 Poster: A snowHead
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@DanB234, I always get the lift pass insurance. It doesn't replace normal winter sports travel insurance, but it means they'll get you off the mountain as quickly as possible and with no bills. Even if your normal travel insurance covers a helicopter rescue, you might need to pay for it first, and then argue with the insurance company about whether it was necessary.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Remarkably quiet on the way up from Geneve. A few jams on the other side going down - but nothing massive ( unlike 3 weeks ago and a 5 hour 59 min trip . . . ) Here with Mrs Snowy this week - so it’s pistes-r-us for me . . .
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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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Definitely a game of two halves today. There was another 20-30 cm of snow overnight (we now have 2m40) on the official measure in the village) but we were not that far above the snowline so it was a heavy shovel full this morning as the balcony was cleared. The clouds soon cleared over breakfast and the pisteurs were busy, causing quite a few slips rather than full avalanches. So off we pooped and as we got to the Palet Resto the Col du Ves chair opened - as if by magic. We were on the fifth chair, Tigski will now point out our tracks:
Well just to the left of the pointer anyway. the snow up there was drier and lighter so not bad at all. We then did a few laps of the Palet and Col du Ves. As we then came down underneath the Altiport the snow got heavier as we approached the resort. By this time the light was going and we though that was it (you need good light off piste at the moment to spot the hard packed bits). But then the sun cam out so we toddled off to the top of Vanoise and round to Genepy, the off piste up there was quite wind affected (not surprisingly). It started snowing lightly after lunch and ticked up to moderate rates of falling about 4, looks grey and horrible out there now.
The snow will ease off or maybe even stop after midnight, but it will be back before the lift opens. The wind will not be too bad in the villages, on high the lifts may well be shut, but it will be a whiteout so hopefully the bubbles in the trees will be open plus the first lifts out of the village. The temperature will be just below zero by the afternoon, but with the wind its a full winter set of togs. Tuesday will improve as it goes along, the light snow in the early morning should stop before they crank up the lifts and we may be treated to sunny periods in the afternoon, clearly the pisteurs will have a bit to do, so a progressive start. As the charts are a bit of a mess I'm not sure about Wednesday, cold cloudy and light snow would be a reasonable suggestion, then again it may snow a lot or not at all! On Thursday there will be some weather, not sure what as the supercomputers are disagreeing.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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Mrs Snowy not impressed with the lack of vis this arvo. Was possibly the slowest run down Double M known to mankind. Ho hum. Nice morning with a bit of sun. Madam's quote was "Its a bit off piste on piste' - some nice light fluffy stuff which was quite fun to wander though off the piste edges.
Any suggestions as to who could sensibly replace an ancient dishwasher that has finally given up the ghost - just trying to avoid me having to trot off down the mountain to get one etc!
Toodles
Capt S.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Captain Snowy, Fraid its a trip down the mountain, you can pop the oldone in at te Dechetterie on the way down!
Well it was a grey, breezy and damp day in the villages, luckily most of the lifts were open as the wind was not too bad. All the snow landing on the cleared balcony melted until about 30 mins ago when it started snowing very heavily again, I can barely see across the road.  So today's on snow activity was a quick skin to the top of Palafour, that's all there is to say really.
The snow will continue until sometime between breakfast and morning coffee tomorrow, potentially another 30cm over the 24 hours from 8AM this morning. The wind will be blowing at altitude and changing in direction. As there will be sunny periods from mid morning the avalanche risk will rise from 3 to 4 as it warms up. So there will be a lot of busy pisteurs in the morning, be patient as they through the flash bangs about, it will be a progressive start. The cloud will vary in amount but there should be some good skiing. Wednesday will start mainly sunny after a very cold night, the cloud will bubble up through the day and it will be overcast by the evening. The wind will also pick up in the afternoon. Thursday will be another whiteout according to the current forecast with potentially another 30cm or so of snow. It will be mild first thing with a snow line around La Daille, so damp in the villages, it will then get much colder with snow for all. Friday is still a conundrum, fast moving snow showers potentially.
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I'm heading to Tignes on the 8th March so looks like there will be plenty of lovely snow!
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No worries about the snow!
Lady Snowy was complaining about feeling dizzy and sicky when skiing in a whiteness today. Anyone else had that - a quick Google says that it is a known thing.
