 Poster: A snowHead
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la Pierre Saint-Martin, a small resort in the western French Pyrenees, are opening on Friday for free! 40% of the resort will be open, meaning a few kilometers - a freebie that's well worth a short trip.
On the other end of the scale, the situation at Grandvalira in Andorra just gets better and better. They've announced 180km for the coming weekend, with all sectors and links between them available for use. Apparently that puts it in second place in the whole of Europe for skiable kilometers! They really got lucky with their location, close enough to the centre of the Pyrenees to benefit from the snowfalls, but sufficiently sheltered to avoid having the high winds strip it all away afterwards.
(Those same winds brought some roads, trains and power to a standstill, and left three dead in the coastal regions of Catalonia.)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The webcams are looking great today. Just booked to go soldeu/el tarter over New Year so hope it stays cold. Staying in Xalet Casale in El Tarter, anybody know if there is a free ski bus in between resorts please?
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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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Also staying in Xalet Casale over new year. There is a free ski bus that runs between resorts in Grand Valira as far as I remember until about 1am I think.
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Hi debstu, welcome to sH! There are no free buses I believe, but the public buses run every 20 minutes (during the day) between Andorra la Vella and Soldeu (thus covering Encamp, Canillo, El Tarter and Soldeu) and somewhat less frequently continue onwards to Grau Roig and Pas de la Casa. The whole place is lift linked and easy to ski around though, so during the ski day the road transport shouldn't be necessary. Check out the L2 and L4 timetables at http://www.mobilitat.ad/ca/linies-regulars-nacionals
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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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Crosspost with wishfulthinker! Hmm, interesting... I wasn't aware of any free bus. If anyone has further details of that bus, please do post them here!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Pretty sure there is a bus and it's free if you have a ski pass. Not sure how frequent it is but seem to remember them being quite regular. The free bus is mentioned in TO resort info as well. I could be wrong though.
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Well, the season gets underway for real in the Pyrenees this weekend. Grandvalira's been blazing all week long of course, but now it's everyone else's turn to open up a decent amount of pistes. Baqueira will have all sectors open, two thirds of its pistes open, and the new Saumet zone available (and I'll not be at all envious of anyone who manages to try it out on Saturday morning, not at all.) All the N'Py resorts in the French Pyrenees will be open, as will all resorts in the Spanish Pyrenees (along with some of the smaller places elsewhere in Spain, and of course Sierra Nevada which won the crown this year).
It's not been the amazing start that the previous two seasons offered, but I admit to a small amount of Schadefreude reading all the threads about lack of snow in the Alps  (even if, as always, it's somewhat exaggerated, and that there's never really been a tradition of pre-Christmas skiing in the Alps anyway, glacier resorts excepted).
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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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Thanks for the information on the buses. Have you stayed in Xalet Casale before, it sounds lovely. We have never been to Andorra but heard glowing reports. Looking forward to it.
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Have been to Andorra once before, in fact it was my first ever ski holiday. We didn't stay in the Xalet Casale but from the reviews it sounds ok. The holiday was a bit of a blur and it was a good few years ago too if I'm honest so don't remember too much about the area. I spent most of the first few days sat under a tree crying. That was out of frustration and fear though, nothing to do with the area or accommodation.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Had my first outing to Luz Ardiden today - it was the only one of the Western Pyrenees resorts that seemed to have a few reds open (9) according to all the websites. The Bederet section was completely closed but the majority of the Aulian sector was open. To be fair, they'd done a great job of getting the pistes open and the snow was great until later on when a few stones started appearing. There were a few people heading off piste but I doubt they were on their own skis as there were rocks showing everywhere!
I was on a lift with the piste moniteurs and they were saying they'd be trying to get as much open as possible for the Christmas holidays. Not sure of the snow forecast but there were snow clouds in the sky so a dump or two this week and it should hopefully be pretty good in the coming weeks.
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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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The good conditions up top continue, with compacted powder making for some fun fast runs. But the temperatures keep on increasing, and so the spatterings of snowfall are increasingly turning to rainfall, even at higher altitude. Today the pistes had a little icy sheen to them. Still enjoyable though! This is 1500m:
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You know it makes sense.
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Superbagneres and Peyragudes are scheduled to open again on Saturday. Peyragudes are indicating that they should have 30 runs open though at the moment Superbagneres may be very limited due to the mild weather and rain that fell yesterday.
Baqueira has about 100 runs open and looks in very good shape considering the conditions.
The forecast for the next week is mainly dry but very mild. There are some indications of a change around the 25th/26th to cooler weather.
Fingers crossed
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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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Looks like I picked the right station. Off to Baqueira for 3 days tomorrow. Webcams look ok for the higher bits so that's ok. Been religiously checking this thread and the huge snow report thread multiple times a day for the past few weeks and praying. Been working in S.France for 3 months now and been counting down the days until a) there is snow and b) I have a spare weekend. Drove down with skis for 1 weekend it seems but totally worth it! New skis to christen so hopefully a good weekend ahead!
Will report back on conditions Sunday evening.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Here's hoping things get back on track in January....never thought I would be worried about an end of Jan/early Feb break but never mind....at least may be able to do a last minute switch of all 4 days to Grandvalira only rather than current plan of 2 days Grandvalira/2 days Pyrenees Orientales if the smaller resorts are still lagging significantly behind Grandvalira in snow cover
Unforunately am sure am not going to repeat the conditions of this time last year whereby there was over a metre of snow everywhere unless there is an enormous dump!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Rolly88, yeah I'd say you've hit the jackpot, given the current conditions in the Pyrenees (and in a large part of the Alps too, by the sound of it). And the Val d'Aran has plenty to offer apart from the ski resort in any case. Does 3 days of skiing in Baqueira make driving down with skis worthwhile? Hell yes! 
