 Poster: A snowHead
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| bobski62 wrote: |
| Sorry @Old Fartbag, I've not tried either but happy to look in and have a chat as you can find out a lot from a short discussion and peek at their workshop, if it's on site. Tomorrow I'm super busy but I can see if I can look in in the next few days. There's self-interest involved as it would be good to find a place that's a bit less of a schlep that can reliability do what you want. |
That would be kind.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| chocksaway wrote: |
| @Old Fartbag, I think Nicolas will be just fine. The building was sold to form a big plot with the Arbina for our next 5 star hotel. He was one of the last of the descendants of the original families to sell up. |
Do you or your network of spies have any insight? 
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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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@Old Fartbag, Sorry, I’m not that particular about ski tuning capabilities, I don’t think my skiing is good enough to notice!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| chocksaway wrote: |
| @Old Fartbag, Sorry, I’m not that particular about ski tuning capabilities, I don’t think my skiing is good enough to notice! |
If my skiing ability was better, it wouldn't matter! 
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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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Val d'Isere will be threading the needle with the upcoming weather as the rain/snow lines will be quite elevated... summits should get a lot of snow but the base may have a washout
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Any chance Les Brev/Aguille Percee pistes be open next week?
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Another week, another bash. After a fraught transport situation last weekend it looks to have been a reasonable week for early December. As for the next week its going to be a fast changing synoptic situation which means the weather is going to change rapidly, if you don't like the look from the window, wait for an hour it will probably change! Its going to be windy and theres going to be lots of precipitation and temperature changes so a difficult mix for avalanche risk assessment - be careful.
The Alps are right underneath the jetstream which means lots of unsettled weather; there is a conveyor belt of fronts heading across. It is going to be quite warm though so issues lower down with sleet and rain, but colder towards the end of the week. The snow will stop in the early hours of this evening, leaving a grey morning. A good time to leave because the precipitation returns after lunch, probably rain in Brev, wet sleet in Val D and snow above about 2300m, so not great for the roads. Its not that heavy so I don't see it ruining the snowpack, but it might make for some challenging conditions. The wind will pick up in the evening, keep an eye on the links if you are out late in the afternoon. Sunday will be book ended by snow, but after a few light snow showers stop just after breakfast it should be a reasonable day for snowing. But it will be blowing hard aloft so watch out again. Monday is going to be very snowy and windy aloft, and sleety in the resorts, more rain in Brev, the ran may extend to Val Centre, not a great day. Tue/Wed and Thu are 3 peas in a pod. Heavy fast moving snow showers interspersed with sunny spells. A lot of wind though, tricky off piste conditions I think. But much colder so it will be snow.
The models are varying with the rain snow levels in the first part of the week, so you are going to have to wait and see, a couple of 100m or so makes all the difference - but above 2300m a good hefty dollop over the week. As to the further opening of the resort, there is still no bulletin on the Pro site and the app has not yet burbled, another hour or so I suspect.
For those travelling the last few hundred metres or so might be tricky from early afternoon onwards - make a morning escape! For the aviators, the weather is quite uniform over the UK - fast moving rain showers, sometimes heavy. Around the showers, if you catch one, it will be bumpy so in the words of Hale and Pace at Yorkshire Airlines: Belt up and Shut Up!
Geneva will be fine but there is a reasonable chance of early morning fog in France, which, if it forms, will not bother operations at Lyon, it may slow things at Grenoble if it gets really thick, and it will close Chambery. But it should be gone by mid morning when the frst UK flights are scheduled to arrive.
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Right then @Old Fartbag, I popped over to Le Lac this evening. My timing wasn't great on a number of fronts. 5pm seems to be peak hour for the bus, so after the first one being totally jammed, ended up taking another one the wrong way but at least getting a seat once it had disgorged at the Grande Motte end of the line. The other thing I realised once I'd reached Mountain Story was that it was Friday, so rental return night. I had a good mooch about and the staff were most attentive asking several times if I needed any help, but I thought I'd come back when it was quieter.
