 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello, we're having the following little issue:
My 15-year old son is adamant to schlepping all his ski-gear (and believe me, it's "TONS") across the pond next month to shred the Alps.
He's a highly-ranked champion in Freestyle skiing here in the US and is obviously used to only the best of conditions and most fun parks .. as a matter of fact he's shredding right now as I write.
My questions are:
How would you rate the sno-park at Les 2 Alpes, if you could compare with other parks ?
Does it make sense to buy a day/week pass and check it out beforehand, since all the fun seems to be ending around mid-day when the temps are heating up, and his only other big passion is skateboarding ?
Does it make sense for us to bring all his gear (2/3 pairs of skis etc. and pay the high extra fees for excessive baggage for the flights that we're currently facing) ?
Does it make sense to make lodging arrangements in advance, since we don't know how the conditions are (we're having our summer residence
only a 2-hour drive away) ?
Thanks for all your responses !
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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jeu-d-esprit, welcome to  If there is a bigger or better summer snow park anywhere in the world then I will be amazed.
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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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Well ... I can't compare yet with other summer parks, but we're currently shredding overhere on fresh powder and we're having arguably the best summer sno-park in N-America, possibly the world, with year-round skiing, called Windells at only a short hour's drive distance !
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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jeu-d-esprit, Welcome to Snowheads. You absolutely must book accommodation in advance. There are many Snowheads have accommodation available from catered chalets to self catered apartments.
When were you thinking of coming? The earlier the better for conditions in the snowpark. We have the biggest snowpark in Europe in the summer, and I don't think anyone has such a big kicker. Most of the european pros train here in June/July. I don't know whether it's worth bringing all the gear - it depends what he skis on. If it's nothing odd he could probably rent the same equipment here (I understand renting equipment is much cheaper in Europe). If you go to http://2alpes.com/pages/en/157/les-2-alpes-webcams.html (which I assume you've already done) you can see some shots of the park.
Snowhead Snowangel's son is around 16 now and pretty good on his board in freestyle, if you sent her a PM the boys might be able to team up.
Check out the Snow Reports which I do pretty much daily, to see the conditions. At the moment they're great, but it's not powder I'm afraid. 
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks so much easiski for your info ... exactly what I needed !
My son gets his info from Newschoolers and his buddies all across the globe for Saas Fee and Les 2 Alpes, but I wanted some independent info for my own opinion  .
We'll be arriving July 1st for 7 weeks of La Douce France and I'm contemplating booking the Salomon camp July12th-19th, but on the other hand don't know what to do since he's got plenty of Salomon support and backing (sponsors) overhere to be needing any purchased instruction.
Ski-rental is a No since he'll only ski in his own boots (formed especially for Freestyle to prevent "shin-bang") and his own pairs of preferred skis.
Some questions remain though, i.e.: Are helmets mandatory (like overhere ?)
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One more question:
There is quite a "cultural" difference overhere between Sno-boarders and Freeskiers ... how about up there ?
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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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jeu-d-esprit, I don't think helmets are mandatory, but clearly they're a good idea when landing from 4metres+ in the air! I don't know how much difference there is between the boarders and the skiers in freestyle, as far as I can see there's more difference between the freestylers and the rest of the world.  There would be no need to book a camp, he could just get a lift ticket and shred. Actually, I'm not too sure about the standard of the camps - not all of them are that good. I really recommend that you send Snowangel. a PM to get a flavour of the park - being an oldie I hardly ever go there. 
I would recommend that you come as soon as possible to get the best conditions, July 12th is already possibly late for the best conditions in the pipe. There are no built-up walls of course, it's just snow - you can keep up to date with those on the snow reports thread. If you want any particular views of the park I'll try to oblige. There are 2 half pipes - one regular size and one somewhere between regular and super pipe I think. The biggest of the big airs is about twice the height of a man.  and that's just the jump itself. There's also a 'chil-out area' half way down the park, and a pros only area where all the big stuff is.
