 Poster: A snowHead
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I must say all my pre trip snow anxiety wasn't necessary. Today was my last day skiing in the Three Valleys and it's been a great week. A couple of gorgeous blue bird days, some fresh snow and cold temperatures most the week. I've loved it here and the place has lived up to all my expectations. Just need to come back one day and all the runs I missed 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Approximately 10cm snow overnight in Reberty, currently still snowing. Balcony temperature -5C.
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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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We arrived yesterday to glorious sunshine in la tania. Today we skied around courchevel 1650 and 1850. Light was flat all day and has been snowing all morning up top with some snow jn the afternoon. There were wind warnings but we didnt experience much wind. Pistes are in very good condition and we enjoyed our first day out. I think we might try meribel side tomorrow. Didn't see any sunshine today it was all behind snow filled skies. Now laying in the bath hoping I haven't seized up by tomorrow. Was quite proud of myself as I "nearly" kept up with the kids! Had a spectacular fall while standing still. My skies started to go back in a pizza slice and I couldn't recover resulting in my nearly doing tge splits and I threw myself on the floor on my bum and I thought my kneecap had popped but after writhing on tge floor in agony for 5 minutes while the kids stood there smirking I pulled myself together and managed tge rest of the day ok. But when I come back to tge apartment I cant lift my knee to my chest so god knows what that will be like in the morning. Gonna dope up on brufen! Lol
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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polo99, sounds like you're enjoying yourself 
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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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Snow coming down pretty steadily at village level in St. Martin at the moment and it's due to continue over night.
The pistes are in pretty good knick at the moment after the wee top we've had in the past couple of days. Off piste is incredibly variable due to the high wind levels but there's some good stuff to be had if you're willing to cope with pretty regular windblasted crud.
Hopefully it'll dump tonight, the winds will settle, the sun will come out and we can get some snaps to rival the Hokkaido threads. They make me jealous, supremely jealous.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just looked out the window and it's snowing down to resort level in la tania. It was fine and misty and looks like starting to form bigger flakes
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red 27, yes red having a great time so far just really worried about my knee and how I'm going to be tomorrow. Still can't pull my knee to my chest or kneel on my knee. It was like this straight after I done it though and was skiing ok so hopefully it won't bother me too much
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Looks like theres been a big dump in 1850 from the window, and still snowing lightly in resort now. Should be a cracking pow day if a little cloudy.
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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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Approximately 15-20cm in Reberty. Currently still snowing, balcony temperature -4C.
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Down in la tania resort level it looks like at least 6" has fallen judging from the cars outside. Still snowing lightly and the sun is just breaking through the cloud. Looks like it's going to be a nice day. Fingers crossed
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Am just back from a week in the 3V. Most slopes are in decent condition although the high traffic south facing slopes in lower resorts had a tendency to be a bit thin and gravelly. If you are into skiing on piste you will be perfectly happy with conditions. If off piste is your thing you will probably be disappointed. There are parts where you can get fresh tracks but cover off piste is hugely variable, and you have to accept that you will probably core shoot your skis/board. Watch out for the snowpack stability too because it is also pretty variable/scary.
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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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We skied into meribel today. When we got to the top of dou des lanches visibility was great and it looked like a perfect bluebird day. However bd de lose wasclosed meaning everyone had to ski down pic bleu. It was extremely mogulled with the soft snow that must have fallen after it was bashed. It was really hard work and we were exhausted by the time we got to the bottom. However we did blanchots foret and doron to the rhodos 1 and they were in perfect condition. By bout 2.30 it had started snowing again and visibility closed in by the time we got to the too of the loze chairlift. It snowed all the way down and light was very flat and snow hitting you in the face. Was glad to make it to the bottom. I nearly wimped out And took the bubble but I carried on  it's just stopped snowing now and I can see blue sky again. Is the pic blue always this mogulled? It was purely hideous and not enjoyable at all. I don't know why the bd de la loze was closed. Might go back into courchevel again tomorrow.
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Bd de la loze generally always closed after any substantial snowfall due to avalanche risk from the slopes above...
