 Poster: A snowHead
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Right - the car is packed and mum and dad are left in charge - next stop Chambery and then VT morning Saturday (with a bit of luck and a following wind). Will post updates somewhere on the snow conditions as and when we get the chance, but we don't think we have web access to our appt.
TTFN 
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sat 7-04-12 19:53; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Megamum, have a nice time. Tell the Minimums that they will have skied more than me this season, which is a real worry, because they're going to be better than me. 
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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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Enjoy your holiday, fresh snow at resort level.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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We arrived in VT about 0930 ish, and did a quick reccee. The Machu Pichu were good enough to say that our room was ready and we then managed to grab a parking spot right outside the front door so it seemed to make sense to quickly sling the gear at the room rather that wait for the chaos that the afternoon invariably brought with it. The Machu Pichu could easily be called the 'Compact Biju' However, we have fitted everything in and I am quite happy with the cooking equipment provided. A four ring hob and a Microwave combi oven/grill. There is a good assortment of pans and bowls too.
The bathroom falls into the compact and biju description there is certainly no scope for extra curricular activities in there such as swinging cats. The 'littlest room' has indeed never more lived up to its name and for a few minutes I thought we were going to need the helicopter rescue when a certain man realised that he had sat down without enough 'movement scope' to stand back up again LOL 
On the drive up we could see that the piste crews had been working hard, and it looked skiable down to Les Menuires on pisted ribbons of snow - though clearly it was going to be a slush fest come the afteroons. However, that said there were pockets of snow in sheltered North facing areas down much lower than when we did the FBash last year. The actual snow line proper, I would say, runs along about level with the lower part of VT town. However we are sufficently encouraged that we have bought 3V passes and I might finally get to see the area above and behind Plein Sud and the other valleys. The snow is fair to good for the time of year up high, though as might be expected is turning to slush very early in the afternoon at around the level of the Knife and Fork and lower. Though I was surprised at how hard the area just below the Retour above the ski gardens stayed all day when just above and beyond it was quite slushy. Pein Sud at around 2pm was like skiing best granulated sugar and will certainly be better skied earlier in the day in the future
Today we skied the Deux Lacs loop, Moraine and Tete Rond. Nothing too onerous, after a long journey, probably will do something with a bit more meat on it tomorrow.
We are currently re-adjusting to the silly French prices - a large beer coming in at 6.80E - 7.0E and some soft drinks being an equal price - a typical round of four drinks for us coming in at around 20E - we will def. be back in Austria next year. It's just a shame that the one place I have a certain amount of affection for is so damn expensive!
We had some snow flurries today whilst up high, sort of solid snowy bits that weren't quite hail, but weren't snow flakes either. Once back in around 4pm this moved down to our area (opposite Furnitel Peclet) and was probably lower - it also set too with quite a prolonged outburst - at least an hour or so, and currently its very misty though I don't think anything is coming down at the moment. Apparently there was good bit snow came down last night too according to the folks we chatted too.
We have decided to buy some internet access here, so hopefully we should be able to post updates for most of this week and I expect the Minimum's will be reports at various intervals too 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Megamum, there are plenty of places in France that are not as expensive as VT .
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Hells Bells, agreed. Though we paid €24 for a rum/coke, pint lager, iced tea and orangina in Les Arcs last week We were desperate for their 'free' wifi access though for eldest to download something for revision. That was way way over anything we have ever paid in the French Alps.
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Hells Bells, You are probably correct, but at this time of year they have no snow!!
Deux Lacs restaurant was a bit disappointing - appears to be under new managment - shorter menu, slower serving times, no Plat du jour!! Food still fine, but not what it was - just mainly pizza, spaghetti and omelettes.
We have decided the solution to getting stuck in the loo is probably a skiing mojo fitted with reversing sensors!
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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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Megamum, there is stiil plenty of snow in Serre Chevalier. [b[Weathercam's video was posted just a couple of days ago with fresh tracks[/b] . I've skied there most years in April. On one occasion we went to VT and snow was in far worse condition when we arrived there.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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genepi, Bar Bleu or Blue Bar. Nearly fell off my chair. And we were next to noisey tots and some woman tried to insinuate that we owned the dog who pooed in the play area. Oh and the sun went in too
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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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| Lou wrote: |
| genepi, Bar Bleu or Blue Bar. Nearly fell off my chair. |
well known for being chuffing expensive...
