 Poster: A snowHead
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We flew into Geneva on Friday 25 March and out on Friday 1 April (for a 1 week stay in Arc 1800).
No-one was interested in my COVID vaccination status (I had them all printed out) and the passport officers did not appear to be asking vaccination details of anyone else.
Some of the lifts in Les Arcs (including AR telepherique) had notices stating that masks should be work but most people (more than 70%) were not wearing one.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@PatrickJC, thanks.
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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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@thefatcontroller,
Last week no-one at passport control cared about our Statements d'honneur (which reading above appear to have gone now anyway) or vacs status proofs. (although bet they would have if we hadn't had them).
In 1950 / 2000 the bars, the lifts and the restaurants all appear to have given up on masks, distance restrictions and/or checks. It's like it never happened.
Which may explain why all three of us caught it.
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Conditions on-piste pretty good IMO, being in Plagne 1800 this week and in local area, and having gone across to explore Les Arcs Sun/Mon/Tue too.
Looking good snow-wise for next week too; some new snow coming (Bergfex ‘mountain’ forecast); somewhat windy outlook.
::
Yesterday’s pic; note new snow on trees:
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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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@Fat George, ahhhh, Bellecote North Face.
Glad to see the forecast has changed from showing rain to three flocons - hope it materialises!
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Wow it was warm today. The pistes holding up very well but I did spot a couple places where the ground was showing through - a 50cm by 20cm patch on Lutins and a bigger patch on Gollet. This was actually the first time on the trip that Gollet was actually open and it was horrible with sticky patches and better places knocking you back and forth on your skis. I do not reccomend it.
Generally excellent spring skiing.
It must be that it's been two years since I've encountered a bump field but I found any bump run very hard today. I just couldn't get into any kind of flow.
The resort seems even quieter than yesterday. Quite often we found ourselves the only ones on the piste. Mind you I was trying to show my neice some of the more obscure runs in the resort: dente du peigne (the only way to this blue is marked, falsely as red), Vezaille ( agreen piste that has some undiscovered poweder near it and a deralict race pistes leading from it), Lutins (I don't know why this is neglected) etc.
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Another warm day today, with 21 degrees showing in Vallandry, but with no wind and a clear ski the snow is staying in very good condition. Our warm up run, Clocheret was excellent first thing with frozen piste basher marks making for a filling disloging run with no one on it
The upper parts of runs were good all day but things were getting soft lower down this afternoon. There were even puddles around the base of the Vagere chairlift. Basically everything sbove the Arpette was good below getting tiring. We even did the lower part of ecureulls this afternoon (the top part is closed). Normally this piste has some water ice on it in April but none today. It was suprisingly good. In fact all the reds (well the open parts) were great.
Though the lifts are oen until 17:15 we finished early at 16:00, tired.
The resort is once again quiet with no waiting at lifts at all.
But what did worry me was the number of times the helicopter was coming in. Normally ths means serious accidents. I hope not.
Keep safe, apply the factor 50 and have a good time.
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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 raining in the resort at the moment
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For me, all great today across in Les Arcs, great runs until 3pm; good-type slush even down at Peisey-Vallandry.
Alas, the runs back route to P1800 via Roche de Mio down the Champagny valley were unbelievably sticky. I mean random velcro, as if it had rained!
Worst experience of the week, bar none.
Then up Verdons Sud and with relief back to base as normal for spring conditions.
Snowy/rainy tomorrow.
Not sure if it’s worth going out but we’ll see.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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A sprinkling of wet snow on the ground in 1600 this morning and it's drizzling. The cloud level doesn't look too bad at about 2000m but I'm tired from the heavy snow of yesterday afternoon (and a fine meal of tuna tatar, followed by cod cheeks in a gambas bisque at the le geneux restaurant) so we will have a rest day and a trip to the super u and weldom in bourg
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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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The weather is improving. Though its still drizzling the cloud is breaking up and a watery sun is visible on occasions.
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Hello all, I'm after a bit of advice on a couple points.
1. Anyone know a good place in Arc 1950/2000 likely to be be showing the Liverpool v Man City game on Sunday afternoon?
2. What are the best options for a transfer from Les Arcs/Bourg to Geneva Airport next Wednesday?
Thanks in advance.
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You know it makes sense.
