 Poster: A snowHead
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ed123, I see they have opened two more runs at Grands Montets this week, now have two blues & two reds open in the whole of Chamonix valley! Other reorts seem to have much more available so why not Chamonix?
I will be there on Sunday(arriving Thursday), so will look out for you. If you are approached by a 6'3" guy in an all black (Columbia) rig hiding behind mirror goggles and wearing a neoprene face mask, all this under a Salomon Impact helmet (looking a bit like Darth Vader), don't fret it's only me.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Bob Morrison, everything opens Sat 19th
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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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Bob Morrison, my suspicion is that it's CMB policy to keep Brevents-Flegere, Le Balme in good nick for Christmas. The revenues from a few early birds are as of nothing compared to having happy skiers next week.
Les Houches is (I hate saying this) a little low and I suspect that this weekend will be the first weekend that they'll be able to open anything other than the top runs. Certainly couldn't have skiied down to Prarion or Bellevue on Sunday afternoon.
Looks pretty good though to me...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Bob Morrison, hi I'll look like this- 'cept with a new black helmet and googles
 [/img]
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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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Heading to Chamonix Feb 27-Mar 6 2010. Done Verbier, Val Thor, Meribel, etc. but never Chamonix. Wondering best place to stay for best access to most challenging pistes. I'd def like to do guided off-piste in Vallee Blanche but also want to hit grands montet.. any tips for a reasonable place that is convenient for someone without a car?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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sdrunsic, welcome to Snowheads, you will love it.
Argentiere is best placed for Grands Montets but there is great skiing at all the areas. You will need to get your head around using the free bus.
Even Le Tour, often described as a place for beginners or to warm up has lots of great off piste and steep skiing.
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jbob - thanks for the reply! i am VERY much into steeps (why i found verbier last year to be phenom) and after reviewing some footage of vallee blanche, the run looks a bit 'tame' and 'crowded'! is it safe to presume that, with a guide, you can go off the beaten track in search of more challenging terrain? (by the way, i am a snowboarder and i know most guides frown upon taking boarders due to disability on flats and long traverses but i had zero problem staying at the head of my six person ski pack off the back of mont fort last year). slim chance i may be solo on this trip if some buddies back out on me. not that i have a problem as i travel solo just fine but wondering if it is also possible to hook up with good skiers/riders in chamonix? would be great to be with someone who has a bead on the stashes.
glad to have found this site.
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sdrunsic, there are a whole bundle of routes of varying difficulty down the Vallee Blanche. If you want a snowboard oriented guide, try Lars at www.mountainpenguins.com. You should easily find someone to board with if you find yourself abandoned by your chums.
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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. As I am not the first to post about staying in chamonix, I do not feel too guilty. I am loosing my current bed on Monday and would like to stay about for another 4 days or so, does anyone have any recomendations for cheap places to stay? A bed available would be cool, or a cheap hotel or something. TIA.
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sdrunsic, you might want to check out http://www.mcnabsnowboarding.com/ he is one of the best. Good luck in getting some one to show you their secret stashes. If you are traveling on your own then the UPCA do week courses incl accomodation, food kit, and instruction plus buddies.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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sdrunsic, there are plenty of variations on the Vallee Blanche. For example the Grand Envers route is neither tame nor crowded. Having said that there are more accessible steeps and deeps at all of the areas along the valley. Take a look at the off-piste section here for a brief intro to some of the classics: http://www.chamonix.net/english/skiing/offpiste/off_piste.htm?tab=3,1
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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, hughbedo, jbob, sideshow - thanks all for the tips! very helpful to hear from the seasoned...
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I guess my question is - would i be better off staying in Argentiere or in the center of Chamonix? Probably would be nice to have the access to the apres-ski and restaurants of Cham.
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You know it makes sense.
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sdrunsic, possibly, I've never experienced Argentiere at night. I expect it's a little livelier than when Blizzard of Aaahs was filmed...
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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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sdrunsic, I have spent winters in both. If you are into your skiing big time then I would suggest Argentiere there are a few bars and one pikey club, but if you want your evenings to be
"full on" then it has to be Chamonix.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Chamonix is busy and pikey.
