I'll give a hint - it is in the Fort William area.
Scotland struck me as one of the few places where there is still potential for first ski descents, without having to be a complete nutter. Scottish ski touring is, however, an acquired taste; an 'easy' 1200m tour is actually not so facile when you realise that you are walking up, and then walking down 1000m of it as well in a bog.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Wow didn't realise there was so much challenging skiing in Scotland. This from the link snowball posted.
Scottish ski touring is, however, an acquired taste; an 'easy' 1200m tour is actually not so facile when you realise that you are walking up, and then walking down 1000m of it as well in a bog.
Can you get wellies with tech fittings.
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?
Stop Ban, South Gully.
Ed. STOB Ban
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 23-02-21 13:04; edited 1 time in total
But only because I looked it up. I'm afraid I mostly ski the easier access stuff. I like the idea of the touring but I'm getting too old and unfit. And I want a quicker pay-off.
Mind you, if I lived in Scotland....
Does this count as a couloir? (me at the top). I'm afraid we didn't ski the wall (not enough snow).
Very easy one, probably.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Fri 19-02-21 14:53; edited 2 times in total
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Yes, absolutely.
After all it is free
After all it is free
snowball wrote:
Yes, absolutely.
Some guys actually skied down the dam wall a couple of seasons back when the snow stuck 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.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Nearly as steep but rather taller:
In 2019 our guide Zeb had his girlfriend, Liv, join us to ski for a couple of days (she is an aspirant guide, and famous as a climber). Two years before, she had climbed up and then skied the East face of the Matterhorn with 3 other women.
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 will look at my photo collection tonight. If someone else wants to pick up the baton in the interim then have at it.
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
Also, the metal ladder half way down is a dead giveaway. I love that ladder as much as I love the half buried cattle feeder I nearly rammed coming down from the Tete de Boston.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Another easy one while we wait for @gorilla,
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@snowball is that Liv Sansoz? if so Zeb seems to have landed on his feet post divorce
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@snowball, sorry. Been tied up. Talk amongst yourselves.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hi @irbis, Well yes, I was referring to that Liv. Though I'm unsure what the effect of Covid restrictions might have been.
Didn't I see before that your tag said you are/were based in Chamonix now, or am I miss-remembering?
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?
@snowball sadly I am not in Cham, I am in locked down in London, just like you...
how do you post a photo here? I'd like to contribute
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@BobinCH, +1
@irbis, I think there have been some changes on photo posting. Search for photo posting or ask an admin. Then feel free to post after @snowball,’s one’s been guessed. Or go *crazy* and become a super-Snowhead and you get a photo-posting widget
After all it is free
After all it is free
@snowball, were you thinking of idris who is a cham local?
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.
@BobinCH, though the pedant might say Vallée Noire (skier's right 'Italian' side of the VB...).
I'll keep things rolling with a sequel in the 'dam-shots' series:
Hint: it's not the Cleuson...
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@offpisteskiing, @BobinCH, yes, of course, and as accessed from the Italian side, so Vallee Noire is more specific. @extremerob, yes I was muddling with idris.
This is not the way I have skied by the Zinal/Grimenz dam but I looked it up and I think you can, so Zinal is my answer.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Wed 24-02-21 13:00; edited 2 times in total
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@irbis, now that you can't use snowMedia Zone you need somewhere else to place your photos first. I, along with some others, have put mine on https://imgur.com
Copy the code (top right of your photo) and add .jpg. Then put between [img] and [/img]
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.
snowball wrote:
This is not the way I have skied by the Zinal/Grimenz dam but I looked it up and I think you can, so Zinal is my answer.
Bang on.
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
Despite the narrow view I think this probably isn't difficult. (Me 21 years ago, so no helmet)
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@snowball, is that the Argentiere glacier in the background?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Yes, that drop down in to it is very recognisable, I think. The glacier really looks like a raging torrent here.
Over to you.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@offpisteskiing, on second thoughts I did once ski down that side of the dam. It even looks a bit like me at the back of your picture, and I think I recognise two of the people. That wasn't a Ski Club of GB holiday was it?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@snowball, it's probably all melted now - the difference in the Vallee Blanche from when I first skied it is crazy. That's probably 25 years ago - I feel old
Will look at my pics and get something up soon
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?
I had just descended the face in the background and am decompressing. Saying I had skied it would be an exaggeration, although I did have skis on throughout
I had just descended the face in the background and am decompressing. Saying I had skied it would be an exaggeration, although I did have skis on throughout
I think Haggis_Trap took the photo
Pan de Rideau, La Grave. Amazing how the photo from that angle takes away the steepness of it all - I have a similar photo, and often feel it doesn't do it justice when looking at it. People often declare that the only scary part of the Pan is the traverse to access it, but it is properly steep with a gaping bergschrund at the bottom! I have been told it is getting steeper and steeper as the glacier is receding.
OK, here you go:
I had just descended the face in the background and am decompressing. Saying I had skied it would be an exaggeration, although I did have skis on throughout
I think Haggis_Trap took the photo
Pan de Rideau, La Grave. Amazing how the photo from that angle takes away the steepness of it all - I have a similar photo, and often feel it doesn't do it justice when looking at it. People often declare that the only scary part of the Pan is the traverse to access it, but it is properly steep with a gaping bergschrund at the bottom! I have been told it is getting steeper and steeper as the glacier is receding.
There you go, that’s what we’re talking about. Bucket list line for me.
The steepness has left the photo but knowing the pitch: full respect, it looks like good conditions too - bet you didn’t hang around there for long taking photos ;o)
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@JackSkier, well spotted
Here's the famous traverse (also by Haggis Trap I think)
We got pretty lucky with conditions - mini-dump overnight and it was end of season so not too many people around. I think we'd been to an end of season party the night before so everyone was a bit rough around the edges. What better time to take on the Pan?!
The traverse certainly required your full attention but I have a reasonable head for that sort of thing. I actually got a bit freaked once I got onto the face. It's such a gnarly spot up against the north face of the Rateau
Thankfully the ski out is really nice for a punter like me
Anyway, end of TR, let's have the next pic
After all it is free
After all it is free
Yes, bucket list for me too. The thing is you have to be in a group the guide feels are all up to it (and in the right conditions). The ski Club of GB holidays in La Grave are now so risk averse they only ski one of the couloirs down to the road, so I have given up on them. Perhaps I need to arrange a holiday to La Grave with only 2 or 3 good skiers, rather than my usual group of 6.
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.
snowball wrote:
Yes, bucket list for me too. The thing is you have to be in a group the guide feels are all up to it (and in the right conditions). The ski Club of GB holidays in La Grave are now so risk averse they only ski one of the couloirs down to the road, so I have given up on them. Perhaps I need to arrange a holiday to La Grave with only 2 or 3 good skiers, rather than my usual group of 6.
Most guides will do the Pan with a max of a 2-1 ratio, but some perhaps even 1-1. Often they will belay you across the traverse to limit the exposure, which naturally reduces the possibility of doing it in a large group.
I think to get the best out of La Grave with a guide, one needs to plump for a much smaller ratio. I skied with a very well known guide there a few years back with a 4-1 ratio, and even with that size we were limited in what we could get up to.
Saying that, I did somehow luck into joining a group of two others on the last day of the season a few years ago, and we did the Pan as our first run. I am not sure if that reflects well on the guide or not! I had already skied it before at that point, so perhaps that inspired some confidence, but the other two had not.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
(skier's right 'Italian' side of the VB...).
