Though we are still in our summer season I thought that I would post the tag for this coming winter, prompted by snowfalls across the Pyrenees during the last week with snow falling in certain areas as low as 1800 metres. This morning there is a good covering particularly in the east above 2000m.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hoping to be out your way in December...
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?
I finished skiing relatively early last season as training for a summer of cycle racing took precedent.
This season is all about the skiing.
Hopefully, the snow is plentiful and the season is long.
We should definitely try and arrange a Snowheads Pyrenees session at some point.
For France. Zone A. Covering Aquitaine (south west).
10th to 26th February
Zone C. Covering Haute Pyrenees and Midi Pyrenees
17th to 30th February.
No idea about Spain, live in France!!!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thanks!
Some snow forecast for the Pyrenees this weekend, look like temperatures are finally starting to drop a little after a pretty warm autumn in Barcelona
After all it is free
After all it is free
I've lit the fire tonight if that helps!!
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.
Happy autumn, everyone! Here in Barcelona we've finally closed the French doors that stay permanently open all summer... don't recall waiting until November before doing that before! Let's hope the temperature change is severe...
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Pumba wrote:
For France. Zone A. Covering Aquitaine (south west).
10th to 26th February
Zone C. Covering Haute Pyrenees and Midi Pyrenees
17th to 30th February.
No idea about Spain, live in France!!!
30th February and it's not even a leap year
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
On Friday we were in shorts with a balmy warm southerly wind blowing, Saturday evening saw the first serious rainfall in weeks, and overnight Sunday into Monday the temperature plummeted and the snow began to fall in earnest with snow settling to anywhere above 1000m.
More on its way this week. But it is way to early to say if this will be a good start to the season but fingers crossed anyway
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.
On Friday we were in shorts with a balmy warm southerly wind blowing, Saturday evening saw the first serious rainfall in weeks, and overnight Sunday into Monday the temperature plummeted and the snow began to fall in earnest with snow settling to anywhere above 1000m.
More on its way this week. But it is way to early to say if this will be a good start to the season but fingers crossed anyway
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
Anyone know the dates for French and Spanish half term in February?
I don't think the Spanish have half term holidays. So the only dates to avoid would be 30th Dec to 7th Jan, although even then it would require taking 4 days of leave to bridge the gap between the two weekends, so I wonder whether many people will do the usual Three Kings holiday this year; the 6th falls on a Saturday. I guess people might add on Friday 5th or Monday 8th and keep it short.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Thanks...This year Baqueira was quite busy with French half termers in Feb..
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
With more heavy snow forecast for tomorrow the outlook for the opening of the season on the 2nd of December here in the Central Pyrenees is looking quite optimistic
This was Luchon-Superbagneres at lunchtime today....time to dust down the ski's
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
It would be a pleasant change from the last couple of years to actually ski in December!
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?
Pumba wrote:
It would be a pleasant change from the last couple of years to actually ski in December!
We have been here since 2004, and with the exception of the last two winters we had never lost a days skiing due to lack of snow, fingers grossed that this La Nina year will bring things back on track. Chucking it down again today
It couldn't be any other way, could it! You've guessed it... Masella opens tomorrow, kicking off their 50th anniversary with the usual blue piste in the Coma Oriola sector. Thanks to Nevasport for confirming what I suspected: it will be Masella's second earliest ever opening date, after the classic 8th November start in 2008-9 when they managed to open for 6 full months non-stop! Legendary... especially the party on the free last day! Great memories... in that season I went from novice to my first ever black piste (50 metres of motorway at about French blue run standard ). Looking back now, it's no exaggeration to say that that winter changed my life
Porté Puymorens in the French Pyrenees opens on Saturday with a 2.5km green piste; no doubt it'll be the scene of many a first snowplough.
Aside from that, the rumour is that Baqueira is hoping to open on the following Saturday, a week earlier than planned. Great new for me, as I finally bit the bullet, taking the season pass there again this year! I've got depressingly little overall time to ski this year, but taking an apartment just 10 minutes from Peülla means that my lunchtime breaks will be the highlights of my week
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Pyremaniac wrote:
It couldn't be any other way, could it! You've guessed it... Masella opens tomorrow, kicking off their 50th anniversary with the usual blue piste in the Coma Oriola sector. Thanks to Nevasport for confirming what I suspected: it will be Masella's second earliest ever opening date, after the classic 8th November start in 2008-9 when they managed to open for 6 full months non-stop! Legendary... especially the party on the free last day! Great memories... in that season I went from novice to my first ever black piste (50 metres of motorway at about French blue run standard ). Looking back now, it's no exaggeration to say that that winter changed my life
Porté Puymorens in the French Pyrenees opens on Saturday with a 2.5km green piste; no doubt it'll be the scene of many a first snowplough.
