 Poster: A snowHead
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| BAN wrote: |
| Roger C wrote: |
| Good tip thanks @BAN, |
You're welcome! |
I was told it won’t happen. Hence we are getting a helicopter to get us out of the bottom of the bowl tomorrow (2nd Jan) Made fresh tracks from Combe de Veret to about 2/3 down Gers and skinned back up. Amazing powder
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It seems getting lift track sorted at bottom is challenging. Where did you source helicopter?
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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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Helicopter? Tell us more please...
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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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Conditions today were cold and windy up high but great sunshine and pistes still in good condition but we didn’t do any of the late afternoon links so can’t comment on tete de saix, DOLOMIE or tourmaline at the end of the day.
Corbalanche was closed today. Anyone know if it will open tomorrow? Its closure had a big effect on Vernant and tete de saix express queues around ski school pick up time.
Timalets down to Keduze was pretty stony by the afternoon.
Very bottom of Sairon at Les esserts was awful with mud stones and some weird sheet ice turning people into bowling balls as they arrived to get the telecabine.
We haven’t spent much time in Samoens as the queues at the Chariande express have been so big because Coulouvrier isn’t open.
If you are heading out, you best do a snow dance to enjoy the Vill4ages or you can just shoot over to Flaine or enjoy Samoëns without the NY crowds...
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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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Back home now after a good +10 days. Didn't get in as many miles as normal as my Mum was over. OH and the girls made the most of it though. Drove Mum over to Flaine on Boxing Day to show her a different resort. She liked it, and we went up the yoghurt pots to Bissiac for a coffee. Agree with whoever said coming off the Tete was carnage one day....my word and then Dahu was very icy...made for one crabby Mum on the Chariande Express going back up. Fingers crossed for a lot more snow before I head out again on the 16th for thue ladies ski weekend.
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| Freestyle wrote: |
Conditions today were cold and windy up high but great sunshine and pistes still in good condition but we didn’t do any of the late afternoon links so can’t comment on tete de saix, DOLOMIE or tourmaline at the end of the day.
Corbalanche was closed today. Anyone know if it will open tomorrow? Its closure had a big effect on Vernant and tete de saix express queues around ski school pick up time.
Timalets down to Keduze was pretty stony by the afternoon.
Very bottom of Sairon at Les esserts was awful with mud stones and some weird sheet ice turning people into bowling balls as they arrived to get the telecabine.
We haven’t spent much time in Samoens as the queues at the Chariande express have been so big because Coulouvrier isn’t open.
If you are heading out, you best do a snow dance to enjoy the Vill4ages or you can just shoot over to Flaine or enjoy Samoëns without the NY crowds... |
Timalets was surprisingly good around noon. Keduze shut for ten minutes at 1.40 to accommodate ski schools.
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| BAN wrote: |
| It seems getting lift track sorted at bottom is challenging. Where did you source helicopter? |
It was all very hush-hush and knowing the right local people made all the difference. Gers was magic - the best off-piste I have had for years. Mind you, chose your slope carefully...
As for the drag lift staying closed - it’s not the track, but the actual lift is broken. They are waiting on spare parts. Maybe Saturday if the planets align. But then I get first dibs! 
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Hot in Flaine this am, snow setup mushy already !
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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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Yowza. Which pistes have you skiied?
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Faust liaipaz serpentine etc all mushy at bottom 10:45 few bare spots up high
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ta
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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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Having spent a week in Flaine at just before Easter last season my friend and I were planning on a return trip in a couple of weeks (18th January) However the snow reports I have been reading on here are making me think we should be looking for a higher resort,( VT in particular as we know it). What do people think? We do like to get some mileage in and covered the GM well last season, even down to Sixt, so ideally would like decent conditions all over the area and not having to dodge rocks and mud!.
I am aware that forecasts can change but the snow goes don't seem to be interested in dumping over the GM in the near future.
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Well it’s snowing now when it wasn’t forecast so, genuinely: who knows? ❄️❄️❄️❄️
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You know it makes sense.
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We're heading to the grand massif for a month a week today, and the snow forecasts aren't half making me nervous 
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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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Nah it was forecast for a sprinkle tinkle of a couple of cm tonight all week. Hopefully it comes to a few feet !
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Poster: A snowHead
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Last morning this morning but we've had a good week. One of our daughters hurt her leg on Tuesday and has been heading back to the apartment for a rest (and good wifi while nobody else is around) so we have seen as much of Flaine as I'd have like.
I'd echo some of what's been said above - snow good high and early (obvious really) but the pinch points get cut up quite quickly e.g. approaches to Couvouvrier lift and Saix/Molliets in Les Carroz. Also the sheet ice in Les Esserts is horrid - it's taken me twice once on skis at the end of the day and once just walking back to the apartment. It took Mrs Higs too who was stopped on it - she was stood up one second, on her back bottom the next.
