There was a decent snowfall last night, which should hang around over 3,000m. Given the weather for the rest of the month looks cooler than average, it's a good time to kick this thread off for another year.
12.5% discount on lift passes purchased before end of September. Anyone born from 1993 onwards can get an annual 4V pass for 400CHF. If you have had an annual or season pass this year and pair up with someone who hasn't had one either in 16/17 or 15/16 you both get a 40% discount. And it's worth noting that this year the difference between a season and annual pass is only 50CHF.
https://verbier.skipass-4vallees.ch/fr/
Snowmaking has been installed on the La Tzoumaz side of Savolyeres over the summer and the Mont Gele cable car has been replaced like for like.
Let's hope for a super, snowy season!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Steve Sparks, Good to be back 'on thread'
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?
Steady as she blows on this claim.."There was a decent snowfall last night" it was a sprinkle which had pretty much gone in 24hrs......
But great news on some of the reductions on the Ski passes, just need the rest of the resort to join in and fill the town just like the good old days..
New snow guns currently being installed on the pistes from Savoleyres down to La Tzoumaz:
«Téléverbier has received the authorisation to install equipment for artificial snow on the Savoleyers – La Tzoumaz ski area. The work, costing over 7 million CHF, will be phased throughout the summers 2017, 2018 and 2019. It will be undertaken by the firm Techno-Alpin similarly to what has been done in Bruson. In total, over 12km of pipes will be installed. A 'hill reservoir' should also be dug at a place known as 'Rechouènes' at La Chaux, to optimize the existing artificial snow network. The new reservoir, containing 68'000m3, will supply the snow network of the Gentianes and La Chaux. Estimated cost: CHF 7 millions»
We saw the work being started when we visited our La Tzoumaz apartment in June this summer. The upgrade to the existing system is very extensive. When we skied last November, the upper slopes of Savoleyres on the La Tzoumaz side were very good, but you weren't allowed down further than the 6-man chair near Chez Simon. The snow was fine lower down except for the final slopes to Etablons and the télécabine. It looks like Téléverbier are investing big to make the north-facing La Tzoumaz side skiable right down to the télécabine earlier/later in the season.
And a video talking about this with drone shots etc. The first two minutes are about the completely new Mt.Gélé télécabine over in Verbier and then they talk about and have drone coverage of the new La Tzoumaz works.
It looks like Téléverbier are investing heavily in making the north-facing La Tzoumaz sector viable a bit earlier and later in the season. Last year, we went over to our apartment in early December and conditions were good:
However, they kept the slopes below Chez Simon and Taillay shut because the last couple of hundred metres to the télécabine was grass. With the new snowguns, temperatures permitting, I imagine they'll be able to lay down enough snow earlier/later to keep the pistes open.
All that's needed now is to replace the old Savoleyres-Verbier(Les Creux) gondola. Decommissioning the old gondola will improve the view for hundreds of owners but unfortunately, although the new line from Les Esserts would be so much better on all counts, and affects only a few owners, those few are immensely wealthy and are spending millions trying to block the development. Téléverbier is also ready to install new snowguns on the piste down to Carrefour from Savoleyres but is aiting until the new gondola line is approved before starting work.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
^^ these planning laws allowing the wealthy to block reasonable proposals for ever certainly don't do CH any favours. Is there an update on when a decision will be made?
COMBIMIX RELIANT LE SECTEUR DES ESSERTS À SAVOLEYRES - LA TZOUMAZ
Statuant sur la modification de plan de zone devant nous permettre d’implanter un nouveau Combimix entre les Esserts et Savoleyres, le Tribunal fédéral a partiellement donné raison à nos opposants.
Si nous avons gagné sur quatre points, les juges ont majoritairement estimé que les dossiers en leur possession étaient incomplets sur trois autres : étude de circulation, nuisances induites par cette dernière et justification du projet. Il nous est notamment demandé de mieux documenter l’impossibilité de rénover l’actuelle ligne les Creux-Savoleyres.
The federal tribunal has found in favour of TV on four points and has asked for further information on three points. I guess justifying the impossibility of replacing the current lift is going to be difficult. It might not be optimal, but it certainly isn't impossible. No time line given for when these need to be submitted.
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.
Although I hate to say it, I can understand the view that asks why Téléverbier didn't just replace the ancient 4-man lift with a new 8-man lift, rather than the very elaborate combimix and tunnel? I wonder if TV would have gone for this if they'd known the delays the new route would involve? For me, the bus ride from Carrefour to Les Creux is no big deal - but perhaps it's a big negative with visitors?
One of the demands is for a traffic analysis but the new system would take all the Carrefour <-> Les Creux shuttle buses off the road, as they're not needed any more, which is surely a good thing? And decommissioning also improves the aspect for hundreds of owners and their clients as well. But perhaps these factors aren't within the scope of the permissions process.
