 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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“ Press release Compagnie du Mont-Blanc
Chamonix, 29/10/2020
COVID-19 - UPDATE
Dear Customers & Partners,
In accordance with the measures announced yesterday evening by the President, please be informed that the Aiguille du Midi cable-cars, Montenvers – Mer de Glace rack & pinion railway & the Flégère gondola will close this evening until further notice.
Our maintenance teams of both ski areas & excursion sites will continue to be in operation in order to ensure the opening for the winter season, subject to authorization, with the dates as previously announced & communicated.
We are doing everything in our power to ensure the best possible service on our lifts in order to guarantee your safety & that of our teams.
Take care of you & yours.”
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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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If I'm honest I'm starting to have my doubts Les Houches will open on the 3rd of November.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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An announcement from CdMB regarding the rebuilding of GM. Sounds like no deal yet with the insurers. Could be a while. 5 yrs!
“At the dawn of a new season, we are sending you some encouraging news on the future of the Grands Montets area:
- The CMB has surrounded itself with the famous architectural firm Renzo Piano to imagine the new future of the estate. Renzo Piano himself was passionate about this ambitious challenge and worked on a global project including not only the reconstruction of the cable car, but also and above all, a reconfiguration of the departure station in Argentière.
- Regarding the departure station, the main idea is to proceed with the demolition of the current building, which is too large in volume, and to reposition a more compact cable car station in a location allowing better accessibility to transport collective by bus, and direct access to the heart of the village of Argentière and its SNCF station by a footbridge.
- The architecture of the summit station must be inspired by the mineral and crystalline environment very present on the site.
- The choice of a cable car type device on the 1st section seems relevant in view of the logistical needs, knowing that the Plan Joran gondola is already the main lift for transporting skiers to the area.
- For the 2nd section, a mechanical lift with detachable cabins of smaller capacities for better ease of boarding and disembarking with a 3S type installation remains to be defined.
- The purpose of the project we are carrying out is to offer a "4 seasons" area allowing both mountain professionals as well as excursionists and hikers to practice a year-round activity in this exceptional site.
- The soul of the Grands Montets will naturally be preserved. The redesign of Lognan should make it possible to considerably free up space on the snow front and improve flow management by making it easier for skiers to bypass stations.
These main lines of the project will continue to be worked on in consultation with elected officials and state services. It is therefore not possible at this stage to give a precise timetable for the reconstruction of the Grands Montets.
The situation with insurance has improved, at least with two of them. CMB is insured for its ski lifts with a group of co-insurers made up of the GENERALI company (55%), the ALLIANZ company (30%) and the Royal Sun Aliance company (15%)
If an agreement could be reached, after hard discussions and negotiations with the companies GENERALI and ALLIANZ, the company RSA decided at the last moment to dissociate itself from its co-insurers and refused to sign the memorandum of understanding.
This refusal, even though appraisals lasted for two years with company experts and our experts, is inexplicable, especially since the majority insurers and the most at risk have accepted this transaction.
As a result, the attitude of the RSA company makes the reconstruction process more complicated and obliges us to take legal action against it.
We are working with determination and passion to imagine and carry out a fully integrated future project for the Grands Montets site. This large-scale project must respond to the challenges of ecological transition by collectively imagining an appropriate device for the next fifty years. It is with this in mind that we work and will keep you informed of the progress of the project.”
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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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@jbob, Thanks ,interesting. I guess the obvious location for the new lift is the far end of the overflow/long stay gravel car park beside the river almost directly across from the station. That's the only way I can see how to have a footbridge from the station.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@jbob, cheers. I quite fancy a Shard-Pompidou combo myself.
It generally sounds pretty positive and forward thinking, although I doubt anyone would get approvals for major projects that weren't "4 Seasons".
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Looking at the bigger picture, the train in Chamonix is massively under used and could substantially reduce the issues with cars. Les Houches is too far from the station, GM could now be adjacent, at Les Praz the station is just a little too far away, Le Tour is too far away, Valorcine is fantastic. What is needed for it to really work is a large car park adjacent to a station.
