 Poster: A snowHead
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All the reports on this page, right across Europe, all remark on how good the conditions are. There should still be a good six weeks of lift served skiing to come yet, in many places 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Atissa, I suspect it's more experienced skiers/boarders not considering/remembering how it was to be a beginner. As you are learning you have to adapt to conditions which can change daily! That icy off piste crust should transform into wonderful spring snow at the right time!
When you say bare patches were they off piste or on the piste?
If you go again perhaps I can suggest looking at the pisting maps to only go on those pisted routes, that should negate the moguls (at least for most of the day) and also give you better snow conditions.
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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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| Atissa wrote: |
| ... The bold patch is between Mottaret and Meribel center, you can easily see it from Mottaret if you go a little bit above the village on that green run(or in the area) and look at the opposite side of the mountain towards Courchevel. It's there. |
Do you mean on the piste? Or in an off-piste area? If it is the area I think you mean it is an off-piste area that has avalanched; the previous week it still had thin snow cover, but perhaps that has now melted. I have seen it in similar condition in previous years - so it may be deliberately purged to protect the road below.
I said a week ago that there are a few patches of ice around, but overall ski conditions are still extremely good for late March.
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I've just been viewing my sons photos and videos.
He has just returned today from 3V - a group of 4 which included one beginner snow boarder skiied all over from LT to Orelle.
Every single pic and video the conditions look great - from blue runs to black runs.
He said everywhere from am to pm was great!
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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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Yep I concur with everyone above - conditions are spectacular - Meteofrance are still saying best snow depths in 40 years (effectively since meaningful records began)... There are some monster creep cracks in places off piste but only in the usual spots, and the Petite Rosiere glide which Atissa may be referring to is usual every year, in fact seeing that particular patch of hillside looking vaguely white at this time of year is good going.
Pistes very good today again - even the Black & Red combo down into Mottaret from Courchevel were really not bad at 4:30 this afternoon, a bit firm and slidey in places, but nowhere near the usual boilerplate of most spring late afternoons ...
Off piste has definitely become much more aspect/angle sensitive in the last 36 hours, but still plenty of softness to be had by staying true North:
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Here this week and absolutely loving the conditions, aside from the fairly slushy entrance into Méribel Centre.
Note tomorrow/Wednesday are forecast for snow. Any recommendations on (lower?) locations for a slide around whilst it’s snowy? Or are we going to have to grin and bare it?
Staying at the top of Val T if helpful.
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| snow_mac wrote: |
Here this week and absolutely loving the conditions, aside from the fairly slushy entrance into Méribel Centre.
Note tomorrow/Wednesday are forecast for snow. Any recommendations on (lower?) locations for a slide around whilst it’s snowy? Or are we going to have to grin and bare it?
Staying at the top of Val T if helpful. |
Head over to Courchevel, ski the runs thru the trees down to La Tania, few laps there, there is a red and a blue plus options for off piste thru the trees, then head down to Le Praz, jockeys is an awesome black run, then over to Courchevel, plenty of options there around the trees.
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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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@offpisteskiing, beautiful farming. Top effort.
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| Atissa wrote: |
One day you are doing off-piste and red/black runs and your instructor says you are really good and the next day it's like you have only started riding a week ago or something.  |
You need to just build up time on the snow in all sorts of conditions, as you found out conditions make a huge difference!! You could try and seek out "bad" snow for the occasional run which will improve you no end!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Frosty the Snowman, its actually part of a new test which will be coming in for prospective ski tourers in Switzerland... either you stick to a perfect 1m spacing or you are not allowed to put skins on 
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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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Funny old weather today, vis in and out, though a good bright spell over Courch late morning, and some reasonable bits of vis in the afternoon. Even on North aspects the softer snow was getting noticeably denser as the day went on - still fun to be had, but aspect & angle very critical for good skiing!
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@offpisteskiing, thanks for the steer on Bozel, made it down there today. Had to take the skis off twice so missed the bus by two minutes. Doh! Never mind, the little bar you mentioned was good for a beer and called me a taxi to Le Praz.
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You know it makes sense.
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@snow_mac,
I'm not sure how much you will be grinning if (as you say) you "bare it" in this weather! 
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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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@kitenski, Hmm i gues that could work! as long it is deliberate and occasional, so i'm not frustrated out of wanting to ride xD
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'll probably need skis serviced when we are in c 1850 next week, anyone recommend a reasonably priced place to take them ?
Will have a car so could take them to another village.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's been a few years since I last needed some one else to service my skis in Courchevel as I always just take my files and guides with me now so I can do it myself, but last time I did I think I used these guys on the recommendation of the chalet I was staying in: http://www.skis-direct.co.uk/
They did a good job, including sorting out a base repair and top sheet damage. It was the first time those skis had been serviced and they skied much better afterwards than when they were brand new. At the time I think they serviced skis by hand rather than just putting through a machine, which I valued, but no idea if that is still the case.
