 Poster: A snowHead
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Everything is stopped in meribel, no lifts. Don't go at the moment.
Mottaret is ok for getting back to the other stations
Stopped at 1500
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Luckily we were in StMartin but coming back over were a bit spooked by the deserted runs down to Meribel before we spotted the stationary lifts. They seem to be moving them slowly on backup generators (strong smell of diesel fumes at Chaudannes) to get people off circa 4pm.
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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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Yikes, still off at 4pm?!
We arrived just moments after it had all stopped and narrowly missed being stuck on the chair.
A helpful instructor pointed out that mottaret was unaffected so we legged it to the bus and got back to Menuires that way.
They were talking about laying on buses but the thought of not getting back to pack up the apartment at 10pm or later didn't appeal...
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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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There was a major power failure in Les Gets/ Morzine earlier today too. Just a few drag lifts and the gondola operational for at least a couple of hours. Had to use back up generators to get people off of the chairlifts.
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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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We got to Meribel Centre about 15.20 I think and wondered why there was a scrummage at all the lifts before realising non were moving. We joined the queue for Tougnette as we were heading back to Menuires. Legends was running slow on back up power to off load those aboard. Saulire express fired up generators to do the same.
By about 15.40 we were almost at the ramp entrance for Tougnette when I noticed staff holding small signs at the bottom of the Doron piste. No announcements or information or anything, it was just pure luck I spotted the staff from the queue. I scuttled out the queue to realise one had a sign saying Les Menuires, and the guy said yes, walk up here take the bus to Mottaret then take the lift there. I quickly grabbed wife and kids from the lift queue and we hot footed up to the bus stop, shortly followed by the masses. Bus queue was busy, but after a short wait we luckily were the penultimate family to squeeze aboard the first bus. By now the queue behind us must have been several hundred people long.
Got dropped at Mottaret and hot footed it to Plattieres. The guy at the entrance was checking his watch, from what I could tell they intended to close normal time. We boarded Plattieres just gone 16.10. At the top the run down to the Cote Brune chair was already closed, scuppering plans for those headed to VT. We dived on Plattieres 3 at about 16.25. Again impression I got was they were closing on time as per normal with last lift up at 16.30.
I don't think anyone on the later buses would have made it. I can well imagine several hundred headed for les menuires, VT or St Martin being stuck in the Meribel Valley and being pretty peeved being sent up to Mottaret by staff in Meribel Centre to reach closed lifts. Not sure if staff were subsequently laying on buses to repatriate stranded skiers to the correct valleys.
I think we had a close shave and was delighted to make it back. On the plus side the run down to Bruyères was pretty quiet and it was almost dusk by the time we got to the bottom, which I guess limits what they could have done with lift extensions anyway.
Be interested to hear from others experiences.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Good grief, we were going to ski across to Courchevel from VT and back as the last foray, but decided to take it easy and stay locally.
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Ffs, that was what we suspected might happen!!!
I'm sitting in a nearly packed up apartment hugely grateful we bailed out early. Complete shambles!!
Glad you got out. Thoughts to those completely screwed. Someone's head shout roll for this
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Any news or ideas on why/how this happened?
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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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The power cut affected lots of Meribel not just the lifts, the power was off in our apartment for several hours while we were out.
They did run the lifts late to get people back to their own valley. Combes, Roc du Tougne and Tougnete 2 were all running for about an extra half hour.
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Did they manage to get uplift going again or did they have to coach people to Menuires?
We got back via the bus to mottaret, grateful to the moniteur who pointed out that was going.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I was not caught up in this fiasco, but (on a tangential note) years ago, Myself and a Friend missed the last connecting lift from VT to the Meribel valley by 3 seconds (so might as well have been a power cut). We walked up the Black that ran beside the Chairlift and skied home to Mottaret in the moonlight (accompanied by a Pisteur). It took several hours. I wouldn't recommend it. I was younger and fitter back then.
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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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| snowrider wrote: |
The power cut affected lots of Meribel not just the lifts, the power was off in our apartment for several hours while we were out.
They did run the lifts late to get people back to their own valley. Combes, Roc du Tougne and Tougnete 2 were all running for about an extra half hour. |
So route out after us then must have been bus to Mottaret, Coombes chair then ski to roc du tougne or tougnette 2. I wonder if everyone made it, there were hundreds behind us in the bus queue just before 4pm. I guess those heading to VT then had to bus it from Les Menuires or St Martin.
Notably it was the second major power failure that week. I think it was on Monday we headed down Moufflon to the bottom of Mont Vallon, and when we got to the bottom the the whole sector from Plattieres to Mont Vallon including plan des main was down. Anyone in the Lac de la chambre, plan de mains, mont vallon Valley had to walk up past the big restaurant and ski down the long flat cat track Ours piste to Mottaret. It was chaotic trying to dodge everyone, literally a constant stream of skiers and boarders 3 or 4 abreast. Mottaret was rammed with Plattieres down. We avoided the mega queue for Coombes and had lunch before skiing down Truite to Meribel Centre. I think they restored power shortly after lunch.
Still, a good bit busy week. We stayed to enjoy the super quiet Saturday pistes/lifts before heading home Saturday night. Best day of the week by far and we took advantage of the Les menuires sector half price Saturday lift pass at just eur 26 pp.
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