 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
I'm new to the forum - this topic may been done before... tried searching old posts but no joy...
I'd be really keen to hear anyone's personal tips/suggestions for "best pistes in the Alps"... Though it would be a good thread? I'm thinking along the lines of a personal 'hitlist' of resorts to visit - would be great to get ideas for places I haven't thought of...
Broad topic I know, what makes 'best' etc - so why not add a 'why'? Maybe best by colour would be good too, but that's a different thread I guess...
So how about a top 5 personal favs along with a quick why...?
Mine might be, in no order:
1. Folyeres, La Tania - definitive best blue in the Alps! Fast, nice length and a good burger at the bottom!
2. Point de Vue all the way to Argentiere, Grand Montets - 2000m from glacier (stunning views) down to forest - if you can do it in a one-er/no stops, respect!!
3. The red under the Schonleitenbahn, Saalbach - always quiet 'cos you only ever take it by mistake when you're trying to get to Saalbach village, but always fun once you pass that point of no return!
4. The red down to Villaroger from the Aiguille Rouge, Les Arcs - a really sweet part of the classic long descent.
5. The red from the top of Aberg-Langeck down to Hintermoos, Hochkonig – hard to choose from any of the longer reds in this area, descent to Dienten especially, they’re all good.
Bit of France/Austria bias there - but's that what comes to mind for runs I've enjoyed!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Abricotine, Avoriaz.
Signal, Les Deux Alpes
2 runs that i really like.
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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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1. Luc Alphand, Chantemerle, Serre Chevalier - fast (former FIS race) black with great views if you decide to take your eyes off "the wall" - the last 2-300m drop. Excellently positioned bar at the bottom to settle your nerves.
2. Red 15 from top of Pradalago, Madonna di Campiglio - a steep drop accelerates you onto a roller coaster run that drops down through the trees. Never anyone on the run until late in the day. Short and very fast!
3. Aiguille Rouge Les Arcs - well you just have to, surely?
4. Les Verdons onto Marie-Chantal, La Plagne - if it's quiet enough, a fast n fun blue run with some great turns that get the heart racing and the legs burning
5. Fontaine Froids La Rosiere - a classic red that winds down through the trees. When the cover is good, they don't come much better.
Five runs that if were all in one resort, would probably mean me going nowhere else 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hidden Valley in the Dolomites.
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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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Bormio, top to botton in one hit.
Stella Alpina onto Priamont and into town on The Stelvio.
Great changes in pitch, great variation, 1800m vertical.
Hats of to you if your not blowing by the time you get into town!!!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Chasseur wrote: |
1. Luc Alphand, Chantemerle, Serre Chevalier - fast (former FIS race) black with great views if you decide to take your eyes off "the wall" - the last 2-300m drop. Excellently positioned bar at the bottom to settle your nerves.
2. Red 15 from top of Pradalago, Madonna di Campiglio - a steep drop accelerates you onto a roller coaster run that drops down through the trees. Never anyone on the run until late in the day. Short and very fast!
3. Aiguille Rouge Les Arcs - well you just have to, surely?
4. Les Verdons onto Marie-Chantal, La Plagne - if it's quiet enough, a fast n fun blue run with some great turns that get the heart racing and the legs burning
5. Fontaine Froids La Rosiere - a classic red that winds down through the trees. When the cover is good, they don't come much better.
Five runs that if were all in one resort, would probably mean me going nowhere else |
Great response, thanks! Along with the others...
3/5 there in resorts I haven't visited - cheers!
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1) La Face de Bellevarde, Val d'Isere. My favourite run ever! A famous black with amazing views which is steep and challenging but not scary.
2) Jerusalem, Meribel/Les Menuires. Great fun, undulating red down to St Martin de Belleville.
3) La Sache, Tignes. Lovely long black
4) Kamikaze, La Plagne, really fun red
5) Descente, Tignes. Wonderful, usually empty black on the Grand Motte glacier with spectacular views and the best snow.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Wed 10-10-12 18:50; edited 3 times in total
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Piccadilly, What a shout for jerusalem, but its in Les Menuires not Courchevel, unless there is 2???
