 Poster: A snowHead
|
Skiing in VT. Day 1.
Avi risk 3 off-piste. Factor 30 suncream. Sunny with occasional high cloud.
21000" vertical of skiing - we weren't hanging around 
Piste conditions are very good but the south-facing slopes got a little snotty underfoot later in the day. (Not quite elephant snot, but not far off).
Heard three detonations (don't know where).
We sort-of followed the sun today (Clockwise lifts, starting with Cascades) and probably hit (most of) the pistes at their best.
Good contact/grip but lumps developed quite quickly and most runs became mogul fields (terrain features?) over the course of the day .
Looked at the zip-wire in Orelle but pretty fierce head-wind rather buggered that idea - tomorrow...? IT WILL BE DONE!!
Went off to explore various 'beside-the-piste' options and everything is crusted or double-crusted and skied out. On occasions my skis were going in various directions APART from the one I was thinking of.
Still skied them though. "Challenging" would be the most complimentary adjective I can come up with, but 'bl00dy awful' and 'knackering' would probably be more accurate.
There is simply no powder to be found/had.
Best run of the day?
Turn right and double back off the top of 'Col', traverse left as far as you can. It is all tracked out so you can't go too wrong, but off-piste-wise it was the best of the day.
And for the first time ever I didn't even get cold on Col!
Now off to bed!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
HossDoc, these kind of conditions you need to find some nice spring snow that has melted during the day, to smooth out any tracks, the. Refrozen overnight, then you hit it as the first few cms have melted/softened....
But from what I read it's not been freezing overnight
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Cheers HossDoc, today could be the warmest day of the week. Keep us updated 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| kitenski wrote: |
HossDoc, these kind of conditions you need to find some nice spring snow that has melted during the day, to smooth out any tracks, the. Refrozen overnight, then you hit it as the first few cms have melted/softened....
But from what I read it's not been freezing overnight |
It has been freezing overnight, and there is some good spring snow, but not lift-served ... that's all tracked out
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nice pics!
Will be heading out to VT on Saturday. Anyone currently there who can give an update on current conditions after the warm spell?
What is the local opinion about the weather situation over the next 3-4 days. A number of sites predicting a return to much colder temps, and snow Sat-Mon.
Hope so 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
yep, snow is on the way
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Saturday, 15:40 :
And the snow is falling since a couple of hours!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Snow all night, eased a little this morning, before starting again. Much colder today, with very poor visibility. About 30cm of fresh snow at 2500m, and currently snowing down to about 600m
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Finally stopped snowing at lunchtime today. Fresh powder to about half metre off piste, on piste very heavy going. Glorious weather Late this afternoon and hoping it now continues for the rest of the week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Beautiful afternoon of sun - next few days are looking a bit varied, but hopefully we'll see a few hours of sun
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hi guys. A group of us are driving over to the 3-valleys from La Plagne tomorrow. The plan was to drive to Courchevel Le Praz (1300) coz shortest distance according to Google Maps. We hoped to leave early and have breakfast there (coffee and croissants), but can't seem to find a suitable place: the bars/restaurants don't open for breakfast and the boulangerie/patisserie don't do coffee.
Any suggestions?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Take the bubble up to 1850, walk across the piste, down the road then up the road a bit (more obvious than it sounds) and go in to the Forum building on your left. Boulangerie in there does coffees too (at a price).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
offpisteskiing, thank you, but we intend to avoid 1850 if at all possible.
Instead of Le Praz we might try La Saucisse Savoyarde in La Tania.
The bacon butties are inviting 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Jonpim, yes they do good things. We self cater in La Tania and use them for dinner each night
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Thank you chrisb - we're off in 20 minutes 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Anyone been in the 3 valleys recently, how are the conditions holding up? Off to VT on Sat....
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
#RCD, I'm off again this Sat too! I was out there last week and conditions were good. They had a lot of snow on 22/23rd March, which meant conditions were fine for that week - although (while the pistes were fine) you could visibly see the snow melting from the start of the week to the end.
That said, snow on the pistes were fine and will be fine next week for sure. However, warm temperatures next week will probably mean sugary snow by lunchtime, which will mean choppy pistes potentially. And if the weather continues to be warm, then the following few weeks will be interesting!
