 Poster: A snowHead
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Just after some guidelines really for my trip to VT in Jan.
How long would it take, at a moderate pace, to get from VT to Courchevel in a morning?
Any suggested routes? I'll be skiing with two novice / intermediates, so blue / easier reds, then progressing onto harder reds later in week.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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aldoyle, I am sure people will have ideas on best routes but in terms of timings if you catch first lift out of VT you could be in 1850 by 10.30. Take Plein sud out of village then take chair up to the top. Ski Lac de Chambres and then you can head down to Motarret. Take Saulire bubble up from Motarret and you can ski either into 1850 or head off to 1650. Oh and later in week take the Mont de Vallon and do this red from top - it is great!
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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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The most obvious route is down lac de la chambre to mottaret and it is a really good red if a little flat at the end. However do not continue following it past the mont de vallon cable car as it is the most flat boring tiring route long piste in the meribel after this. Instead take the the plain des mains chair up above mottaret and take the nice blue down into it
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ah the famous ours piste.
I TOTALLY AGREE.
Ourse is indeed a pain in the ours.
Andy
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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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aldoyle, with 2 novice skiers I would go via Les Menuires. Get lifts from Val Thorens to the Mont de la Chambre summit. Take the blue of the same name right into Les Menuires centre, take Roc de 3 Marche 1 gondola and then ski to the Roc de 3 Marche 2 chair. From the top ski down the fabulous Grand lac and then Pelozet to the St MArtin 2 chair and get the chair up to Tougnette summit and then bl;ue down into Mottaret.
Pelozet is a bit dull but the other 2 runs are fantastic for novice skiers IMHO
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Frosty the Snowman, going that way, does it still give us plenty of time over in courchevel (to get back) ???
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aldoyle, Allow all day with that group.. From Courchevel 1850 you have 2 ridges to get back over, of course.
I'd be thinking about leaving the Courchevel domain around 1330...but it all depends how quickly you can cover the ground.
The uplifts are your only constant, any queues not withstanding.
It could well be that your group will take all morning to get there...a short break and then all afternoon to get back.
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Yes
Route back for me would be salure cable car, ski down to motteret (lovely long run) lower blue can be a bit Icy at times)
Then Combes, chatelet and finally Cote Brun.
Could take plattier to G2 but I always find that there are queues there and prefer to take the chairs (I hate taking my skis off).
There are other routes but this is my favourite.
From 1850 should take about 1.5h-2h to get back to VT depending on speed of skiers.
One more thing once you leave cote Brun take the blue pleuviometer and not the black.
Andy
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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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aldoyle, oh yes. I reckon it adds 30 minutes at most. When coming back, get the gondola down from Saulire to Mottaret if tired. Leave the top of Saulire by 3pm to be safe.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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That route via Roc de 3 Marches suggested by Frosty the Snowman sounds like it would be good. The last two years it was also signposted "route du soleil to Meribel", so was nice and easy navigating.
When your're heading out of Meribel into Courchevel, if you have novices or timid intermediattes you want to go up the Loze chair over Col de La Loze, and not up Pas du Lac 2 or Saulire 2 to the top of Saulire, since The Saulire only has reds and blacks down to Courchevel, the top of which are pretty steep.
Timing wise with early intermediates I would say it will take you all day there and back with a stop for lunch in Courchevel. Worth pointint out I've found it takes longer getting from Courchevel to VT than it does to get from VT to Courchevel - which makes sense as Courchevel is lower, so you have more altitude to gain and therefore more time on the lifts.
I did a solo day trip last year (so no faffing with the usual group stuff of tightening boots, toilet stops, debating where to go etc) but the other way round from Courchevel to VT/Orelle. I caught first lift from Courchevel 1550, headed into Meribel Mottaret over Saulire, up Platieres 1, 2 and 3, and over into VT, and then finally up and over the back of VT and down into Orelle. Up the glacier in Orelle (on those two damn slow chairs peyron and bouchette) and back down to the restaraunt in Orelle above the 3v express for lunch around 12.30. After a good hour for lunch I pretty much had to start heading back. That said I did get back to Courchevel about an hour or so of lift time remaining and I had to faff at VT as one of the lifts I'd planned using was closed.