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| philhitch wrote: |
Hello all, I'm after a bit of advice on a couple points.
1. Anyone know a good place in Arc 1950/2000 likely to be be showing the Liverpool v Man City game on Sunday afternoon?
2. What are the best options for a transfer from Les Arcs/Bourg to Geneva Airport next Wednesday?
Thanks in advance. |
I would think Luigi's in 1950 will be very likely to be showing it. Le Chalet de Luigi, right next to the slopes.
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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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Will be staying in Arc 1800 From 9th to 16th April with my 13yo daughter - both strong intermediates (daughter now way better than me), are there any peopel wanting to meet for a ski together on any days?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| philhitch wrote: |
Hello all, I'm after a bit of advice on a couple points.
1. Anyone know a good place in Arc 1950/2000 likely to be be showing the Liverpool v Man City game on Sunday afternoon?
2. What are the best options for a transfer from Les Arcs/Bourg to Geneva Airport next Wednesday?
Thanks in advance. |
Bowling 2000 has games on every day, last night was Chelsea Real, Villareal Bayern and Burnley Everton, i am sure they will have the Liverpool game on this weekend.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
What are the best options for a transfer from Les Arcs/Bourg to Geneva Airport next Wednesday?
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Today my Niece just caught the 9:05 bus from the gare in Bourg st Maurice to Geneva airport. (Alpbus). Personally I would have saved 25€ and taken the train, but she was nervous about changing trains.
@TallGuyUK, Yes I'll join you for a ski. We are here until Wednesday. PM me and I'll get back to you.
My earlier comment about the weather was optimistic. It is now sleeting heavily and the cloud is down. Hopefully above 2000 this will be heavy snow.
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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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We’re at 1800 - snowing heavily with cloud coverage but good conditions (bit slushy at the bottom of the lifts though)
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@195062 and @Buenos - thanks for the tips on watching the game. YNWA!
@johnE - I fully expected there to be a bus from Bourg train station to GVA but can't seem to find any operator making runs mid-week. Would you have a link for the operator your neice has used please? I've searched Alpbus but nothing exactly with that name come up. I get this https://booking.altibus.com/
Thanks again.
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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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@philhitch, the site to book from is altibus.com the bus is operated by alpbus. There appears to be only one a day, however. You can catch it at the bottom of the funicular
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As you may gather from my previuos posts we are here on a two week holiday and planned after 7 days to have a rest day. Well due to yesterday's heavy rain that turned into 2 rest days. Today it is snowing and we thought time to renew the lift passes. My wife went to the lift pass office this morning to renew for 4 more days. The lady at the office advised not to buy a 4 day pass but to buy a single pass for today, a so called "blizzard pass" and see what the conditions are like tomorrow. This saves money over a 4 day pass since today there are restriced opening in Les Arcs. We will not be able to get to the ridge over to 2000 and some lifts are not running. The advice was offered even though the company could have made more money by selling us what we asked for.
On a previous occaision I only wanted to ski during the afernoon (long story). I was advised to buy a single day local area pass covering only the side of the mountain from 1600 to Vallandry as this was cheeper.
The moral of the story is to buy your pass from the office where good advice is offered rather than simply renewing online.
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@johnE, not heard of the Blizzard Pass before. How much cheaper is it than a regular one day pass?
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It cost 39 euros for the day as opposed to 46. 1/4 of a 4 day pass is 42.75. So not much of a discount. The price of a beer
But it's nice to chat and find out the situation.
Arc 2000 looks almost totally closed so I expect to see a lot of people coming around on the bus - if the road is open
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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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@johnE, thanks.
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@johnE, isn't that the price of a samedijeski?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The heavy rain of yesterday didn’t wash the pistes away as I feared instead it appears to have permeated them and frozen overnight. Fairly persistent snow over the day has settled on to the surface creating an lovely surface for skiing, 10 cm of powder ontop of hard pack. I think the snowpack is so dense this year that good skiing will be available until May, except the lifts close at the end of this month. It will probably be skiable in Arc 2000 until June and the mountain bike tracks not clear until the end of August.
The visibility, however, was patchy, sometimes down to a few metres, other times full sunshine. In fact we finished the day with a run down Arolle in bright sunshine having spent most of the day in the Vallandry sector. The ski schools cottoned on to the same idea and there was lesson after lesson enjoying the powder to the side of Arolle.
