 Poster: A snowHead
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@x/7, so are you suggesting he should have done what you did in a group but on his own, given the conditions, and in his restricted time frame?
Numpty indeed, and of course having to then use the word "epic" 
Conditions better for snowboards though....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Two groups of friends in the line at La Grave, ski patrol up there now and signs are will open according to them.
I'm hoping Yret is STILL going to be closed, as I have a plan 
And from here can see it's howling up on Eychauda ridge.
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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 was up first thing this morning, most of the upper lifts above Combes were closed like Grand Serre, Yvret and a couple of others. Super icy in parts up top and windblown, found it better through the middle sections and Luc Alphand was in great shape, enjoyed that run down! A bit of sun and wind dropping in the afternoon might help the higher sections of piste. Still some pow stashes around Cucumelle and CDB but requires going through a bit of crud and exploring to find them 
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30 to 40cm of powder down to just above P1 . Sun’s out, not a lot of wind, Patou was in the best condition I’ve skied 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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Trifides next, apparently
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Trifides 2 - tracked but full of boot deep cold snow. Perfect. Still fresh tracks to be had in the lower vallons. So good today.
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@Sharkymark, sounds like a great LG day* 
As for back here in Serre, OH dropped me off in Monetier for first lifts and it was pretty obvious Yret would not be opening as there was still so much wind at altitude, and that's what I wanted.
Took Eychauda chair up and it was bonkers windy at the Col, then it was a case of manhandling the skins onto the skis for the climb up to Yret, and the most challenging part was right at the beginning where it was frozen steep corduroy totally windswept of any snow, so really crampons were the order of the day but mine were still back at the ranch as they were the last thing I thought I'd need climbing up a piste on supposedly fresh snow.
It was pretty obvious with the wind howling and climbing up in that I could see it was going to be a technical ski, and as you can see from the photos I encountered all types of snow-pack both to the sides as well as what was on top of the piste
Anyway I enjoyed it so much in a sort of masochistic way that I did it again, but this time the Col du Vent route as opposed to the Yret first time around, and the best bit was all morning it was just me up there
I did look at the entrance to Montagnolle but did not think that was a good idea, as well as going through Jackson's hole as maybe too wind-loaded on the other side, but it did look good.
Anyone for shrapnel, Yret side
Col du Vent side
OH and daughter said they had a cracking ski, so much better with the colder snow. And I also found piste conditions on the Vallons also very good, even on my touring gear, and not too slushy on Le Bez into Chazelet, will probably be a totally different picture tomorrow
* Did say Classic LG day earlier, but then a Classic LG day includes a road run n'est pas ?
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Wed 15-03-23 16:51; edited 3 times in total
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Looks awful! 
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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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@Weathercam, none of the road runs have been open all season sadly. However, chancel was back on the menu with an extra 40cm+ of snow on it. Here’s one of many reasons why a road descent wasn’t necessary
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@Sharkymark, great or classic, don't think it matters when you get 40cms
You back there tomorrow, or heading elsewhere that direction?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ridiculous to the sublime.....
First lifts CDB and two runs on a deserted Casse in perfect Manchester, top to bottom.
So good all the groups etc leave it till they go back down for lunch 
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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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Thought the pistes held up relatively well today despite the temperatures. Spent the afternoon on cruisy runs though so might be skewed by that.
Nice to get up Yret for the first time this week.
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The family have gone for first lifts again this morning (have trained them well ) though don't think the Casse will be a repeat of yesterday as it was so warm in the afternoon and should imagine the corduroy will not be so forgiving first thing.
After yesterday's piste thrash; in the afternoon took the e-MTB to take a look up the Granon Road (South side of the Valley), unfortunately, the snow was too soft to ride on once I made it to the snow-line at around 2,000m, so could not do a really close inspection to see how wind affected it might be, but with these warm temps hopefully what sastrugi there might be will melt fast. But on the whole, looks good coverage up there, and still, the road is closed so a bike or hike is the only way to get to the snow, and that's a long hike!
As for today, fingers crossed for a cunning plan
View across to the pistes.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Should have added that yesterday, when skiing down Vallons/Cucumelle after the climb up I've never seen moguls and the resultant carnage caused by the build-up of the soft snow, which just got progressively worse as the afternoon continued.
The first wall down was really bad and then the lower section before the Pi Mai turn was horrendous for many.
