 Poster: A snowHead
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thefatcontroller, They were very worried following the Chamonix incident & now there are notices on the cabins that are left warning not to lean against the windows!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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geri, Yep brough the Chamonix incident to mind. Always very careful now to avoid windows on any gondola, though I am devising routes to avoid gondolas and stick to chairs as I get bored taking my skis of.
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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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Evening report from 1950
Ohhhh mama.
I thought the powder in January was good, but this is just unbelievable. Avalanche warning at 4, so no off piste for me, but who needs it?
We had about 50 cm on the Friday, then I am told another 20 yesterday. today in 2000 / 1950 it has been snowing hard since just after lunch. Soft fluffy snow everywhere, almost US-like.
Small child in our party with mum trying to take short cut home to apartment went in up to neck - about 110cms.
Temp at a very reasonable -8 C, which is pleasant, but will preserve the stuff. Occasional wind, but nothing untoward. Roads closed on Friday for avalanching, but excellent job by pisteurs meant our taxi up from BSM on Saturday pm was on perfectly clear roads.
Happy Easter everyone. Come and join the fun!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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JimW, Sounds great, is it busy?
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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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thefatcontroller, No, it's fine. There are a 'few more people - is is it 1/2 term by any chance in the UK?' here, there are some lift queues, basically the ones the 'weekend cruisers' and these whon dont know what 'up...up..' means! Examples - Derby - (big queue, but does go down quick) - Grizzly, deserted.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The powder came, and then it went, all in 24 hrs. Friday was amazing, Saturday produced some very good powder early then heavy snow as the ground and air temp did it's damage. Today the snow started falling again and now as I look outside it is still snowing very lightly. They say there is a lot more to come tomorrow, let's hope it stays cold so that it does not go off as fast as the last lot did. However the pistes are now in a great condition and just like last year, we will be skiing here in Les Arcs until the last day of the season without much problem. As I drove home tonight the roads are all clear, right now there is no need for chains until you get up to resort level. If you have them it would be a good idea to bring them as conditons are changing every day. They do sell them in SuperU and Intermache in Bourg and further down the valley if you get here and find you need to buy some. I understand they are cheaper here than back in the UK.
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thefatcontroller, shhh, its marked black to keep people away from it and leave it unmogulled for those of us that know! 
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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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snowcrazy, come on over to the 2000 bowl - the snow here is lovely! Although Aguille Rouge has been closed today (? wind?).
thefatcontroller, busier than you'd want, but no real problems 5 mins Qs being the max we have seen this weekend with AG being closed... because if it wasn't you'd have to admit to seeing a longer waiting time than that...!
Snowing still ( albeit v. finely) in 1950, and temp has dropped during the evening considerably.
Off to dream of untracked powder - in places I know and you don't: meeehawhaw. TTFN
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I was first up Grand Col on Saturday morning, at 10.45 a.m. I arrived 10 mins before, and the attendant told me it was due to open soon. It was worth the wait - first time in 16years - first tracks in front of all the fanatics, till I fell & lost a ski for 15 mins, anyway! It was DEEP everywhere. On my second lap, I saw something I've never seen before - rather than attempt the last small piste under the chair, people were queuing up to escape left along a small track, the snow was so deep & daunting.
By comparison, Comborciere had been pisted completely, looked brilliant, but was almost deserted.
Bliss.....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Beautiful blue skies and 20cm overnight on piste made for a heavenly morning. We got stopped dead in the tracks trying to cut between two pistes in stuff over the thighs. Great craic.
Seems like more people around today and some of the traditional bottlenecks getting like the M25 ( just above bottom of Arpettes chair for example). Need to go looking for those hidden gems. AG open, as are all the blacks into the 2000 bowl.
Clouded over at lunchtime, and guess what, snowing again.
Been at it for about 2 hours, with no signs of immediate stopping.
May go look for the trees later on this afternoon.
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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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Ended up doing Drosset in the snow - for those of you who don't know it, one of the scariest blacks in the region ( imho, of course! - but does have almost as many 'danger' poles as piste markers - at some areas you think you are on a "yellow and black" run.  ) Fortunately very well mogulled, so able to drop from flat to flat on the vertical bits... and anyone who hasn't tried it, they really are quite steep sections! (for those who have completed that particular challenge, any ideas of steeper (marked) runs? - can't think of any in Les Arcs or that I've done that's for sure)
Over the whole of the 2000 areas at the moment it's like skiing on 3 or 4 inches of icing sugar - a very fine spindly type snow layer from today on top of the soft powder of the weekend, on top of the base of the January.
Aguille Rouge cable car open this afternoon despite sign at bottom of Varet indicating otherwise - suggest if interested take a chance of going up anyway.
