 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
@Peter S, quite!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
My last day skiing for this trip and we went up GM with low expectations but actually it was turning to pretty nice spring snow in the Italian and Canadian bowls. You could draw a straight line across the mountain though where it turned from nice spring snow to velcro soup and it was getting higher as the day wore on. We called it at 1pm.
Im working remotely from cham next week while Mrs meltus enjoys her Easter holidays! I may need to chuck a sticky on Wednesday...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Looks a lot older from Tuesday, at least for a while.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Just back from one week in Chamonix.
Every weather and snow. From scorching hot on first Sunday with crust and slush- through to 45-60cm powder- initially touching the base- but then essentially bottomless, light and fluffy and snowing in town on Saturday morning.
Also- before the snow- lots of sand, then some dust on crust.
Fantastic skiiing Wednesday - Thursday with Lavancher, Italian, Canadian bowls in dreamlike conditions, also the Magic Forest and Tabe bumps and gullies. a bit of a skin from the Bochard resulted in acres of untouched powder.
Lots of telemark turns and new (old stock) K2 Coomback 104 anniversary editions skis worked perfectly with OutlawX bindings set at the midpoint stiffness wise (with stiff spring).
an attempt at the Valle Blanch on FRiday thwarted by high winds and poor vis, another party from our group had stayed at the Torino hut overnight and reported getting blown over.
Lots of locals out and so some displays of highly skilled boarding and skiing- trails of powder in their wake.
I managed to get powder down the front of my jacket / over the shoulder.
Very bouncy snow and according to the guides the best conditions of the season.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Also- bumped into Seb Mansart- the GB telemark coach- who I congratulated re Jaz Taylor. Some other great telemark skiing on show and the local boarders had their monster swallowtails out, and massive grins.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Basically Wednesday and Thursday were the best days skiing of my life, the first run we did from the gondola down to the Tabe lift- down a little steep section then gentle meadow like slopes- was perfection- silent effortless bouncing. I'd have been satisfied if that was the only run I did that day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We usually go out this week or next and the Montets is normally excellent. In fact you can usually still ski down Pierre a Ric except this year it was too mild to make snow down there effectively.
Sounds great. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cham day. Hope there’s still some pow left
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Vid of backflips off the arete please
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Does anyone know what the VB exit is like? Assume it’s a pole out and then can you walk up to the stairs to the Montenvers train? Any idea how long (for a kid)?
We had a very long schlep along the flat and then hike up to the snack place before skiing out last time but no snow for that now
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@BobinCH, not been down for a week. You will probably have to walk 20 minutes along the rubble covered end of the glacier as the snow melts in the heat but it should not be too arduous
Don’t forget there is a new lift from the snout of the Mer de Glace so no longer 400 steps up. About 30 to the new gondola.
Just make sure you are nowhere near missing the last lift up (not that you will be) as that now = a world of pain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| HammondR wrote: |
@BobinCH, not been down for a week. You will probably have to walk 20 minutes along the rubble covered end of the glacier as the snow melts in the heat but it should not be too arduous
Don’t forget there is a new lift from the snout of the Mer de Glace so no longer 400 steps up. About 30 to the new gondola.
Just make sure you are nowhere near missing the last lift up (not that you will be) as that now = a world of pain. |
Excellent. Thank you! I had heard about a new lift but wasn’t sure it was already running. Hoping to go early Saturday to catch the fresh snow this week. Think my son will love the AdM experience 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
@BobinCH, I suspect that you are not the only one with that plan for Saturday.
An early start may pay dividends.
Perhaps the last very busy day up there of the season.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| HammondR wrote: |
@BobinCH, I suspect that you are not the only one with that plan for Saturday.
An early start may pay dividends.
Perhaps the last very busy day up there of the season. |
Aiming for the 7:30 lift
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@HammondR, any tips for a hotel for tonight which is handy for town / AdM and restaurant for dinner?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
@BobinCH, we’ve stayed at Plan B twice - handy for AdM, less than 5’ amble. Good bistro opposite (little boxes), plenty other places within easy reach
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
@BobinCH, Cham's not huge ... even with skis ...
Heliopic nearly adjacent to lift.
Aiglon also close.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
@BobinCH, can’t add much to the above suggestions.
If open Little Boxes is jolly with good pizza.
Forecast looking a little less marvellous for Saturday than a couple of days ago but might still be ok. A couple more inches in snow later today will buck things up.
After a late start going to drag myself up the Grands Montets. Unfortunately packed all my skins and uphill paraphernalia away in a friends mazot yesterday (getting my going home on) so limited upside down touring options.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| HammondR wrote: |
@BobinCH, can’t add much to the above suggestions.
If open Little Boxes is jolly with good pizza.
Forecast looking a little less marvellous for Saturday than a couple of days ago but might still be ok. A couple more inches in snow later today will buck things up.
After a late start going to drag myself up the Grands Montets. Unfortunately packed all my skins and uphill paraphernalia away in a friends mazot yesterday (getting my going home on) so limited upside down touring options. |
Thanks! Some hazy cloud but should be decent viz until 11am so think we’re good.
Plan B and Little Boxes booked
Looks good up there now!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@HammondR, we had our skis summer waxed earlier in the week, currently in Scotland for a ! 21st ! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Seem some great pictures up on the GM. Today. May skiing is the best
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Soggy but good today! Visibility remains the challenge...
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
I'd not heard of "Plan B" before this thread, but happened also today to read that they are setting up another hotel in Le Fayet to coincide with the new gondola link into St Gervais. I hope that is a positive development.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
@under a new name, I have bunged my many pairs of skis (all skill compensators) in the same Mazot without the benefit of waxy protection.
I am tired and can't be arsed. Every year I become more slovenly.
Maybe I need an in-law at a ski shop?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Peter S, my friends agreed this evening that one day my headstone might read "I wish I had got up an hour earlier"...
Soggy from 2300 at midday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
@HammondR, it certainly helps.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
@BobinCH, nice! Better weather than I expected!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
@BobinCH, so much for my 30 minute walk to the gondola. It is a little longer now.
Interesting; your photo of the lake. Three weeks ago passing that same spot on skis we had a potentially serious incident.
The lake was about a fifth of the size with a surface like slush puppy. It looked about 6 inches deep. The natural ski line took you across the corner of it.
My friend followed me a metre to the right and was bogged down, then sank up to his armpits as the slush raft sank.
Dragged him out with ski poles waterlogged and chastened.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
@BobinCH, lovely pics and glad the weather held today.
We did the skin onto the Argentiere glacier today and are heading up the Midi tomorrow for a final VB run. May not be able to see much but I'm sure it'll be good!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@BobinCH, first time I skied the VB you could just about traverse to the gondola and I'm not that old
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| HammondR wrote: |
The lake was about a fifth of the size with a surface like slush puppy. It looked about 6 inches deep. The natural ski line took you across the corner of it.
My friend followed me a metre to the right and was bogged down, then sank up to his armpits as the slush raft sank.
Dragged him out with ski poles waterlogged and chastened. |
My son put his foot on a slush raft and ended up knee deep in it
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Arno wrote: |
| @BobinCH, first time I skied the VB you could just about traverse to the gondola and I'm not that old |
When you were a lad eh…
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Fantastic.
Lucky, lucky boys to be able to do that at that age.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Mike Pow wrote: |
Fantastic.
Lucky, lucky boys to be able to do that at that age. |
Too right! What a place it is…
We did the Grand Envers route and there were tracks heading left of the ridge back down to the Plan de l’Aiguille. Anyone know what that route is and if it has mandatory rappels?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
