 Poster: A snowHead
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Does anyone know a good resource that details the steepness of well known routes. And specifically does anyone know the steepness of Triffide 1 (La Grave), the top of the descent from La Grave to St Christophe, and the Electric Couloir (Les Deux Alpes)?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I can't recall the titles, so this isn't going to be of much help, but there are a series of ski touring books (in French) that probably do. You can get them at Le Vieux Campeur - so you can probably buy online. In fact, here's a link:
http://www.au-vieux-campeur.fr/gp/asp/sous_categories.asp?codctg=585
I only say probably as the one I'm familiar with covers all the routes I'd expect it to which include many that are now pistes.
Sorry I can't be directly useful.
Cheers,
DM
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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 are possibly thinking of the Vamos guide by Ginet and Villaret. ISBN: 2-910672-03-4. Facewest in the UK can supply this for 18 quid. It doesn't give the steepness of The Grand Couloir (aka Trifide 1 - note one 'f' in Trifide, we are not talking giant man eating plants). The couloir is aroundf 40 degrees[1] and with the poorish snow of this year may be quite rocky. With advances in skis and boards the Trifide 1 gets a lot more skied these days which can make the snow difficult. Somewhere to go when the snow is good - like this morning.
Here is a link with more information about la Grave
The couloir du fil électrique or electric couloir has a section of 30 degree slope, according to the Vamos guide, this can be icy as the couloir can see a lot of sun. I've never skied it.
David
[1]This was measured from an IGN map not on the terrain so take with a bit of a pinch of salt, if you get more accurate information please post it.
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The top of the descent form La Grave to St Christophe is the Col de l'ours, if my memory is correct. I'm not sure that it's much over 25 deg, but can get very icy as it's south facing, and at 3,500m ish so when the sun gets to work it turns into boiler plate
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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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Some years ago I skied it (Grand Couloir) once - on hardpack - but it would take an edge. At the time I wished I wasn't there. I was told that the steepest part was 45° . Probably the most frightening run I have done.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Nick Zotov,
So they don't call it La "Grave" for nothing! 
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davidof, I think that's the very one, and thanks also for pointing me in the Facewest direction. Hadn't thoughy they might stock it.
DM
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Steve, surprised to hear the Col de L'ours is not much more than 25 deg, it felt a lot steeper when I skied it, but perhaps it's just the size of it that is deceptive.
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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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I was la grave last week with a mixture of a few centimetres of powder on a hard semi frozen base (from the very hot weather in mid April).
The top mellow glacier section was beautiful. We then skied the banana couloir down to the lake. A mixture of hardback and little patches of powder which I descended with a combination of side slipping and jump turns. Definitely somewhat challenging.
A bit later in the day we came down the central Triffide couloir number one. I would say it’s probably not quite as steep as the banana, but it’s a lot longer And so gives a very grand and somewhat exposed feel to the skiiing. Again, the snow was a mixture of Hardpack and a few little patches of powder. I wouldn’t say that it was a mandatory no fall zone, But a fall could certainly have been very unpleasant With the hard pack. In terms of slope angle It doesn’t go much over 40°, but that 40° is quite sustained.
A very fine route But probably best avoided when the snow is hard.
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19 years, not bad, what is the record again ? 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Given snowHeads’ recent 20th birthday bash, it’s got to be close to limit on thread resuscitation?
Anything much older might be too close to the original event horizon to observe…
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