 Poster: A snowHead
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Montalbert Gondola cars reach base station for first time....
http://laplagne.roundshot.com/montalbert/
See 12:20 today (4/11/15) on the above webcam - 3 cars coming down the hill on the newly installed pylons
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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A bit of a faff having to click all the way back to 12.20, but good to see all the same.
Now they just need to landscape all round the base station: a few plants, some trees, some shrubs, a couple of gnomes and a wooden bench or two - should look right lovely.
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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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@Jonpim, yes my forum skills are still limited so couldn't work out how to take a screen shot and paste it straight into a post!
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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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In all the years I have visited LP I have never felt the need to sample a Mountain Restaurant. Lunchtime is the best ski time of the day. Eat like Polar Bear for breakfast and sod lunch. 
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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.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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and another from Martin 
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For histories sake
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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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Thank you for that thefatcontroller. Excellent. Especially as its a bit of a faff to do, and 11:06pm is well after your bedtime 
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@Jonpim, Fear not, time clock on here not the same as where I am. Had my homework done 
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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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Looking good.
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@Jonpim, hmm, Those few that went down yesterday morning haven't come back up ....yet
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You know it makes sense.
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Can't wait to get on board
15 mins saved on the way up out of Monty each morning over NY means an extra 1hr45 of skiing that week
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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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Roger C, or (until Coqs is rebuilt next year) 15 mins quicker to get to join the early queues at La Roche 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Yes, boredsurfin, that is still a problem.
There can't be many satellites like Montalbert (1350m) where you first go up, and then have to go even lower (1250m for La Roche) to get into the main skiing area.
(But i'm sure now i'll get a list of places that do . . .  )
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Jonpim, some interesting comments under that Facebook link I put above. A couple of French people making the point about La Roche, the response from LP being yes next year maybe if we get planning permission we are putting in an alternative - might be useful if they had actually put in a planning app!
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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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Coqs replacement lift news: planning to be approved by early January 2016 with construction taking place the same year so ready in time for 2016/17 season. Seems we will only have to put up with the detour via La Roche for this season hopefully.
Replacement chair, to be known as "Envers" to take a slightly different route to the old Coqs chair - same starting point but finishing near top of Golf lift.
Full details here: http://www.perso-laplagne.fr/Actualites.htm - posted 09 November 2015.
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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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incidentally, has anyone yet had sight of the new piste map for this season? Showing the new Montalbert Gondola and the changes to the Belle Plagne lift system?
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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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chopkins13, if irc the new lift map comes out each year around the end of November, http://www.perso-laplagne.fr has had it first the last couple of seasons...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks @boredsurfin, it's really sad but I do look forward to it every year - it signals the start of the season!!
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Well SAP have announced at least a one year delay to the re-configuration of the Glacier lifts in La Plagne:
"In December 2014, Jerome Grellet, former CEO of SAP we had a multi-year investment plan over 10 years. The construction of several lifts was in 2016: the chairlift 4 seater of Envers, we presented there three days, a new ski lift and a carpet in Plan Bois, and the gondola of the Thistle which was to replace a first section the gondola Bellecôte - happens at an end - between Roche de Mio and the Col de la Chiaupe. But SAP has delayed its construction - probably a year - because of studies and administrative authorizations required for the implementation of such a device. In 2017 the construction was to take place the second cable car (called 3000): it is unclear whether the two will be built in the same year or it will shift it by one year."
http://www.perso-laplagne.fr/Actualites.htm 12 November 2015
Whilst obviously not great news, given how seldom used the glacier sector is, even in peak season, and how small a percentage of the skiable area it makes up in La Plagne, I'm more concerned that they continue to stay on track with sorting out the Montchavin and Montalbert Sectors as these are high-traffic important connecting sectors.
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| chopkins13 wrote: |
| given how seldom used the glacier sector is, even in peak season |
Not quite so sure about that, when often the queue for the glacier gondola can be over 30 minutes.
