 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
Looking at la thuille for next January - checking out the piste map and it looks very 'red heavy' but having skied at many italian resorts we know that often the reds would be classed blue elsewhere - only resort we've been to in nearly ten different italian resorts only madesimo had what you might call true-reds.... pila last year has majority reds and to be honest apart from a couple of semi-steep sections on a couple of runs we thought the majority red-classification was a bit extreme! We're all intermediate levels but want nice easy cruising not looking to test ourselves too much!
Any thoughts?!! Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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cbowls30,
Quite a long time since I went (about 10 years at a guess) My memory is though of a really good resort with a variety of skiing. Generally reasonably gentle higher up the mountain with some steeper pistes lower down. One decent black from memory but I would not say the other runs were over or undergraded. Can get quite cold as it is on a pass which attracts a bit of weather equally this means the snow is usually pretty good.
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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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Not an expert on La Thuille but had a day there last winter. I don't remember the reds being hard. Two things do spring to mind, the day we were there was good weather but it is quite bleak on the top so some good clothing recommended, also the prices on the hill tended towards the French rather than the Italian. I liked the place.
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More than enough to keep you busy below or above the trees. Brill for intermediates who would like to try the blacks. Black 3 will be more than black enough. Used for EUropa cup races. Good off piste,but you will need all the gear to keep the ski patrol happy. The trip to La ROssiere can be a novelty trip,but watch the weather. Can be -25c in January/feb.
Been there 5 of the last 6 years.
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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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The reds are generally quite easy, in fact some are really quite flat in places. The area above the mid-station although a mix of blues and reds is basically a large flattish bowl. There's a wider mix of runs over the top on the San Bernardo side, then of course the link to La Rosière. The runs back from the mid-station are steeper, a long winding red through the trees and a couple of decent blacks. Plenty of variety for a week and the advantage of uncrowded slopes. The small village centre is quite pleasant and quaint too, but not very lively.
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We found that the grading in Pila was similar to La Thuile, so you should have a good idea of what to expect. Although there are a few steeper reds and blacks of a decent length, which as has been said, are never crowded. It has a big enough linked area to France to easily keep you entertained for the week.
Good food on the mountain and some very nice restaurants in the village for an evening meal.
La Rosiere, Courmayeur and Pila are both included in the area pass. Iirc courmayeur max 2day allowed and Pila max 1day?
If the wind gets up it can get bitingly cold.
All in all we liked it enough to return a couple of times.
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I found it pretty cruisey (stayed there years ago at the Planibel apartments), but MY GOD some of the lifts were cold. There was one particular chair - I think it was in La Ros - which was all in shadow in biting winds... brrrrrr.
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Basically, it's not steep or challenging, you can find some fun off-piste, the runs into town are OK, if you stay in Planibel I suggest you focus on the skiing and not the apre, but the old town looked ok from the night I spent there. Link to La Rosiere was closed so it may have coloured my opinion, but that is only my rememberances
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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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snowymum, I think it's about half an hour on the free ski bus
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Been a long time since I was there but I recall the red run back to resort (? no 4 Tour) turning into a half pipe, there were so many people on it (probably because most of the area was closed due to a whiteout and high winds). I also remember getting stuck in 3 foot of snow (on piste, at least I think it was on a piste).
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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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JimG2009, yes the old town is very quaint with some nice restaurants, but there's not a lot going on around the Planibel bit.
snowymum, to this day it's the coldest lift I've ever been on, it was BALTIC. We had to find a restaurant to warm up, pronto.
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When the wind blows it is perishingly cold - even at Easter. Little in the way of après ski. Never any queues. The blacks back to village aren't trivial - one is seriously steep IMHO. Great resort.
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You know it makes sense.
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| dw832 wrote: |
| When the wind blows it is perishingly cold - even at Easter. Little in the way of après ski. Never any queues. The blacks back to village aren't trivial - one is seriously steep IMHO. Great resort. |
I'd echo all this, albeit extrapolating the weather from Feb to Easter. One of the blacks back to resort is over 70% gradient-wise. Not for the faint hearted as if you wipe out on that then everyone can see you slithering all the way down!
