 Poster: A snowHead
|
Les Arcs is planning to install for 2006/07 a new zone for practising avalanche beacon searches. Located at the top of the TransArc gondola it will have 10 beacons buried under the snow, and an automatic system where you set the number of beacons you are trying to locate within a 20 minute period. There's no charge for using it. In addition to the automatic facility there will be twice weekly sessions with Les Arcs Pisteurs who will talk in more detail about avalanche dangers (Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, at 2.30pm). These will take place at a new reception building for the Pisteurs, also at the top of the Transarc.
More info (currently in French) on the Les Arcs website here and here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
rob@rar, my Franglaise isn't to good, do you need your own tranciever too?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
rob@rar, What a great idea. Beats transceivers in the park - as long as it doesn't get too popular.
marc gledhill, Bien sur. Je pense 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
achilles, 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
marc gledhill, I grovel.
As I read it, you do. The facility lets you choose the number of victims to search for, and you can practice probing, too. But you provide your own probes and transceivers, I think.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
achilles, 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Just watched Ray Mears using avalanche transceivers - excellent program. Do insurance companies not demand people use these devices when they go off-piste ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| achilles wrote: |
| rob@rar, What a great idea. Beats transceivers in the park |
But hardly a substitute, because we live nearer the park. All practice is good practice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| achilles wrote: |
| rob@rar, What a great idea. Beats transceivers in the park - as long as it doesn't get too popular. |
Yes, I'm very pleased. I knew it was going to be installed because PG interviewed the chief pisteur at Les Arcs last season, but I wasn't sure when it was going to be ready. Anyone have any experience of these facilities in other resorts, especially how busy they get?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| marc gledhill wrote: |
| rob@rar, my Franglaise isn't to good, do you need your own tranciever too? |
Yes, but I think if you attend one of the afternoon sessions with the pisteurs I'd guess you could borrow one to get some feel for how they work.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
The pisteurs have been running the training sessions for a few seasons now. They also do them over in Vallandry sometimes. If you go on a Tuesday or Thursday, they will teach you how to use the gear and lend you equipment if you do not have any, but it is best to take your own if you have it in case to many poeple come on good weather days. I would recommend going for a bad weather day, more like the real thing. If you go outside the teaching time you need to bring your own gear. But if they are not busy they will still give you some good tips. Most of the Pisteurs are willing to try and explain as best they can in English but it is a good way to practise French. I am really pleased to hear they are going to make it more official now, not just if you know about it. The site is really easy to find just near the top of the new lift above Arc 2000 and the end of the Transarc. Used it for a couple of seasons with friends a few times before we went off piste skiing, wanted to be sure they new how to use the gear, you never can be to careful.
I would really recommend this to anyone going off piste or for something fun and educational for your kids. I have heard they will be doing a similar thing in Tignes/Val d'Isere and 3 Valleys. Does anyone know if this is true.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| rob@rar wrote: |
| Anyone have any experience of these facilities in other resorts, especially how busy they get? |
Whistler has an area near the Rendezvous on Blackcomb. Never busy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| snowcrazy wrote: |
The pisteurs have been running the training sessions for a few seasons now. They also do them over in Vallandry sometimes. If you go on a Tuesday or Thursday, they will teach you how to use the gear and lend you equipment if you do not have any, but it is best to take your own if you have it in case to many poeple come on good weather days. I would recommend going for a bad weather day, more like the real thing. If you go outside the teaching time you need to bring your own gear. But if they are not busy they will still give you some good tips. Most of the Pisteurs are willing to try and explain as best they can in English but it is a good way to practise French. I am really pleased to hear they are going to make it more official now, not just if you know about it. The site is really easy to find just near the top of the new lift above Arc 2000 and the end of the Transarc. Used it for a couple of seasons with friends a few times before we went off piste skiing, wanted to be sure they new how to use the gear, you never can be to careful.
I would really recommend this to anyone going off piste or for something fun and educational for your kids. I have heard they will be doing a similar thing in Tignes/Val d'Isere and 3 Valleys. Does anyone know if this is true. |
Thanks for the feedback - sounds good. Courchevel has a similar setup already, near the bottom of the Suisses piste, and doesn't Tignes have something along these lines as part of the SPOT zone?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Here is an article about beacon basins which may be of interest. Feel free to leave additional comments/questions at PisteHors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
I realise this is an old thread but does anyone know if these sessions still run and if so when?
Cheers
Chris
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Great, thanks for the link and info.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
