 Poster: A snowHead
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| under a new name wrote: |
@J2R, you've clearly not skied there on a busy Jan 31.
Yes to your suggestion, but even better, when they replace the 2 way Belvedere lift would be to extend the Frachey end to the same place at the top of the Mandria lift so that the Frachey bowl could be avoided by those heading towards the Colle.
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I have actually skied there on Jan 31 3 or 4 times, but I've obviously been lucky! I've just come back from a resort (Jasna, Slovakia) which was much more crowded every day, midweek, than I've ever seen at Champoluc even at what you'd expect to be its busiest times, so I won't be complaining about it!
I see your point about the Belvdere lift. That would certainly have the same effect as my idea, but for the opposite direction. The combination of the two would considerably ease traffic for the Mandria lift as well as making the whole Champoluc-Alagna and back trip a lot quicker.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@J2R, yeah, crowds around New Year can be very oddly variable.
I suspect that there's been a motivation to keep as many people in the Champoluc circuit as possible (revenue presumably attributed on basis of lift use). So no motivation to make the clients any happier.
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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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| under a new name wrote: |
| @J2R, yeah, crowds around New Year can be very oddly variable |
From this I assume you meant Dec 31, not Jan 31. I thought it was an oddly arbitrary date!
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@J2R, ha ha ha yes I did. I think I was typing thinking Jan 1 and then thought it's usually quiet as the Italians are having family days and the Scandies too hungover (although not always the case) but that Dec 31 is more often busy. But that whole period very variable. Xmas before this last one was just quiet throughout.
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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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It's not an area I'd think to go to that early in the winter, I must say, as I think it takes a while to build up sufficient snow to make the off-piste viable, which is the main reason I go there (I do ski the pistes as well, though).
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@J2R, the OH's family are from there and we have somewhere to stay. Not a long drive from Geneva. Had a few good off piste weekends there in December but no, not so often.
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I'm with you there, kitenski. I go back there year after year, and I still can't think of anything good to say about the place. Listen, everybody, it's a complete waste of time going there. 
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Snow seemed much better today on the Alagna side, perhaps they've had the better of the recent snow flurries? Sadly the half metre predicted for last Tuesday disappeared off the forecasts!
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@J2R, out of interest where do you stay? I've stayed in Gressoney on boys trips, my first time with family and we are staying in the hotel castor in Champoluc which has been great. Nice food, good bar, friendly staff. Only issues is the 7am church bell!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Absolutely agree - please don't bother! Half term q's are atrocious ....must be at least one person ahead of me on ooh at least 10% of the lifts and I even had to share a bit of a slope with someone today. Oh and don't get me started on the terrible slope grooming - I mean, where is all the chopped up crud I know and love??? It's really not on. WOW! just WOW!
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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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I've stayed in the Castor and a little place called 'Le Vieux Rascard' in Champoluc. I normally go to the Gressoney valley, though, and stay in the 'Chalet du Lys' in Stafal. I think Stafal is the best location, in the middle of the three valleys, helpful if the wind gets up (as it often does). It doesn't have much by way of nightlife but that suits me fine, I've always prided myself on my dullness.
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@J2R, Chalet du Lys is where I am now and it is indeed quiet but perfectly formed.
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You know it makes sense.
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Annie, I agree. It's a pretty anti-social area, I have to say - you never have much chance to make friends with people in lift queues, like at other resorts.
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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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Pop over to the bar at the guides office under nordend hotel - that has a good buzz
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Poster: A snowHead
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Just in the car driving back home. Some random thoughts.
Was looking at various high routes yesterday in the sun, plenty of tracks and still some lines to be skied I reckon. I also couldn't see any avalanche activity on any slopes at all.
I've stayed mostly on piste all week, runs still good, the odd stone around, but they were blowing big snow mounds most evenings which made some fun jumps!!
The chair up from. Champoluc area to Gressoney was a really cold lift every time we took it, could do with the bubbles from the other side being added to it!!
We were lucky with all links open every day, I'm not sure what I'd think of the area if links were shut for a few days in the week?
I enjoyed the long runs and the lack of people apart from the odd bottleneck at Frachey that I've mentioned earlier.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Frachey could do with another lift at the weekends
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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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@kitenski, the links aren't closed that much. The Colle has snow cannons unusually because of wind scouring rather than lack of snow.
Yes, a re-arrangement of Frachey is long overdue.
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Good to hear that it's completely rubbish at Champoluc. Myself and 15 mates are taking our boys tour there on March 2nd and we are only happy when moaning and grizzling so it sounds just our sort of place!
Just on the off chance that we become cheerful and happy does anyone have any recommendations for a restaurant in Champlouc that would tolerate 16 hungry and thirsty skiers who would like to run their own pub quiz after dinner???
