 Poster: A snowHead
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Just kicking it off ...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Looks like the snow is kicking off as well. Is this the usual autumn snow that soon melts, or the beginning of a base…?
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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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My mates are out no-boarding I think up Les Grands Montets. The snow looks wet but it's deep enough.
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@phil_w, looked pretty windblown from Flégère but certainly lots of snow around.
@snowdave, very good question. We were up for a gentle and slow skin up around Index. If this was early December I'd be pretty happy. But there's 5 weeks to go till then. it could be the beginning of a base, at least a bit higher up?
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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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You can probably work out where it is better than I can guess.
This was Magnus today or maybe yesterday... The surface has a mottled look, and the snow looks a bit soggy.
Looks fine and dandy for a start, though.
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@phil_w, Looks like Flégère to me, where by enormously happy coincidence they're running the floor to 1,900m gondola (Mrs U thinks there's a contractual requirement to have a lift running during holidays that isn't the Aiguille - cannot confirm) so you can easily get up to 1,900m (even the bar was open today).
Being today,
Compacted snow perfectly fine, as you'd expect, un-compacted heavy and wet, as you'd expect. But we had a very nice couple of hours out, and it was the niblings first outing on rando kit as they're feet are big enough for adult boots and they're just heavy enough for short skis. They, of course, took to it like ducks to water and left the adults behind 
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@under a new name, lovely, FL was forecast around 2000m yesterday afternoon, but stayed lower long enough in the valleys to have 2 decent but very different days
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@under a new name, Lovely photos and good to see the place again, looking forward to returning 
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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 train from Geneva airport has really made access to these resorts easier & cheaper. I don't even think about a hire car now.
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| Quote: |
Is this the usual autumn snow that soon melts
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@snowdave, sadly, from today's observation, mostly, at least below 2,000m it'll be gone pretty soon. Partially as there's no compaction. The thin ribbon of skinning track might last longer, as might e.g. the GMs.
Quite nice skiing on it today, after the sun had softened it a little. And nice spring bumps on the last pitch 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You're right - that was Flégère, I'd just not read the small print. Looks like a good start anyway.
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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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Basic question (apologies it's been a while since I last visited Chamonix) - a group of us will be arriving into Geneva on 31/01 with at least one of us not landing till 10pm. Ideally we'd take the train to Argentiere but for some I think they'll land too late (we're all coming in from different UK / EU locations), are there still shared transfer options available at that time or would we be best looking at a taxi or hiring a car?
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You know it makes sense.
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@Bradlex, 10pm is too late for the train or the scheduled buses. But in the past there have been shared minibus transfers as late as 2330 at weekends, don't know what next season has. Try AlpyTransfers or Mountain Dropoffs.
If the early arrivals are prepared to wait around for the last ones, a private transfer might be economical, try Resort Rides.
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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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Thanks all - that’s a great help 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| under a new name wrote: |
| Quote: |
Is this the usual autumn snow that soon melts
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@snowdave, sadly, from today's observation, mostly, at least below 2,000m it'll be gone pretty soon. Partially as there's no compaction. The thin ribbon of skinning track might last longer, as might e.g. the GMs.
Quite nice skiing on it today, after the sun had softened it a little. And nice spring bumps on the last pitch |
I've ensured it will melt now, by booking a flight to come out in 3 weeks time. Wetterzentrale gives me vague hope that I've got a shot at some skiing, and at least the rental cars are cheap in November!
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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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Buddy skinned up from Flegere lift today. Said it was rammed and lots of English speakers! Stoke must be high.
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Do we know how things are holding up? The webcam pics still look like surprisingly good coverage, wondering what the possibility is of something still being there at the weekend...
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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 have bitten the bullet and booked to travel over for the weekend. Looks to be gorgeous weather for valley cragging at least. Keen to get in a sneaky ski tour if we can though! Any local insight on conditions much appreciated.
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| Quote: |
| Buddy today. Said it was rammed and lots of English speakers! *Stoke must be high |
They are indeed @BobinCH!