Was not the nicest of days weather wise it has to be said - late this afternoon, my walk to replenish food stocks from Sherpa was not the most pleasant ever had . . . Then again shopping is never pleasant!
We are booked for dinner at Panoramic on Thursday evening - any one know if they do still ski down if it’s a touch yucky weather?
Capt. S
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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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| Captain Snowy wrote: |
.........
Lady Snowy was complaining about feeling dizzy and sicky when skiing in a whiteness today. Anyone else had that - a quick Google says that it is a known thing.
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Yes I suffer terribly too. Its akin to sea sickness, either head to the trees or go in. Best known cure is a bar and alcohol.
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Interesting - wiki brought this up:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ski_sickness
Lady Snowy is a ‘one glass’ person so the bar solution may not work in this scenario. Going to try the travel sickness pill option.
Dishwasher still staring at me . . . Is the Geordie fella still at the Dechette?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well actually the cloud legged it by the time the cornflakes had vanished, and we had received another 20/30cm depending on altitude, all at high speed! I was out with New Gen again and we could see the pisteurs were busy and that the slopes 'under the wind' had all avalanched where the pisteurs had blasted. There were also natural avalanches in the Chardo Bowl. Predictably there was a lot of 'powder fever' about. Predictably, and despite the obvious signs, people went straight up to Chardo and traversed to the Aiguillettes. Predictably, at 1030, the pisteurs at the top of Grattalu wee mobilising with Recco etc as 2 people had been avalanched. The grapevine suggests they are OK but that is not definitive, the grapevine also suggests that there have been 4 separate avalanches with folks in them.
But there was a lot of good safer skiing to be had so we were concentrating on the less steep slopes. With the wind it was relatively heavy snow so lots of energy expended, all the avalanches were slab rather than powder. Even going through knee deep stuff through the snow park was good fun, good of them to build all those mini slopes for us. After lunch and as the man in charge got the feel for the snow we did one of the Tufs couloirs, a little bit of sluffing, but as it was facing the wind not a real drama.
After that, and following pisteur advice, we went into Vallon de la Sache via the lower entrance, just the last 2 of the 3 walls. Here it was very deep and lighter. So I am now tired, but at least we are now having some decent off piste. the air temperature remained cold all day, so there may be some good stuff tomorrow.
Finally a quiz - what has happened here? (Nothing to do with the skis!))
Later on this evening it will cloud over and the cloud may be thick enough to give one or two light showers of snow in the early hours. Tomorrow morning is a puzzle, there may be sunny period or it may start overcast and stay that way. The only true solution is to look out of the window! But sometime after dark it will start to snow lightly. As we drift into Thursday the snow will intensify and the wind will pick up, essentially it will be a whiteout. The winds are not that high that all the lifts will be closed, but the bad news is the snowline will rise to just above the Dam or so, so it could be damp lower down. By the evening the snowline will be back down where it belongs. As the pressure chart is like a plate of spaghetti for Friday anything could happen. At the moment the Swiss are going for sunny periods, the French, the Norwegians and the Americans are going for light snow with a gusty wind - standby for further details. Again, not sure about Saturday but light snow showers seems to be the best shot.
PS Tonight is going to be very cold (more like January) wrap up in the morning!
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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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Well it was a very nice day out of the window until about 2. As I have a hungry mate arriving I had to go to Bourg (I don't drive on stormy days if I don't have to). It looks a little like spring there, the crocuses are out on the roundabouts and Lidl have gardening tools in! I did pop out for a quick hour this afternoon, the pistes had bumped up a bit in the sun. Didn't see many people off piste. I did do a short section off piste under Tommeuses as I heard a lady say 'I need help' as I rode the lift over her. I couldn't see who she was talking to, so just in case she was in shock or wrse, I popped down to help. The snow was all crusty and lumpy, no wonder she had fallen. Anyway I donned my shining armour and got her back to the piste, one ski was a long way above her. her snowboarding sons arrived sometime later!
