Poster: A snowHead
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thanks Richie_S!
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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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PG, well what about a report then?!
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Ooooh PG, you tease.
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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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'That' thread over on Piste got me moving this morning! It snowed solidly all night, was still snowing this morning right down in BsM, so I knew there would be nice light powder, a bit of a rare commodity this late in March. I basically spent the whole day either on the Comborcière or just beside it up at 2000, on or near the Malgovert (first down it this morning, what a great red run, unpisted, deep powder), or through the Mont Blanc forest in the 1600 domain. The Ours black was the most testing - although there were not many people about, what there were had gone down the Ours it seemed, and in zero visibility (right in the clouds, chopped up snow, flat sections interspersed with moguls that you just couldn't see until you bounced across them, sudden patches of deep powder, it made for an interesting descent!)
By 3pm it was getting a touch heavy down in the lower part of the forest, but it was definitely one of the best two or three days this season. There must have been at least 50cms of fresh snow, a lot more where it had drifted. It was the kind of day when you find yourself singing away as you ski, sheer bliss. Fortunately no one in earshot!
Came across the 6/7 year olds of the Ski Club off piste, they were having a fantastic time. Even managed to keep up with them for a few hundred metres (until we entered the trees again )
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Looks fabulous
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rob@rar.org.uk, we were about 100 metres to the left of the Malgovert in that picture - it hasn't been open much, don't know if you've been down it? It's my favourite piste in the whole resort.
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PG fantastic!
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It was the kind of day when you find yourself singing away as you ski, sheer bliss. Fortunately no one in earshot! |
so what tunes did you find yourself singing
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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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A bit to deep n c;oudy for me , but I am jealous
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RachelQ, I'm too embarrassed to say! Alright then, it was "there'll be blue birds over the White Cliffs of Dover" God knows why , I'm more inclined to Mark Knopfler usually...
Frosty the Snowman, most of the time I could see reasonably well, and the powder was so light and deep you just couldn't do yourself any harm, in the open spaces anyway. That said I was going down a reasonable gradient off piste early afternoon, and couldn't see the drop on the other side of a bump - in fact I couldn't see the bump at all - in the flat light. No way would I have tried it had I known, but as I found myself sailing through the air, apart from nearly having an accident à la FtS La Thuile experience, it was actually quite exhilarating. It was about a four metre high mini cliff. I kind of froze in the right position, and even stayed upright on landing. Then I spoilt it by trying to stop too quickly to look back, and buried myself. Couldn't stop laughing for the next five minutes, a real thrill.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Quote: |
It was about a four metre high mini cliff. I kind of froze in the right position, and even stayed upright on landing. Then I spoilt it by trying to stop too quickly to look back, and buried myself.
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Oh for a video of that
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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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PG wrote: |
rob@rar.org.uk, we were about 100 metres to the left of the Malgovert in that picture - it hasn't been open much, don't know if you've been down it? It's my favourite piste in the whole resort. |
No, not yet. It seems so rarely open. Maybe when I'm out in a couple of weeks. A bit more snow like you've got today would be nice...
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Rob
Just back from Bourg tonight and have to agree with PG. Malgovert has to be one of the best runs in the resort - Natural terrain - variation, views and then you still get to carve down Mont Blanc. We were last down it twice this week - Perfect end to the day
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You know it makes sense.
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Kieran, thanks. I'll really hope it's available to ski in a couple of week's time
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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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PG
Sounds like a great day - (well, has to have been better than mine back in the front line of commerce...)
I find Malgovert to be an ' interesting' run - depending on the conditions, and, as you say, often closed. I will always try to find time to get to it when I see it open.
For those of you who don't know, it first of all lulls you into a false sense of security " hah it's no more than a track, and the black goes off down the steep bit - what's the fuss about?"
Then you get the pitch like a roller coaster, so that when unpisted and /or mogul'd, you can't afford to stop between the lumpy bits, otherwise you'll find yourself walking up the hills. So you have to ski them bits proper like and carry your speed..
Then you get around the corner, and them thar bumps gets biiiig - I remember the first time we did it, Mrs W disappeared into a dip between two so called moguls, more hillocks really, I followed her over the lip and dang if someone hadn't put a tree in there you just could not see from above. Add in ice on a bad day, and you start to doubt your ability and sanity.
Then there appears to be a bit where the piste markers and the skiers differ as to the 'proper' / safest / quickest / easiest / most fun line, so a wide choice of routes offered and taken: and finally sanctuary, as you emerge battered, but hopefully unbruised, and with adrenalin running at a high level, onto the 'Mont Blanc' cruiser / forest.
Its what's known as a bit of a challenge. But only a red... ( see "Piste" thread on gradings - " there has to be a black, a red and a blue off the lift, so which one shall we call red....? ").
Love it!
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Poster: A snowHead
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JimW, spot on! No moguls yesterday, just deep, deep powder. And I think what swings it for me is that so few people find their way there - the Deux Têtes drag was as ever closed, and Comborcière isn't everyone's favourite lift, the few people on it yesterday headed straight back down the black.
