 Poster: A snowHead
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@snoozeboy, 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| fatmansan wrote: |
| 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?! |
Fairly sure it's a reference to the return of the Jedi speeder bike chase and the way the piste is cut in between the trees. Feels like that anyway when you hit it hard 
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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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@shep, eyeballing the "duration" chart of yours, it looks like a gentle trend down  but very volatile ...
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While it’s entertaining for some to counter the nevis view, I don’t see the point stooping down to a level that unfairly criticizes other resorts. Avoriaz is also entirely man made and has worse queuing issues and a much older / unreliable lift system than Verbier, while being a 1000m lower.
Facts and data are the best response to misguided opinions. Property keeps rising and the huge crowds keep coming back….we can’t all be masochists. Though I have admitted to partaking in face stinging hail on occasion.
Back to the weather, FL dropping further tonight, expect snow to 1300-1400m. Big issue is what happens into Sat, some models not showing much rain, others are……so a good chance there will be a net gain.
Further out the forecasted axis flip gains mean traction and cross alignment as subsiding u10 flow promotes favorable amplification
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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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| polo wrote: |
| Further out the forecasted axis flip gains mean traction and cross alignment as subsiding u10 flow promotes favorable amplification |
Translation: long term weather forecast shows some promise 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| driz wrote: |
| 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. |
A friend who was their yesterday (a snowhead but he doesn't post anymore) said it was utter chaos and he gave up mid morning. He said the parking and traffic was manic.
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| franga wrote: |
| 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). |
Yes they take bookings. Was always our stop to watch the sunset and right next to the last lift down to morzine so you could get suitably sloshed and not worry about the journey back. 
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| snoozeboy wrote: |
- 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.
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You should write for the Telegraph's travel section 
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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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| davidof wrote: |
A friend who was their yesterday (a snowhead but he doesn't post anymore) said it was utter chaos and he gave up mid morning. He said the parking and traffic was manic. |
Always the case Christmas week, good snow or bad. I’ve seen Ardent horrendously bad, with the road literally blocked due to crap parking, buses unable to get in and traffic backed up to the lake. It was sunny and loads of snow!
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| Dashed wrote: |
| davidof wrote: |
A friend who was their yesterday (a snowhead but he doesn't post anymore) said it was utter chaos and he gave up mid morning. He said the parking and traffic was manic. |
Always the case Christmas week, good snow or bad. I’ve seen Ardent horrendously bad, with the road literally blocked due to crap parking, buses unable to get in and traffic backed up to the lake. It was sunny and loads of snow! |
Similar situation down by the Lac in the height of summer.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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They need to figure out a good park and ride scheme but I assume they need to find the land to hold carparks. Chatel finally implemented a park and ride system yesterday by having cars driving up the valley stop an Penthiaz lift at La Chapelle to catch a bus.
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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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| davidof wrote: |
A friend who was their yesterday (a snowhead but he doesn't post anymore) said it was utter chaos and he gave up mid morning. He said the parking and traffic was manic. |
This I can easily believe. But as said not entirely abnormal for these weeks. 45 mins queue to get on the autoroute from Flegere last night though which is not usual 
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| Ozboy wrote: |
| They need to figure out a good park and ride scheme but I assume they need to find the land to hold carparks. Chatel finally implemented a park and ride system yesterday by having cars driving up the valley stop an Penthiaz lift at La Chapelle to catch a bus. |
I imagine that this is at least partially because with only the Linga and PlJ areas to park close to lifts they'll be getting jammed pretty early on. And TBH If I'm going to have to get a bus from the more remote parking areas which extend a couple of kilometres down from PlJ I'd rather do it from further down the valley anyway (assuming I was coming that way for just the day, of course).
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You know it makes sense.
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[quote="snoozeboy"]
| nevis1003 wrote: |
| 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 |
No rain for me, enjoying the skiing in Val Thorens...hope it's stopped raining in Morgins and PDS...
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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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| shep wrote: |
| 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. |
Nice work. Love me some stats.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| duncansarmy wrote: |
| fatmansan wrote: |
| 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?! |
Fairly sure it's a reference to the return of the Jedi speeder bike chase and the way the piste is cut in between the trees. Feels like that anyway when you hit it hard |
Nice one @duncansarmy. That was a hunch too but then the reference to the wrong film was like an itchy toe! Once the kids are back in school next week and the pistes are quieter, I'll give it another go with this in mind!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Back to conditions - we were up on the Ardent gondola at 0845 this morning. MUCH busier than Tuesday and a queue for 5 mins to get on. Word is clearly out and people are getting up and out.
Headed straight up the valley and did a couple of laps of Cases - zero queues although windy at the top. Pockets of fresh on piste in protected areas. It was snowing down to 1500M for a brief time.
Over to Swissland on the second lap and the piste was scraped, windswept and hard. Good edge practice on empty pistes was the only highlight.
