The view from............ Val d'Isere and the Espace Killy

A snowHead

anarchicsaltire, Laughing

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

We are in Val d'Isere from the 14th, is the Ladies World Cup on Sat 21st ??, we have to leave that morning so won't see the racet, but will there much happening in the days before, practice etc to watch??

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

mens slalom is on, on the 15th

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

GENEVA = CHAOS

That is all I have to say having just got back........ I should not complain really as I was only delayed by 3 hours extra at the airport..... but anyway made for a long day with the driving.... I know most people are worse off than me but anyway the UK NATS situation was a pain today.... at least I benefitted from free WIFI at the airport and cleared out my email etc!

Anyway folks yes as you can tell it was transfer day today and was nice on the road as far as driving was concerned - in fact it was lovely and quiet yet sunny so really cant complain!

Just had a really nice take away pizza for dinner... a couple of beers then a good nights sleep.

thunderer and mckeann....... later this week is mens WC slalom and GS training followed by the race on the Face on Saturday (GS) and Sunday 15th the slalom. The following week there will be training days for the downhill which is basically exactly the same as the big day its just they ease off a little but will be a spectacle non the less..... followed by DH on the 21st and GS on the Sunday 22nd. Hope that clarifies!

Anyway folks sorry for being brief this end.... not much else to say from today!

You'll need to Register first of course.

i'm in Tignes from 14th-21st so will definitely pop over and spend a bit of time watching the downhill.

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

TDC new kit photos Puzzled

After all it is free

mooney058 ........ sorry will try and remember to get photos tomorrow of the new uniform...... orange trousers and dark blue with orange zip jackets!

Yet more blue skies - this high pressure system is very dominant still...... even with slightly warmer than the norm temps mid week we are hoping for more snow later in the week! I am sure that the snow will hold up just fine for this week which is good news!

Had a lovely lazy day before things kick up a gear this week with the Ski Club of Manchester booking several of us for multiple sessions all this week...... looking forward to the start of it all tomorrow morning!

After brunch I headed tour our chalet for a couple of hours of odd jobs that needed doing..... re-screwing this and that etc. Anyway that took up the middle of the day. On the way back I noticed this lovely pair of skis....... either the owner was a very aggressive skier or rather over-weight!

I mentioned the other day about the Telethon collection and the firetruck being pulled through the centre of town......... Radio Val have just posted this photo from the other evening which I thought you might like to see.

Not much else to report this end folks...... being shouted at as dinner is ready so need to rush......... more tomorrow.

I will be heading out to Tignes on 14th until 21st.... can't wait but appears to be a lot of negative posts on here re lack of snow since the early dump! Should I be worried? Presumably snow should still be great on the glacier and snow cannons will be on during the night lower down? Hopefully we might get some snow towards the end of this week or early next week!

If we don't see any more snow until the 21st would skiing down to Le Lac during that week really be poor in terms of snow quality??? I'd love to be skiing down to Brev but I guess that's looking unlikely

Keep the photo updates coming!

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

ianmercer89, welcome to Snowheads. In a week when fresh snow is looking unlikely you'll be better off in Tignes than just about anywhere - I bet there'll be plenty of piste skiing available.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

pam w, thanks for the reassurance! looking forward to the trip Smile

snow reports

WHO ORDERED FLAT LIGHT!!!!!

I think everyone in resort was a little surprised when we awoke to thin but high cloud that was thick enough to make the light flat but not low enough to make it a white out (thank goodness). Anyway we all rendezvoused in La Daille to meet up the Ski Club of Manchester lot - some 30 odd people staying at the Champs Avalin Ski Total place down there.

Anyway I have a nice group of 4 'strong on red, OK on black' type people and it was nice for them to have a sort of general warm up session today with some pointers coming their way! Clare had a similar group and all in all they are really nice people so it is a nice way to get the end of the start of the season going.

Clare also managed to get a photo of the new uniform as requested (I did not think she had taken the photo until she handed me the camera back - hence the slightly vacant look!)

I think the uniforms looks rather nice!!!!

Still waiting for the new thermostat to arrive here (it got returned to sender after the address label fell of first time - oh well a warm floor soon I hope).

I have been to see the estate agents about the contracts this afternoon (contract to instruct them to sell) and have been doing some flicking throng the baby name book.

The resort really seems to have gotten a little busier this week and there are a fair few students around but it certainly does not feel crowded or anything!

