 Poster: A snowHead
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Wow... what a difference a day makes. Lovely snow and weather yesterday... but I guess you pay for that with an overnight re-freeze? We spent the morning today above Peisey and Vallandry. If ever there was a reminder that my technique is rubbish and I really do need to keep getting lessons it was those rock-hard reds. Utterly transformed from yesterday.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@gendal, glad i’m not the only one who struggled a bit today.
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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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@gendal. We did the same then up and over into the 1950 bowl to find the heated picnic hut at the bottom of Marmottes (and very good it is too). It feels quiet so possibly saw you? Neither of us are fans of the rock-hard reds either.
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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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Conditions were difficult today: generally icy slopes and the off-piste was a no-no.
A day for social skiing.
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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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@Wi11iam - thanks for the tip re the hut. We'll be taking out a picnic tomorrow and hadn't started to research where to eat it.
If you saw a guy in a blue jacket/blue salopettes with a black Ortovox backback shooting back and forth across the full width of any/all of the reds in P-V this morning, singularly failing to remember any of his technique, then it could have been me. My other half is in an orange jacket with orange backpack... it's weird... he struggled yesterday, but had no trouble today. And I was the other way round.
Anyway - good to hear I wasn't the only one who didn't particularly enjoy today!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Can anyone recommend a boot fitter in Bourg / les arc? Someone you’d trust to guide on boot flex and to potentially modify the clog to increase flex?
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@Froguin, a lot of people rate Meteo Ski.
Personally I look at snow-forecast.com.
Take anything more the 48 hours away with a pinch of salt regardless.
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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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It’s a whiteout out there! Are people heading out in the morning or waiting until afternoon?
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Afternoon for us .
Hiring some snow shoes shortly for a nice walk , then lunch, then hopefully a ski later.
The next two days look iffy too, whatever you do Don’t look at the forecast from Saturday onwards !!!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@phillip33, What happens from saturday onwards?!
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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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@AlIre2024, 2 weeks of sunshine
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@timlongs, that just means ice! I’m here till end of Jan, would prefer some snow!
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You know it makes sense.
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| timlongs wrote: |
| @AlIre2024, 2 weeks of sunshine |
what’s wrong with that? Beautiful conditions after fresh snow.
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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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I didn't say there was anything wrong with it?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| timlongs wrote: |
| I didn't say there was anything wrong with it? |
My bad! Enjoy the next few days!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The webcams are making my feet twitch today, Glorious amounts of snow falling, hope the freezing level stays high!
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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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@wills_h, worth getting out today or wait until morning? Visibility looks poor from BSM
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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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@AlIre2024, judging by the web cams it looks like a great day to head to Vallandry and play amongst the trees
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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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Came over to La Plagne - Fabulous snow although viz is rather in and out.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We took advantage of a break in the weather and went out at 10 this morning (we're in 1800). Lots of fun on the reds off Vagere and the top of Transarc. The snow got heavy again at about 11:30 so we bailed out but we can see lots of people still out from our apartment window.
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| AlIre2024 wrote: |
| @wills_h, worth getting out today or wait until morning? Visibility looks poor from BSM |
Having got soaked yesterday we’re taking an admin/domesticity/rest day to watch it rain in BSM. Flat is now clean, fridge and cupboards full and Decathlon visited.
Which puts us at the existential question that every skier faces eventually: can there be apres if there was no ski?
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@Wi11iam, Absolutely there can!
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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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@Wi11iam, is there a Decathlon in BSM?
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nearest decathlon is down at Aime just off the N90 near weldom and E Leclerc supermarket
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi, I’m staying in BSM with my son in a couple of weeks. Are there ski lockers available to rent in Arc 1600?
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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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There’s some at both the top and bottom of the funi in the Intersport shops. Google will give you prices, availability, etc.
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Thanks, I looked on Intersport but it wasn’t clear. Do you have to rent of them to use the lockers?
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks, I looked on Intersport but it wasn’t clear. Do you have to rent of them to use the lockers?
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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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Some of the skiing today was awesome; some, tough. All in all, a really good day (gear is drying out right now).
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Poster: A snowHead
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| CH1975 wrote: |
| Thanks, I looked on Intersport but it wasn’t clear. Do you have to rent of them to use the lockers? |
We’re on locker only at BSM.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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First time Les Arcs, arriving Saturday 18th, staying at 1600
How is the orientation generallly of the resorts?
Where should i ski in the morning, and where in the afternoon to avoid slush snow (or hard pistes in the morning)?
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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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@Kouemaha, Arc1600 genenerally faces NW. Our apartment faces exactly North looking across at Mont Blanc and the sun only enters during mid summer at the very begining and end of the day. Orientation can be found very easily for most ski resorts on openskimap https://openskimap.org/?obj=dec537b602584db89d89ab114a619f1ae356398e#12.5/45.57133/6.80707
During April when spring conditions are de rigour we head over to the Arc2000 bowl in the morning where the snow softens up first. Then around 12 when the sun affects the more westernly facing 1600-Vallandry side we come back over the ridge to ski their now perfect pistes. Those 2cm on top of the solid base give the almost ideal skiing conditions and why many of us love spring skiing. April is generally a good time to ski in Les Arcs.
