 Poster: A snowHead
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@sean1967,
There are no runs open back to val D. download by bubble.
The double m run back into tignes val claret is open and in great condition.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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@Bellamy899, With current conditions I would stick with your plan (all may change of course). Currently the pistes that are open are in good nick. That is mainly due to the geography of the area and the snowline (and some artificial). The good snow extends just below the tops of the Solaise bubble and just below the Marmottes chair, a few metres further down its non existent so there is little chance of damaging skis as you can't back to Val on planks. The snow to the bottom of Double M in Tignes is fine (although you can tell a lot of it is artificial in the last 200m vertical). Might be worth reviewing on Friday in case we have some more snow and they open the lower pistes which may be less than perfect......
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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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@lgrant, The off piste guides at Iski are French, but they all speak English well. They have all worked in the area for many years. http://www.iski-val.com/
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Mon 26-11-18 17:11; edited 1 time in total
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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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@chocksaway, thanks, that is very helpful.
We leave Friday lunchtime, so I will keep an eye on your posts in case anything changes.
On the PSB and PSBFU, so may see you out there.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Bellamy899, I live next door, so probably! Still snowing lightly 
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| lgrant wrote: |
| Also welcome would be any suggestions for off-piste/out of bounds guides who speak English well (our level of French ranges from shameful to non-existent) and are highly safety conscious (our teenage daughter is coming with us). Maybe also ski schools, for a 3-day clinic type thing, potentially. |
I’d personally recommend Floss at https://www.freefloski.com/
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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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It was a cloudy and grey start today and quite mild. It started snowing lightly (just about contrary to everybody's forecasts) at about 9. It has continued non stop since then we have even had some moderate snow showers, so no great accumulations but as they say 'every little helps'. So I decided on a DIY and admin day, a couple of minor bits need seeing too in the apartment so Weldom beckons later in the afternoon.
However, there is good news. From around lunchtime tomorrow the Toviere Gondola and the Tufs chair will open - the only extra piste will be Henri, so Lac will be 'ski out' but chair and gondola (or bus) home. Hopefully with snow cannons and this natural snow we will see a couple of extra lifts before the weekend.
Tignes is also hosting "L'etoiles du sport" in Tignespace this week. French champions from a variety of sports are partnered with up and coming teens for bonding and mentoring.
The weather forecast - mmmmm. There is about as much clarity as there is with Brexit, that is the last time I will mention that word this season, I promise. The models are disagreeing and we are living under an unpredictable atmosphere, courtesy of lying directly below an erratic Jetstream so, just as this morning look out of the window. I think tomorrow will be similar to today, but looking at 4 forecasting systems they are disagreeing as to whether light snow will continue all day or there might be some sunny intervals, temperatures will be similar to today and there will be light winds, which should increase to a stiff breeze at altitude in the afternoon. On Wednesday the forecasts are giving an equal spilt between light snow and cloud or sunny periods and a nice day  . We almost have a consensus for Thursday, much warmer with mostly a sunny day before uncertainty arrives back on Friday, it will be cooler and a band of showers will probably pass through at some stage beyond that I'm an Aries!
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Some nice toe-nail deep powder this morning. Actually bit more than a toe-nail. Off the top of GM - far left especially good. On a hard base.
With Snoworks and a good day despite limited vis and options.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks for your responses all. @chocksaway, my mistake -- I saw the L'space Killy title and made the wrong assumption! Should have looked a bit further. Yes, thinking about the trip over to Bonneval-sur-Arcs, or something similar. I assume that's all unpatrolled, non-avalanche-controlled terrain?
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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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@lgrant, Spot on re the terrain. The Bonneval one is expensive as you need a helo back (or a very long minibus transfer home). Most of the off piste ski schools do it a few many times a season, but you need a full helo! Kev at
http://www.tignesoffpiste.com/ will also take you on that one.
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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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| lgrant wrote: |
Hi all, am wondering if any Val d'Isere insiders could offer some non-biased knowledge about where to go for ski rental that won't bankrupt us for a fortnight in January? We're coming from NZ and don't fancy lugging 3 pairs of skis (though we might have to) around Europe, and stops en route. Our apartment's owner has made a suggestion but they seem to stock mainly touring skis, which might be great for a couple of days, but potentially not 14. We're quite picky about our gear, and will have our own boots.
Also welcome would be any suggestions for off-piste/out of bounds guides who speak English well (our level of French ranges from shameful to non-existent) and are highly safety conscious (our teenage daughter is coming with us). Maybe also ski schools, for a 3-day clinic type thing, potentially.
I have been trawling through your forums in the last few days, but haven't quite found what I'm looking for! |
I use Skimium in La Daille for friends. Any of them will be fine but definitely book on line as there are no discounts for walk in customers, in February.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| welshflyer wrote: |
@bar shaker,
But are you going to put the first tracks in?
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We most certainly did!! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Strange old day! We seem to have been sat under our very own local weather system. It has snowed lightly all day with the odd moderate burst; there was a slight break with a hint of sun around lunchtime but that didn't last long. Even photos on Radio Val's Twitter feed show much nicer weather at times, I will have to wait and see what Steve says later. There was more of a breeze than perhaps we thought on high and they had quite a problem getting the lifts going on the Glacier - due to ice. It's much easier for STGM if the snow is cold and light - it doesn't accumulate on the wires. I suppose I fell for the 'suckers gap' so popped out around one, up the Toviere and it was not a welcoming sight at the top:
It was damp, windy, cool and as I set off down Henri the cloud closed in and the snow cannons were all on; at the bottom the GM looked less appealing. So all in all I beat a hasty retreat to the bus stop in VC and came home!
