 Poster: A snowHead
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@Weathercam, skating certainly does have some appeal, maybe I'll pack some lycra 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi all, I am going to Serre Chevalier next week and I was wondering what the best value way to get a ski pass is. I have read that you can get the holiski pass or the Serre chevalier one but not sure which to get or how to get them. There are 9 of us and we will be skiing for 6 days based in Monetier les bains. Any help is much appreciated.
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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 need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@t_debenham, have you also asked your accommodation provider if they can organise a discounted ski pass for your group ?
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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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Thank you, I think as we are going for 6 days it recommends just getting the normal pass from that link. What is the difference between that and holiski?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@t_debenham, Holiski charges a daily rate at a discount. If you ski 6 days it is probably the same price, but if any of you don't want to ski every day, they would be better off with a Holiski/Ski Alacarte one.
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I have asked my accommodation but they don’t have any links I don’t think, looks like it is just the normal pass then. Thank you for the help.
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@t_debenham, where are you staying ?
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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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We are staying in an air bnb in the centre of monetier owned by a private host, I have asked and they don’t have a discount unfortunately.
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@t_debenham, we are a group of 9, same week and looked into this. Think the cheapest thing to do is to go for Ouik for 8 people for 5 days. Then buy dailys for final day. You also need one full pass for the week for the 9th person. By my maths this would save about 40 euros per person but does involve more faff...and maths which you best check before following my advice!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Has anyone tried to book for 8 people with ouik for 5 days and then booked 1 more day for the 8 through ouik? Would mean getting the discount for the whole week but not sure if there is something to stop that or not
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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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Hi all, a quick question - any views on the best vets for the return dog worming (and/or even EU PP)
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@AndAnotherThing.., you're now going to get recommended three different vets probably 
Altivet Briancon
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You know it makes sense.
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@AndAnotherThing.., Altivet in Briancon for us, Dr Magnin peaks good English. You will need proof of a French address for a passport, so that might be a no-go.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Cheers both - so far so "Altivet" 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Weathercam, We stopped on the Col due Lauteret for a look see. So many tracks !
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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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@AndAnotherThing.., yes unfortunately it's been bonkers busy up there, along with High Season and the La Grave effect, and next week, with the promised snow, and still La Grave closed, plus nigh on 50 SH's in resort chasing fresh, along with UCPCA off-piste groups back, hence a road trip seems like a sensible option
But up there yesterday was bliss, this was much lower down from the photo above.
And hopefully, this link will work?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/7dkbWE1PqEwAhJxn9
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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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@Weathercam, Looks nice. We had a couple of hours in resort, surprise best run was the black down to the base at Chantemerl.
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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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Currently at Serre Che with UCPA. A lot of off-piste is totally skied out and at lower elevations the snow resembles concrete. However, I’ve been surprised that we’ve also been able to find some totally untouched lines with decent snow by bootpacking. At Montgenevre and Claviere we even found some powder and many untouched couloirs. I expected a lot worse because of the dry spell. I really like the area and will definitely come back. It’s also somewhat quiet on the slopes, even though French ski holidays are still going on.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Maybe one of the best descents of the season yesterday ?
Left it a little later than the day before to go over the back again, and whilst having a coffee, killing time at the top of Bachas met @AndAnotherThing.., so we had a nag for a while and then we took Yret up and I went off.
And the snow had cooked to perfection all the way down on the various aspects, and I did a first in that I skied all the way down to the torrent and transitioned there which meant a longer climb back up, but the math is still pretty good at circa 1,000m descent for 600m climbing 
And just me and our tracks from yesterday.
Looks like it could be the last day of guaranteed Spring touring weather today and a gang of us are heading back up to the Gardiole, with me leading two very experienced "rock-star" skiers, so no pressure; fortunately a good friend of both of us is also tagging along and she's more like us
So weather Sunday onwards keeps changing every six hours depending on which model and which run you look at, and temps might not be cold enough for snow in the valley, so expect rain at times, but the positive is that hopefully the snow at altitude will stay cold and not get too heavy.