The cloud is now thickening and it will continue to do so, there may be a few flocons floating around as you come back from the pub. the snow will slowly intensify through the night and by breakfast time it will be snowy. The bad news is the snowline may well reach 2100m by lunchtime, so damp and yucky in the villages. The good news is the wind will not pick up until late afternoon, except at very high altitude, so high may be good tomorrow. the odd gust may make it down to town. The snowline will drop late afternoon to around Seez. After a windy night the snow will continue until at least lunchtime, there may be one or two sunny periods in the afternoon if we are lucky. The winds will start to abate from midday or so. Clearly it will be a slow start as we are expecting 20-30cm of fresh snow between now and Friday AM, so a progressive opening. Saturday will have a cold start and looks like being a day of light snow showers with short sunny periods. Chains may well be needed to get here if you do not have snow tyres. Sunday appears to be overcast and windy in the afternoon, before more snow arrives in the evening.
PS yesterday's quiz picture shows what happens when a mattress goes through a king size snow blower. It was by the bins in Chartreux on Monday, and must have got covered in snow on Monday night!
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I have yet to venture out of the Apartment. I did clear the balcony this morning and although it has been snowing lightly or moderately all day nothing has settled, it has been that warm. On the pistes it will be a different story of course. Not many people seemed to be braving the outdoors today, Palafour turned most of the day with very few bums on seats. However, up high I am sure there will be lots of nice snow once it is safe to ski up there. It will be avalanche Risk 4 tomorrow, so the chaps in black will be busy with explosives in the morning, including above the road to Boisses at 5.30-6.00 (road shut).
The snow will get heavier tonight, the wind will howl through the wee small hours and it wil get reasonably cold to help consolidate the snowpack. There will be light snow through the morning if all goes to plan, but there will be some sunny periods. The afternoon will be a bit more sunny (standby for a Frantic Friday) then there will be more snow showers in the evening. The wind will die down during the morning, the highest lifts may still be shut. The forecast for Saturday has changed, sunny periods and fluffy clouds, so not bad. There will be a brisk wind at altitude, especially in the afternoon. It will be noticeably chillier as well. After a cold night Sunday will be more springlike, sunny periods again, warming up by lunchtime. But the snow will be back after dark. Monday is a long way off, mostly cloudy with snow showers and cold is the current guesstimate.
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You know it makes sense.
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Just done some checking on the Ski Club historical snow depths to see how we are doing as the second week in March is normally when we have the greatest depths. Currently in Tignes we have 250cm in Lac and 335 up top. The long term average (1993 to date) is 137cm and 227 cm. Even in the 'record' snowfall season of two years ago we had 237 and 375. So, looks like we will have snow in the village for a good late spring!
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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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@chocksaway,
All the snow must be due to global warming 
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Poster: A snowHead
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@chocksaway, Interesting - last season, I arrived after the big early falls which skewed the average, then I remember a cold but dry Jan with beach scenes in flip flops through Feb 2019 and horrid storms in a grey March with some fun falls and then a classic April spring - done looking through the photos/aide memoires now.
Already putting in my snow-order for next season in Tignes:
same or greater levels of total snow fall but distributed more evenly across the season with peak snowfalls on Friday and Saturday nights
majority of snowfall to be conducted from 4pm onwards through to 10am to keep fair weather skiers in bed.
oh, any snowfalls not to be accompanied by high winds and warm temps
presence of sun optional
chaotic and unseasonal weather patterns restricted to half terms and French holidays
Let’s see.
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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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@Grinning, Last January ('19) was the coldest for 40 years or so. But it was pretty dry and largely sunny. The rest of the season pretty much as described. Family came out at Feb half term and it was wall to wall sunshine.
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Already putting in my snow-order for next season in Tignes:
same or greater levels of total snow fall but distributed more evenly across the season with peak snowfalls on Friday and Saturday nights
majority of snowfall to be conducted from 4pm onwards through to 10am to keep fair weather skiers in bed.
oh, any snowfalls not to be accompanied by high winds and warm temps
presence of sun optional
chaotic and unseasonal weather patterns restricted to half terms and French holidays
Great plan.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@chocksaway, It looks rather splendid out there this morning. Sad news about the seasonnaire.
I'm heading back tomorrow and should arrive around mid-afternoon French ATC permitting.
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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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@chocksaway, I thought you’d get a kick out of this. What do Colorado pisteurs do in quiet moments? They play hockey on the pistes!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@GeorgeVII, See you in the pub!
@lynnecha, Nice (but has Trumpington Towers banned skiing, looks gloriously quiet).
