 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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I was in Flaine earlier this week and skied on Wednesday. The pistes were in very good condition and all the main lifts were open. I think the links to the other resorts open this Saturday. I was not asked to show any documentation (apart from my lift pass, of course) but someone told me that the gendarmes were out last Sunday checking COVID documents. The resort was very quiet and, following the announcements yesterday, this could even continue through Christmas and New Year. Certainly, there will be very few British skiers around. I was planning to go out between Christmas and New year and again in January, but who knows whether that will be possible? Given that the snowfall has been good for this time of year it is very disappointing that the politicians are playing games with people's long-anticipated holidays.
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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’ve been over since last Saturday and never seen so much snow in the valley. Samoens lifts opening tomorrow and very much looking forward to getting up there.
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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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Well that was fun. Snow in good condition higher up - some lower pistes quite hard. Skied in Samoens Morillon and Carroz. Some lovely snow in between the pistes in Morillon which we had a great time in.
Quiet, as it always is this week. As long as the snow is good it’s my fav week of the year. Warm in the sun , v cold out of it.
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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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Saturday 18th December
Skied les carroz this morning until about 1.30pm. 9am gondola was very quiet, not got asked for pass sanitaire at all on any lifts. Most people sort of wearing a mask, they did in the Gondola at least.
Snow on les carroz Gron side was superb, and so quiet until about 11.30am, we did lots of laps.
Then down to molliets and it got a bit busier, up to Morillon and Char and I had forgotten how stressful it can be guiding a VI skier with crowds, got really cut up a few times. Someone even tried to go between us (and she is less than a ski length behind me!)
Up the new lift and then down chamois which had superb snow, then back to gron side which was best snow of all (its in the shade), plein soleil and timalets home, both of which are superb. No off piste for us today, looked nice if rather tracked, VI skier needs a lot of confidence for anything like that.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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A quick 3 hours first thing this morning, sign outside the gondola (hard snow, control speed) Well it was not hard at all, only did around gron again repeat....... snow was superb, from the sounds of others skis it was starting to get a bit crusty off piste. Stopped at 12 as starting to get busy.
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Yeah snow was still great today. Went over to Flaine and up to Grand Platieres. Sun was shining, snow lovely and not many people. Back over to Samoens for a few laps of Tête des saix and home mid afternoon for a rest.
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Much quieter today, snow much better shady Gron side, down to molliets was a bit hard and sugary. Sairon in morillon was the same. But sun was out and not that many people. Even did last run down plein soleil and timalets without the bluetooth headsets as the battery went flat, so reverted back to our emergency hand / pole signals. Timalets was totally deserted.
On another note lunchtime was also quieter than usual, and it was strange not hearing any English voices at all.
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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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Got virtually the first lift, was really quiet if you chose the pistes out of the sun, which also had easily the best snow. Anything that had been in the sun was hard and marbles. Bergin in morillon had the odd stone and bush sticking out the piste, but they have not groomed it for 2 days. Again lunchtime very quiet, stopped at 1.45 as my VI skier had very sore eyes as sun /shade/sun/shade on a run really makes her eyes and head ache.
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Lovely this morning. A bit more busy from tête des saix and the usual bumps building up which make it more difficult as a mix of beginners stopped at a bump and idiots going full pelt.
Apart from that spent a lovely morning lapping around Samoens. Snow still in great condition Samoens side on all pistes.
I think the weather is due a change with possible rain so making the most of the lovely sunshine.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Like yesterday, just more pronounced, but overall snow still v good, they have been making lots of it. Not very busy, esp. lunchtime.
Only slight neg was.... ended up in the Gondola with a bunch of Dutch with no masks at all...........
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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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I was over your way today Zorrac. My 11 year old wanted a go in the snow park.
Also lapped the top half of Sairon on Biollaires chair for quite a while this morning. Nice snow, quiet pistes and my son could play between pistes a bit as there is a lot of off piste there that’s still a little soft.