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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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@skribble, you could ask Herman at the Castor Hotel?
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Try the bistro opposite the hotel de champoluc.. Its not very nice, and at 5 ish they do free apres ski pizza and nibbkes which are dreadfull.. And a glass of the local red wine will complete your miserable visit.. Theres also the cabin restaurant further on the riad on the keft before the chemist, but you will have to book in advance as thats bad as well 😝😝😄😄
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thanks yorkshirelad.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @skribble, you could ask Herman at the Castor Hotel? |
I would second this suggestion. The bar of the Castor is a great social hub for Champoluc and a fun place.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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+1 for hotel castor, Tuesday night is karaoke night 
So he has the gear for a pub quiz!!
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I've just emailed Herman to ask him and as we are staying pretty much next door his hotel would be ideal for our dinner/quiz. I'm sure a party of 16 will sway him either one way (kerching) or another!!!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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All good with Herman and his wife Beatrice. She's asked if we can prepare quiz questions for Dutch and Swedish guests!!
Great that they are getting behind it
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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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Hello everyone.
Advice needed based on current snow conditions and your knowledge of the Monterosa area/patterns like this in the past!
We are looking to book for last week of the season - 3rd April for 7 nights - in Champoluc. I know the season got off to a tricky start, as in most other places, but the current skiclub snowdepth for the area is on the low side in comparison to historic conditions. Do you think we would be daft to book that week now? We have flights lined up and a lovely place to stay, but I'm not sure whether to risk a warm spring...
What would you do?
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Wait a week at least. There's a forecast that has a lot of snow for Champoluc next weekend. I'd wait and see if that comes off at the very least
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You know it makes sense.
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Obviously it's impossible to predict anything with any confidence, and the season may well have ended by then. But last year we went to Monterosa in early April and had some of the best conditions we've ever experienced there, because it had snowed quite a lot through a cooler than average March, forming a really good base. The same could quite easily happen this year. It looks like there'll be snow throughout this week, with possibly a more substantial dump at the weekend (last night on snow-forecast.com they were predicting an astonishing 160cm for Sunday, although that's now been scaled down). A couple of serious dumps like that, and I think you'd have in effect a full snow base.
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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've only been to Monterosa once, for one day, and it was the first week of April in 2015, as part of my Cervinia lift pass (and my wife was running her school's ski trip in Monterosa).
I obviously can't comment on anything outside of this experience, but can say that until about 11:30, the pistes were bulletproof and compared very unfavourably to the conditions in Cervinia. After 11:30, they obviously softened with the sun and then by about 3pm they became very very slushy. Was still a very fun day though, and my wife (and the school kids) loved their week there.
To be fair, this is all standard late-season stuff, but it just felt like a very stark contrast to the conditions at Cervinia in the same week so thought it was worth sharing.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks @skribble @J2R @Kingofthec
Good insights, yes, I think we'll wait it out, at least to see if the predicted snow arrives this week. I think I'll book the flights though!
@J2R we've had similar conditions (Arabba x 3, Cervinia and Flaine x 4: when the children were young) and always go in April, this year has been very odd though. @Kingofthec I read there was reasonably high skiing above mid station in Monterosa, but your comparison with Cervinia makes a good point.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| woodsy wrote: |
What would you do? |
Assuming your flights are booked to one of the Milan airports, you have alternative options in Chamonix and surrounds, Courmayeur, Cervinia, or even possibly Southern Austria if you needed to.
Given that accommodation ought to be readily available that week why not wait and just choose your destination when you know more. Also if its a total wash out you can just have a non skiing holiday, plenty to see in Northern Italy.
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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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Someone we met was staying in Aosta and doing "day" trips to Verbier and other resorts inc Champoluc, so loads of options I'd say
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Great suggestions everyone, and much appreciated. Let's hope the snow comes!
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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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BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'll believe it when I see it. But the forecasts do all seem to be suggesting a big, potentially huge, dump this weekend, which would be great for the snow once the area has recovered from the initial onslaught (big avalanche danger with so much snowfall in a short space of time).
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Everything was pointing towards 1m+ during half term, right up until the weekend, with 50cm+ on the Tues
Reckon we got 5-10cm!
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Yes, kitenski, very familiar with that phenomenon, it's happened to me a number of times in the resort. Maybe it occurs more in the Monterosa area because of some local meteorological quirk, I don't know. The forecast is still showing decent snow for the weekend, but less than yesterday's was showing. When it comes to it, I'll be surprised if we see as much as 30cm.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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BTW should say thanks for the recommendation to hire from Telemark, the service was superb. Could leave the boots & skis there for 10 Euro and the team would help my girls put and take off their boots every day.
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Glad to hear they're still good. It was an excellent family run business last time we used it, and it sounds like it still is.
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