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You know it makes sense.
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Megamum,
Enjoy yourself, glad Piza Pepone lived up to expectations.
Formula 1 a bit basic, but i think its ideally located
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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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We woke to about 6" of fresh snow - the pistes were re-invigorated. We have spent most of the day skiing in cloud and snow coming down in one form or another from lightly in the air to distinct flurries. In VT itself it was quite misty and breezy first thing, we went up Plein Sud chair and it got worse, we followed that by 3 Valles 2 chair and it was distinctly unpleasant. We arrived at the top in very dense cloud and it was blowing a hooley. We took the Lac de la Chambre Red and the wind very quickly dropped off, but vis remained very bad for most of the way down - only about one piste marker in terms of distance. The snow was really good though. In places we made fresh tracks and it felt good under the skis. We went back up on Plain des Mains chair and Plattieres 3 - again into very dense cloud. We Blued into Les Menuires on 3 marches and la Violette (Green), but La Violettes is certainly not beginners territory at the moment - the word 'scraped' doesn't do it justice and I should think 60%+ of the piste was actually shining as we approached it. We took a beer and cake stop in Les Menuires and then went back up on Roc des 3 marches 1 gondola, then skied petits cruex (again well shiney) across to the Mont de la Chambre chair. Pluviometre (great snow on this for the top 2/3rds of it) took us back to VT. We looped Deux lacs hoping for the furnitel de Peclet, but the queue was out of the door so we we finished off by going back up Plein Sud and the kids danced on the tables at Les Folies Deuce before coming back to base via Plein sud (good for the first 3/4 then very slushy) and the Retour. The retour was a bit of slush fest but the main green drag across the front of VT is getting decidedly solid and shiney rather than slushy.
Dinner tonight was beef casserole and jam sponge and custard.
So all in all a good day, but despite going into the next valley I couldn't tell what the views were like as the vis all day has moved between bad and diabolical.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Megamum, Hope you and the Megaclan have a good week in VT! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Megamum, Keep the reports going lass... only two weeks for a lot of us and we appreciate the updates.
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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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| Megamum wrote: |
Dinner tonight was beef casserole and jam sponge and custard.
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Sounds yummy. any leftovers 
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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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Megamum, wot Scarpa said. Sounds great and you've helped start my pre bash buzz.
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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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Bluebird conditions today, but they haven't done the pistes any favours despite being glorious to ski in.
We didn't do Mont Vallon as by the time we got over there the queue for the lift (via the Plein Sud and 3 Valles 2 chair and Lac de la Chambre red) was excessively long. So instead we decided to drop down into Mottaret for a stop via the Plan des Mains chair and then took the kids through the snow park (where they did the blue drops and rails) and then the bottom of the Martre blue. The snow was good all the way from the top down, but got slushy on the final approach to Mottaret at around 11:15 - much later and it was going to be a slush fest.
We had been told the day previously that the lights on the piste boards were having problems so we thought we would verify Jersualem for the EoSB-ers. Arolles chair took us to Furet blue and Table Verte chair lifted us (there is of course no truth to the rumor that FraserP dropped a pole at the start which required sending up with the next group!!). Combe Tougnette red took us to tougnette 2 and we skied Cretes along the ridge to the top of Jerusalem. Where upon we gazed at big red closed barrier and snow that clearly hadn't been skied on in a good few days. We then had to get creative.
Buse red took us to Blaireau red and then back up Tougnette 2. Gros tougne blue then took us to Granges chair (which covered a surprising distance) and the Allemands Red and Petits creux blue took us down to the Mont de la Chambre chair, and Pluviometre blue took us back to the Cairn run in VT outside Oxalys. We were there around 2:45 and it was really slushy - getting brown in places with stones coming up - there is still a decent width, but it is really needing things like your fat off piste kit to float over the top of the slush. We looped deux lacs to get back home (the extra height is useful), and at around 3:15+ I was surprised at how well the green back past the K+F was skiing. Still good and hard down as the base of the Retour. Respectably soft down as far the furnitel peclet and downright slushy down the Deux lacs chair.
