 Poster: A snowHead
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We're in Carroz from Monday and with this snow we'll stay local and enjoy it, and the restaurants!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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janner, looking at the temperatures at the back end of next week, I think we might be staying lower anyway.
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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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ringingmaster, unless the aup de veran is fixed the queue for the dmc can be a pain. Maybe another factor to avoid flaine.
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Just back from a four day trip... too busy to report whilst there, courtesy of large amounts of great snow and a small helicopter incident. Skied the whole area. The snow was superb everywhere...oh all right it was very slightly heavy for the last 50m down to Les Esserts. Saturday morning's surprise good visibility was a great bonus. By the afternoon the snow had returned and could see nothing at Flaine (felt all those bumps I didn't see though....) Off piste was good although I could feel the hard moguls under the powder below the Gron and Molliets chairs. I see the forecast os for the first really cold snap of the season. Good news. I'm even prepared to believe the snow forecast 9 day "prediction" that it will snow heavily the day before I next arrive.
My tips for the very best snow (if you can see it)
Lindars nord
Directly under the non functional Aup de Veran
Vernant anywhere
Samoens front face
But,as I said, its all good
Have fun.....
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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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... And the helicopter incident? Don't leave us hanging!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just back from a fab week in Flaine. Granted we didnt go too far as we had kids in ski school and piou piou so with drop off and pick up time was very limited. The snow conditions were brilliant snowed every day bar thursday which was hard going with no visability but it didnt spoil the skiing. On the plus side when we could see on thursday it made you realise just how much snow there had been. For those going next week have a brill time.
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I'm skiing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week from Morillon, now big question.... Which skis to bring? Fat skis or all mountain skis? DO I bring shovel, probe etc?
How's the off piste?
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Have you guys seen the forecast for next weekend on snowforecast.com - it says the max temp during the day in the valley is going to be -10 and up top max is -18 for Friday 3rd! The minimums go down to -33 and that's without windchill. That's incredibly cold for europe isn't it?? Getting a bit worried since we're heading out in the motorhome for half term - our heating is good but never had to try it that low before!!
casals
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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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| k1orange wrote: |
I'm skiing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week from Morillon, now big question.... Which skis to bring? Fat skis or all mountain skis? DO I bring shovel, probe etc?
How's the off piste? |
Off piste excellent. South facing slopes still have hard lumps under the fluffy stuff. Everywhere else great. Snow light. Not deep enough to need fats. I have a pair of coombas and a pair of x wing furys (ie 1 fat , 1 all mountain) in resort and didn't contemplate the coombas last week and over the weekend. Ava risk not that high but I never ski without an arva, shovel and probe now anyway. They don't work if you don't carry them.......
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| stevo_the_saddler wrote: |
| ... And the helicopter incident? Don't leave us hanging! |
Ski buddy taken from behind (??) by a racing snowplougher as he slowed down by the bottom of the gouilles chair. Concussed, neck and chest injuries. Talking gibberish for 20 minutes after the accident. It broke his helmet! Piste covered in nose bleed. Pisteurs possibly went a bit over the top (in my professional opinion) but quite rightly they err on the side of caution. Language barriers and a piste for a clinical assessment unit don't aid accurate diagnosis. Was helicoptered off the hill, allegedly en route to hospital in Cluses/Sallanches but in the end was taken to the clinic in Samoens and was fortunate to get away with soft tissue facial injuries, whiplash, bruised ribs and a stiff shoulder and hip. Seriously curtailed his skiing for the trip. Just goes to show you that the most dangerous thing on the hill is other people. Even more reason to stay off piste.
Post script. He's still talking gibberish 4 days later but is looking forward to his next trip to the GM area in a few weeks. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| ianbradders wrote: |
| ringingmaster, unless the aup de veran is fixed the queue for the dmc can be a pain. Maybe another factor to avoid flaine. |
It'soften quicker to use the Tete du Verde chair which runs under the dmc and gets you half way up. If you want to get to the top / Mephisto then ski down to the Diamond Black chair (slow chair but at least you're moving, not queuing plus you get to see people struggling on the Diamond Black (like me  )
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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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billb, I do that too. Plus, the new fast lift that takes you from hlf way, up to the top (but further left) makes it more pleasurable than the DMC (hate stand up gondolas)
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You know it makes sense.
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any news on the Aup De Veran lift?
Is it repaired already and in use?
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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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DELOO, Welcome to Snowheads!
Not open according to Grand-massif.com suspect it won't be this season - might make February a little busier elsewhere in Flaine, but doesn't stop access to any of the pistes as there is a route across from the DMC lift this season (which I haven't seen open for years - not sure why)?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Ok thanks for the answer.
I am going the first week of march to flaine, and I was hoping it would be open.
Because I read on some french websites they hoped to open at the end of January.
