Poster: A snowHead
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Very difficult road conditions in exposed areas, major access problems to Arc 2000 and 1950 already. The gales blowing at altitude have led to the autorities deciding to close the road at 1930 hrs tonight. Once it gets dark, the conditions are too dangerous to risk leaving it open...
Edit: Follow-up story and photos in this article
All the hotels in the area are fully booked as a result, so the tourist office has made arrangements to open up the sports hall in Bourg. Mattresses and blankets all round!
(Looks as if I'll be distributing a few emergency beds for snowHeads around the chalet tonight - seven bookings so far!)
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 6-03-06 9:37; edited 2 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Slightly more worrying - though there are no news of any victims - the road up from Bourg St Maurice to Val d'Isère and Tignes is closed at the moment because of an avalanche. I've just been talking to Michèle of Aarthur Taxis, stuck in a jam a few miles after Ste Foy since 2.30pm.
The police are debating whether or not to turn cars back.
Michèle went past a coach off the road as well, not a major crash, but down a short but steep embankment.
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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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If you run out of room in the chalet I can accommodate 2 people in my place (assuming they can make it as far as Arc 1800). It's still snowing heavily, with GFS forecasting another 30cm through this afternoon and into tomorrow morning, so traffic conditions won't be getting any better for another 12-18 hours I guess.
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The road up to VT is open again (havng been closed this morning) but time from Albertville to VT somewhere in the region of 4 hours.
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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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Alastair, any idea if it will remain open after dark? The problem seems to be the high winds and the inability of the authorities to guarantee security after nightfall.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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PG, I believe so - they are currently asking people leaving the resort to delay their departure until 5.30-6.30pm, so presumably they are reasonably confident.
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Anyone got room for three coachloads? All mine left Chambery/Lyon between 10:00 and 12:30 and haven't arrived in VDI yet.
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Lizzard, I'm definitely glad I'm not a Tour Operator today.
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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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One coach in Bourg, one at St Foy, one 2K further up the road @ 17:06, traffic 'moving' (whatever that means). The road was closed earlier this afternoon but is currently open, apparently.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I hope it's not like this next weekend, i'm away to Avoriaz! Will I be ok?
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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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Yes Tignes route open again now, snow still falling heavily though above 1300m so some doubt as to situation after nightfall.
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jstw wrote: |
I hope it's not like this next weekend, i'm away to Avoriaz! Will I be ok? |
Possibly
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You know it makes sense.
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Patch, Possibily i'll be ok or possibily it will be like this next weekend?
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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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jstw, I'd just start praying to the Snow Gods if I was you, I know I am.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Praying that they calm down and have a quiet drink that is...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Lizzard, it took the taxi firm nearly four hours to get to Val from Bourg - just arrived there now. Trouble is with traffic backed up in both directions, when there's a small slide the snow ploughs can't get through to clear it because of the traffic
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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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Lizzard, I read that one of your coaches has arrived!
(oh, and for Tim Brown, et all, I now know who Lizzard is in terms of their username on another forum, but I feel no need to disclose that information)
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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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We can put up 8 tonight in our apartment in plan peisey if thats any help to anyone? Thats assuming the road is passable!
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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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The road to Val/Tignes was closed again during the evening. Chaos at the station, with passengers from the TGV, plus coachloads of people having taken the best part of a day to get up from Lyon, being redistributed around the various school halls.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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People still arriving in VT - but on the whole the tour ops have done a very good job of coping with the 5 hour closure of the road this morning. The extra cost of charterng extra flights must have cost some ops a bob or two.
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Mise à jour rapide for the Savoie .......
The weather is apparently going to throw everything at us this week.... the snowline is going to fluctuate from 200m up to anything as high as 2000m. Occasional respite from the incessant snow starting Sunday pm, with temperatures plummeting once again on Monday and Tuesday - which will be very cold, occasional sunshine, some snow showers.
Wednesday, temperatures are set to shoot up again though. Rain below 1600m in the morning, snowline rising to as high as 2100m later in the day as the precipitation intensifies. Similar temps and snowline Thursday, with lots more precipitation.
Longer term - the temps are set to fall again Friday and Saturday, snowline around 900m.
