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The fat lady hasn't sung yet... (but she is warming up backstage...)

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
The fat lady hasn't sung yet... (but she is warming up backstage...).

Quick day hit to the North face of the Grande Casse today. Mostly on foot from Les Barmettes up to the Lac des Vaches, then skins on all the way to the Col de la Grande Casse for a look onto the North face:



Couloir des Italiens (looker's left of serac) at very low tide... A few early birds already part way up the Central face (looker's right of serac).
A reasonable boot-pack in place from my predecessors, but definitely feeling the effects of 8 weeks at 850m a.s.l. Nice views over to the Aiguille (& Pointes) de l'Epena:



Upper part of Central was not looking great (and all the others had gone that way) so I hung a right over to the top of the Petite Face Nord which was looking smooth and rather appealing.



Looking across towards Grande Motte from near the top of the Petite Face Nord - great smooth snow - a mix of almost spring corn, and colder top layer - super-fun skiing!





Looking back up from mid face:



Back at the Col - sun-softened névé awaits:





On the way up I spotted a line of snow down a stream bed - skis still on at 2100m, with 5metres of rock scrambling higher up and one short section of 'Candide-age' over some grass...



Still going... 2050m and still skis on!



End of the line - about 100m walk from the Barmettes - a very pleasant surprise to slide down to here at 2000m! Happy days!



Sadly temperatures are due to go way up tonight and then Tues/Weds so we may need to look above 4000m for more fun... Sad
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
snowHead
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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?
Very nice snowHead
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
snowHead snowHead
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Good pix.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Fairplay, reassuring to see people getting out there.

Can I ask what 'névé' means when describing snow? I know it just means 'snow' in Italian, but I've seen it a lot in ski touring posts - does it have a specific meaning?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@element, névé in this context is snow that has completey transformed into a homogenous mass of very dense 'perma-snow'
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
...or 'not-so-perma-snow' for the lower stuff which will melt at some point in the next few weeks...
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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.
@offpisteskiing, thanks!
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Thanks for sharing.
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 Carla May
Carla May
Guest
Amazing, hope to see it one day!
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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.
offpisteskiing wrote:
...or 'not-so-perma-snow' for the lower stuff which will melt at some point in the next few weeks...

When I was touring in Gran Paradiso, my French guide called it "rotten snow." You can just about ski it if you ski very gingerly in a straight line, but the moment you apply and pressure to the skis, eg start a turn, you sink right through the snow to solid ground. That meant we were up to our waists in slush puppy rolling eyes
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 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
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
@offpisteskiing, great pics Smile
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Chamcham wrote:
offpisteskiing wrote:
...or 'not-so-perma-snow' for the lower stuff which will melt at some point in the next few weeks...

When I was touring in Gran Paradiso, my French guide called it "rotten snow." You can just about ski it if you ski very gingerly in a straight line, but the moment you apply and pressure to the skis, eg start a turn, you sink right through the snow to solid ground. That meant we were up to our waists in slush puppy rolling eyes


That is not névé then but isothermal snow. Névé is basically just uber-transformed spring snow and is generally great to ski as long as you hang on for the top to soften as what is underneath is generally bomber rather than rotten...
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@offpisteskiing, Confusing, all these different types of snow. No wonder British Rail got it wrong!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Chamcham, Happy
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Stunning pictures.
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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?
neve is when my guide friend would say "now we must be quiet with the edges". nice pictures.
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