I thought a lot of the freestylers used my fave boots - Flexons for just that shin bang reason. What does he ski on? If you want any more details, don't hesitate to ask, and you could either PM me or email me via my website.
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Awesome ! ... all the answers that I've received .... Thanks so much !
I was totally in the dark (of course ! .. being the Mom) about the conditions at the Park, but now I've got a much clearer picture of what to expect and what to bring.
Yes, I check the sno reports ... but does it make a difference ? ... clearly not. We're so lucky overhere as to have had, and still receive, record amounts of snow, as to the point that our resorts had to close regularly for some hours because of too much of the good stuff, just until about 3 weeks ago !
But for the real passionate freeskier even the green lawn will do !
Anyway, beginning of July we could get there around the 4th at the earliest since Jetlag takes a toll and recoup can take anywhere from 2+ days.
Thanks very much for the advise with regards to camps .... I was already much in doubt, being used to perfect Windells here.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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jeu-d-esprit, Cool - my phone number is on my fliers in the tourist office, give me a bell if you like once you're here. BTW I did mean my snow reports on Snowheads, not the others! Photos tell you at least as much as anything else.
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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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jeu-d-esprit, where are you staying?
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Yes easiski ! .... I was referring to your sno reports ... in the pics there's not much, but we hope we can avoid the green  !
And don't know yet where we'll be staying.
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You know it makes sense.
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jeu-d-esprit, Aah - sorry! I'll be going up again on Sunday, so I'll make a point of photographing some of the park for you and your son.
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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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Merci beaucoup ... looking forward !
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Poster: A snowHead
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jeu d'esprit; i'm from canada but been living in the alps for the past 6 winters.
definitely bring the gear and check it out!
the 2 alpes park is comparable to windells. a few years ago the european newschool scene would not have been, but it's getting there.
helmets are not mandatory, and the divide between snowboarders and skiers is nowhere near as big as north america. it's a great vibe within the freestyle community out here.
the alps are spectacular and well worth experiencing a few different resorts places if you have the chance. you should also look into doing a road trip with your son to tignes, a couple of hours away and with a fantastic summer freestyle culture very similiar to windells; park in the mornings, then taking the funicular train down to the skate park and lake for some tramp and water training.
i was the photographer covering a few of the european events for newschoolers so if your son has any questions he can email me on there - my username is "d686".
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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dbx, Have you been here in summer? The park is at least twice the size of the winter one!
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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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To dbx:
Thanks so much for your opinion and perspective from the NA point of view .... every champion from the last 10 years or so went thru Windells (and are still returning as coaches !) .. it's just a magic, awesome camp for freestylers and we're just so lucky as to have it right in our "back yard".
My Newschooler is extremely excited to get there asap and we'll definitely check out Tignes too, as well as Saas Fee (our own residence is not far from Annecy, when he's not in school in the US and he usually loves to check out all the (lame) skateparks in Savoie/Haute-Savoie and bordering regions).
He'll message you @ Newschoolers, has awesome pics of himself from competitions and promo videos by some other great photographers, but it's so uncool (especially for Mom) to mention that !
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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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Just a small note of caution, at last year's PSB there was an average of FIVE helicopter evacs off the L2A snowpark each day (not including the walking wounded).
If you're going to play on the white concrete you need to ensure you have the skills and the insurance to make the visit as trauma free as possible (pun intended  )
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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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easiski: my comparison to windells was a positive one. the L2A summer park is definitely one of the best anywhere.
jeu-d-esprit: your son is lucky to have windells nearby, and also to have the chance to check out the european scene if you have a residence near annecy... all the north american pros i've run into over here have said how much they loved it. it's such a cultural difference with everyone not being liability obsessed and corporate owned...
i'm kicking around doing shoots in various resorts throughout july. let me know when he is here and if he is up for joining some of the local riders for a few sessions. if he's got some sponsors & comp results behind him it might be possible to score some hotels & passes for you and save on dollar/euro pain.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Masque: ... thanks for the warning, very important ! - have unfortunately been through the nightmares of a chopper-Life-Flight and extended IC-hospital stays and know how one has to battle afterwards with insurance cos. ... will take extra coverage !
