@turms2, Yeah, I posted about it in February on this very thread. Had to look it up to recall the upgrade amount.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hi all,
We’re a family of 3 (2 adults and a will be 7 year old) looking at skiing in Avoriaz the week of 13th December - which is the scheduled resort opening. I’ve never been skiing that early in the season but it’s the only week we can do.
I appreciate its early season and snow conditions can be hit or miss and I don’t mind if it’s not perfect as long as I can get some skiing in.
Questions for those in the know…
How likely is it that the opening date gets delayed or the area opens with very limited terrain? I’m assuming that as long as it’s cold enough, snow making will be running and they’ll be able to open some pistes?
Do most restaurants, bars, shops etc. open from the first day of the season, or do they stagger openings into the busier Christmas period?
Thanks in advance. Any local insights or recent experiences would be really appreciated!
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?
Been in PdS for 7 years now, and there has always been some decent skiing open in France at that time, although sometimes not down to the base lift at Pre la Joux and Linga. So if you're staying at 1800 in Avoriaz, you can pretty much rely on everything above you being skiable.
The Swiss side posts the same opening date, but there have been times when there's been very limited, or none at all, skiing in the first pre-xmas week or two. They normally ensure there's a reasonable amount open by xmas, with a lot of snow-making.
Its a great week the opening week in Avoriaz. It will be busy 12th, 13th, 14th as there is usually a ski test/party opening weekend with Ski manufactures brining their new kit to have a bit of a exposition.
Hi all,
We’re a family of 3 (2 adults and a will be 7 year old) looking at skiing in Avoriaz the week of 13th December - which is the scheduled resort opening. I’ve never been skiing that early in the season but it’s the only week we can do.
I appreciate its early season and snow conditions can be hit or miss and I don’t mind if it’s not perfect as long as I can get some skiing in.
Questions for those in the know…
How likely is it that the opening date gets delayed or the area opens with very limited terrain? I’m assuming that as long as it’s cold enough, snow making will be running and they’ll be able to open some pistes?
I did opening week in the PdS in 2016, which is probably the worst start to the session they've had in years (the Morzine-Les Gets slopes were still green!) - but there was still skiing to be had up in Avoriaz. And in fact because it was so poor almost nobody bothered going so we had the mountain more or less to our selves, which was great!
That said it's one week to NOT buy your lift pass early because if there is limited snow they will also drop the lift pass price.
Fatherchrismix wrote:
Do most restaurants, bars, shops etc. open from the first day of the season, or do they stagger openings into the busier Christmas period?
In my experience most will be open and only the odd one delaying opening. For a lot of places these are the weeks where they train up the new season staff and sort the wheat from the chaff before things get really busy for Christmas.
Just had a marketing email from Serma confirming that early bird PDS season pass prices are valid till 30th Sept.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
LG update.....autumn can not come quick enough.....hopefully no more heatwaves, gradual cool down over next 10 days
cycled up to Bourgeoise 1800m towards Samoens, and caught a little tornado on my backpack cam....much better on vid if I can find the energy to make/upload
and a few shots from new Rosta lift replacement....word in town is that it has been a quiet summer for bars, despite plenty of people around....the mayor got sued for corruption over the lift contract....and then had a heart attack....rip. New major is going to restrict new builds.
World MTB series 28-31 Aug should liven things up
After all it is free
After all it is free
Footage a bit shaky at times as camera was just sticking out of ruck sack.....but our route up to Bourgeoise started at the Wetzet restautant, about 1/3 the way down Ranfoilly piste, then head along the Col de Joux Plane, past the lake, and after a few corners, take a sharp exit left up a gravel track.....the rest is a well worn path for walkers and cyclists up to the summit. Great 360 views of Grand Massif (Samoens 1600m and Morillion in particular), Giffre valley, Mont Blanc, Tete de Bostan, and of course the backside of Ranfoilly / Chamoissiere / Angolon.
Tornado starts to build up at 1:45 mark.
On the way back down hit a new PB speed of 60 kph coming around the corner back onto the Ranfoilly piste....hard tyres, low tuck, and few extra summer kilos for the win.
Last edited by After all it is free on Thu 14-08-25 15:49; edited 1 time in total
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Chapeau!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@8611, yeah those eMtB’s aren’t exactly built for speed, but am way past the point of mastering proper downhill so just use it to tour around.
No need for lifts…. but eyes on the back of your head are handy this time of year when traversing the resort runs.
This new Rosta lift has a helicopter on the go all day. I get that one would be needed for putting up pylons or other tricky jobs but this one seems to be just hauling buckets of cement up from town to make the base station. Seems extravagant given there is reasonably good vehicle access….
Big change in weather coming…..early taste of autumn, very rare Greenland high in August, scandi low and possible first tropical storm swerving towards Atlantic
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
There was a concrete truck at the base of the lift and the helicopter was taking the container of concrete to the piling and back to refil. 2 containers so one was refilling while the other was being flown.
It was a slick operation with a round trip of a min or so.
Some really nice flying.
I have a couple of videos but I don't think I can post them.
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.
@dazzle109, ok i didn’t see where it was refilling from…..and yeah some very skilful flying as the heavy bucket was swinging around like a counter weight in between trees. Still curious why you would need a helicopter to move the cement a short distance over flat ground.
