 Poster: A snowHead
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backhojo, it can rain in any month that has more than 27 days in it. "I went to la clusaz & it rained" is not a meaningful predictive statement.
Have only skied GM a few times, very impressed with HP potential. Spent one morning yo-yoing one (fast) lift. Off piste every run. Mighty fine. (All in party had skied rather more than 17 weeks...). No issues with lifts although links between sectors a little awkward.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Reading this thread reminds me why I do not go on short ski breaks
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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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riverman, good. stay away. What are you talking about. Ski weekends are marvellous things.
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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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backhojo, I think you have been very lucky not to have had any rain in 17 weeks of skiing. Crikey I wouldn't have learnt anything in my second week of skiing if I had gone in because it was raining. Have you thought of a snowdome resort? 
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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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has it occured to you that the reason i have not had rain is down to careful research and planning before travelling and also being a sheep (ie going to the popular resorts which are popular because they are good and high!!)
i reckon if you sleep at 1800m and ski up to 3000m + then you reduce the chance of rain. when you go to resorts that are 1000m - 1200m there is bound to me more chance of rain !!
incidentally we dont really do off piste and am especially nervous of wandering off piste in GM as i have read it can be dangerous.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Personally if I was going to do an indepth weather analysis before booking a trip I would be looking at a resort less exposed to wind, reducing the chances of lift closure, rather than the odd rainy day.
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backhojo, has a point about top skiing altitude. I have been in Val D'Isere in March when it rained torrentially in the resort, but our guide kept taking us higher and higher and eventually it snowed, and we had a great day albeit with poor visibility. The next day the winds got up and we were restricted to skiing in the trees, and wouldn't have been out at all if we were in a higher resort.
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| backhojo wrote: |
has it occured to you that the reason i have not had rain is down to careful research and planning before travelling and also being a sheep (ie going to the popular resorts which are popular because they are good and high!!)
i reckon if you sleep at 1800m and ski up to 3000m + then you reduce the chance of rain. when you go to resorts that are 1000m - 1200m there is bound to me more chance of rain !!
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While that is very true, it also means you are excluding an awful lot of the good ski resorts.
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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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| alex_heney wrote: |
| backhojo wrote: |
has it occured to you that the reason i have not had rain is down to careful research and planning before travelling and also being a sheep (ie going to the popular resorts which are popular because they are good and high!!)
i reckon if you sleep at 1800m and ski up to 3000m + then you reduce the chance of rain. when you go to resorts that are 1000m - 1200m there is bound to me more chance of rain !!
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While that is very true, it also means you are excluding an awful lot of the good ski resorts. |
i know - but its only a "good ski resort" if you can actually ski there rather than look at it from the bar thinking "if only there was some snow low down this would be a good ski resort" !!! 
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Yep but providing there was snow on the ground, I would not be in a bar looking out at it "oh no it's raining, I can't ski". I'm presuming that there was snow in La Clusaz last March and it was the rain on one day that upset you.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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it was the last day so i guess it sticks in our mind. We did try and ski but after an hour we were soaked to the skin. the snow was pretty difficult as the top layer was very wet and heavy and it was getting dangerous- hard to turn, visibility was very poor due to low cloud. it simply wasnt worth it. most people managed about 30 mins then gave up and we ended up in the restaurant drinking tea !!
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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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regarding the link from les carroz to flaine. i am looking on the piste map and wondering is the only lift link the "vernant" lift that goes up to "les grandes vars" (sorry if names are not quiet right - online piste map not that clear). if this lift is out of action (wind or mechanical) how else can you get to flaine on skis ?
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I don't think there is another way, I'll get my map out later. From memory it's a fairly sheltered chair and pretty swift.
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You know it makes sense.
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Been 3 times, was certainly the only way, unless you want to put skins on. However I'd be more worried about either your tour operator, or airline going bust, or the £ v Euro getting so bad you cant afford a lift pass. Plenty of Skiing either side, and highly unlikely to get cut off. If you do a taxi, down the road from Flaine, and you can join up with the rest of the area, at a vey nice restaurant halfway to Les Carroz, Lift right outside. Great area. I have to thank you backhojo though, as my wife does not believe anymore that I worry about snow and suchlike more than anyone else alive! Enjoy yourself as you certainly will. I'm going to Samoens with 12 others. No issue from here, despite what some say.
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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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| marcellus wrote: |
I've bitten my tongue long enough!!
If I have any guests who want to get to Flaine and the links are closed then I'll load you all into my 4x4 and drive you over the col myself.........I can get 12 in all with seat belts so no problems there....there is one proviso....THAT I CAN SKI TOO!!!!
Come to think of it the Vallee Blanche could be on the cards too if the conditions are right.....................  |
**cough cough...no need for a taxi!!
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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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We always check the lifts & forecasts before we put our coats on and go anywhere.............force of habit.............helps answer the inevitable questions over breakfast, such as will I be cold, is it windy, shoudl I wear my thermals, will I need a hat, is it sunny, have I got enough layers on, does my bum look big in this?
