Tignes and The Espace Killy 2018/19 (Useful Links Page 1)

A snowHead

Another day with Snoworks today on one of their All-Terrain courses.

A great mix of piste and off-piste with the irrepressible Emma C.A. (time for a lie down Embarassed

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A snowHead

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I appear to have started something, here's one from the top of Pisteurs from Tim (aka the snowHeads favourite brewer!) - fuuny how cameras appear to underplay the gradient of steep slopes........

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@chocksaway, We’ve been having a fantastic week so far - masses of great skiing and stunning weather. Went snowtubing this evening which was hilarious. Night out at the Couloir tomorrow. Loving Tignes. (Sadly I also have no idea how to upload photos onto this site)

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@Ajn12345, Bit more challenging this afternoon, enjoy the Couloir, I ate thee on Monday, the beef cheek is fab as is the lamb and as for the Choccy orange bomb!

@HoneyBunny, That's the one!

Well the weather followed the forecast for once. The morning was not bad (seen through the car window on the way to Bourg) but it deteriorated rapidly and moderate snow started at about 1400 or so. Its pretty damp in Le Lac, hopefully it will cool down tonight and leave some nice snow.

The snow should finish before midnight and it will cool down. Tomorrow looks OK, or better, there will be a thin layer of high cloud again so maybe not a bright blue day but should be good. Saturday will start with snow in the early hours and it will be gusty when we awake. How long the snow goes on for is a matter for debate as the front weakens rapidly as it approaches us, so probably just after lift opening, this should stop too much snow related travel chaos; we will wait and see. Sunday will be snowy and windy all day according to the plot as it stands. The wind will pick up more later. Monday seems to be a day for very fast moving snow showers with some sunny periods, some of the showers could be heavy.

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@chocksaway, Couloir was great, you were right about the chocolate dessert - yum. Today was the most amazing day - we skied miles and enjoyed every minute. One day left then back to reality.

You know it makes sense.

Well that was quite a surprise, despite the official scores of 6 cm and 10 cm aloft there was a lot more fresh about. And thanks to the very cold second half of the night, it was light and fabulous. There was the thinnest layer of cloud at height, it made no difference to the light but did keep a bit of heat off the snow, which is never bad. With a bit of professional help from Davide from New Gen a group of us had a fantastic day, mostly steep and quite often deep! We started the day with a trip down Lognan to the bus stop, then back up for a bit of a hike up to the 'Classique' Chardonnet Couloir, we were early enough to traverse around to get fresh tracks. Then it was back to Lac buy the most Northern part of Lognan. From the top of Toviere we winkled our way down to Tufs Couloir Number one (or the Thumb), again not many tracks and snow that deep that we all looked like heros (in our eyes anyway). The snow at the bottom of the fingers was as light and fluffy as you get up here. In the Thumb:

After a spot of lunch it was up the Col de Ves and a long traverse (best not to look down) to the east face of Grande Balme, as it had had some sun on it, it was not as light but heh!

As the Grande Motte is there we had to go up, again amazingly soft snow at the top and then we traversed back round to the east face of Grande Balme for some more freshtracks. The final run was down the side of Trolles. I could really do with a lie down now, but Fish and Chip Friday at La Queue de Cochon summons!

In other news the 3000 drag on the Solaise opens tomorrow, may have to venture over before the hordes turn it into a mogul fest! So all in all a perfect day in Paradise.

OK - a few changes with the weather over the next few days and the various forecasts are still disagreeing, but aiming for the average the sky will cloud over after midnight and light snow will start around 4 ish, it might be heavy for a while as we have breakfast but it should finish by 10 o'clock or thereabouts, just a couple of cm but enough to turn the roads white early doors. The cloud will then break and we will see sunny periods, if you do arrive early tomorrow it may be worth a cheeky half day pass to ski in some nice weather. Because Sunday and Monday are going to be a bit wild. the wind will start to howl in the early hours of Sunday morning and we will awake to leaden skies and flat light, the snow will start around lunchtime and it will be quite heavy. the avalanche risk will rise and high lifts will be closed, maybe even some of the lower ones. It will feel very cold in the wind and the snow line will be below Brev. Currently the high winds are forecast to continue into Monday as is the snow. Between Sunday lunchtime and Monday evening we could be looking at 20-30cm of fresh snow, depending on the passage of the cold front. So there will be lots of work for the pisteurs to do on Monday, expect a progressive start at best. At the moment Tuesday looks like a cold bright day with sunny periods.

