 Poster: A snowHead
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@chopkins13, ahh perfect! Thank you!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Handy Turnip, no worries. There’s 2 underground car parks in Belle Plagne, so depending on which accommodation you’re in you’ll need either base or top (haut) car park. If you get the right one there will be a staircase straight from the car park into your building. It’s actually a really good set up.
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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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@chopkins13, yes we're in the upper car park - just wish we had the safely net of a reserved booking. Strange system, must be carnage at half term.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Handy Turnip, In about ten visits I've only ever not been able to get in once, and that was indeed during February holidays. You will find half the spaces are actually privately owned and have chains/barriers across - just keep driving and find an empty one - they can be a tight squeeze!
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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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We are on our way to La Champagny, but the roads have been absolute chaos. We expected it to be busy but not this. Does anyone know what happened?It seems there was a large crash on the N90 but can't find details. Just want some reassurance that my frayed nerves have some justification and it's not just the usual traffic!!
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| MummyChristmas wrote: |
| We are on our way to La Champagny, but the roads have been absolute chaos. We expected it to be busy but not this. Does anyone know what happened?It seems there was a large crash on the N90 but can't find details. Just want some reassurance that my frayed nerves have some justification and it's not just the usual traffic!! |
The missus took over 3 hours to do Lyon Grenoble this morning. Seems like a lot of people on the move today
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usual traffic
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Strikers blocked the road at Chambery and Albertville until the CRS (riot Police) cleared the road.
For the return trip you need to be clear of Moutier by 07:00/07:30 or sit in the queue for the tunnel there for a few hours!
All Tarrentaise, and 3 valleys traffic goes through the one tunnel with a speed limit 0f 70kph!
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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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| boredsurfin wrote: |
Strikers blocked the road at Chambery and Albertville until the CRS (riot Police) cleared the road.
For the return trip you need to be clear of Moutier by 07:00/07:30 or sit in the queue for the tunnel there for a few hours!
All Tarrentaise, and 3 valleys traffic goes through the one tunnel with a speed limit 0f 70kph! |
Ah, that explains it! I thought it was more than just the usual half term traffic. Noted re return trip - fortunately we already have plans to be past Moutier by 7:00am. Thanks for the heads up 
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Snow was getting pretty slushy yesterday, it felt a fair bit warmer than the week before. Some fairly sizeable rocks were showing through one some of the runs into Plagne Bellecote. At some point between 3pm and 4pm the Colosses chair was out of action and the crowds were unbelievably large and panicky, with people rushing the gondola, only to be told that the gondola wouldn't be running by the time they made it to the front of the queue.
Eventually the chairlift was brought back online, but I am sure a lot of people felt like they'd be needing to find a taxi back to their respective resorts for a while...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I was there until the 4th of Feb. It was already very icy and lacking snow then. My friend took a sizeable chunk out of his board on a rock mid piste. Snow is desperately needed. With the warmer temperatures arriving its not looking good
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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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@dave_3, I skied the 5th Feb and 9th and those conditions were heavenly in comparison to yesterday, it was a fair bit warmer yesterday too. Commiserations to your friend  I'm scared of doing the same to my skis in the coming weeks...
Undoubtedly the increased traffic due to the big school holidays has a large impact too.
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I took Colosses lift yesterday a little after 4pm, queued about 10 mins which I assumed is normal for the time of day. The rest of the family got caught up in a ruckus on the bus from Bellecote and the police were called after a group of teenagers attempted to barge their way on.
In general, snow conditions seem pretty good considering except for the odd hard/icy sections and popular runs getting mogulled early in the day (top part of Capella was surprisingly tricky). The lowest we've been is La Roche via the blue run this morning and it was fine down there too as long as you don't want to take the reds which are both closed again.
Does anyone know if you can get down to Montalbert just on blue runs at the moment, as a possible afternoon ski with the kids, also what kind of state is Fornelet in?
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You know it makes sense.
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| Nigel_SW wrote: |
| I took Colosses lift yesterday a little after 4pm, queued about 10 mins which I assumed is normal for the time of day. |
30 mins would be more like normal at 4pm. I looked at the webcam earlier and and the queues looked enormous.
