 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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@Idris, nice! Is the Hellbronner open?
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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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@Idris, Aren’t you supposed to be in Megeve?
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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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| BobinCH wrote: |
| @Idris, nice! Is the Hellbronner open? |
Has been for weeks.
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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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| Red Leon wrote: |
| @Idris, Aren’t you supposed to be in Megeve? |
Yes but today was a day off
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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’ll be looking for a day out in Courmayeur while I’m in Chamonix at the end of January. I’m guessing the process of catching the bus in the morning is relatively easy?
Anyway I’d want to do the run from the Monte Bianco cable car. On the piste map it’s marked as an itinerary. Does that mean it’s avi controlled? Best to get a guide for this? Is it possible to hire a guide for the morning only? I’d like to do the off piste run down the big hill then have a nice table service lunch and then cruise around the resort for the afternoon.
Thanks in advance.
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| sbooker wrote: |
I’ll be looking for a day out in Courmayeur while I’m in Chamonix at the end of January. I’m guessing the process of catching the bus in the morning is relatively easy?
Anyway I’d want to do the run from the Monte Bianco cable car. On the piste map it’s marked as an itinerary. Does that mean it’s avi controlled? Best to get a guide for this? Is it possible to hire a guide for the morning only? I’d like to do the off piste run down the big hill then have a nice table service lunch and then cruise around the resort for the afternoon.
Thanks in advance. |
The run off the Punta Hellbronner (Monte Bianco) is very much high alpine terrain. If you and whoever you are skiing with are not seasond alpinists, you need a Guide.
Normaly you either ski Hellbronner side, or the resort side for the day. It would be a very hard push to do both. There are also a lot of big off piste runs off the resort lifts (Arp, Yula).
In europe NO itinerary runs are avalanche controlled, or patrolled.
In europe we control the slopes that threaten to avalanche a piste. Not the slope (off piste/sidecountry) for it's own sake.
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@Idris,
Thanks.
I’m sure I’ve been told some areas in some resorts are are not pisted but are controlled. My mistake.
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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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@sbooker, you aren't completely mistaken - there are a few exceptions to what @Idris says (sometimes marked as "Freeride"). However generally off piste areas are not patrolled or controlled in the Alps.
Some pistes are not pisted though - e.g. many French black pistes. (these would be patrolled and controlled, because they are proper pistes).
Another category is "ski route", especially in Austria. They are sometimes patrolled / controlled, but not always. And sometimes pisted, but not always. Depends on the resort!
It sounds a bit more confusing than it really is, but probably just worth checking on here or at the resort until you get used to how it works.
I haven't done the Skyway Monte Bianco descent but went up the Skyway lift and skied Courmayeur on two separate days in March (see Aosta trip report in signature). A guide would very much be required as @Idris says. It has quite a sunny aspect so I believe snow conditions can vary enormously from week to week and season to season. I believe it was unskiable for most of last season because there was so little snow.
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@denfinella,
Thanks.
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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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Things up Helbronner are even less straightforward than before. As it says on Fatmap "The ladders which used to access the Toula Glacier are no longer in place. The run can still be accessed via an awkward set of rappels, or by skiing the shoulder of the Aiguille d'Entrêves, or via one of the very steep couloirs beneath the Pointe Helbronner"
So the entire character of the morning out is changed. Unless you know the condition of the Couloirs down it can be a bit of a lottery. If abseiling in its worth the cost of a guide to carry the 2 X 60 metre ropes!
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm looking to book something last minute for myself starting on Saturday. It has been hard to find true conditions. Can anyone give me a proper outlook on the conditions?
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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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@ally12259, I'm only going to reply once, if it was me, the best looking (from the webcams and reports here) would be Monterosa or Verbier.
I can't see how the pisteurs could do anything to improve Courmayeur, which, in my not exactly inexperienced opinion, was dangerous if you weren't on race skis (and I note most of the locals were). There's some skiing around Chamonix but I haven't been up due to a vile chest infection which is only just getting under control after 4 weeks of coughing - and it looks fiendishly busy by the traffic at the end of the road and the time it too b-i-l to exit town last night (45 minutes).
