 Poster: A snowHead
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Did not really freeze hard last night at low altitude. Horrible down low off piste still something reasonable at altitude, pisted fine in the morning but anything low getting a little sticky later. Raining as I type, will see what tomorrow brings.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Pistes pretty firm for most of the day with some great skiing throughout of you got the altitude right. Off piste was frozen crud, might have been good if you looked far enough away from the piste but I did not try.
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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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Spring conditions have returned, beautifully sunny day after an overnight freeze. Was in La Grave today breezy in the morning with some rather icy traverses. Very pleasant later in the day, though a bitof soft stuff later on.
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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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Got back yesterday having skied saturday, report for those interested though it's probably too late to be muchuse to anyone.
Snow conditions this year were generally excellent. The cover was very good, saturday was our last day and you couild ske back to Monetier on natural snow via Tabuc without a bit of man made with no bare patches whatsoever. The only run that looked like it would not have survived without artificial snow was the resort run to Briancon.
By the end of the week conditions were more classically spring like with warm days and cold nights, by selecting the runs according to height and aspect you could get really good skiing throughout the day. Get it wrong and it could be a bit softer or harder than ideal but if anyone is in the area and wondering whether to go on a 2 Alpes Milky Way etc lift pass I would go like a shot, absolutely superb skiing on and off piste.
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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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Hells Bells, Wow! Something to look out for - we've booked a week in Monetier in July, so might bump into you? Have been considering a cycle up the Granon...fools rush in and all that!
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MarjMJ, we've cycled down the other side into the Val de Clarée, but took the bikes up the Granon by car and got a liftback up to collect them. Beautiful ride, although I left several layers of skin on the hairpin dirt tracks on the way back. Far too strenuous for me these days though. I lost quite a bit of confidence when I had a few falls in quick succession. Now I'm just not fit, never mind bike fit.
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We'll be in Monetier from 2nd July for a couple of weeks.
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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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| Quote: |
although I left several layers of skin on the hairpin dirt tracks
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oOOCHH.. Have been up in the car once a long time ago and did a small circular walk in the summer. Just has got some fab views over there. We are heading out on the 10th to apts in your place - what's the hammam like?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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MarjMJ, drop in and see us (Apartment A01) then.
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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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Pool sounds great - would be my ideal time! See you round about the 10th then - I am not quite as miserable as I may make out [though the DH may beg to differ  ].
Serre Che is in the Dauphine today [bike race] - yesterday's stage went up to Guillestre and then Risoul, and the weather looked fab...cannot wait to go as have not been out there since March 09.
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You know it makes sense.
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Christopher, excellent! Who did you see?
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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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MarjMJ, you won't miss us really, we'll usually have a dog with us.
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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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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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ajl, although the new lift is replacing the Balme, it will run from the bottom of the Cucumelle piste close to Frejus, and run to the top of the current Cucumelle chair. Some controversy though , as it means some of the runs from the Balme will now be inaccessible.
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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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That's interesting Hells Bells, . I guess it will mean going up the Pontilas then catching the chair? Or will it be more accessible? Might make the Cucumelle a bit less of an exotic treat if it gets opened up?
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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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MarjMJ, it will eliminate needing to use the Cucumelle chair on the villeneuve to Monetier section. You should be able to access it much more easily than via the Fréjus chair and Pontillas gondola. From memory, there are some blue pistes which come down past the bottom of the Cote Chevalier chair that head in that direction (Traverse, Lacets). I think the foot of the new lift will be about at the bottom of Lacets, we think near the big cowshed on Cucumelle. Current piste map here. http://plandespistes.serre-chevalier.com/?keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=640&width=1000
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just above what we have come to know affectionately as Cripples Corner [though is one of many  ]....the Lacets/traverse run down to the start of Frejus chair can be quite a racy 'adventure' if you like your pistes artifical, swept up icy and well mogulled, but still blue, by about 12.30. Still looks to me you've have to use the Pontillas etc if starting from Bez end of Villeneuve. Must admit when we have been in that area we tended to do Cucumelle only once in a week largely for the long slow Balme and the track that takes you to the Cucummelle lift. Not much of a fan of tracks - need super fit legs and steely determination to get turns in on that one!
