 Poster: A snowHead
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RAS - Just wanted a thread ready for the season to start!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Great minds think alike 
The high pressure is finally receding, the first proper snowfall of the winter is just around the corner, and I've just switched to winter tyres... which can only mean that the Pyrenees winter season is finally about to start!
There's not too much news to report this year, but Baqueira has marked out a few more km of piste in the Beret area, and there are a couple of new lifts in resorts on the French side.
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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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Bought a Vallnord season pass this year as they were doing a silly buy an adult get child free deal.... So season's skiing for family of 4 for €900..... Waiting for kids to finish school on 11th and some snow to fall....
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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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@Pyremaniac, Not convinced that the snow is going to arrive this weekend, just looked at meteo on skipass and they are saying limit for snow at 950 m tomorrow at Gourette and about 35cm of snow. Just been out in the garden and checked the thermometer and its 17°C right now (10pm) with very warm winds! Granted i'm down the valley but I'm also tucked away in a village that doesn't usually get too much wind never mind the warm ones.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Not sure how things are at the western end of the range, but there was snowfall in the central and eastern Pyrenees over the weekend. Baqueira hit the jackpot and received half a metre... they've confirmed their opening for this coming Saturday! Porté Puymorens and Les Angles in the French Catalan Pyrenees will (partially) join that party too. Some seriously low temperatures abound at the moment...
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Looking alright in Vallnord.... Vids of them prepping the pistes a s threatening to announce opening date soon.....with plenty of snow forecast over next 24 hours.... Hurray!
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The tiny resort La Quillane in the French Pyrenees opens tomorrow with free entrance until the weekend! Masella can't be left behind, of course, and so opens part of the ski area tomorrow too - and in fact opened for an hour or two this afternoon for the benefit of the local workers. To that we can add the partial opening of the Andorran resorts this weekend (including Arcalís, katedenhaag  )
It's started!
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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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skinutter, that's right - 1 blue and 3 greens running down a 100m slope... but that's a free 100m for the next few days! It's very popular with families taking kids to learn there, and it's apparently open until 8pm with floodlights which means that formal ski training goes on there during the evening.
Aramon (the lift pass company for five of the seven Aragonese resorts) have announced that Formigal-Panticosa in the western Spanish Pyrenees will also be opening this weekend, along with their two smaller resorts in Teruel (near Valencia)... people outside of Spain tend not to be aware that it's one of the most mountainous countries in Europe and has ski resorts (albeit usually small ones) dotted around all over the place! Not to mention Sierra Nevada which is an important resort on a European scale - and one of the highest - which offers a truly unique experience with great views of the south coast and over to Africa, plus Granada (Spain's capital of tapas) at the foot of the hill.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Very wet day in the hautes Pyrenees today. Snow falling in significant quantities above 1500m. Both cauterets and luz ardiden will open this weekend followed by grand tourmelet next Saturday for the long Spanish weekend. Conditions look good for the rest of the week with possible snowfall for Saturday and temperatures not too warm. Here's to a good start to winter 2015/16!
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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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Gourette and La Pierre St Martin have just knocked opening back the following weekend, awaiting more favourable snow conditions, in fairness the amount of rain falling down in the valley I think they may have problems with too much!!!! Formigal is opening this weekend though, just not sure whether the Col de Portalet will be passable or not.
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Yes I think the same, it's been none stop rain here today. Perhaps not much open this weekend!
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You know it makes sense.
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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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The start to the 2015/16 season has certainly gone well for both Baqueira Beret 40/80cm (138 runs open) and Peyragudes 25/75cm that is open this weekend and next weekend before their full opening on the 19th of December.
Superbagneres has a lot of snow higher up but the lower slopes were affected by last weeks rain resulting in a delay of their opening until the 12th of December. The upside of delaying the opening is that the new TSD6 "Cecire Express" will be ready for the opening.
Current weather is blue skies and mild, however there is an inversion effect in place meaning that the valley floors are freezing over night and remaining cool in the shade during the day.
With luck the cooler weather will return later next week - fingers crossed.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Latest update from the central Pyrenees - 10/12/15:
Mild weather has been the dominating feature this last week and with no real cooler weather on the way the lower slopes at all resorts are beginning to suffer.
Luchon-Superbagneres has decided to delay opening until the 19th as the lower slopes are in a poor state, though there are well pisted runs higher up.
Peyragudes is currently closed as scheduled following the Spanish holidays. They will open again this coming weekend and have a good number of runs open on well groomed but hard packed pistes.
Baqueira Beret has been very busy during the Spanish holidays, and has 126 runs open though the lower slopes into Baqueira are becoming patchy.
Cooler weather is certainly needed to enable the canons to run, which seems to be the same problem across most European resorts.
Still two weeks until the main holidays start - a lot can happen.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Freezing levels to rise to 3500m next week going by snow-forecast, not looking good at the moment.
