 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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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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Looks thin
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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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Jeeeees only the second trip of the season over to LG, have actually been over more times socially this year!
Big question what would the conditions be like and more importantly would the lift be open as it's been closed the last few days due to bad snow, high winds and general disinterest at the crappy conditions 
We left Serre in a cloudless sky and it's really been the first time in a week that we've been able to see the mountains, and driving over was a tad depressing to see the carnage that the rain and mild temps have caused in this past week with so many slides on big faces, some that we'd hope to ski tour on, and not just the usual S facing slopes but some of the classic N/NW faces up from the Lautaret.
And then as we went over we descended into dense cloud and the OH was none too happy.
We left home not knowing if the lift would be open and I'd rung friends up as we left asking if they could call me if it was closed, and the phone rang just as we were in Villar D'Arene, but twas good news and the lift was open.
There were many many locals around and going up in the lift with a few they were in hyper mode at the prospect of the conditions. The only trouble was that we were in dense cloud, even when we got off at P2.
Then at around 2,600 the telecabine broke through the cloud and that was fantastic.
We skied Chancel first as it seemed everyone was doing Vallons and we more or less scored first tracks in good fresh powder at the top that gradually became more wind affected, and then further down as were heading to the Breche we were skiing 10cm of polystyrene crust.
The Breche is where you can cut through from Chancel to Vallons, and once over that we had some good untracked spring snow that gradually got heavier. It was interesting looking at various groups as many had a fair percentage of their skiers having issues with the snow.
The traverse to P2 was ok and then back up to P3, I was hoping that they'd might open the top but was obvious that would not be happening today as they were still working on the piste, maybe for the weekend, and there is snow forecast for Friday night.
So a whole load of pics
More or less untracked down Chancel
View from the Breche with the lift coming out of the cloud
Looking down to the Vallons from the Breche
And guess which cabins the locals are in 
And temps rose really quickly, did see a few people skiing back to P1 but would have been like a sauna to do that.
Finished up with a lovely (cheapest in the Alps I reckon) lunch outside the Castillian with Les Chiens, nice day.
Maybe back Saturday?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Good call today! Saturday looks good too, either here or LG......
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@Weathercam, Very nice.
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@Weathercam, Superb pics 
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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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@Weathercam,
Oh dear, you have me and my chum thinking now. We are coming to end of our Chamonix season and we are a bit fed up with the same high altitude stuff down the various Valley Blanche and Grands Montets routes. Might conditions over there justify a drive over tomorrow night for a ski Sunday and possibly Monday?
Any insight would be most helpful.
Cheers
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@HammondR, I think if I were you I'd probably head to Grand Paradiso / Monterosa, get as high as possible as the forecasted snow fall for down this way does not look that much.
It does depend also on what your skill sets are like, if you're an alpinist / mountaineer / tourer happy on glaciers then there is a lot to do at the top, if not that experienced (like me) then with a guide they could really show you some good stuff still.
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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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@Weathercam,
Thank you for the prompt reply.
We are very much from an alpinist background. We are more than happy to tour on glaciers; however, I for one am running out of steam, and am looking for gravity to do most of my work for me now.
This has been most helpful.
Many thanks
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Would be remiss of me not to post about the trip over to La Grave with @KenX, yesterday.
We took a gamble that the lift would indeed open, as the previous day was closed due to high winds and grim conditions. Forecast was not brilliant and we made the call at 07:30 to go for it on the basis of the previous day's rain here in the valley which would be snow up top there and looking at the LG webcams there was the occasional glimpse of blue sky.
Going over the Col became a little concerned when I saw a group in a mini bus heading from La Grave direction over the Col, why would they be doing that if the lift was open on what could be a classic day?
When we arrived things were looking more positive with a fair few hanging around the lift which was indeed running though not open.
09:00 passed and the lift did not open, then at 09:20 the head pisteur announced it was going to open.
The place was actually really empty, no guides with groups just a fair number of locals.
Just as we were more or less in the front of the queue a posse from Serre turned up.
Going up in the lift we had the six man gondola to ourselves and that's how it was more or less for the rest of the day, hardly anyone around, could you imagine that in Chamonix.
And the weather played it's part with the cloud lifting exposing untracked powder as we went up.
And conditions were superb, La Grave at it's finest. Each run we did we scored untracked every time and had our pick of various lines that no one else had done.
All of our runs were on the Vallons side as the snow was so good, going from P3 to P2 - a fair number or people were skiing Trifides but that meant continuing on to P1 where there was not a great deal of snow.
As we came up the lift for about the fourth time we were going to do Chancel but it looked as if they were opening up the glacier so we hiked up quickly as we saw the rat track heading our way and sure enough it turned around and the driver came out to set the rope tow up and then we were off!
There were around 15 people ahead of us who had done the 25min walk to the lift as it opened and as we went up the lift stopped a couple of times and we could see various tracks but the place was empty and we more or less had it to ourselves.
