La Grave

A snowHead

Haggis_Trap, fabulous, fabulous photos.

A snowHead

Some nice photos but the same things are being said again and again (including by me) to no affect (and I'm not refering to Leeds_skier who innocently set all this off). I think I won't return to this thread.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

You need to Login to know who's really who.

so that red lines the piste yeh Parlor Twisted Evil

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

abc, I got the impression from the map kindly posted by moffatross & parlor that the dotted yellow lines represent routes which would generally be perceived as conventional? There have been numerous references to easy ways down so why are you trying to find holes in everything I say? After some of the more helpful comments I am more than aware that:

- A guide is essential
- I shouldn't expect an easy ride
- There are various routes down the slope
- There are many dangers, and most of all;
- It's a great place to ski.

Once I filter through the sly, arrogant posts by some of the jumped up users on this forum there have been some genuinely helpful comments which I am thankful for.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Leeds_Skier, no the routes are not conventional as you would be accustomed to a piste in any other resort. There are no markers, no poles, no signposts, no netting, nothing to follow.

I did it many years ago, I had little off piste experience, but throughly enjoyed my day out, what really bought it home to me was the first run after a couple of turns in some nice fresh snow the guide stopped, leaned over, poked a flat white bit of snow which then collapsed to show a crevasse!!

I don't think you should assume there are 'easy' ways down, it never gets pisted, depending on condition you could be skiing pretty horrible snow, lovely fresh fluffy stuff or just about everything in between.

regards,

Greg

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

OK so some of the problems in this thread can be put down to semantics and the inherent flaws of internet communication. The OP got some reasonable and responsible advice first time then continued to ask questions which some of us interpreted as a wind up or that the message wasn't getting through. IMV the definitive advice should be - we don't know we haven't seen you ski, ask a professional (instructor or guide) when you're out there if you're up to it technically (and importantly what snow conditions are like), go with someone who knows the area (which means an instructor or guide) to mitigate the navigation and snow safety risks and read a good off-piste awareness book.

Then post stoke when you get back.

As for time - I suspect that most seasoned skiers don't get much more than 4 top to bottom laps in per day (including uplift time and lunch) yet the Derby competitors clock sub 15 minutes. In reality you could be 1-2+ hours depending on your stamina and conditions.

After all it is free

Hi, La Grave is an amazing place but one to be respected!!!!

I would suggest that you book a private ski lesson with The European Ski and Snowboard school early on in your holiday. They will then help you gain the skills required to ski La Grave and give you an indication of weather a trip there is right for you. Please remember that we are all professionals and will NOT take you if you aren't good enough so be prepared to be told this! But we can also help you to arrive at the minimum level but this could be one lesson or many more which I can't comment on without seeing you ski!!!

La Grave has 2 easier decents which are the ones most people do, but being up pisted or patrolled these can be very variable in difficulty dependent on the snow conditions. You may be lucky and have fluffy powder but equally you may get tougher wind crusted snow or moguels the size of houses!! Local instructors will have some knowledge of the conditions at the time as well which will help with a decision as to weather to go or not!

You will definitely need a transceiver (which as said before can be provided by the ski school) and I would definitely NOT go by yourself.....this isn't sensible in any off piste conditions!

Hope this helps and that you have a fantastic holiday in Les Deux Alpes!

see you in L2A!!!

This thread is teh funny.

True story: I almost fell in a crevasse at La Plagne within 5 m of a blue piste. Yes I wasn't thinking and did something very stupid but at the time didn't know any different. It can happen and wouldn't have been very nice. The snow under me collapsed and the only thing that stopped me going in was diving to the ground and spreading my weight out before rolling away from the hole.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Swirly,

eek

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

kitenski, I'm a fan of Darwinism.

snow reports

For good measure - this will give you the slightest flavour of what a straightforward route is like - takes under 6 minutes wink

http://youtube.com/v/Erc3yLswnWk

Perhaps slightly more useful this is an insight into a good day

http://youtube.com/v/0gKCZ5Fu2ak

Leeds_Skier, first- welcome to snowheads! second sorry for the 'give evolution a chance' comment, third- I think that perhaps you haven't really understood just how different the skiing is to what you currently enjoy. It's great that you want to ski there, it really is a fantastic place, friendly, vast, quiet, staggeringly beautiful, astonishing terrain and a place to watch some of the best skiers you will ever see.

