 Poster: A snowHead
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The english speaking ski world seemed to have missed this.
Local mountain guide Gilbert Crettaz (from Adrenaline) has written an english / french language guide to Verbier.
It always seemed odd, given its popularity and status, that Verbier never had a proper off piste guidebook.
At present you can only buy a copy from certain store or the tourist office in Verbier.
But hopefully it will soon be available to purchase online.
FWIW : I get a small credit on page 2 as a contributor after submitting photos / text from a pdf I wrote in 2008 
Looking forward to reading it once it arrives - looks like he has done a great job.
http://www.guides-verbier.com/en/medias/livre-freeride-verbier.html
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Haggis_Trap, thanks for the tip. I'll try to pick one up next week 
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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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Saw it last night in Nendaz. Nice book. Pity really, some of my nice hidden corners won't be so hidden anymore ;(
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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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Had a ski with Gilbert last week and had a natter about the book. he says he's purposely left out some runs that take a bit more skinning to get to; so that the guides still have some secrets for their clients.
Really nice bloke, good sense of humour and the book is really well done.
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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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Haggis_Trap, yours was The Definative version (until now).
Very, very good.
A closely held and rarely distributed pdf, stricktly on a need-to-know version.
Gavin gave The Lad a copy when he emigrated.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ha rungsp - the secret pdf file
I guess it is kind of redundant now!
Got a copy of the Verbier book last night.
Gilbert has done a very good job.
Excellent use of very clear topo photos : many of which I guess were taken from a helicopter.
No doubt a few of the old school mountain guides may be pissed of with him...
However a resort of Verbiers size / reputation will benefit from a good guide book.
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Guide book? Just buy a 1:25000 series map guys.
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davidof, because guide books are inspiring alongside a 1:25K map, and because the wide angle, panoramic photographs taken in both good visibility and with a marked line with a little narrative can bring a route to life in the way that a topographical map can't. Doug's 'secret' pdf is particularly nice in that respect but doesn't eschew the need for a topo map too.
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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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| davidof wrote: |
| Guide book? Just buy a 1:25000 series map guys. |
Davidof : Your fishing response might have more credability if it wasn't for this link on your own site...
http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wiki/Hautes-Alpes/La-Grave-Off-Piste
I recommend skiers should turn their back on all information sources (maps / guide books / gps & especially internet sites...). Just follow chamois tracks in the mountains if you want to find some cool secret spots
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Haggis_Trap, he did all the photos himself from a light aircraft, then touched them up a bit on his pc.
There's a lot of work gone into it and you're right; there wasn't universal approval.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
Haggis_Trap, yours was The Definative version (until now).
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Judging from the index, I think that the Haggis version is rather more complete. I didn't see any of the Cleuson stuff in the index of Gilbert's book other than Catwalk and stuff off the Bec d'Etang, which are marked on the 1:50 iirc. So he has clearly kept some stuff back.
I skied my first off-piste routes with him. Ruined pisted skiing for me permanently.
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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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Haggis_Trap, kudos for the fact that his guide could be yours with some pro pics and heli ski routes thrown in. To be honest the level of skiing is so high and risk aversion so low that you can now usually find these routes simply by following the tracks...
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Haggis_Trap, Verbier gets skied out very quickly on a powder day, so with a guide book it will be happening even quicker ... But it's a nice book - bought a copy on Friday.
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You know it makes sense.
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^ ha - the easily accessible stuff in Verbier has been getting skied out quickly for years
I honestly doubt that a guide book will actually make a massive difference - though I appreciate some people wont welcome it.
As mentioned much of the information is already available online, or from maps etc.
IMHO given how popular Verbier already is for off piste / freeride then a good book makes sense.
If you want to avoid crowds then visit some of the smaller stations in Valais.
Or just put on skins and venture more than 10 minutes from the ski lifts ?
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Mon 27-01-14 11:27; edited 2 times in total
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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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Haggis_Trap, sshhhhhhhhhhhh!! They won't be quiet for long at this rate!
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Poster: A snowHead
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^ OK : name of small valasian resorts edited out to keep offpisteskiing happy
Though Super St Bernard closed down because it was so secret that no one skied there.....
Just 30 minutes drive from Verbier and an (old) lift that went to 2800m with good terrain and high snowfall.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yep, shame about SSB, though the number of shut days for wind probably had something to do with it (that and the ridiculously cheap lift passes...)...
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