I'll wave at the Camera on Monday morning! Yeah, Pontilas is said to be our nearest lift. Glad I made my wife have some Cat 1 goggles for this trip. Even if I DID buy them for her....
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Wow there has been some SERIOUS snow! Very envious.
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?
And as ever, have the usual transport concerns as I have to get one daughter from here to Grenoble airport tomorrow to catch a bus to Tignes (as I refuse to drive up there again, especially on a Saturday with bad weather), so will face the options first thing in the morning.
Lautaret - will it be open, then if open will be fine driving down to the dam probably before picking up all the muppets from LDA and then ADH onwards to Bourg
Montgenevre / Frejus hopefully light traffic going up early in the morning and the muppet factor not too bad down to Oulx, negative yet one more ticket used from the carnet
Gap, never done that before, so not too sure it's an option unless we wake to serious shed loads of snow (watch that happen)
Well how spectacularly did that backfire ?
Left here at 08:15 and Col was open, was pretty bad at times with a lot of wind but nothing like my last trip. Snow on the road pretty well all the way to the damn (Deux Alpes turn off).
Made it down to Grenoble in enough time to do some shopping and drop daughter off for her bus, think we left the airport around 11:30 had a really good run back to Vizelle and traffic coming down was beginning to stack up but going back towards Serre was good and signs showed Col was open.
Past Bourg lot of traffic on the way down and I was a happy bunny, however as we went over the damn there is a sign around 500m pass the Clavans turn and it had Col Fermé !!!!!!!!!!!
There was still a shed load of traffic coming down and some going up, so I took a chance, but after five kms or so near Les Freaux just below La Grave loads of cars and coaches were stopped, and on talking to various people "yes indeed it had just shut" !!!!!!!!
So turned around with a few others as I could see the potential of grid lock and I just wanted out of there, thought I'd have to go back to Vizelle, which I was dreading then on to Gap, having seen the earlier traffic.
As I neared Bourg I remembered a stage from last years Tour de France from Gap to Bour and ADH, and signs had the Col d'Ornon open, I could see cars turning off to go up there so duly followed, and sure enough twas a route to Gap without going back to Vizelle.
Only problem was that we picked up the main road that all the Grenoble traffic was using and it started to snow quite heavily, and outside Gap was pretty bad with people putting chains on and stop start stop start.
It got moving again and was not too bad till after Embrun and then snow was heavy again, and this time loads of cars were stopping to put chains on, ironically after Argentiere road was quite clear, but still had cars doing 20-25mph.
Journey back was just over six hours, think that was karma for not taking my daughter to Tignes in the first place.
But in those six hours I saw some crazy stuff, and at one point I was seriously worried that it could be a night in the car due to various muppets doing stupid things that could result in the road getting blocked.
We had blankets in the van and reasonable clothing, but not a lot in the way of food and drink.
I was so glad to get home arrive and I've subsequently sworn never to drive on a Saturday again, well until next time
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
A couple of pics pretty well describe the morning as I caught up with some "gay" mates and sun came out
This is off Crête de l'Eychauda
After all it is free
After all it is free
Back for lunch then took OH out up to Monetier for some nice steep tree skiing, not the usual route down from the Crête de Cibouit but a gnarlier route down a big chute with a bit of a drop in that links up half way along the Montagnolle run out.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Nice. Loks like more snow to one this week
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
What is the 10k run in SC?
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
t40ora, might be the army medical core, they have various events all this week (we met some tonight in a bar), though all their events are Nordic as well as a few Alpine - there was a big 30km run up pass Lauzet and back a few weeks ago on the weekend though??
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.
More snow in the early hours and was snowing heavily up to half an hour ago, but has stopped for the time being
Day off today, have to do some work and catch up with stuff and give the knee a rest - though viz now looking ok
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
t40ora, are you talking about a piste?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Snow's back but so light powder you can hardly see it falling out of the window, only when you have a dark background behind it.
Hells Bells, good question, didn't think along those lines
Only 10km runs I can think of are x-country
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
t40ora, Interestingly, a quick search on line for the longest ski run in Serre Chevalier turns up various distances from 6.8 to 10km. But none of the sites name the piste(s) in question. As with many such sites, they are probably copying the info from one to the other so once one site makes an error it gets perpetuated across lots of sites (I found the info on 3 different sites, so it must be right, yes? !!!).