From the top of Comborcière I stood at the top of the first rise you have no choice but to pole along. No tracks then, as I'd happened on Comborcière just as Malgovert opened. After a couple of minutes working up the courage to straightline the powder to get enough speed up for the climb on the other side, one guy kindly came along and put down some tracks for me - or, at least, on the downhill section. He faceplanted as soon as he reached the dip at the bottom . I blasted down his line and whizzed past him to make it to the top unscathed and the run opens up in front of you, an untouched powder field overlooking the valley. I opted for the lefthand fork the first time.
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Natural terrain - variation, views and then you still get to carve down Mont Blanc. |
You emerge opposite the top of the Mont Blanc lift, so I just went straight on, through the forest.
It was later on, when it was getting pretty tracked, that I took the above photo - I was a fair distance off piste to the left of the run at the time.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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PG, how's it looking today -have the rains hit
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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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PG, Can't agree more about the Malgovert - it's a fantastic run. Did it quite a few times a couple of weeks ago (when we had ridiculous amounts of snow). Quite delightful.
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doogo, it was fine early this morning, a top-up of fresh powder on the Malgovert and the Deux Têtes black still had some untouched areas of snow. Didn't last long though - the Deux Têtes drag was working and a couple of ESF instructors had groups out on both runs.
Could see the black clouds gathering though, and by 1pm the drizzle was climbing higher and higher. Even up in the 2000 basin, it was really just saturated sleet coming down by the time I left. The snowline must be up around 2100/2200m right now, exactly as Meteo France predicted. At least it's not raining too hard....
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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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I'm sitting in the Mont Blanc bar in Vallandry. It was raining as I came up a couple of hours ago and still is now. Can't complain though, this is the end of my fourth week here and it ha been absolutely fantastic.
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flying_squirrel, don't know what time you were there? - I gave up just after lunch. Early this morning (9.30ish) it was still pretty cold, conditions holding up well on Deux Têtes and on and around Malgovert. Things begin to deteriorate rapidly just after midday though... from what I can see, the snowline looks as if it's still up around 2200m... not raining heavily though.
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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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raining properly in Peisey-Vallandry now................
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Fantastic morning yesterday in Peisey-Vallandry, the face to the left of Plan Bois and trees below had 10inches of fresh snow on them. Clear blue skies as well.
Unfortuantely most of Arcs2000 was closed off while they blasted it all. Lots of big slides all over the place, so beware!!
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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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Considerably cooler than expected this morning. Although snowline is still high, at Les Arcs it's not up to the predicted 2000/2200m as suggested by Meteo France right now. Daughter just back, said it was snowing above 1800m. Son up there all day, so will report in on this afternoon's conditions later.
It's been coming down pretty heavily again. At this rate there should be another 10/15cms above 1800m by early evening.
Tomorrow through Monday, temps coming right down, snowline around 1400m
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Oh - I wish I was going away again before the end of the season.
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You know it makes sense.
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*cartman*
I hate you guts so very, very much...
*end cartman*
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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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Paul Mason, But if we were going to go wouldn't it be nice to go somewhere with good weather and snow, and surrounded by lots of fun people at a very reasonable price. Ah we can but wish
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Poster: A snowHead
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Just got back and would like to echo PG, 's comments about Wednesday - it was a fantastic day especially when the light improved for a moment or two. We spent all day on the Villaroger side where the snow was deep and light until lower down later in the day.
Had a week of almost every weather condition from mid Summer like temps on Sunday to Artic cold, snow, wind and white out on Tuesday afternoon. It was very warm on Friday after heavy rain/snow overnight which caused some major slides, one of which closed the Villaroger side and just missed the Soliet restuarant ( AKA Henri's ). I have some photos of this taken from over the other side of the valley which are quite awesome - especially as it has taken out the area we were skiing offpiste in on Wednesday.
Avalanche!!
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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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I posted this on another thread about a friend in LP who reports massive snow everywhere today.
And I know he must be excited about it as he has just txt me in the middle of a run..!!!
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CP wrote: |
I have some photos of this taken from over the other side of the valley which are quite awesome - especially as it has taken out the area we were skiing offpiste in on Wednesday.
Avalanche!! |
Wow, that's a big slide! Did it go by itself, or did a skier/pisteur help it on its way?
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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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CP, I was down that area myself ( in Feb) this year. I wondered why the guide gave me a tranceiver.
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rob@rar.org.uk wrote: |
Wow, that's a big slide! Did it go by itself, or did a skier/pisteur help it on its way? |
The high slide to the left of the barriers was set off by the Gasex, the other higher ones under the barriers look like they were pisteur induced - there was a lot of banging going on up there from early in the morning.
If you look down to the right and left above the Solliet Restaurant there is a ridge which is the left side of a long pisted gun barrel, aka Rattle Snake Alley, where the Red Aiguille Rouge piste meets the Blue Lys piste. We think the impact of the slide above it filled the gun barrel and caused the lower slides.
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the snow today was amazing i love the link to La Plagne lets hope it does not get to warm this time
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hi pg what are ur plans for the meet coming up i will be around now
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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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PG, those pic's grrrrr check my web site in my sig and see the difference from when I was there a few weeks ago
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