 Poster: A snowHead
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@Jonny996, @j b, entirely my fears I'm afraid, but thanks for your responses.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@twoodwar, the only thing we have to fear is fear itself...
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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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@twoodwar, the only guess would be made from historic records which suggest you have a small likelihood of a bad time. But climate change may mean the past is a less good guide than it used to be.
But as I implied above, you can expect Evasion Mont Blanc to be at least reasonable that week unless there are problems affecting the whole of the French Alps.
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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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As with most questions regarding Saint Gervais/Megeve , things are less risky with a car as Les Contimens is your fall back
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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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@Jonny996, interesting autocorrect 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @Jonny996, interesting autocorrect |
Apologies, walking the dog
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@devilabit, would you consider re-re-naming this to last season and opening a new thread for the coming season at all? Loads of stuff is buried in these longer threads and seems to work well having a fresh post each season??
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Anyone got any recommended hotels or apartments in St Gervais for mid Jan? I'm leaning towards an apartment but would need 2 bedrooms, and would prefer close to the Bettex lift and then happy to walk into town at night.
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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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Can't help you with apartments but there is a cluster of blocks on the same side of the river as the lift station (about 10 minute walk into town) and people do seem to be able to rent there.
For hotels, there don't appear to be any left close to the lift station. But there are several in town i.e. that 10 minute walk to the lift or a ski bus. Of the ones we sampled when we visited in connection with our apartment purchase our preference was the Hotel Val d'Este at the unpretentious (2*) end of the market but there are several others. There is also now the more upmarket "Le St Gervais" (4*) if you prefer something swish.
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| kitenski wrote: |
| Anyone got any recommended hotels or apartments in St Gervais for mid Jan? I'm leaning towards an apartment but would need 2 bedrooms, and would prefer close to the Bettex lift and then happy to walk into town at night. |
if you look for "Grand Panorama" in Airbnb , that is a sizeable block next to the lift station that has multiple rentals in it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Coming down Epaule yesterday
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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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White as far as you can see, @devilabit!
Hoping it stays around this year. Beginning to wonder whether there are cheap enough flights for a brief visit at the start of the season, but we would need to be back to host Christmas for mother-in-law.
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| Quote: |
need to be back to host Christmas for mother-in-law.
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take her out to the snow,@j b.
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You know it makes sense.
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@pam w, I wish. Would just be too difficult to manage with organising travel for a pretty elderly lady with poor mobility (and whose passport expired several years ago) to an apartment which isn't really big enough.
We talked about doing it in the summer when some of the transport stress is less, but she still didn't want to face the logistics involved. Once there she would enjoy the experience.
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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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Megeve is going to open part of the Rochbrune area and Cote 2000 (bit no conection) this weekend - will post more tomorrow when I know more.
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Poster: A snowHead
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And I got an email from St Gervais that they will open up the gondolas from town up to Freddy and a few of the lifts needed for nearby runs (Mont Joux chair, Freddy drag, Nants chair, and the magic carpet - and I assume associated short drag - for the nursery area at the top).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Looks like Les Contamines has a partial opening this weekend too
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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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All seem to be charging €30 per day which is a bit steep for the little skiing that is on offer. I was out this morning and noticed a lot of staff working at the various lift stations and snow groomers were out in force. A considerable amount of snow has been made, hopefully next weeks warm up doesnt wash it all away which seems to be a regular occurence of recent Decembers.
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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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Is there anyone local (@devilabit?) who has heard how things are shaping up for Saturday's opening? On the webcam this morning Bettex looks pretty hard hit by the last couple of days' rain, though I think precipitation tonight is more likely to fall as snow and and snowmaking should be possible the next couple of nights.
Just thinking about whether to do a pre-Christmas visit if we can find cheap flights - but any price will be expensive if all we can do is wallow in slush!
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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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| j b wrote: |
Is there anyone local (@devilabit?) who has heard how things are shaping up for Saturday's opening? On the webcam this morning Bettex looks pretty hard hit by the last couple of days' rain, though I think precipitation tonight is more likely to fall as snow and and snowmaking should be possible the next couple of nights.
Just thinking about whether to do a pre-Christmas visit if we can find cheap flights - but any price will be expensive if all we can do is wallow in slush! |
St Gervais is opening something. Tomorrow morning I should here if Megeve is opening anything this weekend - manegment haven't sorted themselves or their connection to reality out yet!.
To be honest the conditins are between crap to very grim. I spent the day doing Lift Evecuation training on initialy knee deep slush and by afternoons end it was mostly ankle deeep mud n grass, at resort level.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks @Idris. In fact we will be coming, while I was out this afternoon my wife noticed the flight prices increasing and fixed some!
So we are now crossing fingers for decent snow over the next couple of nights, or at least snow-making conditions and good pisteurs - or needing to make the trek to Les C.
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@j b, fingers crossed, keep us updated.
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@Jonny996, just been looking at the TMB from St G to Les Houches, looks like a lovely idea.
