 Poster: A snowHead
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Went for a day trip last week to see some friends (we were in Verbier).
I love Flaine and the whole Grand Massif and I was really REALLY looking forward to skiing the Gers bowl as the day before it had snowed a lot.
We dropped in at 3.00pm....oh joy! Knee deep....fresh....barely tracked....huge....steep.....LOVELY!
I noticed that the drag lift, which is the only way out, was had stopped...various people were hanging on their buttons.
We got to the bottom of the lift, there was a crowd of about fifty and the liftie was trying to restart the engine. He got it going, just, a couple of times but it conked out.
We waited.
My friend Paul who is an engineer went to speak to him after 45 mins.
He came back grim faced to report that the liftie was now sitting on the engine, smoaking a ciggie, and had told him it was fundementaly broken and he had no idea how to fix it.
Oh boy...we are in trouble now: the only eit from the bowl back to Flaine is via that lift. Otherwise it is a long pole and track to Sixt which is many many miles by road, and due to the late hour there was no chance at all of getting any transport back. Also where we were had no phone signal.
So down to Sixt, a bus to Samoens (it is now 5.30pm) and a phone call to Paul's 8+ month pregnant wife in Chamonix to ask her to come and get us.
She arrived and somehow four of us, with skis got into her VW Golf with 3 dogs and a lot of shopping.
Thank's Gemma! You saved us!
So Gers...now renamed Grrrrrs.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rungsp, why not just sidestep up the lift track and 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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TallTone, I'd still be sidestepping....but I think you know how long that drag is 
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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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rungsp, That happenned to me there as well.
I had to wait 45 mins with a few others,I had seen the drag was open before dropping into the bowl.Of course by the time we got to the bottom the lifties had decided to shut it ?until guests from the restaurant below arrived on the cat tracks.Then he would reopen the lift for everyone to get home and no ammount of persuasion would make him open it sooner.
Its a great run though isnt it 
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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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I have never done the Gers bowl... I keep meaning to get someone to show me how to access it (and when) as it isnt always open (and now I have a dodgy lift to worry about too).... it must be one of the few parts of the GM that I haven't skied so must make an effort next year.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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rungsp, Yep I think the engine on the Gers is was probably made by British Leyland during the 70s.... 
The Gers is a thing of beauty though, and its often as good as heliskiing in there (especially when the lift is shut and you have to go right round through Sixt)
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norris, I guess it is access by going as far left as you can from top of Flaine... is the "out" onto Cascades - and is it obvious which way to go?
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stevo_the_saddler, Just follow the top blue run all the way along and stay right all the way - can't miss it. Worth checking thats it open and safe before you drop in though, as they only open once they have bombed it into submission....
Of course there are other ways in from the top of the Grand Vans and Veret drag lift, but this involves route finding around cliff bands etc
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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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norris, not sure it is BL, but ancient for sure.
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