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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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The Flying Snowplough, ha yes I got caught out on that one on an early intermediate ski trip - I was quite relieved when I eventually did fall and made the descent in my own undignified way. Dignity went out the window that day 
We really liked La Thuile for its cruisey reds and blues at the time and best hot chocolates ever. We went over every day from La Rosiere in early April.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Anyone who has gone down a 70% slope couldn't possibly post here, as they wouldn't live to tell the story. Do you mean 30% ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Been to La Thuile a few times, and can't remember there being any particular testing bits aside from the black. In fact, seem to remember the main group of runs underneath the lifts being nice and cruisy, so think it should suit you just fine.
Olly
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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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AndrewsPeppers, there are lots of ways of calculating slopes. I am guessing that 45 degrees is 100%, so 70% is about 30 degrees?
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Hi cbowls, I went for Easter week last year 2013 with my family of mixed ability and I agree with many of the comments above regarding the classification of slopes in La Thuile. The majority of the slopes are great intermediate cruisers, with the blue runs directly above the Les Suches station being more like greens at the top and great to warm up on. I really enjoyed several of the long reds, in particular 6km No. 4 La Tour, which runs from two thirds of the way down the blue 14 (from the Chalet Express chair) off to skiers' left and down through some pretty trees and glades to meet the bottom of a black (No. 3) and a red (No. 7), neither of which are that steep but stick to the red if unsure! Wish I was there well, not right now, but soon! No. 7 red, San Bernardo, is incredibly long, 11km, and not steep at all, except for the very start of the run from the Col de Fourclaz but you can avoid that by taking the blue 26 from the top of Belvedere, though beware flat sections - I ended up with aching thighs after towing 11yr old along.  Definitely stop off at Lo Riondet or Maison de Neige on the way down. (In the evening you can also travel up by snowcat up to one of these and have dinner). Would highly recommend La Thuile as you can also get ski bus to Cormayeur which has more reds and the town is so attractive. I can't comment on the La Ros side as we didn't make it that far. Oh, another bonus - no queues to speak of, even in Easter week, so in January it should be even better. And it has an amazing chocolate shop in the town too! 
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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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cbowls30, La Thuile will suit your needs as far as the runs are concerned, yes there are some difficult pitches on some of the runs but they are the blacks. the reds and blues are quite long and wind down from the top. You have the bonus of skiing over into France.
I love it there and go for a coupe of weeks instructing with interski and still love the place. I don't know what the apres is like as we are housed down the valley, if you stay in the planabel there will be a chance that a school group will be there.
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| AndrewsPeppers wrote: |
| Anyone who has gone down a 70% slope couldn't possibly post here, as they wouldn't live to tell the story. Do you mean 30% ? |
I was working on the scale that is used for roads e.g. 25% = "1 in 4". 70% would be about "2 in 3" so approx 30 degrees.
I guess the quoted gradient was the steepest pitch, if only for a short distance. It was chuffing steep for a while by all accounts. Not mine; I was too scared and went round the adjacent blue run through the snow park. My 8 year old got down it OK, so it's not exactly the Steilhang at Kitzbuhel!
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As you drive up to La Rosiere - and most other alpine road routes - you will pass signs that say 6%, 7% etc. A typical road up from valley to resort is about 6% average. You won't see many sections above 8% to the main alpine ski resorts.
Using the same calculation method the steepest black ski slope anywhere will be average about 30% for the full run.
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| AndrewsPeppers wrote: |
| Using the same calculation method the steepest black ski slope anywhere will be average about 30% for the full run. |
So a steepest section of circa 70% on such a run wouldn't be out of the question one would think? Most cycling climbs in the UK that average 10% have sections of close to 20%, albeit mercifully short ones!
Edit - I've just checked my holiday photos... I have one of "Pista 37", which is a "Pista Nera" and a "Piste Noire" and is described as "Pendenza max 72%". I think this means Piste 37, black, maximum gradient 72%. Make of that what you will.
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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 like La Thuile and La Roz - combine the two and it's a really good ski area with plenty of interest . I also think Black 3 is a great run - it's seriously steep in a couple of parts but had good snow each time I did it and seemed groomed and is wide enough for most intermediates to turn with some control. I'm no mathematician so all the talk about gradient is meaningless to me but its one of some fun bits in La Thuile down through the trees to a good Italian lunch at the Copapan
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| Quote: |
Anyone who has gone down a 70% slope couldn't possibly post here, as they wouldn't live to tell the story. Do you mean 30% ?
