 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@chocksaway How was the fish and chips. Is that the bar with the pig outside.[ the jokes will be interesting] Was in there having pre gins before home for dinner
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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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@Dutch Carl, Great - a hunking lump of beautifully fried hake, chips and mushy peas. I think there's a pig outside, but certainly an old shop bike/trike.
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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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That be the 1. Great bar chilled out good music and fab G&Ts. Will do the F&Cs next year
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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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All
Can it be confirmed that the GM cable car is out due to
1. Damage to it in a storm
2. Storm scoured the snow and not good to be open
3. Neither
4. Both
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Mark1863, 1.
Repairs making progress.
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@Dutch Carl, just to echo what Chocksaway has said. Great food and vibe in the QDC but the fish and chips are particularly nice.
@Mark1863, did I spot you in the Jam Bar at apres time?
Amongst other things today we skiied Sache. Not something I'll repeat any time soon. Think 30 degree ice rink. Desperately needs fresh snow although piste bashing it may improve matters somewhat.
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Had the first day on piste today - spotted a few Brits out there, especially on the Furnival where a snowboarder manage to wedge himself in the closing doors  and we had a bit of a laugh! Did a few runs down Grattalu in the morning opposite the RN ski team who were doing training runs. Also did a quick recce and leg stretcher of the park down from Premou as the piste was deserted, then a run back down the halfpipe to the apartment to pick the GF up.
The afternoon was a bit more cut up down to La Daille as the GF bailed a few times on Verte much to everyone’s amusement however we made it down and back up again just in time for last lifts up Tufs where I went it alone and had a playful run down Henri with a bit of casual air here and there!
Same again tomorrow in the morning as the GF is in ski school which leaves me a bit of time to get down to Val D and back again in time for lunch.
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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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Heavy day. Skinned up Grand Motte from the cable car station and skied the east face from about 3400m down to 2300. Conditions were excellent but my thighs will feel the burn of the exit for days to come. Massive cartwheeling header due to changeable light and an inadvertent air. St Foy tomorrow.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| chocksaway wrote: |
Repairs making progress. |
Hopefully the lack of wind last week let them crack on.
Did anyone else see the big training exercise at the top of Grattalu on Saturday? There were probably 50 pisteurs there, with piste bashers, dogs, the heli... the works. Impressive stuff.
Can't get over what good condition EK is in right now. Am in the UK for a few days but back at the weekend. Can't wait.
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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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@bar shaker, Hope so. I had a look up there today, both cabins were in the bottom station which seemed a bit odd. They have now started pisting the runs up on the higher glacier, but they have also prepared a track for the Champagny lift - make of that what you will!
It was cold and bright and sunny this morning but I was late out thanks to a monumental pile of washing up, I though I was feeding 5, not sure how the 5000 arrived! The pistes are still in great shape, Double M at lunchtime was a blast.
Tomorrow will be pretty much a carbon copy of today, sunny cold and little breeze. It will cloud over after dark and then the uncertainty starts, the cold front from the NW is very much a fading feature by the time it reaches up so Wednesday is going to be a variable feast (more granularity tomorrow - to use a Whitehall phrase). Current best guess is cloudy with intermittent light snow showers in the morning and a bit of a breeze. The snow is more likely to be continuous in the afternoon, but light or moderate. The breeze will tick up a knot or two. One things for sure it is going to be very cold. By Thursday daybreak the snow will have gone leaving a mostly sunny day with some clouds around the peaks; the clouds maybe thick enough for a light snow shower over night. There's not much agreement on Friday's weather, except it will be bone chillingly cold overnight Thursday into Friday morning, looks like being mainly cloudy.
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| chocksaway wrote: |
| both cabins were in the bottom station which seemed a bit odd. |
Oddly, last week I saw a lorry taking both of the viewing platforms that were on top of cabins down the mountain. Perhaps they’re not winter compatible.
Any news on when they’ll be operating the breviere bubble in the evenings for pedestrians? I fancy checking out the apres down there one evening without the mamoth taxi ride.
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You know it makes sense.
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@GeorgeVII,
Yes was in Jam Bar on Sunday. Sorry my internet bit dodgy last few days.
Is the GM cable car out for the season do we know?
Going home on Sunday. Dodgy joints mean 2 or 3 weeks maximum at a time this season
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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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@hodgkins, It seems to have gone very quiet on that front- so no idea. Probably need the next Maire to come from Brev!!
After many days of skiing I decided to have an Admin day. So no ski report today.
