 Poster: A snowHead
|
Back from a great week in Alp d'huez and can report all runs open and some fantastic conditions despite no snow during the week. Sun and blue sky most of the week and 20 cm of fresh snow on Saturday 2 Feb The sarenne was open and in reasonable condition but watch the small stones lower down as they get spread all over the piste and soon scratch the ski bases. Skied right down to Villette over in Vaujany without any bare patches. The black La fare run was my favouite of the week, in good nick and virtually empty of other riders. South facing lower slopes over at Auris were mostly artificial and softening in the afternoon and showing signs of wear.
Looking good for the weeks ahead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Also back from ADH. I can echo what Hunsbury, has said. A wide variation in temperatures during the week meant that we got everything from a tan to nearly frozen.
Really enjoyed the Auris area with mainly empty pistes. The scare chair is great and worthy of the name. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Off on Friday. Can`t wait. More snow forecast for Monday/Tuesday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
I've seen the webcams and it looks excellent. Anyone there or going that can update this?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
friend of mine was there last weekend. shed loads of snow but high avalanche danger off piste
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Any more recent news?
Don't worry I'll probably only bump this again once as I go next week and can feedback myself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
hammerite, when are you going - we're in Villard Reculas from 27th Dec for a week?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There is a fantastic little restaurant just before the bottom of the piste going down to Villard. It was my favourite stopping off point when I was in ADH at Easter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
I go on 27th too. We're staying at the dreaded (if you go by reviews!) Petit Prince. We were in AdH last summer for the cycling and there looked to be quite a lot of maintenance work going on in the hotel so hopefully it will have improved - not that I'm too bothered, as long as there's a flat surface to kip on I'll be fine.
Was looking at Google maps last week and stumbled across the zoom where you can navigate round the town by photo pretty cool. Looks like these photos were taken towards the end of a season http://tinyurl.com/9z6dsm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
hammerite, looking forward to your report, i'm going out with the rest of the family on the 10th Jan 08 for a week. 
anyone else going to be there that week ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Colin B wrote: |
| There is a fantastic little restaurant just before the bottom of the piste going down to Villard. It was my favourite stopping off point when I was in ADH at Easter. |
balcony outside, all wood, old skis in the rafters and the best pear tart in the world? one of my favorites too.
(PS i realise i've just described about 50% of the mountain restaurants in europe, but what else can you day?)
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| rogg wrote: |
| Colin B wrote: |
| There is a fantastic little restaurant just before the bottom of the piste going down to Villard. It was my favourite stopping off point when I was in ADH at Easter. |
balcony outside, all wood, old skis in the rafters and the best pear tart in the world? one of my favorites too.
(PS i realise i've just described about 50% of the mountain restaurants in europe, but what else can you day?) |
Happy memories of stopping there for 4 or 5 grande Leffe, and then drunkenly wobbling down the remaining 100 metres or so back to our Villard Reculas apartment, in the dark.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Just to rekindle memories further my daughter waiting for lunch in the sun
I shall have at least one day at ADH this Easter whilst I'm in LDA and shall pay a visit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Curtains, I'll let you know how we get on. Have you seen the Vaujany webcam? Looks excellent!
While we're recommending restaurants, I can highly recommed a little restaurant called La Crémaillère, on Route Huez as if you are heading out of town down the hill. Had a great meal there in the summer. http://tinyurl.com/6ulp2c
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
hammerite, funny that but were going back to the same challet as last time just round the corner but we drank at the O bar a couple of times in the cellar , great for the kids , dark and damp just how I store them at home 
cant believe we never tried that one on the host's night off.
were staying here http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Alpe+d'Huez,+Huez,+Is%C3%A8re,+Rh%C3%B4ne-Alpes,+France&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=15.79107,46.40625&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FYkSsAIdDNVcAA&ll=45.096852,6.067071&spn=0,359.954681&z=15&iwloc=addr&layer=c&cbll=45.089905,6.069246&panoid=rTTr063ean-gDQjdwOdg-A&cbp=12,218.95223139259224,,0,5
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Tue 23-12-08 12:35; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| Colin B wrote: |
Just to rekindle memories further my daughter waiting for lunch in the sun
I shall have at least one day at ADH this Easter whilst I'm in LDA and shall pay a visit. |
I know that place. It`s lovely - though I`ve never managed lunch there. After your recommendation I certainly shall. I`m off in 4 days and can hardly wait. I`m very keen on the place on the run down from L`Alpette lift towards vaujany - it`s on the left as you`re heading down - do you know it ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
just checked out the weather forecast and it's going to be PLUS EIGHT!!!!! at town level tomorrow, and apparently only a couple of cm of snow thus/fri/sat.
will the snow melt at this temp, or the top few cm turn to ice once it gets cold again in a few days????
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
blueberry, having never been to a ski resort in the winter I can't answer your question with experience. However, there is nearly 70cm of snow at town level so I doubt it will melt totally. From looking at the forecasts windchill will take it well below freezing, how does windchill effect melting? 