Essentially, most of the cloud legged it by 9.30 leaving a clear, bright and cold day. The wind above 2400m didn't help the complexion! After plenty of crashing and banging the place opened up quite quickly, given the amount of snow and wind last night. There was an odd mix of snow off piste, lower down with the warm temps yesterday t was heavy, higher it was windblown. There were the odd pockets of softer stuff, but not a powder day. Our first run down was Familial, OK at the top, hard work lower down so by the time we reached the level of the 2Mooses Base station we decide to aim back for Triffolet. A wander above Henri yielded very little, so we aimed for higher, unfortunately Col du Ves was not open, but the below the runway run yielded some great freshtracks:
It appeared by this stage that Lanches was about to open, but the queue was huge, so a Hot Choc at CocoRico saw that off. Up there the snow was very wind affected, but by the side f Double Mayhem, below the P's, the snow was nice. We then finished off with Lognan which was in very good nick, the sun had just taken the edge off the windblown crust.
The cloud is getting thicker as I type and there will be a few flocons in the air overnight, which will be cold. These should be done by 9 in the morning, leaving a day pretty much like today, cold and bright with a few fluffy clouds, there will be a breeze up high. After a very cold night for March, Sunday will be nice, cool yes but mainly sunny until it gets dark. We may see a few flakes before midnight. Monday will be cold windy and snowy; there may be the odd sunny spell between the showers. Tuesday currently looks like being windy and snowy, but warmer, the snowline might creep up to the dam again. Grrr
If the forecasts are right (they weren't last week we should see 31000 vehicles heading for the pistes and 23k heading away. So no snags on the way down, on the way up the lights at Aigueblanche may be on in the afternoon to regulate traffic. For those hoping to dodge the French Air Traffic Control strike, the weather for flying at both sides of the Channel will be OK, a bit drizzly at times in the Uk and bumpy in Scotland. Over here should be just nice.
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@chocksaway, if you could have a word with the snow gods to keep it coming, the pisteurs to keep it groomed and all in lovely nick for 4 weeks tomorrow (April 4th) that would be just grand 
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Can you name the place in the pic. I am thinking it’s aiguille noire de pramecou . . . Looked on my maps but just not sure - like to know before I get a canvas pic done to put in our place (Le Pramecou).
Ta.
Captain S.
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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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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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Right lets start with a picture to demo today's conditions and help @Captain Snowy,
It took me a while to work out where @Captain Snowy's, picture was from, I haven't quite matched it as I needed to go down Genepy. I also had to go up twice cos it was covered in cloud this morning!
The cliffs on the left of the picture are below the Dome de Pramecou, beneath them is the Passage de Grande Balme. The black point in the middle is Aiguille Noire de Pramecou. If you expand the photo you will probably be able to see the top of the Palet Drag under the cloud middle right of the pic.
Back to today, cold with a bit more cloud blowing about, but more than enough light, but from 245pm a few shower have kicked off. I was on piste with mate today, fabulous conditions. A few cms on top of what was pisted last night -- makes everyone a hero. Off piste looked great and as we went up the Grande Motte we found something quite rare in Tignes real powder snow, not the POW beloved of marketing departments of holiday companies, ski schools and tourist offices (oh and seasonnaires) but really light fresh snow that had fallen under very cold temperatures with little wind. It passed both the snowball test (ie impossible to make) and the ski pole test (ie grains fill in the indentation made when hitting the snow with a near horizontal pole). Unusual, despite what most social media would have you believe!
We also toured the Bellvarde and had a Santons Saturday and now its time for the Rugby.
After a very cold night, it will warm up more than today as there should be more sun, some clouds will be floating about though. The wind should also be less. Enjoy it because: Monday will be cold, snowy and windy. The wind will drop in the afternoon and the snowfall will become lighter. But as it is going to be colder than we though the threat of rain has passed until Tuesday. Monday will be a day for the trees! Tuesday looks like being windy at altitude and overcast with snow in the morning and sleet in the villages in the afternoon, so not pleasant either high or low. Hopefully, the cold spell will extend and turn this to snow. The temperature will have risen a lot by Wednesday, a proper spring day, a few clouds about, and maybe a light shower in the afternoon which would be rain in the villages.
I see the roads are heavy with traffic heading our way, tomorrow they will be clear. For those flying from the UK it will be showery and blustery, there is even a chance of hail in most places, but nothing to create many problems. Over here, providing the early morning mist clears at Chambery by 8am as forecast then no problems, other than French Air Trafficers, which I can do nowt about!