Sorry, that's a long winded way of saying you'll be fine! If you still concerned you can always check out the webcams.
Oh, and welcome to Snowheads!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Lower slopes were sugary by 9am this morning, and boilerplate higher. Still some good skiing to be had though, and very quiet. 80kph winds on the summits this morning.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Hi,
Do you think the 12th April - 19th April will be skiable? I have dreams of doing the 3 valleys escapade (most of the 3 valleys lift system) in a single day...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| mnbv wrote: |
Hi,
Do you think the 12th April - 19th April will be skiable? I have dreams of doing the 3 valleys escapade (most of the 3 valleys lift system) in a single day... |
yes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
mnbv, yes, and there's a few snowheads knocking round the area then too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
chrisb, La Saucisse Savoyarde in La Tania: the bacon butties were yummy, but the coffee was awful. We'll go elsewhere next time.
As for conditions: a.j. and others are quite right. Conditions on the 3-valleys, especially Val Thorens, are good.
Indeed, rather better than my beloved La Plagne (said goodbye today, until next season  ).
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Quote: |
said goodbye today, until next season
|
You don't do the Alps in summer, Jonpim? Just as good as the winter. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Jonpim, glad you had a good bacon buttie. Sorry to hear about the coffee, I dont drink coffee most of the time anyway.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Seems like I can not embed this video.........
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
I think if you replace the https with http in your link it will just automatically embed it for you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Since we arrived in Meribel Village yesterday morning we've skied across the 3Vs and generally piste conditions are better than expected. Yes it's soft and slushy particularly after midday but stay above 1800m and things are pretty good.
Also a major bonus is that it seems to be very quiet Worse queue so far was waiting for 4 people to get a chair before us heading back from C1850 this pm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Oh and low altitude traversing is best avoided - ours and cumin were a bit of a slog
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
mnbv, good summary. We were in VT last week and had a 3 Vallees pass - after a couple of trips to Meribel we decided to stick with VT as it was either too slushy or we got poured on with rain!
As long as you got there in the morning, we actually thought that Orelle was some of the best skiing in the resort. Those red runs were in perfect nick and the pistes were uncrowded.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Best run today? roc de 3 marches. Still in good condition at 3pm, lovely and soft but not at all lumpy
Proud dad moment this morning. Took 6yr old daughter for a blast from Meribel village to Courchevel 1850 and back via Saulire and she did really well
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hi mnbv, ours and cumin are always best avoided
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks for the tips Roger!
I ventured into courcheval valley this morning for an explore. The blue run creux was hardened snow with quarter inch of slush/powder - I could start carving turns but needed to resort to sliding into parallel turns just to get the turns in. It was ok but just short of 'nice'. So I cancelled my plans to explore the courcheval red runs in the area and headed back to the left side of meribel. (in hindsight I should have persisted lower in courcheval where I guess there was a bit more slush/powder to bite into?).
Anyway... the high side of left of meribel (blanchot) was unforgiving compacted snow (horrible scraping parallel turns). Further down though was good fun - blanchot and lapin had enough slush for carving although obviously slow runs. There was some compacted snow in the shade of the occasional trees but no one had a problem. There were some runs with compacted snow (rhodos?) but it was obvious and everyone was avoiding them.
Then I tried right side of meribel on the way to Roger's teppes recomendation. The first third of faon was compacted snow (north facing) but then it turns into the sun and it was great for carving. Combe Tougnete was fantastic.
Popping over the top of the mountain (maybe roughly 11:30) to the runs left of les menuires was great - all the runs from gross tougne up to becca were fantastic, plenty of fast carving and pretty much deserted. On some of the runs the powder was in clumps but it was easy to spot them and turn on them. And as Roger mentioned conditions were still great at 3pm.
The second half of the day was fantastic - thank you Roger! (and congratulations to your daughter!)
Does anyone know if courcheval and the high altitude runs left of meribel softened enough for carving in the afternoon?
mnbv
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Handy Turnip - thanks for the morning orelles tip, unfortunately I'm slumming it in brides les bains so frustratingly out of reach in he morning!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
mnbv, Can't help with conditions but Chamois is my favorite piste in Meribel to carve turns on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