Was still snowing when the dark fell tonight, and blizzard wind conditions outside the front door as I type. Forecast for tomorrow is an overcast morning, and a blue sky afternoon. Can't wait
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You know it makes sense.
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Just Back from Les Arc (landed early this morning) ands it has dumped it down since early Friday morning. easily 2 feet of fresh stuff. Its was like skiing off piste on piste on Saturday. Got first lifts up out of 1600 and it was epic stuff. Vis was ok Saturday but pretty poor Sunday and bad on Monday up high but the skiing lower down was perfect
It was still snowing when I left at 5pm Monday and was snowing so hard in Geneva at 11pm my flight was delayed an hour!!!!
I want to go back
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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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Lunchtime Tuesday from 1950: after 22 hours continuous snow, and a further 30-45 cm we had blue-skies at about 10am this morning. Most top lifts closed for blasting, windy and not pleasant much above the top of Marmottes. So we went over to Villaroger via the Rhonaz drag - the only way in when Lanchettes and the AG cable are closed. So, only people staying in Villaroger, plus a few hardy souls on the slopes. Perfect? I should say so!!
Seems they have opened the inter-valley links in the past 20 mins or so.
Working this lunchtime (with quick divert for  updates, of course!_ , but will be back out for tree skiing later today.
thefatcontroller, Rob was teasing about Drosset - he admits that when pressed! It's a great feeling to complete it, but it does take your breath away at times. I'm not saying there are real "no fall" bits, as per some of the extreme stuff the guys on here / on TV do, but it would sure be a mess and a long climb back to recover any kit if you did.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| JimW wrote: |
| thefatcontroller, Rob was teasing about Drosset - he admits that when pressed! |
There you go, my secret is out! I'm not a great one to comment about the steepness of black pistes as I'm a bit of a scaredy cat when it gets really steep.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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Nobody posting any pics of the conditions, just to make those of us who wish we were back there even greener?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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rob@rar, It would've been SO much nicer if they'd bashed the moguls off it BEFORE it snowed... As it was, what looked like nice soft pillows were in fact 2ft icy moguls covered in a foot or so of fresh stuff... not conducive with laying down graceful lines (at least not for this snowboarder's abilities!)
Edited: [img]https://snowheads.com/the_zone/showphoto.php/data/500/thumbs/DSCF5825.AVI[/img]
Here's a brief bit of footage... it's not the best, and if you can look beyond my mate Matt pratting about, you can probably see what the conditions were like!
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Tue 25-03-08 17:19; edited 1 time in total
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| Richie_S wrote: |
| rob@rar, It would've been SO much nicer if they'd bashed the moguls off it BEFORE it snowed... As it was, what looked like nice soft pillows were in fact 2ft icy moguls covered in a foot or so of fresh stuff... not conducive with laying down graceful lines (at least not for this snowboarder's abilities!) |
I had exactly the same back in January. I can still remember the pain in my knees at the bottom of the hill!
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Butterfly Heres a photo of my first attempt in deep powder & bad visibility in Plan Peisey last Friday. I'm not proud of it 
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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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Another great day in the sun and powder. After a poor start today they opened the links from 1600/1800 and you could ski most places. The fresh powder was great as it has compacted the snow that came before and now there is a good base with more fresh powder on top. The pistes all over the resort are in great condition and the off piste is amazing. Most higher lifts in 2000 remainded closed today which limited where poeple could ski over there, but there were still fresh tracks to be found in lots of places if you know where to look. For those coming out, if you like steep blacks. try any of those off the Varet lift or from the top of A. R. There are some real challenges. Drosset has been mentioned but it really is not that bad if you can do good turns and stay under control. But you need to have confidence as it is a long run. One of the nicest runs at the moment is all the way down to Villaroger on the black when it is open or by the red or blue. Whichever way you go there is a good covering of snow right now, but it does get heavy at the bottom.
On the 1600 side you can still ski back to Bourg if you know the route through the forest, if not take the Funi from the bottom of the lower piste to get back up or go the rest of the way down. This is another long run from the top of 1600 in the trees on bad weather days.
They say there is still more snow to come so who knows maybe a base of 200cm by the end of the week, now that would be really great to last out the season. If anyone is coming out and wants to go and find some powder PM me or stop by the altiport in the late afternoon, I am there most days when the lifts close. One bad thing, the waterslide is shut again until the bad weather is over. Never mind, can't have it all.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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geri, was that on or off piste?
Richie S Nice!
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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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Butterfly, on piste!
