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LES ARCS 2014 - 2015

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Couple of cm of fresh snow on the balcony in Vallandry this morning, but blanketed in cloud. .
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Woken to find about 4-5cm fresh here in Courbaton.... so slightly pleased we've planned to get another day on the snow in as everyone else we're with starts to head home - although my dad's now fretting about getting his car out wink

Pretty grey though here below 1600m so we'll have to see if that's something we can get above, but with freshly Ourson-badged 5 year old in tow we're not planning anything adventurous. Bodes well for next week though.

Can't believe how quiet it's been in 1600 this week - Jodie in Christina Sports (we may have been taking advantage of the sales a bit!) reckoned it was only at 30% capacity. Hardly queued anywhere for a lift, although looking down over towards 2000 from the top of the Arpette yesterday the pistes over there looked a lot busier. 1600's been like a little quiet resort on its own, perfect for us with kids this 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?
@Jon_b, The 2000 bowl is nearly always busy, we find a lot of instructors take classes in there. There are many quiet spots around, won't name them though Toofy Grin
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Well, fantastic week overall, despite the mixed conditions. Be plenty of snow for those there this week. Enjoy.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Arctic Roll, Easter Sunday morning....think you need to go have a word with them.....
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@Jon_b, not suprised Arc 1600 was quiet last week. The end of March and not a school holiday = few people going skiing. This week looks busier.

However I am glad you had a good time. How was the morning commute from Courbaton?

The visibility was patchy yeaterday but otherwise the snowing conditions good.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
We had a great week. Even came back with a suntan, although I am really not sure how.

Thanks to all those we skied with. Happy
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
The pistes are more like January (except there is more snow) than April. Not really spring condidtions, where the top 2cm or so have softened, but staying firm all day, even down to 1600. Shame the visibilty above 2100m was so poor. The weather is clearing up at the moment and I can see across the valley almost to Mont Blanc. It looks as if it will be really good tomorrow.

Though noticibally busier today than Friday or Saturday the resort is still fairly quiet and I imagine it will become very quiet after the holiday tomorrow.
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April 5. The snow has kept falling lightly for most of the past 24hrs. Not that much, but enough to freshen up everywhere.

Today after meeting up in the mist of the Arpette we headed over to the Peisey Vallandry forest and played around in the trees for most of the morning.

Made quite a few routes through the trees and even managed to find some nice vis and untracked snow. What a treat!

After a fun morning I left the others to join the birthday lunch for a young man's 18th Birthday. Good luck for the future!

Then a final few runs down in the mist and a quick stop at the waterslide before heading for home.

For those just arrived for Easter, the pistes everywhere have been freshened up nicely and the off piste in most places is fun to ski.

Finding spring snow is now not so hard and anyone out here now is in for a great week!

A few photos from today will be posted shortly in the April 2015 Album on my Les Arcs Winter page. Enjoy!

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos_stream?tab=photos_albums
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@Arctic Roll, Last time I saw queues like this it was on 'The Wire' for a crack house #justsaying

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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
A really beautiful day today, no wind with bright sunshine in the morning and excellent snow. The resort was a bit more crowded than over the weekend resulting in a 3 minute queue att he Arpet this morning and a 15 minute one at Pre st Espirit this afternoon. The Varet was also closed this afternoon. There were a couple of helicopters buzzing about so I wondered if something had happened. I hate seeing helicopters in the mountains.

There appears to a be an exudus this evening now the national holiday is over. Looking out of the apartment window I see most of the car parking spaces empty.
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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.
@thefatcontroller,

unbelivable isn't it. Our kids were running relays this morning - 2 in the queue, one coming back for ceral, then returning to swap. As you say, a word will be had.

Ref todays' skiing - unbelievably good for this time of year until...

Apprently some idiots set an avalanche above Arondlieres, To be fair to them, warning was set at 2/5 this morning, but the the daytime warmth and afternoons sun obviously had an effect. As far as I know tonight, 3 people were rescued with broken limbs, from the piste: no fatalities. Varet, Aguille and Grand col lifts all closed immediately, many afternoon lessons interuppted as Ski school staff were radioed, and rushed to help.

