 Poster: A snowHead
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.jpg) Just as some of our earlybird snowHeads were starting to get nervous, the snows seem to have come to the Alps. There seems to have been a decent drop across the Northern Alps benefiting France Switzerland and Austria.
The freezing level is really low too at the moment so it's falling to relatively low altitude. This Pic is from Bourg Saint Maurice at 800m. Let's hope it stays cold for a while!...
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 19-11-04 14:44; edited 1 time in total
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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admin, what a wonderful picture.
Here it's just cold, but I understand there has been snow in Scotland and northern England.
Has winter arrived at last?
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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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The excitement mounts. You should not wish your life away, but only 8 weeks to go.
Sad or what?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Woo hoo!
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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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Anyone know when the snow reports start on SCGB for the european resorts?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Never even put mine away - it seemed to er...final? That and a number of temporary fixes to the snowzone 
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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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You know it makes sense.
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It may be a large dump compared with High Wycombe but 10-15cm - maybe a bit more towards the west, on mountains that are completely dry to 2800 meters is not going to kick start the season. No more snow in prospect until at least next Friday with the zero isotherm rising to 2,500 to 3,000 meters at the end of the weekend.
I wouldn't be counting on skiing much before Christmas except at very high altitude and on artifical snow assuming they can make enough of it. It looks a bit like 2002 all over again. Just to remind you this was the scene at l'Alpe d'Huez on the 18th of December, 2002:
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Of course it could be worse, in 1989 it was like that all winter.
My advice, head to the Pyrénées, they already have 4 stations open on the French side with many more opening next weekend. Ax has 60% of their domain open today.
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Sat 20-11-04 11:48; edited 1 time in total
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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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davidof, So just a couple more days of the cold weather then. That's a shame - there must be increasing concern up at Val, for the World Cup events. Think I'll get myself over to Tignes on Monday, while the Double M is still open!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| PG wrote: |
| davidof, So just a couple more days of the cold weather then. That's a shame - there must be increasing concern up at Val, for the World Cup events. Think I'll get myself over to Tignes on Monday, while the Double M is still open! |
At least at Tignes the return to village should be open with the fresh snow falling on the stuff they've made with canons.
Maybe it is just not practical to schedule world cup events so early, especially in the Tarentaise which doesn't normally benefit from good snow cover so early due to the 'retour de l'est' weather pattern.
Still last year the event was cancelled a bit precipitously.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Just back from La Rosiere, had about 20 cms of snowiun the village on Friday and very cold this AM, -10 but good to sight the first snow plough of the season and so far they haven't hit my fence post, happens every year, so its just a matter of time.
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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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I remember in 2002 in ADH having bBQ's and picnics in a T-shirt well into December, but after wards, just before the hols it dumped down and did pretty much most of the season - we wre married up here on the 20th April and it was still snowing!!!Bloody cold coming up the bucket lift in all our regalia!
Anyway - to present day, ADH is looking a little healthier than in the above photo but we still are waiting for our big dump! 
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| davidof wrote: |
| PG wrote: |
| davidof, So just a couple more days of the cold weather then. That's a shame - there must be increasing concern up at Val, for the World Cup events. Think I'll get myself over to Tignes on Monday, while the Double M is still open! |
At least at Tignes the return to village should be open with the fresh snow falling on the stuff they've made with canons.
Maybe it is just not practical to schedule world cup events so early, especially in the Tarentaise which doesn't normally benefit from good snow cover so early due to the 'retour de l'est' weather pattern.
Still last year the event was cancelled a bit precipitously. |
Yes, there's already concern. A 'source' at Val has hinted as much. Some details in this post over on snowRacers - a situation we shall keep close tabs on...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hey! They've got pics with their name over on snowRacers. I want pics here too!
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I think that it's too early to tell yet, whether the pre-christmas conditions are going to be good or not. It always seems to come down to when the first big dump of snow arrives. There's still three weeks to go until the Premiere Neige (and my planned pre-christsmas warm-up), plenty of time for it to snow. In my experience, it always starts to snow a bit at this time of year, everyone gets very excited, and then it melts again. Give it another week or two, and then we'll have a better idea of the conditions.
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| Kramer wrote: |
| There's still three weeks to go until the Premiere Neige |
Premiere Neige at Val d'Isère is 6 days.