Meantime, I crossed over to visit Precision Ski, (almost) opposite L'Escale Blanche. What with the Precision Ski in VC sending their skis down the valley to be done, I thought I'd check if this branch did the same. They do. At 6pm precisely they all get put on a truck and sent down to Seez to be done overnight. Sebastien, the manager, does not know if you can request specific angles but will find out and let me know. Given it's likely to be the same workshop as VC's Precision Ski, the answer might inform us both about the quality of the shop staff in each gaff and the quality of the technicians down the valley.
As I made my way back for the bus, Mountain Story looked way quieter so went back in again. In the basement all I could see was a waxing-roller machine which wasn't a great start. The waxing quality of these is frankly sh*t. However, I persevered and chatted to the chap on the sales floor: Anthony. He assured me that in the back of the workshop out of sight they have a full-sized Wintersteiger and he can happily do 1/2 - 87 if I wanted (though he queried if I was racing; I explained it was just for performance piste skiing, or at least my attempt at it!). I queried their use of the waxing-roller machine. To this he replied that it was only for their rental skis - customer skis always get a proper hot wax. Prices were 29€ for edge and wax, 59€ if any repairs are needed.
So there you have it. When my piste skis next need a proper tickle I might give M/S a try and can report back again. Ditto once Sebastien from P/S gets back as I think they may be more competitive on price.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@bobski62, I have to say, you are a man of your word - so thank you for the leg work.
I look forward to what you think.
I had even been contemplating taking my skis to SportSki Richermoz in VC. They are more known for their Bootfitting (sorted my Daughter out in Jan)...but also do skis and make a point of saying that they don't send them down the mountain like some of the big chains.
M/S is much handier.
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Thing is, sending them down the mountain needn't be a bad thing, if they go through a decent, well-set-up machine run by a tech who knows how to use it. And doing them on site (which many smaller French shops do) often ends up with the base grind being done on - effectively - an up-side-down belt sander, leaving ragged edges and a zero base angle. The better places will hand finish, but far too many are too lazy (and will argue to boot).
If you (or any other snowheads) do drop into messrs Richermoz's establishment, please do report back. I have had friends who have had boots fitted there and have been very happy, btw. Though one mate did have to go back the following year as his feet were in agony. The tech pulled the boots apart and then asked him if he always skied with two foot-beds inside the boot. "Ah, damn", he replied, "you made me custom foot-beds and after my holiday I put the original ones inside the boots for safekeeping" (and then he promptly forgot...).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The airport forecasts for later in the day have now been issued. Te winds around the showers are going to be very strong later especially at Brum and Manchester, but it’s roughly down the runway so shouldn’t cause too many delays. Good job there aren’t any ski flights into LBA tomorrow cos they are expecting 55kts right across the runway at times tomorrow, that’s beyond the limits by a significant margin 
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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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@bobski62, Thanks loads for your really helpful parking research! I was starting to panic about fitting my 2.1m VW Transporter anywhere in Val Claret, and my email conversation with Indego was as frustrating as it was useless! Much more confident now! 
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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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Saw a few folk I know at the bottom of Palafour today and we chatted about the retirement of Guy Clarey and how we weren't sure where to turn for our ski prep. I mentioned yesterday's research and that Mountain Story had a decent machine to base grind and edge locally. One fellow pointed out that Vallon Blanc also had a machine, so I thought I'd check them out.
I dropped in after skiing and at the back of the shop, they do indeed have a monster Wintersteiger. Just had a brief chat with the owner but he confirmed that he can happily edge to whatever angles are requested.
So, seems to be a case of "you look all year and then two come along at once...". They'll have to wait their turn but I'll try to give both of them a shot in due course.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@bobski62, So I take it that Vallon Blanc is currently open? It was suggested that it had closed down during Covid. I wonder if it's temporary, as @chocksaway has said that they'd sold up to make way for a 5* Hotel.
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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, staff inside looking busy and the machine having skis put through it. Other than stacks of what looked like rental skis, it didn't look especially well stocked, so maybe it is winding down. Guess we need some more intel from @chocksaway and any other sources...
