Hey guys, thought for this Xmas/NY trip I'd do a running trip report, I'll try to report back on the conditions, the skiing, the apres (where on earth is the grave accent on a mac) and any events going on in the 3V! I'm turning 22 this season and this will be my 19th or 20th year in Meribel, having started skiing (or as close as you can get when you can barely walk) in St. Moritz. Skiing is what I wait all year for and is an industry in which I would love to work once I've graduated, even if only for a couple years. One of my older brothers worked for two years in Austria after graduating to blow off some steams before coming home with something extra on the CV and I'd like to emulate that unless a great opportunity presents itself back home. All my earliest and most of my best memories and some of my longest friends have been from Meribel and I love going back every year. I have skied a fair few other resorts over the years and love them every time I go, but I always come back at least once a year to Meribel, I think the large resort makes sure there is always somewhere with good snow, be it down low in the trees in Le Praz when it's foggy up top, or the heights of Mont du Vallon or Val Thorens when it's rather patchy down low. There are a few drawbacks to a resort like the 3V, it does get crowded at times, there are parts that are low that suffer at the beginning and the end of the season but the work that the resort does with regards to snow making and lift maintenance is brilliant.
My last essay is handed in back in England, skis have been prepared, everything is booked, just can't wait to get out now! Driving home tomorrow to pick up all my stuff, making final preparations, making sure GoPro is charged etc. then flying out on Saturday morning, Southampton to Chambery. If anyone is going to be out there at the same time and fancies grabbing a drink or anyone wants to ask a question feel free, finally my winter is starting!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Jakejenks, nice start to a 3V trip report - a picture of you at Chamonix! Hope you have fun.
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?
Good spot, although if we're splitting hairs, Argentiere. Its the only photo I have of me from last season, we went up there when the snow had pretty much gone in 3V
Have fun, might bump into you at some point in the season
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Wow, all the snow I'm seeing in the forecast is driving me crazy, just can't wait to get out there now! 36 hours left to go till we head off to the airport, am back home in Dorset reading Snowheads, looking at the webcams just ticking off the hours Reading what other people have written and looking at photos it looks like the season is off to a good start after a worrying November/early December and the base should build up nicely over the next 96 hours or so. Hoping for an easy trip out this year but if not, its all part of the trip, the drive up should be interesting on Saturday but it would be better being stuck in snow over there, than not even making it to the airport last year, then getting stuck trying to get back home again and having to walk!
Hope everyone out there is having a good time, can't wait to join you!
We have just booked- flying out on the 30th for 8 days, so I shall be reading this with interest, thanks
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Jakejenks, nice one, look forward to reading it.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Off tomorrow morning, taxi coming 9am. Bags are packed, edges are sharp, bases are waxed, time to ski! Resort is looking pretty crazy weather-wise next few days but in all honesty in my head the holiday doesn't start until my brother arrives on the 24th. Hopefully find a little off piste up top, something deep and steep Don't have my usual instructor who I've had for 20 years as he is with a billionaire Russian (fair enough, I can understand that) but have a couple replacements, including one I've know for last 10 years of so, another ESF guy who I've skied with a lot and also done some summer stuff in the Alps with so should be great!
Going to be in Scott's tomorrow night in all probability for a couple beers, not sure of other plans apart from that, kinda depends on what time we make it in, traffic could be a nightmare tomorrow, I usually deliberately avoid traveling on Saturdays for that very reason, I'm not a fan of crowded airports and traffic but I just wanted to maximise my time on the slopes so picked the very first day I could get out.
Anyone else around at any point over the next few weeks who wants to grab a burger/beer/run give me a shout!
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.
Hey guys, just finished first day of skiing and thought I'd give an update. Trip out was extremely fast and easy, door to door in around 5 hours which was nice. Would have been a fair bit quicker but wasted some time in a holding pattern over Chambery (how is this possible, it deals with about 5 flights a day...) and some wasted time at Southampton. Transfer was awesome, must thank Snowbound Transfers, we used them for the first time 4 or 5 years ago and have never looked back. Our driver was friendly, chatty and got us to our flat in comfort and good time. Traffic was admittedly unbelievably good for a Saaturday but changeover days are weird over Xmas and I think that changeover days have changed in general this season according to a few seasonnaires. I went to Scott's for a few beers with an old friend, my ski instructor Patrick who I'll be skiing with later in the trip and turned in for the night, or so I thought. As is the way with me, before the first day of skiing I'm like a kid at Christmas and got about 3 hours sleep, oh well, got some good films watched!
