 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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Should it be here where I have circled?
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Didn't bother going up today, though really should have because that's going to be the last quiet day for a while, and with decent snow 
Opted to go down into Briancon and see what the local CAF is planning to do on Sunday, then on to Alpimat (great shop) and then down to Carrefour, well that was the plan!
Load of cars on the road, parked up bottom of Prorel lift and took a look at the notice board in the CAF then on to Alpimat, which was in the process of shutting for lunch at 11:55 (only in France on a very busy Sat with loads of tourists arriving).
Then down to Carrefour and was mildly shocked by the number of Eastern European coaches there. Did think couldn't possibly be that bad in there, so grabbed my trolley and was back out again in a couple of minutes, it was mobbed in there!
Drove back up past Giant and similar story with loads of coaches so passed on that and went in to dear old Aldi, which is a blessing as it is always so empty and if busy they are quick on the checkouts.
So that was my exciting day, with a nice dog walk in the afternoon.
So plan is to be up early and go down to Briancon and rendevous at the CAF, then if it's "on" drive round to Val des Pres in Val Claree / Nevache and tour up to the Bois de Granon, which is a new one on me and a tour I was thinking about doing with a mate next week.
Avalanche last Fri just above the Rif Blanc tunnel down from the Lautaret and that goes to show how bad it still is, as that's quite a safe area, though I don't know exactly where the slide occurred, though you do get slides in the Spring up there in the afternoon.
http://www.ledauphine.com/hautes-alpes/2015/02/06/deux-skieurs-indemnes-et-un-blesse-dans-une-avalanche
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@Weathercam, it was LUSH this morning.
Nice temp, sunny, no wind. Lovely empty pisted pistes and you could actually see things, which was nice.
Planned to have a quick blast around some pistes as only had a little time and no avi kit. Got tempted by the eychauda drag, two runs down the blacks off to the right (as look up loft) in soft but tracked snow.
Went up again and followed the ridge all the way along to where Isolee drops down and I must have only been the second or third person down that. Lovely perfect snow, did not feel at all like a marked black should feel! Couldn't believe I was within the piste markers.
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Very windy today here in Serre and looks like all the fresh snow is getting trashed in the high winds.
But welcome sunshine for the restaurants, though I suppose the skill if sitting outside was to keep your food on the plate rather than being blown away.
Also as to be expected very busy in resort now.
I ended up having a rather interesting day, I turned up early in Briancon to find out that the CAF ski tour was cancelled due to no takers (I didn't sign up), so I went on up there anyway, and hooked up with a local who tore my legs off, but was well worth it with some of the best tree skiing ever!
Picture and full story here
Maybe Italy tomorrow
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Italy's poo-poo at the moment, I wouldn't bother 
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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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@kat.ryb, the black runs are mainly 'brute de neige' , marked but not pisted.
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@Hells Bells, I've just never been on one so quiet with untracked snow, it was so nice. My only other exp of unpisted blacks is of them being icy mogul fields  I think its great they leave so many natural like that.
[img]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10101844428135009&l=5673a638c[/img]
[img]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10101845963667789&l=6598536bef[/img]
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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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| Quote: |
Picture and full story here
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Just read the report, sounded like a great day out and picture looked fantastic.
Maybe we can meet up for a bit of a ski next year D I plan of doing the same course at SC again for a fourth time.
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You know it makes sense.
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Seems to be like a good idea to go there  I have a little question. If you have a six day serre che pass you apparently have the right for 1 day in the via lattea. Do you then just go to that parking at Cesana and get a daypass there or is it more complex than that? And what about Montgenevre?
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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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@Weathercam,
Yes, very sad to read of yet another avalanche death. One of three brothers from Briancon touring from Laus to the Col de Chaude Maison - a popular route. RIP.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@bart_bdv, depends what you want to do? If it's over the next three weeks then Montgenevre will be busy as well, whilst Italy will be quieter.
Better to lunch etc in Italy as so much cheaper.
Driving to Cesana is a good move if you want to ski that part of the Via Lattea.
Just turn up at that gondola and exchange you voucher.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Do you expect it to be busier next week in Serre than new year say?
