 Poster: A snowHead
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oh me oh my, i am totally shattered.
first lifts up this morning. first tracks off piste by les combes lift, thankfully overtaken by some skiers while i was waiting for my mate. their tracks were very usefull!
2nd tracks down champcella, but only half way. by this time we were riding with some skier friends, today we love them to bits as they cut the track out the bottom
aboslutely unbelievable snow. over knee hight on piste, waist hight off piste.
oh and i met lib banana, lovely guy, we rode up a lift together!
few pics later
oh and still snowing
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Snowing? Is it a full moon? 
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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.
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and so to some pics, these were not taken by me but by my mate Isla who lives with us this winter.
trying to get in the car this morning
should give you an idea just how deep it was! This was just to the edge of the piste luc alphond, i had to avoid a huge tree stump, and fell backwards, this was the end result!
I know from these pics it would seem that i did nothing but fall over! This was at the end of the day through the trees to the Clot Chevalier lift, i think it was at this point that i lost my mojo!
The Champcella trees, absolutely fabulous run. WE did it twice and got tons of fresh both times
The view from just a little bit lower than the house around 2ish when the cloud cleared, before coming in again and snowing
I am so exhusted from today, a perfect way to start feb (for me) From tomorrow its full on work at the ticket office.
if your on your way here, you are very very lucky people. However there has been an avalanch on the col du montgenevre. Last i heard the col du lauteret is still open, for how long i dont know!
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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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news update
more heavy snow.
both the col du montgenevre and the col du lauteret are closed
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20+ again on the drive way this morning. I'm sure i've woken up in canada not france!! 
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Oh lordy... just 3 weeks to go... lay off the snow for a while, weather gods, save it 'til the first week of March...
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Waist/chest deep powder today off piste. The wife and I have just had the best 4 hours possible (considering we had 4 layers of clothes on!).
Mrs Chris enyoying herself...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
he Champcella trees, absolutely fabulous run. WE did it twice and got tons of fresh both times
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WOOO HOOO. I love it in that bit. I once spent a whole afternoon in that little section on the drag - found it by 'mistake' when was out on my own and had that terrible sinking feeling I was going to have to do the Alphand [I was a lowly, scardey intermediate]. Bonus!
Cannot wait . 7th March, 7th March..
snowangel., which office are you at?
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MarjMJ, Chantemerle, normally outside, probably t here on the 7th if your down that way!
getting really busy now. took my biggest caisse yet!
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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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| snowangel. wrote: |
| both the col du montgenevre and the col du lauteret are closed |
I arrived home last night after two days driving back from Maison Le Bez (Villeneuve). Even if the col du Lauteret was open I expect I would still have opted to go home via Gap. It only takes one newbie to have a prang that introduces a two hour delay.
I drove that col du Lauteret pass three times earlier in the week (in the dark) and it's hairy enough without a recent snowfall.  I don't think I'd even want to do it in a transfer coach (Turin for me from now on!).
Funnily enough, on our return stopover in Poligny we bumped into a family on their first ski trip (self-drive to Samoens) who wondered if we knew a tyre place open on a Sunday. They were beginning to doubt that bald tyres on a small two wheel drive car (no chains) would be up to the conditions...
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crosbie, I got used to the drive across the Lauteret when hubby was in Grenoble hospital, it was still quicker to cross a snowy col than drive round by Gap twice a day. We only did it for two or three days before we packed up entirely and stayed in Grenoble until he was discharged. However, we are used to it, and it was far easier when the tourists weren't on the road on new Years day. It is worse in a transfer coach than driving it yourself I think, I like to be in control of my own destiny.
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You know it makes sense.
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Helen Beaumont, i still hate the pass, especially when the tourists are here. AT night is my least fav time. Even though i know it like the back of my hand! I know every single place you can over take, but in the night even in the summer its horrid and bloody dark!
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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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Helen Beaumont, Yes, if the weather was fine I'd still prefer to drive Lauteret - Gap adds a lot of time (well, at least when the passes are closed).
However, given Montgenevre had been closed due to avalanche, and Lauteret closed over Friday night, even if it opened up at 11am, I'd still prefer going via Gap at 11am than wait for Lauteret to open at 1pm, and have to face tons of transfer traffic (including ill equipped cars driven by impatient youngsters). I don't actually know when Lauteret did open on Saturday - did it?