Anyway we're off out now - pack the car, ski 'til a late lunch and then head for a cheap hotel in Bourg-en-Bresses before driving home tomorrow.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| orange wrote: |
| Faust liaipaz serpentine etc all mushy at bottom 10:45 few bare spots up high |
Almandine was in fact a bit nicer with softer [any] snow at the bottom. Zone of big snow pebbles about 80% of way down on both Faust and Almandine.
Saw a warning sign for Lapiaz the other day. Presume sorted?
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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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| Skrabble wrote: |
Having spent a week in Flaine at just before Easter last season my friend and I were planning on a return trip in a couple of weeks (18th January) However the snow reports I have been reading on here are making me think we should be looking for a higher resort,( VT in particular as we know it). What do people think? We do like to get some mileage in and covered the GM well last season, even down to Sixt, so ideally would like decent conditions all over the area and not having to dodge rocks and mud!.
I am aware that forecasts can change but the snow goes don't seem to be interested in dumping over the GM in the near future. |
Snow coverage fine in Flaine and upper Carroz. Have avoided skiing down to Les Molliets and Samoens, although may try today.
For me quite a lot depends on 'feel' of resort. I love Val D'Isere, but prefer Grand Massif for its proximity to Geneva, as not much more than four hours door to door.
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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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| BAN wrote: |
| ... prefer Grand Massif for its proximity to Geneva, as not much more than four hours door to door. |
This... if I went sleazy jet from Southampton I could do it without getting hungry between mealtimes!
Mrs always asks why I go back again and again, but for a long weekend cant beat the transfer. In Megeve this year, but hopefully back to the GM next, possibly with the tribe for the first time!
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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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I've been offered some accommodation for a weekend at the end of January at Chalet Maire Stuart in Samoens. Have any snowheads stayed there recently or have any knowledge of it. I've done a search and any references are about 5 years old. I'd also like to know how easy it is to get to the Vercland gondola from there. Thanks in advance.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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By car dead easy either to Vercland or the main gondola in town. There is a navette which goes to Vercland too so looking at location of that chalet should be coming pretty much directly past you
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Another glorious day in Flaine. Yesterday pm was much quieter, I guess a lot of people were packing up ready to leave today. The number of people skiing this week has meant that some of the pistes are suffering and there are some icy patches lower down and some of the steeper pistes are getting quite thin on snow. There was about 2 cm of snow last night, not enough to make any difference. No snow forecast for the next 5 days with the freezing level going above 3,000 metres. I'm back to London today but back out again next Saturday so hoping for some more snow soon.
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Good day again today. We left icy Les Esserts this morning and have had empty pistes various ways to Gron, Tetes des Saix and Chandri Express lifts.
Now enjoying a nice lunch in L'Igloo before heading back down Bergins and the bottom of Sairon to the car.
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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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Nice snow over at Samoens above L'Aero, where lunch is very civilised!
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| stevew wrote: |
| I've been offered some accommodation for a weekend at the end of January at Chalet Maire Stuart in Samoens. Have any snowheads stayed there recently or have any knowledge of it. I've done a search and any references are about 5 years old. I'd also like to know how easy it is to get to the Vercland gondola from there. Thanks in advance. |
It’s a great place to stay especially if you like a good meal. From memory the owner’s name is Caroline and whatever her name she’s a great chef!
We kept pointing it out to the kids as we drove past this week to remind them we used to stay in catered chalets before they arrived
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Higs, we were at L’igloo having lunch at that time today too. Sunshine, beer and croute de fromage followed by some great runs looping Bergin with the kids! A very good last day - we were at top of DMC Flaine by 9.30am so it was a great day!
Samoens snow holding up really well considering. But snow dance definitely required by anyone heading out soon! ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️
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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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| Freestyle wrote: |
| @Higs, we were at L’igloo having lunch at that time today too. Sunshine, beer and croute de fromage followed by some great runs looping Bergin with the kids! |
We ended up staying a little longer than planned. Someone had skied off with out daughter's skis. They were great there. They told us (what I'd already told daughter and wife) that it was way more likely to be a mistake than a theft. One of the waiters (Domice, if I got his name right) lent her his skis and said come back at 4 when it should be clearer which skis were left.
I needed to move the car anyway so skied down to Les Esserts and spoke to the hire shop who were actually on the phone at the time with a ski shop in Carroz whose customer was telling them that they'd got our skis...
After a three-way bilingual conversation, the guy in Auben Sports, Les Esserts ran another set of skis up to L'Igloo for daughter and identified the left skis which he brought back.
Not the end of day/holiday we'd planned but it all worked out in the end.
