 Poster: A snowHead
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Horrific queue in that picture up there, @Weathercam, but the rest of it looks great! 
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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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@pam w, did you read why the queue was like that ?
Twas because during holidays they open a few lifts up half an hour earlier at 08:30 - so all the powder hounds, including us, as it was a bluebird day get there for first lifts, however they were still blasting way past then and the lift did not open till circa 09:10 and by then all the hordes and ski schools had arrived.
Will probably be the same tomorrow again when we get there early 
But change of tactics and we're going to Monetier which could well be as bad, but they might open up another chair which does not go as high.
And stopped snowing now, looks pretty but again only around 20cm max, hope more up the hill.
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| KenX wrote: |
@backhojo, Glad you enjoyed your stay here  |
we did, however it was helped by having other resorts to go to as well. Think I would have found it challenging without the variety. I think the problem was that due to the poor snow then there was pretty much no off piste available and also the resort was "shrinking" due to closed pistes. I know its meant to be a large resort but I would question the quoted 250km of pistes. when only 69% of this is open then it becomes even smaller. I had only ever done a couple of days in Serre but having done a week I realise that perhaps its not a resort we will stay in again. we will visit and ski there but perhaps as part of a stay in Risoul for example. We feel it also helps to have a resort like the 3 valleys where there are options for skiing at 3500m as well...helps when its a poor snow year.
i am not saying it was a bad holiday....far from it, we really enjoyed it, just that the limitations presented by a poor snow year started to show. how much better we would have been in the 3 valleys is also a good question...probably more people and less sunshine. Cant say we were too unhappy about having blue sky and sunshine for 6 days out of 7 !!
there is no perfect resort - they all have pros and cons. thanks for all your help and advice when we nearly bailed out and took a massive £ hit...glad we listened to you all and stuck with Serre che !
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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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@Weathercam, still snowing here 
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@KenX, yes still a bit of a dribble here.
| backhojo wrote: |
| .........I think the problem was that due to the poor snow then there was pretty much no off piste available................. |
Make your mind up as earlier you stated after I suggested that there's more to piste cruising.
| backhojo wrote: |
| ........That's for all the info. weathercam....it all looks lovely but not suitable for us as we have the kids with us too. High mileage piste bashing is what works for us, hence why we like all the lifts to be open........... |
Anyway only winding you up, though I do think from the tone of many of your posts you do have very exacting standards and like I suggested before maybe the likes of little Old Serre is not right for you and you should stick to the bus 'em in bus 'em out ski factories 
PS La Grave is only 40min drive away and that goes to 3,600m
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Tue 9-02-16 20:05; edited 1 time in total
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@Weathercam, when did it stop snowing on sunday ? was still bucketing down when we left at 3pm. has it been snowing today - what was vis like ?
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| Weathercam wrote: |
@KenX, yes still a bit of a dribble here.
| backhojo wrote: |
| .........I think the problem was that due to the poor snow then there was pretty much no off piste available................. |
Make your mind up as earlier you stated after I suggested that there's more to piste cruising.
| backhojo wrote: |
| ........That's for all the info. weathercam....it all looks lovely but not suitable for us as we have the kids with us too. High mileage piste bashing is what works for us, hence why we like all the lifts to be open........... |
Anyway only winding you up, though I do think from the tone of many of your posts you do have very exacting standards and like I suggested before maybe the likes of little Old Serre is not right for you and you should stick to the bus 'em in bus 'em out ski factories
PS La Grave is only 40min drive away and that goes to 3,600m |
not keen on proper off piste where avalanche trancievers and shovels and guides are required. like to play around in the trees between pistes etc but sadly not possible as it was too crudy !
we have been to 3 valleys a lot . not keen on the "ski factories" so thats why we got to La Tania and why we stay clear of french holiday weeks.
to be honest Risoul and Serre Che looked like ski factories on saturday ! couldnt believe how many cars where just dumped anywhere in risoul to avoid paying for the car parks. went into the town after skiing and it was heaving. 25 people outside the ski hire shop in a queue !!! I think there were lots of italians who couldnt ski in the milky way due to rubbish snow so went to risoul instead !
