L2A Mini Season

A snowHead

As I'm going to be spending a fair bit of time here this winter I thought I'd get a thread running.

Drove down Friday/Saturday through some horrendous weather (rain/wind) but arrived at a good time. Apartment which Lizzard sorted for me is great and in a good position.

Great first day skiing. Quite a lot of snow overnight and clearance work along with high winds made lift/piste opening a bit sporadic. Less grooming than usual made for some lovely runs. An upturned picnic bench in the middle of a run was a bit of a shock though, it must have been some wind to move that. Skied 9.30 until shortly before 4 so quite good really for first day. I do need to pace myself more than for a week's trip.

Didn't take the camera out today.

If anyone is around this way give me a shout, more than happy to show you around.

A snowHead

Claude B, will you still be there mid April?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

NickyJ, I will, my 2nd trip is the last 6 weeks of the season Happy

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Claude B, cool. I am there with the family using Mark Warner flying out on 13th and staying in the Chalet Hotel Berangere.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

NickyJ, That's quite close to my apartment, perhaps see you then.

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Claude B, have a wonderful time!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Claude B, looking forward to reading your thread. Hope it all goes well - see you soon! snowHead

After all it is free

Claude B, if you can recommend us somewhere for the night we won't be eating in the hotel we will greatly appreciate it. Particularly after somewhere which serves food early as the girls are always hungry early.

Thanks - nothing fancy just wholesome Happy

Claude B, glad to hear you got there ok through the weather, have a fab time, will look forward to reading your updates snowHead

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Claude B, Must have passed you on Saturday going in the other direction, have fun & catch up soon hopefully snowHead

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Claude B, Have a great season.

(and try to keep some of that hard-won cycling fitness too!)

snowHead

snow reports

Claude B, I look forward to reading your thread.

Last couple of days have been really nice blue sky days although it's fairly warm at resort level. Today is colder higher up than yesterday and the snow is really nice. The wind has also really dropped. It's a quiet time of the season so nowhere is really busy, being Russian New Year there are quite a few of them around. Apart from drinking vodka in the funicular at 10.30 they're pretty well behaved. I've taken things fairly easy as I'm still trying to get over English manflu but have skied 9.30 - 4ish most days, sticking to piste though. I did intend to take the tranceiver, etc out tomorrow and just have a play in the arva park. After looking for it in last years location a pisteur told me there isn't one anymore Shocked

Bad move IMO (Edit, it was set up a week or so later so is there, I just misunderstood him Embarassed

)

Did take some photos but can't upload atm, later.

Will follow up on restaurant, etc. Don't think I'll lose fitness tbh, skied 6700 metres verical today. Legs feel pretty tight Happy

You know it makes sense.

Claude B, 18 of us in ADH from 18th if you fancy a day over there?

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Nick D, Could be tricky, I'll pm you

A snowHead

look forward to your updates! there in 25 days. cant wait.

A snowHead

Claude B, I think 1030 for a vodka isn't too bad....how's my favourite lda piste signal?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I'm there first week in Feb Very Happy

as a nervous skier, I'm hoping to get over (at least partially) my fear of slopes! looking forward to your updates. Have an amazing time!

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Another good, blue sky day, wind did strengthen at altitude this afternoon and it felt pretty cold up there. I started off this morning on Pied Moutet (the mountain on the other side of town), not a good idea there are really only a couple of runs that are skiable, one I came down (I had no choice) was ust ice and grass Shocked

Won't go over there again until there's a bit better cover. The snow on the main side, especially higher up is very nice though. I've got an hour skiing MOT with easiski tomorrow so I'd better get an early night wink

I've uploaded the few uninispiring photos I've take so far, here are a couple

View from the glacier, can see Les Aiguilles (needles) D'Arves with Mont Blance behind

My "home run" the Valentin. Not too many maniacs around who shouldn't be on it for a change

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

dobby, Which signal is that? It's just a little stomach churning in an enclosed carriage, their cigarettes are pretty pungent too!

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Claude B, those pics will do for me!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Claude B, it's great fun watching people snow plough down Valentin.

After all it is free

Not such a nice day today, sunny early but more and more cloud as the day went on. Had a fairly gentle morning followed by an MOT with easiski, got plenty of homework too Shocked

Spent the rest of the afternoon skiing with another English owner here, very pleasant it was too. In need of more snow some of the slopes are suffering a bit, none forecast until Monday.

I didn't take any pictures today but if the sun appears tomorrow I might stick the DSLR in the rucksack (I bought my old one over). I've an idea for this month's photo competition as much as anything Happy

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pam w, Nothing too arduous, just a few drills to help sort out a couple of things Happy

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Claude B, I remember having a lesson with easiski, one time. She watched me ski down, then shook her head "What's happened?" she asked. "you were skiing quite well last year". She tells it like it is!

snow reports

Friday started off a little cloudy but by lunchtime the sun had won and it was a beautiful afternoon. Fairly cold with a stiff wind above about 2800m but nothing to worry about too much. I really skied hard all day and according to my watch skied 8000 vertical metres between 9.30 and about 4.30.

