 Poster: A snowHead
|
Excellent skiing whole of sairon into 1100 les esserts trying les carroz tomorrow so will let you know. Trees bowing under weight of snow all the way up to tete de saix.
Snow not lacking now bit churned up by the end of the day but will be fine again in the a.m.
Boarders making great tracks under the sairon chair. Off piste looks great but some cracks visible avalanche risk must be considered. Off to bed now have to be up early to make the most of all this white stuff.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
rhsr, Is it just the two of you and a baby? Me and my OH are juggling childcare so one of us boards and the other looks after the 2 babies so if you want someone to ski/board with or join in our little creche, let me know! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Another great day today. Les Carroz all skiable, combe patchy but perfectly skiable Timalets and marmotte well covered and brill. Sunny up top all day but cloudy in middle... peasouper. Lanche chair mad busy as yesterday and at around 1ish today, badly needs a bigger faster chair. Marmotte to samoen pretty churned up at that time and in thick cloud. Back up top sunny down to dolomie and a fab run down it. Home down sairon thru clouds. Bubble down to morillon so so busy if you don't get there by 4. Nice soak in hottub, lads gone to watch match...go on the blues...me ready for sleep. More tomorrow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
snowmam, Thanks for the updates. We tried Marmotte last week but it was too busy / churned up so we diverted on to Dahu and cruised down to 1600. That "new" chair back up to Tete de Saix really improves the upper mountain uplift if you need to get back to Flaine quickly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
billb, That new 6 man is a Godsend. Just need one at the Lanche and the bottom of Morillon and then I would be exstatic
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rumbling rumour by the way... I have heard of plans (prob a few years off) to link Morillon 1100 and Samoens 1600 under the Lanche lift area. Would be fantastic if they could as it is a lovely big bowl... although it is prone to avalanche towards the top part.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Opening that bowl would be very good news. Grand Massif creeps upwards 300km......
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Back from 1/2 term in Les Esserts, which to be honest wasn't as bad as I was expecting.
There were some queues (got well stuck at Lanche one day), but with some judicious itinerary picking you could avoid them a little, we had the Sairon blue to ourselves (briefly) in the sunshine on Friday, although it was a bit of a traffic jam come 4.30 to 5.00 back down to resort.
All sorts of weather, the snow came much needed on Sunday and Thursday.
Still a great cup of coffee in a great setting at L'Igloo at the top of the Bergin chair lift.
GM is great, more snow and less mud would have been welcome this time, but for a 1/2 term week I didn't think it was that bad and as I said certainly not as bad as I was anticipating. Nice skiing with two little ones too, seeing them progress (quickly) through the week was very rewarding.
By the way does anyone know when the L'Beu restaurant opened, it's on the left on the bottom of Sairon just before Les Esserts.
Have to agree regarding a 6 man chair at Lanche too, maybe a covered one as well it's always freezing cold there. Interesting view of what is behind the nets on the Pierce Neige too from that lift 
Believe it's snowed abit since we came back so conditions should be ok.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Freestyle, thanks for the offer, much appreciated. However, there are actually 4 of us + the baby, so we'll be pairing off to take it in turns with baby duties and skiing. It's my OHs sister's kid, so I'm selfishly hoping I get more skiing duties rather than baby duties  .
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Should be out in a couple of weeks to Morillon so hope the snow is still there.
L'Beu Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm been going there for a few years now always really good if you can get a table, some of the best food in GM so SHhhh don't tell too many people.
