 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
And another fire tonight. Getting used to trying to sleep on a pool table. Fires in hotel ski lodge, but the security systems link do they won’t let us back into rooms. Zero communication from village Montana people.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
@Steve Angus,
Sad to hear that a flyer didn't return home safely. Speed flying is a high risk sport. RIP.
When I gave up paragliding after 18 years, 4 of my aquaintances/friends had lost their lives.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
@Steve Angus,
Following your excellent advice on driving to Val d'Isère on a Saturday, we set off at a quarter past nine from the Table d'Auré on the motorway between Chmmbéry and Albertville. There were no real holdups at all and we arrived at the Super U in Bourg-St-Maurice an hour later. The traffic in the other direction was a whole different story - mile after mile of stationary cars. Even spending an hour in the supermarket and leaving Bourg at twelve still gave us very light traffic all the way into Val d'Isère. So definitely the way to do it.
We are now planning to ski on the last Saturday and stay the night in Bourg to avoid the traffic jams on the way back.
Can we still get copies of the new off piste guide, by the way? I too missed the launch at Le Garage.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| muppet wrote: |
We forgot about the book release today even after walking past Garage 
I was distracted and impressed by the new bin chalet next to our building in La Daille. We left 6 days ago and it was a burnt out mess and we now have a new one and they even managed to save the scribed plaque, I don’t think that would have happened as quickly in the UK. Lets hope no one puts fire ash in this one.
Fire seems to have been an issue in Val d’Isere lately. 2 bins, sabotage attempts of lifts, chimneys ! |
Nice to see you briefly whizz past today! Haha! yes that new bin is nice eh! I too was impressed how quickly they changed it over. Indeed fire seems to be a constant theme this season. endoman will let us know the disaster of the second night of fire alarms in the middle of the night in Skadi chalets up near Richardes overnight... sounds like a cold uncomfortable night ensued! Latest update by sounds of things is half the block has been rehoused this evening - I guess because the fire detectors are faulty!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| endoman wrote: |
| And another fire tonight. Getting used to trying to sleep on a pool table. Fires in hotel ski lodge, but the security systems link do they won’t let us back into rooms. Zero communication from village Montana people. |
DOH!!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| welshflyer wrote: |
@Steve Angus,
Sad to hear that a flyer didn't return home safely. Speed flying is a high risk sport. RIP.
When I gave up paragliding after 18 years, 4 of my aquaintances/friends had lost their lives. |
Indeed it is dangerous - each year as I said there are injuries or worse! I used to paraglide here in Val - loved how peaceful it was - sold my wing for nappies!!!!!!! Double DOH!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| bolderz wrote: |
@Steve Angus,
Following your excellent advice on driving to Val d'Isère on a Saturday, we set off at a quarter past nine from the Table d'Auré on the motorway between Chmmbéry and Albertville. There were no real holdups at all and we arrived at the Super U in Bourg-St-Maurice an hour later. The traffic in the other direction was a whole different story - mile after mile of stationary cars. Even spending an hour in the supermarket and leaving Bourg at twelve still gave us very light traffic all the way into Val d'Isère. So definitely the way to do it.
We are now planning to ski on the last Saturday and stay the night in Bourg to avoid the traffic jams on the way back.
Can we still get copies of the new off piste guide, by the way? I too missed the launch at Le Garage. |
Glad I could help! Yes as soon as you get to Bourg coming up the hill (assuming snow on road not an issue which it usually isnt) then you are fine! Excellent plan for the way home too. You'll also benefit from quiet slopes on the Saturday too with no-one about - perfect! I believe the book is already available across town in book shops etc etc or buy online. Its awesome!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Tigski wrote: |
| https://backcountrybooks.co/products/val-disere-hors-piste-le-guide-complet |
Thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
@Steve Angus, Nice to see you briefly. Amazing how empty the pistes and lifts are between 12 and 2pm 
@endoman, Hope you get an undisturbed nights sleep tonight.
