 kanobi
kanobi
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Hi guys. Am out in Deux Alpes / La Grave for the season to ski and climb. It's bumping here at the moment and onto an already pretty good base. Looks like the snow is falling across the Alps at the moment.
Have got a blog which I'm aiming to update as often as I can i.e. when I'm not skiing or climbing! This is the link: onefootinlagrave.wordpress.com
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kanobi
kanobi
Guest
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And should have said... if anyone wants a ski then let me know. Anyone up or some off piste (conditions dependent of course) then even better.
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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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From your blog it seems like you are doing the van thing in the telepherique car park. Is that correct? If so, I admire your balls, so to speak.
Haggis trap is the resident expert on this one. I'll leave it to him to provide any hints/tips on survival in la Grave in those conditions.
Otherwise, please keep putting the photos up. This place runs on people doing things like this.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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kanobi, dumping?
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Weathercam, you need an RSS feed on that - the only reason I haven't linked to it is that I couldn't bung it in Google Reader and consequently forgot what it was called.
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PS: The dog deserves his own blog. 
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You lucky, lucky b@stard!
Good to see you've made the dream work. Nice travel/accomodation set up you've got there. I've bookmarked your blog so please keep us updated wiv lots of pics. More dog blogs too - s/he sounds like s/he's got it all sussed!
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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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| kanobi wrote: |
| And should have said... if anyone wants a ski then let me know. Anyone up or some off piste (conditions dependent of course) then even better. |
Kanobi,
I'm in La Grave from the 26th afternoon on. I'll be skiing from the 27th to the 31st when we leave for Chamonix (somebodies gotta do it!!). We're staying in skier's lodge where I'm told we ski with guided groups but there's a chance I may be skiing on my own on the 27&28th and possibly the 1st, so would be on to meet up if you are on.
Can't wait, just can't wait!!
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horgand, if you're staying at the Skiers Lodge then definitely ski with the guided groups - DO NOT pass up on that - they will sort you into groups of similar ability - and if the mountain is shut will do road trips and the like to other resorts - all the guides Pelle use are really good!
I first started "doing" La Grave some twelve years ago when the Lodge was based up in Ventillon 400m above La Grave village - and have been back pretty well every year and now have some good friends there.
I'm in LG night of the 30th at the Edelweiss just up from where you are staying - really nice bar should come up and say hello.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks Weathercam,
I might just do that, will you PM me your details so that I know who you are and I can text you to let you know I'm coming.
all the best
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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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Who is best for a guide in la grave?
I'm heading to the area tommorow and will be staying at Villard de lans
Were driving so were thinking of a day out in les deux alps or alp d huez
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Bureau des guides in the main car park opposite the Castillian, tel no is on main LG web site, best to contact them day before to arrange, where you're staying would be better to arrange a guide in ADH, though LG is only 40 mins further up thr road, so not a big deal.
Just an after thought.... Are you staying in Villard de Lans in the Vercours or Villar d Arene just up from LG ?
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You know it makes sense.
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staying in Villard de Lans in the Vercours
out on the slopes tommorow
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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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Amusing drive up from Grenoble yesterday (see snow chain thread in the Piste section) to La Grave and been snowing ever since, though just as I type this (11:15) it's actually stopped!
Decided to take the other half up to Chazelet which is up the hill above LG village at around 1900m has about six lifts, though one of the more interesting drags is shut today. Loads of fresh around so think the Mrs will have a good ski. As its change over day very few people, only locals and a few families having a longer holiday.
Road up to here was amazingly clear of snow, in fact clearer than the main road, think its because the three villages have their own communal snow plough which is working nigh on all day and night because they can't risk the road being closed as they all have to get down to the main road to get to work!
Ironic in that you can probably ski untracked all day here, and all for the massive day pass rate of €14.00
And I'm in one of my favourite cafe / restaurants* wified up with my tablet!
*can of coke €2,20
Other half just come in for a hot chocolat and every run she's up to her knees in powder, though heavy towards here at the bottom.
http://www.lagrave-lameije.com/index.jsp?c=67244&exp=67244 Le Chazelet
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Weathercam,
Thanks again for all the useful pointers on the fantastic resort that is La Grave. Great to meet you too. Skiers Lodge gets a big thu,bs up from me, as does the whole resort!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Heading out there this Saturday - what's the craig guys? L2A wasn't a resort on my radar because I was after something more like 3V with tree cover, but late availability was such that it looked a good deal. Heard there's decent night life and that the whole mountain is good for boarding.
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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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Is L2A a really unpopular place to go or something? Or are people having far too much fun to update snow conditions? It seems all the other resorts have pages and pages of updates, such as Les Arcs, and this thread drifts down into the depths of page 2....
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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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Agreed. This place is like a ghost town.....!
Im off to L2A on Saturday.
Anyone have any news?
Is the link to La Grave open?
How is the snow faring?
Any other tips to share (good bars, restaurants, pistes, bars or restaurants on the piste...?
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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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junitrules, drkpower, Easiski used to post daily - she lives and teaches in L2A. Her website has a snow blog updated most days - have a gd trip 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cheers simonmj66,
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Cheers Lizzard, quite amusing those reports.
