 Poster: A snowHead
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A bit higher up. Note the fresh snow.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have the Mountain Collective pass, which includes 2 days at Chamonix. We've never been. Looking at the last weekend in January. I see a within budget accommodation in Vallorcine.
Is that an OK place to be for two days skiing?
These are the areas the pass covers:
Brevent-Flegere area
Grands Montets area (summit not included)
Balme Tour Vallorcine area
Vormaine area
Chosalets area
Savoy area
Planards area
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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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Not really, well out on a limb. You can ski Le Tour from there but if you're a decent skier you'd probably want to be staying in Argentiere and skiing Grand Montets, assuming conditions are good enough by then, but given recent snowfall it should be.
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@HeidiAmsterdam, you can get a train from valorcine hourly which will take you to Argentiere and Flegere. Le Tour can be accessed directly by gondola from Valorcine.
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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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@HeidiAmsterdam, from prior posts, iirc, you'll have quite enough to do for two days at Balme Vallorcine.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @HeidiAmsterdam, from prior posts, iirc, you'll have quite enough to do for two days at Balme Vallorcine. |
great - curious why you say that - looking at the piste map, it seems enough for two days. A week is something else - but this is a not so cheap yet cheeky way to make up for being snowed out of Squaw Valley week before last...
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@HeidiAmsterdam,
I know plenty of decent skiers that could enjoy 2 days at Le Tour in the right weather. If you happen to have exhausted all of the possibilities multiple times, get the train to GM or Flegere. If you have someone with you who knows the place, things like the Nant Noire (forgive the spelling) are fab.
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@HeidiAmsterdam, my recollection, forgive me if I am wrong, is that you are looking for good piste skiing.
In which case ...
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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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Hi all- hope you're all enjoying the snow 
Anyone in town this weekend fancy teaming up for an energetic skin on either the Saturday or the Sunday? 1000m+?
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Heard a lot of snow has fallen on Chamonix and more is expected at the end of January. What are ski conditions like?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@pred02, Had 3 days from Sunday. Did Brevant/Felgeres which was fine except the tops which weren't open, I assumed because of av risk. Also there were intermittant issues withe the linking gondola. Monday went to Les Houches, not a lot of natural snow low down and quite hard and icy higher up but overall it was worth doing in the sun and practically all open. Today drove up to try Le Tour but there was only 1 lift open and 2 runs so went back down to Argentiere where most was open but it was bloody cold. So overall there was plenty of skiing but from this brief visit you had to look for it. Anyone know if there's an online "open/closed" site for this area?
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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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Hi all - just booked flights arriving into Geneva at 9am this Thursday. I may be a bit of a masochist but is anyone up for a blast around somewhere in the Chamonix valley/Les C/Megeve as soon as I can collect car and get there? Is it realistic to think I'll be ready to ski by 11.45/12? Happy to share half day cost of guide.
I've not yet fixed on where will be staying (likely not Cham but lower (favouring Megeve at the momement), but also open to suggestions if you have any?
Have skis, skins, ski+boot crampons and avi gear so also happy for some guided haute montagne adventure, although mainly looking for powder if there is any to be had.
@jsrt201, would normally love to join you for a skin but have limited time so think will try and focus on the down, rather than the up 
Cheers
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You know it makes sense.
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@jbob, Yes thanks but I used that when we decided to try Le Tour. It wasn't exactly accurate.
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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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Is the classic Valle Blanche route skiable?
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Poster: A snowHead
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I booked onto the Ski Club all day 'off piste adventure' with Evolution 2 on Wed 8th Feb from Argentiere.
Anyone else here booked on that? Says 2 others booked on it so far. Max group of 6. £30 for all day.
Anyone else here staying in Argentiere that week ending 12th Feb?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Ptspeak,
Admittedly this is a few days old but with the weather forecast for next weekend, it's not looking promising. The last line on the report below is particularly sobering.
http://www.highmountainguides.com/index.php/eng/What-we-do/Skiing-in-Chamonix/Ski-Vallee-Blanche#Vallee Blanche Conditions
18th January 2017, Improved But Still Poor & Lean Conditions In The Vallee Blanche
Wednesday 18 January 2017 9:05:20 am
Rob Jarvis
Whilst a few teams have now completed the Vallee Blanche - mainly on skis! Only a bit of walking the conditions are still not inspiring and moreover, not well filled in from a crevasse point of view. The big snow falls over the weekend have certainly helped a lot, with over 1m of fresh snow up high, but this fell on strong winds and the snow is hard to ski in places and bare ice in a few local but significant areas too.