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| jbob wrote: |
| What is needed for it to really work is a large car park adjacent to a station. |
Could also do with a higher frequency of trains - the popular ones are completely rammed. The 4pm-ish service back from le buet on a sunny early spring day can be like the Tokyo subway.
I'd like them to make the road a toll road from Les Houches up. An annual sticker, so it's not punitive for residents (€20/year should do it), but helps shift the needle towards using public transport and would be a huge revenue earner from the tourist trade. Then they could invest the proceeds in doubling the train and bus service.
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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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@snowdave, totally agree, I guess its all about money. But nothing that a bung from the lift pass cash couldn’t solve, then quadruple the service frequency. LH can be a pain, it didn’t help when they built chalets on half the car park.
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@jbob, running on from that - frequent little shuttles between stations LHs & LT - and why big buses anyway, the road infrastructure doesn't support them. And bring back the bus laybys (yes, I know, cars were blocking buses in  ) - but when one single issue is literally the biggest complaint about the valley winter season, shouldn't that be the highest priority?
Liking @snowdave's toll idea. Could even be free for residents, (including seasonal residents but maybe not 2nd homes . although that may be legally questionable).
Must confess, having been quite +ve above, I got a stroppy email from a chum who précised as,
"We have marvellous plans, no concrete proposals, nasty insurance company ruining all our fun, no discounts for you" 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Since my toll road idea has support, here's another one that'll never be implemented:
Tarmac over the railway line, and make it an express bus route, with e-buses (so no pollution) which can therefore directly connect the lift stations to the railway route.
Imagine jumping on a bus at GM at the end of the day, and being back in Cham centre 20mins later, when it's a 45 min drive.
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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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@snowdave, not a dreadful idea, as the existing railway line is single line and iirc the wrong gauge ...
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It won’t be worth the lost decade, but having a proper high capacity lift for the top section will be a really nice upgrade. I was worried they were just going to recreate it as it was.
I wonder if they thought about scrapping the bottom section entirely though. A small chair on the mountain linking Lognan and Joran could achieve the same access but would probably get more use.
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You know it makes sense.
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@hold_my_biere, I think they are very keen to have easy beginner access to the new nursery slopes at the mid station, without needing to send classes of little kids up the gondola and down a chair.
Once it's all operational, the nursery slopes could be a great asset - very snowsure, gentle, and with easy access to restaurants. As it stands, they were great for snowtubing and not much else!
I'm not so keen on a high capacity lift for the top, or indeed any lift at all, but that's just selfishness on my part! It's a beautiful easy tour.
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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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As @snowdave says, they are very keen to establish the new nursery/ints slopes as due restrictions on all other Cham areas (natural reserve) Grands Montets is bizarrely the only area that realistically can be developed (including snow making, etc.)
And opinion from most of the Concept Pro clients (inc guides) they're really liking having to walk up.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@snowdave, I agree re the top ticket. A high capacity top lift would be plain dangerous. I’d still like to be able to get to the top without a walk.
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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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@jbob, did he not also have to pay for the recovery of his aircraft?
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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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@under a new name, i think they landed walked to the top then took off again. I know there was a dumped rowing machine that had to be remove from another stunt. I saw someone land and take off on the argentiere glacier and that was impressive.
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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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| jbob wrote: |
https://www.ledauphine.com/amp/faits-divers-justice/2020/11/19/proces-de-l-atterrissage-au-mont-blanc-une-amende-de-38-euros-pour-le-pilote-suisse?__twitter_impression=true
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Right @ww166no this is the new plan: Once we can all get back to Chx you need to bring that toy of yours across and start shuttling us all upto the top as required, until the new lift is in place.
You'll need some 'wing walker' frames adding like they had back in the day, but other than that little detail I can see no flaw in the plan.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Snow making and Le Tour
What do they think they know.
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@jbob,
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What do they think they know.
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Getting a base down in anticipation of fresh snowfall?
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@jbob, It's cold ...
But seriously, (as a simplification as (as you'd imagine) there are lots of variables) it is baltic and perfect snow making weather, and the factory stuff is what melts slowly (low air content, dense, compacted) so I think the thinking is, if you have the water, you make the snow when you can.