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Wrong thread. Deleted.
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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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Well it really is anyone's guess as to what will happen this week as forecasts are all over the place.
Based on a few years here, I'd surmise we might get 10+ by tomorrow morning at 2,200 and maybe a couple of cms on the van in the valley, which will quickly disappear.
Hopefully, there will be some sunshine in the morning, enough for a thrash around before the snow gets heavy, though should be good above 2,200m.
Then, Tuesday will be wet in the valley and hopefully snow up top, but viz will be the issue, as for Wednesday onwards does look like we will not see too much of that yellow thing in the sky
It was quite a week with some excellent Spring ski-touring and yesterday did some more classic slack-country, and a route we've not done for a good few years and it was certainly a mini-adventure for my mate whose birthday it was, scoring some lovely Spring and then lower down having to get over some streams
The route is basically from the top of Eychauda (steep), through the rock bands above my mate's head, quite complex route finding, down along the valley, and back up.
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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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| Weathercam wrote: |
| .....Based on a few years here, I'd surmise we might get 10+ by tomorrow morning at 2,200 and maybe a couple of cms on the van in the valley, which will quickly disappear...... |
Think the above is spot on, certainly for down here in the valley, in fact, I'm pleasantly amazed at how it was not raining as I had to let a dog out at 04:30 and it was lightly snowing and temps were +2.5 which they still are.
Webcams all showing dense mist/cloud which hopefully will clear as per forecast.
And see the webcam from our terrace.
https://www.stylealtitude.com/serrechevalierweathercam.html
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It was a brilliant day yesterday, as I'm sure many experienced 
We stayed high all day, not venturing below 2,000m and enjoyed some great lines with no-one around, finishing the day off with one small skin for a north-facing descent.
Then, on the final ski back down just below "Skid Alley" (thankfully), down from Cote Chevalier chair came across this guy on the piste who looked in trouble. Turned out 85yr old Brit who was just too knackered to ski & take his skis off, KenX and I stayed with him and tried to coax him down, falling 5-7 or so times more; it was a very long end to the day. And in the end, top of final run down to Le Bez I took his skis away & he walked back to the hotel, but he was very stubborn with that suggestion but we were amazed he'd not hurt himself already. But there were a few Brigitte Jones moments; as I thought he was behind me snow-ploughing as I was trying to slow him down, only for me to hear him going whoooooooooooaaaaaaa as he skied past me out of control to crash yet again
As for today, it will hopefully be a repeat of yesterday, though I suspect more clouds around and maybe more rain/snow coming in for the afternoon, hopefully later, will go up and see what's around but suspect snow will be heavy again below 2,000m.
And then as ever the forecast has changed again for later in the week.
Bit of stealth skiing, after the climb, waiting for a break in the cloud, and then take it!
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You know it makes sense.
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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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This morning is not looking too bad compared to yesterday in terms of visibility, though looking at the Cucumelle webcam, there is not too much fresh on the BBQ picnic tables.
The forecast is for the weather to close in again Noon onwards, but who knows? Plus FLs are also falling so we might see snow settling in the valley by Saturday. The good news is that the winds, at least on this side of the Col are light so if you're driving over the Lautaret should not be an issue, though you might have to use chains. If going over Montgenevre will not be so bad.
Yesterday, knowing viz could well be an issue and wanting to have some peace and quiet, we went touring with the mutt in an area that is great when the viz is limited, and it indeed, it was a great call as we only saw two others and as you can see viz was great, and the tree skiing is normally superb up there!
However climbing up and breaking trail, I became suspicious of the snowpack as it kept collapsing under me, which made it really hard work.
However we both thought that skiing fast with the 10cms of fresh would not be an issue, but it was rather challenging skiing as you can see in the image below, the snow depth was nigh on a meter and that gap under the fresh was causing the issue, and the OH said as I turned so I was gouging great furrows, and my knees certainly feel it this morning.