(*Er, can that be translated for those of us old codgers who aren't down with the kids? )
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@schauspiele, it looks from the webcams that you could get a picky ski tour in up Flegere? We thought we would but it looks too scrappy and we're tennis and a changeover to do tomorrow.
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@under a new name, thanks for that! We found someone who'd skied on Thursday so we went for it today and it was surprisingly great! There is a track that's been posted at some point, starting about 50m above the Flegere lift and eventually joining Pylones so we followed that up. We were able to ski slushy sidecountry most of the way down, it got a bit Scottish close to the end (wrangling vegetation) but that was all avoidable and nothing to complain about. Definitely felt worth coming over for from our perspective. Hope you enjoyed the tennis, weather is amazing isn't it.
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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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@schauspiele, oh well done!! Nice!! Yes a lovely day today. Tennis was indoors 
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Snow guns look like they’re at full throttle on GM and at le tour. Fingers crossed for the touring this weekend.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@snowdave, was slightly astonished to see snow action on les Planards yesterday!
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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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@under a new name, the website suggests no lifts running this weekend - I thought there was always one working, any views? getting qutie excited about my trip tomorrow; fresh snow and blue skies!
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We're en route tonight! Contemplating heading to Verbier tomorrow if no lifts open, touring (maybe at Le Tour) Sunday. What are your plans @snowdave?
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You know it makes sense.
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@snowdave, I don’t think anything’s running but a guide mate took his tiny wee dog splitboarding up le tour on Monday will be better today
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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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@schauspiele, le tour tomorrow and maybe Sunday morning. Very short trip for me, inbound now and leaving Sunday lunchtime.
Looks bitterly cold albeit sunny tomorrow. If you’re at le tour, I’m with a mate, and probably in purple. Possibly with a tiny drone following me at opportune moments.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@snowdave, nice, will look out for you on Sunday. We'll both be all in black if it's that cold! Or red and blue if warmer. Appreciate any insight on conditions if you are there tomorrow!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Are they letting people tour on pistes, and more importantly going downhill on pistes, while they are preparing them for the early opening?
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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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@schauspiele, epic conditions above 2000m in the right places. We skied two laps of what would be the belle place piste off the top of the tete de balme chair. Skinned up from La vormaine along with about a hundred other people. Ankle-knee deep powder, very light and fluffy where it’s not been wind scoured. The front side under the main lifts is pretty variable (thin, chopped, wind blown, icy , rocky) but was where most people were congregating.
The back was empty, saw 3 other people. And the snow was 100x better.
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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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| patrick! wrote: |
| Are they letting people tour on pistes, and more importantly going downhill on pistes, while they are preparing them for the early opening? |
They weren’t stopping anyone today- and a piste basher drove past me at one point. Whether that meets your definition of “letting” people do something (which feels a bit more like active permission to me) I’m not sure.
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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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@snowdave, oh wow, sounds fantastic! How did you get back to Le Tour, is the bus running from Vallorcine? Forecast is looking so much better for today, we're heading over shortly.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@schauspiele, drove and parked at Vormaine where it’s still free, unlike the main Le Tour car park.
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Well there's now a shedload of snow (across the 2 Savoies) - partial openings of les Grands and Flegere at the weekends - Sis in law touring today and I'm in Morocco getting tennis coaching...
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| schauspiele wrote: |
| @snowdave, oh wow, sounds fantastic! How did you get back to Le Tour, is the bus running from Vallorcine? Forecast is looking so much better for today, we're heading over shortly. |
Apologies, just realised I never responded. Whilst it's probably too late now, the train runs most of the year. However in our case we skinned back up and over the col des posettes, then skied down the front side, where the snow guns just about covered the worst of the stones.
@under a new name similarly the one year I decide not to ski at Xmas, is the one year where there might be a decent base.
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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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 @schauspiele, there is one train and hour each way in winter.
Not sure that the bus is much more use.
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Don't know where the winky eye thing came from: not my bailiwick
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