A reminder for all of us that blue sky and sunshine does not mean a benign mountain.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Report of the avalanche from Le Dauphine

http://www.ledauphine.com/savoie/2015/04/06/une-avalanche-traverse-une-piste-aux-arcs
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Arctic Roll, Very rarely do the glacier run but we hadn't done it on a board so we did it 2 weeks ago. Remembered how tempting it is to cut across the red as it winds it way down to Arondelieres and many do. Glad to hear all ok? Shall be monitoring breadgate wink Laughing
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@johnE, the Coubaton commute was fine - as it was so quiet in 1600 we just drove each day and easily found a parking space in the area below Les 3 Arcs. Suspect that wouldn't have been so easy on a busy week - we were being stalked by hoards of Belgians when we were getting set to leave on Saturday afternoon, eager to poach our spot! A few snowy drives up to the main road - it's pretty rough and I suspect wouldn't see a plough all the way down unless these was a significant dump. They run a little navette though, you just book your time and spot. We hired a locker in the bottom of Les 3 Arcs so we didn't have to cart everything back and forth each day.

Bit late on this but Saturday was a cracker for us. Great snow, nice pistes for the little one and soft stuff for me and the bigger one to play in. In and out of layers of fog/cloud, but never that bad or that prolonged, even managed a bit of sun at one point. Little one (5, first week on skis) cruised the red link from Arpette to the top of the snow park - proud dad moment wink

On a very pleasant run down the Mont Blanc blue....
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
April 6. Today was one of those special days! Powder, blue sky and fresh tracks everywhere!

Take a look at the photos, think they say it all!

We headed over to the Bellecote and were not disappointed. Arrived to find the Traverse Chair closed all day, but not a problem. Plenty of other places to put down fresh tracks.

After a morning blasting around the off piste from the Glacier chair we then made the hike to the top of the North Face. Did a lap of the bowl then hiked a second time.

Finally after putting fresh tracks down more routes than even I had time to photograph we headed onto the North Face and down the Canadian Couloir. Amaziing! Untracked top to bottom Did not even have to walk out till we reached the road.

A really fun day and more to come tomorrow.

Very sad news on our return to Les Arcs about the avalanche on the Aiguille Rouge. Three hurt, but at least nobody killed.

Take care out there everyone.Be sure you know where you are going AND carry all the safety gear.

Photos of today will be posted shortly in the April 2015 Album on my Les Arcs Winter page.. Enjoy!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Jon_b, Mont Blanc is a lovely run, not so easy now they have extended with the new lift, the top is quiet challenging but still a lovely run.

@Arctic Roll, Can you see the kids?

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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?
@thefatcontroller, Mini Roll is off to Val D' today with friends, so v. early start- decided I'd do the breadgate run @ 7:30. Was queued back past Erna Low (ie slightly further than your last expose picture). Its getting ridiculous. - and this is after the Easter holiday rush...

"Something must be done" Harumph.
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@Arctic Roll, How many are serving in there, is it just really bad service?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
part of the problem @thefatcontroller, appears to be that they need to use the till to add up rather than being of our generation, able to do mental maths. That and a 95c croissiant rather than the simpler 1E means everyone needs change.

Mind you, the village ran out of milk yesterday. apprently with all the Brits in, having cereal rather than bread (!) they sold 900l in one day, rather than the usual 2 days. Like being shocked when Easter comes around every year, who could have forseen that?

snowHead
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@Jon_b, Seeing the picture of one boarder and two skiers reminds me that I did my annual survey of boarder numbers yesterday. Though probably not the best place to do it (from the Grand Col chairlift) it is the same location every year. This year it was 143 skiers and 11 boarders. This is about the same as last year and slightly higher than 3 years ago when we counted only 5 boarders. It shows that the decline in snowboarding haas halted.

Anyway today we went over to La Rosiere for a change of scene and had a brilliant day. It is only a 45 minute drive from Les Arcs and we were able to park near the first lift and lift pass office. The skiing there is very different to Les Arcs with lots of very wide gentle pistes and no blacks of the Les Arcs type. I was amazed how firm and good the snow was on both the La Rosiere and La Thuile sides. We even skied right down to La Thuile (well you have to don't you) though the tarmac showed throught the road in places most of the time it was good skiing, even down as far as 1400m.

I cannot believe this is April.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
April 7. Another crazy day comes to an end and even my legs ache a little tonight!

Set off when the lifts opened and headed straight to the Bellecote and time for a climb!

After a bit of a climb we arrived on the ridge far above the valley and headed to the right of the Bellecote.