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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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@davidof, it depends a lot on the moment/the time/the wave of people. It's the busiest it's been this season, but it's nowhere near queues in Bellecôte touching each other as has happened in the past.
Or at least, that hasn't happened yet this week as far as I know. I spend some time daily, over lunch, as a liftie in Bellecôte.
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Poster: A snowHead
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How is the blue run "Frete" on the glacier? I am checking the forecast for Saturday and apparently the freezing point will be above 3000m 
Would be great to take the other half up to the glacier, but she isn't ready for the red runs in my opinion.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Ruswit, Frete isn't really on the glacier.
As mentioned a few pages back a few of us agreed the glacier isn't worth getting too excited about anyway.
Plenty of other things to do that aren't such a schlep.
Been crazy weather conditions this season. Everywhere badly needs a dump now I reckon.
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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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@Layne, It's more to give her something to do whilst I do some of the harder runs, rather than leave her miles away. The choice for blues/ easy reds that start high and don't end up in a meat packer (eg. the 3 chairs at plagne bellecote) isn't astounding.
It has been a few years since I have been up there so I am sure the novelty will be enough for me. Granted, I am sure many others will have the same idea and the rickety télécabine will have a tasty queue even on a Sat...
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@Ruswit, I get it. Frete isn't that long but vaguely interesting so could do the job.
Saturday being changeover day is always quiet IME. A great day to rattle around and do those things you may not contemplate on others.
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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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Aye will be my 3rd Saturday this month, fingers crossed
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I actually love going up to the glacier. It's very special to feel so surrounded by nature. And then there's the fact that from next year on ( ? ) The part on the right won't be lift accessible anymore.
The slopes on the glacier all have a very difficult ''natural"/iced bosses entry for the first part, at the moment.
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@JulieAimeLeSki, I think every time I ski the glacier the moguls are icy 
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Reading with interest as heading out end of March for Easter, fingers crossed for good conditions!
Does anyone know if there's any websites with suggested day itinerarys / best runs in the area published? Not necessarily off piste, just routes to take that would make up a day, ideally with good restaurants suggested for lunch.
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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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| Ruswit wrote: |
@Layne, It's more to give her something to do whilst I do some of the harder runs, rather than leave her miles away. The choice for blues/ easy reds that start high and don't end up in a meat packer (eg. the 3 chairs at plagne bellecote) isn't astounding.
It has been a few years since I have been up there so I am sure the novelty will be enough for me. Granted, I am sure many others will have the same idea and the rickety télécabine will have a tasty queue even on a Sat... |
There's a couple of options on the Champagny side - from Les Verdons, there's a nice blue, Bozelet, and a nice red, Hara-kiri, which both start together and end together.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Handy Turnip, I know those runs very well, but I am specifically looking to go up to the glacier on Saturday, with the supposed scorching weather we are due.
The Kamikaze and Hara Kiri have been scraped bare quite a bit in the last few weeks, the snow is brown all over with large patches of ground coming through (especially on the kamikaze).
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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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| Ruswit wrote: |
@Handy Turnip, I know those runs very well, but I am specifically looking to go up to the glacier on Saturday, with the supposed scorching weather we are due.
The Kamikaze and Hara Kiri have been scraped bare quite a bit in the last few weeks, the snow is brown all over with large patches of ground coming through (especially on the kamikaze). |
Ahhh makes sense! Bit worrying that they've been scraped bare and are looking brown - I last skied them 3 weeks ago, and they were lovely then.
Yes if it's specifically the glacier then Frete is probably the only real option. It's a bit short, so she'll probably have to do loops - but that's not necessarily a bad thing. She could also just go up to the glacier with you, have a coffee and enjoy the views while you do a couple of hard runs up there.
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@Ruswit, I seem to recall that Fretes is sometimes largely in the shade. A better choice might be one or more loops of Levasset, retuning on Carella. Then whoever gets back first at least has refreshment options at Roche de Mio
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You know it makes sense.