But if this fellow Nicolas is working for Mountain Story (as mentioned earlier in the thread) then maybe the two places are effectively one and the same and the machine "in the back of MS's workshop" is so far back it's across the road!
I should have chatted a bit longer to the chap in Vallon Blanc but being Saturday everyone's pretty full on. Maybe another visit mid-week when its quieter.
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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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Well the rumour on the rue was the folks that bought the Arbina had bought the Vallon Blanc building, it didn’t look well stocked last season. This would have given a decent plot for a hotel. But then the chance to buy the Aiguille Percee came up which makes a mega plot and clearly a planning rethink!
Have a look here to see what they have acquired:
https://etincelles.com/en/results-page/
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Etincelles had bought Levanna as well.
It feels like slowly they have turned into a monopoly controlling all prices in Tignes
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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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| chocksaway wrote: |
| The airport forecasts for later in the day have now been issued. Te winds around the showers are going to be very strong later especially at Brum and Manchester, but it’s roughly down the runway so shouldn’t cause too many delays. Good job there aren’t any ski flights into LBA tomorrow cos they are expecting 55kts right across the runway at times tomorrow, that’s beyond the limits by a significant margin |
My approach at Manchester was very bumpy but the landing was fine. Back at home, in Guiseley later in the evening, where I can see the full approach over Leeds to LBA, I saw a plane coming in at 22:30, lights a blazing and for it to go behind the bump of Yeadon for it seconds later to go roaring into the sky on a go around, don't know how many landed at LBA on Saturday but it was very windy up my neck of the woods.
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@stevew, I was being a virtual spotter on Sat afternoon. There was about 8 or 9 diversions from Yeadon between 1600 and midnight. A couple got in as the gusts dropped momentarily, but of a lottery.
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| chocksaway wrote: |
| @stevew, I was being a virtual spotter on Sat afternoon. There was about 8 or 9 diversions from Yeadon between 1600 and midnight. A couple got in as the gusts dropped momentarily, but of a lottery. |
Doesn't surprise me it was quite horizontal the weather Saturday evening, but that's the first time I've been in the right place to see it happen, other than being on a flight that did it.
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Heads up for a road closure between Lac and Boisses at 1500CET. They are going to do some avalanche blasting. How long it’s shut depends on what slips down.
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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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True to his word, Sebastian from Precision Ski (opposite Arbina in Le Lac) got back to me yesterday to confirm that their workshop in Seez can do 0.5/87 if requested. Which suggests that it's the staff in individual branches that vary in quality rather more than the techs down the valley doing the work.
My personal thoughts are to give Precision Ski a shot doing my all-mountain and off piste skis, on a more standard 1/88 and give Vallon Blanc and/or Mountain Story my piste skis to tickle. Will report back but as all my skis were done end of last season before being put away and I keep the edges trim myself, this may not be for a while.
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As sis is coming out next week I thought I'd check the situation with trains between Bourg and Albertville - the November torrents put parts of the line out of action.
Work was due to be completed 9th Dec but as of today SNCF expect the train service to be reinstated Friday 15th Dec. In the meantime a bus replacement remains in place for all or part of the route adding around 20 minutes to the journey time and sometimes missing some intermediate stations.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| bobski62 wrote: |
| Will report back but as all my skis were done end of last season before being put away and I keep the edges trim myself, this may not be for a while. |
Well, your excellent detective work means that I have 3 options that are close by...that is if you haven't come to a conclusion before I come out on the 7th Jan as to which is best. If you are about, the least I owe you is a drink!
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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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Hi all! I'll be staying in Val Claret between Jan 13-20. Is there a boot fitter there that specifically has the correct equipment to mold Atomic's Mimic liners?
Cliff notes on the background:
* Because of reasons I always have a hard time finding boots that fit me. A month ago I tried last year's Atomic Hawx Ultra 110s GW which fit well! At last!
