Ah crap. I didn't go up there last week because the red was removed from the map.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I love a good conspiracy theory, and there could be a subtle reason for the change. The map now shows the Aquille Rouge run as black from top to bottom. In reality, the top is now a medium red at most.
Could this be to dissuade people from going up to AR in the first place (most wouldn't contemplate attempting a black at the peak of a mountain) to lighten the load on the cable car? It's always rammed when it's running, and this would reduce numbers very slightly.
Just a thought!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
It is probably so that they could mark a very long black run with an circa 2000 metre drop. It is a bit tricky to work out just which part is meant to be black
I see that the cable car is closed, has it been open at all this season, I know it's been closed quite a bit?
It was open for at least some of the days last week.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
johnE wrote:
It is probably so that they could mark a very long black run with an circa 2000 metre drop. It is a bit tricky to work out just which part is meant to be black
Although it's now marked black, everything from the top to the point where it splits for Arandelières 2 is really a very narrow red. Unless it's scraped, not too much of a challenge. Most of the rest of the AR black piste is medium to tricky red, with one or two bits harder depending on the conditions.
The real challenge around there is going off the side to Robert Blanc, etc where you have to start dodging the rocks. This is a pretty good account of it - http://youtube.com/v/YGN5BdhTE78
After all it is free
After all it is free
@ratkinsonuk, no doubt about it, Robert Blanc is indeed a black piste, possible the hardest in the resort. However the the piste I always find the most unpleasant in Droset. It never seems to have good snow and has an horrible little uphill bit before getting to Pre st Espirit.
Late in the season the wide red bit after the narrow road can be some of the best skiing in the resort. TBH the bit I hated the most was the narrow road just after the steep entry which was never too bad. Theyv'e kept that bit.
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Lac always gets the goose-pimples up for me. Mostly because it was my very first 'tricky' red on day 4 of my first ski holiday. We'd just got back from skiing over to Plagne Centre and back, and my legs were completely shot. But, also because you never quite know what it's going to be like until you get there. Low light, scraped, moguls, dead skiers all over the pipe. It's got it all
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@ratkinsonuk, @johnE, At 39 seconds in the video above, the part in the top left is part of the black run, it was slightly bumpy last year. You can see the skier/boarder in the video has taken the red windy path, whereas the black part cuts straight down.
There are a few bits down the run like that where the black signs simply offer a more direct descent, and apparently those might now be fenced off. Other than that they seem to share the piste for different chunks.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Ruswit wrote:
the part in the top left is part of the black run, it was slightly bumpy last year.
That slope, about 20 meters long from memory, has now completely gone Rus. Only the red path winding round the top remains, and that's been re-classified as a black. You can see it here - http://youtube.com/v/Z_RJv5n4kKk?si=n_e-5YxAytI9KxY9&t=62
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.
That's the exact video I found the other day
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Clearly he's a popular fella, which I find rather strange being a border!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
In the past when I was at the top I'd take one look at the red and one look at the black and always went down the black. It looked nicer.
So it looks as if it actually red to the branch
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Why did he fall over? Just braked to hard to help someone?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Rain at Arc 2000 this morning .
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Grim...
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?
Snow Forecast predicting a freezing level of 1850/1900 with the overnight dump
Rain in Arc 2000 seem to pretty much stop after lunch. We had a cracking afternoon on the slopes. Snow was still really decent. Hoping for some nice fresh snow over night.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
We are in Peisey and it has been raining all night. Anyone staying higher up the mountain can tell me if it’s snowing up there and if so what’s the snow line? Thanks
Has been dumping all night in Arc2000, lots of avalanche blasting this morning. Hopefully they can get enough lifts open today...
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.
The road from 1600 to 2000 will be closed today, from 5pm to 6.30pm for the usual avalanche clearance activity. The Altiport restaurant, at 2100m, reports 35cm of fresh snow on their terrace this morning.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Ski instructor just told me the only lift open today in arc2000 is likely Marmottes!!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
dh900 wrote:
Ski instructor just told me the only lift open today in arc2000 is likely Marmottes!!
That's often the case with a lot of fresh snow (or very high winds). It takes time for them to secure the pistes from avalanche danger above. Usually there is more open on the 1600/1800/Vallandry side of the resort, although not the higher lifts. Plenty of fun to be had below the treelike on that side of the domain.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Looks like another good dump down to 1800 last night, and I can see the sun desperately trying to burn through. If it manages, it's gonna be the best day of the season!
