 Poster: A snowHead
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I am really struggling this season. Notched up one and a half days during a trip to whistler for a wedding. Usual ski buddy is off to St Anton with his new missus on Saturday (who is incidentally a very good skier indeed) and due to personal circumstances, may not be able to accompany me on a ski week in Feb. He's then off to Whistler for a month in March.
Problem is, I need to go in Feb, due to lots of other commitments. My plan was to head to La Grave with www.skierslodge.com and have a week's guided off-piste, but the snow is just not good enough at the moment. I don't want to commit to La Grave and waste a week if the snow is poor.
So, what do I do?
Provisos are
Got to be 1 week
Got to be in Europe
Got to have very good off-piste
Got to have good snow
Got to be in Feb.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Based on requirement 4, you need to go to Whistler, or Colorado.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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flicksta, i'd go for skierslodge, myself. the snow in the oisans area seems to be as (not very) good as anywhere in Europe and if there are decent conditions, the guides there will find them
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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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flicksta, We've been to LG every year for the last 6. I know it's (very) bad at the moment, but we've found we get more turns in soft snow the week we spend in LG than any other week of the season. If there is pow to be had, they'll find it 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Arno, ski, I've been with them once, and that was certainly my experience. Snow at the time was average, and we had a monster week. It is still my current inclination.
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Why Europe - suck up the extra cost grab a flight to Calgary & hit Kicking Horse or Fernie or wherever else you fancy. Incidently snow in La Grave will be superb by the end of Feb according to my (personal) predictions.
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Argentiere is many people's favourite for off-piste in Europe, though I can't comment on current snow conditions. Les Grands Montets is reasonably high, though, and the glacier always has good snow.
It helps is you have someone local to show you around, as I did on my first trip there, but once you know the terrain, you can basically spend the whole holiday practically without doing any on-piste ski-ing.
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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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| fatbob wrote: |
| Why Europe - suck up the extra cost grab a flight to Calgary & hit Kicking Horse or Fernie or wherever else you fancy. Incidently snow in La Grave will be superb by the end of Feb according to my (personal) predictions. |
Not enough time. No argument.
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| stephen buck wrote: |
Argentiere is many people's favourite for off-piste in Europe, though I can't comment on current snow conditions. Les Grands Montets is reasonably high, though, and the glacier always has good snow.
It helps is you have someone local to show you around, as I did on my first trip there, but once you know the terrain, you can basically spend the whole holiday practically without doing any on-piste ski-ing. |
as long as the topmost lift is open. Buddy was there just before NY and far from impressed. Incomarable to the previous season when he lived there. Needs a dump.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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flicksta, yes, from memory they had a problem with the top cable car around Xmas and it was closed for repairs.
It also tends to shut in high winds and after big snowfalls (if only!)
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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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fatbob,
Its been ordered...!!!
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| stephen buck wrote: |
flicksta, yes, from memory they had a problem with the top cable car around Xmas and it was closed for repairs.
It also tends to shut in high winds and after big snowfalls (if only!) |
It also doesn't open until there has been enough snow, I think typically post NY, although the bloke that told me that isn't always in full posession of the facts.
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You know it makes sense.
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flicksta, I think last year the probleml was not enough early high snow to cover the glaciers. This year there was a tech snag with the cable - bit I'm not sure about the snow conditions either. Similar to Vallee Blanche, you need enough snow to have snow bridges... A guide chum did suggest it was looking promising but that's second hand and I haven't challenged him on it.
I hate to, but will suggest Tignes.
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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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Nooo, wait, what am I saying?
If Tignes is any good so will be CHX. But you're going right in the middle of vacances scolaires. Aaargh!
Hmmm. Book flights to a sensible airport (Geneva, Lyons, Chambery, Zurich, Innsbruck, Grenoble, in no particular order). Decide exactly where to go from airport later. Try and pick the quietest possible school week. Prepare your skins and rando legs.
Wait quietly...hush...softlee softlee catchee monkee...
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Poster: A snowHead
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The 2 middle weeks of Feb are English 1/2 terms.....so probably won't be quiet.....or cheap!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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all the more reason to go to la grave... 
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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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| Quote: |
But you're going right in the middle of vacances scolaires. Aaargh!
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not if you go the first week in February. After 10 Feb there are four weeks solid of vacances scolaire.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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pam w, so it's got to be 3-10 Feb...and aren't there 5 solid weeks ? I haven't paid attention so the last week might be quieter I guess...
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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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no, unless I have screwed up, the hols last from 10 feb - 10 March. Then the kids will go and the snow will arrive.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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flicksta, per the Cie du Mont Blanc website the Grands Montets lift is running (although it's a tad breezy up there). Given that almost all the CHX skiing is higher than 1,600m and the amount of snow that actually HAS fallen at altitude - it's a reasonable bet that a decent guide will be able to find you decent off piste.
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