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| Roger C wrote: |
| stevew wrote: |
| I've been offered some accommodation for a weekend at the end of January at Chalet Maire Stuart in Samoens. Have any snowheads stayed there recently or have any knowledge of it. I've done a search and any references are about 5 years old. I'd also like to know how easy it is to get to the Vercland gondola from there. Thanks in advance. |
It’s a great place to stay especially if you like a good meal. From memory the owner’s name is Caroline and whatever her name she’s a great chef!
We kept pointing it out to the kids as we drove past this week to remind them we used to stay in catered chalets before they arrived |
Thanks for the help just booked for a weekend at the end of January 
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You know it makes sense.
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Couple of laps of Bergin, which was firm but very quiet so hand brakes could safely be released. Made mistake of skiing down Sairon to Les Esserts. Last 600 metres a real skating rink rather than piste. Only benefit was back on snow it all felt SO easy! Shudder to think how beginners would handle it.
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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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| Chris Mason wrote: |
| Another glorious day in Flaine. Yesterday pm was much quieter, I guess a lot of people were packing up ready to leave today. The number of people skiing this week has meant that some of the pistes are suffering and there are some icy patches lower down and some of the steeper pistes are getting quite thin on snow. There was about 2 cm of snow last night, not enough to make any difference. No snow forecast for the next 5 days with the freezing level going above 3,000 metres. I'm back to London today but back out again next Saturday so hoping for some more snow soon. |
Chris, Snow OK at bottom Flaine before 10, even Almandine. Noticeably quieter today (Sunday) and noticed pistes held up better in last hour. Heard from Philippe C that a red coat got knocked over a day or two ago and damaged shoulder! Definitely a bad outbreak of hoons this New Year break.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Roger C wrote: |
| stevew wrote: |
| I've been offered some accommodation for a weekend at the end of January at Chalet Maire Stuart in Samoens. Have any snowheads stayed there recently or have any knowledge of it. I've done a search and any references are about 5 years old. I'd also like to know how easy it is to get to the Vercland gondola from there. Thanks in advance. |
It’s a great place to stay especially if you like a good meal. From memory the owner’s name is Caroline and whatever her name she’s a great chef!
We kept pointing it out to the kids as we drove past this week to remind them we used to stay in catered chalets before they arrived |
Same here, name correct, outstanding food, nice accommodation, friendly warm atmosphere.
As you already know not directly on the snow. We had car to use for lift acces and it's only a mile or so from Vercland or Samöens main lift. Can't remember fully but thought there maybe a ski bus passes, maybe a question to owner would clear that up if needed.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Any snow forecast ? Due out Thursday with some beginners on Thursday to Les Carroz
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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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@final patsy, No. pack suncream
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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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Fingers crossed for some of the white stuff before my next visit on 24/1....
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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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| Higs wrote: |
| Freestyle wrote: |
| @Higs, we were at L’igloo having lunch at that time today too. Sunshine, beer and croute de fromage followed by some great runs looping Bergin with the kids! |
We ended up staying a little longer than planned. Someone had skied off with out daughter's skis. They were great there. They told us (what I'd already told daughter and wife) that it was way more likely to be a mistake than a theft. One of the waiters (Domice, if I got his name right) lent her his skis and said come back at 4 when it should be clearer which skis were left.
I needed to move the car anyway so skied down to Les Esserts and spoke to the hire shop who were actually on the phone at the time with a ski shop in Carroz whose customer was telling them that they'd got our skis...
After a three-way bilingual conversation, the guy in Auben Sports, Les Esserts ran another set of skis up to L'Igloo for daughter and identified the left skis which he brought back.
Not the end of day/holiday we'd planned but it all worked out in the end. |
Wow! Amazing service from both your ski rental and L’igloo! Glad you got sorted!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Roger C wrote: |
| Fingers crossed for some of the white stuff before my next visit on 24/1.... |
Same here Roger. If it’s anything to cling to we have lucked out 3 years in a row with some last minute snowfall in the immediate days before our arrival. Not so sure we will repeat the luck this year but here’s hoping.
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 ok thanks - if you were arriving in Les Carroz with beginner adults where. Would you head to first or should I get them a lesson ? We only have 3 days as it’s a 50th birthday present and something that she always wanted to do - I’m trying to be a skier for 10 years
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@final patsy, definitely a few lessons. They will enjoy their time more and be less of a danger to themselves and others.
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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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Anyone on the ground confirm if the conditions are right for snow making on the lower slopes (Carroz, Samoens etc) ?
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| Skrabble wrote: |
| Anyone on the ground confirm if the conditions are right for snow making on the lower slopes (Carroz, Samoens etc) ? |
I'm no longer on the ground but there was no snow making in Les Esserts 1100 last week and looking at the predicted freezing level for the next week I can't see there being any either.
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FAQ
