 Poster: A snowHead
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| Doccam wrote: |
| Nightmare for all involved. How have electric cars coped - or are there several come to a total standstill in the queues? |
Why would EVs come to a standstill? The slower you travel the more efficient your use of stored battery power. If your EV projects that you have enough state of charge to reach your destination, travelling much slower than average just means you get to your destination with more charge than expected.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Mine lost a fair bit of charge heading up the once clear of the traffic hah
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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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Thanks for all the posts.
I was deciding when/whether to leave Courchevel today toward Albertville. Was about to ask about traffic that direction but think @gendal has answered.
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| thecremeegg wrote: |
| Mine lost a fair bit of charge heading up the once clear of the traffic hah |
On the way back down it will use very little. With regen, I used zero KWH from Arc 1800 to Moutiers on my last drive out of the valley.
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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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We are 200 miles from Val disere in our own car. Does anybody have an update for the road situation?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Doccam wrote: |
| Nightmare for all involved. How have electric cars coped - or are there several come to a total standstill in the queues? |
I've often wondered about that.
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| Magicinthewater wrote: |
Thanks for all the posts.
I was deciding when/whether to leave Courchevel today toward Albertville. Was about to ask about traffic that direction but think @gendal has answered. |
Stay another week 
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Only just catching up with this.
Awful for all those who have been stuck, particularly with young families.
Hope things move for you all soon.
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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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Probably going to need new seats in the mini! Lucky lot in there!
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| ChrisKernow wrote: |
| Doccam wrote: |
| Nightmare for all involved. How have electric cars coped - or are there several come to a total standstill in the queues? |
I've often wondered about that. |
There are two factors: energy consumption for mileage; and energy consumption for keeping the cabin warm/cool. For mileage, efficiency improves significantly at very slow speeds, so getting stuck in slow or stationary traffic means there is much less likely of running out of electrons. For climate control, consumption similar to petroleum cars, i.e. not much used but if you get up to 25-30 hours stuck it will become an issue. It’s better if your car has a heat pump.
Although the queue to get in to the Tarentaise was horrible, it wasn’t a full 24 hours of not moving and trying to keep the cabin warm. So EVs no more likely to run out of fuel than a petrol or diesel car, and in some circumstances less likely.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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EV in this jam might possibly suffer if the occupants insist on heater fan and headlights. Otherwise it’s just a battery being unused.
Glad to hear things are returning to normal.
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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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Sounds like the French authorities are well organised with emergency accommodation plans etc. Assume that's in preparation for sudden heavy snow falls and road closures up the hill?
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You know it makes sense.
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Jam lasted an hour and a quarter for us, but this was before Geneva airport transfers would have started arriving.
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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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| redthunder wrote: |
| We are 200 miles from Val disere in our own car. Does anybody have an update for the road situation? |
It's fine now, looks like the queue is a bit longer than earlier but I would guess no more than an hour
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Poster: A snowHead
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We’re about halfway through the queue, it’s taken us 2 hours from Chambery airport so far.
Traffic is constantly moving but slowly.
You could probably cut some of it by using backroads if you’re confident but I didn’t want to risk it in case we couldn’t get back on before the tunnel
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If it is the same as yesterday they were stopping people using the back roads so would not recommend.
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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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We got off onto the D road miles away. Straight to nearly Moûtiers then up slip road next to the tunnel. Straight though. Our friends took 2.5 hours this afternoon to get through
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| redthunder wrote: |
| We got off onto the D road miles away. Straight to nearly Moûtiers then up slip road next to the tunnel. Straight though. Our friends took 2.5 hours this afternoon to get through |
I really do appreciate the frustration of being stuck on a crawling/non-moving N90, as I‘ve had the pleasure of spending several hours stuck on it more than once.
But please remember that these back roads are the only emergency access route when the main road is blocked. If everyone uses them and they get blocked as well, then there is no emergency access route. 
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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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They will probably be blocked off on Saturdays, as usual. Perhaps the "blocking off" arrangements, which are costly in manpower, will be extended on other busy days.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Drove past the periphery of this last night to the Maurienne. As said above, it won't be open again until the rockface has been made safe. This could take several days or even weeks. For reference, the larger fall before the Frejus tunnel has closed the road and rail line for well over a year, opening now this April
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The Arly valley road is often closed for weeks by rock falls. But it's not quite such a major artery as this one!
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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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The collapse of the Tunnel du Chambon cut off access to La Grave and Serre Chevalier a few seasons ago. Diversions possible there via the Fréjus and they sorted out what was little more than a track around Lac du Chambon. They worked very quickly to restore it all, but it still took a while.
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My lodger is driving to the Tarentaise next weekend. He said he thought they'd fix it by then...... I guessed probably not!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Same here -driving up next week from London. Had similar several years ago when was chaos in Mother’s after a rockfall. Now always have sensible supplies and sleeping bags in the car just in case… 
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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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I always wondered about those "steinschlag gefahr" signs in Austria - should I dash quickly through and be ready to duck, or drive extra slowly in case there was a pile of debris round the next bend?