* Atomic's Mimic liners have received very positive reviews in some forums I've visited, _if_ they are properly molded
* The process apparantly requires certain equipment. The mimic material apparently isn't moldable after simply heating it up using standard equipment (note: not my claim, just what I've gathered by googling). Also, there are some other steps as well involved, like covering the liner with a sock so it molds better to the feat. Again, not my claim, just what I've gathered and been told.
* I used Atomic's dealer locator to find a suitable dealer, and there was one in my town! Yay! But when asking about this, they looked at me like I was an alien and said "we treat them like any other liner, we make no differences between models or brands". Hence, the Atomic dealer locator cannot be trusted to find a competent dealer.
So I'm hoping to find one i Val Claret that specifically knows the mimics. Any recommendations would be much appreciated! 
If none in Val Claret, then perhaps Les Lac?
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| Quote: |
just what I've gathered by googling
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I think you may be the victim of some internet voodoo rumours here.
I had mimics moulded last year and simple heat up and stand in process. They have been very comfortable and I would highly recommend them. At the end of the day any heat mouldable liner will mould to your feet even without heating over a few days of skiing, they will just be less comfortable until they bed in.
I would go with your local dealer and then at least if the shell needs tweaking all that can be done before you travel to resort.
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You know it makes sense.
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| bobski62 wrote: |
True to his word, Sebastian from Precision Ski (opposite Arbina in Le Lac) got back to me yesterday to confirm that their workshop in Seez can do 0.5/87 if requested. Which suggests that it's the staff in individual branches that vary in quality rather more than the techs down the valley doing the work.
My personal thoughts are to give Precision Ski a shot doing my all-mountain and off piste skis, on a more standard 1/88 and give Vallon Blanc and/or Mountain Story my piste skis to tickle. Will report back but as all my skis were done end of last season before being put away and I keep the edges trim myself, this may not be for a while. |
Why don't you do them yourself ? if you basefile your skis first (de-rail them), get a shop to stone them for structure and then hand finish them yourself to your desired angles that would make more sense. Most shops either use a robo-machine (don't start me), or belt them for edge and not do very much at all on the base edges. Almost every ski i've seen in the last few years, some exceptions, had structured edges which is not a good thing. They just get rammed through the machine on whatever pressure.
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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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@Taking_the_piste, I would try Sportski Richermoz - beside The Curling hotel. He made a good job of fitting my Daughter's boots in Jan (and did stock Atomic). https://sportski2100.com/
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi @orange, I agree with much of what you say and I do indeed keep my skis edged and maintained myself. But now and again like to take them in to a shop just as you suggest, for structure. My personal preference is for the edges to be set to what I ask for at the same time, but at least twice last year (and in seasons gone by) had to redo them myself (both base and side, in different cases) because they didn't do what I'd asked. No repeat visits to the establishments in question.
But a couple of questions for you...
By robo-machine, do you mean the big Montanas and Wintersteigers? And if so, would you be willing to share your views (sorry if that does get you started!).
I've also seen structure extending onto the edges on skis that have been serviced, but never my own - mine it's always stopped just short of the edge. Maybe it helps being picky about where I take them! Where I've seen this issue though, I've always imagined that it's because they've been ground flat and have had no base bevel applied. Is this your reading too?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well that was quite a week by the looks of things. It looked quite grim from afar, but at least it didn't wash that much snow away (when there's still snow on the roofs in Brev you know its not done that much damage to the pistes. But it looks glorious now and thats how its going to stay until the middle of next week, if a bit warm for the time of year. That. may help melt the ice that has formed on the cable car cabins, wires and infra. The cables were about 40cm in diameter with ice - they must be strong, hopefully a few days of sun will make it easier to get the ice off, I wouldn't like to ski under the wires!
High pressure is very much established until Wednesday and then it looks like a slow breakdown after that. So until at least Tuesday - blue skies and sunshine with light winds. But it will be a lot warmer than normal - even terrace weather if you are in the Sun! The change will start on Wednesday and, as ever, timings are uncertain, but it will cloud over and now showers will start sometime on Wed/Thu and the winds will pick up, it might be sleety in Brev.