La Combe just below it has really good Pizza in the evenings as well, best to book a table earlier if it's busy 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.
|
We've never noticed it before (L'Beu)  have been to La Combe a few times.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The rumour to link Samoens to Morrillon via Lanche sounds a nice one to me. An even more intersting one that has been about for a couple of years is Verchaix to Les Gets!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| ian999 wrote: |
| An even more intersting one that has been about for a couple of years is Verchaix to Les Gets! |
Rumour quashed last year when the new Marie was appointed...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Hi all skied over to Flaine yesterday all slopes skiing well was lovely and sunny. Today stayed this side sunny til 12ish then cloudy, cold today brrrr. Great skiing we are really enjoying it and snow is holding up well they were obviously able to make some last night bottom of sairon caster sugar.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
rhsr, Hope the week is more nippy than nappy for you then!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Spending the week skiing the Grand Massif where the conditions are marginal with scrubbed pistes and areas of rocks coming through, dispite the locals reckoning it's the best skiing they have had this season. Could really benefit from the snow canons being cranked up each evening, especially as another continental high pressure looks set for a while. Haven't seen any trees bowing under the weight of snow just piste bowing under the pressure of the amount of people. My advice sharpen your edges and get ready for your bases to take a few hits!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Gordie, I heard that water was in short supply... hence cannons not being used as much as they might be. From the week I was there.. the worst areas are those where there are no cannons anyway (busy points where lifts converge or narrow points) - most of the pistes are (were) absolutely fine
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
stevo_the_saddler, Last week the morillon reservoir looked rather empty, and the level of l'airon lake has noticably dropped, Gordie so i don't think they will make snow until really needed. With all the snow earlier this week it will the the best conditions this season. Pistes at top of Tete des saix always get thin even in good years due to traffic and top of the blue to flaine from grand vans is often thin as well.
Just remembering gers bowl this time last week....oh the powder 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Dunno where Gordie is skiing granted it's gettin a bit shaved and wet down low I think combe will be closed tomorrow but all massif area is skiing really well. Area under lanche chair fab all animal tracks, trees still covered with snow. Glorious sunny day today. Blacks are very moguled and off piste tracked out(in some places) could do with another dump but still brill. We happy anyway. Tried marvel home this eve and it's a pretty run through the trees again slushy and one totally bald patch near bottom but well skiable.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Sun 6-03-11 15:29; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Gordie,
| Quote: |
the conditions are marginal
|
Either you're in a different GM than I was at HT or it's deteriorated dramatically, which doesn't concur with snowmam's, assessment of it. You have to find the good bits and I can tell you there were plenty at HT - I skied on fresh powdery pistes a lot of the time. Some scraped areas but you always get that, especially where the boarders have been You have to accept that's it's rarely perfect. I, like most people, prefer a powdery piste and blue sky with no wind. Well we had around 2 days of mostly that and the other 4 were still OK to good apart from 2 mornings where visibilty was poor and I did very little. That's skiing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Just finishing my week here and as I said earlier sharpen your edges and get ready to take a few hits to your bases, my skis certainly need some TLC after skiing around 45 km each day of the last week. This done from Samoens through out the whole Grand Massif every day. Not my fault it's a crap season guys but if you want to big up poor, busy skiing then that's your choice. For me after 36 years of skiing 14 of which spent teaching full time in Scotland and the Alps the conditions of the last week were poor and super busy. But hay I still get to ski from November to April most seasons so I can survive the odd naff week , must be harder for you guys who only get a week or two and want to send the 'wish you were here postcard' to make your friends jelous. For me I am in the fortunate position that I can take it or leave it and the last week was one I will fortunately forget pretty soon, and was simply trying to give an experienced skiers honest perspective. Peace to you all and wishing the alps get some desperately needed snow soon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Just home after a great weeks skiing. Last two days blue skies and sunshine. Didn't help the lower slopes as I predicted combe past gron chair was closed. Bottom of marvel bad and bergin too but up high holding well. Dolomie, both marmottes and timalets especially good. Yesterday fab as not so busy due to changeover. Home now...first load of washing in...roll on next year. Bye for now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
snowmam, Thanks for your updates, glad you enjoyed it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
got back today after3 days skiing the gm conditions in my opion are good we skied well over 150k in 3 days and it certanly the best conditions since xmas
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Just back from Morillon 1100. Got a bit fed up with the queues. Why can't they make it possible to get to Tete des Saix using a modern lift? Took Lanche one time and got badly stung.
