 Poster: A snowHead
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I was up at Brevent today. Very hard packed until 11ish then a nice hour before it got too slushy and the rocks started to come out. Very spring-like. The good points were no queues and it was warm and sunny. Had a very nice morning thanks to the magic of low expectations.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Very very crusty and hard at grands montets first thing this morning. If you love zipping around on corduroy then first lift up there is good. Off piste is terrible first thing in the morning.
We headed over to Le Tour to get some sun and some softer snow. There, the pistes were softer and shlushier, and bigger powder skis were quite good fun on them. Off piste continued to be pretty crusty and hard, until later in the afternoon when it softened up a bit. Nothing to travel for though.
Though the snow isn’t great, the weather is beautifully blue, and warm, like spring skiing.
Delicious hearty salad in Le Passon at the bottom, then home.
There is so little snow here that tomorrow I think we might go for a hike along le petit balcon!
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I ran from Argentiere yesterday down Petit Balcon Sud and back up Nord - hardly any snow on either, normally can't run on them till well after Easter most years - oh well, silver linings!
We're going to have a day trip to Crans Montana tomorrow, in search of some easy piste skiing, I need to get my skiing mojo back! 
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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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Up at Grands Montets and while busy it’s really not too bad. Quite Scottish - old granulated snow “on a firm base”. Could be a lot worse. Haven’t been up Bochard tho’.
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Brevent today notably busier on the blues than yesterday. Fortunately the ski school line on Parsa is also a singles line which nobody seems to have realised. The snow on the lower bits is really starting to suffer though. I saw an instructor doing a drill with his group where the kids had to bend down and pick up a rock and throw it off the side of the piste.
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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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We skinned up to the Col de Balme today. Conditions not too bad , better than I expected. Had a bit of a ski around the slopes and not overly busy. Hopefully if we get the expected snow next week they will open the Vallorcine side.
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Has anyone skiied Les Houches this week? How is it?
I have a chamskideal pass there specifically for tomorrow (purchashed backed in Nov), only €25 but hesitant to bother trekking over, due to apprent lack of open terrain. 
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| dh900 wrote: |
Has anyone skiied Les Houches this week? How is it?
I have a chamskideal pass there specifically for tomorrow (purchashed backed in Nov), only €25 but hesitant to bother trekking over, due to apprent lack of open terrain. |
There's a webcam at the top of prarion cable car.
https://www.seechamonix.com/webcams/prarion
When I took a look earlier, it looked better than the previous few days. No idea what is open/shut
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The chamonix app will say what is open/shut
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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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@dh900, you could buy les Houches specific passes on CSD? Anyway you can't today. I would not bother, it looks terrible. If it's not LHs specific (I'd double check) sis in law was up Flegere for an hour or so yesterday with kids and it "wasn't too bad"
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I made the trip up, only Kandahar lift with any worthwhile pistes. Spent an hour skiing brown slush and avoiding rocks and grass, better than nothing. Sunday's snow is much needed.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Sorely needs some snow by the look of the webcam! Not visited in quite a few years now.
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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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Grand Montets was actually pretty good today. Snow firm but not too icy til later in the day, with good grip and some give in the bumps (on narrow piste skis). Noticeably less people though still busy on some runs - probably best day we've had since Christmas.
Only real downside was run back down pierre à ric which was proper knee stretching soft stuff.
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Grand Montets was actually pretty good today. Snow firm but not too icy til later in the day, with good grip and some give in the bumps (on narrow piste skis). Noticeably less people though still bust on some runs - probably best day we've had since Christmas.
Only real downside was run back down pierre à ric which was proper knee stretching soft stuff.
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You know it makes sense.
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Chamonix Meteo forecasting upto 80cm snow at 1800m between Sunday and Wednesday, 
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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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Plus more forecast into the following week... fingers crossed it sticks.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Morning - is Les Houches open right now? If not, do the Chamonix valley experts think there’s a good chance of it opening before next week? We’re flying into GVA for 3 days of sliding late on Thursday (staying in Les Gets) - will have a car so we can move around if needs be. Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@franga, as of right now, if it's even open (can't be ersed checking for you) it's rubbish. However, if the expected snow arrives ... maybe?
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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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Wouldn't Les Gets to Les Houches be jumping from the frying pan into the fire (if that isn't a silly metaphor for notalot of snow)?
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@pam w, haha hmmm... you're right though. Absolutely no point switching Les Gets for Les Houches. Ever. In fact.
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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.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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So … up les Grands this AM. Apart from +/- zero vis, and lumpy piste, looked like around 40cms had fallen at Lognan. Pals did a few Lavancher tunnels. I bailed after a few hundred metres because I hate zero vis at the best of times and worse while still very unfit, despite efforts. Will get there.
Currently chucking it down in town.
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| under a new name wrote: |
So … up les Grands this AM. Apart from +/- zero vis, and lumpy piste, looked like around 40cms had fallen at Lognan. Pals did a few Lavancher tunnels. I bailed after a few hundred metres because I hate zero vis at the best of times and worse while still very unfit, despite efforts. Will get there.