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You know it makes sense.
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polo99; The Boulevard de Loze has a steep slope to the left and with the heavy snowfall it was more than likely closed for safety reasons due to avalanche risk.
We went down pic bleu after lunch and agree it was well churned up and mogulled. I never know what to expect with this run, it is a busy route and can be fine one day and rough another. It does get a but thin sometimes with icy patches halfway down and even today where the snow was churned you could see the ice underneath. It seems you had a busy day anyway.
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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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Oh thanks for that. It was about 11am when we came down it. So would you say that between those two runs that pic blue is the easiest? Do you think it will make a big difference after the piste bashes have been over it? It's sort of out me off going that way
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Poster: A snowHead
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writhing on the floor in agony for 5 minutes while the kids stood there smirking
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little sods.  Hope your knee will be OK, polo99. Always the skiers weak point - I had a steroid injection in one of mine this morning.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yes Pam I think they thought I was joking or making it worse than it was but I was in agony. At every given opportunity now they reenact my demise! It was such a stupid thing to do from a stationary position of all things!
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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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pretty much every piste looked "churned" today, as it snowed through the night, so there was very little grooming. It's snowing again now, even down to 600m, so maybe more of the same tomorrow
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Its been a fantastic bluebird day today. Conditions have been fantasric. On piste held up amazingly and uts been really cold.. snow cannons currently on near tge troika lift. I hope every day is like today. What a difference a day makes. We skied courchevel side today and even the pistes facing the sun were only slightly cut up. Nothing like yesterday.
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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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Still not as good as last year though: queues, cut up pistes, too many t**ts about...and, went all the way over from VT to Couchevel to take the lads down Rochers: shut. Slalom gates on it.
Bast*rds!!!
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Hard to believe we were in the same place today. I didn't come across any queues and pistes were fantastic. We were mainly on blues and green. Yesterday was not good and pistes especially pic blue cut up so bad it put us off. Did anyone go down pic blue today? Just wondered how it was compared to yesterday.
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Beer induced rant, slightly, but true nonetheless. Which one is pic blue? Today was undoubtedly way better than yesterday- at the top of Creux I met a fellow Snowhead! So I'm not complaining, but compared to Cervinia/Zermatt 2 weeks ago, this is not as good.....
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Pic blue runs from the top of la tania into meribel. Bd de la loze was closed yesterday. Not sure if it was open today or which one is the easiest between the two.
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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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I skied down both today - bd de la loze is a flattish track and the easiest of the two, pic blue has a couple of steep pitches but is a really nice run, I wouldn't fancy doing it in poor visibility though.
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Ah, yes, I know where they are: didn't get anywhere near there today, so can't help I'm afraid..
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Continuous grey cloud at the moment: can see the tops though, so it could be worse like yesterday with howling winds...
Hoping tomorrow turns out clear and sunny like the forecast says..
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Yesterday we skied over to les menuires. On piste blues were awful. Very icy in lots of places. Weather was terrible and light was flat. Today we skied over to 1650. On piste snow on the whole is ok and in not bad condition however in places it is treacherous like today on the grandes bosses I didnt think I was going to get down the steep section as it was so icy and did consider taking my skiis off at one point or just sitting in the middle of it and crying lol but I gritted my teeth and made it down. The light has been really flat today again and up top been reall windy and snowy. I hope tomorrow is blue skies.
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You know it makes sense.
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did consider taking my skiis off at one point or just sitting in the middle of it and crying lol but I gritted my teeth and made it down
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bravo! The light has been awful here today too but friends who have been out skiing tell me the pistes were fine (I'm not skiing, mending sore knee). Wonder why it's so icy over there? Is it busy?
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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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polo99, doesn't sound nice. Please don't ever take your skis off because it's icy though - really can be dangerous. If you think it is too hard to side slip down on skis then you are going to really struggle in ski boots.