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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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@Dr. Will, it's not an early start this year, but let's not write the season off yet! In any case, as you say, Grandvalira's a safe bet.
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| Pyremaniac wrote: |
| @Dr. Will, it's not an early start this year, but let's not write the season off yet! In any case, as you say, Grandvalira's a safe bet. |
Thanks for the advice, not quite liking Accuweather's long term forecast of intermittent rain in Jan! Do you reckon it will cool down enough?
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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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YES!
hopefully... 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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How it is looking in the Pyrenees for new year?
Was planing on Andorra or Cerler from 2nd-6th Jan, but from latest reports it looks like the French alps will have much more fresh snow...driving from Barcelona so we might go to France instead..what do you think?
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mrvinegar, welcome to sH!
To be honest, I don't think Cerler will be in great shape (although it's well worth a visit when it's got better snow cover). Grandvalira in Andorra is a much better bet - and I've heard that it has something like the second-largest skiable area currently open in Europe (after Zermatt-Cervinia)!
It sounds like you've heard about some upcoming snowfall in France. In the Pyrenees we're due a bit of snow on or after Boxing day, but it still doesn't look great beyond that. If it works out in the southern French Alps, then that's worth a shot (though they're in worse condition than the Pyrenees at the moment)... but if the snow doesn't end up arriving then I'd save myself the long drive and go for Grandvalira instead.
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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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Yup, Saturday and Sunday should bring some snowfall across the whole range, and some low temperatures too. I'm not sure it's the "big dump" that we're all waiting for, but at least it'll keep the existing pistes in condition.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Dr. Will, great news! Indeed, the northern side of the Pyrenees have done well, with between 40cm and 50cm of snowfall. It's been less useful on the southern side unfortunately, with just 10cm or so. It's all been accompanied by strong northwesterly winds which are doing a bit of damage and making roads difficult to pass. Various sectors of various resorts are currently closed, such as Baqueira-Bonaigua/Dossau, Grandvalira-Encamp (and all inter-sector links), and Vallnord-Arcalís. It's all been a bit frustrating from here in Cerler, on the southern side of the Pyrenees' highest peaks, since the little snow that did fall for us is being ripped off by the crazy wind. Cerler depends on southerlies, not northerlies!
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You know it makes sense.
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@pyremaniac: That's a shame about Cerler, I guess the same applies to Androra etc?
Where would you recommend on the northern side of the Pyrenees for medium level snow boarders who like off-piste action?
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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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| Pyremaniac wrote: |
| Dr. Will, great news! Indeed, the northern side of the Pyrenees have done well, with between 40cm and 50cm of snowfall. It's been less useful on the southern side unfortunately, with just 10cm or so. It's all been accompanied by strong northwesterly winds which are doing a bit of damage and making roads difficult to pass. southerlies |
Ah yes I see what you mean for example the Pic de Cubil webcam in Grandvalira there is less snow collecting on the lifts than at resort level, for Les Angles and Font Romeu they are less affected by winds in general
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Poster: A snowHead
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| mrvinegar wrote: |
| That's a shame about Cerler, I guess the same applies to Androra etc? |
Actually, Grandvalira always seems to come away fairly unharmed by the wind! It's currently 80km/h there with all high parts of the resort closed, but I would expect the 40cm that fell to still have made a difference to the conditions there.
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| Where would you recommend on the northern side of the Pyrenees for medium level snow boarders who like off-piste action? |
Of what I know, I'd definitely recommend Baqueira. But that's a non-typical place really since it's the only Spanish resort on the north side of the range; I'm sure that some of the French resorts also have plenty to offer intermediates, with Grand Tourmalet and Saint Lary being big enough to appeal to foreign holidaymakers. (The latter is Xavier de le Rue's home resort, so it must have something worth riding! I've got a free day pass for it this year, so I'm going to try to pay it a visit for myself.)
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sun 28-12-14 17:07; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Dr. Will wrote: |
| for Les Angles and Font Romeu they are less affected by winds in general |
Yeah, less altitude and less abrupt terrain means less snowfall depth on average but also less damage by the storms that stampede through the central Pyrenees!
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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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| Pyremaniac wrote: |
| Dr. Will wrote: |
| for Les Angles and Font Romeu they are less affected by winds in general |
Yeah, less altitude and less abrupt terrain means less snowfall depth on average but also less damage by the storms that stampede through the central Pyrenees! |
That is true, also I find that both those resorts (alongside Espace c'Ambe d'Aze) have a high proportion of tree lined runs that hold their snow well as long as not being rained on. Font Romeu in particular is pleasantly deceptive, altitude difference doesn't look great on paper but in reality there are some decent red and black tree lined runs that hold their snow
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Indeed - and that applies to Masella too, which is usually the last resort to close at the end of the season! I really like the tree-lined runs of the eastern Pyrenees (and that red/black in FR which goes down to the lake is great).
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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That's a gorgeous photo, @Ski Guide.
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A very interesting development today. Luchon-Superbagneres was totally swamped with lots of Spanish skiers, and though this was not necessarily unusual there were way more than normal for the holiday season. This evening it became clear why - Baqueira Beret stopped selling ski passes mid morning!!! I can only assume because they were busy and only had half of their runs ready after the big snowfalls over the weekend.
Great for our resort, but the services were stretched to bursting point.
Personally I eagerly await the end of the holidays and quiet slopes once more 
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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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Thanks for the heads-up re Font Romeu- will probably do a day there end Jan/beginning of Feb- hopefully with less crowds. Here's hoping there ends up up being a bit of a top up in the next 4 weeks
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FAQ
... I paid for it loads of times last season! 
