 Poster: A snowHead
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Seems that there's going to be another 50cm to 60cm of snow above 1500m to 2000m over the next few days, across much of the Alps.
Tignes still looks very snowy.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Bloody tease 
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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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BTW how do you get a link to ascribe itself to certain words? Technology is well beyond me!
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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 need something of the from:
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[url=http://www.snoweye.com/]snow eye[/url]
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ahhh. Here goes then. Val Thorens Then you can all see the nice photos of Val Thorens and feel miserable that we are stuck in the UK!!!
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It's just plain mean posting this kind of thing just after I've finally given in and put all the kit up in the loft! Roll on December....
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Chris Angus, if you have time would you care to look at this topic and give us your views?
Thanks
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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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| Mark Hunter wrote: |
| Bloody tease |
I agree. It's almost impossible to get a decent cuppa at 2000m (not to mention a nice scone and jam). Must be something to do with the water boiling temperature.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Look at all this lovely snowgoing to waste above Cervinia. Better conditions than February, on slopes that consistently have good snow into May. I tried to ski to the neighbouring resort of Valtournenche 10 days ago in brilliant conditions and the whole lift system had shut for the season.
The ski business internationally should spread demand into April and early May to reduce the silly crowds in high season, so people can enjoy great snow (and usually much better weather) on the high slopes a couple of months later. Snow is too precious a commodity to go to waste like this.
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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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Alan,
Have taken a look at it and it is great. Certainly spells out how to use the site. It seems very comprehensive to me and would have put me straight to start with. Just wish I'd seen it sooner 
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks Chris - we intend to put it at the "top" so that it should be one of the first things a new/prospective user sees 
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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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Perhaps you could make it an option when a new user first registers. Add a link at the bottom of the registration page to a 'Tutorial Page' or some such thing. Not quite sure how the technicalities of that would work!! At least that way all new users would be aware of the existance of a help page. The basic functionality is very clear anyway, just the icing (or fresh powder?  ) on the top which needs a little explanation for simple people like me!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Chris Angus, that's a good suggestion, we'll see what U can do! As for functionality, this "New Users Guide" is just the nursery slope - you should see what some people want in the "Black run" guide....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'm easily confused  I might just avoid that and stick to the nursery slopes. Running before walking etc etc
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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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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| The ski business internationally should spread demand into April and early May to reduce the silly crowds in high season, so people can enjoy great snow (and usually much better weather) on the high slopes a couple of months later. Snow is too precious a commodity to go to waste like this. |
Must say I'm a bit confused. I put up a thread asking if resorts should shift their season later and everyone seemed to think that it wouldn't work, including David. But now everyone is saying that they should keep slopes open. Which one should it be?
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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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Chris Reed, I think people are saying that it would be a good thing to do, but they don't think that it will happen.
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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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Did I really say that? It would present a significant marketing challenge, but resorts with high skiing could offer great deals to fill the empty beds and lifts, and run some novel events to keep people entertained.
One thing which strikes me as crazy is that the glaciers are perfect for teaching people to ski in May, yet they are now deserted. Flash back to January and thousands of novices were freezing on bleak nursery slopes. It's the same every year.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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For those with the greater experience/years skiing, much has been made of the shifting of the season later into the year - how far back does one have to go for this not being the case?
And do the ski=ing conditions regularly extend into May at the higher resorts? Regularly enough, that is, to justify extending the season for another 2-3 weeks?
Also, is it just the Brits who'd like to see the season extended? I suspect that to entice people away to ski later, operators would have to offer some fairly attractive deals which may well not be profitable. From the resorts point of view, I know that it costs €500/minute to run Serre Chevalier in the ski season. So there would have to be a big increase in end of season holiday makers to make it worthwhile.
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ise mentioned seeing a joint hotel accommodation/ESF lessons promotion on the Val website for the last week of the season. It was quite noticeable at times on the slopes, we regularly came across large groups with an instructor. No idea how 'worthwhile' it is for the resort itself to remain open though, the Espace Killy was still very quiet. davidof mentioned that the glacier makes less in the entire summer season than Tignes does in a single February day, I believe?
I imagine the decision on the closing date has to be made considerably early - staff contracts have to be established, etc. So in the event of poor conditions, the resorts would stand to lose a lot of money - I suppose they have to hedge their bets by fixing a 'safe' date. Also someone was telling me that large numbers of the locally-based employees have their 'alternate' occupations to get on with from early May.
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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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Yet a lot of resorts open in December when the snow can often be awful, if there actually is any. Maybe they could open later and close later?
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| PG wrote: |
davidof mentioned that the glacier makes less in the entire summer season than Tignes does in a single February day, I believe?