Pistes were pretty good on the whole. The bottom part of Combe opened mid week but was rocky at the top and glacial at the bottom. Marvel opened and was good except for one muddy corner. Shame they don't groom Bergin every day it makes a nice quiet alternative to Sairon.
Gron is still my favourite lift. Again it would be brilliant if they could upgrade it. Also got annoyed that the Sairon lift does not open until 9. By that time there is already a 10 minute queue formed including lots of fast tracking ski instructors.
Highlights of the week were seeing all 3 of my kids going down Veroce and I still think that Perce Neige at 4pm is one of the great sights in skiing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Gordie wrote: |
| the last week was one I will fortunately forget pretty soon. |
How sad to put all that effort in and not enjoy it at all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
nessy, Whats wrong with the Gron lift?.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Basil, its not so bad but I wouldn't complain if they replaced it with a detachable 6er
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
nessy, If lower combe is shut it builds up a queue when its busy eg school hols as there is nowhere else to go. In falling snow its a real pain as the carpet often coats the bottom of your skis with ice and when you get off you just stop! There are also lots of stops as people always seems to be falling over getting on or off it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Was out yesterday, and on-piste conditions were very mixed. It was and still is very warm. Samoens area was very busy in the morning (too busy for my liking, not enjoyable skiing), headed straight over to flaine and took the Grand Platiers Gondola up to the top. There was a long queue for this, we waited about 15-20 mins to get on it. However, it was worth the wait, the runs up high above Flaine were very nice to ski having softened up in the sun and were much quieter than those closer to the Flaine and Samoen resort levels. The reds were noticably quieter than the blues, and IMO are not too difficult, so competent blue run skiers would probably be fine on most of them.
Late afternoon, as we made our way back down into Flaine and then across to Samoens 1600, the heat and crowds had clearly taken their toll on some of the pistes lower down. Slushy, thin and then some outright bare patches the lower we got. The last few hundred metres of the run we took into Flaine was brown snow/slush. Then the worst bit of piste we skied all day was the bottom of the blue run (dolomies i think it's called) which leads to a junction of a few lifts, one of which we needed to take up and over to the Samoens side (corba lanche lift i think...sorry no piste map too hand!). It was extremely busy, and mogully, and being near the end of the day it was full of tired skiers. Saw lots of fallen bodies all over it! It would have been quite unnerving for less experienced skiers. I'm a relatively competent red run skier myself and I picked my way down very slowly.
Been on baby duty today so not sure how it has been today....but I can confirm that it's been another very warm day at village level at least. Samoens village is very pleasant to spend time in at the moment....I was walking around in a t-shirt all afternoon
It is clearly not the greatest snow conditions at the moment, but if you're booked to come out here, don't be too disheartened, there is plenty of reasonable skiing to be had higher up, and it should keep most people happy enough IMO. But if these warm temps persist then I may be revising my opinion by the end of the week!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| rhsr wrote: |
| Then the worst bit of piste we skied all day was the bottom of the blue run (dolomies i think it's called) which leads to a junction of a few lifts, |
Its the bit just before vernant, the fast lift to flaine on the left, its very often like that. Often when its very cold the cannons on it are going all day as the snow can be rather thin as well.
The bubble on the opposite side to the dmc may be better than the dmc, and ski lunchtime to avoid the crowds
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Dolomie can get pretty grim. I found at HT it was best to ski down the RHS of it (looking downhill) just off the piste although there was grass in places.
