 Poster: A snowHead
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@elefantfresh, we don’t use Super M for going up - we tend to go up to Prodains on the A bus and get to Avoriaz that way. Then ski down Crôt blue run and get the Grandes Combes chair up to Hauts Forts to open up the top of the valley and links to Switzerland and Lindarets (via Cubore).
Quite often come down Super M as it saves a bus ride and the top of the gondola is a nice spot for a sunset beer.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Actually, just had a look at the Les Prodains bus - that seems to run every 7mins from the Pleney lift, which is where we are - and takes about 15mins to get up - thats helped to relax the mind a little - we'll have something up in Avoriaz at least.
Phew
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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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| elefantfresh wrote: |
Well, that sounds promising - So Morzine may have very little for us, but we can just head up to Avoriaz every day instead?
We didn't purchase our tickets yet so maybe just get Avoriaz tickets without Morzine/LesGets access?
Does it take much time/effort to get up to Avoriaz from the super chair? Ie: from loading to clipping in
Fingers x something happens next week - what a torturous start to the season this has been... |
You have a few options … I presume you won’t have a car … up SM, then 3 fast chairs to take you to Avoriaz OR navette to either Ardent or Prodains and then up again. I suspect it all depends on where you’re staying, how many are in your party, if you have any kids and their gear to carry etc. It shouldn’t be particularly busy while you’re out there so, unless you have a car, I’d go with the SM option.
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| andy from embsay wrote: |
@elefantfresh, we don’t use Super M for going up - we tend to go up to Prodains on the A bus and get to Avoriaz that way. Then ski down Crôt blue run and get the Grandes Combes chair up to Hauts Forts to open up the top of the valley and links to Switzerland and Lindarets (via Cubore).
Quite often come down Super M as it saves a bus ride and the top of the gondola is a nice spot for a sunset beer. |
Thanks a million Andy - this sounds like a great plan - much appreciated - I thought this was looking like a sun holiday tbh - you've let me believe 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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@franga - thank you so much for your help - looks like we have options now
Stupid climate!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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[quote="Chaletbeauroc"]
| nevis1003 wrote: |
Last year was awful there. |
Give my regards to planet Troll.
Troll = anybody who disagrees with you  Half the PDS is shut due to no snow and your still insisting it's not too low!
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@franga, And if we have a car? (We will) Presumably just drive up to Avoriaz?
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@Charliegolf, if you’re driving suggest Ardent - free parking and avoids the potential pinchpoints getting out of Avoriaz.
But we have a car and never drive (unless to St Jean d’Aulps - well worth a day out).
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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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@andy from embsay, Cheers Andy.
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| andy from embsay wrote: |
| @Soozm, the blues down from the ridge into Lindarets are nice - turn left past the top of the Stash (Star Wars) and ignore the left turn down to Ardent is very steady. The other blue that loops round the other way and goes past the Lechere lift is nice and wide though a wee bit steeper. |
@andy from embsay, slightly off-topic for this thread, but as you mention it, in early season I've been down Star Wars a few times with some folks who've been here a lot longer than we have, none of whom can tell me why it's named "Star Wars". Any ideas?!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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No clue @fatmansan! It’s called Combe a Floret on the piste map!
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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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@andy from embsay Ha! Brilliant. I remain blissfully clueless.
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| Charliegolf wrote: |
| @franga, And if we have a car? (We will) Presumably just drive up to Avoriaz? |
If you do drive to Ardent then try and stop at the Hotel du Lac (@Lac Montriond) on your way home for a glass of red or a beer. Lovely setting.
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You know it makes sense.
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Does anyone know if the La Passage (above the top of SM) take bookings for lunch? And if it’s better to book than just turning up? For those that haven’t been … lovely setting, friendly owners and cracking food (burgers are ace).
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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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@franga, Will do.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Great updates here, thank you - be very interested to hear how conditions are after tomorrow/Friday's precipitation - due out next Thurs for a few days, was on verge of cancelling, but a little more optimistic now. Staying TLM relatively nearby but normally travel to and access via Ardent for PdS days.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Scraped 'hardpack' at best, icy in parts, with hordes of skiers struggling with the conditions. Lift queues were OK'ish in places, but not enough runs open and those open have seen better days. Desperately need more 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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@driz, "not enough runs open"
well, y'know, late Jan '90 iirc we were down to 2 chairs and 6 pistes in Avoriaz. Could be worse ...
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yeah, it was more about the lift:pistes ratio and the number of people using them in the conditions than a comment on a lack of variety.
Jan '90 definitely sounds like it was worse though.
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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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1964, no snow all season apparently, that's my benchmark for awful. And this year is still not as bad as 14/15 and 15/16 which didn't snow until early Jan. Any year that we have snow to the village all season and at least 3 or 4 decent snowfalls is good to great in my view.
But there's no question it's pretty grim below 1800m at the moment. Had a nice few hours skiing in the morning sun on the few runs that were open in LG. All artificial, but 3 or 4 pistes were fun to ski, no holes or big icy patches of note, just a mix of hard pack and soft grated man-made snow.