Apart from the standard red and (mega-mogully) black runs back down to Col de la Chaup, and the fun (often forgotten or ignored) off-piste area around the friendly blue runs down to Chalet de Bellecote chair. that top gondola gives access to Roche and Bellecote plus some wonderful serious off-piste runs. La plagne would be sorely depleted without the Bellecote gondola.
(The glacier itself is only really worth going to for the view).
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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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@Jonpim, Completely agree, but I suspect that less than 50% of the visitors to La Plagne make it all the way up there.
This is probably a bit 'chicken and egg' - people won't be more inclined to go up there unless the lift system improves...
In four trips to La Plagne, I've only ever been up once, in early Feb, and it was deserted. I guess it's one of those things that appeals to some and not others. I'm a pretty rubbish skier so from an entirely selfish point of view I'd prefer investment in the other areas.
Still, unless the snow hurries up, it's going to be another nail-biting start to the season in a couple of weeks or so! Watching the snow melt away at the Roche De Mio is getting depressing now....... patience and faith are somewhat absent today!
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@chopkins13, It tends to be used more when conditions lower down are bad, mainly towards the end of the season. Usually in February there is plenty to go at with all the lower village pistes open.
As @Jonpim, pointed out it gives access to the really serious skiing in La Plagne so I can't imagine they will ever remove that option.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And of course, last season it took them a long time to open up the glacier area at all.
Personally i'm quite happy with the lift set-up in La Plagne, with one or two exceptions.
1. moving the pixie lift (Leitchoums) was a big mistake: it removed a useful way of avoiding queue at Colosses, and is useless where it now resides. (the new colosses chair is hardly compensation)
2. removing Coqs was stupid - it needs to be replaced asap (2017 will do, but 2015 would have been better)
(and i do rather miss the Colosses drag . . . )
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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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@Jonpim, wow you're a big fan of the drags eh! Personally I find them far too harsh on the thighs and am usually glad of a sit down on a chair.... Really must work on my ski fitness!
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@chopkins13, Leitchoums was a short distance drag and as Jonpim says, very useful for an alternative route back across avoiding the large queue at times on Colosses by going up Les Blanchets instead. I'm sure a youngster like yourself could have endured it  . Can't comment on the Colosses drag though .....
Glacier I found to provide a bit of fun bumps/mogul on occasions, to then run on down Chaiaupe which tends to be more serious bumps/moguls.
Must try the off-piste area around the Chalet de Bellecote chair which Jonpim mentions.....
Will be back in the area in late Jan - won't be long now!
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You know it makes sense.
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I'll be missing the Fornelet drag this coming season, particularly as it ran at about twice the speed of the Fornelet chairlift and rarely had a queue, due to a couple steep inclines on its route.
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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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Looking forward to the new Gondola. Hope it doesn't have the same problems as the Bergerie lift when that opened
It would be great if they put Le Cow back in. Although great for the restaurant at the bottom of Le Roche It would be great to dodge going all the way to the bottom.
But then I still miss the little drags that helped you track across Centre
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Poster: A snowHead
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Ha! Le Cow.
Moo!
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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, Whisky_priest, La Cow! Great typo.
chopkins13 suggests i might be a fan of drags - well, sort of. They often go faster then the older chairs, often have no queues where there there is a chair alternative, and are often a lot more fun. Anyone remember the wonderful old drags taken out when they put the La Roche chair in? Sometimes they had a 50% no-go rate. Most entertaining.
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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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I got pinged off those drags. 15 stone and 5'10" they were lethal
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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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Jonpim, Yep that La Roche lift ruined a 'hidden corner' of LP
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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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@Jonpim, yes, it was entertaining, lot's of boarders bailing and coming down the lift line. I also seem to remember a stiff black down to it. One of the highlights of that part of La Plagne.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Yes, but nothing like what was forecast for last night, let's hope for more today & tonight and then see what comes mid week. Still a promising start.
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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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Yes, but nothing like what was forecast for last night, let's hope for more today & tonight and then see what comes mid week. Still a promising start.
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FAQ