Also well rocky lower down and with sections of walking. Plenty more snow still required for normal 'good' conditions and, as such no work has even started equipping the snow arete, so it's in its natural state and thus requires good mountaineering skills and equipment."
Don't think I'll be attempting it next weekend.
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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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@halfhand,
I read that on the Chamonix app. Thanks. I have a guide reserved with Evolution2ski for Sunday and they have mentioned the poles and ropes are not up on the ridge. Thus they are only guiding groups of 1-2. I'll probably cancel and just go to the Grand Montets. Dissapointing coming from USA, I'll book March next time. Europe is way too dry for early season plans and I regret making them. Perhaps the itineraries at Verbier will compensate somewhat.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@halfhand,
I read that on the Chamonix app. Thanks. I have a guide reserved with Evolution2ski for Sunday and they have mentioned the poles and ropes are not up on the ridge. Thus they are only guiding groups of 1-2. I'll probably cancel and just go to the Grand Montets. Dissapointing coming from USA, I'll book March next time. Europe is way too dry for early season plans and I regret making them. Perhaps the itineraries at Verbier will compensate somewhat.
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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 skied Grand Montets yesterday and although the cover is thin in places the snows in good condition - I had a great day and if you know where to go, there is a lot to go at. Heading back up today for more of the same.
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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 long range forecast suggests snow just in time for my visit on 7th 
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Anyone got any recent experience of piste conditions at les houches vs brevent-flegere?
Put for a couple of days this weekend and was thinking les houches Saturday as the forecast is a bit overcast, but the info on the official site seems to suggest thin coverage at les houches.
Any input much appreciated
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@hollando,
Les Houches was hard packed snow yesterday. Not unpleasant for piste skiing but thats would be it. Coverage ok on piste. A few runs had some rocks and patches of earth showing through.
Sorry haven't been up Brevent for a few weeks.
Courmayeur today - much much better.
Lots of Foehn wind in Chx last 24 hrs accompanied by big swing in temperature - this evening 5 degrees. That may soften some of the hard packed snow, but don't know how that will affect skiing as snow quite thin and so may not be much good if it softens.
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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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Please remind me, which are likely to be the quieter weeks in Cham in March, of the weeks comm 04/03, 11/03 or 18/03? Many thanks
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18,11,4 in that order.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'm just back from Brevent-Flegere today. Brevent is in surprisingly good condition on piste - I was impressed with the amount of work they must have done to achieve that - a few stones coming through in places, but I've seen much worse. Very enjoyable blast about.
We took a run over to Flegere after lunch and that was noticeably poorer - much stonier, some very brown patches, some proper ice slicks at busy junctions, and just generally thinner coverage. Having said that it wasn't all awful - we could ski, they had a good number of pistes open, and also the little boardercross course, so it was still fun. But Brevent is much better.
And there's a new chair at Brevent! I had no idea that was happening, and got really confused at the end of my first run when I turned to where it used to start and there was nothing there - it was over my head instead and I had to ski further down  The new chair (and other layout changes) are very good though, I like them.
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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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Had another really good ski in Courmayeur off the Youla into the bowl past the avalanche barrier. Good chalky snow. Didn't bother with Arp as the traverse was very icy yesterday and didn't add much.
Avoid the petit Dolonne it is seriously combat requiring a fair bit of walking.
We thought it would be scrappy but worst i've ever seen it
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| fixx wrote: |
I'm just back from Brevent-Flegere today. Brevent is in surprisingly good condition on piste - I was impressed with the amount of work they must have done to achieve that - a few stones coming through in places, but I've seen much worse. Very enjoyable blast about.
