 Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks for the swift response @denfinella. Definitely something to consider in the future. As well as a couple of autumn Saas Fee glacier trips, Mrs MA and I skied at Grimentz/ Zinal/St Luc/Chandolin on a road trip years ago, but I can't remember the areas. I do remember enjoying ourselves though. Does one of those areas feature a small, overground funicular 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@mountainaddict, we’re first timers this season (tho I know the Valais well from summer alpinism and spring ski touring visits).
What worked for us on 10 day visit early January was staying in valley and driving each day. We had 3 days out of Aigle and 7 days near St Léonard. Happy to accept a drive each day for flexibility.
Going back in March for 8 days, current thinking is use postbuses, 4 days Arolla then 4 days Zinal. We’ll be doing lift-assisted touring and offpiste. Not bothered about being in resort - prefer to save cash and have more ski holidays!
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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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@mountainaddict, St Luc has such a funicular. Amazing to see one actually working!
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@mountainaddict, I think that Grone is the sweet spot for being day trippable to all the best areas. Within 45 minutes you have all of Val d'Anniviers (arguably the jewel in the Magic Pass crown), Les Marecottes, Evolene, Anzere, Ovronnoz, Nax, and even Saas Fee is only just over an hour away
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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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For anyone Magic Passing over the next few days before the weather changes, head high and north. Villars and Diablerets were scraped into oblivion yesterday. You’re in better luck off piste, esp with a short hike / skin as there are pockets of soft stuff and if you get the timing right, some good spring snow on south slopes. Verbier (I know, un-magic but close to champex lac) was in far better condition. Chandolin and the Val d’Anniviers would be my choice right now
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Sharkymark, interesting observation - you can't really go much further north than Villars except for Leysin; after that you're either in the Jura, or Fribourg where the ski areas have meagre snow.
It's just occurred to me - did you mean south?
I think altitude is basically key at the moment, plus perhaps sunnier aspects to soften the snow. I thought Villars was OK today but very much followed the sun around: east facing Chamossiere and the resort runs first, Les Diablerets in the middle of the day, Lac Noir and Gryon in the afternoon.
Where are you currently based?
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@denfinella, I meant north facing!
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It was very crowded yesterday - lots of traffic to chew up the busy spots. Today was probably far quieter if previous experiences of skiing Villars on a monday in Jan are anything to go by!
I'm now in Bristol; was visiting my bro who lives in Fribourg.
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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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@Sharkymark, got it! Yes, Villars was very quiet indeed on Monday.
Can anyone recommend which areas to avoid on a sunny weekend? Presumably Glacier 3000, Saas Fee... anywhere else?
P.S. Snow on and off at Vercorin today, but with good visibility. Rain-snow limit is happily below the bottom of the gondola.
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Thanks to Magic Pass, most places are busy but yeah, the bigger ones will be busiest. We normally head to Val d’Anniviers, Ovronnaz et al
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Sharkymark, thanks. Evolène and La Forclaz were both fine last weekend - full car park in Evolène but quiet pistes. Leysin was OK on Sunday too, again with busy car parks but no queues.
Currently considering St Luc or Grimentz for Saturday (SE looks better at the moment) but depends on how the forecast evolves.
Sunday morning looks snowier which I'd imagine will make places quieter?
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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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Snowing to village level in Vercorin this morning. Lovely big fluffy flakes too!
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@denfinella - I went to Grimentz - Zinal on Saturday and St Luc - Chandolin in Sunday
I'd definitely prioritise the latter at the weekend. The majority of the day trippers head for the former. That was very much obvious from the buses coming from Sierre.
G-Z might be good tomorrow with the snow we're getting today though.
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You know it makes sense.
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About 10cm of fresh on top of bashed pistes in Vercorin and still snowing.
Majority of people are staying on what would normally be the sunny side of the area.
I was first down the red on the north side. Jumped back in the télécabine at the mid-station and was then second down the same run!
Very relieved I have a powder-board although I could still do with shifting my bindings back.
Just want to give another thank you to @valais2 for drawing my attention to the Magic Pass in general and the Swisspeak Resort in Vercorin in particular. Will have spent 9 nights here and am VERY happy with how my final day has started 
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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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Snowing to below 900m currently near Eicholl / Unterbach!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Skied Leysin today. Beware access gondola was running very slow ( maybe a mechanical but I didn’t enquire). Lovely on piste powder high up and spring conditions lower. Pistes holding up ok. Busy with school kids but quieter areas to be found. Very enjoyable day out 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@GuyrillaMonsoon, Valais2 is a star. We had a fab time visiting several of his strongly not recommended places. Les Marecottes is awful on a powder day. Vercorin, St Luc, Nax, G-Z all excellent too.