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Poster: A snowHead
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crosbie, unfortunately the weather wasn't fine when I had to do it three days in a row, but it had to be done. I actually made a total of eight trips in 6 days.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Helen Beaumont, as someone vastly more experienced than I at that pass, I'm not too surprised you'd still prefer it for the time saving despite poor weather, especially given the number of journeys you were faced with. Punters such as I have the luxury of balancing route/drive time with duration of breakfast.
I guess that that route can vary in condition almost each time you do it, eh?
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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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crosbie, definitely. Clear on Sunday evening when we arrived, dreadful on Monday night when we were in the ambulance. Bad on Tuesday evening when I got the taxi back, but the driver was very good, and gave me lots of tips about driving in the snow. Wednesday was pretty bad, and I did go via Gap in the morning, but didn't have time to go that way in the evening again. I would rather spend a little longer with J at the hospital. New years day snow covered but fine and dry otherwise, and roads were empty. The final trip was clear.
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snowangel.,
Hi snowangel, great to meet you and your mates on Friday - shame we didn't have more time to chat but the powder was callign wasn't it - unbelievable day - best ever for me by a long way - rode waist deep powder just off the piste and knee deep at least everywhere else! simply awesome - must have been even better on sat/Sun if they opened the rest of the mountain.
Only downer for us was the potential closure of the Col de M on saturday meant we had to get an early transfer which meant we missed out on our bonus day on saturday and spent it hanging around turin airport instead - boo!
Still a truly awesome week - fresh snow all week, fantastic pistes and th epowder fest on friday to end - couldn't have been better - Serre Che really rocked last week - I love the place - a true convert!! I shall be back and back and 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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Just under 3 weeks to go , conditions look fabulous hope exchange rate improves tho !!! 
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gary2474, well it's already much much better than when we were there in late December.
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Well granted it's heading back in the right direction at last!
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lib-banana, hey! Yeh was great to meet you. It was a shame that if we'd have grouped together we'd have been dangerous to ride with! You were so funny when i met you, covered from head to toe in snow! excellent! just after teh best run of my day la dray, over knee high pow, and straight straight straight, i dont think i turned once! still feel the rush right now!
anyway, really hope you come out for a season, lots of little kids for your little ones to get to know and would be great to meet you properly, and the misses 2!
Let me know if you do come back, will try to go out with you!
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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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snowing this morning!
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Just out of interest, having never done it, what is the rough time doing Grenoble / Briancon via Gap vs the Col D'L - have driven the Col many times to & from LG and from Grenoble but only once was the Col shut and then we could not get back to La Grave and had to spend the night in SC!
In fact out in cyber space are my old blogs & pictures (before the word blog was even used) from way back in 99 -
http://www.baylis.demon.co.uk/lagraveframe.htm gets a bit confusing as above the frame it says March 25th - 31st 2000 but was in fact Jan 23rd / 31st - and the old blog from 2000 is still there at http://www.baylis.demon.co.uk/lagraveframe00.htm and we had good snow back end of March with some big avalanches.....................
So only another four weeks to go - now briging one of my 19yr old daughter's out with me, what do you think the chances are of her getting some work as we're out for 5 to 6 weeks ?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Weathercam, I left Villeneuve at about 11am, and arrived at Grenoble St Geoirs at 4:05pm. I was taking it fairly easy and briefly stopped a couple of times (at a garage and bakery). Bear in mind traffic was probably higher given col closure, with some queuing traffic toward Gap. I also went from Gap to Grenoble via the more northerly 'lorry' route (my MPV + roof box ended up at 2.7m high). Apparently there's a 2.5m height restriction on the other route, and I wasn't sure if there was a shorter diversion.
With my vehicle and moderate driving pace I would allow about 3 hours for the CdL and 5 hours for Gap. A nippy Audi might well knock off an hour from both.
I went from Villeneuve to StGeoirs and back in 5.5 hours via CdL (6pm-11:30pm).
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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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Weathercam, I did the journey when hubby was in hospital. From Monetier to grenoble via Gap took me 3.5 hours
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above edited as it didn't make sense.
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You know it makes sense.
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been snowing a little bit most of the day. has blown back in now and is snowing nicely outside.