Argentiere is quiet and semi-pikey.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| under a new name wrote: |
| sdrunsic, possibly, I've never experienced Argentiere at night. I expect it's a little livelier than when Blizzard of Aaahs was filmed... |
haha - that is EXACTLY what i am going back to 'relive'. best flick ever.
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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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hughbedo, this place is 16 euros a night and another euro to use the kitchen www.gitelebelvedere.eu , I stayed there in about 1987- luxury- as the alternatives were camping at Piere d'Orthaz or a bivi in the top station of the index.
I've also stayed at http://www.la-boerne.fr/home.htm which is really wonderful and also great value.
Club Vagabond is also supposed to be cheap and lively- although I've not been.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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So, I'm off to Chamonix on Sunday, Cant't wait. HOWEVER snowforecast.com are forecasting 60/70km winds on Tuesday. If that happens and lifts are shut, do you get your money back on your lift pass.
Am only there for 3 1/2 days skiing so might only be worth buying a daily pass. Hopefully the forecast is wrong anyway.
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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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Drluvski, I expect only if absolutely EVERY lift is shut. Which is unlikely. Don't believe Snow-Forecast anyway, it's computer generated straight off the models.
The only two sites worth reading are http://chamonix-meteo.com/bul/metPreMatEn.php and http://www.meteo-chamonix.org - both have real live weather-people interpreting the computers and adding in some local experience and observations. Chamonix Meteo is the French met office one, Met Cham are independent.
Chamonix Meteo are suggesting a disturbance might come in Tuesday but are (unusually) not even giving a confidence horizon - just saying that their forecast confidence is poor. So anything could happen really.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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under a new name, Thanks for those sites. Fingers crossed for no 70km/h winds then.
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Woooo me too, we arrive saturday at midday and leave christmas eve, really excited now....
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No wind at the moment, and snowing really heavy in Chamonix town, with more forecast.
Just going to go up there now and ski it all out, before you lot arrive...... 
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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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Fantastic snow at Flegere
powder day
plenty of snow for all those worrying about early season
Snowed last night and snowing tonight
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FYI: Both are independent of Meteo France. I didnt' realise that chamonix-meteo are funded by the local tourist offices who found Meteo France too expensive. There is a big ding-dong between Meteo France and Chamonix Meteo. If you want the Meteo France forecast you have to phone this premium rate number: 08 92 68 02 74
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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davidof, I thought cham meteo were funded by the French govt. there was a big hoo hah some months ago when the funding was going to be pulled.
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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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Good snow today
Cold but sun is shining and good visibility
No new snow overnight
Slopes are very quiet
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It's Baltic. The snow is great on piste. Sunny all morning clagged in late pm.
Looks like a change in the weather.
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You know it makes sense.
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30 cm overnight 
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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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After being sat on a plane yesterday for NINE hours yesterday, the flight was cancelled. No trip to Chamonix for me now  . To make it worse the snow sounds excellent jbob,
Enjoy the snow everyone. I'll have to wait until February for my next trip out to Chamonix.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Unfortnatley our flight home was cancelled
We have to stay
We will look after the snow for you
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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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Dek, Lucky you. Looks like it would have been a good day skiing with all that nice fresh snow. Going to have to head off to the Chill Factore now for a little fix to make up for my missed trip.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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It wasn't a good day. The snow is good but it's very cold, windy and the
vis is also bad.
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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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jbob, hope its better for you and everyone else in the valley tomorrow. Will be checking out the webcams again to see what I'm missing out on.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Another foot plus has fallen. Off piste is good high up on Flegere - lower down there is an annoying icy crust a foot below the surface but so far matching last year.
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Another foot plus has fallen. Off piste is good high up on Flegere - lower down there is an annoying icy crust a foot below the surface but so far matching last year.
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It's got warmer. Conditions were Much better today even had a bit of sunshine.
Seen a couple of lads skiing the hotel face at brevent in ski movie conditions must have
had xxl cojones.
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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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Not long now before I head out to Cham - I hear there's been a lot of rain so just wondering how the snow is holding up?
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FAQ