For the travellers tomorrow: with 25000 vehicles leaving the Tarentaise and 31000 arriving the roads are going to be busy. This amount os a long way from the peaks that we can expect next weekend but there will be delays at the lights before the tunnels and it is likely that snow chains will be required initially down to below the Dam, especially if the snow is a little heavier than forecast. So it could be a slow getaway and from early afternoon expect to queue to get here.

As for the snakes on a plane, it will come as no surprise to the folks in the UK that tomorrows high winds and showers are going to make it a bumpy ride for take off and landings. Most of the runways in the UK are east/west so I don't think it will be out of limits (maybe the odd hold to let a shower through) with the exception of the cobbled flarepath at Leeds Bradford where at times the crosswind will be out of limits, especially for arrivals. So there may be delays there. Over here, no real problems, maybe a bit of patchy fog at Grenoble until the wind blows it away by 9 am, and there is a chance of a light rain shower at Chambery and Geneva but nothing to slow down flying.

Ladies and Gentlemen we are now on the final approach into the Uk please fasten your seat belts TIGHTLY Very Happy

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

We awoke to snow and traffic jams forming down the valley. The snow continued to about 11 and the skies started to clear. We went out for a couple of hours, the light was coming and going so not far off piste. There was quite a warm wind blowing so the ideal powder of yesterday has consolidated or been turned into Sastrugi - what a differeneca day makes.

The weather forecast continues to be a bit trick as the isobars flex like the instrument of an absinthe laden accordionist! The skies will be leaden in the morning but it will be the best weather of the day. Light snow will start late to mid morning and will get heavier in the afternoon. There will be a stiff breeze in the morning and this will gradually increase in speed, by tea time it will be howling. If they open the links keep an eye on them and expect exposed lifts to close, wrap up warm! Monday will be windy and snowy, expect a late start as pisteurs put the snow into an eye pleasing fashion, the high lifts will be closed again. About 20-30cm of fresh over the next couple of days. Tuesday will be sunny and breezy according to the latest throw of the dice, the fresh snow will consolidate quickly. Wednesday will be sunny and warm - definitely a day for a beer on the terrasses.

For the road traveller tomorrow, the last few miles in the afternoon will be tricky as snow chains or tyres will be required I think, depending on the snowline (currently at 1500m). for the fliers it will be showery and bumpy in the UK and a bit breezy over here. There will be quite a strong southerly wind at Chambery which will be OK for landing but taking off could be an issue as you can only take off heading north because of the mountains, so if the forecast comes into fruition certain aircraft may opt to land elsewhere as a safe take off could not be guaranteed.

A snowHead

Got to love Saturday skiing. It was very quiet everywhere. The wind did pick up around lunch, Grattalu felt like skiing in untracked powder at times this afternoon due to the snow blowing over the piste.
Back over in Val d’Isere nearly 1000 Scandinavian students have arrived for Summit week. They all seem to arrive with a bag and a slab of beer or red bull rolling eyes

A snowHead

The isobars have squeezed together overnight - it will be quite wild by mid afternoon, keep an eye on the links (if they open them). Currently just grey skies and moderate breezes.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Well as a bit of a treat a milky sun did make an appearance until about 1130, when it got progressively darker and the snow started about 1pm. We have had some quite intense showers and looks like we are in for a wild one tonight. It was also windy, and quite warm so most of the powder delights of the last couple of days have now compacted into quite heavy stuff (even at 3000m). The pistes are generally in good condition, if a bit soft below 2000m. As the light went we went to Brev where it was relatively quiet on the pistes.

It seems the new sport next door in Val is 'student throwing' but instead of landing in soft snow one got under the parapet of a bridge and needed rescuing.