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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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| johnE wrote: |
@Kouemaha, Arc1600 genenerally faces NW. Our apartment faces exactly North looking across at Mont Blanc and the sun only enters during mid summer at the very begining and end of the day. Orientation can be found very easily for most ski resorts on openskimap https://openskimap.org/?obj=dec537b602584db89d89ab114a619f1ae356398e#12.5/45.57133/6.80707
During April when spring conditions are de rigour we head over to the Arc2000 bowl in the morning where the snow softens up first. Then around 12 when the sun affects the more westernly facing 1600-Vallandry side we come back over the ridge to ski their now perfect pistes. Those 2cm on top of the solid base give the almost ideal skiing conditions and why many of us love spring skiing. April is generally a good time to ski int Les Arcs. |
Thanks for the insight
How would that translate to january skiing? Would it be wise as well to ski Arc2000 bowl in the morning? Or it might be very icy there?
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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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@johnE, they're there next week... 
@Kouemaha, there won't be slush at this time of year.
The base of 1600 ( Mont Blanc and Cachettes lifts) can get a bit scratchy late afternoon - but only through usage on the home runs rather than melting. Otherwise it's going to be great
We tend to pop over from 1950 and start the day on the 1600 / 1800 / Peisey face of the mountain - but at this time of year, there's very little difference.
Sun doesn't tend to get into 2000 bowl until slightly later than that part of the domain, but with the good grooming, you'll be skiing corduroy most of the time (unless there's been overnight freshies) until it softens up.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Arctic Roll wrote: |
@johnE, they're there next week...
@Kouemaha, there won't be slush at this time of year.
The base of 1600 ( Mont Blanc and Cachettes lifts) can get a bit scratchy late afternoon - but only through usage on the home runs rather than melting. Otherwise it's going to be great
We tend to pop over from 1950 and start the day on the 1600 / 1800 / Peisey face of the mountain - but at this time of year, there's very little difference.
Sun doesn't tend to get into 2000 bowl until slightly later than that part of the domain, but with the good grooming, you'll be skiing corduroy most of the time (unless there's been overnight freshies) until it softens up. |
Sounds great. Usually skiing late march so no real experience with january skiing. Since from monday onwards temperatures will rise and sun will prevail, aren't icy pistes something to be concerned about?
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@Arctic Roll, Ah!
In mid January the only effect of orientationn will be going down to Villaroger which will not see the sun and can become cold. Otherwise it makes little difference except that it can be a bit warmer the 1800 side in the afternoon. One day over Christmas we were glad of this when it got very very cold on the Plangettes chairlift.
Icy pistes (I will not get pedantic here pointing out that snow is actually ice) will only occur where the soft snow is scraped off on the busy pistes which often means the gentle red pistes and blue where little snowfall has occured recently. If I had to guess which ones I'd say: the blue down to the bottom of the Marmottes chair, Aiguille Rouge from the Solliet restaurant and Ours/Ourson heading to the Peissey chairlift. Even though it gets little traffic Secret can be a tad on the firm side as well; probably due to excessive piste bashing. However ,there will be big signs at the top of the piste warning of icy bits so you are highly unlikely to be caught unawares.
@Arctic Roll, some days we never go over to the 2000 bowl at all.
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@Kouemaha, they'll be hard, but not icy.
Edges will hold, you will be able to trust your turns. Hockey stops will spray nicely, but will require good angulation to dig in. Depending on where the temperature actually gets to will determine at what point in the day the snow softens. Our usual experience with January is that that point is considerably later in the day than March / April - if at all. What sun there is, is lower, weaker. There are no South facing slopes to catch early morning rays. And you're high. There won't be much of a freeze-thaw cycle.
And as before, the grooming is excellent. When they piste - there are a few runs that they don't. Malgovert, Tuffes, Bosses being the ones that are most often left alone. (well, Malgovert is NEVER pisted - too hard to get any sort of machinery in there)
We're out the following week (25th) when my forecasting and technique will invariably let me down... nevertheless, early season snowfall means it's going to be great. Enjoy!
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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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@Kouemaha, As a hint, I usually start my trip by going up Combettes (just cos I cann't be bothered to walk through the village) then take Mont Blanc chair lift and the piste of the same name down. This gives you a good chance to refresh your skiing skills with shorter turns on the steeper bit at the top and huge carves on the wider bit at the bottom. Try and do it non stop. Then I take the Cachette and Clocheret lifts for the Clocheret piste. By that time I'm warmed up and have a good impression of what the skiing is like over the whole resort and can make judgements accordingly.
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@Kouemaha, @johnE's start of day sounds excellent advice. Clocheret lift is a bit slow - but the advantage is that the piste is invariably empty as a result.
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