if all the seats were just filled up on each chair then there would hardly be any lift queues at all.... just a gripe of mine. At the end of the day you are only going to be away from your friends and family for a few minutes aren't you!
Amen to that!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
it was one of the things that amazed me when i started skiing europe after 10 years of the states , how hard is it to fill a lift ?
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?
@red 27, +1.....jeez I forgot how much that winds me up FFS!
@Steve Angus, you could have picked a photo that didn't make me look so miserable Although the mrs says I'm a grumpy old man, so it's probably fitting!
Really pleased that the switch riding came together yesterday on Diebold, although I admit to swapping to regular riding on that steeper bit. Will practice today whilst you're teaching William - good luck with that
Re lift queues, I just don't get the mentality of people, 2 examples yesterday, 1 of a bloke just determined to get to the front of the queue no matter who he cut in front of, thought he saw a gap when the gates opened, took it but then realised that it wasn't a gap at all and there was now 1 person too many waiting for the lift. They had to stop the lift to pull him to the side and wait for the next chair. So in his rush to get to the front, he had delayed himself and many others.
Then later on, a lady doing the same thing, got to the gates then realised her friend had not been able to push in, so decided to wait there in front of the gate to catch up. Really? If you're going to push in, then push in, that's bad enough, but don't then block a gate, stopping people getting through.
Rant over from a grumpy old man
In good news, the piste conditions are generally still pretty good considering the lack of snow and are not stupidly busy, especially when you have super guide Steve Angus who knows where to go and when. Final run we did today was the Ok, the run from the top of Olympic to Le Daille, was a little icy in parts and did start to get busy at the bottle necks (it's the only run open done to Le Daille) , seemed to have some very wary skiers / boarders on there taking it very easy getting down. As someone not that mega experienced myself, it was nice to do the run, but wouldn't have rushed back to do it again.
Let's see what Tignes is like today and hope we can get up the Grand Motte. Double M here we come....
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@trainee snowboard jedi, double m conditions have been great you should enjoy that
We were out with Steves collegue Terry yesterday afternoon and finshed late on down ok after telling Terry it was fine the day before .
It was agreat lesson in looking good when disater surrounds you ,lots of ice and nervous skiers .....
just head for the bar at the bottom for an essppresso and a toffee vodka and catch the bus home
After all it is free
After all it is free
Great pic!!
Steve Angus wrote:
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.
@harvsurrey, went up around 1:30 ish, was a bit windy with the cable car taking a while to dock, and a bit of snow being blasted around.
The first bit had some icy patches but it improved below the cafe where the funicular drops you off. Some really nice stretches with good snow, followed by occasional thin, moguled bits with lots of people congregating / going slow. I reckon this is a precursor for next week when it will be a lot busier and unless we have a dump soon, the snow quality will only get worse.
Great run as always, but have done it in better conditions.
Steve Angus thanks for your good work today with William, 'he is very proud of himself as his instructor says he was good'. And Zara needs a lift pass from Friday, so double whammy. He's looking forward to seeing you on Friday.
And in the cafe in Val Claret, saw this:-
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Merry Christmas from the Angus family!
Well it has come around again - Christmas that is.
So yes I was on a slightly different agenda today teaching young William first up. With a little persuasion and a some focus he cracked on well.... just about holding a snowplough so ticking on nicely... With a little break at the Cabane at the bottom of the Savonettes we ploughed through 3 hours in what seemed like 5 mins. Talking of the Cabane it is such a great little snack lunch place for great value on the mountain (you may have heard about the pressure to have the place (unjustifiably IMO) shut down in the UK press).
The way it worked out was that I then ended up with a long lunch break through until 1.30 when I was back on the same booking as yesterday afternoon and it was great to lift off from where we were yesterday and even managed to make it to the top of the Savonettes today..... awesome work.
I headed to the Blue Note at 5pm for some after work Xmas drinks with the team. It is nice when we can all get together for a drink (well most of us could make it). It was like the full extended family as some wives and children could make it too including an old face from TDC from back in the day (Dougie) who is also in town.
So in the last couple of hours since getting home it has mainly been a case of tucking into a nice glass of wine and enjoying dinner with Clare before getting an early night and the start of all the fun and games of tomorrow. Not sure when I will post tomorrow - we shall see!
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Steve Angus, great family pic, loving the woolly hats
Merry Christmas. Have a great day with the family.
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.