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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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Good days skiing today in Arcalis... Snow over back on La Coma runs pretty decent... Runs on front a lot more patchy. Although, all of the above true on a v quiet weekend... They will need more snow before Xmas peak...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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As across all of Europe the mild weather has continued. Though the Pyrenees has still remained a place where good skiing is available. Baqueira Beret remains in great shape, thought the runs to Baqueira itself should be missed, but with tons of skiing above 1800 metres the pistes though thin are delivering good skiing on over 100 pistes.
In the central French Pyrenees there is still a lot of good skiing at Peyragudes, though again the lower runs are thin.
Superbagneres still remains virtually closed, however the forecast for next week is looking more promising.
Happy Christmas from the Pyrenees - let the snow gods look down on us favourably soon
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We're skiing at Arcalis again this week...piste conditions pretty good considering no snow and warm... Few pebbly bits and slippy patches but enough to entertain one... And the holiday hordes don't seem to have bothered so it is a bit busier than a couple of weeks ago but certainly not crammed. Snow forecast for tomorrow seems to have gone back to a slight sprinkle here 
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How's things looking in Grandvaliria? Must be a long time since the last dump of snow now...
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5 weeks since the last snowfall in the Pyrenees. But as it happens, I had to nip up to Andorra the day before yesterday, and I gave in to the temptation of seeing how the snow was holding up. It was pretty borderline in most parts of Grandvalira (though in fact there's snow on the ground in many parts of the mountain; it's nothing like the white slithers in the photos we keep seeing in the press), but there was still some reasonable skiing to be had. The snow was by far the best on the north-facing parts of Soldeu, and the reds that go straight down to the gondola were very enjoyable and bizarrely completely empty - yet there were hordes of people in much poorer parts of the resort, what with it being holiday time. I guess people preferred to be in the sun than have the better snow.
The great news is that the obstinate high pressure cycle is finally going to be pushed south over the next few days, making way for some decent snowfall. By the 7th, we'll probably have forgotten what all the fuss was about, both here and in the Alps.
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'll be in the Hautes pyrénées on the 18th for a week. I usually ski tourmalet but was hoping to go further afield this year and make the most if having a hire car. Noticing that la Pierre Saint Martin got a blanket today and the snowmaking has been switched on. Formigal over the boarder appears to look ok. I really wanted to try Gavarnie, let's hope it gets colder! I'll be heading here from a week in the Alps. I may take some walking equipment just in case and do some hiking if the snow doesn't persist. I really hope it does though! Snow dancing all the way!! 
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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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How is the snow looking in Andorra? ?Lots forecast for next week, I'm hoping to go next Friday for a few days...
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@Robert821, I live in the valley that leads to Gourette, Artouste (and then over the border to Formigal), pm me before you head down and I'll try and give you an idea of what the locals stations are like.
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You know it makes sense.
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Any news from anyone in resort? From the webcams early this morning it looked like Soldeu had a dusting overnight, and it looks like it is currently snowing as we speak.
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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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Looking at the webcams from Grandvalira´s app and it is snowing right now. Seems to be snowing more in the top of Soldeu/Encamp (Cortals) than in other parts (Pas de la Casa).It seems to be just a light snow right now but let´s hope it gets stronger and sticks.
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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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Andorra's currently getting a dusting, and Baqueira is receiving a little more. The next few days should also be snowy, though the freezing level will yoyo a bit and I suspect that some of the precipitation will fall as rain. Hopefully all the resorts will be looking more wintery a week from now.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Pyremaniac wrote: |
| Andorra's currently getting a dusting, and Baqueira is receiving a little more. The next few days should also be snowy, though the freezing level will yoyo a bit and I suspect that some of the precipitation will fall as rain. Hopefully all the resorts will be looking more wintery a week from now. |
I agree with Pyremaniac, some lovely snow has fallen since yesterday and probably more to come overnight and to lower levels however there are concerns that on Thursday there will be rain up to 2500/2700 metres. An additional problem is the low laying cloud, which with air temperatures close to zero is preventing the creation of artificial snow because the humidity is too high.
Colder weather next 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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Woke to heavy snowfall in the village 700m this morning and the sound of avalanche blasting. It seems normal winter service has resumed at least for the moment. Due to warm a little tomorrow and then more cold and snow next week for the west Pyrenees.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Happy to see more snow in Andorra, off to the Vallnord region at the end of Jan and was getting distinctly twitchy!!
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Snow snow snow in the Hautes Pyrenees! And @dixon66, Hello!
Hey M. Dixon, fancy trying to round up and bring a Pyrenees tribe up to the EOSB this end of season? We use to go every year it is great! Would be a laugh to have a full Luz crowd out playing (the West face of the Peclet is a cool off-piste route!). We are seriously thinking of going.
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Soldeu is suddenly looking very wintery on the webcams after a healthy amount of snow this morning!
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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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Webcams still showing snow in Arcalis!
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FAQ
- the guests however are having a great time 