First day got off to a good start, met another instructor Nick, who I've skied with for the last 11 or 12 years at Le Sporting and we headed off for a blast. Nothing too high was really open as they were still avalanche mining so we bombed around the lower parts of the resort and then got in the queue for Pas du Lac 2 to make sure we were the first up to the top to hit the powder. After waiting for 45 mins or so we were in the second bubble up there and got some amazing virgin powder up to our knees and had a whale of a time, all on our own
Lunch, as is tradition with our family was at the Adret Telebar and once again I must recommend this place for a meal or two over a stay! Faux-fillet au bleu followed by tarte au myrtilles washed down avec un pression and I was ready for a gentle ski with the mother and Nick in the afternoon to wind down, not wanting to go too hard on the first day, still 20 to go!
At the end of the day grabbed a few beers at Scott's and had a bath to relax the legs, need to keep myself in shape to last the 3 weeks solid skiing so looking after myself. Arranged to borrow some race skis from Nick for the days I want to blast about on the piste and do some inter-person slalom on the sometimes crowded pistes, very grateful for his Head sponsorship which usually means I can borrow something for a bit of fun during my trips!
Going to meet some friends for a couple drinks and a game of pool at Barometer in all likelihood tonight seeing as they have removed the table from Scott's (boooo!) and then turn in for another great day!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
We were supposed to be in Meribel first week in January, but had to put it back to March due to work commitments. After reading this thread I am green with envy. I was coping just fine before hand!
Great job on the diary, keep it coming!
On a side note, haven't been to Meribel in a few years is "Le Poste" still there? Loved that bar (despite the prices!)
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Le Poste is indeed still there, been refurbished last summer I believe! Good things come to those who wait!
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.
Another good day up here! Weather is still pretty bad, snowing on and off with a few sunny breaks which is still affecting the lifts but it was a lot better today. We managed to make it to another valley finally but really we took it quite easy with the conditions, no need to burn out during the bad days when we have plenty of time left. Skied with a new instructor today, Seb and he is fantastic, had some great off piste and some good runs. Really we had a few too many drinks over the day but that never hurt anyone, takes the edge off the cold/bad light etc. Last run of the day we tried the new Sauliere express and did the Sauleire couloir, the top was really thinly covered with snow thanks to the wind so our skis took a fair bit of a battering but the middle and lower parts were fantastic and well worth the light ski damage! Spent the evening with a few guys at Scott's but turned in quite early to make the most of today, have woken up to a lot more snow and its still going, should make for another interesting day!
Really looking forward to my brother coming out and stepping the skiing up a bit, just want to make sure am on good form when he gets here. Anyways, time to hit the slopes!
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
Hey guys, another overcast, snowy cold day here in Meribel but the opposite of my spirits! Kicked the day off with some off piste below Meribel and ended up getting on the Olympic bubble back up. Was a great run down through the trees although nearly skied into a river which was entertaining. Hit some lovely powder mounds that throw you up into the air until you touch back down on the soft stuff, a brilliant start to the day. After that we headed up higher for a bit more skiing but the pistes were full of people flat on their face, nearly as flat as the light meaning any speed was really asking for trouble. We did some off piste up there and it was nice and deep but the light was a real issue so we headed down towards 1550 and Le Praz and did some awesome off piste in the trees where the light was a bit better but the snow just as good. The weather continued to get worse and the snow heavier, we were lucky to get back to Meribel for another lunch at the Telebar, my spiritual home at around 1pm every day Only went for an omelette today as I had a sandwich earlier but there is lots of good stuff there, great atmosphere as well.
Called it a day at lunchtime today as the weather was coming in and decided to rest the legs, get some sleep etc. Woke up around 6pm, grabbed some food and headed down to Scott's for a few Pastis, saw a friend back at the flat then headed to bed. Hope everyone else is enjoying themselves as much as I am, just really worried about getting some revision done, but I'll worry about that in a couple weeks....
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Great stuff thanks for the updates
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I might have to change the name of this to "The Powder Diaries"! Another day and night of snow left conditions ripe for another day of powder. I relinquished my beloved Twenty Twelves in favour of a pair of Nordica Girish freeride skis. First things first; they were OK, I think they would do better in much deeper snow and a bigger more open mountain where you can get up more speed and make bigger turns. Most of what we were skiing were more technical lines with tighter turns around trees/rocks with a few smaller drops in the mix. When we did manage to find more open powder they came alive as the speed brought you right above the snow and you could get more forward and make some nice longer turns but for the tighter stuff I think I prefer my slightly shorter and lighter Twenty Twelves.
