 Poster: A snowHead
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I’m in Ste Foy next week a little earlier in the summer from our normal trip , I see Grande Motte glacier is open mornings for summer skiing , three lifts and 20km of runs open and it doesn’t look in bad shape on the cams but there doesn’t seem to be many people around and the cams view is from afar . Has anyone out there skied it in the last week , is it worth the short €100 for the wife and I for an early start ? If it is what conditions should I expect , boiler plate first thing or does it soften up right from the start ? Will it be skiable on a pair if all round skis as we have no piste/slalom skis in the ski locker . Never skied in the summer so thought it might be worth the experience.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Not sure about current conditions but it’s very weather dependent as to how the snow will ski. Ideally it will freeze quite solid overnight and you can then work your way around the area trying to catch the snow as it softens up. At some point, it’s likely that a lot of it will be pretty gloopy. That’s when you sit on the deck and enjoy the sunshine
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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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@Rob Mackley,
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Never skied in the summer so thought it might be worth the experience.
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I am not there now -- but did have a look on the webcam. It looks like you will have a good amount of terrain -- from the top of the Motte to the Vanoise is a good distance. Conditions will be as you find them, if it's frozen overnight it will be firm to start with. But (!) assuming it does freeze, you will ger some time on reasonable snow before it gets slushy. All mountain skis will be fine -- but worth a tune if they are not sharp. Is it worth doing? Well the variety of snow and slush you'll get is an eye-opener compared to winter, doesn't look that busy. And the views are great too!
I skied Tignes in the summer of 1996. The Lanches Chair then went to where Vanoise starts now. There was a T-bar from the top of Lanches, and bubbles instead of the Funicular. In August, Leisse was still open with enormous bumps. the 3500 T-bar was at the same height as the snow -- and skiable on both sides to the bottom.. No rocks visible at all on the now removed Rosslin or Champany lifts....
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as long as i know, the plan ist to stay open for skiing till end of July.
But how it looks like later? if there is enought snow? will they keep it open or not?
We will be there at 05 Aug. and i love to make a few turns if it is still open.
Or they will be till end of July not matter if the snow is ok etc
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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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| ski wrote: |
| I skied Tignes in the summer of 1996. The Lanches Chair then went to where Vanoise starts now. There was a T-bar from the top of Lanches, and bubbles instead of the Funicular. In August, Leisse was still open with enormous bumps. the 3500 T-bar was at the same height as the snow -- and skiable on both sides to the bottom.. No rocks visible at all on the now removed Rosslin or Champany lifts.... |
Thanks for yet another misty eyed look back at the good old days but the OP distinctly asked if anyone had skiied there in the last week NOT the last century.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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What is the situation with the Termignon lift? Is it ever running? If not, why is it still on the piste map?
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Termigmon is showing as running on the ski plan site )or to be more precise awaiting opening in the morning).
Rob, last time I was up there was 07 I think. Used to start on Leisse as it got the early sun, sadly no more thanks to emerging from the last ice age. But if you haven’t done it before it’s quite spectacular providing it’s a blue sky day. Any hint of precipitation means misery! Just have sharp edges!
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Thanks for yet another misty eyed look back at the good old days but the OP distinctly asked if anyone had skiied there in the last week NOT the last century.
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... which is why I started with this....
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I am not there now
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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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@chocksaway, Thanks , I don’t think it looks in bad shape but I’m hesitant because of lack of skiers on the cam and the website quoting piste as Dure . I won’t have access to some nice and sharp slalom skis so hesitant .
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@Rob Mackley,
Check the times on the webcam - I think they are only doing a few shots a day. Try moving the shots back & forward (bottom center of the shot).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Rob Mackley wrote: |
| @chocksaway, Thanks , I don’t think it looks in bad shape but I’m hesitant because of lack of skiers on the cam and the website quoting piste as Dure . I won’t have access to some nice and sharp slalom skis so hesitant . |
Just to say, if you don't go, you won't really miss anything. There are better things to do in the summer. It is mainly of interest to people who are training. Like a very big, open air snowdome.
