Poster: A snowHead
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Following nearly a year of below average rain fall, the Pyrenees have had 100yr flood waters charging down the valleys, all of which was falling as snow up top with accompanying below average temperatures.... It is still a little early to say for sure but with the Col du Tourmalet (2115m) already closed and snow down to 1250m a couple of days ago, things are lopoking white and rather good! We just came home to where we live in the Hautes Pyrenees (Bareges), from a holiday in Spain and could see the white tops from over 100km away as we trundled up through the plains of Spain - spectacular, and good to be home!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Light snow this morning down to 1000m. We wondered why all the farmers were filling the raods with flocks of sheep yesterday... The transhumance for the winter is officially under way.
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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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Good luck for this winter Rob.
At the moment the weather is milder than normal but there was some snow high up last night. Falling temps and snow lower down tomorrow and then hopefully consistently colder towards the end of the month.
I had my head smashed open in the Tempete a few weeks ago, 8 staples and lots of blood, but it did keep everyone at the Mairie on their toes as I had just come out of a meeting about Superbagneres when a roof slate was blown off their roof.
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Is it posiible to inlcude the runs that are open in Luchon and Perygude as the former can be brilliant when there has been a good dump but sadly only part of the area is often open.
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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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Ski Guide, Nasty, hope you are recovering OK.
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bazerd wrote: |
Is it posiible to inlcude the runs that are open in Luchon and Perygude as the former can be brilliant when there has been a good dump but sadly only part of the area is often open. |
I run a company that takes skiers to both Superbagneres and Peyragudes, and I regularly update snowheads with the latest news for both resorts. For info I am a councillor in Luchon and part of the management committee for Superbagneres. I am also the resort manager for both Superbagneres and Peyragudes on the Snow-forecast.com site where I provide updates virtually on a daily basis including the number of runs/lifts open etc.
We have been here for 8 seasons now and for the majority of the time the snow record has been good. Right at the start of the season there can be issues on the one part of the mountain where there is not any snow making to compliment the natural snow, the only other issue which is again on the same part of the mountain is that it is very susceptible to avalanche and can be closed depending on the conditions.
You are right in saying that when there has been a dump, the off-piste here can be outstanding. On balance there are years when the Pyrenees receive more snow than the alps, and then some years we don’t.
We were trying to install more snow cannons at Superbagneres on the side of the mountain in question for this winter, but unfortunately the whole process of gaining the correct permissions at departmental and regional level has delayed this until next year.
A couple of bits of news:
For the first time there is now a joint ski pass between Superbagneres and Peyragudes. The 6 day Superbagneres pass provides for 1 day at Peyragudes.
The Cabanou restaurant on the Peyresourde side of Peyragudes which burnt down at the beginning of last reason has been rebuilt and should be open for the start of the main December holidays.
And as for the weather - well the snow came down to just above 1100m, however with very mild weather again today and this week it has all but gone. Much cooler whether is currently looking on the cards for the end of next week.
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I so need to do a road trip across the Pyrenees....
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AndAnotherThing.. wrote: |
I so need to do a road trip across the Pyrenees.... |
Cool come and drop in on the Pyrenean snowheads... There are a few of us about. Best to do it coast to coast on a push bike "Raid Pyrenean" style though if youcan manage it! Me and skiguide will join in for our local Cols...
PS> I hope the head recovers nicely skiguide, wouldn't want it to spoil your suave councilor profile, might give you some good mountain-man cache though (just don't admit it was when you fell out of the bar er Marie - Our Maire is a right old soak, he was even pissed when he married us!). Best of luck for the season, come and play on the Pic du Midi if you find a free day.
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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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in garbure we trust, Not sure about doing it on a push bike
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I can happily confirm to anyone wishing to do a roadtrip through the Pyrenee's that they are the most beautiful mountains I've been lucky enough to see!
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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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You know it makes sense.
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davejsy, gorgeous shots!!!
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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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great photos!!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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not looking like the best start right now! perhaps we are going to have to wait until the end of dec like last year...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Could be... Looking like Wedneday could throw something our way though.
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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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it looks like limited opening this weekend i think...... lots of the good stuff coming down right now with more forecast by meteo france next week.
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it looks like limited opening this weekend i think...... lots of the good stuff coming down right now with more forecast by meteo france next week.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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ok, so grande tourmalet is definately not opening this weekend. anyone hear anything about any of the other resorts opening?
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Apparently Baqueira will be open on Saturday.
^^ this morning in Tredos, the village below Baqueira.
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The Depeche here in the Central Pyrenees has reported that Peyragudes and Cauterets have delayed making a decision on whether to open this weekend until tomorrow. There is cover between 20cm and 40cm at the moment, with more light snow forecast today and the possibility of some moderate snow overnight and tomorrow. The cannons are running, but correctly so they don't want to run the piste bashers over a dodgy base and ruin it.
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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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As per tradition, Masella will be the first resort in the Pyrenees to open: their season will begin on Friday with at least 20cm of natural snow along with a decent amount of artificial I would imagine, what with the low temperatures we're currently experiencing.
On Saturday, Baqueira and the Andorran resorts will also open for definite, along with a few others I guess.
Everyone's being quite cagey about the number of pistes that will be available, but it should be more than a token number.
The snow of the last couple of days looks like it will continue until tomorrow afternoon, and will be followed by some nice but cold weather, making for a great opening weekend.
Here's to a promising season!
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anyone know anything in the western or central pyrenees thats definitely opening?
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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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I've just spoken to my friend in Soldeu town in Andorra & she's told me that she had to dig her way into her office three times today and that there is loads & loads of snow all over the mountains there as well as all over the town. The weather is set to be below zero (day & night) for the next week with plenty more snow. I'm a happy bunny because I'll be arriving there on the 23rd December!
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anything opening this weekend?
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You know it makes sense.
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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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snowskisnow wrote: |
No1 son is out there on the 16th Dec to do a season. |
Who's he with, out of interest? Nielson? I believe they're the only larger British operation out there. Tell him not to shout too loudly about the Pyrenees! We're used to having the place to ourselves (Andorra excepted)
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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Fantistic Pic, Looks fantastic
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Curses.
Grand Tourmalet openning on 6th December.
We have to go back to the UK on 6th December for ten days...
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Yep all the resorts apart from Cauterets are opening Thursday the 6th for some reason (bit odd as I just toured up to Tourmalet yesterday and everything is pisted/covered and ready), Cauterets is obsessed with being first so is trying for Wednesday.
Stella, where abouts are you in the Hautes Pyrenees?
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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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in garbure we trust, see you're based in Bareges, my mate has an appt there for three weeks (Jan into Feb) and my wife and I are coming out Feb 2 for a week.
We pack touring kit and are always up for a "good day" . We're usually to be found in and around Serre Ch / La Grave but my mate was out in Bareges in the Summer and fancied a trip there in the winter as he liked the look of it, and as we normally put him up, was rude not to accept his invitation!
Be cool to skin up Tourmalet as we often go up Galibier, both road riding and skining
Will keep in touch.
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