Time to find more fresh snow and we were not disappointed!

First took a few turns in the thin air at 3300m then headed down the ridge and into the right valley hidden from view! Result!

Nobody had been there yesterday, untracked the whole way down. The first section was a challenge, breakable crust, yuk! But then after 100m it was first fresh soft snow and then more spring snow down to the lower section.

Surprise, hidden from the sun and wind we had powder on the lower section before coming back into the main valley and stopping at the Refuge for lunch.

Time to head for the valley.

Good spring snow at first, but very quickly becoming frozen crud and then soft and slushy as we passed a few avalanche areas.

Finally reaching the thin grass/snow//rocks and anything else that we needed to cross to reach the valley floor.

A final skate back to the parking area and into Champagny before heading back up the gondola and chairs to the Roche de Mio ridge.

A nice ski down in more fresh snow and a little couloir to the Bauches Chair. Then down through the forest above Les Coches to the Vanoise Express via the end of the waterfall gully.

Once over in Les Arcs a fast ski across to the waterslide before heading for home. A really fun day!

More to come tomorrow, although perhaps a little easier on the legs and fun for everyone as we will have a mixed day for all ages!

Photos from today will be posted in the April 2015 Album on my Les Arcs Winter page. Enjoy!

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos_stream?tab=photos_albums

The pistes right across the whole of the paradiski area we covered today were in good condition and easy to ski although they are getting very hard packed in the busy places. Follow the sun and you should have a fun ski in the warm spring weather.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@johnE, interesting on the boarder numbers - my wife was commenting throughout the week that she seemed to be the only one on a board. I was on the verge of convincing her to have a go at skiing, but then she bought new boots and bindings and was in a little pleasure bubble of comfort and happiness for the rest of the week. We've always shied away from La Rosiere as there seemed to be a lot of drags (and she doesn't do drags). Migth well have changed since I last studied the piste maps though?

@snowcrazy, loving the pics, feeling tired just reading that wink
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@Jon_b, We only did one drag in La Rosiere and that was a very flat and in places downhill one to get us over to La Thuile. I think it took us much less time to return from La Thuile than the piste map indicated and we had a extra hour or so in La Rosiere, enough time to do what seemed like every run.

It was very warm iin Les Arcs today, but we still managed to ski from the top of the Aigulle Rouge to the bottom of the Violets lift, about 1800m of vertical. The black runs from the top of the Varet telecabine were in excellent condition and some of the best pistes I have skied this year. The skiing this Easter has been very good with almost empty pistes and no lift queues. Arc 1600 is, however, fairly busy with lots of English visitors - a bit odd really as it is usually off the UK radar and very French
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
@Arctic Roll, Never seen the boulangerie like this year before, though haven't seen the little swarthy baker either. Has it changed hands? I noticed the stock was different and couldn't quite believe there were no croissants after 0830 most days in mid-January.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Waffle, yes Christoff, who owns the SPar bought it from Brigitte and Carlos after the summer. Having said all we siad, the queues sincethe " weekendeers" elft have been fine, with the kids even starting inside the shop. Still need a consultant to sort out ther processes I feel..happy to do some Time and motion stidies for them!

Meanwhile, the sun is out, the snow is unbelievable shape, better I feel than I 've seen for the past ten Aprils, and as our Italian friends would say, La Dolce Vita - this IS the good life.

AR


Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Wed 8-04-15 20:47; edited 2 times in total
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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.
Quote:

Meanwhile, the sun is out, the snow is unbelievable shape, better I feel than I 've seen for the past ten Aprils, and as our Italian friends would say, La Dolce Vita - this IS the good life.


Agreed
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
April 9. Today we had a hard and fast day in two of the Three Valley's. Left early so that we were in Mottaret when the lifts opened.

For the full report of our day in the Three valleys please go to the Three valleys thread.

A really fun day and plenty of good snow, although some people had tired legs by the end. The spring conditions are very good right now, but you do need to be careful in avalanche areas. We saw a few slides today,

For anyone in Les Arcs. It is well worth the effort of driving down to the Three Valleys for a day. The photos for today are posted in the Three Valleys 2015 Album on my Les Arcs Winter facebook page. Enjoy!

