 Poster: A snowHead
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One of my favourites is the seemingly trivial Pomma lift at Le Fornet (Vd'I) called Signal. You get jerked off your feet at times, when you get on, and you have to remember to get on the left hand half or it drops you uselessly half way up, but from the top you have an enormous area of good off-piste, which is so large, despite being easy to access, that you can find fresh lines long after a new snow-fall. You can turn right, or left back along a ridge, but the best is to go directly over the edge to the left ( or traverse straight ahead) for the Grand Vallon - or traverse further ahead into a different series of bowls which reach to the Malpasset Gorge.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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The T bar at the top of the Horstman glacier on Blackcomb. Scene of one of life's little moments of shared humanity.
A crowded lift line.
A 6 or 7 year old snowboarder at the front - his first time on a T bar.
He got on, he fell off. Someone else went.
He got on, he fell off. Someone else went.
...the line got smaller...
...he continued falling off...
He got on, he fell off. Someone else went.
Then.
Finally. He got on. He stayed on.
He made it 100m
As one, the lift line cheered.
He turned.
He waved.
He fell off.
As one, the lift line groaned, "noooooooooooooo!!!!!!!". 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I like the Gornegrat railway in Zermatt.
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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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| Kramer wrote: |
| I like the Gornegrat railway in Zermatt. |
Financial Times sir?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The one with the shortest queue - that aside I liked the "eggs" gondola and "yoghurt pots" bucket lift at Flaine (apparently they were part of the original architectural scheme when the resort was developed in the 60s and are now lined up for replacement).
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| Quote: |
Peter Leuzzi wrote:
'Poma - Milton Keynes
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You're right; The left hand one as it passes the windows overlooking the swimming pool and gym!! 
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Gabba & Peindeint at Courmayeur. Gabba because of the runs and Peindeint because it's an old, slow chair through the trees with views of Monte Bianco where it is possible to have almost silence.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Mon 16-10-06 12:15; edited 1 time in total
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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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skanky, I like the old cable car up to the top of Courmayeur. I'd rate it with the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix as my favourites.
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laundryman, do you mean the tiny one (like at the top of Valluga) which leads only to off-piste? Yes, that's a good one.
Also, as many people have said already: both sides of Mont Blanc - from Chamonix or Helbronner. The thrill of going up the top section of Helbronner and imagining skiing down under it, and the sheer spectacle of the Aiguille du Midi.
Interesting: Courmayeur seems to be doing rather well here!
But better than any of these (or the other two I've nominated), and for me the No.1 lift, is the top section of the main La Grave lift which accesses almost the whole huge area of challenging off piste (and the remainder just requires the small drags above it, so it is the gateway even to that.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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laundryman, there's Youla & Arp - Youla is what most people think of as the top, and Arp that actually is but I've rarely seen it open.
If I was an off-piste skier they may have got my nominations, but I don't so I stuck to the lifts I've probably used (and certainly enjoyed) as much as any others.
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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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skanky,
They tend to see how you are kitted out. If you look as if you know where you are going and have the kit, they'll run it for you. They will also open it for people not carrying skis who go for the view. I haven't been there for a couple of years now so it might be different. Its a place I would like to go back to - we always popped in if we were in the vicinty. In fact the whole area right round to La Thuile needs a bit more consideration. I might look into it this year...and add it to our trip.
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snowball, surprised it took so long for someone to mention the La Grave lift. Scenic, sense of anticipation as you look at the lines, access to awesome terrain and uniqueness - what more can you ask for?
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You know it makes sense.
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JT, makes sense - though it tends to be marked as closed so a lot of people who might go up tend not to even try. There are some great views from up there though.
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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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skanky, I'm thinking of Youla - I've not been on Arp. Just had a look at the piste map: it certainly looks 'interesting'!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Favourite Lift? - The next one!! - Always
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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laundryman, I couldn't even see where you'd start to ski from it... 
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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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Mine is the one up from the car park to the ski base at Sunshine. In the morning, it gives you time to check out the snow, plan the day and look forward to it, and if you've already breakfasted to do the unpleasant but necessary chore of putting on sunscreen. Taking it the evening and watching everyone else skiing down the tedious (after the 5th or 6th descent) road to the car park, planning drinkies and dinner, is pretty good too.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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skanky,
Its all round the back... there ia short traverse right which dips into a bowl and leads out onto the glacier which you can see on the left of the main Courmayer lift domain... that can be as long or short as you want to make it. You can drop off the back of the Youla to see the kind of area you will be in... its south facing and they don't like you up there late on a sunny day.....!!!!!!
Or you can turn left on the traverse which takes you on a route to down Dolonne or P St Didier. I haven't been that far and its about time I checked out that and the Rutour Glacier which also features heli AFAIK.
Now, thats the best lift... anything with 4 seats and a rotor
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Any chair lift first thing in the morning, with the cold air freezing away the effects of the previous nights alcohol 
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Here is a good Courmeyeur map. But you can't see JT's right-turn start, since it goes behind the mountain.
And there is the Punta Helbronner too. (The Aiguille du Midi/Helbronner bubbles go horizontally and only operate in the summer)
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There's an article on Courmayeur in the current (i.e October '06) edition of Fall Line, which describes a couple of off-piste/touring routes.
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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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Courmayeur's getting more mentions than Wengen and La Rosiere at the moment. 
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| Quote: |
| The Aiguille du Midi/Helbronner bubbles go horizontally and only operate in the summer |
My brother-in-laws's grandfather helped build that. The pictures of the construction are pretty amazing. The heli skiing in Val Ferret tends to be from the top of Monte la Saxe, but there is a refugio up there as well.
There's a good little restaurant at Lavanchey that does very good cold lunches (but hot wine).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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You know it makes sense.
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hibernia, Yes. 9 miles apart (to the italian end). Nearly as linked as some bits of Chamonix
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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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from La Ros Courmayer is very close by road and the b****dy petrol station is cash  only
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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boredsurfin, Its a shame that both France and Italy don't have the same currency
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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hibernia, Apparently The Queen doesn't carry cash either
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Frosty the Snowman, The La Ros petrol station was open - and I bet they take cards
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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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Folks, isn't the best lift always the first lift on a powder day?
flicksta, enough already, you are just showing off. Anyway, where's your commitment? As far as I can determine, you are just on holiday in Argentina. If you're that keen, re-locate (Says he who has just had the last of the re-mover's boxes taken from the terrasse).
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FAQ
