 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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I have stood at the top of it but not skied it due to avalanche danger
I'd recommend having a night or 2 at the Conscrits refuge and doing some other stuff up there before the Armancette. It's a nice refuge and there are some spectacular mountains up there. Climb up is a bit of a slog though
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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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Yes I've skied it. As I was on an exercise we skied the top half roped, which kills the pleasure a bit.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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nice pics Norris. Think it has to be done... Couple of nights in the Conscrits sounds like a good plan
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Yep, we did a couple of nights. also climbed the Pan de Sucre which is a day tour from the Hut across the Valley.
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having decided against the Armancette, we climbed the Pain de Sucre from the Conscrits and descended to the valley off it (ending up in the big bowl under the Col de Cicle etc). That's a really nice descent, but not as spectacular as the Armancette
jedster, good luck and take lots of pics!
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It'll be contingent on finding a couple of people to share the guide's fees with by late season
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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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Skied it many moons ago, had to walk the bottom half due to being a bad snow year.
The way up has changed with a new route avoiding the mauvais pas on the way to the Conscrits refuge.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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PS don't miss the rightwards traverse towards the Pte de Covagnet...
And it is mostly West-facing so good snow conditions are not necessarily easy to find.
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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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PPS norris, in the first photo you appear to have a piste marker pole with you???
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thanks ops - pain de sucre looks lovely too. I was a fledgling mountaineer before I was a skier really. Since my mid-twenties I've done very little climbing but plenty of skiing although only a little touring. Done a reasonable amount of adventurous summer trekking so not averse to dragging myself up mountains for hours. These kind of ski tours should give me just the right blend of easy mountaineering, wild scenery and aesthetic skiing. Going to be spending time in the summers in Les C too so hoping to get the kids into a little via ferrata and see where we go from there.
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You know it makes sense.
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@jedster, no, but it's definitely the sort of thing I'd like to do more. I come from an adventure racing background and wanting to do some more touring. Let me know of your plans as they unfold and perhaps we could join up to share the costs of guide etc.
Andy
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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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I should add, route finding is not entirely straightforward on the Armancette, don't ski down too far. Some avalanche risk traversing to the Tré-la-Tête refuge/hotel. Be very careful on the paths lower down to les Contamines, they can be totally covered in ice in the spring (and now in the autumn).
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Poster: A snowHead
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abd - will keep you posted. I'm planning to spend a day doing some "slack country" touring at NY with a guide that I know at NY and will discuss options with him for later in the season.
Thanks davidof - I'm going to use a guide for a while until I'm a bit more in practice. My alpine (mountaineering) skills are definitely rusty and more money and more responsibilities mean I'm not as gung ho as I was in my 20s!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Anyone been around the Domes lately? What are the conditions like?
I don't think our team will be up to the Armancette so we'll likely go up and down the Tre la Tete glacier with a few diversions on the way.
We are in the difficult position at the moment of deciding which lift passes to get - too many options!
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Very strong north westerly winds and a variable isotherm. The snow in the Tre de la Tete could be good. Conscrits is one of the nicest refuges in the area as new, uber friendly and remote. The joy of the area is also the sting in the tail - no lifts so walk in walk out. Keeps the riff raff away. Armancette is wonderful but have not heard anything this year. With the strong NW winds and the snow pack thinner this year I would be cautious and think of doing more in the Tre de la Tete valley as there are amazing views from the cols and some achievable peaks without the commitment of the Armancette.
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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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slight thread drift. We did it in the summer, up from the village, night at Conscrits, early start then a nice airy walk along Les Domes and I think it is called Berangere. You will obviously be faster down on skis depending on snow-line, but I remember it being a fairly long day. Enjoy.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Well it's not going to happen this year but maybe next. @altis, love to hear about your trip
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So... finally, after a few years of dreaming, have booked a guide for early April with the tentative plan of skiing the Armancette. Whether we do will of course depend on conditions but we will spend a couple of night around the Tres la Tete in any case. So far it is just two of us and that means that we have one space (max ratio is 3 to 1). Anyone interested?
Outline plan is
arrive Les C 6 April, sort out gear, meet guide (can stay at my place that night FOC)
7 April - first lift to Col du Joly, skin for an hour or so to Col de Fenetre or Col de Cicle then ski down to the valley (about 900m descent off piste). Skin to Tres la Tete hut for the night
8 April - longish skin to up glacier Tre la Tete to Col de Chasseurs then ski down and short skin to Refuge des Conscrits
9 April - skin up Domes de Miage (3670m) ski down glacier d'Armancette to Les Contamines - 2500m offpiste, first 500m is 40-45 degrees at high altitude and doubtless feels pretty airy so you'd want to be competent/confident off piste skier. Celebratory beers in Les C. Don't think I can provide a bed that night because friends and family will have arrived to meet us. Pretty sure I can sort out a room in the hotel over the road though.
Cost is about euro 550 for the guide plus hut fees etc.
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