 Poster: A snowHead
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Skiers in the know take a trip up to Loveland Pass in Colorado, with a driver shuttling skiers from the bottom of the slopes to the top of the pass. And when the moon is full there's enough light to ski in the magical calm ... without a headlamp ... once your eyes are conditioned to it.
This report by Chris Outcalt for Vail Daily.
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When I first called Schaefer and told him I was doing a story about skiing Loveland Pass on a full moon, he wasn’t exactly thrilled.
It’s a locals thing, the kind of gathering that’s best left to be spread by word of mouth. But Schaefer started skiing the pass on full moon nights in 1993 and quickly conceded the cats probably already out of the bag. He’s probably turned 50 people onto the activity himself.
“It’s amazing how it’s changed,” [Matt] Schaefer said. “Back then we’d get fresh tracks during the full moon.”
It’s more of a social event, now, he said. |
I've night-skied a couple of times, but never without artificial light. And, of course, quite a number of ski areas feature night pistes that operate under the glare of harsh floodlights.
Anyone tried skiing with nothing but the light of the moon? I guess the answer in the Alps is to check the charts and - if possible - find a place where a ski lift runs in the dark. A few cog railways or cablecars make the occasional run to get people up to high accommodation etc.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Many moons ago I and a whole bunch of other instructors, held a party in the Scottish Ski Club Hut. Sometime around midnight we skinned up to the Headwall of Cairngorm and skied all the way back down to the car park. It was moonlit and very easy to see everything.
Night skied a number of times since then but under floodlights... once in Sweden (but frankly the lights were on all day!), once in Keystone and loads of times in Soll which, in my opinion, is the best of the lot.
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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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Pennies in a stream
Falling leaves a sycamore
Moonlight in Vermont
Icy finger waves
Ski trails on a mountain side
Snowlight in Vermont
Rather a magical experience described by BS on the Cairngorm. Something I'd like to do. But time is ticking, and I doubt I will.
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Yes, a cut above his normal BS, and not something I came remotely close to during my season on the mountain. Our 'highlight' was the midnight movie in the Aviemore Centre on Monday nights.
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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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Next time I'll do it sober.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Several yurt trips with the full moon, half where we actually saw it and skied with the full moon. I do love it when the moon actually shines down.
Another occasion while working at a ski hill we were partying afterward and grabbed a Cat, went up and partied in the top shack with the full moon, the eclipse, and Hale-Bop comet, the party was great but the ski down was rather firm.
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Bode Swiller, it won't be as good.
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You can do this in 2Alpes once a month all winter. Costs 40€, includes restaurant meal and 'soiree dansant' before skiing back down.
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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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Val Cenis resort also does it once a month, when it's a full moon - unless it's completely cloudy. Gondola up, then ski down. It's free! Includes a glass of gluhwein and music at the bottom of the gondola. Three goes and then it's boring as it's a very short run - and green!
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And Diavalezza near St Moritz too.
Not really appeal to me but seems quite a lot of places to do it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I've skied the Vallee Blanche, by night, the so called Vallee Noir. You have to plan to be there at full moon, the weather has to be clear, there has to be snow all the way down to the valley floor unless you want a long walk out, the snow conditions on the Vallee Blanche have to be good, and you have to have a good forecast (remember this is off piste glacier skiing). We took the last lift up to the Aiguille du Midi at 4.30, skied/skinned/climbed to the Cosmiques Refuge, ate dinner and watched the sun go down. At about 9.30, it when it was fully dark, we set off down to Chamonix. Three hours later, we were drinking beer in La Terrasse.
A magical experience.
I recommend taking a guide unless you are very experienced in this sort of high mountain environment.
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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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Chamcham, Brilliant !
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Early January 1982 after the "big storm" - skiing off-piste on the golf-course adjacent to Gloucester ski-slope, by the light of a full-moon 
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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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Chamcham, that's one hell of a story. Superb!
Did you get photos?
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Poster: A snowHead
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No - it was dark!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You'll be telling me the moon puts out black light next. Is it made of cheese?
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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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Chamcham, darkish surely ? 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Pretty dark, actually. The moonlight reflected off les Drus was pretty impresive, and the reflections from the snow towering up both sides of the Mer de Glace was awesome, but it was still nothing like skiing in daylight. Progress was relatively slow, especially around the crevasses, and it was very dark in the trees down from Montenvers. The darkest part was when skiing through the snow cave at the end of the Mer de Glace (it hasn't been there for a couple of years), and abseiling down the far end of it. I think it's probably just as well that I couldn't see the chasm beneath me as I lost my edge... If you get the oppportunity to do it, highly recommended.
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FAQ