A few years back a day before my 50th birthday (yeah, that old) I was waiting at the bottom of Dolomie with my two boys, then 11 and 14 near the Vernant lift. Dolomie was hard and icy that day and suddenly a French skier came from nowhere and took all three of us out. I was OK but my youngest was led on the snow screaming. You know that expression "heart in your mouth" - I went through it that moment. Following helicopter rescue he was diagnosed with a fractured collar bone so coudn't ski rest of week. Other son whacked in the leg and was laid off so birthday spoiled. However, thank God it was no worse. We could still all go out and celebrate. Needless to say I never hang around on Dolomie or especially at the bottom now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Our 12 year old daughter got hit by someone on Dolomie a couple of years ago. They didn't stop. She managed to ski to the restaurant lower down the valley near the road where we got a taxi back to the Flaine medical centre. She was really confused and concussed. Had to take the next day off. We still don't like the run. I think it's because it's a funnel from Flaine, Carroz & Samoens it gets very busy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Is it worth get the full ski pass for Flaine. Will be there Sat and wondering if the conditions outside the bowl make it not worth buying.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Just got back from week in Massif. By Saturday 12th March best surviving pistes are those with snowmaking and constant grooming: Marmotte [red] in Samoens, Sairon above Morillon, Timalets down to Carroz, and Molliets above Carroz. All deteriorate by mid afternoon, so best to ski through lunch period. Or maybe lunch/drink late and return to base after 4.30 when pistes, thouigh choppy, are quiet.
Over in Flaine the 'devil' reds above about 2000 can still be very good, especially during the middle of the day, but anywhere below 1800m is pretty bad all day. Generally the worst skiing seems to be just ABOVE the snowmaking altitudes, and usually on blues. The Dolomie piste / Vernant lift queues / Tourmaline piste were dreadful all week, as crowds move between Massif and Flaine in search of better pistes. We ended up sticking to the Massif side rather than waste time on the transfer across.
Marvel wasn't closed but should be. Top two thirds of Cascades is in fine condition, but bottom was mud-dodging-water-skiing at best. So, if they are still open, unless the snows return, avoid unless you don't mind gouging your skis.
Most off-piste areas are now brown and thawed out, and blacks rocky, except those that take very little sun. Pretty well all busy interchange pistes are a a dull beige colour, with mud and watery slush splodges. When the temperature dropped briefly on Saturday these iced, of course. But we learned to live with the slush and porridge - and the visibility was perfect all week! Choose your routes and food/drink breaks with these considerations in mind, and there's still some decent skiing to be had.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Back from my week out there yesterday. Conditions remained pretty much as per my last post, very mixed, ranging from really quite nice conditions on the higher pistes above Flaine in the late morning/early afternoon, to choppy/slushy/rocky pistes lower down in both Flaine and Samoens in the mid to late afternoon.
It was by no means a bad holiday, and there was plenty of very nice skiing to keep me happy for the week. Our routine to maximise the best of the piste conditions was to go out early from Samoens village, head straight over to Flaine, ski high in Flaine, take an early and short lunch (midday), more skiing above Flaine whilst the pistes were quiet from 12.30 - 1.30pm, then one last trip to the highest peak above Flaine to ski one of the longer runs down to Flaine 1600 and then start making our way back over to Samoens 1600. With the odd coffee break thrown in we were normally back at Samoens 1600 by about 2.30 - 3pm. Doing it this way seemed to allow us to avoid the most crowded and poorer piste conditions.
I can echo what amarcord has said above, my favourite pistes were the reds above 2000m in Flaine late morning and early afternoon. I particularly enjoyed Mephisto on the last day, wish i'd tried it earlier, lovely views on a really fun undulating red run.
You really do need to proceed with caution on the runs with thinner snow though. Saw someone take quite a bad tumble after hitting a large piece of rock at the top of Perce-Neige.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
amarcord, rhsr, thanks for the updates guy. I have a work colleague going to stay at our place next week. Really hoping for some snow... I have been banging on about how great the GM is for 6 years to her... I really wanted her to see it at its best 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
rhsr, Thanks for the update. Mephisto is a nice run, as you sometimes get it to yourself and the views are fantastic. If you can catch it on a still, clear day you can stop and have a quiet moment surrounded by that beauty. Hell I want to get back there.........(not again this year I'm afraid).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
.
