 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
kitenski, Oh yes, I was put onto Bob Peters by Comprex a few weeks ago. We have arranged to have a ski with him on one of our days before the Steep and Deep.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
I skied the Cairn on Bellecote North Face by "accident" in April this year, 2012. Had never heard of it, nor Snowheads. It had snowed 2 days before and was so well tracked that the two of us, dads on afternoon release, assumed theres a way back into the main resort. It was dust on crust, but less steep and narrow than several other lines in the main ski area and a nice friendly ski for us. But during the first drop we realised that we were not getting back home easily, and we spent an anxious descent worrying how much a taxi would cost us, which way to go, how high the avalanche danger was, and whether we'd ever even get mobile reception to call for a taxi. It was after 4 pm when we started the descent. But alls well that ends well. We followed tracks to a farmhouse, forded a stream, ski-hiked through a half snow coverd wood and then found a ski rep couple hiking at the bottom ( here I make the promised plug for SKI BEAT!!! ) who first sent us to the bus stop at the Nordic Centre, and then gave us a lift to the Vanoise cable car, as they knew we'd miss it with the bus. We got the last cable car back from Les Arcs to La Plagne at 5.05, and 3 more last lifts in a 15 minute rush back to Belle Plagne, no later than usual.
The taxi apparently would have been £100 and over an hour. I looked up the Bellecote North Face and found this forum, and thereby learned where we'd been, and a sense of the level of danger that we'd stumbled into. Sounds like it was silly, but not suicidal. And exciting in its own way. Next time I'll look at Snowheads in advance, and know what I'm getting into!  
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
RMB, welcome to snowHeads! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Oh yes, I remember this thread.
Hi, RMB, welcome, we are a friendly helpful website (mostly). You've come to snowheads at the start of it's less active season - when people are preparing to go skiing the threads fly thick and fast.
For the Cairn, after traversing from the top of the lifts, you ski down left to the start. The first 2 times I did the North Face we traversed as far as we could, keeping as high as possible, and then climbed up a short way to the edge, starting the descent with a traverse to the right. I'm not sure what it is called but it might be the True North Face? Or perhaps I got muddled and that is the Classic North Face?
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Fri 11-05-12 11:14; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Brings back memories - the steep course I mentioned on the first page involved me skiing the N Face for the first time. What a run!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Does anyone have a topo map showing where these routes are? or even a kmz file from their gps while doing the route
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I know there is a photo with routes marked on - I'll try to find it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exit looks super sketchy on your picture, snowball 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
OK, translating from the French:
1 - Pepin North Glacier
2 - The Pianist's couloir
3 - The Ruggeri
4 - The Big Glacier (Gros Glacier)
5 - The Grand Nant slope
6 - Velencant Couloir
7 - Great North face (Grand Face Nord)
8 - Middle North Face (moyenne)
9 - Cairn couloir
10 - Canadiens
11 - The little North face - Classsic
12 - Rodzins
13 - Couloir of the Etroit lake
14 - Moulin couloir
The ones on the left require a complicated access.
You can also cut across from near the top of 11 to 10 to avoid the difficult bit of 10
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Fri 11-05-12 14:53; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowball, cool pic
clarky999, yes, the exit is somewhat of a terrain trap  something to take into account before you set off
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
RMB, are you sure it was Cairn? The top (by the cairn) is quite intimidating - narrow and 45º and I don't know other slopes in La Plagne area which are quite as steep. I've never actually seen tracks on the top part.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Snowball: no I'm not sure it was the Cairn. I have a couple of photos forom the top, and a gps track which I'll post once I work out how - I'm on my iPad and there doesn't seem to be an obvious way to post files or pictures from here. Maybe we did classic or moyenne. It didn't feel anything like 45 degrees, nor was it at all narrow. We traversed far right from the " traversee" lift as far as we could, then hiked up a shallow incline for not more than about 100 m, before dropping in. I'll see if I can post the gps track and photo for an expert opinion. It looks the same as a photo labelled as the top of Cairn in this forum, and in about the right place as far as I can tell by comparing my gps track in Google Earth to the photos posted above.
Ill also see if I can post a track showing a nice easy-to-reach short steep couloir just under the one they call "l'autoroute" (this name was given to me by a French guy on a lift who said he was an off-duty off-piste guide, it's under the inversens lift), in case it has a name or a history, or in case it's of potential interest to other snow heads.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RMB, if you traversed round the bowl from the top of the Traversee then side-stepped up about 20/30m to the ridge (still within sight of Trav chair then most likely top of Cairn. Top of Canadiens is another 50 yards along the ridge in the same direction (bit more sidestepping normally..).
Under Inversens lift is most likely one of the Rossets couloirs (there are several options).
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
offpisteskiing, no, if you traverse from the Traversee lift you have to go down a few hundred metres left to get to the Cairn (marked by a cairn) and then a bit further left for Canadiens. Your description sounds like the first ones I did many years ago perhaps the Great North Face, judging by the photo). The photo of Cairn was taken below the (short) steepest bit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
I have limited off-piste experience. I had opportunity to do this this year but wasn't feeling the Mae West on the day so pulled out.
But this is such a well known run I would love to do it. I figure that if day-trips to here are adverised in Tignes, it musr be worth the trip
Can you compare it difficulty-wise to any of the OP runs in EK, eg spatule, cugnai, grand vallon? For someone with limited experience, would snow want to be in optimum condition?
Thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
snowball, you'd definitely have to climb up to get to the Great North Face. The Cairn is as offpisteskiing describes cos I have stood at the top of it with him
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
snowball Possibly I didn't quite explain that properly... If you traverse from the Trav chair then climb (boot pack) up 30m or so as soon as you get to under the ridge you come to the top of the Moyenne Face Nord. If you do the same then boot R up the ridge you eventually come to the diagonal snowpatch which leads you into the Grande Face Nord. Keep going til not far off the summit and you hit the top of the Vallencant...
If you traverse from the top of the Trav chair to the obvious point where you can easily sidestep up to the ridge (and there is generally evidence of lots of people having done this) you come to the top of Cairn, a short slide then short sidestep beyond this is the top of Canadiens with a couple of other entries ("Canacairn") inbetween.
NB Have skied all of these several times (Vallencant only once) so have a rough idea of where things are.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
patricksh, Petit Face Nord is more consistently steep (and a bit steeper) than Spatule/Cugnai/Gd Vallon. There have been several nasty accidents in firm snow conditions with people sliding a LONG way... The lines on the main north face are on a different level again. Consistent 40+ for 1000+m.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
offpisteskiing, OK, yes, I agree. Moyenne must be the one I meant I did first.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
offpisteskiing, thanks for that. Prob won't be in les Arcs next year but will make sure snow is ideal for day I do ski it.
What about Aiguille Rouge north face? How does that compare?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Old thread, I know, but just a quick note to say thanks to all who posted, especially snowball.
I skied the couloir canadien today based largely* on info and links from this thread... It was awesome. Thanks!
* loads of other research and factors etc, but this really helped.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sounds like there are some excellent routes to ride my daughter down inner sit ski next week 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