There is still no snow forecast Sad

but in reality the pistes are still in great nick if you use your head and avoid the busy areas that will get scrapped off quicker! Off piste is certainly not worth it at the moment - a combination of wind blown and transformed snow for the most part and there is always the danger of early season stones and rocks that are just below the surface...... HOWEVER I have been reliably informed that there is some lovely 'chalk' on the Familiale!!!!!

Intro to moguls work tomorrow with my group and ianmercer89 fear not - you will be just fine in Tignes / EK the snow is not 'bad' - but as always we always seek more and more of the stuff..... I don't think you will have too many problems enjoying yourself!

You know it makes sense.

Steve Angus, new uniform is looking very smart indeed! And very warm too.

Let's do a Snowheads poll for baby names, that's bound to go well wink

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

Steve Angus, it's a nice jacket. Matching pants would make it perfect wink

A snowHead

Cool look Steve, nice combo of colours!

A snowHead

rob@rar, I thought they were quite common last week wink

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

What's with this black trouser 'cuffs' thing? Inside Out have the same and I just think it makes people's legs look shorter. But very nice otherwise! Toofy Grin

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

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

I quite like the contrasting cuff on the trousers; reminds me of the guys who empty our bins in the Beaufortain. Little Angel

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

Very nice new uniform, and thanks for posting the piccie, it'll make it a lot easier knowing what uniform to look for this time!

After all it is free

Wow - quite a response to the uniform...... yes we think it looks pretty smart too!

Oh and still looking through the baby name book!!!!

Anyway back to today.

BACK TO WALL TO WALL SUNSHINE

I met my SCOM lot bright and early at the bottom of the Funi and we headed up. I had been in two minds as to whether to do a bumps session or a piste performance session - I opted for the bumps in the end (mainly because I knew that by doing this early in the week everyone would have fresher legs (hopefully)). Anyway there was some breakthroughs but there was also some tired people by the end!

This afternoon I did some chores at home and looked at the long rang forecast hoping that some snow would be on the horizon - but still nothing forecast but I really think the conditions should hold up pretty well out there.

More and more of the runs down to La Daille are being closed off in order to get ready for the start of the World Cup in a weeks time down there.... it meant that today the only route down the mountain was via the Raye (black) - so be warned if anyone is coming to Val next week!

Popped up to see Gav and Lou and Mea this evening which was nice.

Not much else to report this evening. Looks like I am working a full day tomorrow so better get an early night.

Raye is a lovely little route down I think, it's like the 'secret' piste which hardly anyone uses as it's so far to the left!

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

BUSY

Yes it is starting to get busy now...... not too bad on the pistes but everything is happening at work / our chalet / socials etc!

So this morning had a really good session working on carving with my SCOM team and some good changes made on that front. It was a little chilly for the first hour or two but really warmed up into the afternoon. Lunch was a quick sandwich at the Sun Bar before I met (in the end it was only two people) my seasonnaires group. I had one guy who was a professional mitchelin starred chef (or had worked in a michelin starred restaurant) and cooked for Fish and Pips and also a masseuse from Chalet Chardons.... not sure where the Mark Warner staff went. Anyway the two I had were near to complete beginners. It was warm afternoon and teaching complete beginners is hot work so I had my jacket off for a while until the sun went behind the mountain and it got chilly very quickly! Anyway they did very very well I was most impressed with them. In the girls case she was coming comfortably from the top of the Savonnettes lift!

Anyway no sooner had I finished work and we were all heading to a member of the SCOM apartment here in Val as they were hosting a drink party for all those from the Ski Club of Manchester (SCOM)....... I dashed there, had a drink and then had to head to my french lesson (I was already pretty tired having completed my first full day of teaching this week and only my second of the season). It was a little bit of a blur the lesson but still good.

As soon as that was over I had to rush to our chalet apartment as the internet had stooped working - but managed to get it sorted after a while....... finally I made it home for dinner about half an hour ago..... PHEW

Anyway not much else to report from today..... the Face is now nearly 100% set up for the races this weekend and all the teams should be starting to arrive into town from tomorrow for training. There are already a lot of female racers training on the OK Orange piste as that is closed at the moment for preparation for the womens races next weekend!

Tomorrow we are heading Fornet direction in the morning and then amongst other things TDC are hosting a drinks reception with all the tour op managers etc in town so it will be another busy afternoon and evening...... I also must get back to the estate agents as they need to see a few more documents from me.