We had a strange one this morning at the La Daille bubble. My husband was challenged that his season pass didn’t belong to him, he was still carrying his helmet so they had a proper face view of the photo file.
The female turnstile monitor even started opening his pockets to access the pass. After she examined it, I showed mine plus offered to show a driving license we were allowed on the bubble.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Pleased to say we had a proper nights undisturbed sleep. Radio Val says 58 people evacuated to the Maison du Val, and we heard on the grapevine that all the Ski Lodge hotel is now closed. Thanks to @Steve Angus, for the tips today, and also to Clare who's been teaching Mrs endo for the last few days.
We had a great meal in the L'Avancher Hotel last night, all your Savoyard favourites.
I've seen no lift queues with where I've chosen to ski, and first thing had a lovely deserted solo run down to La Daille. Today may be different as the rest of the party are all still taking advantage of the lack of evacuation and stopping in bed.
There was a meeting of many Crystal Ski reps in the hotel yesterday trying to re house people. They all are doing a great job, and even came out at 4am during the first fire to manage some particularly demanding English clients. We aren't here with Crystal but just thought I'd give them a mention for what we thought was above the call of duty actions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Steve Angus, Re the airbag, as you also mentioned 'pump' was that as in Pompiers on a google translate? I ask cos I know Pompier Pierre and his team in Tignes have bought an airbag so folks can escape from burning buildings by jumping on to it, IIRC it works for up to a 16m drop! But so simple it makes you wonder why they have only just thought of it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
@Steve Angus,
"Pump Track" is normally a BMX Track. Does Val d'isere have one for use in the summer?
BMX is too energetic for me. I'll be road cycling in Denia, Spain next week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| chocksaway wrote: |
| @Steve Angus, Re the airbag, as you also mentioned 'pump' was that as in Pompiers on a google translate? I ask cos I know Pompier Pierre and his team in Tignes have bought an airbag so folks can escape from burning buildings by jumping on to it, IIRC it works for up to a 16m drop! But so simple it makes you wonder why they have only just thought of it. |
But is it fire resistant? Have mental image of it melting when placed close to a burning building.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
muppet - yes indeed - its lovely eh! Interesting re the La Daille gondola - they get paid €100 for each illegal pass they find! Maybe his tanned skin with all the skiing he has fitted in this season makes him look like someone else now eh! At least they worked out that it was not a fraudulent lift pass and you passed eh!
endoman - YAY to the good nights sleep - at last eh. I hear the Gendarmes have opened some investigations into what might or might not be happening there!!!!! And no worries at all re the session - good to catch up! Ill pass on your thanks to Clare re Mrs endo yes! Oh and yes the Avancher is nice eh - nice place that! Also that is nice to hear that resort staff for Crystal are doing good work - they work hard those boys and girls!
chocksaway - I dont think it was in relation to an airbag for fires - impression I got (which was why I thought the location was strange for it) was that it was an airbag to jump onto freestyle wise but on reflection I dont know what they are talking about really!
welshflyer - Yes they built a BMX pump track in Val - next (town side) to the heli pad area. They have a green, blue and red level of tracks. We spend many an hour there over the Summer!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
@Steve Angus, ohhhh that’s great to hear about the lady with the history of stroke. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
My fox story comes from the summer, I drove into Lac 3 car park in Tignes, the windscreen misted over as it was a cool night, when it cleared I nearly ran over a fox 2 floors down as I disturbed its bin foraging!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Best thread ever, as per.
My youngest has been in town this week, his 1st visit and has had a brilliant week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| chocksaway wrote: |
| My fox story comes from the summer, I drove into Lac 3 car park in Tignes, the windscreen misted over as it was a cool night, when it cleared I nearly ran over a fox 2 floors down as I disturbed its bin foraging! |
Missed!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
Best thread ever, as per.
