 Poster: A snowHead
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is mid December too early for offpiste (looking at UCPA course)? I need to use up holidays before new year, and what better way than ski trip ??? But i want to work on my offpiste and i know its not ideal and years can be v different, but is it worth it at this time of year? Argentiere low but slopes up to v high but Tignes high and slopes quite high (latter would be logical but ive been there quite a bit and more expensive). OK i admit it im rubbish at making decisions  Please advise.
cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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bitoffluff, Argentiere is not guaranteed to open till December 18th or thereabouts... Tignes should be well open by mid November.
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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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| under a new name wrote: |
| bitoffluff, Argentiere is not guaranteed to open |
there, fixed it for you, Grand Montets (I'm talking the top bit) didn't open until January a couple of years ago. Best bet is Tignes or Val d'Isere
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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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bitoffluff, The off-piste in Tignes at that time last year seemed to be full of people competing to see who could set off the biggest avalanche.
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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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davidof, But we were skiing off piste quite happily without it... 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| davidof, But we were skiing off piste quite happily without it... |
ya mean there was plenty stuff without Montet being open or did you slap your skins on? How high is that then if Montet not open? Otherwise guess it ll be tignes again- hmm avalanche, yeah just have to hope it wont be one of those years
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I've been in Chamonix when Les GM and Brevent/La Flegere did not open at all until after Xmas. Le Tour was very thin, same with Les Houches, the nearest decent skiing was Les Contamines. Then it snowed so much Les GM stayed closed due to massive avalanche risk, and when they finally decided to drop some bombs the result was a slide so big it took out the Longnan(?) Restaurant (I think that fact might date me a little, this was 1992/3 season!)
Even in a good season the best off piste from Les GM won't be safe to ski until a couple of good dumps of snow have been through, there are just too many crevasses and big rocks that need to be covered. If you did go to Argentiere early season I'd suggest you were better of skiing Le Tour or Les Contamines (which seems to get way more early season snow than Chamonix itself), or sticking to the lower runs on Les GM.
My suggestion for early season, which I am trying very hard to stick by right now, is to hold your nerve and book very late when you know where the snow it. You will have no problem at all with accommodation or getting on courses, the only trouble is that flight prices go up. I've booked my last remaining leave off work, and now I wait...
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| sah wrote: |
| ..........My suggestion for early season, which I am trying very hard to stick by right now, is to hold your nerve and book very late when you know where the snow it. You will have no problem at all with accommodation or getting on courses, the only trouble is that flight prices go up. I've booked my last remaining leave off work, and now I wait... |
or wait and book last minute with a TO, whereby the prices of everything hit rock bottom.........
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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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| rogg wrote: |
| sah wrote: |
| ..........My suggestion for early season, which I am trying very hard to stick by right now, is to hold your nerve and book very late when you know where the snow it. You will have no problem at all with accommodation or getting on courses, the only trouble is that flight prices go up. I've booked my last remaining leave off work, and now I wait... |
or wait and book last minute with a TO, whereby the prices of everything hit rock bottom......... |
Pah. TOs indeed... 
You are right of course, their prices can get very competitive pre-Xmas, but even so I've had difficulty getting flights with TOs very near the date. Depending on the operator and their arrangement with carriers they may release unsold seats, so although you can get a good deal, especially on chalets, you might still need to find your own flights.
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Several times I have skied the week before Christmas, based in Val d'Isere. We have skied off piste every day although some times the snow was bit thin over the rocks! Two winters back there was so much new snow that week that the resort was partially closed until the pistes could be made safe. Tignes and Val d'Isere reliably get snow in December.
Some TOs do not start their winter holidays until Christmas week and so the TO flights are not available until then. We have stayed with a small TO but we had to arrange our own travel to the resort.
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