I hope the begin of march is already less crouded.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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stevo_the_saddler, and DELOO, according to ski instructor friend I talked to last week they are hoping to open it ready for vacances scolaires, so sometime in feb??? The new cable is fitted as mentioned earlier...but who knows....it would not be good if it fell off again
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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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Snow is really good today - less heavy than yesterday. Still can't see it though... Have just braved a run from Tete de Saix across to Morollon, having abondoned Flaine as the fog rose higher. The Arrete was... interesting...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| carroz wrote: |
| stevo_the_saddler, and DELOO, ....it would not be good if it fell off again |
Indeed 
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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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| DELOO wrote: |
any news on the Aup De Veran lift?
Is it repaired already and in use? |
Not working. I quite like the route directly under the Aup de Veran. Nice off piste snow getting steeper and trickier as you get lower. Also not much used this year so often untracked. I've been down it a few times this season and always seen people working on cables. this suggests that it is going to open at some stage. As for when....Les vacances scolaires would be a good bet.
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| stevo_the_saddler wrote: |
chrisheath, Oh dear, glad all OK in the end. My ski buddies' also talk gibberish - it would be difficult to tell the difference too.  |
Listening to the gibberish does pass the time on those slow chairs though and gives me an incentive to ski off quickly at the top.
Glad to see it's going to be mind numbingly cold this week...stops the snow deteriorating
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chrisheath, glad to hear there is no lasting damage to your buddy. Hope the p*i*k who hit him came off worse but that never seems to be the case.
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It started snowing around 1400 hrs yesterday, and so far I don't think it's stopped! The powder was fantastic this morning, but by 11am it was really choppy in places - Portet and Bergin weren't fun. Samoëns was still pretty good this afternoon - came down the Dahu around 1430, and the snow was still pretty soft. Called it a day by 3pm, getting damn cold up there, and the fog was coming in again. Here's hoping we get some sunshine tomorrow!
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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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We arrive into Geneva about 9 tonight, and heading up to Sixt . Are the roads ok?
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ringingmaster
It's still snowing at 19.10 and hasn't stopped all day - a lot of snow has come down. Think you should be okay as the road out of Samoens is being kept clear. Don't plan on doing the journey in record time!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The sun poked through at about 4pm in Les Carroz, but soon went again and snowed all evening. Forecast clearer and colder tomorrow. Snow should be in great condition.
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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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I am jealous..........enjoy it! 
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ian999, Thanks
Well we got up from Geneva in about 1 hour twenty, so that was OK. From Samoens on it was driving on grippy packed snow.
As I have WiFi in the hotel, I will post conditions for the three days we are out here.
Cheers
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You know it makes sense.
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Hi, I am not used to such cold conditions as forecast for the next few days. Should I expect all the roads to be icy ?
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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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biolb85, not normally an issue if cleared, but if there is packed snow they will be. If you have a hire car from Swiss sector of GVA, it will have winter tyres which make things amazingly normal... chains may be required on steeper inclines.
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Poster: A snowHead
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biolb85, Welcome to snowheads sir!
the road from les Carroz down to Flaine can get a bit icy in the shadier parts during the mornings, so if that is your route take care, especially when braking into bends.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks for the answers. I will be renting from the French side. I don't know yet if I will buy or rent chains. I tried to book a shuttle last weekend for tonight and none were available. So I had to rent last minute. Taught me a lesson for the future.
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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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biolb85, French side, turn left as you emerge from the airport road at the Douane. Take first exit at roundabout and then first into Le Clerc at the next roundabout: Should be able to get chains there.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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biolb85, What a hassle - easier on Swiss side IMHO.
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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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 Well today was fun! Most of the skiing was in sunshine in the morning, but by lunch, up top it was great in the sunshine but mid station foggy with patches of poor vis. The top of the cloud gradually rose during the day, so the amount of piste that was in the sun diminished until just the tops were peaking out by close of play. Down below the top of the cloud, it was closed in in places, but never felt as cold as the -15 indicated on the board.
The snow on piste was excellent - really good - grippy & squeky. The only exception (of the ones we skied on) was Portet - it was firm, and could have done with some sun to soften it a bit. The off-piste was generally light and fluffy ut getting well tracked by mid afternoon. Had some fun in the trees in the Morilon area.
The only queue we encountered was getting out of Morilon just after lunch. The Sairon lift was out of order, and it took about tem mins to get on to Les Esserts. But they are a slow set of lifts, and it seamed to take an age to get to the top of Biollares.
All in all, a great first day even in Grand Massif.
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Sounds fab. Thanks for updates only 4 weeks to go. Can't wait!!!!
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BTW -I've posted elsewhere on SnowHeads that I've had cancellations for Samoens and so have availability from 11 February onwards if anyone needs a bargain February.
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Planning to be in Samoens Wednesday PM to Friday PM if thre are any fellow Snowheads around?
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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 can't remember seeing so much snow in the GM on the webcams as there appears to be now - the roofs of the huts must be straining... can wait for a week on Sunday now
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stevo_the_saddler, I remember depth's of >5m in Flaine and >4m in all but Sixt which had waist high powder several days running so that was either 2004 or 2005 
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