 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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Weathercam, apparently 15th onwards is very quiet, I was talking to Mel last night, but that could change. I've always had lots of late bookings for March/April.
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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, a more positive outlook on this might be that there is a recorded depth of 290cm at the top of the mountain and 95cm at 1400m. Oh and nearly 100% of the area is open. Not everyone wants snow every morning or even needs to venture off-piste. 
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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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| Quote: |
Like I said, it is amazing how it can go from bonkers busy to nigh on empty in a couple of weeks, we love it
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It is called the end of the French holidays. Happens every year . We love it too, and I suspect that before you bought your apartment, you would probably only be travelling out around now?
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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, Hells Bells,
Cheers both, i'll get her booked in with New Gen for a private and give Ski Connections a go for hire. Good luck with the weather out there for the off-piste bash.
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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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Weathercam, lovely pictures. Not meaning to be critical, but I received a PM this morning from someone who was worried about the on-piste conditions after reading your recent posts. This was followed by a Facebook message from a client who was also worried, she lurks on here, but does not post. I admit to being torn between wanting good snow for the SoPi crowd and some good weather for me. I spent 5 out of 6 days in cloud and heavy snow in the Dolomites a month ago, not to mention not getting to our intended resort.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Weathercam, I did point out to them that you were more interested in heading off-piste than they were, so they have now been reassured. Not quite sure what they were expecting to happen to the snow in the next few days, but they may not be experienced skiers. Trouble is no-one really heads further back into the thread once they've opened the last page. I'm sure your photos will do the trick nicely.
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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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Think we'll wait and see what the morrow has in store...........
Charliebigpotatoes, could be up your strasse
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You know it makes sense.
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Superb bright sunny start to the day, not a cloud in the sky, and groomed pistes looking fabulous.
Going to be a superb day here in Serre Chevalier on the pistes.
Bye 
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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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Sounds like typical spring conditions you'd expect in...spring? Off piste stable, deep base, plenty of options for touring for those of us that like to hike, dunno what everyone's worrying about  Feb's the big snow month
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Poster: A snowHead
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Love the spring Sharkymark.
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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, yes, fairly high for a short time but far from the worst conditions I've experienced. Deep rotten snow on all aspects would be a bit of a nuisance I guess. However, in the paraphrased words of Doug Combs: 'there's no such thing as poo-poo snow, just poo-poo technique'
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Hacel wrote: |
Weathercam, Hells Bells,
Cheers both, i'll get her booked in with New Gen for a private and give Ski Connections a go for hire. Good luck with the weather out there for the off-piste bash. |
Just to add, our group used Ski Connections last year for hire and lessons (group and private) and they were great. Will be having lessons with them again the week after next (staying in Chantemerle so doing hire elsewhere for convenience). I haven't used New Gen and know they have an amazing reputation, it was just the extra cost and being in Monetier that swung it for us. I really like the look of the clinics they do, and if I wanted to start going off-piste or somesuch would probably go for it, but for the general technique pointers I want from private lessons at the moment Ski Connections did really well last year.
Getting excited for the 15th now. Thanks for the weather updates Weathercam and Hells Bells, seems like it's been a great year so far. I was looking at historical snow reports and seems that the snow level rose a lot in mid-March last year. Is this normal? I always thought Jan and Feb would have more snow, with March having more sun?
I realise Weathercam is talking about the off-piste conditions, but is there a risk that the sun over the next week (and forecast for now snow in the next 9 days, on the Ski Club GB website at least) means pistes will be slushy and afternoon skiing difficult after that? I'd expect with an April trip that skiing is limited to mornings with relaxed afternoons in the sun, but I was hoping they'd still be good enough conditions to do full days on piste for the next few weeks?
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Forgot to add, last year a couple of people booked private lessons during the week (with Ski Connections) as they realised while there they wanted a few pointers, but I don't know if that's always the case at this point in the season. I think they had to do it over lunch as well, or at least when there was a free slow. I've booked mine ahead at least, but this does suggest it may be possible at the last minute if needs be.
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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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Drogue, it isn't unusual to get a dump of snow, but March last year was exceptional as we had about 150cm fall over a day and a half or so. There's much more snow in our garden now than there was before that snowfall last year. In fact more than for the past two or three years. Pistes do become slushy as temps warm up, but you've just got to go for it.
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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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Yesterday was a lot warmer than the day before, which was warmer than the day before that, and the day before that was.......etc
My weather station recorded (in the shade) 15.5 and on the patio in the sun must have been 20's.
Snow in the garden / patio is receding rapidly and green shoots already are showing.
Don't worry though we're on the South side and as you can see via the cam still plenty of snow, and pistes in fantastic condition this morning, though should imagine those slopes that are in the sun will be slushy noon onwards.
