 Poster: A snowHead
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Just got back from 3 days skiing the Grand Massif. Wow - the pistes are the best I have skied. Plenty of snow almost all over - well bashed, cold and sunny (although it looks like it is snowing today on the webcams). Skied Samoens, Flaine, Morillon and Les Carroz - all good. Even made it to the famous Cascades run (14km) from Flaine 2480m down to Sixt 680m. Good coverage (a little icy at the very end) - great fun despite some polling near the top. Morillon has some great tree-lined runs to have some fun with - into the trees, little jumps at the edge of the piste etc brilliant. Cant wait to go back (a week on Sunday!!!! hurrah).
Steve
PS - did I mention how good the pistes were?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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stevo_the_saddler, Have you got a 'place' there or do you just find somewhere to stay in, I guess, Samoens? It is a great area and being so close to Geneva makes it very attractive for a short break.
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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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I have an apartment in Samoens www.alpsapartment.co.uk for more details. Short breaks are great - I have even done "Day trips" using Easyjet early our of Luton and late flight back - get about 5 hours skiing in! No need to rush now the aopartment is finished! Do you have a place?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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stevo_the_saddler, No place anymore, we used to have one in Chatel. I used to ski a lot from Les Carroz as it is about the closest ski station of any size to Geneva, I worked in Ferney Voltaire at the time.
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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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CP, Went to Chatel last year - very nice. We chose Samoens as it has a life in the summer too. The Grand Massif is a great ski area - and very quiet most of the time - suppose I ought to stop singing its praises otherwise everyone will want to go and it will get busier!
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stevo_the_saddler, Chatel has life in the summer too - we used to do a lot of walking there in the summer months, when we were not decorating or cleaning the flat etc. I was amazed at just how many people there were in the town in July and August and most shops and restaurants were open.
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CP, I know Chatel also good in summer - I meant rather than some of the higher altitude resorts
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Hi Stevo,
Out for my first ever visit to that area, I'm staying in Les Carroz.
Cascades sounds fun, I'll look out for that, do you know if they got much new snow yesterday? Hoping to play in the trees 
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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 think only a little was forecast - but to be honest it was great anyway. The only icy patches were at the very bottom of Sixt and the very lowest part of the Samoens run down to Vercland. Other than that the pistes were fantastic as was the little bit of tree dodging we did in Morrillon and Les Carroz. Watch out if you are going off piste - especially up in Flaine where it is particularly dangerous without a guide. If you want some fun in the trees (but not steep) head for the long green run in Morillon (Marvel). When are you there? I go again 5-12th Feb with family. Cant wait!
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Hi
Been studying piste maps & a little confused, not that unusual!
Can't seem to work out simplest way from Carroz to Morillion & back, sure it must be easy but quite a few runs do not have direction on my map!
Went from Morillion back to Flaine last year & can't even see how we did that on my map !
Any help appreciated 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'm off tomorrow, back Tuesday night. From the research I did, there is only one "dangerous" area, which I was told was around the
Lapiaz lift.
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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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provenjohn, Piste map isn't the best - but you shouldn't have a problem between the resorts - plenty of signs dotted around too. I always make sure I am in or around where I want to be an hour before the lifts close.
gregh, Lapiaz area is definatly to be avoided (I think even the piste was closed earlier this week) but there are plenty of other "holes" around the top part of Flaine - in the main gondola (the 23 person stand-up one) there are some summer pictures on the wall to show exacltly why you should be careful.
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cheers Steve,
It was a SCGB guy who has given me some pointers to some safer areas......
Do the "holes" cover up in winter, or are they fairly obvious?
regards
Greg
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You know it makes sense.
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From what I have heard it is safer when there is more snow - but personally, why take the risk when there is plenty to try elsewhere in the Grand Massif? When you go up in the lift, you will see the obvious ones - and again it is easier to spot when there are tracks around - but after a fresh snowfall - not so easy! Still - enjoy and stay safe 
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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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ah ok, I thought you meant holes were all over the Grand Massif, but from re-reading it's just in one specific area?
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Poster: A snowHead
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gregh, Top of Flaine is worst area - maybe someone with more knowledge can tell you more - but from what I know, the other areas are OK.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The worst area is above Flaine towards Les Grande Plattiers (or similar), you can see down some pretty impressive ones from the chairs!
That area is riddled with deep crevasses, they put nets over & let snow build up on them!! Ski'd that area with a geologist who said entire area is full of deep fissures, I think it's a definate case of off piste only with a guide or instuctor in Flaine area. 