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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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la grave is not that sensible an option with a 9 yr old though !
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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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Yes, SC does get a lot of weekenders, as I suspect does Risoul. With the local area on 2 weeks break, Saturday would have been busy, as many will drive up on Friday night or early Saturday so they can ski the day. My guests this week arrived Sunday and are leaving Friday evening to avoid the traffic. They came up from close to Marseille.
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Shall be now following this thread with interest. Back to monetier with ski Miquel 12th March. Love serre chevalier. How are the resort runs given low snow depths showing on serre che website.
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You know it makes sense.
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@dan100, we'll be in Monetier that week and the week after.
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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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| dan100 wrote: |
| How are the resort runs given low snow depths showing on serre che website. |
After recent snowfalls the runs are perfect
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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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Fair day in the white room, not "epic", but not bad................
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Looks good. If I'm going to go off piste I need wide open spaces not 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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| backhojo wrote: |
Hello...well it was an interesting day. We headed over to monetier and was on the vallons lift about 10.30. It had just started to snow and a bit of cloud had come in but it was ok. We then accidentally went on a closed piste (clot gaillard)....don't ask, long story. Was horrendous as snow was very thin and lots of roots, mud, grass and ice. We were with a group of about 20 Scottish skiers who were very proud of the fact that their average age was 72 and their eldest was 84 ! We then hung around the etoile lift as the cloud cleared and blue sky came. Then we went to go up yret and cibouit but changed our minds as the white out was back. Quick loop round eychauda lift and tetras piste and the cloud cleared enough for us to go up the top of cibouit and yret. It was bloody cold but very nice snow. Lunch at flocun and a thaw out as the kids were very cold. Then it turned bad....we had to get back to villeneuve valley and the route back via cucumelle was freezing cold, blowing a gale and about 20m visibility ! Not nice and we kept loosing the kids even though they were less than 50m from us at all times. Very impressed with them getting down without a single drama. Once we got back down to frejus the visibility came back and we went down bez to the bottom then back up case du boeuf then down the melezone which had been opened ...by now we were back to blue sky and there was fresh powder on the ground. All the way down via route Aravet which had lots of new snow on it but was a bit sticky at the bottom. No idea how cold it was at the top but with the windchill and judging by how cold we were despite all the layers and boot heaters then it must have been at least minus 10 if not colder !!
Just been out to get a takeaway pizza and it was bucketing it down with snow even at village level. Roads completely white and had to clear loads of snow of the car. If it stops snowing before the lifts open then tomorrow will be a fun day. |
backhojo: Unfortunately I was the one leading the Scottish group (bright green jacket) and it was not a popular decision within our group to go down "Clot Gaillard".
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Going to be very busy up there today me thinks, bright sunny day, they will all be out with superb conditions on piste.
Much colder than of late too, as at 10:00 -4.5.
Slight breeze.
Was almost tempted to go over to LG but we'll wait and see what the weekend brings, just hope finally the forecast delivers.
Was chatting to some locals last night and they too were amazed at the size of the snow flakes on Tuesday and they too were hoping it was the start of a momentous dump.
To put the lack of a major snowfall into perspective, I have yet to dig my van out yet after a snow fall, mind you only did that once last season too
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What kind of snow depth is there on piste? Is it all open now?
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@pam w, pretty well all open, some of the pistes on the South facing side on Briancon are closed as are a few others.
60 out of 62 lifts and 68 out of 81 pistes
Skiing down to resort in Monetier yesterday snow was perfect and straight out in front of me both Bez and Casse du Boeuf are pristine.
More here on the interactive piste map
http://www.serre-chevalier.com/en/winter/ski-area/piste-map/
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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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First trip out to SC (staying in Monetier) on Sunday for HT week with wife and kids (11 & 9). As mentioned earlier in thread I've really enjoyed getting a feel for the resort on this forum and can't wait to get there now so thanks to all contributors.