If I decide to do this one day, can I just rock up and buy my pass at the station in the morning or do I need to pre book the tram times each way?
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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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Just turn up, look at the timetable as I think they are only 1 per hour & get there 20 minutes before but you are correct, it’s a prity special way to get up there.
The Kandahar piste top to bottom is worth doing at least once.
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Our experience too, you can just buy the Les Houches pass at the Tramway station on the day - but the ticket office is frustratingly slow and there will be a long wait to the next train so arrive in very good time.
Mostly pretty mellow skiing, with great views down the Chamonix valley with its dramatic Aiguilles if the weather is clear. It's all fairly low altitude though, so you want to do the trip when snow conditions are good.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@j b, thanks both, I have skied at Les Houches before and agree you need good snow conditions especially on the St G side. Our kids learnt to ski there so it will be a nice trip down memory lane
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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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@j b, please update on snow conditions when you arrive/ski around !
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Cote 2000 is open this weekend, nice conditions up top, dow at the Radaz we are building the age as trail with shovels. Les Contamines open also. AFAIK nothing else open.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Idris wrote: |
| Cote 2000 is open this weekend, nice conditions up top, dow at the Radaz we are building the age as trail with shovels. Les Contamines open also. AFAIK nothing else open. |
Les Contamines and SG open for the season from tomorrow. There will be a reasonable amount of sking available in both areas with more opening as the week goes on. The current list of whats open from tomorrow is up on the SG site (La Gorge in LC is missing last time I looked but is scheduled to open).
I was up on Mont Arbois this morning and the snow is good up there and actually fine all the way down on Chateluy, just a little light at the bottom. We now have 4 more days or sunshine with warmer temps from tomorrow so some damage to the snowpack expected. There is a trough expected Wed/Thurs next week so that needs to drop further south east in order to bring in snow and cooler temps.
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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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@Idris, I noticed your post yesterday about Les Contamines and thought it might be worth a punt for untracked snow.
By golly it was excellent. Much helped by the fact that the Buche Croise and surrounding lifts were closed. So for a short walk at the top and a 10 minute walk back to the Signal pistes at the bottom, completely untracked cold snow available until 13:30 when we had to go home.
More to be had tomorrow for the energetic.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| kitenski wrote: |
| @j b, please update on snow conditions when you arrive/ski around ! |
Arrived in the early hours so not too much skiing today. Went up Mont Arbois and it was as Devilabit reported yesterday, only the immediate runs open but snow fine and lovely views in the midwinter sun. More runs opened in the afternoon (across to Croix du Christ lift) and hoping for yet more tomorrow. Will head to Contamines on Monday.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Bit of advice..staying in Sallanches, and wanting to drive up and ski in St Gervais for the day, is it best to park in St Gervais, or access via the La Princess lift, I heard parking was short in St Gervais due to building work.
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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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| Thunderer21 wrote: |
| Bit of advice..staying in Sallanches, and wanting to drive up and ski in St Gervais for the day, is it best to park in St Gervais, or access via the La Princess lift, I heard parking was short in St Gervais due to building work. |
Granted Ive never used the Demi-Quartier/Princesse car park but I would guess that this car park would be a little shorter than going to SG and more convienent. However its not clear if there will be any skiing open on the Princesse side so you may have to downlift all the way from Mont Arbois. I think the SG car park capacity is probably reduced by 20%. You will have no problems in either car park (or in Les Contamines) if you arrive by 9am.
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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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| devilabit wrote: |
| Thunderer21 wrote: |
| Bit of advice..staying in Sallanches, and wanting to drive up and ski in St Gervais for the day, is it best to park in St Gervais, or access via the La Princess lift, I heard parking was short in St Gervais due to building work. |
Granted Ive never used the Demi-Quartier/Princesse car park but I would guess that this car park would be a little shorter than going to SG and more convienent. However its not clear if there will be any skiing open on the Princesse side (for Xmas that is) so you may have to downlift all the way from Mont Arbois. I think the SG car park capacity is probably reduced by 20%. You will have no problems in either car park (or in Les Contamines) if you arrive by 9am. |
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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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@Thunderer21, depends when you are here. Princesse lift and associated runs not yet open. They close early at the end of the season as well, I think they are run by the same company that runs Combloux which has a shorter season due to low altitude. Plus lack of snowmaking in that sector. Pity because there are decent north facing runs.
Skiied Les C yesterday and today and had great time. Not all open but snow good; Les C has a lot of really satisfying runs that are well worth doing on repeat.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thank you, not there until 12th Jan, so I guess all will be open by then.
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In which case no problem accessing the area via Princesse, you might have to download from the mid station but that is true for St G too.
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I drove through Megeve this evening. Little sign of snow down there at resort level.
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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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Well Megeve runs weren't open last week, apart from a few at Cote 2000 we couldn't get to from St Gervais without our own transport. But today (beginning of full season) the website was showing some runs at least open down to the bottom of the Arbois and Caboche lifts, so about 1300m.
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Les Contamines was quite nice today, most runs open except the return to the valley and the sector to the far right.
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