 Poster: A snowHead
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I have just booked flights to Switzerland on the 18th return on the 24th. I needed to get away!!
I have not picked a resort due to the unknown conditions so will be keeping a watchfull eye. I would much appreciate real snow reports from anyone in resorts in France and Switzerland.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Downhill Sailor, 18-24 of what? Flying to where? And why do you need to get away? What have you done? Questions, questions, questions...
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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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December!
I need a snow fix, and a couple of other reasons! mainly I need to get away from jingle bells!
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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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Best conditions will be on the upper slopes 
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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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mainly I need to get away from jingle bells!
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then you're coming back far too soon....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Without knowing which airport, going to recommend The Alps.
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[quote="pam w"]
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mainly I need to get away from jingle bells!
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Heading towards the Alps is not likely to be jingle free
Have you thought about using snow-forcast.com as a guide to where the snow might be?
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Pacific North West.
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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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| parlor wrote: |
| Pacific North West. |
Which part of France is that in?
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Sierra Nevada where I'll be for the season 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I have used snow reports in the past and especially the SCGB information was basically lies. Or the person doing the report did not know how to measure snow. I do not trust them!
It is much better to get an independent report. Hopefully you guys will not keep it quiegt if a particular resort has had a big dump. I promise not to steal your line!
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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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Downhill Sailor, snow-forecast.com just uses a computer generated forecast based on the pictures being painted by the various weather models. If you understand the limitations, it's not a bad service. Or read the weather outlook thread on here where the very complex picture is helpfully interpreted for you by people who have spent a bit of time and effort to understand the system and know a bit about meteorology.
You can be sure there will be reports of big snow dumps. You can be equally sure that whilst snow is better than no snow, snow in November doesn't necessarily give you much of a feel for snow at Christmas. Nobody who knows about weather will pretend to be giving you sure-fire information when they make forecasts.
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Downhill Sailor, Nobody can really answer this question right now. Go to a glacier resort if you want to be sure. otherwise just wait and see. But I am sure many people will tell you places are great after the next few days. It is raining in the valleys right now. 
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You know it makes sense.
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But I am sure many people will tell you places are great after the next few days.
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Yes, I'm sure they will too, as it's forecast to snow to reasonably low altitudes. Still doesn't stop it melting in a couple of weeks, though. As snowcrazy says, you need to wait and see or go to a glacier resort. snow before Christmas is always a gamble (snow AT Christmas is a gamble too). sometimes terrific, sometimes loadsa grass.
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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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Places are getting booked up so I may not have the choice of resorts that I hoped. Still I have had luck at this time before so hopefully it will work out.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I am going to head to Engelberg unless there is a lot more snow somewhere else
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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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I'm not a pessimist - far from it. But mindless optimism isn't much help either when people are seeking objective advice. My memory might be longer than yours; since I started going on ski holidays over 20 years ago I have certainly known some very grassy times before Christmas and having spent every season since 2002 in the Alps I am only too familiar with the "will it/won't it" nervous waiting in early December. Yes, many resorts will be open - doesn't mean they'll always have great snow down to low altitudes. As snowcrazy says, if someone is determined to book in mid November and wants to be sure, their best bet is to go for a glacier resort.
Things might get quite a lot warmer next week; a lot can change - for good or ill - between now and then. A couple of years ago despite good early snow many resorts suffered quite severe rain before Christmas and a number of lower areas were either closed or horribly slushy.
If people want to read "optimistic" resort reports which talk up the "guaranteed snow" they can read TO brochures rather than snowheads.
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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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Samerberg Sue, glad to hear that Serre Che was keeping up it's reputation. We had reasonable snow cover 2006/2007 when most of the rest were suffering.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Obergurgl - I hope as that where I'm going
Webcams/forcast looks good
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I have skiied many years around Christmas also, and it is definately not a reliable time to go. I used to go every year as a kid and have had to ski many times on rope tows at the sumit of the mountain. Still this trip for me is just to get the legs in motion.
Three years ago I went to Verbier and although it was vey poor at the beginning with no snow to the village it dumped 3 feet overnight and I think we had one of the best weeks of the season. Last year I went to Laax and it was fine, good cover down to the village. Unfortunately off piste was closed below 2000m as it was very dangerous due to it raining all over the alps up to 4000m. I think 15 people had died in avalanches in Europe at that point. Actually I went to Scotland straight after and it was better! Sunshine and powder snow.
This year looks like it is starting well. I just hope that there is also snow high up as there is plenty dumping low down. Any one got any tips on Engelberg?
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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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I loved Engelberg for the two days I was there. However unless you were to go beyond the pistes, the obvious off piste and the Laub I think it might get a bit repetitive if there for a week. The scenery is stunning and the town pretty enough but horrendously expensive. Apparently the queues can be terrible be we found them to fine on a powder day on Easter Monday.
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Downhill Sailor, so where are you going in the end. Now there is snow everywhere and so much of the stuff that unless it is 20+ degrees during the next week, it should give a good base for the winter season anywhere you choose.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I have provisionally booked the local hostel in Engelberg. For me all I need is a bed and hot water and no single person supplement.
With a good snowbase now offpiste should be good, hopefully not too many rocks. I hope to go with a guided group to get to the good back country spots. And I hope as it is very early in the season there will not be too many people on the mountain.
If I get boared there is always Andermatt nearby!
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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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How bad has the rain made the Alps, has it been very warm?
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Downhill Sailor, haven't been up, but probably raining heavily to 2,300 or so. Big avalanche warnings abound.
It's only the 6th of December... 
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You know it makes sense.
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How bad has the rain made the Alps
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it's only just started - ask in a few days. We'll have to hope there's some snow after, to freshen things up - should be at least a bit. I don't think it's been so rainy further east - maybe Austria will be better.
But there are several weeks to go before Christmas.
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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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pam w, it's forecast to get colder again Thursday with a little solid precip friday (IIRC) but tellingly, Cham Meteo have pulled their confidence all the way in...
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Poster: A snowHead
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Well I found it!!
Saturday was epic with at least 50cm on a firm base, just a shame it was the first day and the legs were not producing.
The week got a bit warm with a strong fawn wind which stripped the mountain of a lot of snow. I have just left the resort and it has been dumping so Saturday could be the same as last week with good powder.
I think I need to go back later in the season as this resort has great potential, those massive back country runs have to be skied.
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FAQ
