 Poster: A snowHead
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Off to Serre Chevalier on Friday - arriving from Turin side via Col de Montgenevre.
Was there in January and was a bit surprised to find a couple of inches of snow on the road up and down the pass but no signs of snowploughs or attempts to keep the road clear.
Is the pass often closed? How much snow do they need for that to happen?
A meaningful dump is forecast for Friday. Should I expect any snow clearing efforts - or had I best hope for some fitting instructions with my snow chains?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It is kept open all year round. It is one of the main passes that is kept open in winter. It often carries lots of frieght in the form of lorries that pass under the village.
It is normally kept in good condition all year round with snowploughs when it has snowed.
It is meant to snow again this week. But they'll clear it.
You only normally need snow chains on it when it is snowing. When the snowing stops the snowplough is out.
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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 don't know that neck of the woods but I believe the Col is sometimes closed in heavy snow. Anyone going anywhere mountainous this weekends needs to have chains, and to know exactly how to fit them. The police will stop cars without appropriate equipment; chains are needed long before there is any question of closing a road.
The instructions you get with snow chains aren't brilliant; you need to practice before doing it on the side of the road in a slushy lay-bye in possibly quite deep snow, and maybe in the dark.
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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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Hi,
I wouldn't worry, I came back from Montgenevre on Sunday and it was fine and the snow report looks nothing to worrry about. Last week they were clearing the snow as quick as it was falling, and it was pretty warm too. Although not sure how warm it is now.
Liz
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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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pam w, the first time I put chains on a car was on the road up to Alpe d'Huez in a raging snowstorm. My strategy was to stop next to other people putting chains on, look vaguely helpless adn ask for assistance. Unfortunately said people were Parisians and had no more clue than I did. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
| You only normally need snow chains on it when it is snowing. When the snowing stops the snowplough is out. |
sorry, but this is rubbish. You need snowchains when the state of the road is such as to reduce your traction. And snowploughs, I can assure you Christopher, are frequently seen out on the roads when it's snowing. But in a heavy dump, even though there are a lot of ploughs, they can't be everywhere and in the time between the passage of a snowplough, the snow on the road can become quite deep. Also, as I said elsewhere, it doesn't need a LOT of snow on the road to make chains necessary to get up a steep incline (or safely down one, come to that). Cars vary. Some (one example I know is a Ford Focus) have excellent traction. Others, most particularly big flash saloons with rear wheel drive, are a disaster.
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col de montgenevre nearly NEVER closes unlike the Col Du Lauteret.
you would be fined if you didn't have snowchains or snow tyres on that col if it were snowing.
]
in 4 seasons here, inlcuding the massive dumps over the olympics when the av risk went up to 5/5 they never actually closed the col, it just took the coaches h ours to get up it 
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Wot snowangel., says....................
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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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Thanks to everyone for all your replies.
Cheers!
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mountainaddict, practice using your chains. Give the other cars plenty of room. Italians don't switch to winter tyres as a rule like the Swiss do.
I had to put chains on on this col last year before Cesana. No way of doing it otherwise. And it was pretty hairy. I got overtaken by a taxi on the descent into Briancon which then nearly totally lost it on the next bend.
In any case be careful even if it has not snowed for a long time. Descending on the Italian side 3 weeks ago it was over 10 degrees and had not snowed for weeks but there were a couple of shady places were snow had fallen back onto the road that nearly caught us out.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I though Col de Montgenevre was a golfer, he's a big lad I know but using him as a ski resort is a bit much.
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