I'm sure I'll be impressed anyway, my only ski/snow experience so far has been at the MK Snozone!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
blueberry, there is a risk that the top layer will melt then refreeze. however, if you stick to well groomed pistes, this won't really be a problem. it won't turn into sheet ice
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Anyone in ADH this week? Was after some snow updates, we need a ADH "version" of Charlotte to keep us up to date! Fly in on 03 Jan so fingers crossed for some big dumps over the next week Happy Xmas everyone...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There today, weather clouded over midday. The pistes are hard, there have been a few accidents due to falls over the last week so take care. There is plenty of skiing on piste but it needs more snow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I fly out tomorrow. No forecast of snow as far as the middle of next week according to Snow Forecast.
Have a good one all, I'll report when I get back - although I have no comparison to make as I've never been before!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
30cm forecast for New Years Eve get in my son - keep it coming!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
They are slowly revising that forecast downwards  Best Christmas present ever if all this predicted snow falls. Anyone have updates?
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
The 30cm has been reduced to 5cm but that's better than nothing - cloudy on the web cams, no snow forecast for next 5 days either - boo hoo
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Thats depressing! Any locals around to give us a first hand review of the recent snow fall?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| scrubyjoe wrote: |
| Thats depressing! Any locals around to give us a first hand review of the recent snow fall? |
yeah would love an accurate report on ADH before we fly the 3rd
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
sexyladywallhe2nd, welcome to Snowheads.  I can't give you a report on ADH but there was some good snow on NYE at Les Deux Alpes, just down the road, apparently. And, whatever the snow, you'll have a much better week, with quiet slopes, after the mayhem of New Year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Probably too late for you guys who travelled out yesterday. Conditions were very hard at the beginning of last week, but improved with a couple of cms over night early in the week. It then snowed a few more cms Tuesday PM, then about 10cm on Wednesday PM.
Towards the end of the week it was quite mild down low, and starting to harden up a bit in places, there was one patch which just looked like grass/mud near the cross over of retour Bergers route and Lac Bland button lift which was a surprise. But as Pam says there'll be plenty of room to avoid the few bad patches.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Anyone with any recent updates? I'm heading over on the 24th of Jan. The countdown is on!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Griff77, Theres been a bit of new snow this week which has freshened things up slightly and the slopes are very quiet according
to my friends out there. Off on 21st myself for a cheeky 4 days, I'm sure a big dump must be imminent! will keep you posted.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Just back from ADH. Conditions are managable but still icy in patches. We got 10cm of snow on the 7th but that did not do much to improve the conditions.
Get up the top of Pic Blanc early for the best conditons on the tougher black runs. The runs near in ADH near Le Signal are dodgy in the evenings and are best avoided if possible. Villard Reclus and Oz always had decent conditions to my recollection.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Just back from a week in ADH, start of the week was excellent, but lack of snow and lots of wind has taken it's toll - Auris (scare-chair side) is bare with the hill looking more like it should be in the summer, lots of reds and blacks above 2100 up are closed, lots of bare patches and ice everywhere. The blues and greens into the main Bergers area are ok, but even these are seeing signs of wear. Needs more snow and soon, otherwise there'll be very limited skiing!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Also just got back, agree that most of the high blacks were shut. Best snow over above Vaujany - the Roche Melon itinery has nice stuff at the top, with just some icy moguls to finish.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
oh, it sounds even worse now than when we got back last week.
there was a fair few bits of grass and rock showing then - although i only got as far as my first run before falling on a hard icy piste and doing my knee in.
what i don't understand is how the snow conditions can still be reported as (scgb today)
70cm / 125cm (lower / upper slopes)
great on-piste conditions
82 / 84 lifts open.
not come accross much grass sticking out of 70cm of snow before.
where do they measure it?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Also just back from ADH - snow very patchy, lots of ICE, grass and rocks everywhere, pistes not smoothed out, bad for skiing, hard for falling, can't see how they are reporting as having such depths of snow, unless they find a snow drift and measure it there! There was more snow on some of the slopes in June last year than there is at the moment! Amazing how LDA is 100 times better for conditions and only a few miles away!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
best advice for anyone heading over is to hit Vaujany after lunch time. once the sun hits that side of the mountain conditions were pretty good and theres a few nice off piste sections that aren't too hard once you pick your route well!! make sure you hit pic blanc early... the best conditions me and the lads experienced up there was early morning on the glacier black run as it gets sun first thing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
I second sexyladywallhe2nd. Just got back, runs down to Vaujany and Oz were good after lunch but can get quite busy. Otherwise as everyone else said snow is patchy with ice in many places. But still an enjoyable week. Had some fun off-piste behind Signal down to Villard.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sounds like they're in need of a good dump of snow! Fingers crossed they get one soon, I don't want to go ice skating for a week...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