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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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If you look at the historic data from the scgb, the snow cover suddenly takes off at the beginning of Dec. This seams to be consistant from year to year, and its obviously to early to panic yet
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thats just 10 days away! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Headplanter, I would guess that's usually because the SCGB rely on the resorts sending through data on snow depths, and most resprts won't open until december and hence won;t be sending in any snow depth reports. It takes a while to build up a good base!
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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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looking at the graphs for the piste depth during Dec suggests that there is a far more consistant change in climate than here. This season will be my first after a gap of 10 years, and previousy did not have the internet to watch the pre season build up take place. Its seems that this country is the most unpredictable there is when it comes to weather patterns.
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Sorry davidof, I thought that the Premiere Niege was the 12th of December? That's what it says on the snowracers website. Or perhaps I'm getting mixed up between the that and the World Cup. If I have, apologies. 
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You know it makes sense.
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Critérium de la 1ère Neige is the World Cup competition (12th December), and Premier Neige refers to the resort's official opening (27 November).
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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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Well that's just confusing! I was referring to the Critérium when I said three weeks to go then. Of course the Premiere Niege next week will be a totally different kettle of fish.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Are Val d'Isere really using the phrase 'Premiere Neige' for two different dates on the calendar now? Premiere Neige to me has always been the race, not the resort opening date. If the race is now the sequel, then it will have to be 'Premiere Neige 2', or 'Premiere Neige Director's Cut'.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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A few French resorts use this expression as part of their start of season promotional effort, "semaine première neige", etc.
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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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| Kramer wrote: |
| Or perhaps I'm getting mixed up between the that and the World Cup. If I have, apologies. :blush: |
My apologies Kramer, I hadn't realised you were competing. Or are you a spectator?
I personally think it will be touch and go for the race now, unless it is going to be the first world cup held largely on artificial snow. Still I imagine they were a bit less complacent than last year which cost the resort millions. I suspect it was all hands to the pumps during the recent snowfall to collect as much of the real stuff and move it to the OK. Anyone fancy taking a took over to Val to see if this is the case?
Last year was pretty exceptional though. There was a huge dump on the first weekend of December then a fohn wind blew all week and litterally stripped what would have been excellent early season conditions right of the pistes. We didn't really recover until early February.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Only going to spectate, and only then if there's good snow in the resort. What made you think that I might be competing? 
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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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Kramer, is Kramer your real name?  You're not Chemmy in disguise?!
I hope to be there too, assuming it's not cancelled, with a bit of luck complete with press pass....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Kramer wrote: |
| Only going to spectate, and only then if there's good snow in the resort. What made you think that I might be competing? :~/ |
Well there are some racers on snowheads so I didn't want to assume anything.
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Masque and I were watching all the lights of the piste bullies up on the hill at Val d'Isere one night last week, we estimated there must have been about 20 at work. It was our guess, based on the location, that they were moving artifical snow onto the Olympic course. I 'm certain they'll move heaven and earth to ensure the race goes ahead. BTW, talking to Masque today in La Rosiere it snowed again yeaterday but it's got warmer again.
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Not wishing to put a question mark on these things without being there and observing what's actually going on, those machines have to be handled with great care when snow is thin. They can do a lot of damage to fragile vegetation and soil cover if used without a minimum amount of snow under their tracks.
In that situation, earth is literally 'moved'.
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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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| Quote: |
There was a huge dump on the first weekend of December then a fohn wind blew all week and litterally stripped what would have been excellent early season conditions right of the pistes. We didn't really recover until early February.
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I was in Val the second and third week of January, as well as the week before christmas week last year. Before christmas the conditions were ok, not excellent, but decent on-piste skiing to be found, a distinct lack of black runs though. The second week of January it chucked it down with snow, I think about 5' in 4 days. There was actually too much, most of the resort was closed, the exception being the funicular, gondola and chair at La Daille, although stepping out of the top of the funival was like stepping into the middle of an arctic storm, however the week after were excellent skiing conditions with beautiful snow, and loads of off-piste for those brave enough.
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| Kramer wrote: |
The second week of January it chucked it down with snow, |
I think we've had this debate before. I'm kind of looking at the overall situation not at just a couple of weeks in one resort. The last half of January was extremely warm, your snowstorm may have refreshed the pistes at Val d'Isère at that time but things really didn't reach normal overall in the Alps until the first half of February.
Still there is nothing better than a great week of snow, it can transform marginal conditions into some special. I hope Val doesn't have to cancel this year.
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FAQ
seeing as temperatures are rising fast, freeze level predicted to be around 2500-3000 by tomorrow, and for some time too 