The weather for tomorrow remains a conundrum, the frontal systems a re a model of indecision and confusion! But it will cloud over tonight and there may be the lightest of dustings of snow in the early hours. Most forecasts suggest a heavily overcast day, with maybe a hint of sun in one of them. Light or moderate snow should start around lunchtime and continue until midnight (though the Swiss model shows no snow). It will be a cold day. Thursday looks like being a day of sunny periods and it will be very cold. the breeze may also pick up in the afternoon, so extra double insulation. Fridays forecasts are also confused, on whether the sun will appear from behind the clouds or whether it will just be cloudy. But there will be a wind at altitude and it will be colder still by a degree or two. After a very cold night the temperatures will rise on Saturday, sunny periods by day and snow showers after dark.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Just out in Lavachet. Temperature currently showing at -11c but the wind is bitterly cold. Feels more like -20c 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Steady fine snow falling as I look out of my window across the Lavachet nursery slope.
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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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Well the weather threw a curved ball overnight, all the forecasts had changed this morning as the front had fizzled and they were all saying we were in for a nice morning which is was, if a little cold. Today was a training day with New Gen so we did some off piste in the morning followed by drills in the afternoon on piste as the light had gone. It has snowed lightly since about 3 o'clock. here is a picture of our adventures down Glattier (to the mini tunnel about a mile short of Lac):
It remains untracked for some time as it is not an obvious route and you have to get a bus from the bottom! But the highlight was seeing a Chamois about 50m in front of me, it was too quick for me as it darted into the trees, so no pictures!
The light snow will continue until the wee hours (3-5cm in total) and the skies will then mostly clear leaving us with a very cold morning, there will be mixed amounts of cloud through the day but the sun should be around to give enough light, but there will be little respite from the temperature, it could well be still in minus double figures out of the sun at lunchtime. Friday will be even colder, but sunny, especially when the wind picks up in the afternoon, the wind chill will be brutal, proper January weather. Again, we are in diesel freezing territory in the outdoor carparks. Over night into Saturday the deep cold continues, a bright start again a strong breeze in the villages and gusty winds at height. But the winds will drop a bit and swing round to the west from the north, heralding a much less cold middle of the day (minus a few degrees). It then all gets a bit unsure, but it is likely to get cloudy on Saturday afternoon and light snow may start just before dark. Sunday will be windy cloudy and snowy, just not sure how much yet....
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The dusting of snow last night was an absolute godsend so after leaving the GF in ski school by Tufs, I went for a few warm up runs down Grattalu which were absolutely amazing, having laid (almost) first tracks down there and getting the chair back up to admire the bananas under the cable.
Mid morning was a bit more playful having done a fairly kamikaze line under one of the chairs down to Le Lac, then a few runs underneath Merles which ended in a huge bail somewhere by Grande Huit after messing up a switchback - luckily nobody was around to see it so it didn’t happen!
The afternoon was more time in the boardercross bit by Grattalu until the cloud came down and the heavy stuff came in and landings disappeared.
If it all clears tomorrow, first lifts up again to Grattalu and first tracks again!
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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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Another cold and sunny day in Paradise, but it was a late start after a highly successful Charity Quiz Night in the Cave du Loop last night. It did cloud over with that fine misty stuff at about 4 and a few flocons have gone past the window. There was abut 3cm of fresh in the village last night and 5 aloft.
Meanwhile they have had an unusual feathered visitor in Val. A sick Cormorat was seen wandering down the street, the National Park wardens have now taken it into care.
The weather for tomorrow: COLD. It could well bounce off -20 by tomorrow morning and there will be a stiff northerly breeze in the village and winds up high, so frost nip is a real possibility, especially with the littl'uns. It will be mostly if not completely sunny but any benefit of that will be negated by the wind. I'll repeat the warning on diesels, if its been outside this week, go and give it a run tomorrow so if there is a snag you are at the front of the queue for the tow truck. Luckily I'm going on a brewery visit. The wind will start howling after dark, so it might drown out the bagpipes, a team of us are going to the Queue de Cochon for the traditional supper, there is Scottish dancing at the Cave du Loop! Saturday sees the winds drop a bit and swing round to the west, the midday temps may well be 10 degs warmer than Friday. There will be variable amounts of cloud and some sun - a sort of suck it and see day. All change for Sunday, mostly cloudy, maybe with a peep of the sun in the morning and then light snow turning heavier from around lunchtime with a bit of a breeze. Fast moving heavy snow showers looks to be the order of the day for Monday, its a bit chaotic and forecasts are varying as to the amount of sun and of snow. But we are potentially looking at between 20 and 30 cm of new snow to play in between Sunday lunchtime and early Tuesday, now that would be nice!
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Gosh this cold weather is sticking around. Any chance of nudging up the thermostat a bit next week @chocksaway? 
