Since the days are getting shorter it would seem apt to kick off a new thread...
Picking up from where the last one left off here are a few photo updates from today of ongoing works in Courchevel:
A glimpse of the new piste and lift-line to be (TS Combes?) serving the hotel/flat development by Aquamotion:
Tovets top station has moved downhill, new Praz top station taking shape. They both seem quite a way below the road below the Croisette (and a way below the Forum piste-side exit). not sure whether there is any plan to facilitate getting to the Croisette from the top of the lifts...
Lots of earthwork going on remodelling the bottom of the Stade:
And finally a look across at a grassy Chanrossa bowl (and yes I know, bar-ends are so 'last century'...):
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hi
Re Tovets and Praz. I think the idea is for those clients to ski down to Plantrey and not use the Croisette lifts.
Andy
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?
@offpisteskiing, many thanks for the great pixs!
This chap also has a fab and constantly updated library of pixs from the Three Valleys:
@Poogle, yes - he posts on remontees-mecaniques with loads of pics...
PS Val T in early Jan... Brrrrrrrr!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
anderoo wrote:
Hi
Re Tovets and Praz. I think the idea is for those clients to ski down to Plantrey and not use the Croisette lifts.
Andy
Yes, except that one role of the new Praz lift is to serve as a 'liaison urbaine' (quoting the initial project description) - with early and late opening - ie serving 1850 for foot passengers as well as skiers...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Januar is the best month for 3 Valleys. Remarkable consistent weather - last year we had snowing during the night (cca 30-50 cm of fresh powder) and sunny/partly sunny and cold (temperatures between 5 and 10 Celsius below zero) during the day. Snow remained cold for the whole week. Best conditions ever.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
But on the plus side, the powers-that-be seem to have given the green light to a new gondola from Orelle to the top of the Cime Caron:
Just booked up for last week in jan 2020 to la Tania with Silverski as had a fantastic week with them this season. Booked Chalet Avril but can’t find it on the la Tania chalet map, I know it’s a long shot but wondered if anyone might have an idea what it was previously called.
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.
TOs have an annoying habit of renting a chalet for the season that has a well-known local name in the resort, and then calling it something completely different in their brochure. Not sure why they do it, as it can be a real pain: ski-hire shop / medical centre / pizza delivery: "where are you staying?", "Chalet Avril", "Never heard of it".
Last season it might have been held by a different operator, with a different name again, that still won't help in identifiying it to locals!
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
Thanks for the reply, I guessed that may be the case..... had a look on google earth and think I’ve found it
You could ski this all-yearround until the 2000s...
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Whitegold, Gosh... that's a depressing photo... There's also a photo, later in the sequence, of the lovely old Stuttgarter Hütte, at the top of the TS du Col, which used to be run by a rather maverick German chap, back in the 1980s...
I notice they've also been removing the last remaining lift on the Peclet glacier this summer... There used to be 2 chairs and a drag, that I can recall ski-ing on...
Is there any apres for the chalets higher up in la Tania, or is it a case of don’t finish to late and take the Gros Murger drag up and hop off half way.
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?
You could ski this all-yearround until the 2000s...
Whilst it's depressing I'm not sure if these are pictures of the Val Thorens glacier at the top of the Peclet or are they over the back Glacier Chaviere, where there hasn't been skiing for decades, isn't in the national park or something?
Is there any apres for the chalets higher up in la Tania, or is it a case of don’t finish to late and take the Gros Murger drag up and hop off half way.
@Gnipgnop, the lifts shut at 4.30/4.40pm in January but the apres bands generally play from 5-7pm. So better to have a couple of beers at the top in Le Roc or Bouc Blanc and then ski back to your chalet. Depending where your chalet is, skiing down the Gros Murger may be the best way to get home so you need it to be shut. Get changed and walk into town for the band. There's a public lift in the Grand Bois apartment block so it's an easy walk. Happy hour in the Lodge is 4-6pm officially but often runs later.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
You could ski this all-yearround until the 2000s...
Whilst it's depressing I'm not sure if these are pictures of the Val Thorens glacier at the top of the Peclet or are they over the back Glacier Chaviere, where there hasn't been skiing for decades, isn't in the national park or something?