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@Captain Snowy, yep, Aig. Noire de Pramecou on left and the start of the long ridge from the M-B de Peisey to the Aliet peak on the right, backside of Bellecote in the left-hand distance - with a little help from Fatmap...
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 Sat 7-03-20 19:20; edited 2 times in total
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You know it makes sense.
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Great skiing today. The colder temperatures and overnight snow made for hero turns
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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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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| stewart woodward wrote: |
@chocksaway,
All the snow must be due to global warming |
Snow levels might be good but the temperatures have been ridiculously warm (rain in Tignes in January, ffs), resulting in rubbish snow for most of the season so far. And have you seen the state of the glacier at the motte? So yes, the conditions this season are very much due to global warming.
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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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@Dr John, I think Stewart was being ironic. I'm not getting into the argument.
Well today started pretty much as forecast, so down we headed to Brev. However, the weather fractured into a showery regime, so, especially, lower down there were some sunny spells. There was generally enough light unless you were actually in the clouds. After doing the Brev/Bosises pistes we had a coffee at the Jam Bar and then went down into La Daille for lunch. With the fresh snow some of the pistes bumped up, OK if the light was OK, tricky if not.
About 2.30pm the clouds all joined up and it pretty much turned into a bright whiteout.
The snow will stop before dark and you may see a star or two tonight, which will be quite cold. However it will cloud over again and light snow will start sometime between 7 and 10. There will be a stiff breeze, it may even close the high lifts again. Again, like today there may be the odd sunny spell in the morning, timings are a bit tricky. The other complexity tomorrow is the temperature, the snowline will be down in Bourg in the early morning but then the temperature will rise quickly in the afternoon such that we may get rain in Le Lac by late in the afternoon, an hour or two either way could make for a reasonable afternoon or a miserable one. Trees again! Spring returns on Wednesday, mainly sunny warm with some fluffy clouds. You will have to get to 3000m to feel any of the wind I think. Thursday now looks like being a bright day, maybe a milky sky in the morning and fluffy clouds in the afternoon before these thicken up ahead of the next band of weather, this should arrive after the lifts shut and may well be rain up to 1900m or so. We still need to wait a bit to see how Friday will pan out, a mixture of showers and sunny spells, the snowline may well be at 2000m, just not quite sure when and in what order.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@chocksaway, Silly/serious question. With France banning groups of over 1000 people, will the lift company be bringing in measures to prevent the build up of large queues?
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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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@Kenzie,
We don't have lift queues in Tignes, you should know that
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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What's the mood in Tignes / France like wrt to the dreaded lurgy? We've got 2nd week of April booked for our trip, and I'm getting increasingly nervous that France may go the way of Italy and shut down the resorts and potentially close the borders. Worst of all worlds would be for the ski areas to be shut, but travel still allowed so we'd have accommodation non-cancellable with no opportunity for a full refund on that part of the holiday. Obviously, nothing we can do about it, but I do look forward to this enormously and the snow depth reports are giving me good vibes about the state of the resort in April.
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@Kenzie, Not heard anything, I think first measures would be to shut the bars after all half of them are super petri dishes with all those seasonnaires!
@larkim, Some of the businesses are showing concern in case it gets here, there are a few cancellations around and therefore some very good deals. The nearest case to Tignes (yesterday's data) is Chambery and I think there have been 3 cases in the Savoie (more in the Haute Savoie). So at the moment no panic. There are one or two of the older folk with susceptibilities avoiding the bars, there is less air kissing and a bit more hand washing (but not enough). Personally, I was more concerned about the Mumps mini Tigndemic that was around last month, centred on one of the bars. Of course with COVID-19 this may well change rapidly for the better or the worse. If its for the worse then I will man a machine gun nest on the Dam, entry password only available on snowHeads 
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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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@chocksaway Excellent stuff, so long as the password is memorable so I don't forget it after the long drive, I'll hope to be allowed past your machine gun.
I must admit, the warm, sweaty atmosphere of just about every bar and restaurant in a ski resort does feel like a perfect spot for some bacterial growth (though no idea if viruses love that stuff too). My wife is already planning on making sure we take a decent supply of cleaning materials for the SC apartment!!
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Just been announced that the British ski Championships in Tignes have been cancelled.
There are going to be lots of kids without much to do
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FAQ