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos_stream?tab=photos_albums

Tomorrow back in Les Arcs and the paradiski area so another report to follow.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
We went over to La Plagne yesterday to see if the blacks from the Traverese Chair lift on the Bellecote were open. We got as far as the branch from the red run before the sign said the runs were closed due to avalanche risk. Looking at the warm temperture (it was above freezing) I suppose I was not suprised. So we cruised around the rest of La Plagne. The afternoon return to the Vanoise Express was down some realy heavy slush. At these temperatures I cannot see the link staying open much longer. The return to Arc 1600 was easy in comparison.

Generally the snow is typical spring conditions.

Our last day of the season today so really looking forward to a good day.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
April 10. It turned out to be an Omelette trip day. Was not sure who or how many were coming when we met at the Vanoise Express at 10am this morning. Ended up with 14 of us ranging from two crazy 6 and 7 year old boys to a chap of a rip young age of 72. Quite a difference, but nobody was slow!

With a fast group we headed for the Champagny Gully on rather hard snow, but once we passed the steeper section of the gully the snow became soft and easy to ski with plenty of jumps to keep people happy.

Then up Verdon Sud chair and down the natural half pipe to the Indian gully. Through the gully and into Plagne Centre.

Up past the race course and we had hoped to go through the piste nature area, but the lift was closed. Instead the younger members came with me to find some jumps while the older people did a lovely!! black piste nature!

Finally after playing on the jumps we went down to see the witch and animals in the forest before meeting up with the others at the Forperet for lunch.

Another nice lunch (we could not eat it all today they gave us so much) it was time to head for home.

Back up the chairs from Montalbert and we found the witch was giving out candy to the kids at the beach party at the top of the chair.

Then down some more slushy pistes and a few more jumps to the Roche chair and finally back though Plagne 1850 and Plagne Bellecote with a quick play in the gully, half pipe and the video jump before heading for the Vanoise Express.

Found some interesting forest tracks on the way down, although quite tight and tricky in places with trees and rocks to dodge before arriving at the VE.

Some headed straight to the car whilst others went back to the Les Arcs side and a little stop off at the waterslide. Then time to head for home.

Another fun week has come to an end.

To all those I have skied with this week. It has been great fun and I look forward to meeting many of you again next winter when you return. I hope you all get home safely. The road to the valley is clear with only the normal traffic on changeover day to worry about.

For anyone coming out this weekend. The pistes across the whole domain are in very good condition for this late in the season. You can get down to all the stations and if you follow the sun then the snow softens up very quickly and is fun to ski. In the busy places it can be quite polished, but by the afternoon it is slushy and not that hard to ski if you have fat skis.

If you get the off piste at the right time of day it is also really nice spring snow. You just need to know where to go so take a guide and get out there and have fun!

If you want to really enjoy these conditions. Rent some fat skis from Polaire Star ski and snowboard rental shop at the bottom of the Funicular in Bourg. Playing in the spring snow with fat skis is great.

http://www.polairestar.com/

Photos for today are posted in the April 2015 album in my Les Arcs Winter facebook page. Enjoy!

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos_stream?tab=photos_albums
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
April 11. Yesterday we met up a little later and had a few runs on the piste and in the Millie 8 before heading to the snowpark and then the waterslide.

The kids managed a few jumps and slides on the tables then even dad tried the waterslide.

A couple of people sunk, but no falls. Dad and big sister made it.

Then it was time for lunch. After a break and time to dry out it was off piste in the trees and finally down the big drop. Great effort for someone so young!

We kept going till the lifts were closing. An excellent final day for those heading for home that evening.

April 12. Had a lazy day today. The sun was shinning and the weather was warm. Time for an easy day.

The pistes all over the area are very firm and frozen hard first thing in the morning, but as the sun warmed up the pistes became soft and are slushy in most lower areas by the afternoon.

The off piste is frozen hard in the mornings, but if you catch it at the right time the spring conditions are excellent. Later in the day the off piste areas become very soft and the avalanche risk increases so do take care out there.

More to come tomorrow. The photos from yesterday are now posted in the April 2014 Album. Enjoy!