I suppose that perhaps some of the comments are about the contrasts between your description of yourself, that you have sussed that la Grave would be a great place to ski and what would be required to ski there alone.

If you have 10 weeks skiing, can carve sometimes and struggle on moguls and slush then I think that you just might actually have a fairly miserable time in la Grave unless perhaps you are blessed with being supremely fit. The difficulty is you just get what you get in terms of conditions and there are a lot of them. The usual routes down involve lots of big moguls and really nasty tracks through the forests as well as the possibility of all sorts of other snow. Just not falling over- even on the easy bits is really hard. The least difficult ways down do involve some quite steep skiing and are both really long in fact just about the biggest vertical descent in the world.

Perhaps you saw in a brochure that L2A and la Grave are linked? It is a mecca for off piste skiing and climbing. But the terrain and seriousness is totally different to say skiing off piste in Val D'Isere or even the front of the Grands Montets in Chamonix. The dangers are big- which is why I think the transciever question upset people. There is no avalance control other than letting the snow settle for a day after a big dump (In every other resort they blast), there is no marked way down, there are people who will rescue you but the mountain is not patrolled. There aren't many other people about and often you can't see any other skiers other than from your own party-.

Because of all these issues I don't actually think there are many people who, having never been there before could safely / confidently ski there alone, arguably nobody really.

But don't be put off, if the 'la Rouge' piste in L2A is still unpisted try that a few times it is quite tricky, get some off piste instruction and ask if you're up to it- if so go for a trip to la Grave.

You know it makes sense.

Leeds_Skier, You have received nothing but good advice on this thread. Some of it has been overly forgiving (kittenski, schuss in boots et al) given that you ask ridiculously uneducated questions about avalanche safety gear, off-piste alone, easy routes etc. - but the majority have been eminently reasonable and sensible.

So, instead of writing...

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

[quote="fatbob"]For good measure - this will give you the slightest flavour of what a straightforward route is like - takes under 6 minutes wink

http://youtube.com/v/Erc3yLswnWk

HOLY poo-poo.

Most impressive skiing I've seen in a very long time.

A snowHead

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=203340

A snowHead

Fair play he's game

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

And I always wonder why I never bother to sign up there...

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Feathers or spinners, both can be effective.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Jeesus! Have you seen the advice being offered on Teton Gravity re La Grave Shocked

?? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you:

The snowpack at La Grave doesn't get deep enough to really warrant wearing a beacon and the biggest cliff there is probably about eight or nine feet. The main routes down are easy to follow.

Er, have alot of the deaths at La Grave been Americans Puzzled

Have to say, I'm not sure what more the the OP is trying to achieve by posting on T1ts On Gravity...

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

manicpb, It's already there - see last sentence of OP on TGR.

Picked up an Indepent ski supplement at the show yesterday and there's an article on La Grave in it http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/two-feet-in-la-grave-2107934.html

Guess what it says

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

mountainaddict, I don't think you're quite getting the 'humour' on TGR wink

snow reports

You know it makes sense.

jzBun, I assumed it was you. Great responses so far Laughing

My personal favourite was

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

Actually, most of the posts in that thread are from Brits. It's just snowhead's shadow.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

rob stokes, Sounds good. Might change my name to War-Jong.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Yup, it's quite acceptable to post humourous respones on TGR, without people getting their panties in a twist

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

jzBun, Well you asked for feedback... Laughing

After all it is free

Schuss in Boots, This is feedback from another country.

History, as they say, is another country; they do things differently there.

From TGR.

Help!!

La Grave

snowHeads Forum Index >>> The Piste