Was up Le Lauzet this afternoon to visit the pony, oh my was it windy up there! Wasn't sure if it was just wind blown snow or snowing till i tried to drive home, at one point just leaving the village i couldn't even see the car in front. we had to stop and wait for the wind to stop slightly! It was then i found out it was a blizard and wind blown stuff.
OH JOY! Got home safe and sound.
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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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snowangel., glad to hear it, last weeks guests complained there was too much snow in Monetier , poor souls has to miss skiing on Saturday morning to dig out their car .
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Poster: A snowHead
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Helen Beaumont, there is an amazing amount of snow here. WE have had 4m of snow fall at serre ratier and 7m of snow at the top of the station! That is one hell of a lot of snow to have fallen this season so far!
I hope you and Jules are well.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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snowangel., I'm fine, Jules is getting there thanks. If I am exceedingly lucky we might get there for a fw days in the last week of the season.
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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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Helen Beaumont, oh fingers crossed for you! I'm sure some sun would do Jules good to!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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snowangel., Some sunshine outside the Café Soleil would be nice.
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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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snowangel.,
yeh I'd love to go out with you guys for a day - not sure I could keep up though!
if we come out to SC again (hols or season) then I'll definately be on your case - it'd be excellent to have a local to help steer us in the right direction - as well as a resident riding buddy!
Hope you get to enjoy the snow for the rest of the season - I guess I'll have to try and survive on my buzz from last friday!
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| MarjMJ wrote: |
| crosbie, Did you enjoy Maison du Bez? |
I thought the Bez was very nice. An excellently located ski-in/out fairly laid back establishment. Very nice to have an honesty bar with correspondingly cheaper prices. The manageress was very friendly and helpful (as were the rest of the staff). The place was a bit on the bohemian, quasi-chalet side, which is fine (unless you prefer a normal hotel). Excellent breakfast (delicious bread, sliced meats, cheese, strong coffee, muesli/porridge, etc).
On the matter of cuisine, there was a new chef, who I think has a fair bit to learn if, as I observed, most guests aren't to return his 'perfectly cooked' lamb steaks - no part of which exceeded a precise temperature of 48C. I had assumed he'd not realised the oven hadn't been turned on (perhaps being unfamiliar with a new kitchen), but on speaking to him discovered that he'd actually intended to supply raw and tasteless meat. I think his insistence of 48C is actually the temperature that the middle of the lamb is to reach if the lamb is roasted at a high temperature - not the oven temperature. God knows what they're teaching chefs these days. I've enjoyed steak tartare and tend to have my steaks saignant, but raw lamb was a new experience for me. No doubt the chef will adapt to customer taste rather than insisting on doing things by the book (a very strange book). Apart from this peculiar phobia of overcooking meat
(on a couple of other days too), the cuisine was top class.
A couple of other minor niggles. I'd have replaced the shower curtains (each year, rather than each decade), and I think an 18 digit WAP key for the Wifi access point is ridiculous (as is having to press its reset/pair button each time). They should have an open/unsecured Wifi service - the likes of al quaida have better places to go for Internet access.
Anyone considering Le Bez, don't hesitate, book it! The chef is bound to have overcome his phobia by the time you get there.
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crosbie, one of the problems with the router/livebox provided by Orange I'm afraid is pairing and an 18 digit wep ke, but they could use another router.
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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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Helen Beaumont, yep, would be a lot less hassle and probably have a range that actually reached to the top floor.
However! For a bar that is truly delightful, considerate to its customers and enlightened with respect to open WiFi is Bar Loco Loco (22 Rue de la Guisane, Villeneuve, Serre Chevalier, 05240). They bring round little snacks, fromage and saussison degustations, and even remember your favourite beer after just one previous visit (placing upon the bar before you even think of asking for it). Worth the walk to, even from Le Bez!
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crosbie, We've stayed in the hotel a couple of times and also been in Tina's apts. I think it is a great find for a group. They are nice too and good in the summer. Tina turns the ski-room into a bike room and you can get on the trails really quick. In fact with all the snow at the moment, I would think it would be great at Easter.
Sorry to hear about the raw lamb. Must be a new guy then.
We found Tina could not do enough for you - running round sorting this and that out. Was Chica the dog still there? You'd have been tormented to death no doubt to throw her the ball?
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