As for the travellers, I believe Chambery airport is now operating again after it was flooded, hopefully are the kit required to operate charter airlines is working. There is a slim chance of fog there in the morning but it should be clear before the first aircraft are due. Everywhere else looks OK in France/Switzerland and over here a bit drizzly at times so when you arrrive in resort the blue skies will be a treat!!
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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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@chocksaway,
If the Grand Motte cable car cables have 40cm of ice on them that could be an issue if it all falls off in one go. I believe that happened sometime ago and the cables "sprang up" and damaged the cable cars.
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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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heading to tignes tomorrow conditions looking pretty nice anyone have tips for the best easy to access freeride/side piste areas? not taking my touring kit so safe and easy to access is most important! cheers
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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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@bpope, Have you been to the area before? There are some regular posters on here who are already in resort, so you should hopefully get some up-to-the-minute reports on conditions.
Lot's of lifts have near immediate access to the "side" off-piste areas. And these are often under, or in view, of the lifts.
Palafour gives access to the an unpisted but controlled area. (if it's open yet).
Tufs, the areas by the Stades.
Toviere, into Familiale (sp?) which you can dip out of before you dissappear out of sight.
The bowl below Vanoise which takes you back to the lift.
Borsat, the meadows.
You could do all these just on a Tignes area pass. But there's so much more to go at.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@bpope, Are you skiing tomorrow or travelling tomorrow? Forecast to be warm and sunny, everything is going to get baked pretty quickly. Paquerettes, the itinerary under the top part of the Toveiere gondola, could give great skiing though as its high, North facing, and not as popular as it should be, along with the off-piste skier's right of it. The itinerary itself probably won't be open. Whether this is simply because the resort rarely bothers to open itinerary runs before Christmas or because of avalanche, or other, danger, is a judgement that you will have to make
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Additional lifts opening tomorrow, copied from the App:
SKI AREA: opening of the following lifts from tomorrow December 16
MASSIF DU PALET :
Col du Palet ski lift
Grand Huit chairlift
Chardonnet ski lift
MASSIF AIGUILLE PERCEE :
Aiguille Percée chairlift
Chaudannes chairlift
Aiguille Rouge chairlift
Brévières cable car
Boisses cable car
Tignes rug 1800
Grande Parei ski lift
Brévières inclined elevator
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@welshflyer, Yeah, a finely balanced system is no longer finely balanced with that lot on it!
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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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| bobski62 wrote: |
Hi @orange, I agree with much of what you say and I do indeed keep my skis edged and maintained myself. But now and again like to take them in to a shop just as you suggest, for structure. My personal preference is for the edges to be set to what I ask for at the same time, but at least twice last year (and in seasons gone by) had to redo them myself (both base and side, in different cases) because they didn't do what I'd asked. No repeat visits to the establishments in question.
But a couple of questions for you...
By robo-machine, do you mean the big Montanas and Wintersteigers? And if so, would you be willing to share your views (sorry if that does get you started!).
I've also seen structure extending onto the edges on skis that have been serviced, but never my own - mine it's always stopped just short of the edge. Maybe it helps being picky about where I take them! Where I've seen this issue though, I've always imagined that it's because they've been ground flat and have had no base bevel applied. Is this your reading too? |
Basically a stone is to structure a base, nothing else. To do that you need to make sure the base edge isn’t in The way. So, in my experience, you need to have a nice flat base edge or a previously filed edge to make that happen. These big machine , fook me, ever watched one ? Dont. Sparktastic as they smash though the base edge. If you ever see someone stoning a pair of skis and sparking them punch them. Genuinely , if you are a recreational skier even 3-5 days a week you should be able to manage your skis-you should only structure them when the snow changes (or you’ve done a repair). The rest you do with a file in 10 mins way better than any shop.
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Cable car running again
Chambery running to schedule
Trains running to Bourg
It’s all going really rather well!
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FAQ