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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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backhojo, This thread has surely done enough mileage.... just book or dont, but pleeeeease make a decision !!
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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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| Libertine wrote: |
| backhojo, This thread has surely done enough mileage.... just book or dont, but pleeeeease make a decision !! |
ironically you have just eeked out the thread a bit more by posting
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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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backhojo, ha ha.... good point !! Well, havs ya booked ?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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not yet !
close though !
looking at flights now
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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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I went skiing there in 2006 for a week and there were a lot of fast lifts. I only encountered one old style "back bottom whacker" lift and that was just part of the fun. It's a great ski area.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
P.S. If the Gers sector is open (and if you are a good skier) then go and enjoy one of the best long, steep, unpisted (did I mention long and steep? ) black runs in europe.
BUT it does have an equally long and steep drag lift to get out. |
Where's that? I'm going back in the New Year.
You can still ski when it rains. Well, I managed until lunchtime and then realised how soggy I was.
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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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marcellus, like the vid. Already started counting days until New Year, must think about Christmas first!
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doesnt influence me one bit - bloody marketing people always paint a rosey picture !!! LOL
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You know it makes sense.
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tomstickland, off the top ridge in Flaine it is to the extreme left as you look up-hill.
You need to traverse into it.
A big, steep, long, unpisted run with a lone long drag back up.
They only open it when a good base has forme, so early season might be too early.
However, if it is open....it is the chien's-ballons
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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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ok - you win !! we have considered all your points of view and we have booked to go to the GM in march with marcellus !!! (check your email marcellus for our booking !)
cheers for all your help !
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hooray!!  You know it makes sense!
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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 will love it.
The only slow lifts i am aware of are the two side by side two manners coming back up from the samoens bowl.
Admittedly they are painfully slow.
Going in March i will be very suprised if you come across any queues.
I see you are going with Marcellus so you can get a lift however i stayed in Les Carroz a couple of years ago for a few days when my friends stayed the week in Flaine. Rather than take the links across i drove up to Flaine which was quicker, so if you are getting a hire car from Geneva you could drive yourself up the road (takes about 20 mins in good conditions).
Just looking at booking for the GM for the fourth year on the run.
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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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PS i have also skied La Clusaz and am not suprised you did it all in a couple of days.
We also had rain low down in February, GM is a totally different kettle of fish.
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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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backhojo, WELL DONE !!!!! What week are you going... I hear it is forcast rain
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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backhojo, thank goodness for that!
Libertine,
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GM is brilliant, I have mixed feelings on promoting it, mainly due to the fact that there are hardly ever any queues, and I dont want that to change. With the new 8-man in Flaine, there is no real need to use the huge gondola (hate taking my skis off!). As someone said earlier on in the thread, knowing where to go is half the battle - and that only comes with local knowledge. A brief summary IMHO is...
Bad weather (low cloud) - head for Morillon or Les Carroz if the snow cover is good.
Clear skies - the pistes of Samoens and Flaine take some beating. I usually head to Flaine early on and do the high stuff, the busy Grand Vans run towards flaine is a bit of a motorway as the day gos on, the bit near the bottom which is a bit steep is hilarious once the tired ski-schools get on there - Carnage reigns.
Off-piste after a dump, Samoens is great fun, as is Morillon (some tree fun can be had).
My favorite long pisted runs are from the Top of Flaine bowl (using the smaller Gondola).
Les Carroz and Samoens can get a bit icy in the afternoon when the shade comes over.
If conditions allow (and this isn't always possible)
Lower Samoens runs (red/black than are the village side of the plateau) - very quiet and un-skied.
Cascades - 17km from top of Flaine down to Sixt
Sixt ski area - the quietest ski area I have ever seen, but hardly ever open in my experience.
(Sixt requires bus transfer which is covered on lift pass to Samoens/Morillon) - if staying in Flaine, do this in the morning to allow time to get back.
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Looks like I'm a little late joining this conversation.
backhojo, - just relax. Grand Massif is fantastic. Massive lift upgrades over the last 5 years so most of the old lifts have been replaced. Very rarely a queue. Snow normally very good, subject to obvious caveats that any ski area (in Europe of America) is subject to the weather. As mentioned previously, if you ski offpiste, Gers bowl is a must. Better than the heli-ski run that I did in St Anton. Grand Massif certainly punches above its height in snow terms, probably because it is sandwiched between a massive lake (Geneva) and a massive mountain (Mont Blanc). You'll have a great time and Marcellus will be the right man to show you where to head.
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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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simo1234, "Very rarely a queue" er sorry but have you been down to Molliets chairlift on a sunday / saturday afternoon...rose tinted specs i think...will be better when its replaced in 2009, but they will need to make the arrival a bit better to cope with a 6 man chair.
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FAQ
