 Poster: A snowHead
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Just back from a week in Sauze.
In a nutshell, the place is about to close. Bare patches, stones, 20c plus on the slopes, no snow for over 4 weeks, and despite the best efforts of the pistey bashers, its getting too thin in places.
Sauze is worst hit, followed by Claviere, then MontG and finally Sestriere which offers the best skiing, if you can get over.
The 1 man lift from Sauze is closed full time, and the only way across is to ski half way down to San Sicario and take the 4 man chair to the gondola. But the runs down are just about finished now, not much white in colour remaining, so i think this will close this week.
MontG has reasonable snow, but its turned to slush by lunchtime, and cutting up the pistes badly, so you cant blast down the runs anymore, as its hard to avoid the large dumplings where people have made the same turns.
I hope the place gets a serious amount of snow soon, but for the time being its looking pretty bleak.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tony, I don't know if you actually spent much time in claviere, but there's plenty snow there to keep open for at least a few weeks with no snow yet. Sure, the bottom of the slopes are turning a bit slushy in the afternoons but there's still heaps more snow than last season at this time. Montgenevre is the same. If anything, i'd say the snow in claviere is better than in montgenevre.
To come on here and suggest that the area is about to close down is a bit unthoughtful and unsubstantiated. Sure, Sauze might struggle with it's cover (it's lower down so will lose it earlier), but there's still a lot of skiing for the forseeable future to be had in the neighbouring resorts at least.
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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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Tony_H, Shoogly has a point, methinks - were you in any ski resorts in April last year? - I went to a couple and it wasn't pretty but they were open. I'm sure you're just telling it how you saw it but its incredible what the snow farmers can do. Particularly when so many make a living out of it (including some of the members here  )
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shoogly, Phew thats made me feel better!!! I'm off to Claviere in 2 weeks! 
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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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off to sauze d oulx this weekend any one else back from the area? the forcast says its going to get much colder than of late and the freeze line will drop down to well below resort hight
should i take the first post with a pinch of salt?
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| Quote: |
should i take the first post with a pinch of salt
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no, I'm sure the poster was telling it as he saw it, but it's true that there's a big difference between less than perfect snow on the one hand, and the closure of a resort on the other.
feefee, there will probably be at least two major changes in the weather in the next two weeks. Far too soon to worry. Just don't stop the snow dancing.
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tom00_uk, I think so.
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did not fancy telling the other half that it was going to be a winter sunbathing trip and hill walking as there was only mud to slide on lol
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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tom00_uk, don't worry, you'll have plenty skiing 
Every cloud (or lack of one) has a silver lining... just means you get to ski in comfortable temps on slightly warmer and softer snow.
I hope it snow though as the area does need a freshen up.
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well i do hope so, esp since online theres over 200km of runs still open 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The BBC, whose information comes from the SCGB reckons (as of March 3rd) that on-piste conditions in Sauze are "Excellent" and reports that over 75% of the lifts are open.
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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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paulio, 75% of lifts doesn't mean 75% of the pistes are open and the no. of opened pistes is much more important. I think excellent is extremely vague and from reports from the area sounds rather inaccurate.
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has it snowed in the milky way yet?
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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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paulio,
| Quote: |
SCGB reckons (as of March 3rd) that on-piste conditions in Sauze are "Excellent"
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Without wishing to get into yet another SCGB bashing debate the reps seem to have a very different use of vocabulary from other skierswhen describing on piste conditions. Excellent seems to be the default word in their lexicon when the pistes are open and not pure sush. I would take the description with a pinch of salt.
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Poster: A snowHead
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j2ski and snow-forecast were saying the same thing. I just happened to quote the BBC.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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flying out tomorrow
on the plus side snows forcast on the down side high winds
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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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there has been a dusting today. I think the amount of snow is meant to increase quite considerably.
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I've been watching the webcams all day 
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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 am at Montgenevre sitting in Le Graal for a well earned beer or too. Arrived yesterday,it snowed all day and it had snowed all day monday. today it has been foggy now and again and very windy at the top on l'aigle. when the fog was away it was a super pow day. flat light a times. I am nicely knackered. there has been some blackpool style fine rain in town today which is cloying at the bottom of the runs.spoke to local who said there is plenty of snow to get to the 24th apr when season ends.will go over claviere tomorrow, might post again to keep you all calm.
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ian bloomfield, Thank you sooooo much!!! there is an exellent live webcam in Montgenevre I noticed it was foggy today. An update on Claviere would be fantastic thanks, enjoy the beer
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ian bloomfield, lucky you. I wish I was sitting in Le graal after having had a few ciders and after skiing Rocher d'aigle.