As we were skiing about finding different lines down the off piste we ran into Jérémy Prévost, a pro Freeride World Tour skier from Meribel! For those of you who don't know of him:
We were sitting at the top of a bit of off piste and he skis over and say hi, he knows the instructor I'm skiing with as he works part time at the ESF when he isn't competing or freeriding apparently and then he popped over the edge. I can honestly say I've never seen someone go so fast off piste, knowing the terrain like the back of his hand probably helps but I think I'll chalk that up to perfect technique!
After a morning of off piste, a couple drinks and very tired legs we headed back to the Telebar for some grub and did a little skiing with some family and family friends in the afternoon to wind down. In the evening grabbed a pizza at the Refuge (recommended highly) after a few drinks with some friends at Scott's and called it a night.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
It couldn't last forever! Finally the temperature has risen a bit and rain has come to the 3V, coupling that with the bad light resulted in a rather dull day on the skiing front. It started off well and could have been good but unfortunately the sun never broke through and rain prevailed. Met a few friends for a couple drinks in the evening but otherwise a quiet day, hopefully the sun will be out tomorrow and we can get more of a ski in. Will be nice to have a blast about on the piste if the visibility is good, been a great few days in the powder but also longing for some speed now!
I'm not a massive Christmas fan back home but over here I love it, closer to what I think Christmas is about, spending time with friends and family spending time together doing what they love. Likely to spend the morning in Courcheval for oysters and white wine then coming back over to Meribel for lunch with friends and family before lounging around skiing if the weather is good or sitting in front of the fire/in a bar being lazy! I might not get around to updating a lot when my brother gets out here so if youu don't hear from me, have an awesome Xmas everyone, I'll try get some GoPro footage up soonish as well
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Today was one for the books! One of my most memorable days in Meribel, especially the morning. The sun was out and the valleys were basking in glorious sunshine, the first day of the season like it! The break in the snow had allowed them to groom the pistes and the good light meant we had the first opportunity to really let loose and have a blast on the piste rather than playing off piste. However, on the first run of the day I had a spectacular binding failure at full whack, mid turn I hit a rut and forgetting that my bindings were set for playing around in the powder and slush at the end of last season my downhill ski parted company with me leaving me with a bit of a problem. Shifting all my weight onto my uphill leg threw me out of the turn and pulled me out of the turn and sent me into the crud on the edge of the piste at around 60-70km/h which was entertaining. I managed to get myself back onto the piste (which was luckily freshly groomed) and tried to get as much of the speed off as possible, finally losing the second ski when I thought it was safe to kick it sideways and slide out of it. All things considered it could have gone a lot worse, kind of grateful for the time I've spent skiing as it gave me the chance to get out of it, although there was certainly some luck involved! My first ski was about 200m up the piste, the second 25m or so when I finally came to a stop and somehow me poles were all over the places despite having my straps on, took me a fair while to gather it all up and set off. Looking back it seems it was a combination of me braking too hard when I saw my instructor struggle over the rut and the fact my binding were set too low to ski like that, you live and you learn, bindings have been reset!
From there the day just got better and better, we did an off piste run down Mont du Vallon that was simply spectacular, one of the finest I've had down there, lovely jumps, drops and turns through perfect, although slightly shallow powder. Unfortunately, this happened....
However it was worth it for the view of the valley I love!
As we were waiting in line for Cote Brune to head towards Les Menuires Jeremy Prevost made another appearance, this time backflipping off a cliff nearby much to the delight of everyone in the queue! We had two fantastic runs in Les Menuires below Mont de la Chambre off piste, followed by some awesome runs around Cote Brune in Meribel. On the way to lunch we decided to have some fun with a GPS speedo to try and see what we could hit on the way down from Sauliere to Meribel, unfortunately we just missed the magic 100km/h, maybe next time, without gutted park/off piste skis!
We had a good ski in the afternoon doing a lap round Col de Loze - 1850 - Saulire - Rond Point to finish the day off ski wise, headed to Scott's for a few more to sort out tomorrow and all ended well; on an even better note we've changed my brothers flight to 6am tomorrow so he will be here be midday tomorrow, can't wait!
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Reading what other people have written and looking at photos it looks like the season is off to a good start after a worrying November/early December and the base should build up nicely over the next 96 hours or so. Hoping for an easy trip out this year but if not, its all part of the trip, the drive up should be interesting on Saturday but it would be better being stuck in snow over there, than not even making it to the airport last year, then getting stuck trying to get back home again and having to walk!
