My neighbour works for the Park crew in Avoriaz.
They always have some pressure to have some park features up and running for the ski test weekend ( mid-December ), as there'e normally a bunch of journalists / photographers who want some park pics to go with their reviews and other copy.
In previous years they have made features in La Chapelle Park, Arare Park, and just atop the half-pipe.
As stated it is dependent upon the snow, but generally speaking they'll shovel it around a bit to make something rideable early doors.
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?
Decided I couldn't pass up the chance to slide every month from Sep to May?? Two down....and the autumnal drive along Route des Grands Alps alone was worth the effort.
Snow was heavy, as were the skis junior decided to carry up.....5kg's worth of big mountain powder planks....unfortunately we weren't doing big or pow but a good work out for sure....I'm in the market for some second hand size 46 touring boots if anyone has them...already have second hand touring skis and skins which he can use.
More in hope than expectation ... does anyone know if neck buffs, scarves or similar will be acceptable as a face covering on lifts? During the summer on Champery cable car they weren’t. “Proper” mask required every time. Swiss guidance currently vague.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I suspect that may be the least of our concerns come December, but no-one knows. If I were to guess, the Champery cc rules will likely prevail. The best suggestion from the other thread I thought was to sew a "proper" mask onto your buff.
Champery/Les Crosets merging with Morgins/Champoussin. Anyone know what if any the implications are?
After all it is free
After all it is free
@DJL, that Champoussin might survive?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@under a new name, it is often a bit quiet round those parts.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
That someone might invest in some of the Morgins dreadful lifts and actually make the circuit a reality rather than a crawl on fixed two seater chairs with bad queues.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Good spot @DJL
under a new name wrote:
@DJL, that Champoussin, and hence the PdS as we know it, might survive?
FIFY
This is great news and much needed! . It's being extended to absorb Torgon too, so the whole Swiss-side will be integrated
@countryman, I guess it's a while since you did the circuit, no 2 (or 3-man) chairs either way round for quite some time. Personally I love the heritage lifts on the Swiss side (and the powder therefore lasting three days, rather than three hours on the French side ), but chaqun son rösti I guess...
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.
I think the Foilleuse out of Morgins clockwise is still a 3 seater but it moves at a fair pace. The rest of the Swiss side is much improved of late. Can’t think of any 2 seaters.
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
Doh! You're right
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@shep, I think you just like that rather nice rösti restauzoo.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Nice cold ankle deep powder today, about 6-7cm at 1600-1700m.
Headed up the back field thru the woods, limited to 1km though so area wasn’t ideal
Came down with more grass than snow stuck to the board
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Excuse my complete lack of knowledge, what does Champery/Les Crosets merging with Morgins/Champoussin actually result in? Presumably there's still the same amount of money, only one more profitable area holds up a less profitable area?
Does it mean that they can have a more joined together approach to lift developments or something?
Like I say, I have literally zero knowledge on this sort of stuff, so just purely interested.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
swskier
I guess that in essence yes it does mean that one area props up another in that Morgins was struggling to fund its own lifts. However a big draw to the other resorts it the ability to offered such a huge linked area, and the ability to do a circuit. Having only in the last 3 years invested so much in the lifts at Lac Vonnes to make the circuit more doable it does seem silly to let another part of the circuit break.
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?
Still need at least one drag lift for the circuit in either direction!
Snow cannons were on Chavannes this morning down to the village from 6-10am...seems excessive for a test, but also odd to try to lay a base given the forecast. Will take it as a positive, along with ESF confirming they will be running courses if they are allowed....regardless of number of lifts / visitors etc
Here's a quick vid of my little hike to 1600m yesterday, seem to be more animal sounds and tracks than usual, I tried to follow a few but no luck ....owls were making a racket all evening in the garden.
Had to come down the green piste 64 to keep out of sight....not a run you'd normally take (ever) with such little snow....but the snow that was there was lovely, and I even managed to trim some grass off the piste for next time.
Looking at the webcam there was clearly some snow in the village last night.....but nothing fresh higher up.....random, surely can't be snow cannon related?
Got some questions....with the PdS season pass, how does one get the 5 free Verbier passes? I hope some ticket offices are open but I haven't tried them yet. Think I bought one via Morzine site and the other pass from LG site, so will try LG offices this week for starters. Then I suppose the problem is crossing the border....might have to wait until 15th?
Re. the swiss resorts opening within PdS....I guess it's best to drive over via Chatel? Is it a tricky route in snow? Where's best to aim for in terms of lifts / parking not getting too crowded?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@polo, normally the Pas de Morgins is OK unless it is during heavy snow. From Morzine I would usually go via Col du Corbier but It can have icy bits. You could go down the Vallee d’Aulps to the roundabout then all the way up the Val d’Abondance.
Fair bit of parking as you drop down into Morgins then walk down to the Follieuse lift. Don’t really see the point of driving round further on the Swiss side.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Just a thought, if you have bought PDS passes from Les Gets or Morzine do you have to activate them at a French lift before they will operate a Swiss one? I think we’ve had this discussion before on here.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@DJL, thanks.....I'd probably be coming up from Thonon, so will take 2nd exit at the valley roundabout instead of first towards morzine
I can't find the link now but one of the Avoriaz sites I read this morning has a notice in french stating 1) cross border buses aren't planned yet 2) french lifts won't be open even for access to swiss side 3) ski touring isn't officially allowed yet 4) PdS passes can be started anywhere
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@polo, I got emailed my Verbier vouchers (a QR code) on 9 October.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@polo, For the last few years Les Gets has had a collection point in the Tourist office for pre-paid lift passes and the vouchers which go with the electronically renewed season passes.