Can anyone recommend their favourite places to stop for lunch on the mountain (modest budgets!) and perhaps a demi/chocolat etc in the afternoon?
Let the snow continue
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@joshuaharrison, with the kids then the Grotte bottom of Aravet Gondola lift in Villeneuve and the Station, bottom of Luc Alphand piste in Chantermerle are great for kids food and not expensive.
Peyra Juana Monetier great chocolate / demi stop
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Great - thanks Weathercam.
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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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@joshuaharrison, Peyra Juana and Halte pre chabert at bottom of Monetier piste aren't too bad for food either. Portions in PJ are huge, so kids could quite easily share an adult plate. In fact two adults could share an adult plate. Halte does plenty od stuff for kids, and a good plat du jour for about 12€ Also panini from the hut outside.
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Looks like it is dumping on @Weathercam's bird table again.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Weathercam, You been up to Montgenevre at all recently, any idea what it's like at the mo? Cheers
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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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Morning all.
Time to load up the car and wake up the kids.
See you Saturday afternoon.
Higs (biggish bloke with beard in red/blue coat and lime green pants (looks better than it sounds))
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Guernseyfreerider, just for you I'll go take a look today
As I'm taking the OH to Turin so will be going over and coming back through Montgenevre.
Forecast as ever keeps changing, and now the snow looks like coming this afternoon and through tomorrow, actual amounts as ever are all over the place depending on which forecast you look at and more importantly what height - Snow Forecast has 46cm today at 2,800m (the top) and 33cm for tomorrow, whilst MeteoFrance 20cm for today and 12.5 tomorrow for the top.
Should add that MeteoFrance has 46cm for La Grave (top) for both today and tomorrow!!
Around 5cm fell last night, hopefully more up the hill.
I might go take first lifts at Monetier if it's not too busy.
And best of luck @Higs, for the drive, think you're going to need it!
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 12-02-16 7:57; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Hells Bells, more to come today
@Higs, safe drive, hope you have a great week here!
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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, Peyra Juana
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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 with @KenX, blowing me out in favour of showing a fellow geezernaire how to ski powder, huge chapeau for that, and the OH crocked with a pulled calf muscle, I took myself up to Monetier for 08:35 - and was nigh on the first on the lift!
I did hope to ski Montagnolle but top of Cibuit confirmed not such a good idea as viz was nigh on zero, so skied all the way back and then back up on Bachas and two laps in the trees.
This time I went closer to the cliffs on the left (not always a good idea for me) and the line was superb, still totally untracked. Second time there was a group ahead of me on the hike so politely went pass them, and then shock horror my first line was obviously tracked out by a group who I came across variously splattered in the trees, but once out in the more open trees plenty of untracked and I skied down to a building I had spotted on the first run, turned out to be a ruined building next to a chapel.
So skied down a little further as looking back up in that direction looked like an old piste, and sure enough there was an old drag lift.
Looking on my map it was the teleski de Charvet and the Chapel was Charvet at 1608.
Few pics
Now you see em
Now you don't 
So leaving for Turin now as drive back from Monetier was slow with people using chains, so up to Montgenevre and down's going to be fun, and then the return journey!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Went up Chantemerle area this morning with an old friend and did several laps in lovely powder in the trees to skier's right of the Foret chair, cold and snowing light/medium, just had a bite to eat before I go down to the chalet to do some work and it's puking down as forecast, early doors tomorrow Weathercam if you make it back over the Col du Montgenevre by then
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Yes, I recognise it now, we've walked past it in the summer. Must be good out there, guests with small child were leaving this morning, but they've asked to stay until Saturday afternoon.
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or rather bad, it was the road conditions on the way back towards Gap that forced them to stay rather than the snow. Hoping to leave tomorrow morning, but suspect it might be worse still. http://www.inforoute05.fr/wir3/circulation.html
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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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With four weeks to go, it's time to start following this thread. NICE.
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FAQ
we do like the 5 yr warranty and 5 year service pack that he bought and then sold it after 3 years...both transferred to us !! 