Aside from that, the rumour is that Baqueira is hoping to open on the following Saturday, a week earlier than planned. Great new for me, as I finally bit the bullet, taking the season pass there again this year! I've got depressingly little overall time to ski this year, but taking an apartment just 10 minutes from Peülla means that my lunchtime breaks will be the highlights of my week
I read the news that Porté Puymorens was going to open. Here we are scheduled to open on the 2nd of December and will remain open for the Spanish holidays then only open at weekends until the 23rd of December when we open fully until the first week in April (snow permitting). The season pass for Baqueira is too rich for me, but I hope to get over there a few times this season.
Uff tell me about it. But if I'm only going to be able to ski in my lunchbreak, I want to be in a nice enough village right next to a single lift that takes you directly to interesting skiing. Discounting the French side, that narrowed it down to Baqueira (Peülla from Val d'Àneu) or Arcalís (from El Serrat). The French side is much better for that, I'm sure... but I didn't have time to do all the figuring out of the whole seasonal apartment thing in France, although some season soon I will do it! Since Arcalís, brilliant little freeride resort though it is, would be a bit claustrophobic day after day, I went with Baqueira.
From a social life perspective I would have preferred the Val d'Aran of course, but it's almost impossible to find apartments there these days; AirBnB is causing a lot of social problems there, so I'm told. The resort workers are finding it very hard to find anywhere to live, and I believe Baqueira are even considering buying up some blocks to use for worker accommodation, similar to what the resorts are talking about doing in Andorra, from what I've read. Without wanting to get too political here, I think the valleys should ban AirBnB from doing whole-apartment rentals, and stick to the original idea of individual rooms in real family homes instead. As a result of the scarcity, the prices for rental accommodation are frightening! Double that of the Val d'Àneu
Also, I hate the access to Baqueira from anywhere other than Cap del Port or Orri... and Orri is a nightmare for traffic on peak days, and is a relatively long drive from down the valley.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Pyremaniac, That's interesting regarding the accommodation in Baqueira. I look from time to time for season lets and it doesn't look easy. Last time we got lucky with a little place in Garos but that's no longer an option.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Yeah the estate agencies told me that it's been a nightmare for them since last season; there are barely any rental properties on their books any more. Pity about your place in Garòs... nice little location that's just about walkable from Arties.
Anyhow, it would be great if we could turn the Unofficial Pyrenean Bash into a reality this season! Sounds like there will be a few of us dotted around the central Pyrenees.
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.
Oh and for the love of god, Pic du Midi finally at some point this year!!!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Pyremaniac wrote:
AirBnB is causing a lot of social problems there, so I'm told. The resort workers are finding it very hard to find anywhere to live, and I believe Baqueira are even considering buying up some blocks to use for worker accommodation, similar to what the resorts are talking about doing in Andorra, from what I've read. Without wanting to get too political here, I think the valleys should ban AirBnB from doing whole-apartment rentals, and stick to the original idea of individual rooms in real family homes instead. As a result of the scarcity, the prices for rental accommodation are frightening! Double that of the Val d'Àneu
I know the AirBnb issue is causing a lot of problems everywhere. Many are operating under the radar and therefore are not charging/paying tourist tax which is one of the only sources of revenue to support the Tourist Offices. The other side of the problem is that they are lowering the market rate in certain areas, and basically officially fully registered businesses cannot compete, especially the older hotels.
From a skiing perspective at Baqueira, I have always preferred to take my clients to Beret, always dead first thing so skiing on empty slopes, then head over to Baqueira and then Bonaigua, going against the flow of the hoards of skiers coming from Baqueira.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Yeah for a full day's skiing there, that is definitely the best plan, both for avoiding the crowds and for following the sun... playful snow all day, that way! But for first lifts on a powder day, it's Peulla FTW
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.
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
What's a good place to stay around La Molina / Masella? Looking for something rustic in a nice village. I've only been up there once on a day trip...