The picture in the link is the 'Glacier' (if you can really call it that still) de Thorens - lookers right of the Col chair as you look uphill. (Which is also in a sorry state).
The glacier above the Funitel Peclet where the Glacier chair was the Glacier de Peclet...
Some fairly sorry shots of the Chaviere glacier in that album too!
After all it is free
After all it is free
@Raceplate, priceless info! Didn’t think of that.... thanks so much
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@Raceplate, priceless info! Didn’t think of that.... thanks so much
You could ski this all-yearround until the 2000s...
Whilst it's depressing I'm not sure if these are pictures of the Val Thorens glacier at the top of the Peclet or are they over the back Glacier Chaviere, where there hasn't been skiing for decades, isn't in the national park or something?
The picture in the link is the 'Glacier' (if you can really call it that still) de Thorens - lookers right of the Col chair as you look uphill. (Which is also in a sorry state).
The glacier above the Funitel Peclet where the Glacier chair was the Glacier de Peclet...
Some fairly sorry shots of the Chaviere glacier in that album too!
Thanks for the clarification I was thinking all the shots were of Chaviere, didn't realise that there is a separate Thorens glacier
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Poogle wrote:
Oh dear! It looks like the Glacier lift at the top of Val Thorens is being dismantled. It seems to be because of the melting glacier and permafrost?
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.
Looks like the damage to the Cime Caron Cable Car was significant. I had assumed they were replacing the haul cable but it turns out they've hadd to replace the four massive weight bearing cables, each weighing 62 tonnes. Along with a new motor, controls and other works, the cost is put at €7m. Sounds like quite a major refurb.
Heading to Val Thorens on 11th December. This early in the season are there limited runs open normally or is it fairly busy? Can’t wait but obviously aware the snow may not be great by then....
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?
@anjunabeats, there are always limited runs and lifts open pre-Christmas but the lift pass price is reduced as compensation. It won't be busy at all - you'll walk straight onto most lifts. I wouldn't worry about snow quality. Last year at that time the top lifts and 3V links were closed due to high winds and too much snow!
That's interesting - so its just to avoid having to piste and patrol them or are the accessing lifts not open? You'd think if there was natural snow on them they'd leave them open, but presumably they'd get rutted and mogulled like off piste
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Raceplate wrote:
@anjunabeats, there are always limited runs and lifts open pre-Christmas but the lift pass price is reduced as compensation. It won't be busy at all - you'll walk straight onto most lifts. I wouldn't worry about snow quality. Last year at that time the top lifts and 3V links were closed due to high winds and too much snow!
Thanks for that. Sounds promising! Back in Courchevel Le Praz in Jan so will get to cover some of the rest of the 3V then. Do love VT - tried it for the first time last season and am sold on 3V!
Snow-Forecast app is showing 49cm over next 3 days with freezing level of 2150m.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
anjunabeats,
Welcome to Snowheads.
The 3 Valleys links will be open for your December trip. We've been there that week over the past 3 years and had great skiing each time.
In 2016 we were in Meribel and there was no natural snow below 2000m. However, they still had 50% of the runs open (on artificial snow) and the skiing was great. The piste preparation and maintenance was exceptional and we skied all over the 3 Valleys. Val T and Les Menuires were both fantastic then. You will have no problems!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Bergmeister wrote:
anjunabeats,
In 2016 we were in Meribel and there was no natural snow below 2000m. However, they still had 50% of the runs open (on artificial snow) and the skiing was great. The piste preparation and maintenance was exceptional and we skied all over the 3 Valleys. Val T and Les Menuires were both fantastic then. You will have no problems!
Thanks Bergmeister. Really looking forward to it!
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.
Evening folks. Just a quick word to say that there is some really great stuff going on in the Three Valleys right now. One Tree At A Time is working with local businesses to build positive environmental change in the ski industry. Plus there are discounts and tree planting to be had, might be of particular interest if your renting equipment this season https://onetreeatatime.fr/2019/11/04/now-you-can-plant-trees-while-you-ski/
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
princeeliot,
A good initiative.
You never know. In a few years time we could be tree skiing in Val Thorens.
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