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
The helicopter doubles up as the crane.
Concrete is horribly heavy stuff, manual handling is seriously frowned on today.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Rogerdodger, ok I was thinking more a cement mix truck with a pump, which would also get a more homogenous pour, rather than a bucket every 10mins or so.
Anyway, I won't lose too much sleep as long as it's all up and running in time for opening week
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Bucket every minute more like.
Flat ground? It was lifting from the base where the bottom lift station would be to the topmost pylon. That's steeper than the black run next to the lift line so certainly not flat.
I think they are going for an 8 man lift which seems crazy.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
The base is on flat ground, easy access, and that’s what it was filling the first 2 days when I was passing.
Yep 8 seater, to replace 2 four seaters, as the Grains D’Or lift is moving to Mont Chery….i was hoping they’d use it to upgrade one of the 2 seaters over there but it seems the plan is to replace the gondola up from town.
https://www.lesgets.com/en/rosta/
I like the area as plenty of short off piste runs, steep enough and gets / maintains relatively good snow cover.
….and there will be “no use of hydrocarbons”, like a windmill.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
While initially amused by “no use of hydrocarbons” marketing, I’ve gone down an AI rabbit hole to find out more.
Construction wise, a small-medium ski lift is comparable to a very small wind turbine (250kw), in that they both use 200-300 tons of hydrocarbons to build (CO2equivalent), have a lifecycle of 20-30years, and even with direct drive motors use about another 10 tonnes for operation / maintenance and decommissioning. But that’s where any comparison ends.
The operational impacts are of course polar opposites, in that a ski lift will more than double its total carbon use over time, while a turbine pays back quickly, achieving net zero in a few years…..more like 7 years in France due to its nuclear dominant grid.
To believe a ski lift will use zero hydrocarbons, you have to ignore the 300 tonnes of CO2e construction and another 300-400 tonnes via power usage over 20years. The direct drive motor reduces gearbox oil, but according to AI you’d still expect about 10 tonnes of hydrocarbons from maintenance over 20years, and the same again for decommissioning (ignoring recycling).
So the zero use marketing claim is …..misleading, from every angle. I wonder does such marketing actually attract more visitors. Which would only lead to more CO2e (transport).
I am suitably amused, rant over….as the helicopters barely register when you consider the whole budget
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?
polo wrote:
While initially amused by “no use of hydrocarbons” marketing, I’ve gone down an AI rabbit hole to find out more.
So the zero use marketing claim is …..misleading, from every angle. I wonder does such marketing actually attract more visitors.
Thanks Polo, I wondered what that piece of fluff was all about. Imho 90% of potential visitors wouldn't give it a second thought, and the other 10% recognise it as pathetic greenwashing .
@rjs, I somehow forgot the Grain D'or is a 6 seater....so there's a net loss of 2 seats going up overall but obviously going to be much faster.....at just over 2mins. Exciting for those who like to race over there to get first tracks before it gets busy. Although I tend to do Nauchet / Ranfoilly first, my better skiing mates prefer the Yeti black off Rosta for first few laps.
Some views here from my kid's recent hike....a bunch of them set off in morning 'for a walk'....headed up and over Mont Chery and carried on up to Pointe de Chalune, getting back about 6 hours later.
Point d'Uble on the left, and Chery Nord in the background
Looking the other way towards Pointe de Chavasse, with Praz de lys resort in background
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Jeez! Inch perfect - what commitment. 'Kinell
After all it is free
After all it is free
Words fail me.
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.
The sound is incredible.....I think 2mins- 3mins in he won it.....insane lines, corners. Yep total commitment.
From an interview ....."I do crash a lot... but it's good to crash because it shows that I'm going for it"
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@polo, do you think you might start this topic off for season 25/26?
I see it was September 1st when Andy began it last year.
It has always made me a little sad this year to see his name - never met him but he wrote well, and suddenly he was gone.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Pamski, thanks but I’ve never started a thread and don’t intend to change that, call it irrational stubbornness, or always having one foot out the door
It is very sad, I’ve read the last few posts he made more than once, and think it was only 3 weeks later we got the news. Guess it will always be this time of year and especially the first usable snowfall that I will be remembering his enthusiasm. RIP mate.
A good reminder of how little time we all might have, so I try not waste it, have no regrets, tolerate differences and be nice to people, or if you can’t do that, stop reading / posting on the internet
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.
Yup I guess that's another year done, there's still a few tourists around but the Mont-Blanc Rally this weekend is the last big event prior to the winter season kicking off. We had the heating on briefly this morning, so it doesn't feel so far away!
I'll start the new thread, see you all over there
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
polo wrote:
@Pamski, thanks but I’ve never started a thread and don’t intend to change that, call it irrational stubbornness, or always having one foot out the door
It is very sad, I’ve read the last few posts he made more than once, and think it was only 3 weeks later we got the news. Guess it will always be this time of year and especially the first usable snowfall that I will be remembering his enthusiasm. RIP mate.
A good reminder of how little time we all might have, so I try not waste it, have no regrets, tolerate differences and be nice to people, or if you can’t do that, stop reading / posting on the internet
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
.
lovely post mate - RIP Andy