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Poster: A snowHead
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pam w, I'm not sure why it's icy in certain places. The piste we were going down seemed great at the top but half way down at the steep pitch it was just unbelievable. Jack just bombed down it like he was James Bond and I was sort of stuck in the middle, I couldn't see anywhere I could make.a turn and I couldn't side slip it either. The conditions have definitely taken it out on my poor knee! Conditions on the blues and greens of courchevel 1850 are definitely the best. Visibility also plays a factor too as for the last two days it's been reLly hard to see where you are going or the terrain under your feet. Lower meribel was also in good condition yesterday compared to the pistes in les menuires. Still some enjoyable runs to be had, the only problem is you have to go down the awful ones to rule them out. We will stick to courchevel 1850 tomorrow and with a bit of luck we might get some sunshine. It is amazing the difference a bit of sun has on your whole experience.
It's also quite embarrassing to think that given different conditions and different light I wouldn't have thought twice about coming down that run, yes I would have probably took my time as it was steep but I wouldn't have been put off coming down it again. The gelinotte run down to meribel yesterday was also another horror and really really scraped. It took us a while to get down.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 30-01-14 17:25; edited 2 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It wasn't at all icy last week, and given the weather since then like pam I'm a bit confused how it has become as bad as polo99 reports.
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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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Kieran it's not the whole of the runs, but certain bits where there are steep pitches they are all scraped out. Like the run yesterday down the pelozet was fine, the snow cover was great until you come to the last section of about 30ft which was all scraped and icy. I really struggled with that one because of this bare section. The rest of the run had been great. Would I do it again? No! My son who is a dare devil would probably have a completely different opinion of how I saw the run as nothing phases him, so this is what it is.......MY opinion
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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polo99, get your skis serviced or get some lessons. I went through LM yesterday morning and it had fantastic grippy snow everywhere. Some of the best snow I've ever experienced there and was terrific fun before the sun went in. The black off the top of La Masse was pisted and smooth which is extremely rare. Same today around 1850/Le Praz/La Tania, yes some flat light but excellent grippy snow, not proper ice at all. If you're struggling to ski 'scraped off' areas, learn to do short turns and stick to the edges of the piste which will still have plenty of snow.
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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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Oh yes silly me I shouldn't have an opinion. Yes you are right. Conditions are just fantastic, it's just my poo-poo skiing that's the problem. I won't bother commenting anymore on what my opinion is.
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polo99, that makes sense - thanks for clarifying. And I know what you mean about a bit of sun making all the difference. Not being able to see can turn an otherwise simple blue run into something much harder. Courchevel often does seem to have better conditions than the others (though not always the case!) especially over in 1650 where fewer people venture, so I think you've got the right plan.
Please do keep commenting, as it's good to know what's going on.
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a.j., there were scraped off and firm pistes around last week, but definitely no blue ice!
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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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No aj definitely not blue ice, maybe ice is the wrong interpretation. To me it looks like ice as it is just a sheet of nothing to grip to but maybe it is just scraped hard pack to the seasonaire. As I said above there is plenty good pistes and snow to be had, you just need to know which pistes. As I am taking my time as I am nervous and therefore going slower, I definitley see every lump and bump on the slope. My son jack bond or jack clammer would be writing a totally different piste. It just really annoys me when I don't seem to be entitled to an opinion of how a slope is in my opinion. I've already reiterated that everyone's opinion is different. There were people fleeing down the bit I wanted to sit down and cry on, probably raceplate! So really please don't worry, it's only in sections of certain runs where there seems to be these sections of scraped ice (the bits I struggle with that I class as ice but probably isn't ice)
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FAQ
It's a relative speed/experience thing and you know it - no need to be mean 
When you are travelling slowly and a bit wary you see obstacles others are over before they even register them. The harder snow isn't a problem when you are travelling at a fair speed, with some angulation and fairly fall line ish. It seems like terrible ice if you are trying to make careful wide turns and haven't skied proper ice (translucent and blue/grey, the white stuff is just hard pack). I know the home slope to arc1800 ISN'T actually ice, but I still call it icy, because it is very hard and overskied and full of folks falling over.
Hang on though - I've seen the video of you skiing - I think your icy and mine might be different 
