 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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kapow, rain turned to snow before 11 pm. Dumped all night and still going now. Stop flapping, you've chosen the best place to go next week 
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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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Sharkymark, thanks! Can't wait, and heard the top slopes are fantastic 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Great weather this week in Serre Chevalier. Lower slopes are 'snow challenged' but up high the conditions are good. Spring conditions...cold in the morning and feeling a bit icy but by afternoon the snow, especially south facing, gets cut up.
Nice trip today from Pont del Alpe to the Col de Lauzet with Murray Hamilton - a Scottish guide who has been operating out of Les Vigneaux for more than a dozen years. Check out his web-site. Snow a bit thin to allow a full circuit so it was back down by the same route. Interesting (translation: difficult) mix of slabby snow and powder on the final north facing slope leading up to the Col.
One unfortunate member of a group starting ahead of us managed to dislocate his shoulder on the icy path barely 100 meters from the start. Hope he's OK.
Lots of Ibex and maybe chamois in evidence (hard to tell at distance).
Queryas tomorrow...
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Kevin Byrne, sounds good (although I'm not sure I like the sound of 'up'. Surely you should be going down ?  . We've blasted round the pistes in Monetier today with some friends from Durham. Bit soft towards the bottom, but fine higher up, and a lot less warm today too.
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Hells Bells, Touché. Yes, no problem going up - it was the sudden changes from hard to soft and back again that got us on the way DOWN!
Enjoy the sunshine - it's nice to feel it.
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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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Queryas - great day.
Trip up the Coté Belle Pic Ouest, 2,854m, from Souliers. Just over 1,000 m of climbing. Forestry, narrow valley, open hillside, fine views especially down to Laus, Cerviere, Le Rochebrune, the Col d'Izoard, warm with very little wind....all in all a perfect day and three good companions to share it all with.
Party consisted of Murray (guide) Colin from Scotland, Antoinette and moi. The ascent was of the south side which meant nice spring snow for the descent. As expected, it was crusty on the way up and steep near the summit ridge (note to self: practice the kick turns on steep ground more).
Antoinette was suffering from a rubbed ankle bone and felt every step of the ascent. Good on you, girl, for sticking with it. The benefit of having a guide is being sure of finding the best snow (much of it untracked).
Cola and a nice slice of tart in the Gite at Souliers restored the body at the bottom. 5 hour round trip.
We have to go back to the Queryas...
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Weathercam, Hey Gavin, just noticed the latest link (from yesterday's post) on your blog doesn't seem to be working. That is assuming there was 'more'.
Hope that helicopter wasn't for anyone in your party.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Kevin Byrne, all up on the blog as I have time on my hands - unfortunately after a superb powder day yesterday (1300m climb) on the North side from where you went up from Pont D'Alpe ( really worth doing if you're still out here) , I hit some soft snow, tip dug in, binding (Dynafit) did not release and I've really done my ligaments very very badly, probably surgery needed, will not know until I have the scan 
So still just over two weeks here - all my mates now gone to Gran Paradiso for some 4,000m peaks
Like I say if you still have that guide I could send you the route, in fact he could work it out from the map on the blog of the final climb
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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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Weathercam, oh no.
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Weathercam, That's a tough one Gav. I hope it's not as bad as you fear but obviously will take time to heal no matter what.
Thanks for the offer of the beta on the route but this time I think we'll pass!!
As it happens, after the two days of randonnee Antoinette had trouble with her boots - or more correctly, her feet, with blisters and sore ankle bones - so we had to jump ship from the touring. There's an outside chance we might join them again for Thursday night / Friday but right now there's less than a 50% chance of that.
We'll store it away the idea of that route for next year....maybe you'll be able to show us. I'll have a look at the map...with a bit of luck I'll figure it out.
Maybe kite-skiing for next year??
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You know it makes sense.
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We had a 'normal' day today cruising round Montgenevre. Hadn't been there this year and Montgenevre really is a great station. Plus you start at 1,800m, perfect for the current conditions. It did get very soft quite early on so we called it a day at 2.30.
But what a day really....warm, no wind, few enough people, the smell of the pine sap beginning to rise, sitting on some juniper bushes taking a break, justing feeling spring coming alive. The mountains at their most beautiful. A day to soothe the spirit.
Oh and I managed to do a nice 360 or 540 or something on an easy black....and that's the head over heels kind, not the fancy aerial acrobatics so beloved of the youth!! Result: no injuries, in fact didn't even lose a ski, but a can of coke in my pack exploded getting all the contents nicely soaked.
We won't remember the coke but we won't forget the day.
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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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So this is it - the final comment on the final day of the season for us...
Today we had a fairly easy jaunt from Laus, near Cervieres, which in turn is near Briancon, to the Col des Peygus. 3hrs 30mins up including stops and 30 mins down. No route finding problems. Lots of old ski tracks but little evidence of recent activity.
The south facing steep hillsides were lovely 'neige transformeé' but there was crusty soft stuff elsewhere. We saw a few other skiers at the col but otherwise this popular route was deserted. Another magic day to be in the hills. The quiet of the forest interrupted only by the sound of a woodpecker.
Lots of good memories to take away from this week. And our appetites are only whetted for more touring next year.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Our last day here too !! With all the warm sunshine, the snow is softening fast, but there's still some great skiing to be had high up. We've had a very sociable winter, made new friends, met old ones, and showed a lot of people around the pistes.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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About 15 - 20 up top - team went up from Monetier on first lifts - Elaine came home for lunch saying it was too heavy by then........others had a good day, more on the blog I think, though I did not write it!
Trying to upload a video of the Helicopter etc but upload speed in so slow!
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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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Lizards now coming out to sunbathe!
More on the blog - very very warm, but if coming out and you're just a piste skier then conditions are great - better to have deck chair / eating outside picnic weather, outdoor table tennis etc than pissing down with rain and overcast all week!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Weathercam,
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Lizards now coming out to sunbathe!
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My wife saw a couple of snakes from the chair in Monetier coming out to sun themselves one april.
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T Bar, don't talk about those ESF instructors like that
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FAQ
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