Right must dash......... not much else to report this end..... still no snow forecast but the pistes are holding up very well still.

Steve

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Steve Angus, do you know the likelihood of being able to book one place on some group ski lessons (green/blue standard) in Tignes next week Monday-Friday 9-12ish? We had 9-12 booked with TDC Mon- Fri next week but have only just been told that the lessons are cancelled (2 days before we depart).

Any help/advice appreciated!

Ian

snow reports

My daily update (from yesterday - sorry its late) in a moment!

ianmercer89 Sorry to hear of your problems. Just a point on that matter. Virtually every single ski school in the alps (well French alps at least) will have in their small print that a group can only go ahead when the minimum number of people is reached - which I am guessing (I have no access to the Tignes booking system at this end directly) was not the case here hence the group has had to be changed for you for next week. One week a ski school may get LOTS of advance bookings so a group can be firmed up well in advance that it is happening.... in other cases (due to the vagaries of bookings e.g. after a dump of snow there is a flux of enquiries) it can be very 11th hour until either the group is confirmed or cancelled and of course ski school want to give it ever chance of going ahead so wait until the last minute before deciding either way. I have seen groups with one person in them being on the brink of being cancelled at 9am and then at 10am it becomes full up 24 hours before the group is due to commence - people can be quite erratic when it comes to booking lessons. So I am guessing in this case the minimum number of persons was not reached for the group to go ahead and the Tignes office have had to cancel which is frustrating for everyone concerned. As I say I cannot comment for the Tignes booking systems as I am based in Val but I do believe that the office routinely try and give an idea to people (when booking and / or when it gets close to the time) how full the group is looking so people know there is or is not a chance of a group not running. Apologies but you seem to have gotten the short straw on this one this time.

As far as actually being able to book on said group upon arrival next week then it is anyones guess. With no fresh snow forecast in the next 24 - 48 hours we are unlikely to get a 'rush on' for lessons but then again the pre-xmas week is always, traditionally a week when people go 'last-minute.com' so to speak so it could happen.

I am sorry again and sorry that I cannot be more specific...... personally this time yesterday I had about 50% availability next week but by this morning 1 person had dropped out of one of the groups but at the same time 2 new private lessons had come in so the situation is fluid. It is really only during busy weeks (e.g. school hols) that things are more certain but then again the opposite problem exists.... to many people and not enough spaces!

I would ask around several of the other well known and reputably schools in Tignes and see whether they have groups running and then upon arrival firm up either way. Sorry I cannot be of any more help.

LATE - sorry

Had a great ski around in the Fornet / Pissailas (can never spell that right) area with my SCOM lot yesterday morning.... got some video and had a very ambient time.

After lunch went for a TDC team practice transceiver search on the Super L area..... the snow was SHOCKING off piste in the area but we got some really good practice transceiver searches in and played around with some different forms of group organising for avalanche scenarios. All very necessary and useful.

When I finally made it home I realised I only had an hour to change and get back to the Pacific as we were all running a video session with the SCOM in the Pacific Bar. That went well but then Clare and I had an hour to kill so headed to the Morris for a burger.... which as usual was MASSIVE portions but yummy! On the way into the Morris we noticed this......

..... yes the Morris have bought one of the old Aeroski bubbles and turned it into a 'hot box' on their deck area - pretty cool ehhhhhhh!

Anyway pretty much as soon as we had finished dinner it was time to head back to the Pacific for the 'start of season resort managers and other VIP' welcome drinks for the tour operators! Always an important evening to schmooz with the key players in town as well as see some returning faces. Before we knew it is was gone 10pm and I really needed some sleep so we headed home.

Hence the reason for craming yesterdays daily update into this morning.

Right must get ready and go..... looks like another sunny day out there today!

You know it makes sense.

NOT QUITE AS WARM TODAY AS IT LOOKED BUT STILL LOVELY CONDITIONS OUT THERE

My SCOM team had another good but last day today..... we split our time between heading towards the Grand Motte and working on short turns and also doing some more moguls stuff on the Val side..... I think everyone had improved since the last session so that is excellent. It was quite a lot colder today than it had been..... by the time I got home at lunchtime I was pretty cold..... so have just had a long soak in the bath - bliss!