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jstw wrote: |
Patch, Possibily i'll be ok or possibily it will be like this next weekend? |
Fresh snow.... a week in Avoriaz ... I'm sure you'll be fine
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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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UPDATE
A sizeable slide has once again blocked the road to Tignes and Val d'Isère. It crossed the main road up the valley just 25 metres from some houses.
Another slab (above the road) further up the valley - close to Tignes les Brevières - is in danger of collapse.
Closed for some time now, doesn't look as if it will open any time soon.
Bourg St Maurice is once again on standby to receive stranded travellers. Last night they numbered close to 3,000 - bedded down in sports halls around town.
Alerts have gone out on national tv and radio warning people driving to the Upper Tarentaise valley resorts (Tignes/Val for now, Arc 1950 could yet be closed off again) to try to find accommodation in Chambéry/Albertville/Moûtiers.
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What so people wanting to go on a ski holiday are being placed in halls like when theres a hurracane , NIGHTMARE!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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..............................
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Wed 23-08-06 13:41; edited 1 time in total
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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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Arc 1950 remained accessible last night, while the road to Val d'Isère and Tignes had to stay closed.
Some 2,500 travellers ended up sleeping on mattresses in Bourg Saint Maurice again last night, in school and sports halls around the town. Boulangeries and charcuteries started work even earlier than usual to prepare breakfasts - coffee, croissants and saucisson on the menu.
Most were understanding, a few somewhat less so, heading back to the likes of Chambéry in the search for a hotel bed.
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..............................
Last edited by 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 on Wed 23-08-06 13:40; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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ise, ouch!!
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks for the article, PG, I expected BSM to look more "snowed-up"...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ise wrote: |
To be totally fair of course, sleeping in a school hall will be a significantly higher standard of accommodation than many will have waiting them up the hill :D And probably more spacious than the French habit of having a dozen people in a studio :D |
Yes, plus they will get a rebate from the TO, best of all worlds. I see some hardy folks are heading home already without making it past BsM. Sounds like one of those early Himalyan expeditions that didn't make it past base camp.
Oh and if you were the guy who raped the woman on the ski train on Saturday morning... the cops have ADN samples and they have the passenger list and will be visiting the resorts shortly.
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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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davidof, Thats' dreadful. I have travelled alone on the ski train. Won't do so again
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I feel nervous about making light of a very serious incident,
But what does the National Association of Dislexia have to do with it.
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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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snowbunny wrote: |
davidof, Thats' dreadful. I have travelled alone on the ski train. Won't do so again :shock: |
It was a train chartered by UK tour operators from Paris to BSM. Of course someone may have got onto the train who was not on the passenger list. I can't find any news stories about this so don't know anything more.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Frosty the Snowman, ADN, French for DNA.
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PG, I had presumed it was something like that. I shall leave my post as a lesson to others. A terrible incident on the train that really shouldnt have been made light of.
Congratulations seem to be in order for all concerned in the BSM area. We had a few stuck on Bodmin moor a while back and it made front page for days.
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It's sometimes hard for occasional visitors to realise just how little control over the mountain environment the locals actually have. Just playing around at the edges really. One tourist I was talking to late in the day yesterday at Les Arcs was really annoyed at how little of the domain had been open - I tried explaining something of what it entails to ensure a minimum of safety but there was simply no telling him. He'd paid his money, he wanted the service he thought he was entitled to, period....
On a similar theme - I have few details - but there are reports that a family of five was hit by a rockfall as they were driving back from a Savoie resort on Sunday morning. Two children, aged 10 and 14 were crushed to death. Their parents and young cousin were unhurt. No idea of nationality or resort at this time.
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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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PG wrote: |
On a similar theme - I have few details - but there are reports that a family of five was hit by a rockfall as they were driving back from a Savoie resort on Sunday morning. Two children, aged 10 and 14 were crushed to death. Their parents and young cousin were unhurt. :cry: No idea of nationality or resort at this time. |
The were driving back from Aussois to their home in Sarthe. The rock hit the back of the car killing the two children but apart from that the car looked pretty drivable from the TV footage. The man hadn't realised he had been hit at first thinking a chain had come off.
I was driving up to the tunnel du Chat once when the road was blocked by a rock the size of a large van, there were Gendarmes dancing around the road waving their hands frantically. Beneath the rock the remains of a very flat looking French car. I don't know if the occupant(s) got out.
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