 Poster: A snowHead
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Arrived yesterday to a slushy valley. Tempertures soon dropped and it snowed all night, lightly, and on until mid afternoon today. Early morning, pistes were excellent, with a covering of 15cm of snow. Visibility was poor high up, but Termingnon was better than over the hill. As the day wore on, the fresh snow got knocked about, often revealing a hard packed dirty base at lower levels. Up top, visibility was down to a few meters, but snow was excellent. Off piste was great at all levels. Hoping for some sun, or at least light, tomorrow. Will also be visiting Bonneval in the week, and Aussois next Sat. Beautifully peaceful after the crowds of Avoriaz last week! Hope to post most days, if I can piggyback this free wifi connection from next door!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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look forward to checking in on this thread...if you can add photos would be good as interested in exploring the Maurienne this season too
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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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cstreat, Valfrejus worth a look
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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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cstreat, keep the updates coming - we are out next week staying in Termignon with the grandchildren on their first snow trip.
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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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skinutter, not very photogenic weather at the mo, but I will try to do a trip report when I return. Stayed on the Lanslevillard side today, first heading up Ramasse towards the col. The pass always seems to funnel the wind, and was very exposed; by the time we got up there it was snowing horizontally so we headed across and up the valley where it is more sheltered. Despite regular snow showers all day, visibility was reasonable, and we found good lightly tracked off piste. The pistes had a good fresh 10cm plus of snow as well. Top lift, 4 Met had been shut for a day, and we caught it as it just opened for 1 st tracks down the black Jacot met...superb. No queues anywhere, fresh snow everywhere. Still snowing now at 10 pm. RobinS, L'Escale restaurant at the foot of the slopes in Termingnon is excellent, as is Ranova on the mountainside above Lanslevillard. Might be a glimpse of sun tomorrow afternoon 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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IMV, the best restaurant in Termignon is the Sabot de Venus just by the main road on the way in.
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The valley was a bit clearer this morning, so we headed up to Bonneval and arrived at about 10.30, tardiness due to a mild hangover ! It was brighter, and colder at -3 compared with 0 at VC. Snow was good low down, and first impressions were of easy blues and old lifts and drags as we worked our way up. "This is a good place for old and young", I thought, very very tranquil. Climbing up to 3000m the snow got better and deeper. There were so few people that the pistes looked freshly pisted, and so much fresh, deep off piste. Spent all day up there, the odd cloud coming in, and had one of the best days ever. Popped down to the only mountainside restaurant for lunch, which was excellent. We reckoned that there were less than 150 people on the slopes in total...Heaven if you hate crowds. Then a cuppa in the village, one of France's prettiest. Great day out, and would thoroughly recommend at least a day there. altis, might take a drive down there one evening, thanks.
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cstreat, One of my favorite resorts Bonneval, so peaceful and picturesque
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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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It looked clearer this morning, but light snow soon moved in, with high winds higher up. We went and did some nice off piste pastures under the Ramasse lift low down and then headed for Termingnon. High winds were blasting the top, so we messed around in the trees, had lunch, and headed back. Termingnon at resort level had obviously thawed yesterday, and the fields looked a bit bare, but the pistes were well stocked. It is snowing steadily now and has been for 5 hrs, so should be good for tomorrow. The wind chill was really bad high up, clothing frozen like boards, drifts on piste. Hope it calms down. Still, all good fun!
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Late update! Last Thursday was a day of brilliant sunshine, with great snow cover. Then it snowed heavily overnight, continuing into Friday, leaving 20 to 30 cm snow . Upper pistes were shut due to avi risk, but all other slopes and off piste were excellent. On Saturday we visited Aussois; bright in the morning, clouding over, pristine snow everywhere early on, a nice south facing resort, mostly skied by day tripping Italians on the weekend. Back home in the wet now  The Haut Maurienne was as good as ever, clean air, uncrowded, no queues at all, and cheap mountainside eating. Our visit to the Portes de Soleil on the way out was quite the opposite, but full of après and big ramps etc, if you like that kind of thing; scenic too.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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cstreat, Thanks for teh updates. Will be driving out Friday morning to Val Cenis and now can't wait. Your comparisons between the usual suspects and the Mauriene are spot on, but don't spread the word too much! I have been sking here for since the early 1990s and still can't believe it still runs under the radar of most Britsih skiers. It does give you a smug feeling when you peel off the autoroute just as everyone is slowing down for the toll queues at Albertville!
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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, after about 36 hours of snow, it was bluebird today and there was still light untracked powder as the sun was setting behind the mountains this afternoon. As ever, half term in Val Cenis is far more than bearable with max queue times of about 5 minutes at most. Everything looks just right now after about 40 cms of fresh from Sunday night through Monday. Not what was expected when the temperatures were at 16c in the valley coming up on Saturday.
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You know it makes sense.
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offpisteskiing, Where were the shots taken?