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70% and 70° are very different things. 70% is no big deal.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@stevomcd, agreed that percent and degree are different measurements. However, black 3 is 3800m long with a vertical of 850m and is 73% at its steepest. One section of it is as steep as any run that I can remember skiing in 35yrs and in no way could be described as 'no big deal' IMHO.
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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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| The Flying Snowplough wrote: |
Edit - I've just checked my holiday photos... I have one of "Pista 37", which is a "Pista Nera" and a "Piste Noire" and is described as "Pendenza max 72%". I think this means Piste 37, black, maximum gradient 72%. Make of that what you will. |
I did 2 days in La Thuile last Feb when I was in La Rosiere. My mate got me to go down that Pista 37...it was seriously steep, although only a short pitch and in good nick. I traversed made a turn and traversed again, but this side of the slope was steeper, so had to get a turn in before the edge of the piste, heart in mouth moment as I just about pulled it off! The various blacks below the mid-station are pretty testing.
The upper mountain at La Thuile is intermediate paradise, the reds at the top of the bowl a little steeper than the blues lower down. Good pizza in the bowl. I preferred it to La Ros, but we went over there on the sunny days, it was miserable in La Ros with wind and whiteouts.
I loved the cruisey reds nos. 21 & 18 that feed into no.6 down through the forest to the village. 'Indian Joe's' is a good pit-stop along here.
I found the red no.7 San Bernardo which follows the pass road down a bit too flat in places and the nice restaurant there wouldn't serve food to outside table on a bluebird day!! 
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| Quote: |
@stevomcd, agreed that percent and degree are different measurements. However, black 3 is 3800m long with a vertical of 850m and is 73% at its steepest. One section of it is as steep as any run that I can remember skiing in 35yrs and in no way could be described as 'no big deal' IMHO.
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At risk of appearing condescending and arrogant, it's a groomed run, it's no big deal. I've ridden it many times.
70° is a very big deal, but is, in most circumstances, unskiable - snow won't even stick to that.
The point is that @AndrewsPeppers comment was just plain wrong. 70% is 35°.
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You know it makes sense.
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Off to La Thuile for a second time in March because it suits us as a couple. I've been skiing for 40 years - I like the steeper reds and the blacks that wind through the trees. My other half is in her third year on the slopes; the cruising bowl will suit her perfectly after morning lessons are over. Pista 3 - I think it's called Berthod after a local racer of note - is as steep in places as most blacks anywhere (certainly steeper than supposedly notorious runs like the Tunnel or Sarenne in Alpe D'Huez, for example).
Much more interesting, and bigger, ski area on its own than La Rosiere, but the Franco/Italian combination is attractive. Courmayeur is only 30 minutes away by a free bus, but I wouldn't bother with the longer trek to Pila organised by tour operators. Not enough there to justify the trip, I felt.
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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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Bumping a super old thread since I'm thinking of La Thuile... only skied one day when we stay in Courmayeur. I liked it because our kids were happy on the cruisy (?) blues in the middle of the mountain and even though I remember it being north-facing, in mid-March it was bathed in sun. At the time I didn't ski Franco Berthod, the black in question, though I skied part of the black World Cup run on the bottom... I think Berthod connects with another black and it was nice. Read that it now has a gradient of 76% at its steepest point but it is usually well groomed.
So... I will take on (almost) anything on the mountain. My family is more blue... maybe easy red... my wife is just as happy not skiing so I like Pres St. Didier being nearby and Courmayeur is not a far drive in case we want to ski one morning (or I ski one morning) and then we drive down to Courmayeur for aperitivo or, for grins, Cham or Morgex.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ich sprechen kein Deutsch but thankfully there's google translate.
Lots of pictures although quite a few are not loading.
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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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Google translatie, always good for a laugh...
Although not so broeken like it used to be...
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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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@Onnem, great photos, lovely open pistes, no lift queues, just perfect.
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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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My limited experience was similar... wide open slopes, no lines. It was glorious.
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FAQ
So worth checking the piste map carefully and taking the red route!