A chum who's a pisteur up the Grands Montets said that it was carnage on the 26th.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Thu 29-12-22 18:00; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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I've skied Courmayeur today, conditions on piste were reasonably decent all things considering this morning, turning scraped off and icy this afternoon. Not great fun but managable. I skied La Thuile Tuesday which was worse, everything below about 2300m very icy and the valley runs pretty much boilerplate. Pila yesterday probably the best of the 3 but still similar conditions.
Considering driving to Monterosa or Cervinia tomorrow but guessing it will still be more of the same. Sounds like similar over most of the alps so just got to make the most of it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@GottaCatchEmAll,
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conditions on piste were reasonably decent all things considering this morning
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I'm (pleasantly) surprised. It truly was shocking on Tuesday. Good to hear. Both Monterosa and Cervinia have more accessible height ...
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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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La Thuile was tough going yesterday - sounds similar to Tuesday’s conditions. Today was a different story altogether though and I was pleasantly surprised to find the 28km of runs I skied today had very few icy patches. Even by late afternoon they were holding up pretty well !
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Skied yesterday. Still all white top to bottom. Pistes up high good but firm. Boilerplate mid mountain and quite nice lower down. Had to choose views vs nice snow (under the cloud layer).
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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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| GottaCatchEmAll wrote: |
I've skied Courmayeur today, conditions on piste were reasonably decent all things considering this morning, turning scraped off and icy this afternoon. Not great fun but managable. I skied La Thuile Tuesday which was worse, everything below about 2300m very icy and the valley runs pretty much boilerplate. Pila yesterday probably the best of the 3 but still similar conditions.
Considering driving to Monterosa or Cervinia tomorrow but guessing it will still be more of the same. Sounds like similar over most of the alps so just got to make the most of it. |
I am about to book accommodation for Courmayeur for arrival 9th Feb, ski on the 10th. Is that a safe bet?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Tjhodgson_145, who knows? kinda, sort of, maybe, as safe as many things ... but half term, no?
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @Tjhodgson_145, who knows? kinda, sort of, maybe, as safe as many things ... but half term, no? |
If I survived Bansko at February half term I can hack an Italian resort 
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Does anybody have information about Pre Saint Didier-La Thuile road closure ?
It looks like some fresh snow for Espace St. Bernardo and Courmayeur in the forecast, might be worth visiting 
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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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| Cheapski wrote: |
Does anybody have information about Pre Saint Didier-La Thuile road closure ?
It looks like some fresh snow for Espace St. Bernardo and Courmayeur in the forecast, might be worth visiting |
No idea if it is still closed but when I was there between Christmas and New Year we had to take the SR39 from Morgex. No biggie either way.
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According to a post on LaThuile.valledaosta Instagram yesterday: Temporary reopening of SS26 from 8am Sunday Jan 8 until 8am Tuesday 10 January 'one way downhill'. So still have to drive over the Arpy road to get there.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| ScottA wrote: |
| According to a post on LaThuile.valledaosta Instagram yesterday: Temporary reopening of SS26 from 8am Sunday Jan 8 until 8am Tuesday 10 January 'one way downhill'. So still have to drive over the Arpy road to get there. |
any update on this? Getting a crystal transfer from Turin on Sunday. Reckon our travel time will be significantly imapcted?
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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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My understanding of the update was that the reopening of the road was temporary to allow bank holiday traffic to get down into the valley. If your are travelling from Turin the detour over the Colle San Carlo shouldn't add much to your overall journey time - it takes about 30 minutes in a car from Morgex. Maybe an extra 15 minutes that going via Pre St Didier. Have a good trip.
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| ProfessorMesser wrote: |
| La Thuile was tough going yesterday - sounds similar to Tuesday’s conditions. Today was a different story altogether though and I was pleasantly surprised to find the 28km of runs I skied today had very few icy patches. Even by late afternoon they were holding up pretty well ! |
Any updates from this week? Arriving Sunday!
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You know it makes sense.
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Well ... today ... forecast wasn't great but headed over.
Sun shone till around 12h00 and the pistes were immaculate. Scooted all over. All good. Even Internationale (which apparently can get a bit scraped) was nice enough to do twice.
Off piste windblown and maybe a bit rained on lower down, certainly all a bit crusty. But the pistes were just lovely.