At the top we simply skied the line of the piste that was unpisted inside the ropes and that was great and then as we made it back to the lift keen for more and still no one there, the liftie said it was closed for the day!
So rather than walk back up to P3 we did a run down the glacier which was again perfection, that led us into Chancel and from there we traversed across to the Breche and down Vallons back to P2.
Back up we stopped of for a late lunch at P3 and hooked up with the Serre Posse made up of a couple of ski instructors we know on their end of season trip over and a few more reprobates inc Darren Turner.
We decided for the last run to do the glacier again and go all the way down Chancel doing Banane couloir and then on to P1 knowing there would be a walk out!
They were not too sure about doing the glacier but in the end they followed our tracks and we hooked up with them in nigh on white out conditions as I was looking at my GPS to be sure of where we were and heading.
We carried on and skied out of the cloud and could then see where we were going, always a good thing in La Grave.
Our target was Banane and quite often I mess up and end up doing Lac so I volunteered to go first as I had skins and if I'd dropped a clanger I could always hike back up, also meant we'd get first tracks 
And it was perfect, up there with some of my all times descents of Banane.
After that we knew it was going to be tough with soft / heavy snow etc as we made it across to the traverse. In the trees the cover was sparse to say the least and I was sort of leading the way and I had to tone down my competitive side (after hitting a tree) and act my age and not my shoe size as it was gradually turning into a bit of a race with the two instructors who were not about to have an "old" Brit lead them out of the traverse to P1
Eventually we made it to P1 not before I'd fallen on my derrière a couple of times, in the end it was better to keep your skis on!
So loads of photos
@KenX, ripping
In Banane
And the walk out
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You know it makes sense.
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Fab report
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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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Fab day 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Great. Just Great.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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@Weathercam, @KenX, Very nice..
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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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Check out this huge avalanche in La Grave on the 20th on Joe Vallon's FaceBook
here
Also friend invited me on an excursion this week up to two huts, but I couldn't make it.
Look at his close call from yesterday
Things are warming up !!
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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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Joe V having a bit of a rant on FB today.
Food for thought on this sad closing day in La Grave. I only say sad because the conditions are as good as they have been all year and more snow is coming and tempertures are dropping.
127 days in the 2015/16 telepherique season this year. Disclaimer, I counted and probably missed some days. I was counting the original advertised dates when passes were to go on sale.
Lift was supposed to open December 19th, didn't open until January 3rd. Lack of snow, but far from lack of activities to do up high. Glacier activities and high mountain activities were in perfect conditions
Lift was advertised to close May 1 and passes were sold but later after opening the closing date was changed to April 20 or 23rd I guess it is now. This is what I observed on the website, so maybe I am wrong or missed some information that wasn't available.
Here are the stats for your 815 € season pass that doesn't include 2 alpes or the summer. Less then 4 months use.
The first day skiers were allowed to go up was January 3rd.
In that time the lift was closed 16 times completely top to bottom.
In that time the lift was only open to 2400 and closed to the top for 22 days.
In that time the lift was open to 3200 meters 75 days and of those 75 days 40 of those days the teleski was open. All that work for 40 days teleski use? Many of those days for only a few hours due to work and prep.
Disclaimer: I counted by hand so complete accuracy is up for debate but I think it's a nice estimate.
Just an idea, but wouldn't it be cool if TGM honored all the season passes for summer use? Maybe there is a reason folks don't live in this village year round and businesses need to shut down. Maybe it would get people to consider more visits in the off seasons. Help the struggling town out too? Give people a reason to come around and spend some money or even stay year round with some incentive to keep the town alive with people.
I have noticed in the last years how many locals and long time residents have moved out of the village. Not to mention families relocating for summer months because it's just not sustainable to be around in the summer, especially after a year like the one that just happened,
Well, I am not trying to start an argument, but just stating my opinion and how I see it.
PS. On the bright side, What an awesome season that was. I really got to ski and use the lift for myself more then ever before. I guess there is a benefit to not having clients and having the business be down about 40% or so. Not complaining, So many days to myself and having the freedom to ski on the empty days in pristine conditions. In many ways I am happy the town struggled for a bit and the days were not so busy nor was the work load. I enjoyed it immensely and got to ski with some people that I never get to ski with and many days alone the way I like it. But I know the town, and local businesses can not survive like this. Something has to change, There needs to be added value, and incentives to folks that invest in being in the village or folks that plan travel, and budget to make the voyage into promised land.
Thank you La Meije, and Especially the Cable Car Crew that kept the lift turning for another incredible year. They are the heart soul. Without that crew, we have nothing. Ski you soon, It's not over, in fact, it's just getting good.
Fair number of comments and replies to the above at https://www.facebook.com/ecrin.skier?fref=ts
I was surprised how often the lift was closed when we thought of going over there this season and how it's closing this weekend when it use to shut end of the month, and even more frustrating given the forecast potential of next week
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