I'll find some photos is a bit too as that might be useful.
So there you have it - Jersualem is closed (at least today and appears to have been closed for a while). The snow is still good high up, but slushy lower down from around 11am+ i.e. Mottaret level.
Dinner tonight was Chicken casserole, carrots and mash and fruit and cream for pudding.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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N.B. I've posted a few piccies on the 3 Valleys snow reports thread.
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Another bluebird start to the day. As poor weather was forecast for later on we decided to stay in VT. We looped 2 Lacs and then took Portette chair up to the new furnicular. The red off the top didn't look groomed so we tried Chocard - The surface was hard, but nicely flat and very skiable, though I would warn anyone new to skiing that it is def. the redder side of blue in places. There was hardly anyone up there so we did it a couple of times and then skied back down portette which was in a similar condition. Back up Portette lift and across to Fond and back down to Moraine (via the K&F) - Rhodos had not been groomed and was quite mogulled. We ran the Moraine lift into a fair gale, but moraine itself was skiing well and still had a hard surface with looser snow and was reasonably skiable (I've done it in worse conditions). Back to base for lunch (chicken in tortilla wraps), then out again.
The weather was turning this afternoon - getting very windy up high. We skied cairn down to the bottom chairs under the bridge (getting quite slushy, but I've seen it worse) and took Moutiere chair up - then Lignotte and Hermine (solid at the top slushy at the base) back down to Moutiere. This time we went left at the top and went across 2 lacs to above the K&F. The weather was looking really iffy, so we settled on Cascades twice. Once down through Dalles and once through 2 Combes then back to base.
Dinner tonight was steak, saute potatoes, sweetcorn, shallot and red wine cream sauce, and apple pie and custard for pud.
It started snowing at around 4pm and hasn't stopped yet.
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Megamum, do the Minimums get lessons or ski with you all the time?
Glad you're having a good trip.
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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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Megamum, sounds a great trip. liking tonight's menu!
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Alans deep bath, The kids had 4 hrs of private lessons when we were on holiday in Austria, this trip was a bit of a spur of the moment decision and therefore is on a bit of a shoestring, so we are not having any lessons this week for any of us. The kids like the private lessons as they get to do more exiciting things than they can do with us, but I think they are have a fair time roaring around the mountain with us practising what they have learned.
holidayloverxx, it's amazing what can be accomplished when needs must. I'm not too bad here with 4 hob rings, a microwave and my slow cooker which we bring with us serves when we do the casseroles.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We’re having a great time in Val Thorens and the snow is ok.
Alans deep bath, . We are not having lessons but we are skiing miles instead. We tried to do Jerusalem but got there and it was shut so we couldn’t.
Megamum is doing AMAZING and is going really really fast so that even fraserp can’t keep up!
And in latest news... Minimum_2 had an incredible fall on the way back to the apartment.
The snow is either hard and icy or slushy and soft and when we went on the new gondola, Thorens, the snow was epic! The run down from the top was really nice, not too steep, but hard enough to practice carving. I really enjoyed it and I hope to post again soon.
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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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Minimum_1, +1 to what Alastair Pink posted.
Also glad to hear about Speedymum!
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You know it makes sense.
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Megamum, was just curious. Both Minimum_1 and Minimum_2 are already far better than you and FraserP 
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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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Megamum, liking the reports. Especially the evening menu updates
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Poster: A snowHead
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Skiing in well over a foot of powder today was a tough job, but someone had to do it. It was about a foot deep at resort level and deeper higher up. Until about 12pm it was still snowing like a good 'un, but it cleared up a bit this afternoon. We were cheated for first tracks having been first in the queue at the Funitel Peclet (at 0850!) which in the finish didn't open until around 10am. Instead we looped Deux lacs to kill time - even powder that deep on a green run is huge fun - we were running through it making fresh tracks and I swear it was deeper than my boots - there is definitely some sense in those elastic inners at the bottom of salopettes LOL. We caught the Furnitel on the loop back round and although we had missed first tracks down Christine there was still enough fresh powder for an epic run down. The big problem through all of today was the visibility. This morning it was consistently very, very poor - almost white out conditions in the fog and snow in most places - this made skiing powder that deep somewhat more 'entertaining' than it might have been! It took a while to get down because of that - though worth every moment to see the kids straight lining the really deep powder side of the run - it must have been past their knees! How they kept their footing is beyond me.
