 Poster: A snowHead
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This winter will be 30 years since I started skiing in Val d'isere on a regular basis, albeit I've never been a seasonnaire. There have been so many changes in Val d'isere over those 30 years.
This could be my last winter of skiing, so I'm hoping it's a good 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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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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Great update! Awesome pic. Is it fair to say that this is the best start to a season in 10 years?
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Great to have you back @Steve Angus,
Hope all is well, looking forward to another great season and, of course, all your insight and local knowledge.
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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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| welshflyer wrote: |
Well done,
OK is actually 2 famous ski racers from Val d'isere, Oreiller & Killy. |
I think you will find it's named after the two famous Irish ski racers, O'Riley and Kelly.
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| FrediKanoute wrote: |
| Great update! Awesome pic. Is it fair to say that this is the best start to a season in 10 years? |
We were off piste in deep powder for the first 3 days last year. Val is often very good at the end of November.
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@Steve Angus, what's the status of Tuffs restaurant? Also is the cut through from Orange to the bubble still there or do we have to walk round Tuffs?
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Welcome back Steve!! I've been waiting for your first official post of the new season. Always makes me happy to know everything is almost ready to go and the lifts will soon start turning.
I'm booked at the Neilson hotel in March (not the Toviere, the other one) and I cannot wait to get back to the EK, I really missed it this year. First time in ten years I didn't get a trip there.
| harvsurrey wrote: |
Good to see you back Steve, I am back in resort for Christmas and will be enjoying the fact my good friends at Neilson now have La Toviere exclusively.
Then back with my usual group and in the same hotel again in March .
If our paths cross on the bus i will be sure to say Hi again.
Currently trying to get into Folie/fruitere for there first of the new regular Tuesday evening events on Christmas eve.
Will await your updates with baited breath.
Harv |
Hey Harv, how's it going? What date in March are you there? We might actually meet at last! I'm there 14th-21st.
How come you left CS??
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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 seems like this thread covers more than just weather reports so am looking for local (or regulars) advice please:
Family of 4 (including x2 young teenage daughters) visiting Val in January (5/1 to 12/1). We are staying at Avancher. Looking for recommendations for on-slope restaurants for lunch. Don’t want to pay Russian Oligarch prices but would prefer not to have to self-service and would also prefer to book (although booking not imperative as should be a quieter week?). As it will be early January I suspect we will want to sit indoors for lunch?
Many thanks! 
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@HoneyBunny ..... Ali I seem to have lost your number.
If you have mine ending 465 text me.
I am in Val 29th feb to the 7th March so we miss each other again
Text and i will explain CS .... i should return as i had just paid my year
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@1556garyt, very good choice of hotel, their restaurant is one of our favourites in resort. For on the hill, the new Refuge du Solaise is excellent, get a table by the window if you can. In good weather the terrace of edelweiss is as good a view as you'll find. Both can be a bit spendy but needn't be if you choose carefully. Triffolet is a great mid-range choice and a short ski to la daille if you linger over an extra bottle or two. Advisable to book ahead for all of them.
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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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@1556garyt
Restaurant l'Edelweiss half way down Mangard blue run in Fornet (thats really a red) is excellent.
Fruitere at Folie Douce , inside is good and i recommend the beef stew ( see if you can get a table in the caves)
Panoramic up at the top of the funicular on the way to the Grand Motte in Tignes the girls will enjoy meeting Igloo the huge St Bernard.
If its a sunny day and you can sit outside Bar de l'Ouillette on the right up on the Solaice lift .
Down in the snowfront of the village the restaraunt at the Yule is great , the dessert room is a must see/do
None are cheap but also not really stupidly expensive if you choose the food wisely.
Not thst I like a good lunch stop you understand
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Thanks for all the welcome back folks... good to be back!
FrediKanoute - yes overall it is certainly looking very good - it is the extent of amount open that I think makes it good (or will be open I should think). But yes looking good and yes you do sometimes / quite often get big powder days early season with no one about - its ace!
Dr John - I think the actual restaurant part will be open on time - they seem to be focussing their attention on that. The rest (the accommodation part) will not be finished until this time next year! No way will that cut through to the Gondola from that side be possible anymore - booo! Thats why it looks like a cut through further up above the YSE chalets has been made instead - well Clare and I reckoned thats what it looked like they were doing earlier in the Summer - but dont quote me on that! They could just of easily have been working on drainage or something!
1556garyt - most definately covers more than just weather thats for sure. When I read your message I took a double take... you have lessons booked in with my wife that week and we have spent much of the day talking about your request for lunch recommendations - ha ha !!!! Anyway think between what is written above and what Clare has told you I think most things have been covered. As others have said places like the Yule, Panoramic are a little pricey but it depends on what you want to balance up quality with price.
Todays update shortly
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You know it makes sense.
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@Steve Angus, thanks - yes my daughters are very much looking froward to to their lessons with Clare. She has also guaranteed 6 bluebird days so all good! You can never have too many restaurant recommendations?! 
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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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Things are looking pretty cool up there and we are getting more and more excited with only a few days to go now.
