 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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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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Colin B, I did it with Easiski B and JulesB, it was indeed a magical day out, one of the best I've ever had. I'd climbed there many years ago and during the trip did my 5th and 6th days skiing at le Chazelet whilst looking up at the slopes opposite and hoping that I may someday be able to ski them.
I bet that the kids will be reliving that day many times over the course of their lives. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Scarpa, I suspect most of them are too young to really appreciate it!  They said they enjoyed it, but there was a bit of eye rolling when the views were extolled.
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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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Colin B, when I have been there, including with easiski in January, the most daunting bit was the entry onto the opening slope, with had a rutted approach to a fairly icy, and quite exposed traverse on which I built up a fair bit of speed. Very satisfying to do, actually. But if the children were having to do the same thing, then I think they should be pleased with themselves.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sadly there are murmurings of liability issues relating to La Grave's ski area. It famously declares itself a 'skiers' risk' domain, with the lift company excluding itself from conventional liabilities relating to piste maintenance and patrolling. Pistehors.com has a very good article on this, explaining the mountain's original development under the expertise of engineer Denis Creissels (who built the cablecar up to the Aiguille du Midi):
http://pistehors.com/news/ski/comments/0909-la-grave-trouble-in-paradise/
It's important, in my view, that the ethos of 'personal risk skiing' should be defended. The law should allow it, and support ski areas who want to warn skiers that they ski at their own risk beyond a clear notice to that effect.
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David Goldsmith, I agree. I'd heard from easiski that the owner wished to sell up. It certainly doesn't look a viable business proposition as it stands, unfortunately. Great area.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Fri 10-04-09 17:08; edited 1 time in total
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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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Colin B, Good one.. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
The children (aged 12 – 15) were far more accomplished than some of us older ones showing what results some superb tuition can achieve.
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I can personally attest to the quality of easiski's tuition, but would also respectfully point out that, other things being equal, kids are always likely to be heaps better in trees/ruts/wiggly bits than stiff old grownups. 
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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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pam w, but they are also better on piste, off piste, on moguls, on steeps, on ice, on slush, they are faster, more stylish .....
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You know it makes sense.
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Colin B, Nice pix.
pam w, I would like to say that it's just kids and adults, but sadly, these are parents who ski OK, but for the most part have used their money for their kid's lessons rather than for themselves. There was a techinical difference. OTOH Colin B, has improved remarkably in the last couple of years. 
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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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Colin B, I've now decided that we need lessons much more than our kids do - time to give ourselves priority! The older you get, the slower you improve, I've discovered.... 
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Poster: A snowHead
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pam w, I couldn't agree more but I'm on a hiding to nothing with my daughter.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Glad you guys enjoyed it, and it looks like you picked the right day. When we got there for the weekend, Friday was pretty poor vis throughout (very cloudy on the Girose, so very careful skiing) and pretty shitty frozen crud once you got out of the cloud, so it significantly restricted what we could do. Saturday was a bit better, although a bit windy at times. Sunday was very windy - walking up to access the glacier we had to keep on stopping as the wind tried to blow us back down the trail - I guess it would be considered a light breeze by Scottish standards - and they shut the P2-P3 lift just after we made first lift up. Fortunately though they re-opened it just as we got back up P2 from P1, and we spent most of the rest of the day as the only groups anywhere on the mountain. In the lee of the cliffs it was generally very nice skiing, and my group got to do Banane and Triffides 1 - the snow in those wasn't too bad, but was hard enough that you had to be pretty careful and shows of bravado were definitely out. By the end of the day there was a sudden rush and we saw maybe 10 other skiers, and a group of about 20 snowshoeing down from P3 at about 16:30 - I guess heading for an Easter Sunday meet at Chancel. Monday was a glorious day and we had great fun up on the Girose for a few runs hooning around at Mach schell (although I hardly covered myself in glory falling on the steep descent over the bergschrund above the teleski and actually crossing it in a reverse somersault). We then headed back to the skiers'-right side of the Vallon, and had some more extreme hooning around under the Pan de Rideau and Meije glacier before having to quit and come home.