If the LTZ-Savoleyres upgrade is anything to go by, it's not simply a matter of replacing the existing pylons with new ones: the new ones go in completely different positions. If TV are clever, they'll plonk the new pylons in the middle of various chalets to show it's infeasible.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
One solitary woman versus probably every other resident or visitor to Verbier / La Tzoumaz. Frankly IMHO it's totally ridiculous!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Sorry it's not about weather but could you offer any advice for 6 ladies arriving on the train to Sion from Geneva airport in late January at around 4pm and the best way to get to Nendaz?
Cheers
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
There’s a bus service from outside the train station
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
There’s a bus service from outside the train station
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@taffvalais, thanks. Just looked at the bus and it would cost around £50 for the 6 of us. Would a large taxi be similar in cost and more flexible (no waiting, door2door)?
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?
You’d probably have to book a 6 seater taxi. I can’t remember if there’s an additional cost but a normal 4 person taxi would cost about 90CHF depending where you are staying
@Mountaindoc, £50 for 6...less than a tenner each.
It is a flippin long way from Sion to Nendaz....that seems very reasonable to me.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@rungsp, Not disputing the value of the bus and the distance/terrain. Just wanted to know if a taxi would come in at a reasonable cost without the need for waiting around and walking with bags/skis to the apartment but accept that a 6 seater may end up being too pricey
So if you look at the SBB website https://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html then as you say, there's a bus No.362 from «Sion, gare» to «Haute-Nendaz TDN» that takes 39-44 minutes direct around every half hour at that time on a Saturday.
At CHF 11.40/person Return I think this is very good value.
I doubt that a minibus taxi will be much cheaper. Also, the Bus options means that if you have people arriving on multiple flights, then if anyone is delayed, they just come on a later train/bus. You're not left waiting for hours for them to turn up because you've booked a transfer (which has annoyingly happened to me).
And it's probably too late, but you're aware that you can now fly direct to Sion airport with Powdair and Swiss? (I appreciate there are more flight options via Geneva).
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@LaForet, Thanks so much for the info. Bus it is then. Yes I've been following the thread on SH about Powdair. I booked my EZ flights back in March before I knew about Powdair. Looking at the website, Powdair flights from Bristol are coming in at £350 compared to £230 with EZ (with skis, hold bag and train to Sion) so maybe not one for a short girls trip but definitely a consideration for Zermatt in 2019 with the family
After all it is free
After all it is free
I think the bus fare is 11.40 single unless you have a half price annual card ☹️
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.
@taffvalais, you are correct! I only just realised that all SBB prices are quoted as if you have a half price annual card. This would bring Geneva/Nendaz transfer cost to £90pp round trip. I've looked at Swisstaxi and the transfer in a 9-seater van would come to £97pp so I'll go for that. I wish we were more confident in driving large vehicles abroad otherwise we would book a rental. Definitely using Powdair next time! Thanks for the heads up.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@Mountaindoc, with 6 people and a £600 budget you could probably hire two small cars. That's our usual solution with 5/6 people on the lad's trip.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I booked a transfer with skitaxi.com in the end. They seem friendly and reliable enough, we're not hugely up for driving on winding mountain roads and we're all on the same flight so seems like the best option for our particular group.
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.
@Mountaindoc: Glad you've got it all sorted and apologies - I also forgot that SBB assume everyone has the ½-price Annual Discount Card.
Anyway, you should benefit from the ton of work done over the summer at Prarion in terms of new snow cannon installations.
Have a good trip!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@LaForet, what new have they done at Prarion this summer? Thanks.
for some photos of all the work on the new snowguns that we took this summer.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Yet another non-weather related question - getting them in before we get stuck into what the white stuff is doing. We have a late check in (4pm) to Apartment Bouleaux in Nendaz and early check out (10am) but will be trying to ski the afternoon of arrival and the day of departure. Do any of you know of where we could leave bags safely whilst we ski and wait to check in or ski after we've checked out? Cheers
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Mountaindoc, A slight mis-pronounciation is all you need
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@rungsp,
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?
Apartment Bouleaux...would be mis-pronounced as?....you try it, but try not to make a balls-up of it
@BobinCH, I like the optimism. Bit of a shame that the works on the Mont Gele lift mean the lac des Vaux webcam is out of service. Now it’s snowed we can at least see that the snow cannon are in place down the M25.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Snow in Les Masses on Monday now all gone but mountains now showing a distinctly wintery feel. Beautiful autumn colours mixed with a descending snow line!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Winter is coming... start waxing the rock skis 😉
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.
And mighty fine it was too! 15cm overnight and sunshine meant great skiing in Lac des Vaux and down to Ruinettes. Bit heavy and a few rocks off piste but with more forecast tonight expect more to open next weekend...
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