Really weird as that was North facing above 2,000m and it was more like rotten snow, all I can think is that cloud must have engulfed the area with a whole load of humidity etc often you hope for a clear night to suck the moisture more out of the snowpack and that just didn't happen, anyway still managed some nice turns every now and again.
Texted a mate later who I had suggested to that he come touring with us to say good he didn't, and he said "Had a great run down newly opened Yret and then Montagnolle. Very good as well but crazy amount of people crashing down at the same time...went home with aching knees. And then slabs and small avalanches started coming down on both sides as things warmed up"
Ironically just received a "Powder Alert" from WePowder "Since Monday, most French and Italian regions have received a refresh above approximately 1800 meters, with some areas receiving several decimeters of powder"
I think fresh snow, rather than powder....... the only positive is that we now wait for more spring-like weather and this week's top up to transform into good Spring snow coverage, which is more knee friendly
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Poster: A snowHead
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I went up too yesterday and every aspect was very heavy snow, more like overnight and daytime temps too high, really hard work but good!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Currently at Turin airport waiting for a nigh on 5hr delayed BA flight.
Normally don't leave SC for Turin until I get a text saying "taking off" as have had fingers burnt a few times over the years, but we had an IKEA mission and they nigh on threw us out at 21:00
So since my last post weather and conditions have been interesting to say the least!
Basically the unsettled theme of last week continued, though I think Viz was worse.
Saturday was in hindsight way better than yesterday as I could ski a lot of our normal stashes, though light was flat.
Yesterday thought I'd struck lucky as Uber dense cloud gave way to brighter conditions above 2,300 so out with the skins to climb up to 2,600 and had one sweet powder descent. I then climbed a second time as weather closed in and out was so bad that I had to ski down following my skin track and the holes of my poles as reference plus I knew what the line gradient was.
Today we awoke to a long overdue bluebird, last was exactly a week ago. I'd been planning a route that we've not done for a good few years, a W/WNW facing line which would give us a 350/400m descent and then a 250m climb back, depending on how good the snow would be, the better the snow the longer the descent etc
As we started off the plan was a short ski and then out with the skins for a short climb to then drop off down into a valley, however the snow where we started skiing was way better than expected and so we just carried on.
For sure lower down it was not brilliant but the top 2/3rds made up for that.
The climb back up I took it easy knowing I was driving to Turin later, though I didn't expect to be out for circa 9hrs 
Next few days will be hoping for Spring to get my daughter out touring, and then by the end of the week looks like another Retour D'Est.
And to me, this is the pictorial definition of powder when you see a smoking trail behind you
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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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For 05 Hautes Alpes - Sahara Sand to mess the snow-pack up - just that it creates a layer that does not help for Spring snow
SAHARA SAND AND RAINY EPISODE ON THE PROGRAM:
Starting today, the high tide has turned south.
In a first time, it will bring sand from the Sahara from tomorrow before a peak on Friday. The sky will then be ochre/yellow.
In a second time we will see rainfall return. They'll return Friday night into Saturday through the southwest.
After a calm Saturday morning, new showers will affect us Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning.
More scattered showers will affect us on Sunday.
By Sunday, it will fall:
- 30 to 50 mm on the south and west 2/3 of the department (Pays du Buëch, Rosanais, Gapençais, Dévoluy, Champsaur, Valgaudemar, Écrins)
- 15 to 25 mm elsewhere
Snow will fall in abundance in the mountains from 2000m then 1800m and up to 1200m at the end of the episode.
It will fall above 1800m 15 to 35cm.
And this weekend it's the Serre Che Derby Grand Prix which is the "largest gathering of amateur skiers in the world" and thankfully, it looks like the worst of the weather will be in the evening of Saturday and the early hours.
Yesterday was a truly classic Spring ski-touring day, slowly introducing my daughter to touring, which is not easy with a Millenial daughter
She was very concerned about the snow & terrain and whether she could ski it, plus not helped by her insoles being in her downhill boots, so she was suffering with calf pain, and as ever it's hard to get your head around walking uphill, but the weather was fantastic and the snow transformed to absolute perfection, you really can't get better than that.