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We're just back from a lovely sunny week on the snow. We hadn't skiied for a good few years and it was the first time for my 14 and 11 year old girls. They both had a week of beginner lessons with ESF at 1800 and both loved it. The older one was in an adults group but that didn't put her off. Instructors were friendly and spoke reasonable enough English. Overall we were very happy with our choice.
Snow conditions could obviously have been better but didn't spoil our enjoyment too much, although I spent a fair amount of the week skidding sideways down the the icier sections. We did Hara Kiri and Kamikaze on the last day - both perfectly skiable just a short section with brownish snow and the odd bare patch where they merge before the restaurant.
Some fresh snow this week coming will freshen things up, not sure it will be enough to see any closed pistes reopened though.
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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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First time ever dabbling in Paradiski - any recommended runs / areas to explore? Have done La Plagne a dozen+ times so even blues that let me explore will be good, but any worthwhile harder runs also welcome.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Ruswit In La Plagne I always like Sources and Inversens from Roche de Mio with the bonus that they are high up and can be interesting any time of the day. As to Les Arc the whole area above Vallandry and Arc 1800 is a mix of good reds, often not too busy and a mix of gradients. Plus blues for a mixed group or tired legs. If you are confident on a red then Aguille Rouge all the way to Villaroger (if open) is a great run, you get all types of piste conditions - great snow to slush at the bottom, all in one big thigh buster. It is long and takes you way over plus the queues from the cable car can be tedious to say the least. Watch for the timing home if you are over in La Plagne/Belle Plagne as it takes several lifts to get back over from Vanoise - only just made it one afternoon, suddenly we were the only people on the slopes but got over (just). Now I stay in Les Coches.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@scotski99, Thanks. I know La Plagne like the back of my hand, but this is the first time I've gotten the cable car across to Les Arcs, agree with the Roche de Mio runs ofc.. Haven't had any issues making it across from Champagny and back with time to spare.
Queues for the gondola up to Aguille rouge seemed huge... In fact the queues were terrible in general, no doubt that will be the case in most big resorts.
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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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@Ruswit, yes queues up to the Aguille Rouge can be a pain even in relatively quiet weeks. Waiting times of 30mins put us off going up in Jan.
Personally I always find the tree lined runs off the Derby/Grizzly lifts to be great fun. I can never quite remember the names but there are some fantastic reds.
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Looks like precipitation on the la plagne webcams - can't quite tell if it's snow or rain though. Wet snow below 2000m at best I'm guessing.
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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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Really praying for a decent dump in the next couple of weeks, arriving 11th March!
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@Ford, this is turn into quite a shit season it has to be said.
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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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Was snowing up top for the first time in 2.5 weeks. Was really strange skiing slush in a white-out whilst it was snowing!
Sadly the snow was almost sleet and was barely settling and down at Champagny village level it was actually raining which was a strange sight to behold.
On a side note, does anyone have any piste side restaurants they can recommend for a good onion soup that are also reachable by beginners on the Champagny side? I've enjoyed Inversens before but some friends are beginners so I am not sure about taking them back down the Levaset... The options I am comfortable with are Chalet La Rossa, Borseliers and Le Roc Des Blanchets.
I am not sure Inversens, Verdons Sud or Kilis will be great for them to transfer back from sadly.
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@Ruswit, I can’t comment on a decent onion soup, but Levasset blue from top of Roche De Mio all the way to its end at bottom of Borseliers is suitable for almost all beginners. Yes it’s long, but it is a fairly consistent shallow gradient and very wide for the most part. There’s a slightly steeper bit but it’s short and nothing that someone who can snow plough turn can’t deal with. It is round the corner after the tow-rope. Are you staying in Chanpagny? The rest of levasset down to bottom of borseliers is fine too.
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FAQ
we're still keen for him to have some lessons. Aside from seeing if he's interested in strapping a plank to his feet, any thoughts on whether any of the ESF / Oxygene / others options might be fun for him to do in the mornings? Thanking you all (must be about time to start checking the weather forecasts and webcams several times a day) 
