 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi I am off with the family to Nendaz at Half term Can anyone give me an idea as to the run from the top of Mont Fort. I was hoping to ski it with my son, but wanted an idea before we have a go. We are both reasonably good skiers, he is very good off and on, I am confident on most on piste runs but lacking in style off piste. I never had that lesson!!!!!!!!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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mfamily2, depends on the snow conditions. The run off the top is steep and usually full of moguls. If it' icy it can be quite dangerous. I once watched someone fall at the top and body surf the whole way down, and thence into a blood waggon  If the snow is soft then it's not really a problem.
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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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mfamily2, Well first of all it's worth going up there for the view, hard to think of a better one in the alps. Skier's left is the easier option but tends to have bigger bumps because of more traffic usually with a lot of punters struggling out of their depth! Like any fairly steep run it commands respect and depends on the snow conditions but it sounds well within your capability. Check it out in the cable car first and you can always make your decision then depending on how everyone else is doing!
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mfamily2, here it is with me getting down one way or another - it's pretty steep. It's a fabulous run if the snow's soft - the hardest bit as Steilhang says, can be the path at the top to drop in, which is often narrow and rutted.
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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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It is comparable to something like the Grand Couloir black in LDA - i.e. it is a genuine black and about the only genuine black in the area. They don't groom it and it is steepish - around 30 degrees or so on skiers left off the traverse. The moguls make it feel steeper than it actually is. Don't leave the piste as it runs on to a glacier.
The view is stunning - on a good day you can see the Matterhorn in one direction and Mont Blanc in the other.
Advice would be to get up there early. If you get the 810 bus from Nendaz to Siviez then you can be up to the col de Gentianes by about 910-915. You will have a window to ski it in peace before the crowds arrive from Verbier.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The right side of the slope is steeper but much less skied (so no moguls).
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This is a good photo of Mont Fort (not mine):
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The left side of the the photo is steepest, around 38 degrees at the top.
The far-right side is less steep, around 35 degrees.
For a tougher challenge, climb up the path to the cross in the top-left corner of the photo, rope across the narrow ridge at the top, then ride off the back down the Fall Wall chute (not in the photo). It is about 55 degrees near the top.
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Whitegold,
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The left side of the the photo is steepest, around 38 degrees at the top.
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No it's not.
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The far-right side is less steep, around 35 degrees.
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No it's not.
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For a tougher challenge, climb up the path to the cross in the top-left corner of the photo, rope across the narrow ridge at the top, then ride off the back down the Fall Wall chute (not in the photo). It is about 55 degrees near the top.
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I don't know the "Fall Wall chute" but from the description it sounds like Poubelle. In which case, no it's not.
Buy an inclinometer.
snowball, less bumpy and slower to mogul up on skiers right but the whole face has bumps on it now.
mfamily2, if he (and you!!)can ski bumpy blacks then I see absolutely no problem, the run is in good condition atm and the weather set to stay cold for the next week at least. I completely agree with gorilla's advice although you might fancy a warm up, if you're quick you could do the red off the Novelli chair in Siviez and might still make Mt Fort for first bin up. I think the biggest risk is being hit by someone falling although with the snow as it is this is fairly minimal. Also be aware that the run is on a glacier and although the massive slides before the run was opened should have filled any crevases I wouldn't advise going off the sides no matter how many others are doing just that.
Have a great trip.
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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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| Swirly wrote: |
Whitegold,
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The left side of the the photo is steepest, around 38 degrees at the top.
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No it's not.
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The far-right side is less steep, around 35 degrees.
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No it's not.
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For a tougher challenge, climb up the path to the cross in the top-left corner of the photo, rope across the narrow ridge at the top, then ride off the back down the Fall Wall chute (not in the photo). It is about 55 degrees near the top.
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I don't know the "Fall Wall chute" but from the description it sounds like Poubelle. In which case, no it's not.
Buy an inclinometer. |
1. Yes, it is.
2. Yes, it is.
3. I have a loser-ometer and it is pointing right at you 
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3. I have a loser-ometer and it is pointing right at you wink
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 But then again I'm not the guy claiming the Mt Fort piste is 35 degrees. We've got a tentative plan to ski/board Poubelle this week, I'll take some photos but I'll say now that if it was 55 then there would be no plan, the Bec Des Rosses might approach that at some points but there aren't that many slopes on this latitude of that steepness that hold enough snow to ski.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Swirly wrote: |
But then again I'm not the guy claiming the Mt Fort piste is 35 degrees. We've got a tentative plan to ski/board Poubelle this week, I'll take some photos but I'll say now that if it was 55 then there would be no plan, the Bec Des Rosses might approach that at some points but there aren't that many slopes on this latitude of that steepness that hold enough snow to ski. |
Too true. The only skiable face (properly skiable) in Verbier that is approaching 55 degrees would be the very top of the Bec Des Rosses north face.
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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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actually, if you enter the Poubelle from the very top it is very steep for the first 20m or so. The usual entrance is nothing like as steep
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Arno, 55 though?
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You know it makes sense.
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Maybe we are talking % and not ° ?
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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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Swirly, probably depends on how the cornice develops but it's only ever going to be 1 or 2 turns
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Poster: A snowHead
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mfamily2, the black piste is pretty easy and very wide.
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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 thanks for the lively debate and having looked at the photos, we will certainly be giving it a go. 
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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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mfamily2, it's a steep run where if you fall you can end up at the bottom (probably with a few bumps!). The left side (looking at the photo) gets flattened and is used for speed skiing! I avoid moguls like the plague so on the rare occasions that I have to descend it i head to the softer snow on the skiers far left. Be careful though I skied straight over a crevasse on that side earlier this season. The backside is much more fun but you need to ski it with someone who knows the routes.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The lower part of the back:
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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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Poubelle is a Verbier highlight, it certainly isn't 55 though.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Frontside Mt Fort is skiable by a gutsy 5 weeker. The degree of style is a somewhat different matter.
I assume it holds some interest for you both to bother marking it a 'goal' so go for it if in good condition.
The best lesson learned here is when to avoid slopes like this.
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