Now there is a bit more consensus on the weather for the next 2 or 3 days. Tomorrow looks like being a reasonable day with varying amounts of layered cloud but the sun should shine or at least make its presence felt all day. It will be a bit warmer and less breezy than today. Thursday looks very similar, it will be warmer, indeed mild for the time of year, there may be almost no cloud in the afternoon when the wind begins to pick up, expect the snow to disappear from the roads. Winter returns on Friday, which looks cloudy with snow from early to mid morning, timings are not exact as the passage of the front from the west depends on the anticyclone to the north east retreating. Currently Saturday looks benign with sunny periods, a good day for travelling. Sunday may well be very snowy and windy but I wouldn't put my house on it yet! The trend next week is for showers but still quite warm, good news for us at altitude, worrying for the lower resorts.
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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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@bar shaker, Nice.
Unfortunately we missed opening weekend as we had to leave town on the Wednesday
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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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@bar shaker,
Has the refurb finished at the Spar in La Daille ?
Seemed to lose part of my post
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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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Was it a weird dream or did I read somewhere that Jack's Bar & the bowling alley in Tignes le Lac have been sold off for development and will not be open this season?
Have looked through a couple of threads but can't find the relevant posts...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| HossDoc wrote: |
Was it a weird dream or did I read somewhere that Jack's Bar & the bowling alley in Tignes le Lac have been sold off for development and will not be open this season?
Have looked through a couple of threads but can't find the relevant posts... |
Yeah, I remember reading that.
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@HossDoc, to be fair it's on the previous page of this thread and I did start a separate thread for people to reminisce. It has been sold but some rumours suggest it is for redevelopment and others say the bowling alley will remain but the club will go. We will see, but knowing which organisation has bought it, the cards will remain close to their chests.
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Its a Dame Vera morning. 6cm more in the village since yesterday morning and 20cm on the GM. Must go! 
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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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What are the crowds like at the moment? Never been so early in the season, but are pistes likely to be mostly empty on the PSB? (Means I can try new tricks without looking silly when I inevitably take it too far and fall)
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| muppet wrote: |
@bar shaker,
Has the refurb finished at the Spar in La Daille ?
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Yes I'd heard that Casino had gone bust and was desperately hoping someone would take it over. Spar have done a really nice job inside, I just hope they keep it as well stocked as Casino did.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Bennisboy wrote: |
| What are the crowds like at the moment? Never been so early in the season, but are pistes likely to be mostly empty on the PSB? (Means I can try new tricks without looking silly when I inevitably take it too far and fall) |
Other than for a couple of hours on Sat pm, you are skiing right up to the lift gates everywhere. It really is empty.
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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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Breaking news: Links between Val and Tignes planned to open on Friday
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You know it makes sense.
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The place will just about be organised in time for my arrival. 
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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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Great day today, mostly blue skies, at times there was a bit of high level cloud that took the sting out of the sun and a cheeky breeze above 2700m but with 20cm of fresh on the GM who cares?
We did quite a few laps of the Glacier area and with a bit of careful route picking we did find untracked and quite light fresh snow. Still not queuing for lifts which is nice (unless you are a racer on the stades). We also popped up Toviere to have a sneeky peak over the netting to see how they are getting on with preparing the links so the playground becomes much bigger. The latest news is that Tommeuses will open on Friday, so it will be a ski down Creux to the Mont Blanc chair to access Val. The Solaise will be accessed by downloading on the Olympique to the Solaise Gondy. Looking around it doesn't look as though it will be long before Carline and Grattalu could be opened, it will be a little while before Palafour is thanks to the deep culverts that need filling in, especially the one above the Savouna.
Well the big news is that tomorrow will be the first day of Spring. Luckily this spring will only last one day. There will be some cloud in the morning but this is forecast to dissipate by lunchtime, but it will feel warm in the villages where 7 or 8 degrees may be achieved. Just watch out for a late afternoon increase in the wind speed at altitude. Friday will see the return of late autumn, it will be cloudy and we should have light snow for most of the day, the snowline will be down by Brev, in terms of snow about 5cm in the villages. Saturday still looks benign, mainly cloudy and a few sunny intervals, not a bad day for travelling. Sunday , on the other hand looks snowy, windy but not that cold so the snowline may well be about 1900m, making it a bit damp in Val. It will be showery though, so there will be some repite. Monday will be similar before an amelioration on Tuesday. Depending on the actual passage of the most active parts of the front Sunday and Monday could solve most of the snow problems above 2000m, we are potentially looking at 20-40cm, as ever, no promises
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Poster: A snowHead
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@chocksaway, I want your life
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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FRanga......Ditto
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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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@franga, @stefoy4me, Oi! I've not finished with it!
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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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What do you do out there Chocks?
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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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@Bennisboy, Ski, write some vaguely useful stuff on snowHeads, go to the pub, eat, sleep. Occasionally have mates to stay to disrupt an otherwise simple life!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@chocksaway, Your posts are always useful chocks and enjoyable to read. Not a bad set up you have indeed there sir!
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@chocksaway, what a crap existence, but I suppose someone has to do it. 
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@chocksaway, I'd be very disappointed if you didn't ski! Dunno why but my imagination had you down as owning a bar or something, literally no supporting reason for that theory
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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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I'm back next weekend for a few days. A bit of World Cup and a bit of skiing and boarding with a sailing mate.
A decent dump during next week will be just perfect, thank you @chocksaway.
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FAQ