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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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@RetroBod, New Year is the busiest week of the year according to the Tourist Office.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I've heard that it's busy already up on the hill and looking at various car parks I can understand, but next week is when it's meant to be even busier.
But a good barometer as it were is that over New Year for a few days we see tail backs in the valley going from Chantermerle to way past us and the Ice racing circuit and we did not see those in Feb last year.
We've been away from the crowds again, this time in a French resort that is very special.
I'll post pics and story later as have some tedious work emails to deal with 
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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 both. The reason I ask is that we came over at New Year last year and was trying to gauge how much queuing we were in for.
As an aside I smile each time you compare and comment on the differing snowfalls between you and just over the hill into Italy. It was the subject of some poor information from our rep when we swapped knee deep powder in Chantermerle for ankle deep snowfall in Montgenevrre. We will be more careful this year!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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We are in Montgenevre next week, were thinking of exercising our Montgenevere passes over in Serre Chevalier.
Are you saying that we are better off in the rest of the Milky Way ??
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@Weathercam, what's the cost of a taxi Mongenevre to the Casana Gondola (heard it's quicker than going by lift )??
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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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@bruisedskier, no idea but there is a bus from Montgenevre to Oulx which should stop at Cesana. Then you'll have a ten min hike to gondola. Best to ask in tourist office as high season they increase number of buses etc etc
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and Kat.ryb that's why I asked you when you were finishing as I thought we might ski on Sat, but the rugby on Fri night got in the way
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Right, lets plan ahead to next year then 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Having a few tech issues with the Cam at the moment, so I've set up the static cam which I think is working though at home I can't see it on the internet only over my LAN.
Didn't go out yesterday due to volume of work and tech stuff, but it was so warm, we have the doors open.
Snow is rapidly disappearing on South facing slopes in the sunshine.
Forecasts keep changing for the weekend, and we should see some snow, but as to how much is anyone's guess.
I'm a bit jaded on that front now as we've not done too well when everywhere else has scored and that could well happen again this weekend.
Mate staying with us has to go to Grenoble on Sunday to pick his son up so that could be an interesting trip, and then it's a major "wait and see" as to where we actually go next week with Christian (guide) and same mate has some Yanks who he was with in the Antarctic and they are with another guide I know well so emails are flying around as to where we might all end up 
But in the mountains, how to make God laugh?
Make a plan
Up the hill now to meet up hoping that the hordes are having lunch otherwise I'll be straight back down!
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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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Was a good couple of hours up the hill yesterday. It's all about timing as to know where and when to go from around 11:45 to 15:00 as ski schools start coming down for lunch around 11:45 and then start the trip back up around 14:00.
Though it is not as busy as Xmas / New Year that's the joy for people out next week!
Hopefully major technical issues are over and would be grateful if you could test the cam as I can't see it on the page link over the internet only across my internal network, though was on the tech forum last night and the guy said he could see it ok.
I've zoomed the cam in far more and the driveway preset shows the cars and my van in the car park below so a good gauge to see how much snow we might get this weekend ?
I've also kept the static cam on a second page which is zoomed back so you can see the sky etc
So how much snow will we get this weekend??
La Grave looks like it's going to get bonkers amounts!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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It's working on google browser
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You know it makes sense.
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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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I see its snowing!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Not too sure if it's worth going up as not snowing that heavily
Just back from doing the "shop" in Briancon and fair amount of traffic coming down the valley and quite a few cars with chains on, should imagine another couple of hours mayhem will kick in.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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About 10-15cm fresh at around 2200, we didn't go high as viz was dire but just stuck to the trees and had some nice lines.
Back home all the snow is melting.
Getting a bit fecked off with all these forecasts that have failed to materialise - hopefully I'll be eating my words tomorrow.