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Went to flaine today, run down to Vernant and tourmaline were both a both thin, but we got there from les carroz by 9.20am.
Got pass sanitaire scanned at tete des verds, and then enjoyed faust a few times, superb snow on it. Jade was also a bit thin in places. No queues at all, les carroz was sort of busier, but not much. snow best of all on gron side. Overall super day, and flaine lifties were really switched on with VI skier.
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You know it makes sense.
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Merry Christmas
Is it December or April? Spring skiing today in rain from about 11.30am, but the mountain was deserted, had runs to ourselves most of the time in les carroz and morillon. Didn't go any further as it was all a bit flat and the trees help. It was snowing rather than rain halfway up Gron chair.
Hopefully back in January.............
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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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Really warm tonight, snow on our roof just below the gondola is melting really very quickly 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Tipping it down with rain when we left this morning, was a bit grim, hopefully it will get better
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Any thoughts on next couple of days? 
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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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| BAN wrote: |
| Any thoughts on next couple of days? |
Today should be ok. Then stay inside until Thursday
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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It was horrid Tuesday and Wednesday. Last two days nice, albeit crowded in Glaine!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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GM 6 day pass - can't remember, but does it give a day or 2 in other resorts ? cheers
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Season pass does but not 6 Day pass. Unless things have changed this year.
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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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cheers all
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Lots of new snow 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Bluebird powder day! Between 9.15 and 11 skied six lines from top to bottom of Flaine, almost all untracked from top to bottom! 
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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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Monday 17th January
It was a bluebird day, but not a powder day, hard packed would be the description. Les Carroz gondola at 9.15am, got a cabin to ourselves. Guiding VI skier as usual. Plein Soleil chair was shut, and looks like its been shut a while? so did plein soleil and timalets down to the base , snow was very nice, just hard packed. Did some loops around gron for a while, getting things together again, bluetooth on the headsets was playing up a bit.
Went over to Samoens (much busier then les Carroz) and down Marmottes, which was very hard packed, and my VI skier got a bit spooked by straight lining idiots. Up to Club Med, doing its outside disco and food, then down to the new gondola at vercland which is very posh, grand cret has quite a few loose stones and some very slick bits, but very quiet and we did it in one go without stopping. Back to les carroz and loops around gron, which as usual has the best snow, probably because this time of year it is mostly in the shade and so less people. Finally finished with a plein soleil and timalets zoom, and in by about 2pm.
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| Zorrac wrote: |
Monday 17th January
It was a bluebird day, but not a powder day, hard packed would be the description. Les Carroz gondola at 9.15am, got a cabin to ourselves. Guiding VI skier as usual. Plein Soleil chair was shut, and looks like its been shut a while? so did plein soleil and timalets down to the base , snow was very nice, just hard packed. Did some loops around gron for a while, getting things together again, bluetooth on the headsets was playing up a bit.
Went over to Samoens (much busier then les Carroz) and down Marmottes, which was very hard packed, and my VI skier got a bit spooked by straight lining idiots. Up to Club Med, doing its outside disco and food, then down to the new gondola at vercland which is very posh, grand cret has quite a few loose stones and some very slick bits, but very quiet and we did it in one go without stopping. Back to les carroz and loops around gron, which as usual has the best snow, probably because this time of year it is mostly in the shade and so less people. Finally finished with a plein soleil and timalets zoom, and in by about 2pm. |
All sounds quite good, hope to be there in a few days.
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You know it makes sense.
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What is story with Gers bowl? As well as Veret and Agate? Website seems to suggest these are closed. Is there not enough snow?
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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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| peanuthead wrote: |
| What is story with Gers bowl? As well as Veret and Agate? Website seems to suggest these are closed. Is there not enough snow? |
I think they are economising, only opening certain slopes/lifts this year when it is very busy. More than enough snow, but a few things are just shut, but to be fair, many things that have not been open for years, are open due to very good snow
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Poster: A snowHead
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Yes , lindars nord shut and quite a few others..