Last evening we sat in the bar of the Panoramic watching the comings in the main car park. A lot of Belgian registration cars arrived and today there seemed to be English voices everywhere, and lots of children. Still no lift queues, however, and we were able to get straight onto every lift.
The forecast for tomorrow is for sunshine so I’m looking forward to a good day’s skiing
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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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A few things I forgot to mention.
Snowboarding appears to be having a revival. I saw quite a few out today and earlier in the week even saw some children and young adults on boards.
They may be a monoski festival going on. At one point I counted 8 skiing together and rather graceful they looked too. I'm not sure I can still do it so have left my mono in the garage at home.
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Today. Has been glorious.
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You know it makes sense.
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After the snowfall on Saturday Sunday was a beautiful sunny day with refreshed pistes lots of 10-20cm deep powder over a firm base and judging by the tracks all the usual off piste sections were being vigorously explored. There were tracks everywhere around the Grand col area except, of course, the refuge piste which was closed due to the obvious avalanche risk.
Today started with bone jarringly hard pistes that started to soften up as the day progressed until by 3pm they were getting painfully heavy. We quit at that time. It was really hot and by 12 I was soaked with sweat. Though the snow was heavy there were no water puddles and still no bare patches on the piste. Amazing really.
Is the concept of a quiet changeover day a reality? I’ve noticed that here in Les Arcs Saturdays and in particular Sundays are the busiest days of the week. Is that the same in other resorts?
I was reading about the end of season party on April 30th. Other resorts might be having barbeques or drinks and dancing. Not Les Arcs. The party consists of seeing how many times you can run the 5.1km and height of 817m form the bottom to the top of the funicular in 6 hours. It appears that your 8€ entry fee covers free descents in the funicular.
Tomorrow is going to be my last day of the season as I heading home on Wednesday. An early start and finish may be in order.
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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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Even hotter today. No hard pistes just very soft heavy snow. We stuck at it for a while then called it a day at noon. It may have helped if I'd waxed my skis but the stop-go sensation on piste was very painfull. There are some places where the piste is thining, Combettes for example but still almost universay piste coverage and at the end of a 14 day ski trip I can say I haven't come across a single stone - well that's not quite true, the entrance to Claire Blanc was a tad rocky.
I now better start packing up the apartment and get ready to go home tomorrow. My estimate is about 15 hours door to door, depending, as usual, on the tunnel delays.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I thought I knew Arc1600 fairly well. I even knew where the cinema and the Cafe Sol (the night club) were and the underground corridor beneath the Cachette hotel ,but I discovered something today. The old Arc 1600 outdoor swiming pool. We were shown that underneath the wodden boarding at the front of the Cuponole the swimming pool is still there but disused. It even had water in it. It was closed in 1976.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@thefatcontroller, looking at your excellent photos I notice that the snow has thinned considerably sinced we left on Wednesday. Your Carreley shows a lot of brown that wasn't there last week, but a quick look at today's livecam pictures shows that even in 1600 the conditions still look pretty good. Enjoy the rest of the trip. Keep posting.
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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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| thefatcontroller wrote: |
Same old, same old today. Lovely sunshine and very, very quiet slopes. Boarding again today. Some photos
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thanks for sharing these photos.. its not helping the post-ski hol blues. i do wonder sometimes if i miss a trick by going when its busier.
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| Kj82 wrote: |
| thefatcontroller wrote: |
Same old, same old today. Lovely sunshine and very, very quiet slopes. Boarding again today. Some photos
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thanks for sharing these photos.. its not helping the post-ski hol blues. i do wonder sometimes if i miss a trick by going when its busier. |
No more photos I'm afraid, home now, it was a very quick trip but glad we went. The snow was better than we expected and the slopes much quieter. I thought Easter would be busy but it was a late Easter which may have put people off. Anyway nice to be travelling again without PCR tests and masks...
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photo of the day
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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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End of the season and another day closer to our 3 week January 2023 trip. Counting down days. It will be a long (Aussie) winter.
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| davidof wrote: |
photo of the day
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There were very similar ones in Gressoney at the Gnarli, basically they meant "No snow when off the piste" can't remember the Italian but it tickled me.
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