A week since we got back but the skiing off the back of Mont Cenis a week last Friday was simply amazing when the clouds cleared in the afternoon. Even the guides were surprised how good it was and were eyeing up a trip back on Saturday's day off.
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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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Hi everyone (first post), I'm getting really excited about a trip to Val Cenis 22-29 March. We are driving so we might check out a few of the Mauriene resorts during our stay.
I have done most of my skiing in Canada where you don't really have on piste/off piste - instead they have a big rope running around the edge of the skiable area (its a long rope) and anything within that is skiiable (or marked dangerous) whether or not iis is groomed/tree run/powder etc- so I'm not too sure how the piste/off piste system works in Europe:
- How obvious/accessable is all this powder in Val Cenis / Bonneval?
- Will my insurance be invalidated if I am 'off piste'?
- Is it worth hiring a guide?
Any help appreciated...
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Poster: A snowHead
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- How obvious/accessable is all this powder in Val Cenis/Bonneval?
Plenty to do that is obvious, lots to do that isn't... Val Cenis definitely has lots of 'friendly' lower-angled terrain, Bonneval is bigger and badder (and also has some slopes to definitely be wary of, eg the Pentes d'Andagne off the top chair regularly slide, despite having several gazex at intervals along the top which are used quite regularly after a snowfall or wind event).
The slope in the pics above is accessible directly off a lift in Val Cenis, but you need to know where to look, and also which bits to ski and not ski and when to be there and when to be off the slope...no avvy control on that part of the mountain.
- Will my insurance be invalidated if I am 'off piste'?
Depends on your insurance policy and small print...
- Is it worth hiring a guide?
Potentially yes. They should know where the best snow is, and they should know which slopes to avoid to stay safe...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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frozennose, if i told you I'd have to kill you As a hint it is directly accessible off a lift, but needs some work to get back, and you can almost smell the good coffee at the end...
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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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offpisteskiing, Did that used to be a marked black back in the day then? Not sure how long you have been visiting this littke gem but there used to be a run accessible off the top chair over the back that is still on some older piste maps but is no longer?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks for the responses everyone
Frozennoze - when you say "directly accessible off a lift, but needs some work to get back" - sounds like it might be a bit of a mission for the snowboarders?
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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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AliAfro, That was Offpisteskiing's description and I'm still trying to track down where he is talking about. Lots of opportunities for lift served access that doesn't need a walk out especially off the Plan Cardinel, Met and Solert lifts. Plenty to go off under the lift lines as well as off to the sides. There is some good stuff down through the trees off Plan Cardinel but only really done that when being guided as there are some nasty cliffs you can come across if you don't know where you are going. There is also some nice stuff off teh top of teh Mont Cenis drag although that is nowhere near as long ass the stuff off the longer chairs
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks Frozennose, sounds like there is plenty that shouldn't be too hard to find.
I think we will look into joining an off piste group with a guide if its not too expensive - I've had a quick look but ESF and ESI only seem to give prices for lessons rather than guides... We can just enquire when we get there...
Ive been looking at all the Val Cenis related posts on Snowheads and I'm getting really excited now. I promise not to tell anyone about it!
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frozennose, just checked an old piste map in the Col guide - yes, in that general vicinity though think the black run prob stayed further skiers right than we were. Have only been visiting Val C for the last 6 years or so...
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offpisteskiing, Aha, Sounds like you were on/near one of the most exhilirating/nerveracking runs I have done. March skiing trip about 20 years ago and the instructor/guide took us over the back form the top of the Met Chair. Literally next to the viewpoint was the start of the run all the way down to the lake where we then had the walk/push out. Perfect spring conditions that day.
AliAfro - ESF are have Instructors who are happy to act as guides for a small group and ensure they/you have the relevant kit rather than just disappearing off piste within a lesson like some of the bigger operations do. Probably try asking at the Lanslevillard office.
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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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I liked the faces of the people around the viewpoint as we followed our ski guide. You can only see down from there into a steep jumble of rocks, however the guides traverse left and out of sight of the viewpoint into a steepish but clear slope.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks frozennose - we are going to wait until there is some fresh snow forecast before we book an off piste quide - but we will go with ESF if we do... We arrive on 22nd March. At the moment it looks like there will be nothing but sun this week. Does anyone know any effective shamanic rituals to ensure fresh snow falls? Any help appreciated. 
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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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AliAfro, I wouldn't worry too much about fresh snow unless that is the sole reason you wanted to off piste. There are some great opportunities off the back of the Met lift at the top for sping snow and to be fair, it si sprobably a bit less intimidating in spring conditions. Hope you enjoy and look forward to the updates.
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frozennose,
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| That was Offpisteskiing's description and I'm still trying to track down where he is talking about |
... Well, it looks like that the cat's just about out of the bag, so this may give a few more clues 
http://vimeo.com/89079657
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FAQ