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos_stream
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
It started on Friday when my wife said she didn't know where the Cascade piste was. So I dug out a piste map and pointed to it. To my amazement it is now called Vallee de l'Arc. Further investigation shows that La Source is now called Arpette. I know a lot of pistes had disappeared over the years (Tommelet has vanished without trace and the markers have disappeared from Varet) but renaming pistes! How can I give people guidance? Even the Arbrevoir has changed its name to the L'Arbru and I didn't notice

We actually had a walk around some of the lesser known parts of Arcs 1600 Friday night; Cafe Sol, once a favourite night spot is now boarded up with wooden planks screwed across the door. A similar fate has fallen on CineArc, the cinema, which died as soon as wifi became universally available. That large open indoor space has a couple of table tennis tables available but it looks forlorn and unloved.

I suppose fashions change as well as names new restaurants open, old ones close - and the l'Arbru still has good bands a couple times a 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?
April 13. Time for one more trip over to the Bellecote and a steeper line today.

Set off early and after a fast ski across Les Arcs and La Plagne we were in the Bellecote bowl for a warm up lap by 10.45am Managed to find some ok snow amongst all the early morning frozen crud and even a little jump.

Then time to get on the North Face of the Bellecote. Went up top of the Canadian Couloir this time and down the shoulder. Steep, challenging in places, but also good firm snow and even spring powder in places.

After some nice lines higher up we had to cross the well tracked areas and down the summer path to the meadows.

A longer hike out at the bottom than I prefer (I am quite lazy), but it was well worth the effort.

A quick snack at the bottom then into Les Arcs and a few short off piste runs on the way over to the Aiguille Rouge and the small north face and robert blanc couloir which were both in reasonable condition.

A final blast down to Bois de l'ours and then the off piste route to the waterslide.

A skip across the water and time for home as the lifts started to close.

All the pistes in the morning on the way over were firm and hard, but lower down quickly became softer. By late afternoon on the way back the pistes were slushy and even the run into the waterslide was quite slow (but I still stayed dry!).

The off piste goes through many changes during the day. First very hard, frozen and cruddy. Then slowly becoming quite pleasant to ski and even spring powder before finally starting to re-freeze as the sun moves away. It is all about the timing at this time of year. But you can still have loads of fun out there if you get it right.

Tomorrow is picnic day over in Champagny. The plan is to meet at the picninc hut for 12.30. Look forward to seeing people one last time before most head for home. PM me if you fancy a ski before or after the picnic.

Photos for today will be posted shortly in the April 2015 album on my Les Arcs Winter facebook page. Enjoy!
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April 14. Picnic day! For me at least it was a lazy start. I went up late and had a fast ski across to La Plagne and a little off piste run on the way down to the picnic hut in Champagny. Very nice and quite fun to be alone on the mountain for once.

Plenty of food, wine and good company ment a very long lunch and then a wobbly ski home for some!

I did not manage any off piste on the way home. It might have been a big mistake. Somehow I did managed to have a little fall on the blue slushy run down towards the Vanoise Express. I am sure a marmotte jumped out and tried to stop my ski! One stayed on, the other stopped and I went flying! There was a large muddy patch in the snow behind me so I reckon that is what I hit, no matter what anyone else may report!!

Sorry no photos today, not even of my little slip! I did have a dry ski across the waterslide once back on the Les Arcs side before heading for home so I think my condition was not that bad!

With the warm weather it really is spring everywhere. If you can catch it right the off piste is fun, but the window is quite small. The pistes are hard and smooth in the morning and very soft later in the day. If you stay high and follow the sun you can have a great days skiing.

It was great to meet up today with some of those still left as the season comes to an end. Those leaving in the next few days that I shall not see again. Have a good trip home and see you next season.

Tomorrow I am up in Tignes so more from Les Arcs and the Paradiski area on Thursday.

Remember, if you are out again this season, even for a few days. Polaire Star Ski and Snowboard rental shop at the bottom of the Funicular is still open until the last day of the season. They have some great end of season bargins.

http://www.polairestar.com/
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Where do these tracks lead? As you come off the glacier cable car everyone heads left, but noticed on the cam tracks over the the right of the car (as you come off) and on the left of this picture and heading into the bowl behind Les Arcs, where are they headed?

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They head down, through a steep hairy couloir (which I haven't been down), to the slopes under the Grand Col (which I have) and then, trending left, into the Vanoise Nature Reserve to eventually pop out at Villaroger.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@sproggski, Mmm. I'll take your word for it. Not for me thanks!
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
April 16. Headed back over to the Bellecote today. The weather changed very quickly and by the time we made the ridge it was already closing in.