Well for us its been a fab day ...... now back to cook christmas dinner.
Interesting to see what next week brings as today seemed pretty quiet
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@harvsurrey, how long are you here for? I'm worried that next week will be stupidly busy, I'm hoping to do an offpiste camp next week, but we shall see. Good news is the dump they've been predicting is still on the forecast:-
Off to take the kids to the entertainment they've laid on in Val High St now, we have some friends staying with us that have never done Xmas in Val before and can't believe how much they do compared to other resorts they have stayed in. I think it was the torch light descent and free vin chaud did it!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Steve Angus wrote:
.............Talking of the Cabane it is such a great little snack lunch place for great value on the mountain (you may have heard about the pressure to have the place (unjustifiably IMO) shut down in the UK press)............
here till 3rd , didnt realise there was much on tonight ,so chilling on the sofa with the turkey in the oven first christmas in europe for us
have to admit we are currently cringing to inbetweeners2
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Chrimbo done and dusted for another year
Well I must admit to feeling rather stuffed and ready for bed this evening so I shall make it a very quick one this evening.
The day started with a short lie in and Olivia not getting up until 8! - now we know that will be the latest she will be out of bed on Xmas Day for an awfully long time to come but it was nice.
Some calls home to family and a couple of drinks got the day off to the perfect start. We then headed to Blue Note for the annual invite only 'locals' drinks party which is awesome.... bring a plate of nibbles or something to eat and they provide the champers / bucks fizz! So anyway a couple of hours there as a family before it got too rowdy and load (Olivia fell asleep in the bar in the end) and we were home for present opening.... well opening Olivias presents really. Mainly consisting of wonderful books from family and friends as well as some book ends, some clothes and various other bits and pieces - it was fantastic having a family Xmas.
We had Gav, Lou and Mea around for a festive drink mid afternoon before Clare produced a fantastic Xmas dinner and all the trimmings. Olivia wolfed it all done happily which was great to see.
The rest of the evening has been spent tidying up and snoozing and letting the enormous feed settle in my stomach before back to the 'real' world tomorrow.
And that was my day folks. Only photos I got all day were of Olivia and of us all (or Clare) so once again it will just have to be a photo of her but it will be back to the normal outside pics again from tomorrow.
Yes as talked about above it does sound like the snow may just be arriving next week / this weekend.... fingers crossed. Some of my colleagues have been quite a bit of off piste lately and they tell me that there is some dangerous wind slab forming off piste in places that will become buried as soon as we have a big dump of snow... that coupled with the high temperature gradient due to the thin snowpack and some surface hoar could all mean that it will be dangerous out there - so stay safe folks!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
live update ,it has started snowing as of 10 mins ago but doubt its going to be much for now
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?
although that lasted all of 10 minutes , very cold today and many cannons running flat out , don't know how others found it but it was icey as hell , piste M not being nice and also OK down into La Daille the same though thats not a surprise
nope , everything post lunch today looked grim ,not sure what anyone else felt and i didnt go onto any of the green runs ..... or blue come to think as i only skiied a couple of hours as i was alone as wifey tweaked her back
Currently just settling down for the night in Chatelard. Has been a very cold day today. Currently watching the bashers move the existing snow around red piste M/plan M out the back of our window. No snow to be seen yet Fingers crossed our last day here will bring at least a bit of a fresh layer. Skiied all over the place today from top of olympique, solaise and went over to tignes too. Snow definitely gotten worse through the week however and has been quite testing, even on usually nice blues and reds. No Face for me this week, though v confident hubby did it ok! For one, the run at top of Borsat chair has gotten more and more of a gravel like scattering across it, even though a green! Not pleasant experience skiing that at 4 today! Many skiddy skiiers with scratched skiis - myself included. Runs down into tignes were comparatively worse. Much less snow. Red Double M under lanches chair which I've previously loved skiing, personally found lethal today. Combo of thin grippy sticky patches alongside thin "dusted" ice sheets. Hard getting down that!!