Heading back to Arolla and G-Z in early March. We’ve not had enough long drag lifts yet…
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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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Ovronnaz was brill today. Loads of folk out touring. Pistes good condition. Off piste variable. Car parks full but minimal lift queues although the poma broke down in afternoon.
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Epic day in Saas Fee today. Lovely powder both on and off piste. Slow opening and a lot of blasting. Cold also so powder stayed good.
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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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Awesome picture! Is anyone able to comment on conditions in Adelboden / Lenk / Grindelwald / Wengen? Worth a weekend trip. Or did rain impact slopes?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@samendacott, in Villars (which is nearby Adelboden), conditions have improved above maybe 1400m. There's absolutely loads of new snow high up. Below 1400m anything with snowmaking should be fine.
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Fun visit to Diemtigtal this morning, the Wiriehorn area. Conditions were "various" concrete, wind blown dense powder and very pleasant powder. Terrific tiny area great views and lovely fun terrain.
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It's been feeling somewhat Spring-like in Anzère, Nax, Lauchernalp, Leukerbad, Villars - Gryon - Les Diablerets and Les Mosses - La Lécherette this week. Probably least of all so in the latter which seemed to feel colder than the 4 degrees the board was saying as I left yesterday afternoon.
Great conditions on the pistes everywhere, but freeze-thaw conditions mean the off-piste can be either well crusted over or very heavy going, depending on the time of day.
Going to be interesting to see how others get on in the next few weeks with the holiday hordes. Hopefully I'll keep up my record of it having snowed the day before / of / after each of my previous three trips out this season, so they'll have some new snow too play with too!
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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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| Rogerdodger wrote: |
| Fun visit to Diemtigtal this morning, the Wiriehorn area. Conditions were "various" concrete, wind blown dense powder and very pleasant powder. Terrific tiny area great views and lovely fun terrain. |
I'm hoping to come back out in March / April and would love to tick off some of the ski areas in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, even if they're quite a bit smaller than the Alpes Vaudoises / Val d'Anniviers options.
I've already visited Saas-Fee, Leukerbad and Lauchernalp, but are you reasonably familiar with areas towards Bern etc and is there anywhere in particular you'd recommend?
I suspect public transport that way might not work and I'll either have to hire a car or just drive out and stay for 5 or 6 weeks. Only if I absolutely have to (and physically can) obviously 
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The problem with Simmental @GuyrillaMonsoon, is the "little gems" are just that. Very tiny!!!
If you stay in Zweisimmen you have the option of Rinderberg and access onto Saanersloch, this however is not Magic pass. A short drive through Gstaad takes you up to Glacier 3000, well worth visiting as the season drifts on.
Driving north and down Simmental 15 mins will get you to Juan Pass. Next is Rossberg....one t bar
but wow on a powder morning nothing better!!
Continue down Simmental then turn east into Diemtigtal, in this valley you have Wiriehorn which I mentioned. In addition, the head of the valley is Grimmialp, 1 chair 1t! This feels like wilderness.
The ski touring along this valley is absolutely beautiful .
Plenty of research for you there!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I don't mind "tiny" @Rogerdodger, so thanks for that. If I do end up managing to visit that area with my Magic Pass this season, they're exactly what I'll be looking to visit.
I managed a couple of hours at Glacier 3000 before Christmas. Didn't get to see all of it or in the best of conditions (the Peak Walk was a whiteout whilst initially crossing it, but I did at least have it all to myself) but didn't want to prioritise going back on my latest trip when I had lower sections of Gryon to see that weren't open then and les Mosses / la Lécherette to visit on the other day instead.
Jaunpass has been suggested by a relatively new member to this forum, although they did go on to admit that they'd incorrectly been calling it Juan with no sense of irony or hint of a typo for a number of years! 
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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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Ahh Jaun Pass. We stayed in an offgrid hut/ house/ cowshed one March weekend a few years ago at Jaun Pass. It was above the cross country tracks and at night you could see their head torches whizzing round. It truly was away from it all- three big stoves to keep the place warm and a compost toilet. Quite a different ski experience but a very cool place.
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There is a crisis in Juan Pass tonight @Nadenoodlee, all the bed sheets have been turned into banners to celebrate their new Downhill World champion.
Boltigen, the village below is similarly blighted!!
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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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We drove up Simmental this morning the flags, banners and "bed sheets" are festooned everywhere, the support for Franjo.........World Champion is phenomenal.
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