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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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@Frosty the Snowman, a winter Library pic from Val this isn’t the glacier at Tignes anytime around now . I saw the same post this morning .
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You know it makes sense.
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| Rob Mackley wrote: |
| @Frosty the Snowman, a winter Library pic from Val this isn’t the glacier at Tignes anytime around now . I saw the same post this morning . |
About as relevant as a 1996 trip report
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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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| davidof wrote: |
| Rob Mackley wrote: |
| @chocksaway, Thanks , I don’t think it looks in bad shape but I’m hesitant because of lack of skiers on the cam and the website quoting piste as Dure . I won’t have access to some nice and sharp slalom skis so hesitant . |
Just to say, if you don't go, you won't really miss anything. There are better things to do in the summer. It is mainly of interest to people who are training. Like a very big, open air snowdome. |
This.
Having said that, Hintertux is looking surprisingly good right now.
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Poster: A snowHead
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planetski weren't singing its snow quality praises on a trip there a few days ago. Do you kind of need it to be below zero overnight?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@8611, @davidof, Thanks for that info , the forecast is showing a top up but upon being told by Mrs M that we are not , we won’t be , also another factor came to play is I’ve only hired a fiat 500 so the skis would probably have had to have been sticking out the window !
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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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@8611, snow can refreeze even if the air temp is positive because the heat radiates away. I think +4 degrees air temp is about the maximum though
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Was there last weekend and back this weekend from Paris.
First lift (Funiculaire) is at 06:45AM. A few shops offer ski hiring if you need it and open early (07:00AM).
Termignon was open.
Depending on the temperature during the night, the snow can be quite hard early on but softens up rather quickly. Conditions can also be quite different between the upper section (steeper section of the red starting at the top of the cable car) or the lower one (down to Vanoise). I quite enjoyed rotations on Vanoise.
Not that many skiers and quite few were training.
Quite amazing how going back down at the end of the morning feels like shifting from winter to summer.
Not really to be compared with winter skiing but a different experience!
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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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@snowfranck, thanks for the info , arrived today least the glacier look white compared to this time last year , the wide has informed me we won’t have time to go skiing .
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| Rob Mackley wrote: |
| .. the wide has informed me we won’t have time to go skiing . |
No way to so derogatory of "the wife"! 
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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@bergmeister
The Crete de Lessieres webcam is working and you can see that it would be possible in the moment. 
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@Bergmeister, Been hiking around quite high last few days all I’d say is that the snow patches are more numerous and glaciers whiter this July than recent years after a wet and snowy spring so chances are it might be possible .
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You know it makes sense.
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Also I’d add that the Grand Motte glacier looks good from afar and if I’d had willing company I would have gone up this week .
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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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Been hiking around quite high last few days all I’d say is that the snow patches are more numerous and glaciers whiter this July than recent years after a wet and snowy spring so chances are it might be possible .
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Don't know if it happened, but - according to the resort website - Val D's summer skiing was scheduled to be operating until last weekend??
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Poster: A snowHead
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On a more general Grand Motte glacier point; just received a missive from La Marie about the Proglacial Lake that is forming again at the bottom of where the Rosolin lift used to be (you can see it on the webcam - skiers left as you ski down the lower part of the glacier to the Vanoise). As these things can be very tricky, leading to flood surges etc, if left to their own devices the 2 communes (Champagny and Tignes) are going to channel the waters away down the valley towards Champagny.
having just checked the webcam on super zoom via the Roundshot, there appears to be a excavator there now.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Whitegold, yes what a major change from around the 10/12th July when I was out . Was also looking today trying to remember how it looked from that webcam 10 years ago . The change is massive the rocks in front hardly showed .
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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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At the same time last year things were much worse
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I’m out in Val d’Isere and Tignes at the moment and the glacier is looking significantly better than it did the same time last year.
There is many more patches of snow still about than the previous 3 summers.
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FAQ
IMO, nothing beats an early start on the Grande Motte funicular on a glorious, sunny, summer's day and a ski down on deserted slopes on lovely soft snow, while most people are still in bed 
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