 Poster: A snowHead
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Got back this morning and skied all over, so here goes:
Generally there is plenty of snow for piste skiing, though a weeks glorious sunshine and combination of wind and higher temperatures at time mean that pistes got progressively harder and faster as the week went on.
Off piste - OK when you can find it, but nearly all tracked out.
Montgenevre - No real problems when we were there - good snow depth, generally hard and fast on sunny slopes, good elsewhere. THe first time I have been there and the main bol was entirely open and in very good condition. Link to Claviere open and in good condition (though very steep!)
Claviere - Slopes in good condition all the way down. Good snow depths, just 1 or 2 harder patches on the way down low. Link to Montgenevre is open and despite being quite low in very good condition. Link to Sansicario (via Cesana) open via blue, black or chair. Personally I would choose chair - the blue is a very long gentle road requiring poling in places and became very rutted during the week. The top of the blacj was fine, there was a long stony icy area in the middle and the bottom was a road.
Sansicario - Good condition top to bottom. Pick of the conditions for me and some great quiet, long runs.
Sestriere - Good cover top to bottom, however most runs hard and fast. a lot of snow unfortunately blowing off upper slopes on saturday. Links fine
Sauze - Upper pistes fine, but below Sportina become mixed, with rocky or icy patches and some dirt patches. In fact some at the bottom are quite slushy. Links fine.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I also just back. Agree Sansicario perfectly excellent condtions -and nobody there. The black number 21, onto the red and then onto red 77 through the trees was a superb run top to bottom. Wish i was there now! 
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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 was snowing hard when I left Montgenevre yesterday lunchtime.
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Any updates on conditions in Sauze for this 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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Please could somebody tell me whether it is possible to get from Montgenevre to claviere and back on a blue run? I keep reading about a very steep red between the two resorts which is worrying me. I do ski red ones but this one appears more difficult than most. We are going to Montgenevre in March.
Have a great holiday neilkav and please write a report on your return..plus photos if poss!
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snowymum, it is possible to ski back from Montgenevre to Claviere using the x-country route that more or less follows the road between the two. You'll have to pole a bit and try your best to keep your speed up though.
On the way from Claviere to Montgenevre, there is one narrow red piste that any average intermediate should ski fine. I'll not lie to you though, i have witnessed a couple of beginners become very nervous on that run. You take the chairlift up from the west end (top) of the nursery slope in front of the Claviere Sci School cabin and turn right off the top. You then need to ski down this narrow red run, or traverse further along and then down an even steeper red. As long as your basic snowplough turns are good (or better) then you'll be fine.
As for the red route back across the top from Montgenevre to Claviere, it is a run that skirts along the side of a very steep pitch and is around 15 ft wide. You do not want to slip off the side or it'll be a long slide to the bottom. Again, if you've got good intermediate skills then you should be able to tackle this run no problem. I know people who are not very skilled skiers and they have made it down easy enough. You then join up at the bottom of the black run and continue down on an excellent red run back to the Claviere lift system.
Having said that, the steep pitch is about the same steepness as the black run that this red run bypasses and for any more advanced skiers in your group, if the conditions are right then i can't think of anywhere i'd rather be right now. The views are amazing and with nice snow, the skiing of the highest order.
I'll see if i have any photos to share with you.
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Here's the only one i could find in my files. I've added some wee dots to make it easier to understand.
This image marks out the different choices you have on the return from Montgenevre to Claviere. From the top of the Rocher de L'aigle lift, you can turn left and go directly over the top down a very steep black run. In good snow conditions it's excellent. Less tempting once it's skied out and large moguls appear. Alternatively, turn right off the top of the chair (as if you're heading back down into Montgenevre) then take the first right and round the corner and this brings you out where the red dots start at the top of this image. You join the black for it's final hundred yards or so, then ski the beautiful red run back into the Claviere network of lifts.