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snowcrazy, I love the idea of a run all the way back down into Bourg - My main problem seems to be a gravitational like attraction to the Les 3 Arcs bar for a beer at the end of the day followed by a journey on the last funicular back down to Bourg! Not sure a 'ski' down post a few beers and in the dark would be a good idea! 
is the route really hard to find, or do you just go down ?
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You know it makes sense.
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Hi Guys,
I have been skiing in Les Arcs 1800 last week!! and it was beautiful best ski place ever!! I have been taking group lessons with ESF instructor in the mornings and skiing with the family in the afternoon. I have promised to send pictures of our group to ESF ski instructor but unfortunately, I didn't get email address from him as didn't have anything to write it on last day. I have sent the pictures to ESF email address and asked them to pass it on to their ski instructor but never heard back from them. Does anyone know my instructor his name is Jean-Luc? don't know the surname. I was staying in the Chantel apartments. How else can I make contact?
Thanks
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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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Hi Richie_S, I sometimes think you need a few beers to help you fight your way onto the funic when it is busy at the end of the day. Skiing down is easy to the first station, after that the route is not to easy and looking today, going on the funic is better as the snow looks really heavy lower down although there still seems enough just.
shanrika, If you pm me the details of you ESF instructor I will get an email address for you if he has one. Were you at 1800 ESF school. Was he a good instructor. I hope so.
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Poster: A snowHead
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The snow today was still holding up well. Good powder on most higher areas in resort with some amazing stuff getting done on the main face of A.R. Most easy to reach areas are now skied out but it was still possible to make new tracks on the less well known places. The waterslide was open again today, they must have read my last post, but I did not see it being done. it was very cold when the sun went in. More snow promised for tomorrow and then the sun should start to shine.
We hope!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Been up at Grand Col today. If anyone has any tips on skiing steep powder in flat light/snowstorm (other than "don't") please post!
Meanwhile, back on the piste black you couldn't see all the small cars they had parked under the snow before the 20 - 30cm of powder had fallen, so the lumps were a tad tricky... Richie_S I know your pain...
snowcrazy
agree about the stuff off Varet - we came down Dou de l'homme (sp?) and Cretes yesterday afternoon, I believe the phrase is "hard but fair": bit of a thigh burner!
we were watching some of the guys yesterday coming down from AR - stunning tracks being laid. Sooo jealous of their ability.
Had the kids ( 6 and 9) playing in the powder / trees off to the side of Mont Blanc run in 1600 yesterday - the smiles and laughter were just terrific. But I think they are getting a little bit spoiled with all this great snow, and will no doubt expect it every year...
Weather this afternoon is varying between blue sky (I can see out of the window as I post), then 5 mins later clouded over and snow showers. Temp at Arcabulle is hovering around the zero degrees mark, so that may have poor affect on the runs to BsM.
10 days to go...
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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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snowcrazy, Thank you for replying. He is a good instructor and hopefully will have more lessons next time when we go out there. I have PM you but I do not have further info more than his name which is Jean-Luc and that he works at ESF Les Arcs 1800. Would be great if you can help. If he has no email then maybe a mobile if possible. Always handy to keep contacts as can recommend him to friends. Cheers!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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snowcrazy, By the time we make it the funicular, its normally the 1900hrs one, and is generally quite quiet! Still, I fancied the idea of boarding all the way down to the valley floor... just need to make sure I'm out there when the conditions are good enough!
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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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Richie_S, What time does the funicular open and close?
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thefatcontroller, er.... we always aim for a 1900, but i think there is one slightly later.... as for the morning, we only ever seem to make a 9am (some of my group are not quite so enthusiastic as I to get up and out!)
I'm sure it'll give details on the lesarcs website... hang on...
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Hmmm, this http://www.lesarcs.com/Funicular suggests 7.30am til 8pm
Maybe I've missed a trick thats another 2 beers we could've had in the bar !
Edited: also found this timetable http://www.lesarcs.com/Funicular-timetable which suggests 8.30am til 7.30pm .... if your're thinking of leaving it late in 1600 before travelling back down to bourg, I guess it would be best to check at the station! ( I CAN vouch for the 7pm train thou !)
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Thu 27-03-08 20:48; edited 1 time in total
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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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I am undoubtedly ashamed...  HOWEVER, I did pick up some piste maps last year which were specifically printed to show blue runs only.... I was going to scan one in for Butterfly, as I think from earlier posts on her visit to Les Arcs it might be a useful for her... it shows how its possible to get around the resort by just using the blues - and none of the other runs are shown so it doesn't overcomplicate matters!
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FAQ
Strange here though as quite a few schools in England are not taking an Easter holiday now. Its basically a long weekend and then back to school and then 2 weeks off in April so holiday crowds may be spread out.
). It looked terrifying 