Oh and if you don't know early opening of some lifts and on the website is mention of a First Tracks package but not available to seasonaires from the looks of things
Du 7 février au 6 mars 2015 c’est le XXL du matin : ouverture anticipée du Domaine Skiable dès 8h30 tous les jours
Monêtier : télésièges Bachas & Cibouit
Villeneuve : télésièges Casse du Bœuf & Forêt
Chantemerle : télécabine Ratier & télésiège Combes
Briançon : télécabine Prorel 1er et 2ème tronçons
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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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Any thoughts on what the journey from Turin via Claviere/ Montgenevre and onto Briancon will be like tomorrow afternoon?A friend of mine will be en route around then.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Coming down more steadily now, though still not a lot of accumulation, I'm hoping that there's far more up top.
@hedley, depends on how your friend is travelling, tour op bus, private car and obviously how much snow will fall and at what altitude.
If it's snowing as low as Susa then could be a long drive up from Oulx, but different forecasts are predicting varying amounts for tomorrow, though as @Hells Bells, advises the Col de Montgenevre is usually open but all it takes is one stupid Belgian in a black Audi to feck things up
As I've mentioned my mate is picking his son up in Grenoble tomorrow afternoon, and went over the Lautaret this morning early to ski La Grave with friends and will stay there tonight in the Edelweiss and have a rugby fest, then tomorrow he can get down to Grenoble.
But as for getting back, that's going to be a tough call, think he'll go Frejus and go Montgenevre rather than chance Lautaret, but will probably encounter Belgians in black Audis.
Then Monday we head off to Cuneo and the Val Maira for the week and lots of snow forecast for Monday!
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@Hells Bells, @Weathercam, thanks for the replies. I think they are on a transfer bus and I know the company are local,based in Briancon so Belgian Audis aside I guess they should be ok:)
Snow should set them up for a pleasant week though.
Nothing beats arriving in resort to a winter wonderland 
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Well I 'm a Belgian not driving a black audi but a grey BMW and i 'll be in serre in march, so watch out 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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So again the forecasts failed to deliver, in the valley we must have had all of 10cm but higher up was probably in the region of 20cm and at times I found a lot more than that!
So up even earlier than usual to grab the 08:30 Casse du Boueff chair (as they open some lifts early during the holidays) and we failed in that four Swedes were ahead of us in the queue
However what was great that there must have been all of twenty or so people and what was obvious was that none of them knew the area, so we did a few laps of La Foret chair getting the powder at the top and then totally empty groomed pistes back down to Aravet.
After that we then went over and had the Cote Chevalier bowl to ourselves for another couple of laps coming back up on the Cote Chevalier chair that no one was using as they were all opting for Clot Gauthier instead.
Had a chat with a couple of pisteurs, one who was commenting on my skis, which are the local ski, White Doctors. We then talked about Avi risk on the ridge off Eychauda and other stuff and how bad it's been this year with the number of fatalities etc
After another sweet descent of the bowl we did Clot Gauthier with some routes I know and found some nice lines (but was depressing as everywhere was getting tracked out so quickly), then once at the bottom saw that they had opened up Eychauda 
So was back up the Clot Gauthier and have to say it was not that busy for the chair as it moves so quickly, the Eychauda drag was a different story, and considering how much off piste is accessible off it, I'd estimate that only 15% of people looked like they might have any security kit.
To be fair they would not have opened it if the risk was acute, but bearing in mind I was only having a chat with the pisteurs around an hour earlier when I took the photo below you can see how logic would dictate that maybe one should take precautions, or at least only let those that have the right gear use the lift
We did ski along the ridge almost to the end and scored a beautiful line down. Then just above the cliffs towards the bottom I came across one ESF group doing it with not one back pack in sight!
Looking across to the Crete de Serre Chevalier with the Rocher De I'Enfer bowl in the foreground
Dropping down in to the bowl
And found myself in some nice trees and thought this deserved a snap.
So came back down around 11:30 and by Noon it clouded over with some more light snow forecast.
Not a bad morning considering it's the peak holiday week.
Now going to get my gear together for where we're off to tomorrow, and this is where we're staying
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@Weathercam, I'd have been pretty annoyed if I hadn't been allowed up the Eychauda drag due to lack of avy gear. There are several pistes down from there which is where we were heading. A lot of the people we saw on the lift were also heading for the pistes.
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FAQ
