 Poster: A snowHead
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getting excited for my xmas trip now, i received an email from Les Menuires website today informing of lift opening date (4th dec), and confirmation that the new high speed gondola taking you direct from the base to La Masse summit in 8 minutes will be opening as well.
its great that the old La Masse 1 gondola will still be in place to allow for skiers access to the lower slopes, but this will be a good addition as it will not only help in the morning rush, but allow for pedestrians to access the summit as well.
some of the people who will be going on our feb half term trip are non skiers, and they like to either do the walking trails, or take the gondolas where available, so this will be one more option, especially to take in the fabulous views and a nice resto at the top.
will be interested to see where the start of the new lift will be from, as not sure there would have been much room alongside where the existing LM1 gondola sits, to fit another gondola station?
only downside is i will now have to wait and see if there will be a new, updated, fabric lift map from the wipe-out store available by then 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| terrygasson wrote: |
| will be interested to see where the start of the new lift will be from, as not sure there would have been much room alongside where the existing LM1 gondola sits, to fit another gondola station? |
It's right next to the Reberty lift, at right angles to it.
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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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cheers @Raceplate,
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@terrygasson, a very useful addition and 8 minutes is an impressive time from base to summit.
One of my favourite areas in 3V.
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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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Here's some pics from 3 weeks ago. The giant cable reel came up the mountain on the back of a lorry from Italy along with 2 support trucks with cranes. Mr P v excited about taking a look and checking the specs and stats. If anyone is interested-the cable was 6950 m long, and weighed 95 tonnes.. 
(Pics of the big red lorry with the fully loaded cable reel are also available for any nerds out there on request  )
The route goes up more to the left hand side, over the drag lift and I think will tempt people towards Dame Blanche and also to the top of the drag lift-so more bods will head towards the OP on that side i think..boo hoo-such a great spot on a fresh snow day!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Such a shame the old Rocher Noire three seater chair has gone though. That was a lovely peaceful way to start the day
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planning my trip for Jan 2022
Any COVID limitations I have to take into consideration?
4 Adults after 3 vaccinations
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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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Meanwhile, pictures ate on social media of a gondola at Courchevel at a somewhat relish angle. It looks like the Saulire (sp?), but can't cross post the photo at the moment. I sure Me Dauphine will be on the case soon.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The big (BIG) downside of the new lift is that it is a one-shot bottom-to-top lift - no mid-station (as I understand it). Great in theory, except for those days where the good snow is above a certain altitude and you really just want to be lapping up high to stay out of the heavy/not fun snow (or out of the valley cloud or similar), or simply when you just want to lap the fun terrain which mostly is above the old mid-station level without having to bang out an extra 400m vert down to the valley.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Sun 7-11-21 21:21; edited 1 time in total
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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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@offpisteskiing, exactly
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| Quote: |
The big (BIG) downside of the new lift it that it is a one-shot bottom-to-top lift - no mid-station (as I understand it).
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That's just ridiculous. Kicking Horse take 2 (which is equally ridiculous) 
Penny pinching in the extreme? Never mind questions of snow conditions bottom vs top, what about when it's dumping snow or blowing a gale?
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You know it makes sense.
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I thought they were leaving la masse 1 in (for the time being)
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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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@stevew, they are, but that serves the lower half of the mountain. It's the upper half you'd most likely want to lap.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@denfinella, there is the lac noir but it is tedious and doesn't go to the peak, does anyone know if a replacement top lift is on the game plan?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Lac Noir has been removed too unfortunately 
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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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Bummer. What about the drag to Dame Blanche. Probably one of my favourite runs, in the sun and out of the way of any lifts eyc
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Drag is still there. I believe the only remaining lifts will be that drag, Masse 1 (bottom one) and the new gondola.
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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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Yes, the drag lift is still there, and I reckon it will get a lot more use, so be prepared for your fave OP stashes off the drag and down Dame Blanches to get skied out more quickly.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Will the Saulire cabins be ready for use this winter or is the damage too bad ? Re the news above from last week, "fortement endommagées" does not sound good
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As long as they start opening it in the summer again, I'll be happy!
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@Geh, I heard from my daughter who is there that end of Feb opening
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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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hi all, seeing as i am currently in Les Menuires, i thought i would give a thread update on the new La Masse gondola.
i have used it a few times this week, it is super quick to get up to the top, and the new top station is impressive. you have near 360 degree views around the station, with helpful directional guides placed on the glazed barriers to inform you what peaks you are looking at.
it is good for pedestrians to be able to access La Masse now, and lots of people having picnics up there, but it could do with some form of benches or seating, as they were having to sit down on the paved floor.
i am sure that the owners of the restaurant at the top are happy now, as you have to go past them to get to the slopes, and presumably more footfall for them, whereas before you would generally turn right out of the top station and miss them.
As others have said, the downside is that you cannot access the top now without going back down to the very bottom and taking the gondola back up. i am sure all the planning for this was done pre-pandemic, but not having the old rocher noir and lac noir chairs, means having to take a gondola, whereas using the chairs meant you could still get quite high up the mountain.
obviously La Masse 1 is still operational, which in theory allows novices to go up to the old mid station and down again.
to be honest this week, due to covid, I have tried to avoid the busy gondolas as much as possible, and only using chairs where i can. there have been a couple of times i have gone to use the new La Masse gondola, but the queues were quite long, so i bailed out and either gone up the old La Masse 1, or the reberty chair and skied elsewhere.
i have also used this tactic to access the orelle valley, as the cime caron telepherique has been busy, so instead have used the portette chair and thorens gondola to reach it this way, as generally has been near empty.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| terrygasson wrote: |
| i am sure that the owners of the restaurant at the top are happy now, as you have to go past them to get to the slopes, and presumably more footfall for them, whereas before you would generally turn right out of the top station and miss them. |
They've sold up! What was one of my favourite good value and usually quiet self-service restaurants with friendly owners has been replaced by a fancy and expensive restaurant (that had almost no customers last week when I was there several times) and an over-priced snack hut. The cheeseburger from the hut was ok but at €13 sans frites is hardly cheap. The burgers at any of the VT huts or McThorens are as good or better for less money and a cheeseburger sans frites in Mottaret is €6.50, literally half price.
Yet another cheap lunch venue gone from the 3Vs. 
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