Not all doom and gloom mind, we have had some beautiful bluebird days almost every day and some lovely cruisy runs in the sunshine. Lots of fun around the Madeleine and Glacier chair areas and discovered a great BBQ bar/restaurant there with good beer and tasty quiches! Hopefully will have snow to enjoy tomorrow morning but we shall see!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Sorry forgot to post last night
So ill right up yesterdays report in just a second HOWEVER THIS MORNING IT IS SNOWING REALLY HARD. It started in the early hours and there is an intense snowstorm out there right now. The wind is supposed to really get up later this afternoon again though so all this nice snow (of which there is already about 10cm here in town) will get moved around. It really is going to be quite dangerous avalanche wise in places with this new snow and as I keep saying since there has not been a powder day yet there will be a lot of 'heroes' going for it and getting themselves into all sorts of trouble if they are not careful. Anyway apparently it is snowing all the way to Chambery at the moment and the roads are in a pretty narly state.... chains or 4X4 with snow tyres only is the go on the roads! The road forecast was for 36500 cars coming up which is slightly under par for New Years weekend but it is going to be crazy busy out there today! So with 10cm already on the ground already then who knows what is happening up high and it is supposed to carry on all day. I will report more later on.
Anyway back to yesterday. It was MUCH colder yesterday - something like -15 up top and -10 on the Savonnettes where I spent my day. I had young William for his second lesson and WOW what a break through he made.... Holding a snowplough and then a few wiggly turns - it was a great session even if he did get rather cold. We stopped to warm up in the Cabana at the bottom a couple of times and unfortunately he managed to spill most of the hot choc on himself!
The most annoying thing about the morning was that they were 5 mins late opening the lift as they were still pisting at 9.15.... grrr. It has a knock on effect as all the ski school lessons are now lined up ready for the lift and it took about 15 mins to get everyone up the lift!
By mid morning the sun finally made it onto the slopes at the bottom there and it warmed up a little although the snow cannons ran all day as it was cold enough!
In the afternoon I had the same lady as the other afternoons and she took a deep gulp and (as I knew she would) took it in her stride when we went around, and around on the Village lift. As soon as the sun had disappeared behind the mountain the cold got the better of her and we knocked it on the head a little earlier than planned but not to worry she will leave Val very pleased with herself.
The evening was spent moving some things to the car and then walking around town looking for someone who would have a spare bolt for the side of my ski boots after one actually fell out in the morning - don't think I had tightened them up properly when I bought them so only myself to blame. Anyway La Poudresse ski hire shop came to the rescue!
Anyway folks I better see what this white stuff outside is all about. Safe travels today!
The snow cannons all over the resort got a real workout yesterday!
After all it is free
After all it is free
@Steve Angus, I was wondering why they had the snow cannons on the nursery slope last night when it was a fair certainty that fresh snow was arriving imminently? Surely they'd be better saving the water given the amount that has already been used? Probably a numpty question.
@harvsurrey, @FiFi_Trixibell, Cascade up at Fornet was lovely yesterday, great conditions and a really nice cruisey red, anyway worth a trek out there although a beggar to get to on a board with that horrible flat blue from the up and over chair down to the bubble.
Seems there are lots of nervous folk across the resort yesterday with the snow conditions deteriorating, hopefully this new snow will improve things on piste.
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.
Yippeeeeeeeeee! Dumping it down since about 3am ish, GoPro been on time lapse out of the window watching it build up. Sat prepping with brek, so excited to get out this morning! Vis looking like going to be awful tho and probably huge moguls by end of day. Bet people on transfer day not going to have fun in and out of the airports.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
yep just popped out and there is plenty of snow , will see what the vis is like , if its reasonable i am certainly getting out there .
@FiFi Trixbell i looked at my skis last night and yes they are mine , i didnt bring my second set of skis instead my faves (though the edges are brilliant so glad i did ) and there are a fair few scores on the bases though 90% run down the ski so Terry ,Steves collegue must have done me some good
off out for a coffee and a mooch about before going up the mountain
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Well, our last day out here today...and I have to say Val has really delivered, despite all the doom and gloom! Don't think we've ever had every day of blue skies and sun, and the snow was for the most part pretty good!
Anyway, here's a little video of Boxing Day...sure beats turkey sandwhiches! No chance of any video today as it's DUMPING it down!
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.
PH Rules
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Steve Angus ... Newbie to the forum here, have to say have really enjoyed reading your posts, very informative ! Having skied in Europe for 25 years with at least one week a year in Val for the last 10 years, I always find myself glued to the forecasts from beginning of November. However can't remember the last time there was such a slow start to the season. We are out 4th to 11th Jan, and have done the same week in Val for as long as I can remember. The last two years have probably been near perfect conditions, great snow and clear blue skies. Much relief this morning when the snow finally materialised ! We've used TDC quite a few times over the years for our kids at various ages, I see you have moved into the Snowberry shop, who we are using for the first time this season. Also nice to see you mention Dougie in an earlier post - the kids loved Dougie !! Anyway keep up the good work, my wife and daughter are having private lessons with Gavin for a few days when we are out so guess we may bump into you !