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tuesday 18th January
Snow grippier than yesterday, seemed warmer overall, blue sky all day. A few thin patches in places, from the top of the 3 seater chair in Morillon down to the top of Char was particularly thin, with the odd rock and twig sticking out, plus the steeper part of Bergin near to the start of said named lift.
Pass sanitaire checks at the top of the Les Carroz gondola, and Plein Soleil chair actually moved, but is still shut
Nice and quiet, just with the occasional weirdo who likes to try to follow us really closely, one in particular down Sairon, and another who tried to get between us.........
Have no idea about Gers, don't take VI skiers into off piste bowls really. However its only mid Jan, often in the past it has not been open until later and this is especially true of Lindars nord. Later in the season, Lindars nord is then often open right to the end as its high. Pretty sure Fred, the red from the top of it takes alot of prep, as do all the holes around the base of the lift.
You can see the holes on the 4th 360 photo in the sequence here, the top of aup de veran
https://sites.google.com/threesixtysphere.com/threesixtysphere/home#h.xi8tq1pvfxcs
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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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Wednesday 19th January
Much softer snow today, Grand Cret down to Vercland was very pleasant, even Char which tends to be rock hard and marbles was nice. Really quiet. Plein Soleil / Timalets home was epic even in the fog at the top which has rolled in as we have the edge of a front rolling over this evening, all cloudy now but prob no snow 
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Would be great to get some advice from you GM regulars out there. I’m going to Samoens in the first week of March, am an intermediate snowboarder who is super nervous with flats. Any particular pistes to avoid? I know cascades is one.
I rather end up in a steeper bit (and heel edge it if it comes to that) than to go on flats.
Probably planning on getting to Flaine at some point during the week if fitness and weather allows too.
Oh and any recommendations for good on mountain places to eat and stop for lunch?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Have mates who are guides/instructors with ESF Samoens. There is tons of snow in Gers and on Lindars. We skied Gers quite a few times and toured back out during the last bout of fresh decent snow around the 5th-7th Jan. The real problem is that there is a severe shortage of staff - lifites, snow basher drivers as well as pisteurs. Given that both Gers and Faust cater to the offpiste crowd mostly, and are highly technical, and far more likely to pose "problems" with regards to injuries, avalanche safety, preparation and operation in general, Flaine has taken a decision on the QT not to open them for the time being. I was told that Gers perhaps may open in Feb, but Lindars is most certainly a no-no for the season, or at least while CV19 lasts.... SImilar story in Samoens, and to a lesser degree in Le Carroz and Morillon...
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interesting on Gers/Faust, is that just the lifts that are shut and I could technically ski tour up the Gers bowl?
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| Aki wrote: |
Would be great to get some advice from you GM regulars out there. I’m going to Samoens in the first week of March, am an intermediate snowboarder who is super nervous with flats. Any particular pistes to avoid? I know cascades is one.
I rather end up in a steeper bit (and heel edge it if it comes to that) than to go on flats.
Probably planning on getting to Flaine at some point during the week if fitness and weather allows too.
Oh and any recommendations for good on mountain places to eat and stop for lunch? |
I've never bothered with Arolle even with far too many years under my belt on a snowboard the parallel run portet is not much better for the top third but is lovely the rest of the way so is worth 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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Friday 21st January
Really cold today, snow seems to be hard crystals (at least that is what my VI skier said as the snow flicks up from my skis and hits her). Just did Les Carroz and Morillon, not many people at all. Bergin had a few twigs sticking out at the top, but overall snow coverage is very good, if a few marbles about to make it a little rough in places, and hard with a coating of sugar on top!
Oh yes it was freezing cold......still thawing out!
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For good skiers, Gers, Veret and Agate are playgrounds that make Grand Massif as good as anywhere when the snow is good
Without those open, it's kind of a boring enough resort.
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FAQ