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Yes, I think it is a February weekend, so a couple of days. There are, of course, enormous benefits for people offering non-skiing activities as Charlotte has mentioned.
If everyone remembers it was not so long ago that Tignes used to open 365 days a year and les Deux Alpes had a longer season. We used to reguarly ski on October weekends at les2alpes.
There are some claims that it was the 35 hour week legislation was the final nail in the year round opening at Tignes. Although the 35 hour week doesn't mean you work only 35 hours it does restrict the total hours worked in a season.
I suspect that as well as climate issues, resorts with their mega-operators are much more focussed on what is profitable, that means the six week February period and to a certain extent Easter and the Christmas/NY. Maybe Mr Goldsmith could bring this up with the CdA?
It would seem that Tignes could stay open when the snow is good and maybe close earlier, last summer it wasn't really worth them staggering on to the bitter end except that the ski clubs would have wanted compensation - PG could no doubt tell us more about this aspect.
Piau, in the Pyrénées considered staying open during May last year, the snow was there (and is very good this year as this report mentions) but economically they just couldn't justify it..
The end of season snow is often accompanied by unstable weather conditions (les seins (saints) de glace, [coz you freeze yer tits off  ]) you don't get that many people skiing when the weather is poor no matter how warm it is. I remember skiing a mid-April Saturday in Devoluy and the lift pass officed told me that I'd bought the 100th ticket of the day... that was at noon.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Tue 4-05-04 16:10; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Zermatt is making a new gambit to offer 365-day skiing. The latest piste map promises it, on the basis of the new Furggsattel chairlift across the glacier which makes the proposition more attractive than the old T-bars. Because they have parallel access lifts up to Trockener Steg to access the glacier, they can probably deal with any lift maintenance issues that normally force shutdowns.
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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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Just take a look at Zermatt village itself today. It's just depressing, the snow must be amazing up high there! I know where I wish I was 
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And here is the forecast for the next 3 days at Val Thorens from snow-forecast.com: "A moderate fall of snow, heaviest on Wed morning. Temperatures will be well below freezing (max -8°C on Wed morning, min -12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light"
skanky, I think the ski season is pegged by Christmas and Easter, hence December to April. It will be interesting to see what happens in 2005 when Easter falls in March.
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You know it makes sense.
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easiski, ise, red dave????........ a final go on the snow.... before it turns to eau???
I'm there (VT) tomorrow morning first thing.....
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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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PG, you can go off people, you know. Snow-forecast.com prediction for here is more rain and hail with gusty winds. Occasional sunny periods and staying cold.
And you are off to Val Thorens. Huh!
(but please post some pictures of your day there.}
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Poster: A snowHead
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Jonpim, Got to make the most of it while it's there, and I've been suffering from acute ergophobia this week....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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PG, Are you going at the weekend? Tomorrow's a bit too soon for me - very tempting though. I'm fed up  It's been snowing all day, snowed last night although the snow on the lower slopes melted, but there's about 3cms lying on the roofs of the town now - the snow must be amazing high up, and there's no way to get there. Finally finished work, had a bit of a rest, feet much more cheerful, could really enjoy a little slide now
I can't help thinking that here we could run the Jandri Express for an hour in the morning, an hour in the afternoon, and one T bar on the glacier all day. With Grenoble and Lyon so close, surely the weekends would be worthwhile for a bit longer in the season? Staff go up every morning and come down every evening on the Jandri Express (sorting out the lifts for summer and so on). Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
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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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easiski, It's a weather thing, tomorrow and Friday look good, but the weekend a whole lot more snow is forecast.... Tomorrow zero temps are down around 1000m as well, so that powder should be fantastic! (Could do with a couple of hours lessons....)
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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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It's just so frustrating!!!! Now if I was living in France.................
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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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Helen Beaumont, Don't forget that it's about a 4 hour drive from here to VT - it's now 22.27 and that would mean getting up at about 04.00 to leave at 05.00 and I've got so many things to do ...........
PG, Don't think I can make it. I might be able to make Tignes next week if it's open and you're going - delighted to give you a lesson.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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easiski, you're so right, but it would be nice to be able to if I could.
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easiski, No problem..... the forecast has changed a bit for the weekend so I might go to Tignes on either Saturday or Sunday..... won't be much more than the glacier open though. O°C between 1000m and 1500m over the weekend, the odd snow shower according to meteo.fr, so it's looking good...
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PLease stop teasing us !!.
On second thought someone please post some photos of actual skiing to ease withdrawl symptoms!
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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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Looking at the amount that's fallen in parts of Switzerland in the past 24 hours, I should think the avalanche risk is going to be high for the next few days.
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FAQ
Back to the old T-bars routine? Perhaps they could get Betty in....
)