Currently chucking it down in town. |
Absolutely mega news. Driving over on Friday for three weeks and can't wait.
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@Georgert, to temper your enthusiasm, Lavancher probs needs another good meter to hide the rocks adequately. But that should arrive soon.
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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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@Georgert, to temper your enthusiasm, Lavancher probs needs another good meter to hide the rocks adequately. But that should arrive soon.
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Hopefully the snow we had overnight will have helped a lot, v snowy here in Argentiere . Fingers crossed Retour Pendant is opened soon, will save some effort:)
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@philipb, did you get a lot? we got about 10cms in Cham centre (as forecast iirc). It looked quite snowy on and off but not much serious (~1cm/hr)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@philipb, did you get a lot? we got about 10cms in Cham centre (as forecast iirc). It looked quite snowy on and off but not much serious (~1cm/hr)
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Yes, it's been snowing here for the last 48hrs on and off , a good amount overnight - 20-30cm since yesterday I'd guess.
It looks like the Tete de Balme lift is finally going to open later today as well.
Should be a good day
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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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After a bit of advice, I've got flights booked 1st - 4th Feb, I've no accomodation booked. I've not skied Chamonix for many, many years. Whilst I enjoyed my last trip there I didn't like the fact I had to either get a bus or drive to an "area" in the morning. Has anything changed in this respect? I seem to remember even pre Xmas the car parks filled up pretty fast (I'll have a hire car).
Our plane lands at 0955 in GVA, if I did ski Chamonix I'm hoping we'd get an afternoon ski in inc sorting out boot and ski hire for my daughter??
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Whilst I enjoyed my last trip there I didn't like the fact I had to either get a bus or drive to an "area" in the morning. Has anything changed in this respect
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Nope, that's basically how Chamonix works. The train is a good bet, most areas can be reached. Argentiere -Grand Montets, Vallorcine - Le Tour, Le Praz - Flegere/Brevent .
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You know it makes sense.
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@philipb, cheers - so are you suggested a train each morning from the village centre to the ski area?
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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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@philipb, cheers - so are you suggested a train each morning from the village centre to the ski area?
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I prefer it - more comfortable than the bus and no hassle parking. If you're in Chamonix itself you can walk up to the Brevent lift .
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Poster: A snowHead
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@philipb, thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@kitenski, for Grands and Flegere, if you can start at the main station and get your timings right, the train is a massively under appreciated resource.
@philipb, I measured 15cms at base but must be a very smokey 40cms at mid Lavancher bowl. Which was very lovely.
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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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@kitenski, there's some accommodation in Argentiere within easy walk of the main GM lift. Grand Roc apartments, Hotel Grands Montets, Amethyst apartments to name a few. If there's rooms in the hotel GM I'd go for that as it's really nice.
An advantage of Argentiere is that you're travelling against the flow (i.e. avoiding the traffic jams!) if you do travel to Flegere/Brevent.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@philipb, the problem for me with the train is the 15 minute stop at the main station if coming from down the valley
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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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measured 15cms at base but must be a very smokey 40cms at mid Lavancher bowl. Which was very lovely.
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Sounds about right - I took my measurement from the tables outside the Office Bar:) Lovely up on GM today
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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the problem for me with the train is the 15 minute stop at the main station if coming from down the valley
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Yes that is a pain. From Argentiere we use the train a lot , especially for Vallorcine.
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@philipb, i bet you do.
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| snowdave wrote: |
@kitenski, there's some accommodation in Argentiere within easy walk of the main GM lift. Grand Roc apartments, Hotel Grands Montets, Amethyst apartments to name a few. If there's rooms in the hotel GM I'd go for that as it's really nice.
An advantage of Argentiere is that you're travelling against the flow (i.e. avoiding the traffic jams!) if you do travel to Flegere/Brevent. |
Thanks, is there anything to do in an evening in Argentiere? Daughter (22) is looking to go with 3 mates next week!!
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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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| kitenski wrote: |
| snowdave wrote: |
@kitenski, there's some accommodation in Argentiere within easy walk of the main GM lift. Grand Roc apartments, Hotel Grands Montets, Amethyst apartments to name a few. If there's rooms in the hotel GM I'd go for that as it's really nice.
An advantage of Argentiere is that you're travelling against the flow (i.e. avoiding the traffic jams!) if you do travel to Flegere/Brevent. |
Thanks, is there anything to do in an evening in Argentiere? Daughter (22) is looking to go with 3 mates next week!! |
A few bars, but realistically it'll be the train down to cham and the vomit-comet (aka night bus) back if she wants a proper night out. If it's an all-ladies group she won't need to buy her own drinks in cham
With a bit more notice I could have lent you an apartment and she could even have left her stuff between trips. I'm not back for a few weeks and its sitting empty. Next time!
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@snowdave, that's very kind thanks!! Typical student, been talking about going out for weeks and left it all last minute! Is your apartment in Argentiere?
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