 Poster: A snowHead
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I'll be reporting from Valfrejus, La Norma, Val Cenis and Bonneval sur Arc this next week, if we get through snowmagedden. Anyone out there now?
We are following that up with a side trip to Val d'Isere to see the lad, who is currently chopping vegetables in a hotel there.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@cstreat, Reports are that Val Cenis has been fantastic all over above mid mountain since late November - well above average depths apparently for this time of year- and that the pistes back down to resort have been reasonable. This current snow looks like it is sorting things out down into resort so look forward to the reports as not out until 18/2.
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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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There is about 20cm in the village at Valloire right now, quite dense too. I haven't been out yet as I'm feeling pretty rotten but the sun is just breaking through so I might give it a go before blizzard conditions resume.
The bottom of the unpisted piste looks great.
PS the new snow sculpture webcam gives a good idea of village conditions http://pv.viewsurf.com/674/Valloire-Sculptures
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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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Dont forget Aussois
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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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Half way out now, plenty of wet snow from Troyes to Dijon
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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La Norma has 20 cm of fresh powdery snow this evening
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@cstreat, from the top of the top lift (La Norma ?) head left about 10m and look over the edge. Committing but easily skiable.
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@altis, thank you, and good to hear from you again. I missed last season due to having Lyme disease, so I am now lacking some confidence and also stamina! I hope to get back to old levels by the end of the week, ending up in Bessans, and having 2 days at Bonneval. It's bright and sunny today
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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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@cstreat,
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ending up in Bessans, and having 2 days at Bonneval. It's bright and sunny today
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Sking in Bessans or staying in Bessans? An attractive bit to stay in but most of the skiing is x country with a couple of beginner lifts. good skiing at Val Cenis and Bonneval though.
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Just staying there! La Norma was uncrowded and good snow above the tree line, with plenty of untracked off piste. I found it hard packed in the trees on piste, suffering from the early season ice and snow making. It was noticeably cold high up in the shade, and minus 14 at the top of the telecabin. Shattered after first day!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Snowing lightly tonight, all the way up the valley....went to Termingnon to buy cheese and a towel!!
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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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Today was still and sunny, a couple of cms of snow overnight. The slopes were great up top, with plenty of untracked off piste. On the lower pistes, there are some nasty patches of packed ice ( my Line Prophet 98's did not like at all!) but La Norma is so quiet and uncrowded it gets my vote for a few days skiing. It's snowing lightly now, and set to continue tomorrow, so we will do Val Cenis or here tomorrow, then Val Frejus, and then 2 days at Bonneval. Will probably give Aussois a miss, as the sun will probably bring out the crowds, and I suspect that it had very little snow before this week, being so sunny. Still, it looked inviting across the valley today, bathed in sunshine... It's just that I hate crowds!
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@altis, I had a look where I think you suggested; I think I need bigger balls perhaps 
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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A couple of the MGS afternoon groups were skiing off the back down to the lake last week but I suspect the conditions will be substantially different to what sounded from the descriptions as almost hard spring like conditions. I assume much deeper and nicer now after the recent snowfalls. There is also some nice stuff off the top of the Plan Cardinal chair, basically head straight on under the ropes, traverse across into a selection of bowls that then drop into the trees. You need a guide or to know the area well as you need to avoid coming out above the cliffs that overlook the valley above Val Cenis
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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A couple of the MGS afternoon groups were skiing off the back down to the lake last week but I suspect the conditions will be substantially different to what sounded from the descriptions as almost hard spring like conditions. I assume much deeper and nicer now after the recent snowfalls. There is also some nice stuff off the top of the Plan Cardinal chair, basically head straight on under the ropes, traverse across into a selection of bowls that then drop into the trees. You need a guide or to know the area well as you need to avoid coming out above the cliffs that overlook the valley above Val Cenis
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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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Valfrejus today, a late start, sunny but very cold, with the best snow in the shade on the windy side. On the sunny slopes the off piste was windswept, hard and crusty, not good for 51 year old Lyme knees. The return down the valley was shut, so it was rather limited. Took a wrong turn back, and ended up walking back from lower lift
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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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Fantastic day at Val Cenis today, starting from Termingnon. Again, lower slopes were very icy in places, but it was all so empty and beautiful that it is hard to understand why anyone would visit a resort in the famous next door Valley. Great off piste higher up, plenty of untracked, and almost powdery in the trees. Very shocked to see the ironically named chalet de Flambeau burnt down on one end, on new years Eve. We have stayed there, and it literally exploded.
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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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@geoffers, I think it's my 6 th visit over 8 years, and up to 2 years ago it had definitely got more crowded. That's why we are based at La Norma this time, which is really quiet, and has emptied out mid week for some reason. Unfortunately the accommodation here at the Balcons, although cheap, is dirty and tatty... I'll be doing a trip report with photos when I return. La Norma itself is great.
Yesterday Val Cenis was at it's best; possibly due to the cold snap in France and perceived lack of snow.
Off to Bonneval today, my Maurienne favourite.