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Poster: A snowHead
Funi is broken - they've just turfed everyone off at the bottom after it limped down.
Fingers crossed it's soon fixed.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Apparently there are widespread power cuts across 1800 power likely to be off till 4pm this afternoon
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?
@Scamper, classic, that new funi is an absolute joke
Visibility came and went throughout the day. Had to be patient with the lifts opening and took a gamble on waiting when Pre St Esprit broke down, but overall we had an absolute blast on the slopes. Did one run down to 1600 and found it a little icy lower down, so stuck mostly to 2000 area and the snow was excellent. First ski hol I’ve done for ~10 years and first with my family, and it has been excellent. Wouldn’t hesitate to book another trip to Les Arcs.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Was in 1800 for most of the week, great area. Conditions were everything from mondays white out, to tues bluebird, wed rain and thurs dumping. Stayed at the Roselend, nice pool / sauna etc. Villages are a little different to what I'm used to, but some nice bars etc. Ate well at Falcoz for lunch one day. Overall would definitely come back, loved the long wide smooth reds. They seemed less steep than other resorts which suits me, but maybe cause the snow was so good higher up.
Just returned from a week in Les Arc. A tale of 2 halves, cold temperatures with great snow on arrival, before a topping up of snow above 2000m and rain below leaving a couple of days of great snow. Temperatures continued to rise and the quickly eradicated the fresh, but pistes held up pretty well, then had some rain up to 3000m on one of the nights which basically destroyed the pistes lower down and even those above 2000m were no longer great - softening up to be a bit slushy even by 10:30am. Felt very lucky to have had a few days of great slopes, but quite concerning how rough they became with the warm temperatures, hopefully for those this week they've managed to sort the pistes impacted badly by the rain and spring conditions. Saw some really rough icy spots all over, and sadly accidents were shooting up towards the end of the week too, very surprised at what's being left open, and how rough some pistes are first thing in the morning with bare patches and windscreen looking ice patches - haven't come accross it before elsewhere!
Stayed at Arc 1600 which was great for covering everywhere and getting over to La Plagne on a couple of days - would probably avoid staying below 2000m as valley runs are fine for intermediates, probably awful for beginners. Belle Plagne looked like a great option having explored the areas. If anyone is planning to visit I'd be holding off for the weather to get back under 5c, and if you've got the luxury of waiting for some fresh snow the area definitely needs it! Admittedly got lucky this time but will avoid booking again blindly in January assuming cold temperatures at least, bit of a reality check! Think it'll pay to be booking last minute even in resorts as high as 2000m.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I think you were unlucky this year. I've done quite a few trips to Paradiski across most of the months, and the worst it's ever been is icy in the morning during mid-March and then a bit slushy/mogully towards the end of the day.
The general weather pattern (once you take out the specifics) is for the jetstream to change back to a normal pattern around mid-Feb. At the moment, it's leaving northern Europe wet and southern Europe dry and warm, hence the odd conditions around all of the Alps. I've been monitoring the Milky Way and that's really suffering.
As long as the base layer survives the next couple of weeks and the extra school holiday traffic, then it should be able to return back to normal conditions for the rest of the season.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@welloffpiste Totally agree - last Sat was once of worse days on piste i've ever had - east coast US style boilerplate / ice. Even when sun on slopes for most of day some didn't soften. Only found decent snow at top of Aiguille Rouge. Felt so bad for some of the beginners/learners as was enough to put people off. Not sure how much the fault lies with the resort as the rain/freeze was a nightmare but I spent a day over at La Ros/La Thuile and conditions did seem better there. Might have also been a a little influenced by busyness as certainly when I skied over in La Plagne it was v v busy for a random Thus in Jan. I liked Paradiski but not as much as I expected to tbh - though can imagine in great conditions esp with decent off piste snow the opportunities both on slopes and easy access in-between areas would be amazing.
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I've done many trips over many years and agree this period is the exception rather than the rule.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
This coming Saturday the motorway will be blockaded between Albertville and Chambery
According to Radio La plagne
Best leave early and arrive late?
The blockade was from 8 to 12ish last Saturday
FAQ
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