Getting excited about coming out - DH has been checking out apt web site and so looking forward to the Hammam etc etc. Just got to get through next few days....
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MarjMJ, which apartment are you staying in? Looking forwar to the pool most of all, too hot for hammam in the summer, that's my winter warm-up.
I think the start of the new chair will be before the flattish bit through the trees, and just after the turn off for the PiMai.
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| MarjMJ, it will eliminate needing to use the Cucumelle chair on the villeneuve to Monetier section. You should be able to access it much more easily than via the Fréjus chair and Pontillas gondola. From memory, there are some blue pistes which come down past the bottom of the Cote Chevalier chair that head in that direction (Traverse, Lacets). I think the foot of the new lift will be about at the bottom of Lacets, we think near the big cowshed on Cucumelle. Current piste map here. http://plandespistes.serre-chevalier.com/?keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=640&width=1000 |
When are they planning to have completed those works Hells Bells?
Basically then the chair will run the other side of the cusp which the Balme chair goes up alongside then? Does that mean that you then won't be able to ski that bit of off piste to the right of the Balme chair as you go up? It's like a long rolling valley with a big drop down to the right at the top before you drop in (facing downhill I mean with the existing Balme chair going up on your right hand side). That was a nice pitch that was and the last bit was viewable from the lift too.
I meant to say after my trip in March thanks for your company the one day, it was fun.
What's the snow like early Jan realistically? Good?
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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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VolklAttivaS5, it will be open by opening day in December. I think what you're saying is correct if they dismantle the Balme chair, which I think is what they are planning to do.
Snow in early January has always been ok when I've been there. It can get cold, and sometimes windy too, so wrap up warm. I've just been saying to julesb that I've always liked skiing in January, as the snow quality is always wonderful.
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Hells Bells, yeah I like Jan skiing too. I don't know whether to go back to Serre Chevalier on 8th Jan (I don't mind cold shitty weather as I've been used to Decembers in Tignes and I quite like it and the snow is good when it's cold) or go to Montgenevre which gives a day in Serre Chevalier and links to the Milky Way which I've never been to, or go to somewhere in the Three Valleys that week as I've not been for 2 years now.
What's Montgenevre like skiing wise compared to Serre Chevalier? If I go to Serre Chevalier that place that other Snowheads have mentioned through Rocketski (the Grand Aigle) does single rooms including flights and transfers for £449 according to their website (same applies for Montgenevre) but I don't know if they will be doing school trips that week as I don't want to go then if they are.
You can't seem to get a single room through a TO to Serre Chevalier unless it's Rocket Ski for some reason (cheaply I mean). Any ideas as I'd prefer to stay in Monetier really.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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VolklAttivaS5, try the Hotel Europe, or the Rif Blanc, but they won't be tour op packages. SkiMiquel have a couple of chalets in Monetier, but i don't know if they have single rooms. If I went to Milky way, I'm not sure I'd go to Montgenevre though. I found it a bit boring,and flat, so I'm sure you would find it even more so. We're out there for two weeks in January.
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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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Hells Bells, cheers for that. Ok about Montgenevre, I would like to see what they've done with this new chair lift in place of the Balme one anyway in Serre Chevalier so that's narrowed it down. I will have a look at those hotels and chalets you mentioned thanks. The hotel I used last time isn't on Neilson's website anymore so looks like they've stopped using it. Whilst I found it to be adequate and a really good price, it was a bit soulless and I was fed up in the evenings.
I bet that place the Grand Aigle has got a good atmosphere if you're on your own even if it is a bit basic, and for £449 for half board and flights that's pretty cheap. The Snowheads that have been there seemed to have a good time didn't they as long as you know it's going to be basic from the off. I will have a look anyway, it's a long way off yet.
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Bloomin' hell and it's full board. The carvery looked alright from the pic anyway
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You know it makes sense.
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Hells Bells, what's New Year like in Serre Chevalier? Ever done it and is it heaving like presumably everywhere else is Europe? I haven't skied a New Year since a school trip years ago so I can't remember what it's like. Also what's the snow like? Ok?
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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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VolklAttivaS5, VolklAttivaS5, snow is usually OK, although it does get busy on the pistes at times.
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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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Hells Bells, Interesting stuff!
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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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FAQ
