 Poster: A snowHead
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Weathercam,
thanks alao recommended by HB i have booked Le refuge and le veille ferme, for sunday and thursday, but after what you have said i will give these two a call
rjmm
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rjmm, one or our favourites is the little blue house La Marotte 36 Rue de la Guisane - does two sittings Tel 04 92 24 77 23
Will probably be in the Frog Sat as well, and maybe tonight !
Snow that was forecast for today has so far not arrived 
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Weathercam, we've never managed to get into La MArotte, must make the effort and make a reservation during our next trip.
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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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Hells Bells, the guy that runs it also is the chef during the day at Pia Mai !
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Weathercam,
i fly into turin from paris tonight and on to SC in the morning so if you are in the frog for the game look out for a group of over 40's getting animated and we can have a beer ?
tried to contact la marotte and le pastelli no answer, will try again this eve
Cheers rjmm
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rjmm, both will be closed during the day I think.
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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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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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dan100, let's hope not !! I think we could have less MAMIL and more skiing 
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Weathercam, banter, just banter.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Weathercam, there was something on the FB page or TO page about them extending opening times during the middle two weeks of the holidays.
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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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Well did manage to sell it to the OH last night.
And making a plan is always a dangerous thing to do in the mountains, as weather can throw a spanner in the works, and I my big concern was "wind", of the weather variety that is 
That said we did end up with a few "demi" spanners.
First off severe overnight frost cost us five mins more than normal cleaning windscreens etc.
But it was a blue bird day 
Ended up at Bachas chair at 08:35 or thereabouts, few other people around, and one group of other obvious "powder hounds" all trying to hide their excitement at the morning's prospect.
So we get to the top of the chair and neither is Yret or Cibouit chair running 
Pisteur says will be half an hour, and why don't we ski back down, and we politely decline as by the time we get back down it will be mobbed.
We could see pisteurs blasting the Cibouit ridge and we waited.
Luckily said pisteur did not know what was going in and ten mins later Cibouit chair opened up. We opted for a three or four laps of the Cibouit whilst waiting for Yret to open, as that was our plan!
Whilst waiting for Yret various groups went along the ridge and skied the trees, which was tempting but would have meant an early return back to the bottom of Monetier, and we had our plan 
It did look like they were getting Yret ready but there was a sign saying it would open at 09:45 so back up Cibouit (this was around 09:30), and as we got on you can guess what they opened up
So a major hack back down (all in powder again) to Yret, the earlier group of "powder hounds" had also made the same mistake and were ahead of us on a few chairs up front.
The plan was to ski Montagnolle, something we have not done this year for one reason or another, and we were pretty sure no one would have skied it yesterday.
Once up the top there was no hanging about, primed the ABS and we ducked under the ropes, closely followed by the world and his wife it seemed 
And I was gob smacked at the type of people going down there. One ski school instructor was leading a group of 9 - 11 yr olds and then there were others, none of whom had any avi kit.
Now it was pretty damn safe anyway at the "top", (it can go lower down in places), and I was haranguing the OH who was taking her time priming the kit whilst all these people were getting ahead of us.
And this is where I was 100% guilty of powder fever, where I become a selfish git and take no prisoners, as I was not about to have my lines ruined, there are no friends at a time like this
So once I could see the OH on the traverse I let rip along said traverse to a better pitch and line I know and that was it for about a half a mile with no stopping. OH said by the time she started her line I was a dot below
Once around half way down I eased up as the paranoia subsided, and we were well ahead of most. Did set myself up for another line only to have another guy start to come in to take it so engaged full throttle and ripped past him.
It's quite puerile to act like this I know, but there's something manic that comes over you, plus think this behavior was brought on by knowing that it would be tracked out so soon, normally you can get two or three decent descents in.