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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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@Little Martin, ski set in la tania opposite the tourist office. She's got the latest Wintersteiger that will put any edge and base angle you want on, with a ceramic polish. All laser guided and brilliant. Make sure you tell them the specific angles you want or they'll just do a punter edge.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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thanks, will contact them
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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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Beautiful snow today, just a few cm of fresh snow to give a nice grip. We did grand couloir twice back-to-back, first run we were 2nd and 3rd people down and it was fantastic. By the next lap maybe a dozen more had been, but still good clean snow at the edges.
Found it vastly easier than GoPro couloir the previous day, albeit conditions much better and you could see properly today; GoPro in the fog was quite tough.
Now looking forwards to a few powder days!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@offpisteskiing, seeing as I've never skied Tournier and am going back to 3V on the 10th April, would it be ok on a "classic" spring day of firm snow in the morning which softens throughout the day? Presumably if it's in full sun leaving it late in the day will be a complete slush fest, so need to time it so it's softened but not too much??
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@kitenski, yes for sure - just got to get the timing right...!
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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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@offpisteskiing, it’s my first time back here after 20years so I don’t know how to put the conditions on a scale, but I certainly wouldn’t say GoPro/Tournier was in bad condition at all, the visibility was a problem rather than the conditions. My 11 year old enjoyed the experience, although confessed to being a bit scared on the entry.
We would have skied it again today but were having too much fun over the Courchevel side.
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@snowdave, happy days!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Anyone have any recommendations for a place in VT that can do a quick turnaround on ski servicing? Will need to get mine done on the EOSB as I won't have time before
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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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@Bennisboy, the main Prosneige shop sorted mine out very quickly a couple of years ago when another shop massively messed them up: http://www.prosneige.fr/about/map-shop-val-thorens
Not tried any others, apart from the awful one that I won't recommend!
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You know it makes sense.
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@offpisteskiing, I'm pretty sure that any untracked off piste was better than anything on piste today 
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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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The off - piste at the side of cote brun was good fun today, especially when the light improved. Skied a new blue run (Lory) in Val T down into the Orelle. Fantastic snow in a deserted valley; pity about the light and the Mrs ploughed into a bank of snow that she didn’t know was there. Also skied a new red (chases) towards Les Menuires, which was unfortunately slushy and Bvd Cumin was very slow. It’s now raining in St Martin so will have to see what snow has fallen higher up.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@offpisteskiing, just wondering where these images were? Had a look at the Grand couloir on Tuesday but the ridge looked evil. Have still to ski it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We're heading down to 3Vs on Friday 
@offpisteskiing, do you have availability to take us out one day next week at all?
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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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| fixx wrote: |
@Bennisboy, the main Prosneige shop sorted mine out very quickly a couple of years ago when another shop massively messed them up: http://www.prosneige.fr/about/map-shop-val-thorens
Not tried any others, apart from the awful one that I won't recommend! |
What was the awful one so I can steer clear? 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Bennisboy, the shop inside the Chalet des Neiges complex in the Plein Sud sector. Left a full length hanging burr on every single edge of my skis. Others also fared badly - e.g. wax that was gone within half a day.
(I discovered the burrs when on the slopes - I'd never had to check skis after a service before! They were literally unskiable - I felt like an absolute beginner getting back to resort. I eventually got rid of the burrs myself with a handtool, but they were still awful, and needed a full re-service. My poor skis  )
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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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| vaughan wrote: |
| @offpisteskiing, just wondering where these images were? Had a look at the Grand couloir on Tuesday but the ridge looked evil. Have still to ski it. |
Chanrossa bowl variations...
Easiest approach on the ridge at the moment is to go about 2m along then cur back hard right - there is an easy slide in aiming towards the back corner of the cable car platform. Then follow the traverse line just below the ridge- this drops you out on the flatter part of the ridge betond the ‘bobsleigh steps’...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Roger C wrote: |
We're heading down to 3Vs on Friday
@offpisteskiing, do you have availability to take us out one day next week at all? |
Busy with family then work then off to Lofoten I’m afraid...
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IS anybody up in courchevel at the moment? We are leaving Lyon in the morning to drive up to 1550. Looks like there may be snow forecast overnight so I was wondering what the roads might be like? Would they even be affected?
Should we set off early to leave it a bit later?
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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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@breeze11 Roads were black & dry down from la Tania/Le Praz/Meribel at 1700. Not convinced there will be much snow on the roads overnight off this southerly system (though I have been wrong before now!!).
Windy windy windy today from the get go. Lots of lift closures in Meribel eventually forced a relocation to Courchevel where the lifts are much more sheltered from a Foehn. Some good skiing to be had, but you need to be above about 2400m for cold snow off piste...
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@breeze11, doubt you'll have any issue. There's a very light covering of wet snow at the moment that I'm sure will be gone by morning.
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