I'd have been quicker if I'd not made the mistak of going the dreaded "ours" route mentioned by rambotion and anderoo - truly horrendous especially as I was on a board, so I agree with their good advice to avoid ! I am sure locals or people who ski/board more than twice a year (ie. fitter people than me!) would do it much quicker, but I think it will be a long day for novices/early intermediattes I was pretty knackered at the end of the day. I think you should plan on the return journey being a full day and take a few checks en-route to see how your progressing to make sure you leave time to return.
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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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Frosty the Snowman, I agree but seem to remember that the OP said he had blue is run skiers and it would be the last run of the day. All depende on how they feel.
Andy
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The Goitschel black is South facing and usually heavilly mogulled by the end of the day. Also keep in mind that your novices will probably get pretty tired by the end of the day so leave plenty of time to get back.
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You know it makes sense.
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Head up to the Glacier chair in VT, strike off across the glacier, and a bit of a climb (usually some pigeon hole steps already kicked in), then bundle down to Meribel allong the glacier, take the gondola, bear hard left at the ridge line and head straight down the grand couloir and start screaming and waving madly " I can't stop ahahahhagghhhh" to get past the 1850 Guchi hand bag waivers. Could be done in an hour and half I think and you will have blown off those novice skiers too 
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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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If they're OK with reds, then from Mont de la Chambre, red Venturon is a delight; up the Plan des Mains (to avoid the ghastly Ours), down into Mottaret. Up the Pas du Lac to Saulire, down the red Saulire (falling off the edge of the world to go down it is v. exciting, other than that heart-stopping moment it's quite kind) and then down any of the nice cruise-y blues into Courcheval.
Instead of going down Saulire, go down Creux, up the Creux chair and then into Courcheval.
Don't forget to go down Folyeres into La Tania, and also Moretta Blanche.
From Col de La Loze, avoid the ghastly Pic Noir - although it claims to be blue, my experience was horrid; unpisted and moguly, icy, steep and horrid.
(A big thumbs up for anything between the Meribel/St Martin ridge and St Martin if you do traverse that ridge from VT. In the afternoon it gets crowded as it's lovely and sunny.)
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Poster: A snowHead
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A few years back we went from Courchevel to VT for a lesson. We left casually at around 10:30 and struggled to get to the lesson by 13:00. We got lost a bit; but also it was a lot further than we'd anticipated. Coming back seemed quicker but then we were on a lesson and I'd estimate it was a couple of hours give or take. The issue in my opinion is taking the wrong lift or the wrong piste or indeed lifts stopping for ages. Novices will possibly make things slower too. But it's all relative. I like to look at the scenery so don't always want to ski at 100 miles an hour. I would certainly be sure of the route you're taking before setting off!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| in garbure we trust wrote: |
| Head up to the Glacier chair in VT, strike off across the glacier, and a bit of a climb (usually some pigeon hole steps already kicked in), then bundle down to Meribel allong the glacier, take the gondola, bear hard left at the ridge line and head straight down the grand couloir and start screaming and waving madly " I can't stop ahahahhagghhhh" to get past the 1850 Guchi hand bag waivers. Could be done in an hour and half I think and you will have blown off those novice skiers too |
He will need to hike up from the gondola to get to the Grand Couloir me thinks, this would add time so perhaps straight down the Combe de Saulire - screaming and waiving madly of course - there will be a new snow park beside the Verdons, so take the twin tips.
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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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There is no hike to the grand couloir in fact it is all down hill.
There is a very nasty "cat track which has horrid moguls (the size of small cars) on it and steep drop offs at either side.
Only ski it after a decent snowfall.
Andy
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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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| anderoo wrote: |
There is no hike to the grand couloir in fact it is all down hill.
There is a very nasty "cat track which has horrid moguls (the size of small cars) on it and steep drop offs at either side.
Only ski it after a decent snowfall.
Andy |
From the top of the gondola out of Meribel?