Was quiet early on, no queues at all, but by about 11-12 was getting silly. Never seen so many Volvos parked at Chavannes.....overflow almost down to the golf course. Most people seemed to be there just for the sun and a long lunch. Quite a few heli's flying around, large groups of beginners, ski schools and race teams all battling for strips of snow through the green and brown fields.
I've never had a morning like that.....so quite a novelty.....spotted a digger driving up what should be a piste, scraping up bits of old snow. And even though I spend time here in the summer, it was weird to see such big dips and gulleys in some terrain that is normally filled in with snow. At one stage I took the wrong line and tried to cut across the non piste area (crud) to reach my group but I ran out of crud. Had to take off the board and walk down across icy mud, right under a lift for good measure.
So yeah, was worth going up for a few hours but you have to have very low expectations, book somewhere for lunch early and enjoy the sun.
No change Friday, will be nice fresh snow in the morning but with rain later into Saturday I don't think there will be a big impact on conditions.
Still looking interesting further out, but no model agreement or support at that range.....just tiny signs of encouragement.
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| Quote: |
| Had to take off the board and walk down across icy mud, right under a lift for good measure.So yeah, was worth going up for a few hours but you have to have very low expectations, book somewhere for lunch early and enjoy the sun. |
Sounds like a fairytale @polo...ie Grimm 
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I went for an on piste ski tour yesterday from Ardent to Brocheaux and back to Ardent via Linderets. I was really quite (pleasantly) surprised by the amount of on piste snow still around. It was largely man made and boiler plate but perfectly skiable. If it’s touring or off piste skiing that your after then it’s a poor start to the season, but if you’re happy sliding around with the masses (and at the moment it really is masses) then it’s perfectly ok. I probably wouldn’t bother skiing in Les Gets or Morzine however, unless, as @polo says, you’re heading to one of the many great lunch spots.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Wed 28-12-22 18:50; 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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@polo, I <think> the no snow at all year might have been 1956 ... ?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@polo, nice one. hmmm ...
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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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@zzz, thanks for that. Not done Swiss side Chavenette yet, on the b list for three of us (well me anyway), reckon if looking open it will be clincher (and I;ll rebook hire from GVA which now looks much cheaper 
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You know it makes sense.
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Next two precipitation events arriving tomorrow pm and Friday. Figures from latest Meteo-Alpes forecast.
Tomorrow is good for Avoriaz / Les Crosets, bad for bottom half of Morzine / Les Gets / Chatel etc.:
- snow above 1500-1700m, rain below
- 10-15cm snow above 1900m
Friday is not so positive and may further damage lower pistes, though hopefully where a base remains it'll be pretty bulletproof!
- snow initially above 1800m, but rising to 2400m 
- (15-20cm snow above 2500m which will largely fall as rain in most of the PdS.)
Weekend sunny and very mild, freezing level above 3000m. Then remaining mild into the new year, though temperatures tending to trend down gradually.
(For info: Morzine is at 1000m, Pleney 1500m, Les Crosets & Champoussin 1700m, tops of La Chapelle / Super Chatel / Ranfoilly 1800m, top of Avoriaz 2200m.)
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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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Perhaps the stars will align and deliver a full weeks worth of the POW before my trip. I can but pray.
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Poster: A snowHead
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testing testing 1,2,3
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Wow it worked! Number of days with +1m base at 1800m in the Northern French Alps
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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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Try again:
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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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Average depth of base for the ten snowiest resorts in France, average since 2011. Val Thorens getting the most early snow, but by Feb half-term Avoriaz is in first place, and stays there through Easter.
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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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@shep, nice research, I see 64, 93 and 11 were properly awful / snowless, but no major downtrend really since the early 80’s.
It ties in with a local Savoyard barman I speak to, whenever I complain about a lack of snow in Dec/Jan he just shrugs and says February is the month for snow.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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[quote="nevis1003"]
| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
| nevis1003 wrote: |
Last year was awful there. |
Give my regards to planet Troll.
Troll = anybody who disagrees with you Half the PDS is shut due to no snow and your still insisting it's not too low! |
Ok, I'll feed you...
As someone with your experience would know, there is no such thing as the perfect ski resort. Egs...
- Verbier is wonderful for lift served off-piste but I can rarely be bothered with that (YMMV) and is otherwise, horrid with queues. The high resorts get rammed when the low resorts have no snow, so they don't provide solution, least of all Verbier.
- I share your enthusiasm for Zermatt, but at this time of year it's too dark, too far for me (perhaps not from the lake district) and arrse-rapey expensive.
- VT is a man-made, moonscape shithole, but the skiing can be more reliable than lower places if you don't have eyes or a sense of disgust.
Each to their own, I would suggest. However, there seems to be something about the Lake District that seems to be making you bitter. Could it be the rain?
Xxx
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| shep wrote: |
Try again:
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Thanks for posting. Could you please share the link?
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@snoozeboy, bravo sir. I do like to witness a good dressing down, and you have delivered one masterfully. 
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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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@snoozeboy, i enjoyed that. Chapeau
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