 Poster: A snowHead
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Was Chamonix open yesterday?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Found around 15 inches of fresh snow at the top of Mont Joly at St Gervais today and it had snowed down to about 1500m. Good times.
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Nice.
Bit surprised they opened the chair - Mont Joly is a bit notorious for avalanche risk and often slow to open after a fall like that
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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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@jedster, I think this is the new lift they put in over the summer so will be trying to keep it open.
I’m out in StG next 2 weekends so long may it continue
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the replacement for epaule? Did they open the lift to the top as well?
I hiked past it in the summer and sat next to the construction crew at the restaurant on the ridge.
Will be a big improvement I think
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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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contamines is a horrible place to be in a storm! giettaz can be awesome though, its just being bothered to go there from cham!
closer to home, st. gervais/megeve is full of tree's
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@eddiethebus, Thanks - Combloux looks to be linked with Le Giettaz (even if a dodgy looking link) so maybe a better option with the lazy gits I ski with - getting somewhere half an hour or so away is more likely to happen than driving all the way to Le Gettiaz. 
Thanks also for confirming my suspicions about Les Contamines.
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@ moseyp: Yes, except top of GM, Brevent and a couple of more slide prone lifts. Les Houches was late opening presumably due to the big slide that hit parts of the village.
@ nemesys: Le Tour and Courmayeur would be 2 good spots to hit for trees (both pistes between them and off piste, though the first 1/4 of the runs round the back of Le Tour are above the tree line, so poor vis can make it more interesting...) that don't require too much local knowledge, with the usual caveats of you can still get into serious trouble and people have died off piste in both resorts. Handily, there's a wee Chamonet snow report on both those spots from this week here: https://www.chamonet.com/snow/skiing-across-borders-in-chamonix-and-courmayer-chamonix-mont-blanc-valley-713937
Quite a big slide pictured from the Brenva face of Mont Blanc down into Val Veny 
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@nemesys, I am a massive fan of St Gervais & the trees do make it a bit special.
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Thanks guys.
@Grum p, we usually get over to Courmayeur one day per trip - haven't skied that much in the trees there but the off piste above the trees - the area where they have the Freeride world tour events can be pretty special. Plus the restaurants are a nice change from the Cham offerings!!
@Jonny996, thanks - another good option.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Grum p, thanks, Pila in Aosta closed today so considered driving over this morning but they opened one of the lifts mid-morning so stayed. Not much skiing unfortunately.
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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 - Looking for a bit of Chamonix / Argentiere advice. I'm heading to Argentiere in a few weeks with UCPA. The pass provided is the Chamonix Le Pass (which is fantastic value when looking at the on the day price compared to the UCPA package) but I understand it includes a sub-set of the ski areass compared to the Mont Blanc Unlimited pass.
We are improving piste skiers in the main that are starting to venture off-piste (limited to side of piste really).
I assume that pass will give us more than enough to go at over 6.5 days, but if there's anything that it doesn't include that is a "must" for a first timer in the Cham valley, it'd be good to know as I understand you can upgrade for specific days etc...?
Thanks
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| Bradlex wrote: |
Hi all - Looking for a bit of Chamonix / Argentiere advice. I'm heading to Argentiere in a few weeks with UCPA. The pass provided is the Chamonix Le Pass (which is fantastic value when looking at the on the day price compared to the UCPA package) but I understand it includes a sub-set of the ski areass compared to the Mont Blanc Unlimited pass.
We are improving piste skiers in the main that are starting to venture off-piste (limited to side of piste really).
I assume that pass will give us more than enough to go at over 6.5 days, but if there's anything that it doesn't include that is a "must" for a first timer in the Cham valley, it'd be good to know as I understand you can upgrade for specific days etc...?
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Hi Brad,
The UCPA pass gives you: Le Tour, Grand Montets (except top bin I think), Brevent, Flegere and a trip up Aiguille du Midi. Only thing you don't get is Les Houches in the actual Cham Valley.
Plenty to be going at. Are you booked onto a UCPA course?
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much  on Thu 11-01-18 12:28; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm with @Jonny996, I'd head to St G - the pistes are nearly all tree lined and you can link wooded sections with meadows glades if you venture off piste. Ideal in bad weather.
Very little easy tree skiing - on or off piste - at Les C. There are some off piste options in the trees but needs a bit of local knowledge. Unsurprisingly the big open bowls get pretty blowy in a storm!
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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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| timlongs wrote: |
Hi Brad,
The UCPA pass gives you: Le Tour, Grand Montets (except top bin I think), Brevent, Flegere and a trip up Aiguille du Midi. Only thing you don't get is Les Houches in the actual Cham Valley.
Plenty to be going at. Are you booked onto a UCPA course? |
Thanks - we're booked on the full time instruction option, working through the levels.
Which leaves one full day free and two half days assuming we stick with the full five days instruction (which is what we tend to do ).
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Poster: A snowHead
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it doesnt include the midi, but you'll still not run out of snow to slide on in a week!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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@jedster, thanks - I am guessing that was for me - much appreciated. St Gervais it is then. If the forecast stays as is then it could be phenomenal. 
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Hi folks, I have a party of 7 inbound to Chamonix next friday (19th) for a long 4 day weekend. First time in this resort. Received wisdom (from reviewing previous threads on Snowheads) seems to be "choose your ski area based on prevalent conditions 'on the day'"...
So, we intend to do that.
Does anyone know off hand whether it is more cost effective to simply by the 4 day all area pass or buy a 4 x daily local pass dependent on what area takes our fancy on the day?