The snow was getting very sketchy indeed at the lower levels - the worst I've seen it. The traverses were all just about covered, although the odd treeroot needed a bit of a jump from time to time. I could see virtually no snow at all below P1 - and little enough there. By mid Monday most of the routes down through the final mogul field had a bit of mud/grass that required jumping or sidestepping over and snow stopped about 30m from the lift station. Without any more snow this week (I understand there should be some on Wednesday) I can see making P1 being a bit of a hike before long, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was a hundred metres or so today.
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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 need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Arno wrote: |
| Mon - quick burn down the Girose, through Col du Lac and back to P2 then... Pan du Rideau. |
Wow...respect. Maybe it was you we saw on the traverse - about 12:30 we were looking at 3 dots moving rather gingerly, and thinking ..."mmm looks interesting, but doubt I'm ready for that just yet"  .
BTW, once the really strong gusts on Sun went through (P3 was only shut for about 45 mins) it was really quite fun skiing there. Just a bit windy when you crossed the Breche.
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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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GrahamN, the traverse was certainly "interesting" but wasn't quite as bad as i thought it would be. you'd have to have a deathwish not to treat it with respect however! the other 3 i was skiing with did the steep bit pretty confidently, albeit with a bit of discussion as to how best to get over the rimaye. the snow was pretty good - windblown powder. i'm still a bit annoyed not to have skied it but my head just wasn't in the right place
AlTom, i think you are talking about the y-greque (spelling almost certainly wrong) - there was some debate as to whether it was skiable or not. Vertigo reckoned it would go but you'd need to straightline the bottom 1/3 - rather him than me!
triffide 1 is skiable and 2 looked OK. not sure i'd travel all the way to LG given how good conditions look in the pyrenees though
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| Quote: |
I discovered my (current) limit of tolerance to steepness and exposure and therefore sidslipped the top 300m . the rest of the run was pretty awesome - good snow for the most part and a really spectacular setting. can't wait to get up there and ski it properly. pretty humbling seeing some of the local rippers descend the whole thing in about 10-15 turns
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I've been looking at that for the last three months and it still scares the bejesus out of me. Glad you did it and am impressed you could keep up with Vertigo.
We had a gentle climb and a ski between the Cerisier and the Comb du Loup in AdH yesterday. We skied a nice chute and had some good corn turns but the walk out took about an hour across scree and rapidly melting snow. I managed to get a touch of sunstroke, which gives an indication as to the heat and the rapidly deteriorating snow cover.
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Colin B, looks fabulous - thanks for posting the pics.
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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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gorilla, nice one - that's a very nice run but it sounds like it's coming to the end of the season for it. hope the refuge at the Col du Sarenne was open so you could have something restorative!
Colin B, apologies for thread drift! glad you enjoyed LG
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Hey this is supposed to be a Non-Gnarly thread
Anyway now I'm home I've finished uploading my photos to Flickr
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Arno, yeah the giude book calls it the couloir nord-est but I've only heard people in LG call it Y (egrec)
Coming back from a short tour on Saturday someone had done the Enfetchores with only 5 turns. I have an idea who it was...
AlTom, the locals are now using the Pan as a standard route, especially on powder days! Triffide 1 was apparently not too great on Fri although though there's been a bit more snow since. I didn't do it though.
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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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You know it makes sense.
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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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norris, good pic
a little bit more snow on it this year
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Poster: A snowHead
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Arno,
More snow, thats cheating
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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norris, now that is very impressive! The traverse looks very impressive - I'm getting less and less keen to expose myself to that sort of thing.
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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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snowball, Arno will be hitting those first descents with Mr Ingle before long!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| norris wrote: |
| snowball, Arno will be hitting those first descents with Mr Ingle before long! |
TOTALLY!!
sideslipping on belay
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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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Arno, LOL
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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 bad for a non-gnarly thread
Mmmmm - exposed traverse and powder run down.
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Arno,
So the pic of the traverse is steep.... what is below it...
can't quote pick it up from norris' front view... altho can guess the rock band on the right... how close or in the line of sight is that a consideration...??
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Colin B, you started it... we just like to talk about the place...
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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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FAQ
not least because 
