 Poster: A snowHead
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Lou, have a lovely time! I'm sure you'll find plenty of snow 
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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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Lou, I hope you have a lovely time - a bit of snow is forecast for wed night & thurs am 
I'd go high - Aguille Rouge & Grand Col should still be good. Walking is a good solution if all else fails..
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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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Its Mrs Codger doing yesterday's report. We had a late start and again, it was very hot. The 2000 bowl was very busy with long queues at the lifts as people were being told to head up here. We don't really do crowds so we headed off to La Plagne. The link to the Vanoise is still skiable but is getting more brown and bare, especially the red run down to the Vanoise.The Peisey - Vallandry runs have also deteriorated further in the sun and are mostly closed, apart from key access routes. LP runs lower down are also looking a bit brown, although not as brown as on the LA/PV side. Did a bit of piste skiing to work off some calories before lunch and then back to LA. We had to drop a friend off at the funicular so took the bus down to 1600 from 1950. It was very crowded, full of people who were advised not to or could not ski back to 1600. Snow is forecast for later this week so fingers crossed. Off to top up the suntan in a bit.
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Well sitting in benjis bar and the good news is that it's clouded over, supposed to have some light snow!
Busy today as the available pistes are getting less, lots of slush about & you have to go high.
At least the tan has improved! 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Monday 11 April. Despite the warm temperatures the conditions in the Arc 2000 Bowl are still good and for those coming out you can expect to have plenty of options if you stay in this area and explore the different pistes. Early in the day the off piste is still good higher up, but you are best to be off any steeper slopes by midday. However it is busy and there are queues on most of the main lift before lunch. In the afternoons it is quieter but the slopes even at the highest lifts are slushy.
There is now an Airbag in Arc 2000 and the boardercross is also still in good condition. The Luge and new slide area are good fun, but the free sledge slope is now closed.
As I predicted the resort has announced that Arc 1800 will be closing next weekend and only a link open to the Arc 2000 bowl will remain. The Cachette in Arc 1600 will remain open, but not much else in that area. The link with La Plagne through Peisey will remain open, but you must down lift to return to Vallandry or risk damaging your gear or walking. In reality there are less than half the pistes open in Les Arcs than normal for this time of year. Pity they are not giving a 50% discount on lift passes which would be much fairer. A 25% discount which is now being offered does not seem value for money when in reality you can really only go to the Arc 2000 bowl. Guess it is better than nothing.
For those that have booked to come out there are still places to go and taking advantage of the Vanoise Express link and visiting La Plagne is also a good idea for a few days during the week so all is not lost and you should have a good holiday, but expect to be much more limited than during a good winter.
There is a little snow/rain predicted for later this week. Let us all hope it falls as snow.
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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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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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Lou, you walked down to Bourg?! That's quite a hike, even if it is down hill!
Sorry snow is so poor for you. I'm sure it's no consolation if I say this is the first time in six years that it's not been possible to ski to/from my place. I'm out next week and probably won't be skiing given how little snow is left.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Lou, if you or anyone else out this week is interested in joining a mixed group for a ski on Friday, we are going over to La Plagne. Let me know by PM or through facebook/mobile. I am in Tignes Wednesday, but might be around Thursday or in Val Thorens depending on the weather. Hope we have the chance to catch up if only for a beer on Friday.
I have just posted the details sent by the resort for all the activities they are now running, plus lift timings, piste condition updates and more. It seems at last they have understood that they need to give out more info. I have done my best to put it all into English. They really do need to get there English page sorted out. For anyone coming out, hope this helps. Go to the 'wal'l on my facebook group page to read everything. Link below.
The Arc 2000 bowl is still ok for skiing and boarding with spring snow conditions. Some lifts are now opening at 8.15am to give longer ski time before the snow becomes very soft. You can still have a good holiday. One of the kids said they are having a great time so there is still hope. 
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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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rob@rar, Given the 'marginal' conditions in 1800, why don't you pop across to VT one day next week? the SFaB starts on Saturday. There's a still a chance that there will be snow there.
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| BMF_Skier wrote: |
| rob@rar, Given the 'marginal' conditions in 1800, why don't you pop across to VT one day next week? the SFaB starts on Saturday. There's a still a chance that there will be snow there. |
I might do that, although to be honest I'm more than happy to take a break from skiing for a few days of R&R next week. Might pop across to VT to say hello if I can.
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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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Day over in La Plagne yesterday ended in disaster for me. Very busy pistes, so headed up to the glacier. Much quieter. Extremely icy at top of ?La Combe red, made it down the first bit. Just started to enjoy skiing and hit more ice falling forward badly. Lifted off mountain as considerable pain in right foot - turned out to be torn tendon and ligaments right ankle plus twisted left knee. Rather painful, totally immobile, and not looking forward to journey home tomorrow but could have been worse.
All in all, an unlucky ski trip but hope to come back to this area in better conditions
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Lou, I'm sorry to hear that - Ihope you're feeling better soon, & the journey home isn't too uncomfortable
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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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Lou, sorry to hear that 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w, fingers crossed will be ok for the walk. I will have some catching up to do. Hopefully I will get some early thoughts from the orthopods when I get back. Drinking like a fish today (H2O!) to try and get hydrated ahead of drive tomorrow. Getting as far as the loos at service stations worries me most  Not even comtemplating the 'Aires' with only one shoe!
Hope your car is behaving again
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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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Lou, might bump into you somewhere in an aire on the drive back. If I see a sort of hopping, moaning, creature in the ladies' somewhere, I'll say hello. 