As for today +5 and flat light - think I'm still going XC as it's the last day of that season here 
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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 that really had the feel of end of the season about it today, which in fact it was for the cross-country, a grim, grey day.
And that date was always scheduled and was it not because of a bad snow season, in fact we've had excellent snow cover in the valley all season, and last year think my last XC was mid end of February?
Though in this past week the snow has very quickly disappeared on the valley floor, and think it would be more frustrating if we had plenty of snow cover still, but they were no longer pisting the XC trails.
I know very few SH's will ever contemplate XC, but here in Serre Che we are blessed with some damn fine trails on our doorstep and the Swedes I was skiing with yesterday, and two lots now have places in Monetier, and they along with their friends will often XC and even do both on the same day, but there again they're accomplished XC skiers and have been doing it since they were kids, and it's just natural to them.
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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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| Weathercam wrote: |
And that date was always scheduled and was it not because of a bad snow season, in fact we've had excellent snow cover in the valley all season, and last year think my last XC was mid end of February?
Though in this past week the snow has very quickly disappeared on the valley floor, and think it would be more frustrating if we had plenty of snow cover still, but they were no longer pisting the XC trails. |
or not, this photo was on the 3rd April 2018 and the XC trails were open until at least mid April that year
Don't worry, they will keep pisting while there is viable snow cover.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@davidof, beautiful
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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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@davidof I'm pretty sure you're wrong, my neighbour is an ESF instructor, so I'll double-check with her as she left for Queyras (St Veran) where it's still open
They've now changed all the operations here and it comes under the nordicalpesdusud.com and they've been very good at updates (see below), but they highlighted the end of the season as today a good ten days or so ago even before we had the snowfall of last week.
I was looking back at my diary and 6th April
On the way to Lautaret but road closed due to risk of avalanches from above due to afternoon heat
PB 16km Cross Country. Really felt good
6th Feb last year was my last session, 27th Feb 2021 and 29/02 2020 but then there was Covid etc
That photo is from Boussardes and that's one of our ski-tour routes when conditions are suspect , and above the treeline is where I was helied off after skiing down from that ridge, Point Etinard!
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Mon 20-03-23 9:14; edited 2 times in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just sent Amelie this...
le ski de fond devait-il toujours fermer aujourd'hui ou était-ce dû au mauvais état de la piste. Je pensais que c'était toujours censé fermer aujourd'hui même si la neige était bonne?
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So yes it was scheduled.....
Bonsoir Gavin, oui dernier jour aujourd'hui sur Serre Chevalier même si la neige était bonne....ils vont finalement normalement damer jusqu'à mercredi autour du pas de tir de Biathlon des Guibertes. Les autres sites nordiques ferment dimanche 25 mars. (Les Fonts, Nevache., Queyras....)
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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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My point was that the 19th is quite early. The conditions don't seem great and the above two examples show much later openings.
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@davidof, no you were making the point that they would stay open if the snow was good, and I said that the date was scheduled regardless of the snow condition.
As you say they have to arrange these things so workers can arrange contracts, and there has been a lot of centralisation under NordicAlpesSud.
You do have a bit of a cheek telling me what's going on in my own back yard from 100km away , but this is SnowHeads
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ok, boomer
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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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OK Troll / baratineur
In fact, in April 2018 you never even skied here, not that you actually said you did, but you sure tried to craft/BS the impression that you were, with that first photo, even I fell for it, when in fact it's taken from the Nordic Serre Che FaceBook page
As for the weather today, first day of Spring, our terrace is, and I suspect the lower pistes into the resort are lethal this morning, with the overnight rain and then a subsequent freeze which nearly saw me going base over apex.
Could be another good day for sniffing out some spring-snow slack country, but the forecast is showing some good potential all week, though think early starts now if touring up from around the Lautaret now.
And pistes, even by early afternoon could be challenging if Saturday was anything to go by!
There is a lot of precipitation in the forecasts for the end of the week onwards, so too far off to be sure, maybe best to just look out of the window for the next few days
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Think so far this week it's been one of the best of the season, in that it's outrageously quiet up on the hill, and the weather is superb; though that could all change as from tomorrow, but as I said above, it really has been a case of look out of the window and decide.
