 Poster: A snowHead
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Is it worse than usual for the first week of April?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'm not a Mottaret expert but the piste down to Meribel Village is in the worse condition I've seen it in 6 years of skiing here at Easter (accepting Easter dates move).
Having said that we're still finding good skiing each day and will be back next year. The combination of skiing and sunshine is hard to beat 
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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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Thank you! That's what I wanted to hear!
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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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Got back from la Tania yesterday. I had been a bit apprehensive after reading various reports but we had a great week skiing and just downloaded on the gondola every day. There was more than enough skiing in courchevel for my young family, and when you add in the three valleys pass plenty for me too!
A week of gorgeous blue skies, a bit of slush but snow conditions actually exceeded my expectations especially above circa 1800m.
Pistes generally nice and quiet too!
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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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So we had a good week last week. I'd intended to post a couple of updates on conditions whilst there but it turned out we had no wifi.
We did Folyeres at the end of the first two days, but downloaded after that and it was shut by the end of the week. As other posters have said it was a hot glorious week. Conditions nice up top. Icy first thing on any run in the shade or the Meribel side of Col de La Loze. Courchevel side of Loze, ie. on Anenomes, Loze and Chenus were really nice at around 9.30-10am. First run or two down these runs was really nice just softened but not yet slush or chopped, but by 10.15 it was time to move on to the higher runs on Saulire or over to the Meribel side of Loze/Saulire, which catch the sun and soften later. Following this pattern, we had decent skiing all morning. The top bit of Creux had big soft heavy moguls during the afternoons, but the lower shady end where you blitz down the valley to the Aguille du Fruit lift was lovely almost all day every day.
We just about skied to 1650/Moriond without removing our planks on the Monday but it was so broken between Grand Bosses and Marquis that we were on literally the last ski width between the dirt patches, I don't expect it was possible without walking up from the bottom of the Signal lift later in the week. Still a nice lunch in Arc en Ciel was our reward, though annoyingly as it was their last week of the season they weren't doing any plat du jours.
We toured on Tuesday, aiming to go to La Masse but we had problems getting to Les Menuires. We had to download the bottom half of Rhodos to get to Meribel Centre, then Gros Toungue ( gros tougne) was shut from Granges so we had to join a 10 minute queue to get up Granges. Petis creux was also shut from the bottom of Becca so we had to re-upload to Becca to try and get down to LM. By the time we got to the bottom of Mont de La Chambre the snow was very chopped and super heavy and slushy, and it was getting towards lunchtime. So we aborted, headed up Mont De La Chamber and made our way back toward St Martin to eat at Les Corbeleys, as recommended by an earlier poster. Good food, good prices. Thanks for the recommendation.
We headed to VT on Thursday, reasonably successfully with a 6 year old in tow. Got as far as the top of Col du Thorens before heading back. Unfortunately the kids skied off without waiting for us and took us down a red that was heavily chopped and swept and hadn't been bashed, so despite the colder conditions doing a favour for the snow quality, the run we skied was wasted. Snow was still winter like up top, but softening on descent, and was fully soft by the time we were back in VT - the kids struggled to hold speed on that flat run in to town. The problem, whilst the snow was obviously better VT was hugely busy. 10-15 minute scrum for almost every chair (as opposed to the Courchevel end where every lift was virtually walk-straight-on). We headed back via col de la chambre and down lac de la chambre to have lunch at the bottom of the Mont Vallon lift. So whilst the snow was better, I personally thought the softer slushier conditions of the Courchevel end was a small price to pay for the quieter runs and walk-on lifts.
Anyway, Courchevel was still skiing well on Saturday, but lower down everything was shutting up. It was just about possible to ski to Plantrey lift Saturday afternoon, but it was on it's last legs below Croissette (we didn't go down to 1550). Still bags of fun up Saulire and Loze on pretty empty slopes despite being Easter weekend.
Now the sad realisation that I've no more snow for the next 8 months
 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Fresh powder in Val Thorens today! An excellent day on the hill! Photos on the Les Arcs Winter facebook page.
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Saturday 29 April. POWDER DAY again. Not bad for the end of April!
The lifts in Les Arcs might be closed, but down in Val Thorens they are still running. Yesterday we headed down that way as the top lifts re-opened following the recent snowfall.
Managed fresh tracks all day in real powder, not just spring stuff. AMAZING!
Did loads of routes. Started as the lifts began to run and finished well after they had closed. Wish I new who the two guys were that started to hike up the couloir we were thinking of skiing at after 5pm. Respect! Hope they made it up safely!! Must have been 500+m climb!
Finished the day with one of the nicest lines from the ridge of Peclet all the way back to the Waterfall and down into Val Thorens before reaching the almost empty car park at 6.30pm and heading for home!
Not sure if this was my last day of the season, might manage another next weekend. Hope so!
I will be posting yesterday's photos and all the others from around the area that are missing from the albums during the next week. Keep a look out for the new albums plus a special 'Jaff' Album for all you lucky ones that were out with us when he was taking some great photos this season!
Go to the Les Arcs Winter page for photos from yesterday! Enjoy! https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/
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@snowcrazy, the lifts stop today at VT. If you go you'll have to walk up. I remember skiing there in June once when working on the apartment and walking up the Moraine. Only did one short run though as it's too tiring.
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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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@emwmarine, Yes I know! I had planned to go back again today, but did not get the chance. Still there is loads of snow up high so a day out skinning at the weekend might still be possible. Guess it all depends how cold it stays. I know my friends that work in the mountains want the summer to arrive so they can start their other jobs without freezing! For me a few more weeks of snow would be nice!! Still plenty to do and skinning up first is a great way to keep fit. 
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