We took a run over to Flegere after lunch and that was noticeably poorer - much stonier, some very brown patches, some proper ice slicks at busy junctions, and just generally thinner coverage. Having said that it wasn't all awful - we could ski, they had a good number of pistes open, and also the little boardercross course, so it was still fun. But Brevent is much better.
And there's a new chair at Brevent! I had no idea that was happening, and got really confused at the end of my first run when I turned to where it used to start and there was nothing there - it was over my head instead and I had to ski further down The new chair (and other layout changes) are very good though, I like them. |
+1. Was over there today too. Brevant much better than Flegere. Crappy light this afternoon too.
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You know it makes sense.
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i was over in flegere and brevent,
I would personally avoid flegere all together now if anyone is heading out to cham until there has been a massive dumping.
brevent isn't too bad, fair few stones and grass showing thought in places. spent abit of time on the cornu run as it seemed the best of the bunch..
courmayeur is the place to be right now!
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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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Valle Blanche today with a guide. Beautiful up top, rocky below. My guide said 3 Russians were missing from yesterday, as they descended without a guide. Helicopter out all day searching. The ridge is still without a rope.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Le Tour today. A beautiful day with glorious sunshine. Piste conditions much better than Brevent or Flegere and generally very good.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Brevent-flegere very good from 9-12 yesterday. Charles bozon and the crochues red were the pick of the bunch, quiet and nice snow.
After noon it was completely different, soft snow scraped away, hardpack. Lots of people disregarding this and a lot of crashes as a result.
Found much better conditions in the MBC...
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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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Seems the world and his wife were in Cham this weekend - didn't feel that busy! Did Courmayeur Friday: Very cold, snow stayed nice all day, base looks much deeper than Cham, overcast but good day. Did GM Sat: Wonderful morning lapping Herse and Bochard with a couple of cheeky blasts down Pierre-a-Ric, booked a top bin and went up about 11.30, stayed above the Glacier on the right of the ridge and it was in lovely condition given lack of new snow - late morning perfect time up there - went all the way down to La Cremerie for lunch. Continued much the same as the morning after lunch but by about 3pm the runs off Bochard especially were very scraped and down to ice in some places, the gullies that are ski-able remained quite nice though. Up Brevent yesterday morning, lapped Cornu and Brevent in beautiful sunshine on really quite nice snow and not busy at all - walked straight on to Brevent lift 4 times! - was very warm though and grass/rocks starting to poke through by lunchtime.
This weekend was one of the few times I've actually felt sorry for the people of the CdMB and the amount of work they're having to do to keep everything open but they're genuinely doing a fantastic job. The next couple of weeks looks promising weather-wise so fingers crossed! Back at Easter so hoping for a very stormy Feb/March!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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its just starting to snow a little in cham
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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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@eddiethebus, yay.
I had noticed a bit of snow was due today and tomorrow
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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short lived, its stopped already 
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I was out at the weekend. Lavancher bowl surprisingly good, also the face to the N above Chamois had decent snow texture tho' much rock dodging early on. The bowls off the top of the Herse were all good. As @jma says - the Grand Mur (I think that's what (s)he's referring to) off the top lift is in surprisingly good condition, tho' the final exit gullies weren't skiable without a lot of air time to get over rocks. We cut over to the piste at that point.
Variante hotel was pretty messy. Reasonable amount of bush skiing required.
Les Contamines (went over on Sat) definitely the best place around for piste skiing. Off piste appalling, but pistes nicely maintained, no crowds, and not nearly as scraped as GM.
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Snowed at Argentiere today only a couple of cms though. Turned to sleet at village level by 4pm and + 3C.
Quite a few pistes closed today and lots of icy patches in between the decent snow.
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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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Think there's a fair bit forecast for this weekend isn't there?
A decent dump?
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I was at Courmayeur yesterday. Pistes were excellent, it was very quiet, lunch at Giacomo was spectacular but off piste was sketchy. It started snowing at around 2 pm and was still snowing when we came down around 5 pm. Vallorcine/Le Tour on Sunday was also very good on piste but with the occasional rocks and grass showing through. Lunch at Cafe Comptoir was very good. Brevent on Saturday was also in decent nick, but a lot busier than Balme. Courmayeur is definitely the place to be.
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FAQ