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@Tignes addict, I know, but minus 20? Maybe I’m just getting soft...  A balmy minus 12 would do...
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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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And photo of the day comes from @GeorgeVII, (who is currently not set up for posting photos)
Beam Me Up Scotty!
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Very cold and bright today, there was lots of red faces around when I cam back from the brewery trip, maybe not quite as much wind as anticipated, but it will blow tonight at altitude, raising the avalanche risk to 3 above 3000m. So here it is - Tim the snowHead brewer hard at work down in The Sapaudia Brewery near Centron, producing Craft beer for the aficionados:
I'll put more in the separate thread, cos I know this ones supposed to be about snow.
The weather - stand by for change. The wind swings round to the west tonight and we are in for a series of Atlantic fronts which means its going to be quite a bit warmer and a lot more snowy Tomorrow will start sunny but gradually high clouds will creep in from the west before thickening up after dark. It will be a good 7or8 degrees warmer which will be nice. Sunday looks cloudy, windy and snowy, but not too cold. The snow will be showery in nature so there will be lulls now and again, the forecasts of amount of snow vary quite a lot, 15-20 but more on Monday. Sundays snowline will be somewhere between Moutiers and Bourg so a heads up - if you haven't got snow chains - get some. Monday will also be snowy and cloudy all day with a breeze in the village. It will also be a few degrees colder, so it will be snowing all the way down to the plain. Tuesday will be a mix of sunny periods, maybe the odd light shower but cold. Beyond that it will be mixed but it all depends on the timings of the procession of frontal systems.
Tomorrow on the roads should be OK with 20000 vehicles heading down. there may be some small waits (eg the tunnel at Aigueblanche between 1300 and 1600 as we are expecting 27000 vehicles arriving, the calm of January is soon going to be behind us! Worthy of note is Lyon and Grenoble are forecasting the chance of freezing rain until breakfast time - that could make the roads a bit treacherous. For the fliers, the chance of drizzle in the UK and a bit bumpy up north, nothing really over here as the freezing rain should be just about gone by the early arrivals. Geneva and Chambery look good.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
the calm of January is soon going to be behind us!
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And very nice it has been, too!
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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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@chocksaway, Does Duncan get in proper Haggis for Burns night? IIRC from last year he does - great stuff !
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@GreenDay, Indeed he does!
Few clouds on the peaks, but essentially a nice day and the thermometer is 8 or 9 degrees higher this morning.
Time for a Saturday Cruise.
Edit: just announced the Leisses Chair is opening this morning for the first time this season.
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You know it makes sense.
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Sitting in the apartment in Lavachet waiting for Bogus junior to complete his ablutions before we hit the road at about 1100, some reflections on the week. I didn't see any great value in posting daily since @chocksaway, does such a sterling job of keeping you all up to the minute with the changing weather and other conditions.
So, Tignes in January again. Probably about the eigth or ninth time in the last twelve years but I can't remember it being quite this cold since the very first time I was here for New Year in 2006/7. Yesterday the thermometer at the bottom of Marmottes was showing -17 at 10 am. I am strictly a piste skier and the pistes have been in lovely condition although in a few places its is clear that the snow cover is not that deep. This time last year parked skis outside the Maison de Tignes were level with the top of the lamp posts. This year it's all a bit more normal. The sun has shone more or less all day every day with just a dusting of new snow one evening. Yesterday afternoon the crunchy sound of ice beneath the skis made its appearance for pretty much the first time all week. I was so unused to it that I came a right old cropper on the run down to Brevieres on Pavot. That will teach me something about not getting complacent in benign conditions.
Otherwise both Bogus Junior and I have observed businesses in Tignes are increasingly modelling themselves on their cousins over in Val d'Isere. The number of the old grungy Tignes places is going down but there are still some. Hopefully the Loop Bar will never change.
As @chocksaway, says, the temperature is a bit higher today and maybe the coming week will be a bit less frigid, but if your are heading here I'd still make sure you have a couple of extra layers packed.
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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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hey, what are the best options for ski hire in brevieres or1800. or best to drive up the valley? thanks in advance
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Poster: A snowHead
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Great weather, fantastic snow, enough said
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There is a limited supply (maybe one or two shops each). I'd have a look online and see the price they charge down there, then compare with Guy Clarey at Sport 2000 on Rue de La Poste in Tignes Le Lac, he's the best value I have found this year. You can then do the convenience cost analysis! Looks like 1 in Boisses and 2 in Brev. The one in Brev seems a bit top end on the price.
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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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@Tignes addict, The company wasn't bad either 
A great day for a ski!