NOT a real search!!!! Some of my colleagues over in Tignes took part in a mock 'multiple burial with no transceiver just recco' probe line search today. Yes Lena and some of my Tignes colleagues were asked to partake in this Pisteurs organised search which could be very real when you look around at the number of people that go off piste ill-equipped (remember something could come from above and bury you even if you were skiing / boarding in a safer place). In teams they were probing in lines and there was even the SAF chopped overhead with their airborne heat sensor and Recco receiver looking..... all very realistic..... well done Tignes!!!!!!

The Val d'Isere Park team have also just announced that they are hoping that the park will open this weekend and at the same time they have released the provisional plan for this season although I doubt everything will open immediately!

Shall be having an early night tonight as everything is pretty much non stop and hectic from now on in til the New Year. I think the roads should be OK tomorrow - there could be a little fog down the valley but I don't think there should be too many problems at all and the traffic forecast is nothing serious.

Tomorrow in Val d'Isere of course we have the World Cup (Men) Giant Slalom. It looks like the first run is at 12:30 (local time) and the second run at about 4pm I think but it could change. Even if you don't have Eurosport then Ski Sunday will be providing coverage on their first program of the Winter on Sunday evening which is great for the resort as normally Ski Sunday misses the first few races of the season out and therefore misses both the mens weekend and the womens weekends of racing!

The cinema is also opening for the season tomorrow and as always if you are coming to Val d'Isere and want to catch something at the cinema then look out for 'VOST' on the posters if you want to watch the original (usually in English) versions of the films. The cinema works slightly differently from UK cinemas as they have something different on on the two screens everyday and they also have two sitting of films so there is always something to tickle the fancy!

AND FINALLY SOME GREAT NEWS.... .... it looks like snow is finally on the way to the French Alps in the next week. Looking at the long range radar I think we could have a front moving in on about Wednesday which is great news...... however with the base we have so far and the fact that it has been sitting there for a while if we get a lot of snow falling then it could make conditions off piste very dangerous!!!!!! At the moment the level is 1/5 but this will soon change so be warned!

That is about all for now folks...... shall probably be back from Geneva at a reasonable time tomorrow to do my blog for tomorrow..... see you all then!

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

Steve Angus, as always, thanks a lot for all the updates and photos - lots of fun to read and to look at Smile

I know it is hard work, but I stil envy you being there Smile

A snowHead

Just had an amazing firework display in Val D for the world cup racing. Had a great week spent a day wirh SCGB leader and met the Steve Angus at Fornet yesterday snowHead

A snowHead

Hi Steve - myself and the OH are heading out to Val on Sunday for the week. We are booked on the TDC development plus clinic next week with Terry. Good news that there looks like some snow is on the way, although from your reports it sounds like conditions are great. Thanks for the updates, can't wait now! Very Happy

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

Steve Angus, great reports as ever...missing the place big style....but never mind, only 9 sleeps till Flachau snowHead

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

Thanks everyone for the positive comments as always and happy sliding those of you heading here / or elsewhere soon

Well that was another transfer day done and dusted. A relative lie in for a Saturday am but still up at 4.45..... the journey there was easy enough although it was gloomy and raining in Geneva.

Met our guests for this week - a lovely family of 4 from Wiltshire and we hit the road (it was already starting to clear up by 11.30am when we left GVA!). The traffic was light and the weather was good so we made excellent time. However when we arrived at Super U in bourg it was CHAOS..... of course it is student week..... so you can imagine....... floods (there are thousands and thousands of students across the EK this week) of them coming in in their coaches and ALL stocking up on food and drink..... oh and some more drink...... a little bit more....... yes that should be enough to make the coach crawl up the hill with steam and black spoke pouring out the back!!!!!! I shouldn't jest as I was one of those students in the late 90's!!!!!!!

Anyway I walked into BSM to go and buy some new credit for our chalet PAYG wifi MIFI dongle thing...... there was a lovely Christmas market on complete with live music and mulled wine being handed out..... it was rather tranquil in comparison to the battles in the Super U car park (I never asked our guests what it was actually like inside!!!!).

Getting up the hill was slow as we were stuck behind two of those coaches and I never got above 2nd gear the whole way up!!!!!!!

With the guests settled in I had hoped I would catch the very end of the GS - but alas not...... I hear the French did well but the honours went to Hirscher again - yay!!!!! Shall look forward to seeing some SL tomorrow and then Ski Sunday tomorrow evening!

