 Poster: A snowHead
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That far right sector is often closed, as far as I can remember. Veleray? Is it steep and south facing? But I imagine Les C is one of the best bets around.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@pam w, last week they hadn't even opened the Tierces chair which you need to access that sector. It is obviously a gradual process.
As you say, it is pretty south facing and all black runs. When there isn't a lot of snow depth that won't work. Fingers crossed for snow this weekend.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Tue 26-12-23 11:45; 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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I remember doing the lower part of those blacks, down to the Grevettaz drag, and having to fight through a load of bushes / branches near the bottom.  Despite that, the run was officially still open!
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| denfinella wrote: |
| I remember doing the lower part of those blacks, down to the Grevettaz drag, and having to fight through a load of bushes / branches near the bottom. Despite that, the run was officially still open! |
I'm not sure if there's any snow blowing in that area. I often see small slides there, too. It looks like a promising spot but geography seems to be working against it.
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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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I've been going to Les C a couple of times a year for 20 years and only been able to ski the Veleray section twice in that time. Granted, the first few years I would have wet myself at the thought but in recent years it's been on my bucket list.
Maybe this year....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Les C has been great this week. There's been a bit of a temperature inversion so much warmer at the saddle than down in the valley. The crowds showed up Tuesday so anyone thinking about going should buy a pass online and aim to get to the télécabine no later than 845. But the snow is really holding up well without icing up.
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First day of the season today and legs are feeling it , you forget how big the pistes are up in Les C.
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@Pasigal, thanks for the heads up, I have never bought passes online before what is the process?
I have rechargeable cards from last year, I assume these will still work?
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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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@Jonny996, I commented above about how satisfying I found those pistes this year. Partly because Les C was so much less crowded than the few open pistes in St G, but mainly because I was skiing just with our daughter* whose love of speed sets a challenge to her father. So many of the runs are satisfyingly long without any flat bits.
@Neillp, yes you need to enter the very long number when you buy online and that charges the card. I think for St Gervais it always starts 01-1614 7133...
[*My wife cried off our last couple of days having pulled a muscle, not from skiing but from falling over in her ski boots in a cafe].
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Are the pistes in the Hauteluce side of Les C open? I was in Hauteluce village earlier today and there's not much snow down there!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@pam w, last week the main ones above the Hauteluce gondola were open and skiing very nicely. The long blue from the top of the Olympique chair down to the Col chair, and the quite challenging red running alongside that Col chair. They weren't running the drag in the middle, so only a handful of the runs in between were open.
I don't think it has snowed since then, but they have been opening up more of the area on the Montjoie side.
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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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Both the drags on that side are open now.
I’m glad I’m not the only one that thinks that red is a bit challenging! I went over one of the knuckles with more speed than I should have and the sheer ice on the step drop was interesting.
I do like that blue, it gives you plenty opportunities to hit the rollers at pace.
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Big slide under the Mont Joly chair this afternoon. Ski instructor led group without beacons.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Jonny996 wrote: |
| I’m glad I’m not the only one that thinks that red is a bit challenging! |
The longest steep bit often has a few people picking themselves up at the bottom, and not infrequently a rescue sledge. Parts of it seem to stay icy from the overnight freeze after other places have softened - it isn't something I attempt at speed, certainly if I haven't already done a loop to check it out.
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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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| Neillp wrote: |
@Pasigal, thanks for the heads up, I have never bought passes online before what is the process?
I have rechargeable cards from last year, I assume these will still work? |
Ours from last year worked fine, as noted you have to enter a long number online.
The other thing I just realized (doh!) is that there are webcams at the bases of the two telecabines. I"m WFH today but noted that the Gorge parking lot was empty at 820 but slammed 45 minutes later. As in, I wouldn't bother braving those lines no matter how much I was jonesing to ski.
I do love Les C as I think it has the best, most consistent snow in the area (including Grand Massif but not Flaine) but it doesn't have enough uphill capacity from the valley.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Neillp, definitely buy your pass on line if you can, when busy the queue can be slow and painful, doubly so when the snow is good and people are heading up while you’re wasting time waiting for the booth.
Get to the parking early too as advised.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Some sad news in town today.
Sympathies to all those affected.
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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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Anyone out today? Was thinking of a day trip tomorrow but not sure of the conditions.
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I was up in Les Contimens yesterday, it was remarkable ok considering it’s not snowed for weeks.
A few of the runs are now down to an icy base but still doable.
It gets busy about 11.00
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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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@Chattonmill, a mate spent over an hour yesterday, starting around 10:00, trying to find somewhere to park for Les Contas before giving up... we didn't even try and go out (but got lots of DIY done, which was very satisfying).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Chattonmill, a mate spent over an hour yesterday, starting around 10:00, trying to find somewhere to park for Les Contas before giving up... we didn't even try and go out (but got lots of DIY done, which was very satisfying).
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@under a new name, I’ve discovered the joys of the Y84 bus, I not usually one for public transport but I’ve found it strangely stress free and convenient.
The timetable for the new gondola up from the train station next year will be the deciding factor if I ever need another hire car. Hopefully not.
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LC was great today but long queues from the valley even when I arrived before 9am. 30cm+ powder off the bowls at the top and off piste skiable almost everywhere. Currently the forecast is for proper winter weather from this weekend for at least 5+ days, fingers crossed.