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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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provenjohn, just before our first trip there about 10 or so years ago, I think someone disappeared down a crevasse after an on-piste fall, thay wen through some dodgy or missing safety netting.
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I've boarded that top area loads...have seen those summer pictures and have never made first tracks up there but have stuck close to others' tracks in fresh powder and had a whale of a time...can you tell me where Lapiaz is greg? BTW is Samoens your regular hang out? I'll look out for another regular Avalunger!! 
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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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Freestyle, Samoens is my hangout now!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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stevo_the_saddler, Thanks for the info - we're in Morillon 11th - 18th and it's good to hear conditions are holding up. provenjohn, Moriilon - Carroz is very easy I'll dig out my tired and tattered piste map from last year and see if I can work out how we did it.
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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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Freestyle, Cool - thats our hangout too. Out apartment is in Les Fermes de Samoens - near Grand Tetras. Only took keys a month or so ago - first "Family" holiday there on Sunday (whoopee). Don't know Dab & Clare. Know Tom & Ali (Alps Accom) and Liz and Andy (new this year - PureChalets). Love the place.
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ise,
Gotcha.
We took risks this New Year....gotta reign ourselves in from the 'Yippee ....the snow....I'm invincible' syndrome. Not big or clever. 
Thanks.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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stevo_the_saddler,
Yep. Love it too. Think I stood in front of Tom and Ali in Sherpa. Is their place in the Sherpa building - I thought I recognised them from their website? Does that sound a bit stalkeresque??? 
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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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stevo_the_saddler,
What's Grand Tetras?
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| Freestyle wrote: |
ise,
Gotcha.
We took risks this New Year....gotta reign ourselves in from the 'Yippee ....the snow....I'm invincible' syndrome. Not big or clever.
Thanks. |
Take the time to explore in the summer, I used to walk over or run quite often, it's wild scenery and you get a good feel for where to ski in the winter.
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You know it makes sense.
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Freestyle, No they have a big Chalet not far from the stream near ski bus stop. They spend quite a bit of time in Coveys too. Grand Tetras is another developement. Les Fermes de Samoens is right on the edge of the village - past MGM(Sherpa) bear right by Cheese Factory and over stream - on the right. Was (is to some extent) a building site until very recently. Are you living over there? Or just regualr visitors
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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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We are regulars but have been offered a business but can't afford the fench mortgage without the jobs we have here in the UK. 
Dan and Clare live in Sixt and are always telling us to do it!!!
Do you know anything about La Louisianne being up for sale?
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Poster: A snowHead
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ise,
You walked/ran from Morillon to Flaine?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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stevo_the_saddler, I'm not sure my name came up on the LFDS forum but I was the one asking you about whether non-guests can pay to use the pool/gym?
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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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BTW - I'm a boarder and I love Cascades - the off piste is delish at the top and the walking gives me a break when my quads have been burning for the week!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Freestyle, Ah, I see - dont suppose your friends are the ones staying in my Apartment in March (11th) are they? Had heard about Louisianne - love their pizza's!!!! There's a business to buy! Got a few quid to spare!
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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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| Freestyle wrote: |
ise,
You walked/ran from Morillon to Flaine? |
Yup, a few times. I ran back way, way quicker in a storm one time
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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ise, How long does it take?
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stevo_the_saddler,
Friends staying 11th-18th Feb - Wacky Races time... 
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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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just back from Les Carroz. My first trip to the Grand Massif, very nice area!
Very warm though, 0 was at 3000m yesterday, starting to show on the sun exposed routes. No off piste really left, moguls and ice/crust mostly off piste, found 2 little off piste runs of reasonable snow, one in Gers bowl although the top was hard or crusty and not much fun, and one off near a stream on the way to Flaine from Les Carroz.
My missus finally got her boots tweaked to almost comfort by Flaine Superski, very friendly people in there!
Spent most of yesterday cruising around, skiing blacks where we found them, some nice snow on the black runs, icy top of moguls in some cases but soft snow in between. Still the odd bare/rocky/tree root sections to be careful of.
Did grand cret down to Samoens which was a very hard piste with ice and the odd softer/grippy section, wondered why we were the only people on it 
Some lovely wide blasty sections of all runs inc the blacks, very quiet pistes so could really let the skis run.
The off piste looks to have fantastic potential in the area, apart from the obvious (and I guess not so obvious) holes in the flaine bowl, the other bowls up from Les Carroz (inc trees) and the Gers bowl all seem to have massive potential for some great off piste.
regards,
Greg
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gregh, Glad you enjoyed it.
Any recommendations for Les Carroz & area for eating & drinking?
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