Talking of the WC - looks like they have changed the training days this week for the womens DH into La Daille to start on Wednesday as they think Thursday and Friday will be stormy and snowy weather...... GREAT for the resort but bad news for me as I am supposed to be doing my WC duty on those days so I suspect I shall be shovelling lots of snow and seeing very little action in the form of skiing - bug!

That is about all folks..... beer time. Tomorrow we have a TDC Team ski about which should be fun!

Steve

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Steve Angus, A bit of advice from a local !! we are in Val for the week, our hire car has snow tyres but no chains, we go home nxt Sturday, if it does snow Friday if heavy how likely is it that will we need chains to get down the hill and are the police likely to insist on chains ?? If you think we should have chains where in Bourg would get some cheap ones ??? thanks .

You'll need to Register first of course.

WHERE DID THE DAY GO?

You know when you start something and you wished you never had.........

So the first thing this morning I thought it would be a good idea to install our new thermostat....... this turned out to take longer than anticipated as the new version of it has different connection sockets and all sort of other 'hidden' faff. Anyway I left in a rush for our ski school training day at 9.30 and we had a really great morning.

We headed up the Solaise and immediately were halted in our tracks as they were bringing in a chopper to the area at the bottom of the Glacier Express for someone who was badly injured.

So the pisteurs had closed the slope down to the lift (there were a lot more people there than can be seen in this picture)..... the glacier express was closed for a couple of mins and so to was the Datcha lift. Anyway after a few mins we got going again.

We headed up the Val glacier and the snow was awesome as well as being lovely and sunny. We worked through some new approaches we (as a school) are trying out this Winter and did lots of tech chat. Also got lots of professional photos taken for next years brochure too - maybe Ill make the cut!!!!! Then we headed back to town and caught the second run of the mens slalom and watched one my long time heroes Mario Matt smash the opposition....

We then had a lovely lunch at Sur La Montagne (first of many Tartiflettes of the Winter) then I had to get home as I managed to blow the fuse which ran (amongst other things and as well as the underfloor heating in the bathroom) the fridge freezer!!!!!!!!! Anyway another hour of faffing around and it was still not working but at least the power to the fridge freezer was back on.

Rushed out to a big ski school meeting which lasted a couple of hours...... home, dinner, back out again to buy more fuses as I blew another one....... then finally got around to doing some jobs including writing this blog........ I WILL SORT OUT THE THERMOSTAT FINALLY IN THE AM - HOORAY!

thunderer - to answer you. Normal car with snow tyres are often OK for run of the mill snowfall..... if the car is 4x4 then all but the worst days are usually fine but occasionally every car needs to put chains on AND the police can enforce it and stop you leaving if you don't have chains on (or coming up the hill). You can buy chains really cheaply in Super U or if they are out Roady next door have lots too....... cheaper than most places anywhere. Hope that helps - good luck.

TTFN

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

thunderer, generally you should be able to get set of chains with the hire car - you are paying for "winterised" version, after all.

After all it is free

DAMN IT - worked out what the heck the problem with the new thermostat is...... it is a 12V version not 240V version of thermostat........ so will have to order a transformer..... another delay!

Another sunny morning in Val d'Isere apart from the odd high cloud or two. It was rather strange as I did not have a lesson this morning - apart from that fully booked up from now until the end of time!!!!! Got a few jobs done at home whilst Clare was out teaching this morning - including putting the Xmas tree up..... YAY!

In the afternoon I took a lovely lady and her two (10 and Cool

sons out. They have done a LOT of skiing in the EK before and the kids are turning into great little skiers..... think they had a blast including the couple of tricks I taught them.

Clare is about to go for her French lesson and I shall be calling home in a minute....... not much else happening this end...... back on full days from tomorrow - looks like I have a moguls session in both the morning and afternoon tomorrow and then we have the TDC launch evening for the seasonnaires to come and get signed up for our program we run each year - wonder if we will end up with a 100 seasonnaires on our courses again this year!!!!!!!

OK folks have a good evening.

Steve, thanks it looks there will be snow only Thursday and Friday morning, so will be okay getting down the hill on Saturday I think.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Pistes in EK remain in 'good' to 'very good' condition. Pistes higher up and in the shade are nice are suprisingly good and forgiving, hard packed i guess, but very little or no ice.

snowHead

Help!!

The view from............ Val d'Isere and the Espace Killy

snowHeads Forum Index >>> Snow Reports - weather - snow conditions