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.
cheers guys....it wouldn't be the same if someone didn't have basic lift pass issues
checked my emails and yes Oct 9th QR code is there for the 50% off purchase in June, and there's also a QR email for the swiss passes on the wifes recently purchased season pass via LG site. So it's all there, user error on my part.....now I just need to get over the border.
All set for a week of snowfalls.....starting tomorrow, short term Arome model showing 20cm to valley floor
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
The Vouchers are QR codes this year.
If you don't have them, check your Spam / Junk folder ( That's where I found mine )
This demonstrates both pragmatism and an ability to learn from previous years.
Serma do not normally open their offices until December, but as Verbier opens in November you either couldn't get the days out vouchers until December or had to ask that they post them to you ( or you bought your PdS pass from Chatel where the office opens in early November ).
RE Swiss Border - it's open now btw.
Parking in Morgins: If the carpark by the Foilleuse lift is full, there's 2 more about 5 minutes walk away.
There's a small car park in front of the SAF Club / Hotel Bellevue, (30 places, 200m from lift) theres another just behind the church by the Pension de Morgins (30 places, 150m from lift). If these are full, then there's really big one on top of the garages behind the Hotel Bella Vista, in the season this is a bus / coach park, so there's oodles of space, but this is about 300m to La Foilleuse. Also there a big car park on the same side about 300m down hill of La Foilleuse.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@WindOfChange, swiss border is open for workers, but can you drive across for skiing? It's not an option on the french attestation nonsense.....though I've yet to be stopped anywhere for one. I think from Dec 15th either way travel won't be restricted.
Trying to find info on when the swiss side might open their lifts....Morgins seems to be Dec 19th, and Champery (Croix de culet) on the 12th Dec.
A mate just drove through France to CH and nobody at border when he came through late last night
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@polo, There's no enforcement at the border at the moment.
There were Swiss registered Ferraris driving over the Col Yesterday ( and I do not think they had popped out for vital meds or shopping).
Even the busy border at Veigy was unmanned when I went over twice last week.
Theoretically, you can go with your current attestation up to 3 Hours 20KM from home for exercise.
I live 15.5 Km from the border (remember its as the crow flies).
So with current restrictions in place I could drive to Chatel Intermarche for grocery shopping, once done, I start a 3 hour exercise attestation, which I do in Morgins.
Although there's no lifts open at the moment, so it's a moot point
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Yep I can see several unmanned borders.....was just wondering if it was allowed....kinda defeats the purpose of a free lift pass if it costs 135 eur on the way there.
Anyway, plenty of snow locally for now so can wait a few weeks for lift served, and clearer guidelines....
As for stretching the current 'rules'.....I've had a cunning plan in place for weeks now, whereby I live somewhere, work somewhere else, and excercise where it suits....one address on the app, and another on the paper trail. It's all fun and games, roads are as busy as ever....never seen a control point to date, fingers crossed I can get to work tomorrow in les gets ....damn it's time to get some winter tyres on
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?
@andy from embsay, @WindOfChange, Nice one guys, I'd completely missed that Oct 9 nugget! Will still have to ask at the LPO for the Haute-Savoie "bons" though, no problem getting them with the €500 pass last year, just had to ask.
Not that I can get out yet - chalet handover season for us! Yes this lockdown a bit of a joke, it's basically normal interseason life with a daily show-n-tell declaration... Except miniShep can't play with her mates at the weekend, having spent all week with them in class . Hey ho, let's hope life improves once the olds have had their jabs .
Let’s hope indeed. I’m still clinging to the possibility we might get out 7-11 Jan. I’ve had a message from someone in Tignes who says “I know all the top people in Tignes and they’ve been told no lifts before 20 Jan”. I’m amazed* that the French government would brief interested parties of a date they haven’t announced, who’d then tell random locals who tell people on FB but apparently no journalists know.
*Not amazed - it’s the same as the local teacher here who was apparently being briefed by Matt Hancock about lockdowns in August
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@shep, who do you have to show your form to? Are there daily checkpoints somewhere in Morzine? or it just on-site management?
@polo, sorry Polo, I didn't mean we have to actually show them daily, just have with us. MrsShep was controlled in Les Gets two weeks ago, otherwise we've hardly seen the flics this time.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@shep, ok that's good.....they drove past me 3 times last week in LG as I was taking down a tree by the road.....it was obvious I had just arrived as all the chalets are empty on that part of Chavannes at the moment, but they didn't stop to ask.
Am gonna get out for a hike tomorrow hopefully.....just cross country skiing officer, on a split board.
After all it is free
After all it is free
I will hike up Mt Ouzon with my board on my back ( can't afford split board ) and if challenged will just state that top athletes carry additional weight for altitude training to maximise the workout, and I'm carrying this extra 4KG for that reason.
Although don't know where I am likely to be challenged, as Mt Ouzon is empty at the best of times
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.
@WindOfChange, hadn't heard of it...so much to explore, looks great on this vid I found
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
. It's being extended to absorb Torgon too, so the whole Swiss-side will be integrated 
).
....damn it's time to get some winter tyres on
. Hey ho, let's hope life improves once the olds have had their jabs 