Yesterday, after confirming that indeed the weather was suitable, I showed my neighbours, both instructors, one of our favourite slack-country routes which they'd never done. For Daniel it was ideal as he's getting over having a couple of stents put in last year, so we took it easy on the relatively short climb back up, after a cracking descent towards the valley floor in perfect corn.
As we started the descent there were about four pisteurs making ready Jacksons (route through some rocks) for the big Grand Prix event this Saturday, and it looks currently as if the weather is going to be alright for that.
It is quite a bonkers,crazy/fun event!
https://grandprix-serrechevalier.com/en
If you believe the forecasts, it looks like a return to winter next week, but how many times have we said that!
That said, my arms are quite tanned after three days of climbing, and my lips are subsequently very sore 
And daughters last night yesterday, and we went to the fab L'Oree Du Bois resto in Le Bez, expensive, but the food is superbly crafted.
And a big shout out to SnowCab who are picking her up at Noon from our apartment for a transfer to Turin at €39 and her flight back was only £30 !!!
Basically she susses the feasibility of the transfer first, then finds a suitable flight, if that makes sense?
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You know it makes sense.
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Up skiing the pistes this morning, great conditions, but quite a short window of an hour or two between hard and slushy, normal for the time of year!
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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 in the resort since Sunday, never been here before, and enjoying it. However, must say that you folks who are here all the time are very fussy about the conditions you go out in, although why wouldn't you be if it's on your doorstep? Conditions on piste are way better than we had 2 weeks ago in Morzine, so definitely not complaining!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@karin, ssssshhhhhh
We went to bed last night hoping that it would not be too bad in the morning, and sure enough, there was some good sunshine over us and the cloud cover was circa 3/8's, though not too good if you looked up towards Galibier / Lautaret.
Rewind to yesterday when I cycled in my Summer kit up the Granon road to the snow-line (1,920m) to suss the ski-touring potential.
And then with it not being too cloudy this morning, it was back up there, but this time with the OH, just the one dog and skis
I counted three others in all that area going up ahead of us; we came in right of the picture which I took this ten days ago from the Bivoac resto, when there was more snow up there, but it's the sector you can clearly see when skiing up from Chantemerle/Villeneuve.
We decided on taking Beanie as I knew the snow would not be too demanding for her, and on some of the traverses I'd carry her.
The Gardiole is at the peak in the picture at 2,753, we walked with the skis for 35mins before starting to skin up away from the road, so was not too bad an approach, ending up climbing just over 800m in total, but we could ski down more or less back to the van, only having to take skis off 3x.
And the snow was pretty well perfect spring-snow, and on the climb I had to stop myself from saying this could be very good as I did not want to incur sods-law and for it to then cloud over.
You can see how much cloudier it was further up the valley.
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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 that wasn't too bad a morning!
Yesterday the predicted rain didn't kick in till late afternoon, and the morning was way better than forecast.
And it rained all night it seemed, and as the dogs came in I heard what I thought was music, but it was rain water tinkling off the metal gutters.
This morning there was no snow on the trees that I could see, and Cucumelle webcam was not showing too much in the way of fresh snow on the tables and chairs, but below the Vallons it didn't look too bad, so we opted for first lifts.
And as it was the Grandprix seemed that they started early, so we were on the Casse de Boeuf at 08:50 and up the Gauthier at 09:05 and we skied a number of runs with around 2-5cms of snow on.
Eychauda drag opened at 09:30 and we scored a good number of runs off that before more people worked it out, and at the top was 5-10cm so better than expected.
So now we await what's in store for us tomorrow, as we could well see snow on the terrace, and there's also more snow forecast for the back end of the next week, which could well happen as we have a number of confirmed piste skiers coming out, though to be fair one of them would love to ski fresh snow but he's in rehab and just great that he can make it out here.
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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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Webcam is panning around the terrace and the rain/sleet turned to snow about half an hour ago, but it could well be 50/50 if it will stay as snow or revert back to rain. Temps here at 1,400m currently +2.5 - dogs are not too impressed and venturing out too far.
https://stylealtitude.com/serrechevalierweathercam.html
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Yesterday was a damp squib in the valley, and at one point the weather cleared.
Then circa 19:00 started to snow, wet and heavy as temps were +2°.
But it was laying, and this morning we have a soggy 8cm.
So will be interesting to see how much we have up the hill, as can't really see at the moment.
Going for CDB 09:00 though they're still bombing.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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FAQ
