a red piste in terms of difficulty? I.e. slightly harder than blue or slightly easier than black? I think we went down loze est before which was super chill but definitely interested in upgrading the challenge and so on.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@javindo, ok, fair enough, you may be better than I was expecting. Use Folyeres as a bench mark then. Both the start and particularly the end section would not be blue in a lot of resorts so see how you get on. You could also go into Meribel on Pic Bleu - that's a tough blue (much harder than Folyeres) and would for sure be red in Italy, for instance.
Coqs is my usual warm up run in the mornings for short turns. It can be lovely first thing but gets rapidly cut up during the day. Loze is probably easier and certainly wider and you can carry straight on to Tovets from there (you can from Coqs too but Loze is more direct). Both of them are easier than Pic Bleu into Meribel!
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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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| Ski Tyke wrote: |
| Actually, Plan Fontaine might be tricky next week, as part of it is right beside the race piste netting so I'm guessing it may be closed/ full of spectators, officials or some such? |
The race day is Saturday and I think the practice runs are the two days before so on those three days, yes stay away. I imagine the whole Bouc Blanc area will be utterly rammed full stop.
| Ski Tyke wrote: |
| @Raceplate, I never realised you can get to Bouc Blanc chair from Folyeres - usually enjoying hooning down too much but that's a good idea! Also good point about Dous des Lanches - easy to forget there's a bit of poling for those carrying less speed, although it felt like the piste has been re-profiled at some point since I was previously there and has a bit more gradient where the nearly flat chair used to run? Is the reservoir on skiers right new? |
Yes, the reservoir was new last year I think, maybe the year before. I don't think it's been re-profiled, what you tend to find is that it depends on the snow depth as to how much poling is required. I think it gains a little more gradient with a deeper base.
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On the way back from a top week in the 3V.
We were staying in the Reberty and it was wall to wall sunshine every day. The week started cold with very little wind. But the wind picked up and was blowing away a lot of the snow coverage on the highest points like Cime Caron etc.
We did a half day today before starting the drive home and it was almost t-shirt weather. It was noticeable that a lot of the snow/ice was dripping away more as the week progressed. Some of the pistes have very little coverage with hazard piles being used to mark rocks etc.
However, the vast majority of the runs above 1800 are in great condition still. Especially the VT slopes. Superb skiing all day.
Anything else lower (and a lot of Méribel) was a bit hit and miss between very hard pack, lumpy moguls and sheet ice in places.
Noticed that they were pushing about snow piles today before we left to top up the coverage (this was on the Orelle side).
Glad we were there this week because without anything on the immediate horizon things might get a little sketchy below 1800-1600 or so.
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You know it makes sense.
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No idea where you found the sheet ice in Meribel!
Georges Maduit down to resort was fantastic, runs around Dent de Burgin superb all week, Tougnette runs too.
Great over in Courchevel too yesterday. Plantry chair good a lot of use yesterday afternoon!
Run back to the LDV in Meribel Village good all week.
They do need more snow though, and off piste is a big no go with little cover. I suspect that is true for most areas though.
Mega day on Wednesday, bashing out over 120 kms and 13,000 m vertical, from Meribel to 4th valley to 1650 and 1550. Followed by a messy apres at the LDV!
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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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| JDL65 wrote: |
They do need more snow though, and off piste is a big no go with little cover. |
Plenty of good off piste to be skied - shady, low angled mid-altitudes currently the pick of the pops, steeper stuff - even sheltered North-facing - has been wind-ripped/crusted. Might be some good spring snow to ski now too as temps have gone up, though haven't been to look yet...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| JDL65 wrote: |
| No idea where you found the sheet ice in Meribel! |
The martre into Mottaret and the Lievre into Village were sheet ice towards the ends of the runs. Caught two of our group out, and many others around us.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| JDL65 wrote: |
Mega day on Wednesday, bashing out over 120 kms and 13,000 m vertical, from Meribel to 4th valley to 1650 and 1550. Followed by a messy apres at the LDV! |
Is that ski distance or total distance?!
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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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| Handy Turnip wrote: |
| JDL65 wrote: |
Mega day on Wednesday, bashing out over 120 kms and 13,000 m vertical, from Meribel to 4th valley to 1650 and 1550. Followed by a messy apres at the LDV! |
Is that ski distance or total distance?! |
Total distance during the day so includes the lifts.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Okay that makes sense - impressive days skiing! Good work!!
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Hi all
Long shot I know, but it's worth a go.
I lost a silver ring on Friday in Reberty. I wore it in the evening when we visited La Ferme for dinner. I checked with them before I left but no joy. Had a scan around the area leading down the steps and path towards the chalets but couldn't see anything.
It's monetary value is low, but sentimental value high. If anyone spots it over the course of the next few days then please let me know. I'd be eternally grateful if it turns up.
Thank you!
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Thanks again for all the earlier advice! So happy to be out here again.
Just in the spirit of providing reports on what we ended up doing; ended up arriving earlier than expected yesterday so got the mini pass for a couple of hours and got our laps of folyeres and Arolles out of the way then, this morning we went straight up and managed to get a few laps in on biolay before heading back via chenus for our imminent lesson. Very small dusting last night but in general the snow is in much better condition than our last trip so we're happy skiers
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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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Sigh. All models lining up for a positively hot HT week. My fair weather skiiers will be delighted but hope Alpina/CdAs are using the temps this week for snowmaking to good effect.
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FAQ
. I hope you have a great time.