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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 could park in the spot where the LC/SG buses park just after La Gruvaz as you head towards LC and take the navette from there to avoid parking problems.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@devilabit, driving 45 mins to take 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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| under a new name wrote: |
| @devilabit, driving 45 mins to take a bus? |
Probably only worth it on very rare occasions and then it's difficult to know in advance how bad parking is. I have had to take the LC navette and then the SG navette when I've missed the L84 bus, it works but does take a lot longer.
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I’ve got my eye on St Gervais as a base for the end of January - dependant on conditions just prior. Is it easy enough to get a guide in the area for a morning or two in the event of good snow? We’ll have a car and we don’t mind a drive if needed.
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You know it makes sense.
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| devilabit wrote: |
| I have had to take the LC navette and then the SG navette when I've missed the L84 bus, it works but does take a lot longer. |
Some of them actually connect quite well, others there is the risk of a long wait. The Les C navette timetable lists the connections but not the St G one.
We only discovered this last season when we were aiming to return on the 3 pm Y84 (end of season when things were getting soft in the afternoon) and were a bit over-ambitious doing one more run and saw the bus leave as we got off the gondola. We went and looked at the navette timetable thinking we might have a drink in town rather than at the bar under the gondola in Les C, and discovered there was a navette at around 3.45 (from memory, don't count on that) which connected brilliantly - and did. The only problem was that the Les C navette was ram packed for the first three stops until all the UCPA clients got off.
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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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@sbooker, assuming you are meaning a guide rather than an instructor, the Compagnie des Guides has a desk in the Tourist Information Office so it would be easy to phone to find out. (So does ESF, but not the independent ski schools). End of Jan ought to be a good time, that's when we are next there.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@j b, I’ve used the Companie Des Guides in Cham before. Are you referring to the same place or is there a similar outfit in St Gervais itself?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Heading back to uk after a few days in Les C. Skied 29th-2nd.
As others have said NY day was fabulous - great snow and great weather. Yes it was busy but not as bad as 29-31! Those were the busiest days I’ve ever experienced at Les C. It was another time when people were driving from all over the area for the better piste conditions. The NY day hangovers and fresh snow in other resorts helped on the 1st.
It snowed lightly all day on the 2nd and this filled in the tracks from the 1st just enough to make the off piste pretty good again. Currently raining hard in the village so no idea how it will be tomorrow.
In general the pistes are now pretty good. Heavily trafficked areas will get firm again of course. The runs to resort remain closed but we skied the closed run to Le Lay every day and it was far from the worst.
(Things were getting a bit polished before the latest snow. I was skittering about on my R108s on the first day and feeling very humbled. Switched to SLs and got a bit of my pride back  )
Veleray area remains closed. There was evidence of a biggish slide before the latest snow and I imagine they are cautious about the snowpack (especially given the tragedy the other side of the ridge).
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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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@sbooker, there is a separate guide organisation from the Chamonix one which operates out of St Gervais and Les Contamines.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Wed 3-01-24 17:17; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Well cover is good but we were on refrozen cords for the first couple of runs. Was nicer going lower into Hauteluce. Heading back the top of the Col was very nice this afternoon.
But it was quite busy!
(And off piste not really worth it  )
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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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hi all,
Im looking at somewhere for a long weekend 20-24 march near geneva (flights already booked) - how is Evasion Mont Blanc normally for snow cover at that time of year ?
thanks
Nick
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Skied StG over to Cote2000 today, what stood out to me is the quality of the actual skiers compared to what I have seen in LC this week.
It was like StG had a half price promotion for complete beginners.
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@melandnick, I would have thought Les Contamines would be great for a short stay - and will often have the best snow around at that time of year. Just don't be wedded to skiing all the way down!
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| melandnick wrote: |
hi all,
Im looking at somewhere for a long weekend 20-24 march near geneva (flights already booked) - how is Evasion Mont Blanc normally for snow cover at that time of year ?
thanks
Nick |
Honestly you should expect good conditions (and pretty empty pistes) in Les Contamines that weekend. The rest of the EMB is more uncertain late March but probably at least OK. I am biased (have a flat in Les C) but I like and have skied quite a lot in St Gervais but my honest opinion is that by 20th of March, if you are going to book rather than check conditions at last minute, I'd go for Les C over St G or Megeve. from mid Jan to mid March the pros and cons are much more balanced.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| @melandnick, I would have thought Les Contamines would be great for a short stay - and will often have the best snow around at that time of year. Just don't be wedded to skiing all the way down! |
I would say you will be ABLE to ski down to the valley that weekend but whether you want to depends on the weather and your taste in skiing!
What I mean is that in the ten years I've owned a place in Les C I have caught the bubble down less than 5 times. However the runs to resort have often been formally closed (although the pisteurs are relaxed about you skiing them at your own risk) and sometime require some "imaginative" skiing.
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| Jonny996 wrote: |
| It was like StG had a half price promotion for complete beginners. |
Sounds like it was my brother-in-law you saw. He was over that way today!
@melandnick, for a long weekend late March Les Contamines would be great. Don't feel you have to emulate @jedster and ski right down to the bottom though, if it is warmish the snow is often unpleasant by the time you get to the mid-station to download.
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FAQ
and Happy New Year 