 Poster: A snowHead
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
Timbobaggins, 9am from the Front de Neige
7 mins for La Roches Noir lift
5 mins down to the Fort chair
8 minutes up the chair
4 mins down to the Clarines Bellecombe 1 drag
9 minutes on the drag
1 minute ski off left and accross the border
35 minutes should get you into the Col area. If the wind is mild there is lots to play on in this area. If not head for La Thuile and the nice reds and tough black of the woods.
On the way back, from the top of Belvedere, allow the same time back to the Front de Neige, add another 35 if from La Thuile town.
This is based on a small group with toe down  |
I'm with FTS here (and I would love to do this little tour with him). I read somewhere that the intimidating red run used to be avoidable with a download, but I've never seen anybody do that, so it may be a myth. It is fun, but rather scary for an early skier. The main danger on the drag (Bellecombe 1, not Clarines 1, by the way) is that it is so long you get bored, distracted, and tipped off. Or you can actually develop hypothermia on the lift. Or dumped at launch if you are below average weight! Either way Mrs T is not meeting you in Italy, but there is lots of fun to be had in the col.
The cafe (Carolines) at the end of the red run (fontaines froides) is accessible, though, you can get there by road - it's at the base of the ecudets chair and again you may be able to download. Tiny hut, but lovely. FTS will give you the transit time for the chair 
I expect to be there at Easter, doing a bit of waterskiing.
DJ
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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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Ecudets is my favourite slow chair in the world. It's all peaceful and the pine trees smell nice.
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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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You need a rest on that chair after the fontaine froide..lovely run but quite long and there were a few exposed stones when we skiied it.
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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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Admittedly I only went over to La Ros once during my week in La Thuile last season as I preferred the empty groomed slopes on the Italian side, but I don't remember an unavoidable tricky red. Am I missing something? Also there were two long drag lifts, one after the other, combined time of 22 minutes!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Queen bodecia - I think they are referring to the red from the fort in la ros down to the two drag lifts towards la thuile.
It was the mistake of ending up on a short stretch of black in the belvedere area that scared me!
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snowymum, right, I know the one you mean now. It's narrow and gets no sun, but other than that I don't think I'd have called it tricky. The piste grooming (or lack of) is completely different on the La Ros side to La Thuile so that doesn't help. The blacks on the Belvedere/San Bernardo side didn't seem too bad to me. The only black I didn't like the look of and therefore didn't attempt was the crazy 72% one at resort level in La Thuile.
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snowymum, thinking about it I know the short stretch of black you mean. It hasn't got a number on the piste map but it's a short cut-through to get from the top of the Piccolo lift on to red piste 7. It's very steep and narrow but mercifully short.
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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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queen bodecia, I know exactly what one you are talking about, 'mercifully short' comes to mind
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| queen bodecia wrote: |
| Also there were two long drag lifts, one after the other, combined time of 22 minutes! |
The first (longer) one of these is unavoidable, but you don't need to use the second one; you can dive off left down towards the base of Piccolo San Bernardo or go past that down to Fourclaz, or indeed down the longest flattest run in the world to La Thuile town.
This is the second drag just after Christmas last year. You can just pick out (top left) returning skiers coming down from the top of Belvedere.
DJ
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Timbobaggins, If you continue to the second drag there is a great place for a fantastic choc chaud down one of the reds. It has a nautical name and a strange boudoir type interior and is not your typical alpine hut but is lovely. If I get time later I will dig out piste map and name it for you. 
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Lou, Offshore. Recommended, but don't be in a hurry.
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You know it makes sense.
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DJ, that's the one. For some reason I was thinking Outrigger  Probably still the no 1 for hot chocs, when boys start their version of 'Which place serves the best...'
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