Anyway needless to say no pics of me as I was not hanging around
Off Cibouit chair
Fair way down Montagnolle
OH ripping 
A fair sized slide lower down
Looking back up from near the start of the run out (you come in top left of picture as you look at it, but you can't really see it)
Vallons de Montagnolle
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Been snowing since around 17:00 now quite heavy driving back up, if this keeps up as forecast could be another 30 + cms
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Well it snowed on and off, though more off than on 
And been the same today, with a forecast that was for heavy snow late afternoon, and that certainly happened as we drove down to Briancon to do the "shop" but again eased off.
Rain radar has had a lot of precipitation tracking across France but seems to be a question of luck as to whether you'll get the more sustained heavy stuff.
I decided to go for a little tour from the garden to see if I could find a route above us to get above the tree line, but was all a bit of a disaster in the end, got caught in some dense trees and some nasty spikey bushes as I attempted to find the clearings you can see from the road, all in all it was damn hard and very demanding and not helped when one of the dogs disappeared chasing something, really thought I'd lost her, twas a long ten minutes or so 
Was also quite surprised to come across people staying in the houses high up above us, pretty hard core, though that had a very cool snow mobile / rat track.
Was out for well over a couple of hours and ended up descending down into the old village and then had a fair old walk home, stopping off at Riquet to get the fixations on my skins changed as not the best of designs.
Hoping for better things tomorrow..............
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Well to compound a crap day (see above) we didn't really get the snow that was forecast, should have snowed heavy late afternoon onwards all night and this morning, and think we've had all of a couple of cms.
Still going up the hill now to see what's up there as it's transfer day and we can see how empty it is
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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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Look forward to the next update , glad you found the dog
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Oh dear
After a fantastic morning yesterday, we could see how busy the roads were in the afternoon, and we walked into Villeneuve last evening for an early evening beer at Mojos, and the whole place was bonkers busy.
I went into Riquet sports to collect my skins and there must have been fifty people in there for ski hire etc - and skins were not ready with the guys being really apologetic
This coming week think we'll go into "lock down" mode judging by just how many people were arriving yesterday, and how full the various car parking areas were getting.
Walking back it was almost a case of spot the spare car parking space!
Below us we have a car parking area for an apartment block and I reckon it's 50% busier than the previous week, 100% busier than the UK half term week 
And where we are and next door 200% busier, with people bashing and banging the ski lockers, and walking in ski boots
Never mind as we were all saying in the bar last night after this week they all feck off
As for weather etc forecasts have been so wrong recently - we should have had a good 30+cms Friday into Saturday but in resort must have been 5 max, though did find slightly more up top yesterday
Forecast is for more snow Monday into Tuesday, though don't like the look of the accompanying wind speeds.
Then for the rest of the week and the back end into the weekend that does keep changing, though glad to see that freezing levels have changed in the last 12hrs as they were at 3,000m for Friday and Saturday - but that is so far off no doubt will all change again - though should imagine various SnowHeads coming out next Sat (8th) for the Off Piste Bash will be starting to take an interest in conditions.
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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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| Weathercam wrote: |
| though should imagine various SnowHeads coming out next Sat (8th) for the Off Piste Bash will be starting to take an interest in conditions. |
Oh yes.............
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After seeing all the hordes arrive we didn't fancy going up the hill today, and OH has a slight niggle in her knee, so she did not fancy ski touring either
So we decided on a trek away from the hordes and it turned out to be quite an eye opener which made me think that I still have to do a lot more serious exploration of the face in front of us (Tête du Grand Pré) especially the route options coming down into Les Guibertes which is a different aspect to a route that I've done before.
Other half opted for snow shoes as she didn't fancy any awkward narrow descents we might come across on a gnarly chemin having to snow plough.
We parked up at Pontillas and that was rammed, and quickly headed away from the x-country piste and pietons route into the trees picking up a snow shoe path before heading up into the trees and then finally on to a chemin that I had walked in the summer, this is now called the Retro Classic, a classic x-country route, though we saw no one on it that runs through the trees above the mainsteam x-country pistes from here to Les Guibertes and if you want, as it turns off back down to Les Guibertes you can carry on up to Peyra Juana.