My youngest has been in town this week, his 1st visit and has had a brilliant week. |
Thats great - thank you and thats also great to know a 'new' fan has popped up! Hope he has not just spent the whole time at the Folie though eh! All good!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Lovely fox and other stories, always in this thread  I walked my boyfriend's husky in Tignes Val Claret on the street near the hotel Vanoise at 9pm somewhere in November 2021. We encountered a fox on the concrete street a few metres away who wished to make moves to appeal to my boyfriend's female husky Shapai. Not shy. We've spotted another fox around in the morning in Val Claret while we walked Shapai as well as a pair of foxes in the evening on the road between 1800 and Tignes Le Lac around the same period.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Not in Val D’Isere but just this week I was skiing a ‘road’ piste down through a forest and a chamois ran across the piste! I’d never seen one on a piste before only up high when skinning etc so that was a delight! It was a really quiet piste with hardly any traffic down it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Steve Angus, amused because we booked a lesson earlier this week for the same reason: my wife had lost confidence after two years (and to be fair, has had a back problem in the interim). And of course the solution was much the same.
I shared the lesson, knowing that the thing most likely to increase my wife's confidence is her husband being criticised by an expert! And also that it was so long since my skiing was looked at by a professional that there were sure to be bad habits. So I am also working on improving my weight transfer, it was notably worse on my left turns - guess which knee had an operation, even though it is 30 years ago I obviously still shy from using it fully.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| JulieAimeLeSki wrote: |
| Lovely fox and other stories, always in this thread I walked my boyfriend's husky in Tignes Val Claret on the street near the hotel Vanoise at 9pm somewhere in November 2021. We encountered a fox on the concrete street a few metres away who wished to make moves to appeal to my boyfriend's female husky Shapai. Not shy. We've spotted another fox around in the morning in Val Claret while we walked Shapai as well as a pair of foxes in the evening on the road between 1800 and Tignes Le Lac around the same period. |
Blimey they're getting everywhere now eh!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| VolklAttivaS5 wrote: |
| Not in Val D’Isere but just this week I was skiing a ‘road’ piste down through a forest and a chamois ran across the piste! I’d never seen one on a piste before only up high when skinning etc so that was a delight! It was a really quiet piste with hardly any traffic down it. |
that is very special to get that close to something so special like that
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| j b wrote: |
@Steve Angus, amused because we booked a lesson earlier this week for the same reason: my wife had lost confidence after two years (and to be fair, has had a back problem in the interim). And of course the solution was much the same.
I shared the lesson, knowing that the thing most likely to increase my wife's confidence is her husband being criticised by an expert! And also that it was so long since my skiing was looked at by a professional that there were sure to be bad habits. So I am also working on improving my weight transfer, it was notably worse on my left turns - guess which knee had an operation, even though it is 30 years ago I obviously still shy from using it fully. |
Nice! Good work all round. Yes working on weight transfer (if you want to call it that - several concepts around it) is one of about half a dozen things that 99.9% of skiers are not good enough at doing - me included.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Steve Angus wrote: |
| VolklAttivaS5 wrote: |
| Not in Val D’Isere but just this week I was skiing a ‘road’ piste down through a forest and a chamois ran across the piste! I’d never seen one on a piste before only up high when skinning etc so that was a delight! It was a really quiet piste with hardly any traffic down it. |
that is very special to get that close to something so special like that |
It was great yes, I saw another one mooching along in Hintertux in November too but that time I was on a chair lift and it was much further away! I think both of them were ibex actually not chamois.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
A day out of ski boots
It was a lovely chilled start to the day - mainly as I did not need to be anywhere or in ski kit by a certain time. So getting the kids on the bus seemed a very relaxed start to the day. The weather was (as I suspected) not too bad at all - cloudy with a stiff breeze but good vis and just a 'grey' day on the whole.
Anyway with the kids out the door and a couple of errands done at home it was time to head off to Bourg. Firstly I dropped a huge bundle of things off at Maison Val for the Ukraine effort... there was LOADS of piles of clothes etc there already and more people turning up all the time. It was good to see Val trying to do its bit. Then I collected a couple of things from one of Clares client.... his wife has broken her pelvis and is in hospital in Bourg - so I did my bit to drop stuff down from him to her in Bourg!