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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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A few updates on this...
There is a small hike up to the Grand Couloir path from the Meribel side.
The Ours piste from Mt Vallon area to Mottaret has been re-shaped / improved and with good snow (and wax) does not require polling anymore. A small walk up to get to the piste but does offer an alternative if there's a queue for the 6-seater Plan Des Mains chair.
The Pic Noir has also been re-shaped in the last couple of years but can be a difficult blue in poor conditions.
New Hi-Speed detachable lift is now in place in Orelle to get out of the 4th Valley quicker.
But what I really want to know is: If heading down Creux and wanting to return to 1850, you eventually get to the Aguille du Fruit (Hi Speed Detachable) and Gravelles (slow chair) lifts - this is where the link to 1650 is, there's a new lift to get over there too. The Hi Speed is twice the length, but the slow Gravelles still gets you high enough to get back to 1850 - although you'll ski further, is the Hi-Speed option the fastest way back to 1850?
Looking to save precious seconds on the Escapade in a Day route:
http://www.latania.co.uk/photos/2006/Escapade/Escapade.htm
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| sideslip1 wrote: |
| there will be a new snow park beside the Verdons, so take the twin tips. |
What/where are they putting in this park ?
I hope they aren't going to put it over that long field of natural rollers, to the right of the piste under the verdons gondola on the way down to the bottom of the biollay chair. They are the one redeeming feature of having to go down verdons..
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...Speaking of courchevel just saw this posted on www.latania.co.uk.
Freshies down from the top of Saulire yesterday. It's not coombe Saulire though. Looks like it could be Suisses to me.
How jealous am I ?
More than two months till my first visit....
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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.
|
| in garbure we trust wrote: |
| Head up to the Glacier chair in VT, strike off across the glacier, and a bit of a climb (usually some pigeon hole steps already kicked in), then bundle down to Meribel allong the glacier, take the gondola, bear hard left at the ridge line and head straight down the grand couloir and start screaming and waving madly " I can't stop ahahahhagghhhh" to get past the 1850 Guchi hand bag waivers. Could be done in an hour and half I think and you will have blown off those novice skiers too |
Unless you have snowshoes that keep falling off. That way you get to Meribel as the lifts shut.
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Gazzza, Is that not Epaule vizelle. Assuming the pylons in the picture are the Vizelle gondola. In fact it must be cos the suisse chairs would still have the chairs on it.
Andy
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Gazzza wrote: |
I hope they aren't going to put it over that long field of natural rollers, to the right of the piste under the verdons gondola on the way down to the bottom of the biollay chair. They are the one redeeming feature of having to go down verdons.. |
Sorry Gazzza, according to toffa's site that does appear to be the case.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Thu 12-11-09 20:19; edited 1 time in total
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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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| anderoo wrote: |
Gazzza, Is that not Epaule vizelle. Assuming the pylons in the picture are the Vizelle gondola. In fact it must be cos the suisse chairs would still have the chairs on it.
Andy |
Hmm guess it could be. I have it in my head that though the Vizelle gondola doesn't flatten as much as that at the top, maybe just bad memory.
Looking at the pic that piste seems to come straight under the lift so I it could be Epaule Vizelle, but as the the lift seems to run along a ridge I thought it looked like the Marmotte chair, which is a detachable, hence my thinking of Suisses.
Either way, wish i were there and not at my desk !
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Thu 12-11-09 13:52; edited 1 time in total
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| sideslip1 wrote: |
[quote="Gazzza
I hope they aren't going to put it over that long field of natural rollers, to the right of the piste under the verdons gondola on the way down to the bottom of the biollay chair. They are the one redeeming feature of having to go down verdons.. |
Sorry Gazzza, according to toffa's site that does appear to be the case.[/quote]
B*mm*r I always really enjoy playing there 
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You know it makes sense.
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Posted on www.latania.co.uk facebook group - that photo is Combe Pylones the black run that cuts in to the Saulire Bowl on the left (as you look up to Saulire). It is the Vizelle Gondola Pylons in the background.
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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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Sweet 
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