 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi guys,
about 20 years ago I was lucky enough to go skiing with my parents in the 3V. There was day trip with a guide where you could ski the who 3V's in a day. Does anyone know if this sort of thing still exists?
Is there a "planned route" to do this or is it a case of looking at the map and choosing the slopes to your ability?
PS we will be on boards and the other half is not as fast as me so I guess this would be a tall order to achieve in a day?
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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 think it's called the "escapade". It's been mentioned several times on here - try a forum search.
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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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@chrisrawles, what's your starting point?
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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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@chrisrawles, you can find details of the 3V escapade on the www.LaTania.co.uk website. Haven't tried it yet but it looks like a fun challenge for a quiet 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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We will be based in Val Thorens. My parents told me even all them years ago that we all had to pass a mini time test to make sure we were all able to ski at the required speed. I will check the forum search out now I know what its called.
Thanks
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Dunno if boarding is slower/faster than skiing, but a group of us skied it easily earlier this year, starting from La Tania. Couple of points where you need to work out the lifts, but otherwise straightforward.
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I will run it past the boss lady in the house. I dont think she will be up for it. I assume its an out and back thing or do you get transport back depending on where you finish?
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My idea of snowboard hell! 
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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's just riding pistes to certain defined points in the system and back. OK if you like that sort of thing ( and lots of 3V punters must do or they wouldn't make such a big deal of their total km) but possibly at the expense of missing taking in the views, stopping for a leisurely lunch, moving rapidly past good conditions to poor conditions etc etc. Don't think you need a guide but there is some sort of cub scout certificate.
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Might see if I can temp the boss lady in to doing this over a few days. Good way to get about all the valleys.
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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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Pah, doesn't even go up Mont Vallon which has some of the nicest skiing in the 3V.
TBH not the kind of thing that interests me. all about the destination rather than the journey
When I worked a season in Courchevel many (many) moons ago we used to generally head for the top of Cime de Carron on our day off - mainly because you couldn't really do it in half a day. Still, one run off the back, back down the front and a quick blast at Cascades and you were rushing home again.
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Back in the mid 90s before some of the new lifts were installed I remember a chalet staff day off challenge for the guests to start in Motteret after ski school started (get rid of the kids lol) and then get a receipt (proof of visit) from the places at the top of the cime de caron, the belair above 1650 and the place at the top of the Rhodos bubble and get back to Motteret and meet in a bar near the centre. It was all about minimal use of lifts to get the fastest time and many people abandoned in order not to get stranded. The escapade is a much newer concept to encourage people to ski the whole area over the course of the week.
I am impressed by the timing in the link above but they do admit that they had good weather, good pistes and no crowds/queues. Some of the runs are not exactly exciting but the challenge of doing it all in a day is a bit of fun.
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You know it makes sense.
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The Escapade challenge will cover all points in the 3V area but it is a serious logistical and physical challenge to do it in a day. However, for any reasonable intermediate skier it is possible to get from one end of the 3Vs to the other and back in a day, including a reasonable stop for lunch. Just take the direct routes and have a little play around in the distant area.
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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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It's surprisingly quick and easy to get from VT to Courchevel valley and back, allowing time to enjoy the views, sip a coffee, a sunny lunch and a beer up the mountain before the home run. As a boarder though, avoid the temptation to take the blue (transport) piste Ours from the base of Mont du Vallon to Meribel Mottaret! It's bad enough on skis and we end up dragging our boarding buddies along! Take Plan des Mains lift up to allow you to board down the blue piste, Setilles to Mottaret.
Options for destinations in Courchevel valley are the tre-lined pistes above La Tania, the main area above 1850 or the quieter area above 1650/ Chanrossa (a favourite of our group). You'll certainly make it into the Courchevel valley. The question is, how far do you want to go? Try a shorter route to start with and work out your pace and then aim a bit further if that seems feasible.
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Poster: A snowHead
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+1 for avoiding Ours and for enjoying the area above 1650/Chanrossa 
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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 tried the 3V Escapade on a board with a single pole last year, and missed the final lift by a matter of minutes due to a few small factors - mostly not going fast enough, but also a lift breakdown and me accidentally taking a wrong turn and looping the same button lift twice. It was great fun, very tiring, and I had to board the last 2.5 hours desperate to take a leek...
If you just want to go from one side of the 3v to the other and back, that's fairly easy on a direct route if you're comfortable skiing at (reasonable, not crazy) speed on reds and you can accomplish this with breaks for lunch etc. no problem.
Of course, this assumes a quiet week and reasonable conditions (I was lucky on the above attempt... definitely going back again to try again in a couple of years).
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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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I think we are just going to see ho much we can cover in the week really. make sure we get the most from the area lift passes. My good lady wont enjoy it if she feels under pressure so going to see how it pans out.
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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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have done it a few times, good fun ( from La Tania to Orel...) coffee stop in the morning and lunch in Orel.. for desent skiers it's no problem.. just have to make sure on your way back you don't miss the chair upto la tania near the altiport... 'Lose' i think its called.. last time there they had just closed it...but after a bit of begging etc. they let the two of us up..phew!!
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