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okay. sat in le graal again. cheers. got a sun burnt face. set off at 0930 and pistes at montgenevre were hard having been groomed over night. headed straight up rocher aigle and over into claviere. its probably been one of the best days skiing i've had ever. pistes vary but in the main claviere was good condition as long as you stay on the top half. don't get me wrong though its been a fantastic day if you liking honking about covering miles today was the day. had a lovely pizza at stowa longa. don't get much better tbh. me and the chaps got one more day then last plane home tomorrow night. if you are coming soon have fun, we have. quite scared myself at times
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| ian bloomfield wrote: |
| okay. sat in le graal again. cheers. got a sun burnt face. |
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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very happy to help. face feels hot and rubbery now, damn grimberger beer zzzzzzzzz
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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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That is great to know! Thanks for the report. I am off to Sestriere on Sunday and have been getting myself all worked up that that I am gonna be skiing on grass and rocks!
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You know it makes sense.
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last report from montgenevre. sunny day. been over claviere again. air temps very warm. in sunshine all day. some pistes very soft, rocks coming thru amongst moguls on black from rocher d'aigle on claviere side. glad they're not my skis! finished off at observatoire and grimand(?) and conditions were excellent.like hi def telly in the low sun fantastic. it just needs colder temps and you will all be fine. I have left some beer for you but not much, made a pig of myself last night.
ciao
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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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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The much needed snow has arrived over night. It looks lovely with bright blue skies!
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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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Just back from Claviere! heavy snow on Friday, conditions excellent a great week, will post a report tommorrow
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Arrived in Claviere 16th March, it snowed the first day followed by sunny warm conditions, the pistes were still in pretty good condition, especially at the top, we found it was only the blue back down to the village that seemed to suffer with it becoming very slushy in the afternoon, but still ok to ski on.
Our hotel, (we discovered after 2 days ) was actually ski in and out, fantastic.
weather stayed sunny all week until Friday when it snowed heavily all day, brilliant, my guess about 10" or more! We skied to Montgenevre which was ok, nothing to rave about in my view, I preferred Claviere, I found the runs more interesting and picturesque, I'm glad we went to Montgenevre though, the runs over there are much wider with more beginner slopes, and the village itself quite large and busy. I'm sure some would prefer it.
All in all it was a fantastic week our friends (first ski holiday) really enjoyed it and progresed well, we were a little concerned after reading negative reviews of claviere for beginners, we thought it was fine by the end of their first week they could tackle the easier reds, a great achievement. I'd definately recommend the ski school in Claviere they were great.
My 4th week skiing and I found myself tackling all the reds some being very steep! So I'm chuffed to bits
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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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feefee, Don't know if you'll get this, but glad you had a great time!
Just wondered how far the hotel was from the nursery slopes & if it's a walk along a road (my kids will be in ski school!). You also said the hotel is ski in ski out (which is great!). Is this just for intermediates or could 2nd weekers manage it do you reckon?
Any more info you have would be great.
Many Thanks
Kate
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Kate0, people who have 2 weeks skiing can vary in skills/ability vastly.
If you give me a bit more insight into your skill level. If you can stem turn or nearly parralel you'll soon have lots of pistes to advance on.
It is a good place to progress, Montgenevre especially and Claviere is aswell.
Im sure feefee will give you a better opinion.
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Kate0, Sorry for the late reply I've been away! The hotel is 5-10 minutes walk along a road to the lifts/nursery slopes/ski school. Or you can go out the back of the hotel and ski a flat run, suitable for all abilities, right into the nursery area!
To ski back to the hotel you have to take a red run, a bit steep in places but there is a flatish track which goes around the steepest part, we took our 1st weekers back that way, they all managed it and only one wasn't confident enough to do it again!
You can also ski to montgenevre, again taking a red, not a difficult red, which then turns into a flatish track all the way to the montgenevre chair lift, from there you can ski all day on greens/blues, personally I preferred the skiing in Claviere, I found the runs more interesting and picturesque, any questions please ask
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feefee, & Christopher, Thanks so much, it's really useful to have some info about a resort before you go (especially if you choose it for 3 families!).
feefee, what did you think of the hotel. We went to another Club Hotel last year, so aren't expecting the height of luxury, but are going with a group of 5 kids between 4 & 7, so it looks like it should do the trick!
Thanks again
Kate
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Kate0, Definately not the height of luxury!! But its clean and has everything you need, the food was good and plenty of it, you have the option of an earlier mealtime for the children if you prefer? If you are using the nanny service (we didn't) but others at the hotel did and said the care was very good indeed!
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