8 cm of snow forecast for Sunday
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Great snow at Bonneval today, still and cloudless. Plenty of nice untracked off piste in morning, cheered from top lift after spectacular fall on top unpisted black. Before lunch saw maximum of 5 people, got crowded after lunch as we saw over 25 people!!
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@cstreat, are you using the Eski-mo pass or just paying for individual days?
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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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Eskimo pass from La Norma, then individual days in Val Cenis, Bonneval and finally Val d'Isere, probably taking out a loan for the latter! My first visit to the Alps was there some years ago, on a budget, so it remains to be seen how punchy I get at prices, queues, crowds and double barreled Tarquins ; all the things that don't exist in the Maurienne!! The Maurienne has excelled this week, despite tatty accommodation, and will be hard to beat. For some reason, we have gone out to bars, played pool, and drunk too much, which we have NEVER done before....late life crisis? Maybe due to being ill last year, makes one realise life's for living.
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| cstreat wrote: |
| Before lunch saw maximum of 5 people, got crowded after lunch as we saw over 25 people!! |
Pretty normal day at Bonneval then 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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More sunshine today at La Norma, still with plenty of untracked off piste. At altitude the pistes are good, but I haven't enjoyed the returns to village which are hardpacked with artificial guff on top. It's a toss up between Val Cenis and Bonneval again tomorrow... Decisions decisions
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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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| cstreat wrote: |
| More sunshine today at La Norma, still with plenty of untracked off piste. At altitude the pistes are good, but I haven't enjoyed the returns to village which are hardpacked with artificial guff on top. It's a toss up between Val Cenis and Bonneval again tomorrow... Decisions decisions |
It's been very windy up high in Valloire today and the pistes are wind scoured and hard packed, no fun on a board save for where the blown powder has settled on the odd sheltered run. Pistes pretty deserted by 1400.
Same conditions up the valley?
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Wind did pick up this pm, but plenty of soft snow to be found on shady faces, just that they tended to be bloody cold. It's much more sheltered in La Norma, Val Cenis and Bonneval, than Valfrejus, so maybe Valloire is similarly exposed.
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You know it makes sense.
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@BoardieK, probably worth a visit higher up the valley if you are able....pistes probably not brilliant for boarding, but I can't understand why boarders seem to ignore the accessible offpiste, and prefer to scratch down the piste; there is some lovely soft snow about
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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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Most of the off piste here is so wind scoured that last weekends compressed tracks are standing several cm proud of the untouched "powder". I don't think I've seen anyone offpiste for the last 3 days except a few taking it very slowly.
Probably time to take the motorhome up the valley, thanks.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Val Cenis was relatively crowded with locals today, with a bitter wind through the Col. As a result the pistes and environs on that side were really not nice at all...however, on the sheltered side above Ranova restaurant ( probably one of the best quality / priced eating spots around) the snow was still great, although largely skied out.
That's me finished in the Maurienne as I am shattered... Lyme disease never really goes away, so we are having a rest tomorrow before heading to Espace Killy on Monday. The predicted snowfall is no longer predicted!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Drove through Aussois on the way back, very warm, 4C, snow melting on verges and looking patchy were windswept in fields.
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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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Today was forecast to be the windiest day of the week, and cloudy; guess what!
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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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Not really relevant, but went to Val d'Isere yesterday, and found Espace Killy very crowded ( like the M25), very expensive, skied out, and really rather tatty....let's hope the crowds stay away from the Maurienne
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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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@cstreat, I've been reading your updates on the Maurienne, to see what the snow and general conditions were like.
A few friend's are arriving there Saturday on my recommendation so thanks for taking the time to update us.
As you've indicated, it's a nice area to visit. We've been in March for the last two years and plan to be back again this year too. We also found, as you, how uncrowded it can be with some really nice skiing. Also more manageable cost make it a bit more relaxed when paying for our family.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The pistes were a bit softer today, even up high. No queues, restaurants in Valmeinier a quarter full at lunch time.
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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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First day in Val Cenis today. The sight on arrival yesterday of a rising snow line on the non skiing south side of the valley certainly did not look encouraging but a blue bird day skiing what were actually very good pistes has brightened things up no end. The depths on mid and upper mountain actually look better than the last couple of years despite the valley not looking white. Whilst fresh is in short supply there is basically ski everywhere terrain within the bounds of the ski area although some areas are notably roped off where we were skiing last year. The kids were complaining that skiing back to resort was limited to all the pistes with only a small amount of the usual meadows to avoid the crowds. I reminded them of memories skiing here in the late 80s/ early 90s here when snow making was limited and it was combat skiing like Scotland in the more sketchy years. Happy to report the early death of the French and European season as referred to by some on here appears to be 'fake news'.
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A bit of snow, rain and sleet overnight at 1500m in Valloire. It was just below freezing at 11pm last night but the ground isn't hard frozen now. Started snowing moderately heavy at 7.30 and about 2cm has settled since though it has just stopped.
No wind in village, going up now.
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FAQ
- 1st time was during Parisian half term and there were no real crowds, plus most seemed to be family skiers so the off-piste was pretty much intact
