 Poster: A snowHead
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Did a few hours in Grandvalira this afternoon, the pistes are in OK condition but much of the recent snowfall has melted due to the very high temperatures, here's hoping more snow will arrive for Sunday...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Really @mrvinegar? That's a bit worrying, especially as there's only a dusting of snow forecast for Sunday and not a lot forecast for next week.
Fingers crossed some of the snow forecast for the Alps finds its way to the Pyrenees. At least temperatures are getting much lower...
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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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On my way to Arinsal on Sunday. Coverage looks ok from the cams, a wee freshen up would be nice though. Still £780 for 3 people half board. 1 adult lift pass and ski hire and 20 hrs of lessons for army daughter its dirt cheap!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Head up to Arcalis for a day if you can.... Looks to have been plenty of freshening up over last week!!
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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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Just a dusting of snow for this week and a lot of rain in the forecast for next weekend. What a bad year I chose to go to Andorra....
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It rained in the past 2 days. It's raining right now and it will rain tomorrow at lower pistes. Some pistes are already looking very patchy on webcams....... Very worried about my trip first week of feb.
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Another Saturday at Baqueira today with clients, early start at Beret (always quiet) the snow was great, then off via Baqueira (OK ish) heading to Bonaigua for lunch at El Refrugi (mostly mush) but the food is worth the journey.
The facts according to their site: 123 pistes and all lifts open, 85cm up top and 45cm at the base, however to be clear you would be mad to try and ski back into Baqueira as is is a mud field.
That being said, there is a lot of snow above 1800m and the skiing is overall very good. More snow is needed as some of the pistes are now bullet proof.
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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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@Koleoptero, it's been a poor season in many places so far. You're going in Feb, so I don't think there's anything to worry about at this point. I'm going at the end of Jan and am not particularly worried.
The rain you mention will be snow on all but the lower slopes. Plus another 10cm due over the next few days, some more mid week and some more next weekend. It's not perfect at all by any means, but it's not doom and gloom. Keep the faith 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Completely understand where you're coming from @Koleoptero, I reckon I look at the weather forecasts almost every hour in the couple of weeks before I go. I get those same jitters, and if you've had a run of bad luck then it's understandable to be even more nervous.
If it makes you feel any better, Grandvalira have a unbelievable record at keeping the pistes not only open, but in great condition no matter what gets thrown at them. They've thousands of snow cannons that they run whenever they can (they even had them blasting out the other night while it was actually snowing!).
I'm not sure I'll get a big dump over the next 10 days before I go, but I'm still confident the pistes will be in good nick - and there must be a good chance of having at least one big dump before Feb.
Where in Grandvalira are you staying?
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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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Thanks a lot, @Handy Turnip. It´s good to hear that Grandvalira keeps the pistes in great conditions. This cold period next week should give them a good opportunity to make a lot of snow.
I´ll be staying In Pas de La Casa. I rented an apartment ski-in Ski-out right in front of the Lift TSD4-Pas de La Casa. Andorra is very cheap compared to any other Ski Resort.
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Agreed on the Pre trip jitters, going to Arinsal at the end of Jan and having been nervously watching the reports/webcams for a while!
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You know it makes sense.
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@Koleoptero, sounds good - I've not been to Pas before (I'm headed to Soldeu) but it's high at 2100, so I don't think you'll have an issues.
There was a dusting over night in Soldeu, and more snow forecast for Fri/Sat, and potentially for Monday - although the forecasts are changing every 2 minutes, so who knows what is actually going to happen!!!
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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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GFS´s 12z op run is showing temperatures around 4 to 10 ºC for next week and some rain (from 20th on). Still too far out to be so sure, but its a really bad pattern for the Pyrennees. Hope this pattern changes and bring some cold air and snowfalls.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Not what I want to hear with a departure date of the 30th January!
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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 forecasts are very changeable at the moment so I wouldn't worry at this stage - they are literally changing by the hour. Plus the only rain I could see was well below resort level anyway.
In a bit of positive news, it's currently snowing across Grandvalira!
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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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Yep, Vallnord webcams showing snow as well!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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There will be some good snowfall tomorrow again. I think you will be fine Handy. The problem is that after the 20th, all models (GFS, ECM) are showing mild temperatures, freezing levels from 2200 to 3600 and rain. So it could potentially wash away all the new snow and then start melting the rest. I'm very worried it will look like Squaw Valley last year.......
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Positive thoughts required i think!
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It´s looking a lot better on today´s GFS 06z op run. Still warming up next week but not as bad as it was before and no rain. I think you guys will have great skiing. Still a lot of time and all this can change to cold and snow.
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Cheers, I'll make sure to do my best to send some in-resort updates whilst I'm out there. Conscious that my snow report contribution has been limited thus far!
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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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It´s dumping right now at Granvalira!!! 
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Odd weather overnight in the Central Pyrenees, after extreme cold the temperature picked up and this morning there was fog/low cloud and light snow, though during the night the canons could not run because of the high humidity. This afternoon it was snowing heavily above 1200m.
Possibly a small amount overnight and into tomorrow. We are watching the battle of the warm Atlantic air and the very cold air in the East with a keen eye as this may significantly impact Western areas later in the week.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I am off this coming Sunday (24th) so will try keep it up to date while I am there. Slightly worried about the warmer weather but will enjoy the skiing either way.