We are staying 'in' Chamonix centre, so Brevent / Flegere is a given. It sounds like Grand Montets is also worthy of the visit. This, it appears, can all be covered by the Chamonix pass ? (apart from the 'top' of Grand Montets - is that correct?)
Which leaves us with Tour and Les Houches locally- Les Houches sounds good if whether is poor. Tour looks a bit of a schlep to get to, but perhaps not. I guess each of these would be a 'grand day out' - skiing only in that area on the day we go, hence the question on Day Pass (as on those days having a full area pass isn't any use)
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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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Ok, I think i've answered my own question, for reference:
Area of Validity for Chamonix le Pass covers Tour as well as Grand Montet (not the top) - map, here: https://www.chamonix.net/sites/default/files/Attachments/plan_CLP-page-0.jpg
It costs 190.50Euro 4 days / 51.50 per day
Les Houches costs 150euro 4 days / 43.50Euro per day
Mont Blanc unlimited costs 236Euro 4 days.
3 daily chamonix passes and 1 Les Houches is 198Euro.
3 days of Chamonix le Pass, 1 day in Les Houches.
198 Euro.
So, daily passes wins out IF we choose to go to Les Houches.
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@Richie_S, the long term forecast (one that I like) is showing snow for most of the weekend although it's way too far away to know for sure.
1. there aren't single area passes with the exception of Les Houches.
2. "Le Pass" covers B/F, GMs (except top bin), Tour
3. LHs is fine but runs are shorter and not much steep skiing. You don't want to be dicking around changing areas a given day if you don't have to.
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@under a new name, thanks. That reinforces my view then. I agree on the 'dicking around' - waste of 'snow under foot' time.
Depending on how the forecast is, if we risk 'losing' a day due to conditions, then Day Passes may be the choice. That said, for 4 days, we'll go out in anything even for a few hours, and the days lift pass is a minor cost point. (if not on slopes = bar time = ££ on beer)
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@Richie_S,
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if we risk 'losing' a day due to conditions
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I wouldn't worry about that too much. The last couple of weeks have been exceptional and everything "in-bounds" will have been stabilised by next weekend - in over 10 years of multiple trips per year to Cham, I've never lost a day to conditions. Check the live webcams before you head out - it can gloomy in the town with a thick layer of cloud hovering in the valley but brilliant sunshine up at Brevent/Flegere and if it's really bad in Cham, conditions can be completely different through the Tunnel in Courmayeur.
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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: |
it can gloomy in the town with a thick layer of cloud hovering in the valley but brilliant sunshine up at Brevent/Flegere and if it's really bad in Cham, conditions can be completely different through the Tunnel in Courmayeur.
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Yep.
And buses run to Courmayeur, it's a fine excursion.
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In case anyone is interested, here is a Valley Blanche update, as it seems to be high on some agendas. Went down late morning (Friday). The ropes are not in place on the ridge yet. I generally don't subscribe to the hire a guide or die school of thought. However, unless you are an experienced winter climber, and competent with an axe and crampons, hire a guide until the ropes are up.
We went down via the Gross Rognon. There were plenty of fresh tracks to be made, on really forgiving soft snow. There is big snow cover for this time of year.
Once below the Geant Icefall snow cover is a bit thinner. There were tracks down the bottom of the Envers, which looked very well filled in.
We went down on the train. I subsequently met my Chamoniarde ace skier landlord René who by coincidence had done the same run slightly later. He went down the James Bond track and made clear that he regretted it stating "eet ees very ice-ee.
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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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A few runs up La Tour this morning.
I mean, little to be said, really. Pistes immaculate. Off piste skied out. Blue skies.
What not to like ... ?
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Good to hear. Off to Cham in 2 weeks. 
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You know it makes sense.
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... and significant snow forecast for this week from tonight.
Not, frankly, that the pistes need any.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Everything in top condition. Still bits of untracked to find with a short skin in the aiguilles rouge today, above index and floria etc
Pistes great on le tour especially.
As the afternoon wore on it became obvious the weather is breaking, snow imminent. Tomorrow looks tricky with the windspeeds and potentially up-yoing freezing level. Torn between magic forest or try luck at les houches
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Gusty and precipitating lightly in Geneva...
Definite storm incoming
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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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A bit warm but Les houches was fun today as long as you stayed above 1400m. Snow getting steadily deeper, maybe 20cm or more by lunchtime at 1800m so far. Managed to stay out until half two before the wetness penetrated all layers, it was a bit Scottish out there! Looking forward to freezing level dropping tomorrow
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Not having been to Chamonix before, can anyone give some insight into what piste Nants is like in terms of difficulty and in current conditions ? I prefer to come off the mountain via a piste back into Chamonix if possible rather than down-lift.
Thanks.
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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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its easy as long as your competent, its marked as a black but its not really. its just narrow so if your snow ploughing down it you'll be a danger to yourself and everyone else.
its been closed all season so far, did it a week ago and just had to unclip a couple of times to climb over avalanches, not sure what it'll be like in a couple of days time though.
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@Richie_S, it’s not much fun, I’m like you re downloading but I would make an exception here.
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@jbob, I quite like it, but then I am a fan of “Ski Agricole”.
Was closed at the weekend, no real idea why. It’s probably doable.
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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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@under a new name It's been closed whilst they dig paths through the avi debris that blocked it last week. All dug through now and a pistenbully's been through it a few times but it's still not in great condition and there's a few rocks sticking through at the moment too. Went up and down it this afternoon, it was quite breezy at the top!
The Nants is exposed to some pretty big slide paths which is the usual reason it's closed when there's good snow cover.
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@Grum p, slide paths aware of, unsurprised it was a slurry problem.
Is anyone complaining about too much snow? I hope not!
Liking the re-modelled Munster? I am 
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