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Shoogly - thanks so much for the really useful info and the great photo. It is really helpful to see your markings for the run. I've tried looking up milky way piste maps online and haven't found a good one yet. We will be staying in montgenevre so the run you have shown would be our outward trip to claviere. We would then be returnign to montgenevre..am not so keen on narrow steep pistes with a precipice to one side but will probably be ok for a short stretch. I think this will be my 12th skiing holiday so do not have a problem with parellel turns (although I know my technique is not perfect!). However my skiing occasionally goes to pieces if I've go to the stage of being tired and hungry and hit a very steep section. Am not as fit as I used to be pre-children. Thanks again for the useful advice!
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glad to be of help...
another good piece of advice - get some food down you on the Italian side, it's sooo much better than in the mountain restaurant on the Montgenevre side.
if you pm me your email address, i'll send you a handy wee map of the area with my additions to it. Other people have found it useful, so maybe you will too.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You can also get across to Claviere if you don't fancy the red by skiing from the bottom of the Tremplin chairlift along the cross country tracks that are honestly all downhill. A little of pole work to keep you going but minimal effort is required.
Although all the runs from the top of the Rocher d'Aigle are rather exciting.
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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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shoogly, Haven't been there for 2 years now. I think I shall return on my skiing odysey in March.
Still haven't skiied the Croce black piste or up the Col Saurel in Claviere. Having always looked up towards the Croce from the road it looks like fun through the trees.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks shoogly for the great piste map and other tips. Can't wait to try all the slopes out. I'm just wondering which piste you were on when you took the photo above? Is it the red piste going towards montgenevre? If we have time we will try the two routes to claviere (cross country trail and roche d'Aigle). I am determined to try the Gimonts restaurant for lunch!
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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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Hooray - just checked the snow report for sauze and theres been a fresh dusting it seems which is fab. Was starting to worry about conditions as someone just posted this on a group on facebook:
"just got back this afternoon, had a great time, could do with a dump of snow as it was getting a bit patchy near the top."
2 weeks to go for me! counting down the days!
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Poster: A snowHead
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snowymum, that photo was taken from near the top of the red run off the to of the 2nd chair up from Claviere. Get on the 4 man chair at the bottom of the nursery slope, get off, ski down to the right and jump on the new looking 4 man chair (this was put in for the olympics) with the dogleg in it. Get off at the top and turn right. Ski on for around 200m and stop. this is the view.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The photo of the route between Montgenevre and Claviere a great reminder. Have done both runs many times and highly recommend for all of reasonable level to give it a go if you are there, great for a bit of competition between friends. In Sestriere in three weeks, hope the snow holds up. 
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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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white tiger, welcome to snowHeads
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Anybody got any updates for Sauze and the milky way? Is there a good chance of some more snow this week? Keep noticing forecasts of around 10cm which seem to disappear again and then only a light sprinkling seems to arrive. Hoping theres some nice conditions for 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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| FiFi_Trixibell wrote: |
| Anybody got any updates for Sauze and the milky way? Is there a good chance of some more snow this week? Keep noticing forecasts of around 10cm which seem to disappear again and then only a light sprinkling seems to arrive. Hoping theres some nice conditions for next week. |
Just returned (yesterday) from a fantastic week in Montgenevre , and can confirm it's equally as fantastic right into the milky way, as we did a 50 mile round trip on Friday, skiing Montgenevre/Claviere/Cesana/SanSicario and Sauze d'oux. Conditions were some of the best i have had in 15 years, huge base, about 4 inches of fresh powder on piste (which arrived Tuesday/Thursday - snowed all day), loads of off piste opportunities and almost empty pistes.
Brief report on the trip generally.....we were a couple staying in chalet genepy run by Neilson which was excellent, and skied all week with rest of chalet guests - mixed ability from iternediates to a seasoned 30 year experienced scot.