There is also lots more snow forecast and after the last 24 - 48 hours of above average temperatures are going to be replaced with more normal temps! However as always the amount of snow to come is up in the air a little and already the arrival of the front has been delayed somewhat!
Anyway we are really hoping that the colder temperatures and the snow will really finish the preparations off for opening weekend.
Talking about opening weekend and what is to come we of course have lots of ski tests over the opening weekend - I believe these will be as usual at the bottom of the Solaise so plenty of chances to try out the latest gear! Once the hype of opening weekend is behind us we always have a few days or a week of calm time when everything seems to be go quiet once again - perhaps this year with the nice new snow that wont be the case - who knows. However very shortly after that the World Cup ski races suddenly come into view and we have the Mens technical weekend followed by the Women 'speed' weekend. Should be good!
So today was a strange day as I spent virtually the whole day underground sorting out my underground parking space - it took hours! I had tons of stuff to stack up against the back wall (had to get everything sorted out first too)... then get the Summer car tyres put away and so on before finally putting away the tools and spare supplies from the Summer works... I know when that boring and mucky job is done then the 'Summer' season is well and truly over which means that Winter has really arrived!
I spent the afternoon at home working out a few things before taking Olivia (who is now a growing 5 1/2 year old confident little girl who is doing well at school with lots of friends) to her art class in town... along with gymnastics class which i will be taking her to tomorrow evening she just loves her art - bravo!
And that was that!
TTFN
P.S. Can already feel myself getting back in the swing with this blog!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Steve Angus, welcome back and now ready for the 2019/20 season. Will catch up with you soon.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Winter is here! Steve's back! Just love all your updates and news. We'll be back at New Year in VC and I am so looking forward to it
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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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I’ll echo everyone else and agree winter is now finally here. Great to have the blog back Steve and look forward to reading it over the coming season. See you in tignes in a couple of weeks I hope. X
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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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Can’t wait for Friday and the yearly trip to Val D !
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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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Glad to see you back online and it was nice to chat to you and Clare down in Aime the other week.
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Two questions:
1. Will the link to Tignes be open?
2. Will the run back to Val D be open ?
Thank you so much for these updates - they have a real value !!!
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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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You guys are awesome - if the La Daille piste is open, i know how to get Home from La Folie Deuce 
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Firet round on me on La Bananas for this Intel 
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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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You know it makes sense.
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@DanishRider, What time on Saturday/Sunday
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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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Im in thursday around midnight - Will stay there until sunday at 17:00 approx
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Poster: A snowHead
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Any time Will do
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Steve Angus, every building project that asked for an extension to continue outside work until 4 December this year was rejected so cant see those balconies being finished until May unless a huge fine is paid.
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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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Meet up for a beer saturday?
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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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@Steve Angus, appreciate this is an area you might not want to comment too precisely on, but what is your opinion on the off-piste pack stability? I can't help thinking it will be generally unstable with the 2 or 3 large dumps and little time for layers to bond, on the other hand I've seen quite a few FB & Instagram vids of people skiing powder, with Grand Vallon especially looking very enticing.
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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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...
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Thu 8-10-20 7:14; edited 2 times in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Steve Angus, See you at 9 next Thursday at the La Daille Funicular!
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DanishRider - think the others have covered the above... however a couple of other interesting points... the funi wont be opening for at least the first week of the season due to a technical issue. The Face will be open for a week or so until preparations for the World Cup start so a good opportunity to get a ski in on that this early (rare) in the season. The Village free chair lift on the snow front and the snow front in general is having problems as a couple of the snowguns have had problems so will not open this weekend but on the other hand there are going to be 18 ski / snowboard companies present to showcase and let you test there stuff - so all in all should be a good opening weekend!
The pisteurs practising their static line evacuation yesterday in case of a complete lift breakdown on the Rogoney lift
muppet - totally agree and yes all the cranes are coming down frantically today and tomorrow so the fines dont start racking up! Yes was good to bump into you like that - sorry was not putting 2 and 2 together when we were chatting re this Snowhead connection then!
Dr John - I think the instability will be there where lots of wind loading has occurred (north facing) AND also places where the underlying rocks / surface are not very 'cohesive' but I think it will be a case of staying off big faces for a while and also noting what has slid and what has not AND what has had skier compaction.... but it will take time and the risk will be more random and localised than is normal for this time of the year!
Mogmogmog - now thats a question... The Face earylish in the day is a good bet... ditto Trolles and Descent in Tignes and IF Sache has been pisted then all good bets.... pretty much all other options are going to be tricky or very tricky!
Philip1972 - yup - looking forward to it... should be good!
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Steve, if the funi is not open next week, where would you like to meet?
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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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| Philip1972 wrote: |
| Steve, if the funi is not open next week, where would you like to meet? |
I was thinking that and since I know things could change lets keep the meet point same place and can always walk the 100m back to the La Daille gondola and head up that way IF the funi is a no go! That OK?
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| Steve Angus wrote: |
| Philip1972 wrote: |
| Steve, if the funi is not open next week, where would you like to meet? |
I was thinking that and since I know things could change lets keep the meet point same place and can always walk the 100m back to the La Daille gondola and head up that way IF the funi is a no go! That OK? |
Yep thats ideal.
Phil
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FAQ