As it is in the shade the snow even lower down was still cold powder, and every now and again I spotted tracks (only a few) of people who had made the descent from the top, which involves hiking up Cucumelle first, and then a very long traverse followed by another hike, then you have various options to take, but if you're not sure you could end up over some serious cliffs, but the photo below shows many of the options (and the rocks).
Not in shot are other routes over the "ridges" to the left and right as you look at the picture, the map shows those.
And then a couple of action shots
Hoping the forecast is right for tomorrow
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You know it makes sense.
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There are a couple of articles on the airport that used to be in Serre Chevalier in the Altus magazine for the area. There is an online copy of it here.
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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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Weathercam, thanks for these updates, really interesting as I'll be in serre chevalier in a few weeks time. Out of interest can you recommend anywhere in particular for ski hire, I expect we will be staying in Monetier or Villeneuve. Thanks
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Poster: A snowHead
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unway007, Riquet Sports in Villeneuve. Aoraki by the lifts.in Monetier
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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unway007, very much depends on what it is you're after renting?
Riquet in Villeneuve have a good selection of All Mountain / Off piste skis and equipment as well as ski touring skis & boots, the two young guys (Etienne & Tom) in there are good (speak English well) you can say you know Gavin, though not too sure if that will be a good thing or not for you 
If it's just family piste skis etc then all the shops are pretty well the same, with some (up near Aravet) offering ski storage which could be good if you're a fair way from the lifts as you can leave your boots etc there as well.
If you fancy trying x-country then you can rent from Ski Mum in the commercial center, you'd only need a half day for kit and that's €11.50
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Good to hear its snowing again weathercam. Thanks also for the advice regarding Riquet Sports (and also Hells Bells)
I am unfortunately a long way off being an expert skier so will be skiing mainly red pisted runs. However, was thinking of organising a private instructor for a few hours in the afternnoon of our first day as a refresher and also as a good way to learn the basic way round the mountain. Was hoping the instructor might also introduce us to some basic off piste skiing if appropriate. Any recommendations on who i could arrange this with gratefully received! Thanks again for the advice and the snow updates!
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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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Hells Bells, we've put a friend (44 yr old ski virgin) into New Gen who is coming out Mar 15th into one of their adult beginner groups.
There is also the resident "guru" Mr Darren Turner (been here over 20 yrs) who is based here, but I know he is very booked up - mind you his YouTube channel is worth a look
http://www.youtube.com/user/elatemedia some really good tips and exercises on there, and he's sold over 90k apps !
http://www.stylealtitude.com/stylish-skiing.html
As ever the snow that was forecast has not fallen, in fact in the garden I reckon it's melted more than it has accumulated.
That said clutching at straws the rain radar is showing some heavy stuff possibly coming our way, but that could dissipate as it tracks across mainland France.
Pistes looking very busy as the hordes stream down and the village was bonkers busy when we walked down with the dogs this morning.
Though bizarre to hear people talking about winding things up in two to three weeks time, that's often the best time of the season
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season starts in 12 days
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Weathercam,
Really appreciating your reports from the snow. Here's to hoping the dreaded HP from the outlook thread doesn't materialise or hang about for long.
I'm headed out with a group on the 15th and was wondering whether you have any experience of Ski Connections for hire? One of my group has already booked his kit there. I was looking at Riquet before the booking was made but figure it would be easier if we all made our bookings at the same place.
My wife may also want to book a private lesson, so thanks to Hells Bells for the New Gen recommendation, will have a look into them. If not are there any other decent schools and are we likely to get a private lesson without booking in advance?
Edit: Just to add, we are staying in Villeneuve.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Mon 3-03-14 23:22; edited 1 time in total
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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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Hacel, I would definitely book in advance, You can also book lessons through Ski Connection, but I haven't used them myself.
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FAQ