I got to Bourg and after a naughty McDonalds for lunch picked up the click and collect and then went to refuel the car.... wow today it was €2.20 for a litre of diesel - ouch! Filing up our van.... cost €150 - I'm used to it being circa €100!!!!!!! Anyway I then had to pop into the shop to collect a few extra bits and then hit the road home to unload.... Clare was working all day so yours truly was on duty to unload it all and get it in the front door (and put most of it away!).
I had picked up a second click and collect order for a friend so had to drop that off too and of course be around to get Olivia off the school bus (Ben was taken to his swimming lesson by a friend!). Im shattered can you tell.....
Oh and when Ben got back from his swimming with his friend his friend stayed for dinner so it turned into a very late evening. The kids were not in bed until late either (nearly 2100).
So that was today folks... no ski photos from today but thought this photo from a few weeks ago was a nice one so thought would use it. Tomorrow weather will be similar and ill be on kid duty (well Olivia is doing club a lot tomorrow) so it'll be another different sort of day!
TTFN
P.S. Roads tomorrow shouldn't be mega bad but will be quite heavy so be prepared!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Quote: |
a naughty McDonalds for lunch
|
Dangerous, especially the mozzarella dippers n cheese bites 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| AL9000 wrote: |
| Quote: |
a naughty McDonalds for lunch
|
Dangerous, especially the mozzarella dippers n cheese bites |
Don't think they have those in Bourg Mcd's unfortunately!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
@Steve Angus, robbers in slough were charging £2.20 a litre for diesel today . Glad I am flying with transfer inc in couple of weeks
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| vipul wrote: |
| @Steve Angus, robbers in slough were charging £2.20 a litre for diesel today . Glad I am flying with transfer inc in couple of weeks |
We aren’t looking forward to the drive home, late March, at 23mpg.
If anyone is heading out, bring some cold remedies. We have been floored this week (in bed for 3 days - aching all over) with a flu bug. The same meds here are about 3x the cost in Boots. Fortunately well on the mend and went out for a walk today, which is the first time we’ve been out since Monday. Glad it isn’t a short trip!! It also meant we’ve missed the high lifts being shut because of the winds, for the last two days, so could have been worse.
Friends arrived yesterday so watching the rugby in the Garage tonight. Should be the game of this 6 Nations.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| bar shaker wrote: |
| vipul wrote: |
| @Steve Angus, robbers in slough were charging £2.20 a litre for diesel today . Glad I am flying with transfer inc in couple of weeks |
We aren’t looking forward to the drive home, late March, at 23mpg.
If anyone is heading out, bring some cold remedies. We have been floored this week (in bed for 3 days - aching all over) with a flu bug. The same meds here are about 3x the cost in Boots. Fortunately well on the mend and went out for a walk today, which is the first time we’ve been out since Monday. Glad it isn’t a short trip!! It also meant we’ve missed the high lifts being shut because of the winds, for the last two days, so could have been worse.
Friends arrived yesterday so watching the rugby in the Garage tonight. Should be the game of this 6 Nations. |
Wow where do I start.... at 23mpg that is gonna cost a LOT to get home - lets hope prices drop before then eh!
Costs of things like medicine etc are more expensive here indeed. When we go back to the UK a couple of times a year we REALLY stock up on so many things and ram that car full of everything from pharmacy supplies to Hellmans mayo and everything in-between! A lot of the price difference comes down to the capitalist / socialist ways the country is run though compared to the UK id say to quite a large extent! Either way really sorry to hear you have been under the weather - onwards and upwards now eh!
And the Rugby eh - wow!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Just another complication of Saturday transfers at this time of the year eh! Darn!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
- several years ago stopped for lunch over at the Tour du Charvet, and foxy spotted us way in the distance from the other side of the valley and headed our way.