Montgenevre - has got to be one of the unsung 'gems' in the southern alps, don't know why it's not as high profile as some of the other more trendy resorts like serre che and LDA (I have been to both), its got everything from superb ski in ski out accomodation, great beginner runs right from the top (and a completely segregated kids/beginners area right in the village), fantastic cruisy reds (best of which is off rocher d'aigle chair), and some very tricky demanding blacks (ok not too long but great fun - Le brousset chair run probably the best). A superb new area in serre tibaud which has great long crusiy blues, fast reds, challenging blacks off the back and a really fun snowboard/ski cross. All in all - a wonderful resort for any ability. In terms of the village, not the best for nightlife, but we found a great cheesy europop club, and had a good apres time in quite a few of the bars. Also only other slight niggle is lack of mountain eateries/drinkeries, but access to village is quick from anywhere so not a real problem.
Claviere - lots of our party skied here every day - reached by the much talked about ridge pass from rocher d'aigle chair, wow that was fun on Friday, top black bit of run 100 was closed (open now), but top 200 yds of red after ridge wasn't pisted - superb fun and carnage in equal amounts for our mixed ability group  - rest of runs superb reds in the main, with a little bit of poling required lower down to get there from Montgenevre for less experienced. Best bit - the cappuchino at the top of Gimont was to die for  . Connections going back to Montgenevre fine, choice of reds or blues. Village itself looks fairly small - didn't actually stop over for anything.
Cesana - not really a resort just a connection to milky way, very very (17 mins) long forest run down from sanga longa area to final connecting chair to milky way (rafael), thought we were in the twighlight zone and it was never gonna end . There is a piste map marked black option, but half of it was closed, the other half not pisted, all but very best experts should take the blue and get the final (rafael)chair down.
San Sicario - great wide open reds and one or two nice blacks, quite compact and up and down (we just used it as a link to Sauze). One thing to note is that the top of the cable car from village into main area is a bit of a pole (100m or so), and when coming back DO not attempt to ski back from top of gondola to mid station - basically another flat forest track past the olympic bobsliegh run), best to get the gondola all the way back down to Cesana.
Sauze - sure many of you have skied here, we found it once again to be brilliant - loads of options, some superb tree lined reds and again a few really challenging blacks.
We managed to do 50 miles and 23 lifts on the Friday, long but quite superb day, some of our party only had a couple of weeks experience but they managed fine, we arrived in sauze at about 11.30 am after a 9.15 start, and started to head back from sauze at about 2.30, well in time to get the last lift back up to monty (Tremplin) at 4.30.
Hope that's not too detailed a report, still buzzing from an amazing week, in fact we're already planning to go back out for perhaps a long weekend soon 
See its forecast for around 50cm+ this week, which should just add to the already excellent conditions, anyone heading out there this week will be in heaven, enjoy......
Sorry I have no photo's, forgot camera 
[/i]
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neilkav, Great report, thanks very much!
Loving the snow forecast for next week - approx 51cm if it remains accurate..... Woooooooooooooooop!
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Top notch report.
Learnt to ski on snow in Montgenevre. Therfore I have a bit of a soft spot for the place.
It is a bit under the radar.
Main critiques are that the runs are all a bit short when comparing with the Mega French resorts. It can get a bit busy at the weekend with Italian visitors, but then so can everywhere. I prefer skiing with a limited UK contigent, so prefer it kept quiet. It appears to have some good off piste aswell not that I've taken advantage of that quite yet.
Haven't ever managed to ski past Cesana, so that was a valuable bit of reporting.
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getting there in 10 days' time for 8 days of offpiste adventure...snow forecast looks good, so here's hoping for powder sticking around until Saturday of next week!
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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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great trip report... i'm jealous. sounds like they've got great conditions out there at the moment.
ah well... off to Cairngorm on Saturday!
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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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Has anyone been to montgenevre in the last week or two? Please tell me there is still lots of snow there as we are going in less than 2 weeks.
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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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Last week in Feb (the 26th to be precise).
Loads of it. Enjoy.
The conditions were amazing
Swiss
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Poster: A snowHead
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snowymum,
Just got back from Sestriere and although I didnt get to Montgenevre (sadly snapped my Anterior Cruciate Ligament on second day) the conditions were fantastic... They have had loads of snow last week.... warming up a bit but was a good base....