dbx: he placed 3rd at Nationals last March at Copper and thanks very much for your generosity - although we're used to the currency-pain, being frequent visitors - this time it's pretty tough - am already holding my breath for the next trip across the pond ... might have to take the Queen Mary
BTW, he's shredding right now and camps out at Hood with all the other sno junkies from across NA - not legally old enough for a job at Windells - so no WiFi-no contact currently.(@ Newschoolers it's HoodSkia)
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jeu-d-esprit, you seem to be the coolest Mom ever! I can't quite imagine my mum, or wife for that matter using the term "shredding" or "sno junkies"... YOU ROCK!
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ski-finder:
Thanks so much for the (I take it as such) compliment .... very gracious of you ! Have to admit though that at "middle age" we can barely keep up with the speed and goals of our stoked, driven, globe-trotting kids, (btw we're all Dutch) let alone the 'correct' terminology, but I dutifully do my homework and in addition have of course been exposed to the Newschooler's and Freestyler's scene here in the US for the past couple o years .... it's so sick, so sweeeeeet man ... I'm totally stoked !
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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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jeu-d-esprit, You can buy medivac insurance on your lift pass, it's only a couple of Dollars a day and will get you off the mountain and into medical care by whatever means is deemed appropriate or needed with no questions asked or a side visit to the ATM. It's available at all French resorts.
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dbx:
Sorry, not able to email U thru Newschoolers. Would U be so kind and provide a contact #, other than U'r website ?
We'll be arriving Geneve on July 1st, can possibly be up at L2A by July 3/4 or any other place ... can provide U with residence landline or other means of contact.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Masque:
Awesome info, exactly what I need .... merci beaucoup !
Y'all ROCK with all the helpful hints, suggestions and even pictures especially for us ! .... extremely
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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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Is it soccer time yet ?
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You know it makes sense.
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jeu-d-esprit, it was a compliment! As for the FOOTBALL, the Dutch got dumped out a few days ago but the tournament still has a few games left to play. Although looking at your holiday dates you'll miss those too... many would see that as a good thing!
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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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Yeah, being Dutchies ... we're watching football (I'm in America currently, that's why I 'slipped' in my excitement on the soccer !) ... waiting for Russia-Spain today. The Dutch, we thought, were embarrasing in their last game against Russia !
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Poster: A snowHead
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We'll be getting a heatwave over the weekend with 40°C+ and skiing will still continue of course, but we're outta here ..... sweeeeeeeeeet !
Easiski: does everyone have a nice, serious 'raccoon-face' overthere ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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easiski,
A last image from this neck of the woods ... looking forward to next week @L2A !
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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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this is odd - yet another of my posts has vanished. I don't have any info from anyone about this. It looks as though more than one actually in my conversation with jeu-d-esprit,
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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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easiski, I noticed that-maybe a mod took a disliking to your posts
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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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arv, I didn't think I said anything offensive, and no-one has contacted me about anything at all. There are deffo more than one missing though. If mods (or Admin) want to delete people's post they should at least send a PM to tell you about it. (This will probably be deleted too)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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easiski, I was just kidding. Must just be a glitch somewhere!
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easiski,
With all due respect: it must have been terribly offensive what you wanted to say to me ... LOL, but it wasn't me who deleted it ..... pas de touché
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arv, jeu-d-esprit, AFAIK posters can only delete their post if no-one has replied, otherwise they can only delete the words but not that there was a post there. Otherwise only Mods or Admin can delete a post. More than one of mine has gone on this thread, and it's not the first time lately that a post of mine has been deleted.
jeu-d-esprit, Look forward to meeting you (hopefully)
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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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easiski, We have been discussing this in the mods forum and none of the moderators or admins that have been around recently have deleted any of your posts.
I note that you are also having a parallel conversation with jeu-d-esprit on your own summer snow report thread - the comments to which you refer on here to having been deleted are not the ones that you posted there by chance?
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Ray Zorro, No. How mysterious.
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FAQ