After a quick check of the conditions, headed along the left ridge to the far end and down to the valley. Take a look at the photos if you are interested in following our route today. Some steep sections and one couloir we walked away from.

Overall despite the flat light at times we found some good spring snow, even soft and light at times and almost completely untracked on this little skied route. The weather did clear up a little by lunch time, but then closed in again later in the afternoon. There was light snow higher on the mountains with some rain lower down. The pistes became soft very quickly today and you had to be very careful off piste to avoid any slides. Take care out there!

One long trip was enough today in these conditions so we headed down for a late lunch. Then I had a nice ski back to Les Arcs stopping off at a busy waterslide on the way home.

Hope the weather improves tomorrow! But not sure it will!

Photos for today are already posted in the April 2015 Album. Enjoy!

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos_stream?tab=photos_albums

@thefatcontroller, The route you see with the tracks is called Valdez and it is a couloir of about 45 degrees all the way down, so quite steep! It joins the normal off piste Grand Col route through the National Park down to Villaroger. Valdez is not an easy route as there is a narrow section out of sight, but still fun in good snow conditions! Anyone up to this level, send me a PM. Always fun to do hard stuff! Very Happy
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
April 18. The season is slowly coming to an end. After the rain, warm temps and lack of any real freezing up top last night the conditions were very soft today.

With all the lifts down to the Villaroger side of Les Arcs now closed and also Comborciere Chair being closed. The off piste options in Les Arcs are now very limited unless you want to hike.

Instead today as the Vanoise Express is staying open until the end of the season we headed over to La Plagne and up onto the Bellecote again. After the good snow I found last Thursday I was hopeful of finding more today. Although limited I was not disappointed.

Higher up the snow was not to bad with a nice few cm's of fresh snow covering all the old tracks. We managed to make a nice run down the bowl to the chair, but found that by half way the snow started to become very soft and hard to ski so did not go over onto the North Face.

Take a look at the photos I shall post shortly to see what fun we had today.

Back up the Gondola and down to Champagny for lunch. Then over to Plagne Centre and the Indian Gully (always a fun route) before heading back to Les Arcs.

Another quick ride over the waterslide for me (still dry), the others ALL wimped out and then home.

The pistes are still ok everywhere, but very soft and slushy by the afternoon. Get some fat skis or use your snowboard, they make it much easier.

As mentioned above, the off piste is very mixed and you need to take care, there are many slides around.

Tomorrow we are off to Tignes. Hope to do a few of the off piste tours if conditions allow.

Photos for today are posted in the April 2015 Album on my Les Arcs Winter page. Scroll towards the end to see the new ones. Enjoy!

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos_stream?tab=photos_albums
snow conditions
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
April 20. The sky was clear again today and the snow had frozen over night so we had typical spring conditions again.

After a fast ski over to the Arpette chair we headed to the Aiguille rouge via the off piste face from the Arpette ridge. Met a stupid ESF Instructor with NO safety gear doing the face with two client's. He got lost and had to walk back up over the grass and rocks to follow us down the correct route. Will they never learn!

Had a good ski off the back of the Aiguille Rouge ridge down to Pre Esprit chair. Interesting route with few tracks and some good untracked spring snow.

Then back to Arc 1950 for lunch before up top of Aiguille Rouge again and some more nice snow (see the photos) and then lower down cruddy snow most of the way (even I cannot get it right all the time!) to the couloirs on the Robert Blanc face. Did a bit of training and then all the way back to the waterslide at the Altiport..

A couple of the guys gave it a go today plus me of course. Well done boys. Everyone dry! At least two of you are not wimps any more!

Had a quick beer at the Altiport and then time to head for home and flights for some.

The few pistes we did ski today were all ok with hard packed snow in the morning and soft spring slushy snow in the afternoon on the way down to Arc 1600. The Off piste is very mixed, but you can still find good snow with a little effort.

More good weather predicted tomorrow so hope to find more good snow. The weather is looking good for most of the week and with the Vanoise Express open until the end. I might even do the Bellecote one more time!

Photos of the last two days will be posted shortly on my Les Arcs Winter page in the April 2015 album and the Espace Killy 2015 Album. Take a look and see what conditions in Les Arcs and up in Tignes/Val d'Isere are like right now. Enjoy!

https://www.facebook.com/LesArcsWinter/photos_stream?tab=photos_albums
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