Overnight it will be very windy, it will reduce a little tomorrow, not really noticeable though. It will also snow until after dark tomorrow. It will be a slow start as the pisteurs decide what is safe, the increase in temps, the wind and the 20-30cm of fresh snow in the next 36 hours will make their job tricky. Expect explosives from 7am, a progressive opening of the lifts and the high ones to remain shut. Tuesday will dawn sunny and blue, it will seems quite mild, just a beautiful day. Once the pisteurs have done their stuff again it may well be a good morning. High pressure would then appear to dominate until the weekend, blue skies, sunshine and temps well into positive figures. It will feel like spring especially from Wednesday onwards. The powder will not last long in these conditions......

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Horizontal snow.

Avi risk 4/5

Duvet day Smile

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Over here in Val d’Isere nothing is open and the wind is still gusting.

Time for more coffee and a morning of laundry.

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@Tignes addict, Horizontal snow and avi risk 4/5.

Perfect day for an intro to off-piste course wink

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After a very wild night we had a wild morning! The wind was howling and the pisteurs were very busy. So @GeorgeVII, and I had the off piste morning, we had a refresher in the Maison de Tignes on the basics and once the Almes Chair opened we did an avalanche search just off the black piste, just to remind you to take it steady as you do not want to get far below the victim (flux lines permitting). That done we went up Palafour where the lift was running slowly to allow people to get off into a raging headwind, that was the hardest thing of the day! Occasionally the weather did tease and there was a hint of light for one or two pitches but mostly it was knee deeper and skiing by Braille - good for the technique though. The weather has continued to tease all afternoon Shocked

The snow will continue well into the evening but the sky will clear by the early hours to leave a cold night. The wind will continue to blow all night and just into the morning. With all this wind and snow it will be a progressive and noisy start as the pisteurs do there stuff. the wind will then drop and it will be a nice day. For the following 3 days at least we will have cold nights, blue skies and sunshine by day and the temperatures will be quite balmy. It will seem like spring, especially by Thursday.

As for tomorrow, the avalanche forecast is not out, this is never a positive sign as they make their judgement in slow time. There will be blue skies and powder fever, so whatever the number be very careful, there will be lots of traps for the wary, never mind the unwary.

Hi Snowheads, question re Le Lagon in Tignes Le Lac. Does anyone know whether they supply towels or whether you need to bring your own? In the process of packing.....

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@FrediKanoute, they don't provide free towels.You can hire for 3euros I think.

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Perfect. Thanks for the advice on that.

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What a difference a day makes. As we emerged from the Cave last night the skies had cleared and the temperature had dropped; so we woke up to blue skies and sunshine though it was quite chilly when the breeze ticked up after lunch. There was a progressive opening of the lifts so we skied round on a hunch that the Col de Ves would soon open, et voila! We were on the second and third chairs and the snow up there was magnificent:

The other 4 tracks out of the 6 were the pisteurs! It was soft and light as the winds had been such that snow was deposited there rather than battered by it. So we did it again, but by then the hordes were charging around causing chaos. So down past the altiport to Lanches and Vanoise and up high where the snow had been wind blasted into surf (or sastrugi to the perfectionist). Mmmm not so good, but in the gullies it was passable. After a quick snack we skied Grande Balme and Lognan, bot had a light wind crust, legs together and work hard! The only thing that spoilt the day was an alarming lack of mountaincraft by some individuals, traversing above us on steep slopes, overtaking and skiing past whilst going 'one by one'. If only I was still allowed to carry a rifle!

Now the forecast dead easy as high pressure is set to dominate:
Wednesday blue skies, sunshine, light winds, add 5 degrees C to today
Thursday blue skies, sunshine, light winds, add another 3 degrees C - spring like
Friday blue skies, sunshine, light winds, add another 2 degrees, bikinis ladies!
Saturday blue skies, sunshine, light winds, same temps
Sunday blue skies, sunshine, light winds, knock a couple of degrees off
Monday mainly blue skies, some clouds, light winds, knock another couple off
Tuesday mainly blue skies, some clouds, light winds, same as Monday.

I'm off back to Blighty tomorrow so that's the forecast covered till I get back (and certainly till Sunday its pretty much nailed on.

Just arrived at GVA, no queue at security at all - quite remarkable.

Looks like a nice sunny day Very Happy

I think I got to the bottom of the Tov restaurant closure last night. According to the local scuttle they were served with a notice to alter a non conforming staircase a couple of years ago which they ignored. So the inspectors arrived, went over the place with a fine toothcomb and shut it down! No news on when it will reopen, but haven't seen any work going on.

