 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey Pyremaniac,
Had a great time here in Ax, Good start in November, kinda thin through late Dec early Jan. Awesome powder over the last month. Ax is full of variety, still didn't knock of all the off piste lines. Nice village, cool locals to ski with. I would recommend for anyone who is happy exploring away from the pisted runs. Had some good days at Ascou also.
What is the go with PDM? Do you need a guide? I will look into Masella also. Where abouts are you based?
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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 haven't yet managed to get to the Pic du Midi, but from I've seen and read I would imagine that for the first day or two you need a guide or at least a buddy who's familiar with the area. After that, I think you'll have got the routes nailed and then it's just a question of finding ski buddies for avalanche safety reasons - just as anywhere else.
Masella is a nice little resort, although it's much more about the pistes than about the off-piste (though there is some at the top towards the right-most valley on the piste map). It's one of the few resorts I go to where I'm not bothered about the off-piste conditions when deciding whether to make the journey.
I'm based in Barcelona, although in the previous few years I spent the winter in the mountains (Baqueira, Andorra, other smaller resorts in Catalonia and Aragon). Masella's our closest resort that's worth talking about, which means that they get a steady flow of visitors that makes it worth their while keeping the place open for longer. For being a resort in the eastern pre-Pyrenees, it has an exceptional ability to retain the snow and keep it in condition, due to the fact that it's almost entirely within a shady north-facing tree-covered valley. It doesn't get anything like the amount of natural snow that falls in Andorra or Ax, but it simply doesn't matter for the piste skiing there. It's a small place though; it would be with while to do a reccy there to see whether it's what you're looking for. (I know that recently they were offering to refund your day pass if you bought the spring season pass at the end of the day!)
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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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Definitely need a guide for the Pic. Initially for the route finding, but then as a contact point to discuss snow conditions of the route you plan to ski.
I would highly recommend http://jeandenis.prisse.free.fr/
Gutted I've not ski there this season as conditions have looked excellent, but I can't seem to be able to drag the OH away from Baqueira.
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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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Ah, thanks for the clarification!
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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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Peyragudes today. Great conditions in the morning. After lunch the snow is heavy/slow.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Luz Ardiden has closed today after a good second half of the season. There is still one more week for Bareges/La Mongie and until 24 April for Cauterets in the Hautes Pyrenées.
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Ok, Going to hit up Andorra when the weather clears, it's snowing up there at the moment. Any advice on what area to got to? It's going to be one day only and we will aim to be there for the first lift and probably ski through until 2 ish depending on snow conditions. Are there any spring discounts available for passes? Cheers in advance
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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'd recommend Grandvalira unless it's a sunny powder day and you fancy the off-piste, in which case you could try Arcalís instead (which is cheaper albeit much much smaller - indeed it's free this Sunday, the last day of the Andorran season). Conditions were great in Andorra yesterday apparently; they got 20cm on Monday up top and the snowline was down to quite a low altitude. There's a chance of a little rain at high altitude today, but it seems that temps will drop again tomorrow and that there'll be some more snowfall. Can't say fairer than that for the last few days of their season!
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Spent today at Grandvalira. Skied from one end to the other and took the Gondola down to Encamp for a lunch of Tapas. Great snow coverage. Fresh snow over the start of the week has it looking pristine. Freeze thaw means the off piste is no good until it starts to release. Plenty of peeps around and a great spring atmosphere. Highly reccomended.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Still looking to get up Pic du Midi this month. Does anybody know how much longer they will allow ski access?
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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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You know it makes sense.
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I checked with Jean-Denis and the Pic is still open for skiing at least to the weekend of the 16th.
I'd be up for making up a group if others are interested.
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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'm booked up until the last weekend of April. That may be too late. I am in Lourdes today, plenty of fresh snow on the hills and 5 degrees in town.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Looking at the weather this week looks like a complete wash out ! Might have to be next season now for a session on the Pic.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Mike Pow, great vid! As seems to happen at the end of every season, the PdM hasn't/isn't going to work out for me for one reason or another. Next year let's get a group together mid-season! I'm not sure I'm up to that north face route though!
I'm a bit late posting this, but last weekend I did indeed seek out the fresh snow that had fallen on Thursday and Friday. I'm told that Arcalís was fantastic on Saturday and I believe it, but instead we chose to spend it in the sunshine in Masella, enjoying our last day of sunglasses skiing of the season:
Beautiful views over the Cerdanya valley with Andorra in the background; the valley is in full springtime glory at the moment - although as everyone who's familiar with this area knows, the valley floor looks like that even in February!
Then we drove to the horizon, crossing the valley to Andorra to stay overnight in Ordino and ski on Sunday in Arcalís where the new snow was still pretty fresh on Sunday:
A great way to end the season! I was still tempted to get up to Piau Engaly and Cauterets this weekend, but it's a long old drive and the weather in Barcelona is suddenly really hot... the call of kitesurfing and beach volleyball is too strong  . As the Spanish say, it's time to change the chip - I'm storing the ski gear away until November, and bringing out the beach gear. Have a great summer, everyone!
Although of course, Masella's open until the 2nd May... and if they give the day pass away for free (which they sometimes do) perhaps I'll have to dig everything out again 
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FAQ
... I'm probably going to do Masella tomorrow and Arcalís on Sunday where the lift pass will be free to celebrate the last day of their season 