Topped off with a modest lunch at http://alpettacourmayeur.com/ including a bottle of the house labeled Barbera at 13.8%  which was, errr, robust?
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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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Snowing heavily with light winds in La Thuile village this morning. Poor visibility from the first pylon on the Gondola.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Resort (La Thuile) reporting 40 - 60cms already with more to come and ice cold temps!
I hope to be on the slopes Thurs - Sat, anyone interested in sharing a guide and / or doing some safe mellow side piste / tree runs PM me
This should be great!
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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 wrote: |
Resort (La Thuile) reporting 40 - 60cms already with more to come and ice cold temps!
I hope to be on the slopes Thurs - Sat, anyone interested in sharing a guide and / or doing some safe mellow side piste / tree runs PM me
This should be great! |
I’ll pm you. Conditions are incredible today just reduced visibility m; but better than yesterday. Knee-high powder just off piste. Would post pics but not sure how from a mobile.
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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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@craftybob, yes webcams looked milky soft yesterday! There is a guide available tomorrow if interested in sharing, you may have commitments though. Not sure I'd take the full expense on my own particularly if there's obvious fun to be had in trees or beside the piste while I get the legs in. Mate joining me on Fri so might reassess then.
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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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| 8611 wrote: |
| @craftybob, yes webcams looked milky soft yesterday! There is a guide available tomorrow if interested in sharing, you may have commitments though. Not sure I'd take the full expense on my own particularly if there's obvious fun to be had in trees or beside the piste while I get the legs in. Mate joining me on Fri so might reassess then. |
I would do it. Viz will be good. More snow this afternoon so you should be skiing fresh tracks all day. Conditions will be epic! With a good guide could be one of those days you never forget.
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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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@BobinCH, sure I could just pop through the tunnel and follow you down the Eugster for free 
Yeah I agree, but as long as I get some fresh I don't really mind. Bit of aesthetics and adrenaline added in would be a bonus though.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| ScottA wrote: |
| My understanding of the update was that the reopening of the road was temporary to allow bank holiday traffic to get down into the valley. If your are travelling from Turin the detour over the Colle San Carlo shouldn't add much to your overall journey time - it takes about 30 minutes in a car from Morgex. Maybe an extra 15 minutes that going via Pre St Didier. Have a good trip. |
Just on this the route through Arpe to La Thuile was hairy as f*** tonight. Had winter tyres luckily but was all over the road, just to warn anyone driving it you will 100% need chains without winter tyres. Will have to repeat it tomorrow so will post if it improves
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Super day in La Thuile. I'd say there's between 40 to up to 80cm where wind accumulated. Some wind scoured slopes also. Not super light but highly enjoyable. Very cold.
Managed to luck out by booking a short lesson with what turned out to be a mountain guide and ended up spending the whole day with him and later another instructor friend. Both in their 60s and put me to shame!
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Arrived yesterday, didn't get skiing till about 2.30pm. Pistes are in great nick, a couple of busy runs were a bit scratchy by the end of the day but otherwise very nice. My first ski since Feb 2020 and after the 3.15am wakeup I wasn't completely on it, I could tell I was being a bit lazy. Slept like a log though so today should be better!
Will not be going back in Super G, lol. Unbelievably expensive.
There's a marked difference in snow between the French and Italian sides of the Mont Blanc tunnel, on the French side there looks to be a lot more snow (not that there's any issue on the Italian side for piste skiing at least, I don't know about off piste but I would guess its quite variable).
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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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Went over to La Thuile today, it was very windy so all the pistes were scoured and it was absolutely freezing. Probably caught it on a bad day (despite it being sunny) but it didn't really capture me. Ski area is a bit barren.
The La Rosiere side was nice though, no wind and good pistes.
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| bobmcstuff wrote: |
Went over to La Thuile today, it was very windy so all the pistes were scoured and it was absolutely freezing. Probably caught it on a bad day (despite it being sunny) but it didn't really capture me. Ski area is a bit barren.
The La Rosiere side was nice though, no wind and good pistes. |
im heading to Courmayeur next week to ski Friday onwards. Got a hire car. Where do you recommend?
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FAQ