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Pretty much all the villages in the Cerdanya are nice, though I wouldn't bother with the La Molina or Masella resort urbanizations themselves, which are purpose-built (although not ugly). Puigcerdà is the capital town of the district, and has all the services and, I'm told, a very nice medieval centre - though I'm ashamed to admit that I've never stopped there to see. Bellver has the best-preserved medieval centre according to my guidebook, and indeed it is nice; whilst neighbouring Prullans is wins those "prettiest villages" awards. Very close to Masella you have Alp, Das and Urús, all of which contain plenty of modern apartments and chalets but very nicely done indeed; personally I'd have no problem staying there, and if you're lucky you'll have a nice wooden balcony etc. Over the border in France (which is just a few minutes away) you'll find tumbledown stone villages, and when you're just a couple of kilometres in you'll suddenly find yourself in Spain again! The Spanish enclave of Llívia has a lovely old centre, and is full of second homes of Barcelona folk.
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Thu 16-11-17 8:19; edited 1 time in total
Some interesting news about Puyvalador in the eastern French Pyrenees: it was closed down at the end of last season, as it could no longer make ends meet; but now the locals are trying to find €60k via crowdfunding to turn it into the first cooperatively-owned ski resort in Europe. They need to raise the cash within the next six weeks to meet the necessary administrative deadlines to allow them to open the resort next season.
Not the best weather across the Pyrenees at the moment with clear blue sky and rising temperatures. The positive news is that Baqueira is due to open tomorrow - and that their newly renovated canteen/restaurant will be open at Baqueira 1800.
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?
Good stuff. Some years are more exciting than others in terms of novelties at Baqueira, but there's always something. That it and Masella are the only two completely privately owned ski resorts in the Spanish Pyrenees should come as no surprise; when it's your own money on the line, you make the business work.
Good stuff. Some years are more exciting than others in terms of novelties at Baqueira, but there's always something. That it and Masella are the only two completely privately owned ski resorts in the Spanish Pyrenees should come as no surprise; when it's your own money on the line, you make the business work.
I couldn't agree more. An interesting contrast is the difference at Superbagneres from when it was under the management of Altiservice, who did not invest and were putting all of their money into their flagship resort St Lary. We took the resort back into our control and almost doubled the turnover in only three years, though the bad start to the last two seasons proved extremely challenging financially. Another example (again Altiservice) is Artouste which I believe is only opening for 5 weeks over the main holidays this winter.
Investment is critical, and I know from first hand experience that there is a narrow line between a ski station being profitable or making a loss.
Fingers crossed for a change to colder weather with snow before the end of the month..
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
They are known as Antiservice down here now! You are right Artouste is only opening for Christmas holdand February hols. They asked the local commune for half a million or they would close for the winter, they may well open the weekends in January if someone can come up with 100k, but the commune is not really in a position to pay. Went along to the protest this morning as I'm part of the ski club, everyone very upset as you would expect. Basically antiservice have a contract to run Artouste until 2023 and although it loses money in winter it, unlike most ski area, is very profitable in the summer due to its little train that is the highest in Europe and very popular, and rightly so. Stunning area. It would appear that they just want to milk the area for he profit and don't care about the valley in general. The story is not finished yet me thinks.
Yeah this is very sad news about Artouste. I've never been, but several of my mountaineering friends claim that Artouse is one of their favourite resorts in the whole Pyrenees, which is high praise indeed.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Just spent the day in Baqueira. Only a couple of lifts open, but an excellent leg loosener. Snow coverage is already looking better than most of last season & the new restaurant at 1800 is a marked improvement on the dark place they had there before.
Skiing in the Pyrenees in the middle of November who'd have thought !
After all it is free
After all it is free
mortonia wrote:
Just spent the day in Baqueira. Only a couple of lifts open, but an excellent leg loosener. Snow coverage is already looking better than most of last season & the new restaurant at 1800 is a marked improvement on the dark place they had there before.
Skiing in the Pyrenees in the middle of November who'd have thought !
Yes I drove over there on Tuesday and it was looking very good indeed. I gather they intend to open more slopes and lifts this coming weekend. The forecast is a little mixed for the next few days but hopefully from the 28th there may be more snow.
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.
Have found some cheap flights to Carcassonne at February half term with a view to skiing as many Pyrenean resorts as possible. Advice on where to go and where the best place to stay would be with regards to visiting as many as possible. Will be hiring a car but not sure of the snow chain/winter tyre availability at Carcassonne. Any advice and recommendations would be very welcome from those in the know please.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@wishfulthinker, What are you after? Piste/off-piste? Quiet/party town?
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
). Looking back now, it's no exaggeration to say that that winter changed my life 