So, how do you judge it and what are you personally looking for? The longest named run? The longest distance of continuous skiing at the same standard (eg Blue top to bottom). Or the longest continuous descent regardless of colour etc.
My guess is that something in the Monetier area (eg Pas de L'Ane followed by Rochamont) would give a long run of continuous blue. Some of the meanandering greens using the Summer roads must be pretty long too. Then you have options like from the top of the Eychauda drag all the way down using black, red, blue, green...
So, probably you could figure out some pretty interesting options that would be round the 8km mark.
All good fun and keeping you moving.
Let us know what you find. With all the GPS technology available I'm surprised someone (apparently) hasn't done it yet.
Weathercam, something to keep you amused on easy days? Find the longest run and challenge all comers to beat it?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
The run down from porel to Briancon must be fairly long as well about 1500 metres of vertical drop and as you say from monetier top to bottom albeit on several named runs gives a 1300 metres vertical drop. I'm not persuaded that either would be 10k perhaps 7 or 8.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I've had someone ask this before, and it turned out to be Alpe D'Huez they were thinking of.
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?
The Sarenne in ADH is supposed to be 16km in length. Supposedly the longest in the Alps if not the world!
The Prorel Red (a few options) down to Briancon is a great run but it's fairly steep overall and therefore shorter than other candidates in the valley. The options (Red/Blue) round the back of the Prorel (via the bottom of the Rocher Blanc lift) are longer but some flat sections and often out of condition because that side faces south. Worth doing if the conditions are good though. Plus I don't think it's quite 1,500 metres of decent. Briancon is about 1,200m altitude and the top of the Prorel is less than 2,440m.
Hells Bells, always amazing the conditions up there compared to here.
On Sat am when I drove over the wind only really kicked in at around 1850 on this side, but then carried on the other side all the way down to Villar d'Arenne
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.
Snow looks great and the dogs look like they were having fun
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
See the annual dog tossing contest has begun. Sadly you can't do that to a golden retriever
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
dan100, I'd probably do myself a permanent injury if I tried it with a German Shepherd.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
RSPCA called after dog owner tried to drown jack Russell's in snow
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
odds on some sickening pictures of weathercam appearing waiste deep in powder appearing later (where is a jealous emoticon when needed). Webcams look stunning today
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
dan100,
Have some nice shots from today
But have come back to a fair bit of work to do, but here are a couple of tasters
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?
Definitely setting RSPCA on you Looks a great day.
Very jealous
Sadly my skiing isnt good enough for tree skiing or powder generally but I'd have fun on a slope like that top picture. Wide not hideously steep I could live with - the walking to get there hmm probably not
In the end did just over a couple of hours on my lonesome as Mrs WC does not like zero viz, actually as ever in the trees was not too bad, but in any open bowl had to ski a little reserved.
I took myself over and played in the trees around the Aiguillette chair, though as I don't know that sector too well didn't venture too far into the trees, might well go there tomorrow morning as its looking like first lifts again.
Weather was quite foul at the top of the chairs has to be said, and only a few nutters like me out and a few valiant ski school groups
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Booked up for April 5th, should be good with all this lovely base laid down
After all it is free
After all it is free
Weathercam, good to see you in Cocoon. Definitely aiming for first lift tomorrow. I guess that the 10km run is a link of several pistes together. Mind you, we just about managed Cucumel and Bez today! It was interesting at the top today
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.
t40ora,
Be sure to let us know if you find the fabled 10K run. Fame awaits!
Apps like "Map My Run" or "ViewRanger" (both free) should do the job.
PS, the latest in a long line of Atlantic storms is battering Ireland and the UK right now
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Had a great morning skiing powder pretty well all morning, only touched a piste on the way back down from Frejus.
Viz was really good with long glimpses / short spells of sunshine.
Light has gone a little flat now, but have some work to do and will pass on this afternoon.
Best run of the day, second run using Eychauda drag along the ridge pretty well as far as you can go.
Shame the Col was shut till 09:00 as all the UCPA groups (full of Swedes) were trashing everywhere here, when usually on a Friday they'd be doing their day in La Grave, pre the popularity of UCPA you could do that ridge three or four times without seeing too many tracks
Weather looks like it might well be getting warm in resort, could well see some rain
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