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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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@Tignes addict, pretty much, just a thin layer of high clouds and some persistent contrails taking a little bit of the heat out of the sun (especially when Borsat stopped 3 times for 3 or 4 minutes during out journey). It was a Gentlemen's cruise around the pistes and a trip to La Daille for coffee and then back for a bit of prep before mates arrive in 2 waves, today and tomorrow.
And for the weather - all change! After a mainly clear night the clouds will arrive before daylight and we should have the 'silent awakening' of snow muffling the noise. I don't think the pisteurs will be that busy as a couple of forecasts suggest the snow will start mid morning. But it will then snow all day and a very gusty wind will build up after lunch, most of the high lifts will be closed. The snowline is likely to be between Albertville and Moutiers, there may be trouble ahead....The avalanche risk will rise from 2 to 3 during the day. The snow will ease off by Monday morning, but it is likely to be light snow until mid afternoon, when the sun may poke its nose out (or not). It will be another windy white out day - expect Brev and la Daille to be very busy. Timings are all a bit variable from then on, but Tuesday will be a reasonable day starting with sunny periods and couding over later, but we are back to winter cold, not much wind though. Wednesday looks like being a day of fast moving snow showers with some fast moving sunny periods.
Over to the travel office.
Didn't see many problems today, although the yellow jackets tried to block the road to Chambery Airport - but it looks like there is another way, as most flights appeared to leave roughly on time. Tomorrow will be a different game - if you don't have snow tyres then chains will be mandatory - maybe as low as Bourg, you may need them for a departure in the morning too. Some tour ops may add a little flex to your departure times...... In the UK the big story is gusty showers, at times the gusts around a shower may preclude an approach to Newcastle and the Scottish airports, a few times in a circle to wait for the shower to pass perhaps. Over here there seems to be disagreements over the rain snow line in the forecast - all the airports are forecasting rain, with the exception of Chambery where there is a slim chance of a snow shower and reduced visibility, that would delay approaches. But if the snowline drops a bit it would be a different story. Just a heads up for Grenoble there is chance of freezing fog till about 6am, if that forms and lingers, it will mean delays - just hope the showers arrive and blow it away on time. So all in all a bumpy ride in the air at both ends, a wise man may have a sarnie of a choccy bar, with a can of drink for the bus journey
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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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Started snowing lightly just before 8 and the wind has picked up. There have been some heavy showers of snow in the last hour, but on the whole it has been moderate. I think this pattern may well be repeated through the day. It is sleeting/snowing down in Albertville and the roads are already looking congested - it may be a long journey for some....but when you get here it will be great!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Well there has been the odd break today and there has been a gusty wind around the heavier showers. But I suspect there may be fireworks on the Rue de La Poste as local boy Johan Clarey has just finished 2nd in the Super G in Kitz. There will be some thick heads up here in the morning!
The weather, please don't take the timings as gospel as we are going to be subjected to a seething mass of Atalntic weather systems this week, its going to be a roller coaster, but todays forecast may say it may snow in the morning, tomorrow it may well be the afternoon.
The other thing to note is Avalanche Risk 4 tomorrow. After the heavy snow and high winds tomorrow is going to be dangerous off piste, that's after they open - expect an early morning call as the pisteurs start with explosives and Gasexs in the morning. Check the lift opening on line before leaving the comfort of your chalet.
The heavy snow showers (so not continuous) will continue until daybreak when they will ease off. Tomorrow looks cloudy with light snow showers most of the day, it will also be cold with windchill on top.. There may be the odd break that tempts you out - or off piste - beware it may close back in quickly. By day Tuesday looks OK sunny periods interspersed by cloudy ones, less cold and the winds will be less strong at altitude. Wednesday, hang on to your hat, confidence is not high but windy and snowy until at least midday when there may be the odd break in the cloud. Thursday's forecast is not much better than a horoscope, sunny periods with the odd snow shower - perhaps!
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Would it be accurate to say 3V won the snow lottery today over Val D'isere? It appears from afar that snowfall has benn lighter and more intermittent than expected in EK.
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@Ptspeak, they need it more 
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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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A combination of avalanche blasting and snow clearance on the roads meant that there was no need for an alarm call this morning.
Not sure how up-to-date the Tignes App info is but I reckon our guardienne has just shovelled about 15 cms of snow off the access pathway. Still looks like some pretty strong gusts of wind out there as well.
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@GeorgeVII, same here in La Daille, about 15cm. It was tipping down when we were in Cocorico last night and half of that had fallen between 4pm and 8pm.
Blasting going off everywhere this morning. Should be amazing when it opens, if a bit windy up the top.
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FAQ