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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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I was thinking even without the lifts being open there’s a lot of work to be done. Avi control, establishing the runs, keeping the lifts snow free etc.
I guess they’ll need to still employ lots of workers open or shut.
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@jbob, oh definitely. There's work, maybe not as much as you'd imagine, I have one chum who's a pisteur up the GMs and he isn't working yet. Although a friend of the b-i-l's qualified as a chairlift engineer early November and got a full time contract with CdMB same day...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@under a new name, are you still cham based? I am still hoping for a trip but I guess it will be late season.
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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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@jbob, oh, yes, definitely. Do let me know if you get out here 
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skinned up Le Tour today more out of hope than expectation. Was ok, still needs more snow but nice to be out. Some friends went to Flaine and said the same, not worth doing just yet unless you're super duper keen. Another friend skinned up Prarion and said the ski down was awful, loads of rocks.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Meltus, bizarrely (actually not so much, happens pretty often) Morzine got 40 cms to our mms and a friend was up yesterday and said it was rather nice.
Now, whether that was nice to be out rather than nice enough to e.g. drive from e.g. Geneve I’m not sure...
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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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Went up again today because what else are you gonna do! The world and his wife apparently thought the same...
We had about 10cm last night so thought it might be nicer today and we were right. Was misty and drizzling snow when we started which was quite nice as it was tres sweaty. Sun came out as we reached mid station and we went a bit further up for a few powder turns.
Snow was better than yesterday, some pockets of powder but difficult to tell the difference between powder and refrozen stuff resulting in a couple of involuntary sit downs. Still needs a good deal more coverage to be 'good'
Decided that my touring boots aren't the one (I've been ignoring blisters for too long) so a trip to Concept is in the offing.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Meltus, wooo new boots, what ya fancying? Noting that Concept do linerless Tecnica Tour Pros so you can choose your own liner ...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Current conditions at 6500ft.
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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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No more free skiing in Verbier.
“ Press release Compagnie du Mont-Blanc
Chamonix on 12/09/2020
COVID-19 INFORMATION
Dear clients,
Message from Verbier - 4 Vallées, for holders of MONT BLANC Unlimited ski passes:
"The health context of COVID 19 impacts all of us and involves increasing our efforts to ensure the safety and health of our customers and employees.
To this end, we have decided to no longer accept for the moment the free days or at reduced prices enjoyed by your customers with MONT BLANC Unlimited Season, Year and Stay ski passes, in our resorts during the period from December 12, 2020 to January 11, 2021 at least, in order to limit the number of skiers in our ski area.
In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
Therefore, we ask you to inform your customers of this restriction.
temporary.
We thank you for your understanding and we wish you, despite everything, to
beautiful end of year celebrations.
Hoping that this health crisis is resolved as soon as possible, we ask you to believe, dear partners, in the expression of our consideration. "
See you soon“
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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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So everyone is welcome to still come, they just have to pay!
As a Swiss resident who gets the MBU partly because of the Verbier days that is a bit of a kick in the nuts, but it’s a bearable one as long as they keep the lifts running.
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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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@hold_my_biere, Problem is that they aren't able to stop the partying in the lift queues. Understandable partying as there's nothing else to do for the 8 hrs while you await your one run.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Is it that busy then? I’ve seen that one photo from Saturday, but is it bad midweek too?
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@hold_my_biere, I don't know if it's that busy, I may be being cheeky. For me a nice walk up or a skate across works right now
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Please help, internet people of Chamonix!
What is it actually like there at the minute? How much is there likely to be to do over NY? (I know about the curfew, ski lifts not running etc)
I need to decide in the next day or so whether to cancel my weeks trip over NY... Heart is saying still go, see the friends I can, get some exercise, get a break from my apartment etc. Head is saying it's not essential to travel so I shouldn't, and it's a lot of money to spend with not much to actually do (and have to quarantine for 10days going back to the UK)!
Any advice?!
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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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@fixx, rando up to Vieilles Luges (well, nearly) yesterday  . Very nice!
First skate in 2 seasons this morning. Green skate track in absolutely immaculate condition, albeit busy for the time of year. Bit more snow forecast this week.
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FAQ