The "picnic aires" mean you can get very close to the loos in the car so only have a few steps to walk. That's the good news. The bad news is they often have "squat" toilets - maybe take a supply of plastic pedal bin liner bags for the injured foot?
fingers crossed, the car is OK at the moment. Not seen a warning light for days now, and I can change gear! If you see a blue Multipla on the hard shoulder, give us a merry wave as you pass....
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Lou, try using the disabled loo in the Aires.
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You know it makes sense.
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that phrase always reminds me of my Mum, who had a RADAR key and often used disabled loos. We were on our way to a family funeral in Swansea one day and stopped near Bridgend to get lunch. The place boasted a disabled toilet, which my mum duly used. It was all rather dismal, the weather grim and the rain lashing down. The food was dire. As we walked back to the car my mother was muttering "A disabled loo and a positively crippled café". It was one of those remarks which just stuck in my mind and makes me giggle whenever I see a sign for disabled toilet facilities.
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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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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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Lou, are you sure you should be doing all that? If the medical advice is that you shouldn't be weight bearing etc etc, won't your insurance sort out a more comfortable way of getting you home? it's an awful long way.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hey Codger Jr. here for the final time this season! Left already!
But anyway yesterday, for our final day, we went to the omlette restaurant in Montalbert! Yes comment all that you ant saying that there probably wasnt enough snow and that it would have been dodgy but to be honest it was better than most runs in Les Arcs!
So we started the final day bright and early without much groaning on my part, (cough cough so not but still, I'm a teenager!), the pistes down to the Vanoise are still in alright condition if you go from the top of Transarc way... Well that's the way I went!  On the otherside the pistes were 'becoming narrower' and the number of them had reduced. There was one run down to the Lac Noir bubble thing... the bubble was 'expreiencing technical difficulties' shall we say, and of course it wasnt going to be a proper day of skiing with snowcrazy without the walking. Walked (well i say that but really i skied down all the decent bits of snow as i deteste tres beaucoup the walking!) Massive queue at Plan Bois (OMG I remembered the name of the chairlift, I must have been there too long!) so the usual french queueing tactics appeared. Ummmmmmmm..... The runs that we were originally going to take were closed so we had some interesting re routing which meant that SOME people (me and the other people who need food quite regularly) got tired and I seemed to enter a ' I do not care, I need other food subtances apart from water and chocolate buttons' mood. After a detour and ALOT of lifts we managed to get to Montalbert, the runs became quite crowded but it was slushy. (in slush speed and short turns are most deffinately my friend). The red run down to Montalbert became very icy but relatively empty! we had a very short walk DOWNHILL! to the restaurant, which isnt really surprising. A very nice lunch with lots of food and a 'working farm' with really cute rabbits and goat things which deicded that my plaits would be nice to eat (not impressed). But all the animals get killed! we all wanted to take all the animals and casually take them under our jackets and in our rucksacks but we deicided that would be a bit cruel as they would die anyway! Then we had the daunting thought that we would have to walk... UPHILLL! to the pistes untillll..... dum dum duhhhh... WE GOT A TRACTOR HAY BALE RIDE! the skis even went into the digger bit at the front! We got so many weird stares! It was epic! There weren't many lifts back I was shocked to find out after how long it took us to get there! The snow became very heavy and some slopes were very busy aswell! people wanting to get back I suppose! My legs are still very tired after this holiday, I think I may have to consider getting ski fit for next season!
I also tried snowboarding this week, I still fail miserably and I feel that I will stay on skis! (my bum hurts from the sitting down, well crashing down!)
That was my final day (and a bit of extra info!) but thankfully my final day was on skis!
Good bye Snowheads until next season!
To those who are coming out or who are out, I hope that the snow stays for you!
Codger Jr.
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codger jr,
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we went to the omlette restaurant in Montalbert! Yes comment all that you ant saying that there probably wasnt enough snow and that it would have been dodgy but to be honest it was better than most runs in Les Arcs!
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Hearing that quite a lot this season, plus La Plagne Centre instructors saying that Montalbert has the best looked after pistes in La Plagne. I'm just pleases/amazed that they have kept Montalbert open.
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Got back from a week in LA yesterday. As everyone above has said, pistes were mostly heavy going, or icy, but at the same time surprisingly good especially considering how hot it was early in the week.
As a relatively new skier I actually really enjoyed it, the interesting conditions meant I regularly had to employ some tactics that have rarely been used by me, including skiing on "pistes" about 2ft wide where you have no choice of line! The lift queues and the packed pistes did become a bit annoying at times, but understandable given how comparatively little was open. Enjoyed a day over in La Plagne too.
We'd defo head back to the area again when snow coverage is better, I want to try all the tree lined runs, and all those lovely wide looking pistes back down to the villages.
Sorry to hear about the injury Lou, hope recovery is swift. I think there were more people with injuries on the plane home than I've seen before, and I saw more ski instructors take a tumble than I've seen before - I think probably down to the conditions.
On the running front, I had a lovely run one night around 1800 Charvet up to Chantel, then across the golf course, only turning back as I decided that crossing the only piste open when the bashers were working on it probably wasn't a good idea! Then headed on a trail down to a rather summery looking 1600m before following the main road back up to 1800. Interestingly I don't think the altitude caused me any issues - certainly all the running uphill did!
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So all in all how was this years season in Les Arcs?
Looking at the webcams is depressing now
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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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Lou, many congratulations on retaining your sense of humour - it does sound really difficult. Glad you're home now, and hope the injuries get good treatment promptly.
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FAQ
) this afternoon but hope to get out on skis tomorrow. Baking hot.
fancy telling everyone that I fell over twice. 
Its a bit of a hike from the bottom of Arpette to Robs place in ski boots 