Enjoy!!
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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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We got back from Montgenevre yesterday. The snow conditions last week were amazing in Montgenevre and claviere. It snowed heavily on 3 days. Loads of fresh snow and hardly anyone there....most voices were English and a few Italians showed up when the sun came out on good friday. My 5 yr old daughter was up to her knees in fresh powder on the green runs one day..8 yr old on to blacks..fantastic! We need not have worried about going late in the season - the snow conditions were some of the best I've experienced. Although sometimes it was snowing so much that we had to stick to the tree lined runs. By the end of the week there was lots of fresh snow and it was still quite cold so it was not melting much. We had great fun coming down the unpisted part of the red/black on roche d'aigle on Friday. Its hard being home and looking at grass!
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hi snowymum wonder if our paths crossed, we were in hameau apts 28th to 4th, and like you said had a great time with all the fresh snow and cool conditions
xxx
cockerhoop 
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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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What are the ski lifts like from Sauze and the surrounding areas? Was thinking of going next year but some of our group are put off by apparently old lifts.
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Yes cockerhoop we were in le Hameau appts from 27th to 3rd April..on the third floor..lovely view of swimming pool and mountains! Did you eat in Le capitaine on Sunday night..noticed father and daughter on next table and wondered if it was cockerhoop?! We had a very expensive meal in La Cloche one evening - main courses over £20 a head. £6 for the cheapest glass of wine. Should have checked the prices before booking the table!
I tried to post on your trip report but computer crashed and am about to go away for a couple of days...will be back on snowheads later in the week.
To answer shefellover the lifts in Montgenevre were very good..did not encounter any 2 person shaky lifts although I think there may be one at the back of serre thibaud.
Didn't take a drag lift either. They have 2 new telemixes with mixture of cabins and chairs - the cabins were very useful for our 5 year old who is really too short for a chair lift. Other lifts fine. We only got as far as claviere due to ski school pick up. There was one very old chair up from claviere village and generally things were not as well thought out that side...some nice runs in claviere but one lift we took ended a few metres before the top of the mountain so you had to side step up from it! Quite a bit of poleing required in claviere we even carried our skis once. I would recommend staying in montgenevre and skiing over to claviere.
Both resorts were very quiet mid week with no queues and amazing fresh snow. The ski school Apeak in Montgenevre is also the best we have come across.
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yes that was us in the front by the window, daughter didn't like pizza though, were you the one that sat beside us and had the lamb casserole? Our room wa sNo 2 just along from reception, it wasn't your son and husbnd throwing snowballs at us in the pool from the 3rd floor?
we also never used a drag all week, and generally we packed in about 3:30 each day and went in the pool.
our best meals were in le Refuge
we hope to go back Feb half term 2012, as a treat b4 daughter GCSEs
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shefellover, we stayed in Sauze and also skied Sestriere and San Sicario and found all the lifts fine, no really old ones, a lot are fairly new - I think they used to be quite bad but everything got upgraded for the olympics in 2006. I was also worried having read some reports of dodgy rickety old lifts but this was definitely not the case
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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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I think my sister who was with us had lamb casserole, children had pizzas and the pizzas didn't look that good..they were very tired at that point and restless from what I recall. No my children/husband were not throwing snowballs. I think it was the appartment to the left of ours round the corner. I told them off for throwing snowballs at our balcony/window! There was also a boy on the 4th floor climbing on the roof for snow..I had to leave the pool I was so worried he'd fall! Still it was quite nice swimming with the snow falling.
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you weren't the lady i chatted to in pool 2 days then, tuesday when we helped clear the snow from the cover, and Friday i think.
daughter wasn't happy with the steep narrow bit of Pharoh beind the apts, so we usually finished in the centre and took the free bus back
after 2 iffy meals first to nights we ate in for 3, and then had 2 nights at Le refuge
we generally had a crepe at the gontrans cafe late morning and then a cheesy chips 4:30ish in the english bar Magees in the centre.
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