You know it makes sense.

@chocksaway, Skiied past said restaurant today and the snack/waffle hatch was open. I didn't notice if the rest of the place was fully operational though.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

In the absence of the Editor in chief @chocksaway, I'll post a couple of comments up.

A glorious day for a ski around. Pistes are in great condition and may have softened slightly with the warmer temperatures around lunchtime. I did find some spring-like snow this afternoon on the south facing lower half of Campanules. Cruised around the Tignes bowl and then down to 'Brev before lunch.

After lunch Familial and a couple of laps of Ok/Orange (one of my favourites) before the obligatory chocolate stop at Rosies.

Couple of observations.... first time I've seen the Folie D' security staff vetting foot passengers who were queuing for the La Daille gondola. (I haven't experienced it but I hear that the security staff are also tasked with policing the bus queue down in La Daille at turfing out time).

And at risk of sounding like a stuck record I've seen some pi$$ poor skiiing today, particularly around Ok/Orange. I don't know if it's beer, bravado, or both but mainly young males straight-lining pistes that they clearly have no business being on. Ambition way above ability!

Final gripe then I'll shut up. Heading home I found a clutch of glass beer bottles that had been left just off piste on a pitch above the Folie D. Had to step back uphill to get them and I lobbed them over the Folie netting barrier as I was skiiing past to the Tommueses lift Evil or Very Mad

A snowHead

A snowHead

@thelem, at the lower station in La Daille. Might have been checking them for booze.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@GeorgeVII, I haven’t seen the security staff from the Folie doing checks at the gondola before this week ( but they do keep an eye on the bus queue )
I suspect with it being Summit week with nearly 1000 Scandinavian students in Val d’Isere that has something to do with it. They were downing miniatures of some Jäger type stuff in the La Daille gondola on Sunday morning around 0930!! Later that afternoon the Folie was manic and the slope above was covered with abandoned skis which were quickly getting covered in snow. We counted around 20 red jacket Summit week “staff” trying to help direct the the drunken youths.

@chocksaway, We must have passed through Geneva at the same time, it was very quiet. I’m back in the UK for 9days and jealous of the blue skies on the webcams.

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There were some of the local police (ASVP) checking people at the gondola on Tuesday. Concentrating on younger people without skis. The first time I have ever noticed it.

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@muppet, @Tigski, Radi val reporting all sorts of problems with Scandi's fighting in Val. I suppose to them the booze must seem cheap even at FD prices Shocked

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Quote from Radio Val-d’Isère
There are 8000 young Scandis in total throughout the resorts of the Haute Tarentaise. And many of them in Val appear to be practicing their slalom between bars. Many are below drinking age and are taking to alcohol far too well for their own good. In fact 5 ended up in the medical centre yesterday from alcohol related injuries, followed by a further 4 inventions from the firefighters during the night, resulting in 2 being taken to hospital in Bourg. If any are listening, could you all calm down a little.

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The Tignes app has just burbled here in Blighty. The Brev bubble will now be open on Thursday and Friday evenings from 1730 to 2130 (with a break between 2100 and 2130). Brevites will now be able to sample the high (and low wink

) life in Lac via the 1800 navette

>>1730 to 2130 (with a break between 2100 and 2130).

Confused. They send just the one bubble down at 21.30?

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On my app it says 2330:

We would like to inform you that the gondola Brévières will be free to all pedestrians for the ascent and descent every thursday and friday evening, from thursday 14th February, to allow our clients to move between Tignes les Brévières 1550 and Tignes 1800.

Evening opening hours 17:30 to 21:00 and 21:30 to 23:30

Please note the shuttle buses between Tignes 1800 and Tignes 2100 will be still be the same timetable as have being running since December 2018.

We therefore invite you to refer to the current timetable posted in oder to get back to your home village.

We would also like to remind you that during the evening opening hours of the gondola for pedestrians, the ski slopes will be closed and skiing or toboganning on the slopes is not allowed by Tignes law.

If there is an incident, please contact the emergency numbers 18 or 112 (the ski-patrol will not be available).

Help!!

Tignes and The Espace Killy 2018/19 (Useful Links Page 1)

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