Hopefully the various people out here will be skiing off piste on the South facing slopes such as the old black run off the Balme as it transforms, or just maybe there still might be some powder off the Grand Pre down to Guibertes.
Have a plan for tomorrow following up on our hikes in the summer, taking the lifts then going down off the back.
Day off today, though might well get the bike out, could even be shorts, but think that might be pushing it
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Nice chill out day yesterday in shorts & t's fiddling with stuff cleaning the patio etc
Then saw the occasional bike cycling along the road and decided to go for a ride, which was very pleasant in the warm sunshine (thermometer was reading 25 degrees in the sun).
Cycled down to Briancon and then out to Nevache (the valley behind Serre Che), and was it busy up there!
Though there was a very big x-country race event on as well, ended up doing 58km and beasted myself on the return leg.
Have lost a lot of cycling fitness which is a bit of a worry as I have some very fit mates out in a couple of weeks time and there will be some big touring days, though what's the betting we get snow* then and not touring weather 
Heard from Mathieu the guide I know that he took some of the guys on the "bash" down off the back of Eychauda that I was alluding to you above. I spoke to him yesterday in the morning about that as plan for today and he said that was a good call, though was then quite surprised to hear he did it
Anyway plenty of snow off there and there are numerous options, we won't have the luxury of a van parked at the end though and we'll skin up to the Rocher Blanc chair from Les Coombes.
Only issue is currently we have high patchy cloud which will not help the melt that is needed to ski off the back, have to wait and see.
Mathieu is thinking about taking the guys up the Dome de Monetier tomorrow, that will be a big day for them, that's a long and interesting climb, but a great descent.
*Off piste, snow in March can fall as heavy powder, good for the first couple of hours but then can rapidly turn to sludge, that's when you go to La Grave as it will be that much colder at altitude
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You know it makes sense.
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Another great day in the office
Nice easy start to the day as we were not climbing first thing, but actually took some lifts 
Only one small queue to contend with, and then we took the Eychauda drag and did this
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That's not the condition of the snow with the recent warm weather but that was from last summer when we hiked up there a couple of times.
You can see the "Bash's" tracks just below OH - snow was a bit sketchy not classic corn even though we went a bit later than the group did the day before.
We then traversed and stayed high before dropping down and that was a much better call as I wanted to see other options if you were to go off the back of a couple of other lifts off the Serre ridge.
We then arrived at the bottom before Les Combes, then was on with the skins and climb up to the Rocher Blanc chair, whilst climbing up the snow was superb with some great lines through the trees available, I was sorely tempted to take the skins off and go back down.
As we climbed further (not a big climb) the chair came into view, and became obvious that after taking the chair we could then ski back down through these trees, and then climb back up.
So we did that, not once but twice as the snow was classic corn nearly all the way. OH was in raptures saying it was almost as good as powder.
We then had to ski piste all the way back home after getting the chair up again, and pistes were in great condition and not too crowded but think we did manage to start coming down as most were up the hill just after lunch around 15:00
This is the target for today La Gardiole (middle of picture)
Then chill out tomorrow with an interesting day planned for Thursday, but as ever when making a plan in the mountains more than a day ahead watch that go belly up
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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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yes, our plans for today went belly up, as J was up all night with D&V, so I'm catching up on some other stuff while he is sleeping it off. We had a great day in Montgenevre yesterday, pistes were all very quiet and in excllent condition. Guys are off to La Grave today, J was going with them, but like you say best laid plans don't always work out.
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Poster: A snowHead
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J was up all night with D&V,
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 what a shame. Hope he soon bounces back.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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pam w, I'm sure he will.
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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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Hells Bells, must admit when I first scanned your post I though J had been out with D&V and that they must be two Snowheads on the Bash and he was a bit hungover.
Took me a second or two for my grey matter to work it out, also helped by pam w's post
Seemed to loose some Mojo today, the climb up on a footpath is always quite gnarly but then was quite obvious once we hit more sustained snow that a lot of people had been up there, and snow was quite crappy.
However once the slope opened up there was a choice of routes to take and I could see various untracked routes for the descent, so maybe not too bad.
Then one of my bindings started playing up as I was climbing forcing me to stop nigh on every ten minutes, and a pressure point too started to feel like a blister was on its way even though had a compeed on, which always seems to happen in warmer weather as feet sweat more.
There was evidence half way up of a couple of slides and one look like it was very recent and due to warm snow so circum navigated that area keeping to the forest till we were above that sector, and every now and again the air was blue with my bindings 
We stopped for a snack after two and a bit hours having done some 700m vertical and there was a fair amount of high level cloud and quite a wind kicking in, and where we were to go snow was quite wind affected and had not melted enough so would not be a brilliant descent, so with all these factors working against us, plus I had sussed what was a matter with my binding and it was a missing rivet, we decided to head back down through the edge of the forest as there was some nice spring snow to be had, not as good as yesterday but still good enough for Elaine to let a couple of "whoops" out.