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You know it makes sense.
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lol at autocorrect for ‘Moutiers’
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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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It was a nightmare driving down from Méribel to Moutiers at 6.30pm this evening. It took over 2 hours when it usually takes 30 mins. The latest reports are that the two way traffic scheme through the Moutiers tunnel will still be in force next weekend, so with the anticipated high traffic flow, the delays are expected to be even worse than they have been over the past 24 hours.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Latest news..... Google translate, announced by Radio Les Arcs - not cleared before French half terms start.....
The road won't be open anytime soon!
The information so feared by ski resorts came on Sunday evening.
The portion of the N 90, affected by a major landslide on Saturday, will not reopen for the start of the winter holidays, on February 8 for schoolchildren in zone B, despite the significant resources deployed to secure this strategic axis.
The day after the landslide, teams specializing in natural risks intervened on the cliff from which the three blocks that blocked the road leading to the Tarentaise valley (Savoie) fell away. Purging work immediately began, using hydraulic cylinders, in the middle of the torn safety nets.
But we are still far from being able to ensure traffic in complete safety, as explained by François Ravier, prefect of Savoie, who visited the site on Sunday.
You will need to anticipate your car trip and be patient.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Heading to VT this coming weekend. Flying into GVA on Friday about 6pm with small kids. Since we are coming from Middle East we tend to overnight on the Friday in order to break the journey up for the kids. It also helps with the jet lag before skiing (them getting up at 4am first morning).
I've rented a 9 seater van for 2 families and we are planning to drive up on the Saturday morning. Wondering what the situation might be like? I guess leaving slightly earlier would be the best bet. What would travel time look like on an average zone B holidays first weekend?
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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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@afterski, Everybody is going to start earlier as the news is out. Most Zone B areas are a good distance from the Tarentaise. I understand what you say but I would come up on Friday if you can or be out of GVA by 6 AM on Saturday. If you get to Albertville after 10 AM you could well be in a queue for 5 hours.
And the long term forecast is for snow on Saturday - that may change!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Understand your predicament @afterski, and not a situation that's easily dodged.
Usually, without school holidays and potential of snowfall, I aim to be through Moutiers by 8:00am at the latest, going in or out of valley.
Even conservatively thinking with the current difficulties, I'd put that at 6:00am past Moutiers to have some chance of avoiding/adding to the que. Especially with the children if you've got an indeterminate wait in confined conditions.
Planning to get fully into VT, finding a cafe etc to just get out of the way and relax would be my plan.
Positive, the light and views are exceptional traveling as dawn arrives, down along lake Annecy is absolutely stunning at that time. Take the night's rest on arrival, but get out very early to mitigate, go with the positive outlook and set to enjoy rather than compromise 
Hopefully you'll get something arranged to fit your schedule. Fresh bread and coffee aroma early on arrival at ski station being a nice target 
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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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Keeping an eye on this thread, have friends due to drive up on Friday. Hoping there is at least a steady flow through the tunnel, if not the road open.
Given the number and size of the ski areas affected, plus the French school holidays starting, the pressure on the Savoie authorities to fix it will be enormous.
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@afterski agree with above, I'd get myself up to VT that night, or get a hotel in Moutiers so you're the right side of the slip and up to VT around 6am before early traffic arrives.
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| Quote: |
the pressure on the Savoie authorities to fix it will be enormous.
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Yes but...... they have already said it won't be fixed for next weekend, so it's a case of planning accordingly. Really very difficult, especially for people travelling with kids. It's almost certain that the journey will involve a LOT of sitting in cars, maybe sleeping in cars. And no easier on the way out.
To be honest, if I'd not shelled out for passes I'd be thinking very hard about trying to find accommodation elsewhere - ASAP.
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Really don't like the sound of «plusieurs semaines». I have four families flying into GVA/GNB/LYS aiming for the 3Vs on the morning of 15 Feb which would be carnage at the best of times. How much pressure should I be putting on the syndicate to rearrange flights to arrive the Friday night (or to book a hotel and make the transfer attempt on Sunday)? I've already booked Chambery-Moutiers train tickets for my immediate lot (we were hiring a car from LYS anyway (no availability on the direct train services LYS-MOU), would just leave the car in Chambery) as a cheapish option. 
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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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^ this.
It's bad enough then layer in half term then layer this in. Will be a proper gridlock for quite some time esp. in peak periods.
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| Gämsbock wrote: |
| redthunder wrote: |
| We got off onto the D road miles away. Straight to nearly Moûtiers then up slip road next to the tunnel. Straight though. Our friends took 2.5 hours this afternoon to get through |
I really do appreciate the frustration of being stuck on a crawling/non-moving N90, as I‘ve had the pleasure of spending several hours stuck on it more than once.
But please remember that these back roads are the only emergency access route when the main road is blocked. If everyone uses them and they get blocked as well, then there is no emergency access route. |
I thought that the authorities usually blocked off those back roads for that very reason?
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FAQ