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Steve Angus wrote:
....then walking around town looking for someone who would have a spare bolt for the side of my ski boots after one actually fell out in the morning - don't think I had tightened them up properly when I bought them so only myself to blame. Anyway La Poudresse ski hire shop came to the rescue!
Steve, drop a bit of thead lock on the bolt when you put them in; I've lost a couple in the past. Partly because I have to warm my boot shells to get them on and I believe the bolts work themselves out over time.
Threadlock has fixed it.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Hmmm...not very nice today...blowing an absolute hoolie up Bellevarde today, and really bad viz due to all the snow. Had a few runs down Diebold and OK, as the wind was a little less ferocious below the Folie, however the bubble was shut so the only option was the chair up from La Daile. It was absolutely baltic on there...proper brain freeze time, and the bloomin' thing must have stopped 6 times on the way up...not good! At the top, the wind was swinging the chairs really close to the pylons, so we were pleased to get off it and head back down. Headed into a very busy Quicksilver for lunch, lethargy set in so that's it now for me until March...
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@scooby_simon, same catsailing person of Y&Y fame?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Skiain, a definite time for a hot chocolate with cream if I was you right now!
Just think about how good it will be when the sun comes out!
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?
@RichardB, yeah, but sadly SleazyJet beckons for us tomorrow
Hello
Good reading all of the recent updates. May come to Val through late ski deal but I'm concerned about the limited number of lifts open 16% even though there's been more snow. Is it cos of the high winds? I know it's likely to be v.busy from 28th so it would be good to know a fair amount of the EK area is likely to be re-open. Any more info would be helpful. I'm not able to get away again till Feb thanks
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@darrell, If you are looking at today, I'd say yes, it's because of the wind and viz. I've just done a week out here and the tales of doom seem to bear no relation to what's actually happening on the ground. It seems to me that there's a lot more open than the stats would have you believe...we've gone from the top of the Pisailles, all the way across Bellevarde, Grande Motte, and down into Tignes and seen very little that wasn't open. I would say as soon as they shovel around what is falling now (as it was needed) it will be superb.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Skiain, sorry to hear that.
All the doom stories have come out of the Portes du Soleil area, which has been really bad admittedly but next to none of the news has come from areas like the Espace Killy or Three Valleys. As I said on another thread, they'll report on the area hit worst and try to make out that's the picture every where, bad news sells!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Just got back in from out last day out - bonkers snow, we were on powder all day. Over a meter fell in less than 12 hours. Spent a lot of the day skiing down to la daille via OK/diebold past the folie too. Top section off the funicular pretty horrific for Vis and think it hit -16 up there at one point. Stuck together and the snow was very forgiving. Fun little off piste section at very bottom on the unlisted blue then to the restaurant at the bottom for baileys hot chocs then back up the funicular and did it a couple more times. Skiied Face first thing too. Incredible at 9.30, so glad I got to do it before the legs got tired and the moguls turned to cars (and before the chair got shut!) just off to return the family's rental skiis and go and do some après before joining the chaos that seems to be the road to alvertville/bourg at 5am tomorrow!
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.
Some of the scenes around Albertville today. Just awful
got friends stuck heading down from val thorens , got a 5th of the way in 5 hours on a coach which the rep has deserted , and also has broken heating ,
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Although the mrs says I'm a grumpy old man, so it's probably fitting!
Fingers crossed our last day here will bring at least a bit of a fresh layer. Skiied all over the place today from top of olympique, solaise and went over to tignes too. Snow definitely gotten worse through the week however and has been quite testing, even on usually nice blues and reds. No Face for me this week, though v confident hubby did it ok! For one, the run at top of Borsat chair has gotten more and more of a gravel like scattering across it, even though a green! Not pleasant experience skiing that at 4 today! Many skiddy skiiers with scratched skiis - myself included. Runs down into tignes were comparatively worse. Much less snow. Red Double M under lanches chair which I've previously loved skiing, personally found lethal today. Combo of thin grippy sticky patches alongside thin "dusted" ice sheets. Hard getting down that!!