Then back to Briancon to Alpi'mat which is the best randonee shop around to get my binding sorted, and typical Dynafit, it's a known problem and and the shop had the necessary upgrade spares. Then we were on mission to get some crampons for Elaine and that was more of a problem, but after visiting three other shops on the way home Riquet in Villeneuve had them.
And Etienne who works in there this morning had done a huge ski tour up from Le Casset some 1700m vertical though can't remember the name of the Col(s) he did
The photos were staggering, more mountaineering for the last hour by the looks of things, and he too encountered crap snow, he'll probably be uploading the photos to his FB later.
We were talking about various routes that should be in good condition and Dome de Monetier Combe de Riou came up, so hopefully some of the "bash" will be doing that this week as they have the ability to sort out the necessary transport logistics.
Day off tomorrow, have to actually catch up on some work
Anyway few pictures from today
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thought it was just us finding variable snow conditions....from the Bergerie de Ponsonniere (spelling?) - near Pont de l'Aple - we had everything from spring snow to heavy to ice and back to heavy. Ok, the range of slope aspects was quite wide but even so, we were surprised by such variability. The expected spring snow on the south faces just didn't materialise to any great extent.
Today above Monetier our skins became saturated by 11am and in descent, at 11.30, we found the snow already getting heavy. The route, up from the Chapelle St Anne, was surprisingly skiable albeit the narrow track at the bottom was 'interesting'. Thanks for the hint on that one Gav. A couple of years ago we walked that route in Feb and it was completely devoid of snow. So, complain a bit though we might, it's pretty good right now...the sun is shining, the mountains are white and everyone is enjoying it.
All we need now is an Irish win in Paris next Saturday... 
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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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Speak for yourself Kevin Byrne, an Irish loss likely hands England the 6 nations Though after watching our capitulation against the Welsh in Grenoble airport last year when at least the championship (if not the grand slam) looked inevitable, I probably shouldn't tempt fate by assuming we'll beat the Italians.
Ireland v France does look like the pick of the games, but I'll be en route to Serre by then...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Kevin Byrne, Elaine and I are thinking of doing what we did on Monday this Friday if you and Antoinette are up for it, in fact we could leave a car at Puy St Andre, as spring snow seems to be better lower now at the moment, not so wind affected?
Mind you don't know if the snow still goes all the way down to PSA ?
Contact you tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon ?
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 12-03-14 9:56; edited 1 time in total
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All fit and well and back out on the skis this morning. Trying to meet up with Alastair Pink this morning who is on a day trip from Les Deux-Alpes.
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Oh well up early with eager anticipation (nervous) doing a bit of a mini adventure tout seul, main concern is even though I've planned the route, and was up in one of the sectors earlier this week, and even took a photo of where I might be going, concern is whether I can actually get over the Col to where I want to get to as might be a ten foot cornice stopping me which I can't see from the photo clearly enough, or hope that some other ski tourers have already made a route
If that be the case, then it will be an "up and down" as opposed to a "here to there" and getting picked up. Mind you the "up and down" will probably offer the better snow for skiing
Starting early as I finally bought some new ski crampons (105mm) so hard pack snow/ice should not be a problem, famous last words.
Pistes all look fabulous, and even though looks very warm early next week with far fewer people pistes will be in great condition.
Have one of my Osteopath clients (I have four who I do their websites for) with her famille next week so can get my knee, shoulder and other parts looked at staying in the apartment above us, and we also have a friend (never been to the mountains) staying with us, so might have to venture on the piste next week and do things like restaurants
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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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May need that osteopath by Tuesday
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Weathercam, I'm beginning to think ski touring is one of those activities that you can never get quite right. If it's not the weather, it's the conditions, or the equipment (is anyone ever really satisfied?) or it's the body!! For us, this week, it seems to be the latter two. I've got an almighty pressure sore on the outside of my foot that even James Cracknell would crack under. So, new boots....a big improvement....the Mega Rides were getting mega old anyhow. And Antoinette, who has a hip injury and suffers from blisters, has been to see Bruno the boot doctor twice...so far with some improvement with one boot but still a bit to go with the other one.
So, by the time we have everything sorted, it will be time to go home. But hey, we'll be all set for next time and it will be so much better....won't it?
Today, with a late start, we took a dander up towards the Galibier but stopped after 90 mins or so because the snow was already soft...Nice slide down though in fact it was clumpy and lumpy - see....when we were sorted well enough to ski, we start to complain about the conditions
Tomorrow's another day and no one could honestly complain about the magnificent weather...
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