Back over to France and a 10min queue at Brochaux. Snowing lightly again from 11am down to just above Lindarets (so guessing that SL of ˜1500 was sticking). Star Wars was slushy, brown with rocks in places. Wet from Lindarets back to a packed car park via a heavy run back to Ardent before lunch.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Thu 29-12-22 16:48; edited 1 time in total
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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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First half-day today, warm all morning, a bit of intermittent drizzle but no heavy rain. Just started to chill off now with some heavy looking clouds coming in. Avoriaz might get a top up tonight.
Bumpy heavy and brown around Folliets but managed to ski all of Piste B into Morzine a few times which was OK mostly.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Just went back from a nice little morning in LG - first time since the opening weekend. The 17th is less than two weeks ago, yet it feels like we time jumped to spring. Without the sun, as we got wind and hail on Ranfolly, a bit of rain under 1400m, and some white stuff in between. Overall not too bad crowdwise, no queues: I think people come later in the day.
We've definitely seen better, yet we managed to ski a bit, and it's only the start of the season after all.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Thu 29-12-22 17:08; edited 1 time in total
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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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We had a good day in Avoriaz yesterday (except getting caught for a HORRENDOUS hour in the proclou lift, won’t do that again) - mainly around Lindarets.
Morzine today, had fun just doing piste B but by 2pm it was lumpy carnage in places. Had to stop for 5 mins at one point because there was an actual line of collapsed bodies and kids skis all the way across the piste.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Does anyone know how smooth the progress is up Super Morzine via Proclou etc if you go as soon as the lifts open?
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Proclou looked a completely different proposition today from photos. No queue!
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Weird! (But great)! Thanks so much
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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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@nevis1003, not sure really why you are commenting here - you are skiing elsewhere, just enjoy it.
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I occasionally point out nonsense on here, and those that have businesses in the PDS don't like it when anyone suggests it's a bit low to be reliable these days.
I understand from the webcams that Morzine has less snow than Saudi now, 
Why are you commenting?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@nevis1003, because I look at this topic, I was staying and skiing in Les Gets last week.
We had a chalet there from 1999 until 2018. We sold it then as we felt we were getting a little old to keep up the diy maintenance and if our kids took it on we would still feel ‘responsible’, so that is why I am interested and commenting.
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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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I’ve been here since the 16th, skied every day except for the 23rd-25th, but we never ski on Xmas day so it didn’t really matter. We always ski in Avoriaz over Xmas/NY and Morzine/LG later in the season. Conditions have been fine, obviously not the best, but way better than 2015 & 2016. Has been even busier than normal, but we’ve started early so have generally beaten the crowds. The only downer has been the lack of moguls for my son to train on and the lack of snow to build his own mogul lines off-piste. He also joined the Chatel club this year to train with them, but only 2 days have run, the rest being cancelled with indoor gym training instead. Still I’d rather be here in these conditions than back home in the UK.
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| Quote: |
Still I’d rather be here in these conditions than back home in the UK
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Likewise - have skied every day since 23rd except the Saturday. Yes, there's no doubt Zermatt, Val, etc will be better but I couldn't afford a house there but I'm happy with the PDS. Last December was the best I've ever had but this December isn't that great - but that's life and ithe skiing is what you make of it. I've still got 20+ days later in the season and am looking forward to it - bon ski everyone!
Yep - think wednesday broke a few peeps....
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You know it makes sense.
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GFS continues to show some promise for seasonal (average) temperatures and snowfall during the second week of January. GEM / ECM less so, but still not bad.
Too far away to be at all certain, but it's a promising signal which has been repeated across several runs and on different models.
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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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@denfinella, ECM 12z for the 8th is tasty.....I'd take that, but it will change
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Thu 29-12-22 20:48; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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Is there any sign of more snow for Morzine and Les Gets between now and the 7th Jan ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@gavman99, outside chance for the 3rd-4th
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Thu 29-12-22 20:50; edited 1 time in total
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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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@polo, Fingers crossed then !! Thank you.
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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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All our adult lessons and ski school have already been moved up to Avoriaz but was hoping to at least see some skiing down below.
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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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Most people I know who have bought in Morzine in last 5yrs do so for the summers more than the winters - with Avoriaz linked up it serves both purposes.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Nadenoodlee wrote: |
| Most people I know who have bought in Morzine in last 5yrs do so for the summers more than the winters - with Avoriaz linked up it serves both purposes. |
We fit in that category having bought in Chatel in 2017 but probably more 50/50 Summer Winter. One of the big positives for road biking in our area is not having to climb up a 10K col to come home alter a long ride which put us off areas such as Meribel or Courcheval. We were also short about a million euros.
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Overnight looks like 10cm to 1500m and a light covering down to village / 1200m
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And signs of a more significant change 9/10 Jan still holding I think?
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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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Indeed, now regretting I bailed out today - I'm going to have my son telling me how good his session was the whole afternoon (no piquet but 'ski libre' obviously).
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@andy from embsay, yes, still a chance of small top ups 3rd and 7th if GFS is right, but in general the medium term change starts a little flatter than yesterday, more W than NW until the 10th. Then good agreement on the mean charts that a low will sit north of europe for maybe 5 days, to 15th. Still too far to be reliable but it will be the first of its kind (mean low anomaly over alps) this season if it pans out as currently modelled.
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FAQ