We decided to cut and run for an early lunch once we were down (bacon baguettes and lardon and cheese omelettes), and set out again for a long afternoon. The snow eased a lot this afternoon
We started in the caron gondola and did gentiane then took the moutiere chair and across 2 lacs to the Portette chair. Portette hadn't been groomed and was littered with screaming bodies and atrocious visability which kept swinging in and out all afternoon. So we took the path across to the Grand Fond blue - vis all the way down was horrendous - the powder was well mounded and all things considered required some effort to ski. Rhodos still looked ungroomed so that left Fond as the only get out - she is a tough blue in any conditions, but in v. bad vis and mounded powder she lived up to her reputation and required a Fond beer once down.
Down to the Furnitel Peclet again and we knocked off Tete Rond - Most of the powder was flattened and she wasn't running too bad - though someone had been along and left bumps to catch out the unwary every now and again. The kids had a turn on the airbag on the way down (there was an event on where they could do it), and we finished off with Plein Sud - which wasn't the usual April slush fest at 5pm - it was good and firm all the way down across the bridge and to the top of the retour and then home (opposite Furnitel peclet for us) it was postively hard and shiney - amazing where all that powder went to!!
It has just started to snow again within the last ten minutes.
Dinner tonight is spag bol with fruit for pudding.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 11-04-12 18:48; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Megamum, sounds like a pretty awesome day! Great reports, keep them coming please. 
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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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Today was a bit clearer and finally we could see the mountains in the distance again. We took the opportunity to go high - something that has been fraught with fog until today. We took Moutiere chair and lagopede across to Grand Fond Gondola and went up. The weather held and you could see VT in the distance (I'll find a snap of it later on and post as it shows the snowline). The light was very slightly flat, but nothing to diminish the joy of skiing Niverolle in near perfect snow with still some fresh corduroy to be had. The only downside was a very slight mist that actually stuck as ice to the faces of the goggles - the first time I've seen this happen - we had to stop every now and again to wipe it off in order to see!! We came all the way down skiing Gentiane - which was also going well, and then went up Moutiere again and swung left. Across Deux lacs and stopped in the K&F for hot chocolate. We then decided on the Moraine chair before lunch (hot steak sandwiches in baguettes with salad).
In the afternoon we had a slightly late start, but managed Deux lacs chair - across to portette to take a look at the red. Portette red had not been pisted, and both the blue and red off the new cable car looked well mogulled, so we opted to take the path across to Grand Fond. It was still OK at the top, but Rhodos had not been pisted so we took Fond again. To be honest I don't know if Rhodos or Fond had more mogulled heaps of snow, but we coped and kids had fun on the way down Grand Fond hopping off the edge of the piste onto, what were by then, very well trodden areas for a slight change of scenery. We finished off with a trip up Plein Sud and danced away the early evening at the Folie Deuce (I have decided that I really need Kooky in tow to do justice to the place, but I did manage to mortally embarass the kids - so I did quite well (though I didn't dance on the tables)). Plein Sud back down was in fair nick for the time of year and we easily able to ski what we call marmot corner (the bit just before the the bridge where we saw a marmot last year) without needing to take the path.
Dinner tonight was Lamb steaks, mash and carrots. Everyone is full so we might have spotted dick and custard for supper.
All in all a good day
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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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Megamum, what a lovely trip that sounds like. Thanks for the conditions (and food) updates
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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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Why is food so important on a ski trip.... it is for me... just thinking like....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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What doesn't kill you...
One of my worst poor vis days was in 3V. We were staying in Brides. We went over to VT, right over to the 4th valley iirc. I remember heading back mid-afternoon and having to overlap ski from piste marker to piste marker as that's as far as you could see. I remember at the top of the 3 vallees II lift as we went over into the Meribel valley we saw one lone figure heading back in the VT direction and we pondered whether he would make it! We had whisky in the hip flask that day.
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Megamum, it's been lovely hearing about the trip. Love to the minimums and safe journey home. x
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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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+1
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FAQ