And after the first few turns she was blown away by how easy it was to ski, and then later on she ripped down the line she was paranoid about on the way up!!
Pistes of Serre Che in the background.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I didn't have a plan yesterday morning as I was not too sure about the weather, so I opted to go up around 10:30 as it was sunnier than I thought it would be, which is important for the mechanics of Spring-Snow.
The initial plan was to go off the back from top of Eychauda down to Les Combes and then climb back up to Chalet Serre Blanc, except that plan was scuppered by Eychauda drag closed due to a big GS race event, so went off from the Mea and it was probably one of the best all-time Spring descents.
The snow was cooked to perfection, and it was super smooth, like a carpet. As I often say, when it's like that, it's as good as powder, and it's not at all technical to ski; it's really easy!
The lower you ski down, the more South facing aspects are cooked too much and are on the heavy side, so you then ski more W'ly facing slopes with the net result you can ski all the way down into the valley, negating the traverse, but that then means you have a longer climb back up, but it's worth it!
2.5 km & 800m descent and then less vertical for the climb back up to the Cucumelle chair.
So that's twice in one week: Monday powder, and then Spring snow yesterday, and again no-one else around
I then beasted myself on the climb, doing just over 620m in under 70mins.
You can see from the photos over the time I was doing this how the weather changed, so I was lucky!
Looking across to the route up to the Col de la Pisse.
Final pitch to the valley floor, hopefully, that will hold the snow for a while longer and maybe get a further top-up.
The climb back up.
A good few years ago when I often biked in the afternoon, I drove around to Chambran up from Vallouise to the snowline, left the van and then cycled back. Then the next day, we'd ski off the back all the way to where I'd left the van, though it was quite a long pole towards the end, but maybe a plan for my daughter when the weather is better with at least two days of consistent sunshine.
Today's weather not too bad, and OH and daughter have gone up the hill, I was almost tempted to do a repeat but have some chores as well as a video call with a builder as we're doing a project back in the UK having scoped it all out when I was back and works started a few weeks ago, though I'll go back for a few days when there's the critical templating and some other stuff.
There's an expo at Pointless car-park coinciding with the GrandPrix prize giving there along with a band & DJ Saturday evening, even though the finish is at Monetier.
Forecast is for the rain to come in overnight and into the early hours, then thankfully dry, though flat-light for the event tomorrow with a probability of rain for the afternoon, and then possible snow overnight as well as Sunday, so very unsettled conditions, and next week looks like a repeat of this week?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Weathercam wrote: |
| .....There's an expo at Pointless car-park coinciding with the GrandPrix prize giving there along with a band & DJ Saturday evening, even though the finish is at Monetier..... |
Got that wrong, finish is at Pointless, so some more great planning; as where is everyone going to park
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Sorry for jumping in on this thread but I’m up the road in Montgenèvre and I’m looking for guidance from someone more knowledgeable.
I’m due to fly from Grenoble on Sunday morning at 1030 and need to drive there. There’s a decent fall of snow due so I’m looking for a steer as to whether I’d be best to leave tomorrow evening to stay in Grenoble or leave early Sunday morning, 630ish. Would roads be cleared if snow has fallen and would the passes be open? Or would the snow fall be a risk
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The forecast is uncertain and the conditions on the Lauteret will depend on the wind... I would not expect the Col to be cleared during Sat night. If I were flying at 10.30am from Grenoble I would go via the Frejus tunnel and with extra time on hand. If the tunnel is too expensive then going via Gap should be OK but the journey will take at least an hour longer. Inforoute05 is worth looking at and there are webcams at the Lauteret that can be viewed. Good luck.
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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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Heading home today after a fab week. The conditions have been lovely.
Lying in bed listening to the blasting.
Are the piste always this quiet at this time of year?
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@ringingmaster, It is always a lovely time to visit, but I do think it is quieter than usual.
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FAQ