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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 have been in LDA since last Sunday. The weather has been fantastic. We have had sunshine every day. The on piste conditions are superb, I have seen no bare patches or stones even on the busiest rat runs. I am not a very experienced skier but there was enough snow to allow me to take the black Valentin home every day.
It was overcast in the village today but that just served to make the view from the sunny glasier even more impressive. As we skied from the sunshine into the cloud cover we were amazed by the rainbows that materialised all around us. It was very surreal to see my own shadow mimicking me from a ball shaped rainbows 30m from where I was skiing.
Although forecasted, there was no snow on Thursday or Friday. Perhaps it will snow on Saturday as forecast but to my eye the clouds do not seem heavy enough. No matter, the pistes look like they will hold up well for the immediate future.
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Well so much for my instincts. It has been snowing overnight. I would estimate about 2cm at 1800m. It is still falling at the moment. Not large snowflakes so visibility should be good today, but if it keeps snowing like this anybody arriving this weekend will have another great week.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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palumbex, visibility is poor all over the hill, in fact - snow and fog. Sorry. 
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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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Lizzard, True but the conditions above the clouds was very good. It made for a very nervy return to the village at the end of the day though.
I have had a brilliant week and I can't believe that it is over. What a fantastic
place to ski.
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Les 2 Alpes for a few hours today. Very cold at the top (-25). Pistes in great condition and grippy. Off piste firm and slightly crunchy where skied out. Unstable where untouched. (via SMS)
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You know it makes sense.
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Alpes D'Huez: not as cold as yesterday. Some sun crust off piste despite -15 or so. Most off piste was fairly heavy and tracked out but we still found powder 
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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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La Grave today: -20 in the morning but warmed up to -10 or so. Well tracked out and ski pisted in most areas. Vallons was in the shade and sketchy cover in places. Windblown and quite a few rocks. Chancel side had chalky snow but still windblown in places. Banane Couloir had hard moguls at the entrance but soft chalky snow throughout the rest. Couloir des Feaux was also in superb condition with a lot of snow pushed down over the past few days by other skiers. Again, soft and chalky with soft moguls in places. Crunchy at the very bottom but more than enough snow for the 2km skin up to La Grave.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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L2A today. Things have warmed up a bit now; a balmy -14 in Bourg D'Oisans this morning. L2A is windblown in a lot of places, with high winds on the glacier. We skied down to St Christophe and the snow was variable. Breakable crust at the top, a nice pitch of firm powder, more crust and heavy chopped snow at lower altitudes. Expect lots of wind slab in the area and some sun crust too as the temps get higher.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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We're heading out 17th of March. Ive been to L2A 4 times and was going to try Alpe D'Huez this year, but seeing the lack of snow this month was thinking would it be a safer bet going back to L2A? Ive never been to Alpe D'huez, should I wait for another year, with better snow? and is it any good  ?
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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How's it looking? I'm out tomorrow. Looks like I'll need my suncream. Anything of any interest still left off piste? Is there access to La Grave at the moment? And what's the skiing like there? Also, any good guides to recommend?
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Thanks Colin
We opted for L2A fly out Saturday ... looked on a forecast and its saying light snow Saturday and a mini dump on Sunday, god I hope its right... Even without it I know where gonna have a scream.
Anybody just back, that can let us know how its doing? As you can imagine, very excited in work these days haha
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Around the Southern French Alpes, the South facing slopes have seen better days but North facing are in good nick. Snow at the top of La Grave is still fresh and light and the moguls on the traverses aren't as bad as I've seen them. The 2km vertical though is skiable from top to bottom, which it wasn't at this time last year.
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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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Over with a group on Wednesday, hot a s hell this week, however still chalky winter snow on north faces, buy lunch time the bumps lower down got nice and slushy:) A bit of the fresh stuff forecast for Sunday night, fingers crossed!
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Just back from a week in LDA and had a great time  We definitely needed our sunscreen though and quite a few members of the group ended up sunburnt. The snow was noticeably disappearing over the week and I would say that lower down will be getting pretty bare soon.
The snow is pretty good. Some runs were a bit icy in the mornings so best avoided - valentine, the black super diable and glacier 6 coming down to the pano bar were the main ones that we noticed but they weren't the only ones. Valentine was closed on some mornings and only being opened from around lunchtime but from about 1.30pm it was pretty good and a nice run down until it got very slushy later on.
South facing runs were getting a bit slushy by mid-afternoon and very slushy by the end of the day - vallons was one that we noticed particularly as we normally went home on the red eggs so went down it last but it was far from the only one with anything below about le pano/bellecombes level hit fairly hard depending on how hot it was that day. We didn't head down it, but apparently diable down to the village was so slushy in the afternoon that "it skied like a blue run" as one member of our group put it! One thing we did notice was that there could be quite a sudden change from one run to the next between icy and slush depending on what direction the piste faced. Apparently Bellecombes 5 was lovely for most of the day because it was north facing.
A lot of runs were getting short sections of exposed ice patches towards the end of the day on the last few days of the week. It wasn't too bad but something that we had to pay a bit of attention to on Thursday and Friday.
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