Today was supposed to be coud/sun but the cloud pretty much won. There was a bit of sun about early but by lunchtime there was a fairly thick cover and the light wasn't too great, it was very cold and windy again around 3000m. After a nice lunch (first proper one here this week) I was thinking about an early finish when the sun struggled through the cloud shortly before 3. I had to take advantage of that although it only lasted an hour. A shame really as Saturday's are usually a real treat with few skiers about unless there is a powder day then the locals come out to play. The young local racers are also training and they are frighteningly good.

Still no sign of any snow, Monday is most likely from the last forecast I saw. It's desperately needed, the higher slopes are fine but some of the lower ones are looking pretty bare. Off piste really doesn't look very inviting.

A couple of photos from the last 2 days

The local youngsters race team in their rather fetching outfit. ESF uniform here this year is also pretty funky,

I liked the way these clouds hung over the peaks yesterday.

pam w I think I wasn't as bad as expected Very Happy

Great to read some up to date resort info. Am new here and off to L2A on 8th Feb for first trip skiing in about 5 years. Hoping there's a bit more snow before then, and looking forward to reading your updates!

Cheers
Tom

You know it makes sense.

Yesterday was a cracking blue sky day. I skied in the afternoon with Richard E and 3 others. It was a very pleasant aftenoon and the last 3 of us came down about 5. I didn't take any pictures but one guy did and I think some of these may have found their way onto easiski's blog.

After skiing I thought I'd better make sure the car was still OK, even htough the weather hasn't been bad it hadn't moved since last Saturday. It started OK and went for a quick tour of the resort just to warm it up a little.

Snow was promised today and after a hint of sunshine early the cloud cover soon moved in. It was very cold above 3000m and about 11 the snow started. Richard E and I persevered until about 4 but by then the snow was pretty heavy and right down to resort level. The freezing level can't have been much below the resort though as it wasn't really settling here (it is now though, heavy, great big flakes). Plenty further up I'm sure. More forecast tomorrow and later in the week. No worthwhile pictures today.

Chance of some decent snow for easiski's off piste course next week

Tomf05, plenty of time before then Happy

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Claude B, thanks for a pleasant afternoon's skiing, despite the conditions Very Happy

Some fresh snow overnight should make for interesting and enjoyable skiing tomorrow, looking forward to meeting up again.

A snowHead

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Claude B,

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It was still snowing when I woke up this morning and stopped around 8.30, about 25cm at resort level. I went out about 9.30 and a lot of lifts and runs were still closed, a lot of blasting going on too. I did a couple of runs back down to resort on the unpisted Diable Black, it was hard work but lovely, the piste and off just merged really. Did get up to 3200m a little later but it was cold up there and if anything there had been a little less snow. Plenty of powder still around at 2 but then the snow started again and I decided to come down at 2.30. Tired too this was my 10th straight day skiing. Earlier I'd screwed up meeting some of the others by turning up at 1 instead of 12 Embarassed

Richard E - sorry I missed you, message sent on FB

A couple of photos from today

Where are my skis and feet?

Looking down the very steep Super Diable this afternoon

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Slightest sprinkle of snow overnight, but it was a fair bit colder, snow cannons were running on the resort runs for the first time since I arrived. It was very pleasant and sunny lower down this morning but above about 2800m the wind was very unpleasant and cold, my ears were even cold through my helmet. 3 of us explored over on the Pied Moutet mountain ("other" side of the resort) this afternoon. With the heavy snow a couple of days ago the runs over there were very pleasant and it was almost deserted. Richard E and David found some nice off piste but as I was on my skinny piste skis I left them to it. Those who poo poo L2A's 220 km should remember the 25km or so over there. Here's a view of the Valentine run from that side. Reasonable amount of snow forecast for tomorrow!

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Claude B, I like the other side. Often quiet and some nice blue runs.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Lovely afternoon Colin, thanks for guiding me round the Vallee Blanche

After all it is free

Claude B, lovely pics!

17 days to go! Very Happy

Nasty day today. It was snowing lightly when I got up and looked grim up the mountain. It did look to have improved a little so I went up about 10.30, I'd also arranged to meet Richard E at 1. However it really was pretty nasty up there and getting worse all the time. Snow, no light and very strong winds scouring some of the pistes and exposing quite a few stones. One run back down to the town on the Diable Black wasn't too bad but the lift stopping for 10 minutes or so on the way back up didn't improve my humour. I met Richard long enough to agree that we'd not bother this afternoon and I came down on the Valentine at 1.30. Only 3 hours today but it was my 12th in a row. It's wasn't actually too bad in resort, it's now getting windier and drizzling though, looking up the mountain it looks as if the Diable, Jandri express and Cretes lifts have all stopped (and they're low ones) so I suspect it's pretty grim up there. At least I've got a few domestics done, plenty of clean ski socks again Happy

Now sitting in my office, Les Lutins, suprised them a lot by having a Perrier though rather than a large beer Happy

Forecast for tomorrow looks a little better, perhaps even some sun in the afternoon.

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Great pics - more please when you get a chance. Very Happy

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