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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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@seekstris, Welcome to snowHeads!
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Looks to have been snowing overnight again in the Vallnord region.
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You know it makes sense.
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A nice dump of snow in Grandvalira again.
I'm out there Thurs-Sun, so will try and update everyone on the conditions.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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GFS 12z run is kind of disappointing after all these good snowfalls this week. High pressure system taking control from the 22nd and can last till the end of the month. Temperatures from 4 to 10º C during the day. Even tough this is showing a consistent dry and very mild pattern, I tend to not trust forecast of more than 5 days ahead, so hope all this changes.
I booked Feb 09-14th at Andorra........Keep the Faith!!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Just back from a day trip to Masella... they've got half the resort open including the full vertical descent of close to 1000m, and it was in fine condition as always, thanks to the excellent snowmaking. There's no off-piste whatsoever though (not that it's really needed in Masella, where the pistes are sufficiently interesting).
I was in Baqueira a week or so ago and it was holding up very well indeed, with a decent amount of natural snow having fallen. The off-piste was unusable there too though, in this case because it was bullet-proof. I would imagine that the recent snowfall has polished things up a bit.
To me too, the weather forecasts don't look snowy, but I'm sure that the Andorran resorts and Baqueira will be perfectly enjoyable for the next couple of weeks on piste. Of the smaller resorts away from that central axis, I'd say it's Masella or nothing though (although I'm not following the state of the French resorts at the moment).
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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'm off to La Mollina in about 3 weeks. The long term forecast is for no snow in the interim....
Is the link between Mollina and Masella open ? I'm only there for a couple of days, but it would be nice to ski some artificial snow in both...
ta
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Spent the day in Ax 3 Domaines yesterday. The weather and the piste snow conditions were excellent.
Ski all the pistes in the morning, with some good corduroy early on and then the rest of the morning carving around the resort.
The best snow was over on the Pic de Savis, but a slow lift and shorter runs meant we didn’t spend too long over there.
I did have a quick look in the trees, but the snow coverage just wasn’t there.
After lunch and with the snow softening a bit we head off to look at some of the more interesting terrain.
Off piste and all of the steeper areas the cover was thin at best.
I was glad to be on my rock hoppers.
The bowl over to the pic Rebenty had been skied, but there had been a significant slide and the shoots skiers left going up the Savis lift (heading back to Ax) had been skied. However, a couple of people through and anyone attempting them now would have to rock slide the first several metres.
Warmer weather and no snow is forecast in the next week the off piste is not going to improve, but the piste seemed to good enough condition not to be too badly effect by a week of warmer weather. More snow as ever would be good though.
Another interesting point was the progress of the Ax Les Thermes by pass. You cross over the construction site in the cable car up to the skiing. It is moving along nicely and signs by the entrance to the site say it should be finished this year. This will remove a major pinch point for the transfer up to Andorra and should knock off a fair few minutes of the transfer time.
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| pendodave wrote: |
I'm off to La Mollina in about 3 weeks. The long term forecast is for no snow in the interim....
Is the link between Mollina and Masella open ? I'm only there for a couple of days, but it would be nice to ski some artificial snow in both...
ta |
Unfortunately it's not not open at the moment. But I would definitely recommend getting over to Masella anyway... it's no more than 5 minutes away by car. I don't know if there is resort transport, but hitching a lift is a very real possibility.. people pass all the time, often in vans or pickups.
@mortonia, great news about the Ax bypass!
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| Pyremaniac wrote: |
| pendodave wrote: |
I'm off to La Mollina in about 3 weeks. The long term forecast is for no snow in the interim....
Is the link between Mollina and Masella open ? I'm only there for a couple of days, but it would be nice to ski some artificial snow in both...
ta |
Unfortunately it's not not open at the moment. But I would definitely recommend getting over to Masella anyway... it's no more than 5 minutes away by car. I don't know if there is resort transport, but hitching a lift is a very real possibility.. people pass all the time, often in vans or pickups.
@mortonia, great news about the Ax bypass! |
Thanks for that.
Which pistes need to be open for the link to work? Looking at the forecast, it doesn't look there's too much expected in the next 3 weeks...
It would be nice if the resort showed some initiative and put on a shuttle. I would hate to get stuck on the wrong side with my dinner getting cold ! (plus, I'll have my son with me, and he might be a bit less prepared to hike than I would be !)
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For the connection you need Dues Estacions (blue) and Olímpica (red) to be open. Right now, though, Dues Estacions is looking pretty threadbare.
I don't know if there is a shuttle, but it wouldn't surprise me if there wasn't one... unfortunately the two resorts have never really got it together with the whole linking thing. La Molina is public whilst Masella is private; La Molina is pretty heavily loss-making whilst Masella is one of only two profitable resorts in the whole of Spain (Baqueira being the other). So Masella never really had any interest in the union. The connecting gondola is entirely inside La Molina, and I do wonder if Masella even contributed towards it.
But I recommend that you e-mail them to find out what options there are. There could well be a taxi service based in La Molina.
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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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Looks like a warm week in the Pyrenees with Vallnord showing temperatures of 9/10 degrees. Some forecasts suggesting a dusting of snow Thursday/Friday, which would be very welcome ahead of my arrival over the weekend!
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Sadly the snow that was forecasted for Thursday/Friday is now showing as rain. Going to pack my suncream, accept that there might be some slushy snow around and make the best of things!
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