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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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| bungabunga wrote: |
Mine might be, in no order:
1. Folyeres, La Tania - definitive best blue in the Alps! Fast, nice length and a good burger at the bottom!
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When the snow's good Folyeres is by far my favourite - mad dash to get a pint. I've only ever been to the 3V and PDS so my experience is rather limited
1. Folyeres
2. Creux
3. Jerusalem
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Marmottes- back of mont Chery
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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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Canadien NF Bellecote
Les Etroits La Plagne
La Face de Bellevarde, Val d'Isere
Mont de la Guerre Champagny
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You know it makes sense.
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| Boredsurfing wrote: |
| Canadien NF Bellecote |
good effort to get a piste basher up there 
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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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Arno, True 
Mind you on some days....
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Poster: A snowHead
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+1 for Jerusalem.
+1 for Fontaine Froide.
Sarenne, Alpe d'Huez.
Double-M in Tignes if it wasn't so bloody busy.
The top-to-bottom from the peak of the Kleine Matterhorn at Zermatt, down to Valtournenche in Italy. Shame there's a little chairlift cut-across in the middle of it, otherwise it would be epic.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The 111 in Westendorf used to be brilliant, before they cut it shorter and built a gondola back. It used to always be really quiet, as you had to drop right down to the road and get a bus back (but had a cool little beer/chocolate van thing with seats to chill at whilst waiting). A few good offpiste variants on it too.
The red down from the Shindlergrat in St Anton is also ace, nice and fast, often fun bumps later in the season, and again the option to take offpiste variants in places, with great views from the lift on the way up as it goes over the ridge.
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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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Belvedere---Les Rousses---La Fare, Alpe D'Huez
Saslong, Val Gardena
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Hi Ed,
1, Pierre a Ric, Grands Montets - Chamonix (in the morning when groomed, just straight line it)
2, Bochard - Grands Montets - Chamonix (when its quiet in low season)
3, The Streif - Kitzbuhle - Austria (First thing in the morning, gets super icy though)
4, The Saslong - Val Gardena - Italy (you can ski the whole down-hill race piste, its amazing)
5, Le Face - Val-de-doda - Its pretty steep for a piste!
Here's my five.
Might need to make the list a lil longer for off-piste fav's
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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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Herse, Grands Montets, Chamonix, depart skiers right, the bumps under the cliffs
Upper section of Renard Black, Linga, Chatel
Chamossiere Black, Morzine (Nyon)
Almost any bumps in Deer Valley, UT
Almost anywhere near Galena, BC
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Spring run, Glencoe. 
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-1 for jeruselam and Mont de la guerre - dull as, IMV.
Trying to be positive I'll suggest one of them is swapped for the top of the Weissflujoch all the way down to Kublis. Cheating perhaps as it's not one marked run...
as for hidden valley - give me Happy Valley anyday 
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Wed 10-10-12 20:08; edited 1 time in total
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sadly, this whole subject is my regular 'going to sleep' exercise - the  equivalent of counting sheeps
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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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My choices are a bit Italo-centric:
1. Hidden Valley- Armentarola, 1200m vertical away from all the lifts through spectacular scenery
2. Ventina- amazing vertical from Klein Matterhorn 3800m down to Valtournenche 1500m
3. James Bond Run from Seceda 2500m down to Ortisei 1300m, Val Gardena
4. Saslong Men's Downhill- Val Gardena, you too can be Konrad Bartelski!!
5. Bellunese- Arabba, huge vertical from 3200m Marmolada down to 1200m at Malga Ciapela
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les goulets, Courchevel
Face, Val d'Isere
Foret, Val d'Isere
Alphand, Serre Che
Sache, Val d'Isere for the end of the day necessary stroll to unwind before going back home and facing the mundane side of life
petit goulet de l'arrete (not really a piste but still very good = good chow location at top) et les Enfers, Karrelis
Le frene, St Francois Longchamp
Mottet, Valmorel
Punta Bagna, Valfrejus
......
and my two loves since a kid : Jockeys et Jean Blanc, Courchevel
....
and la piste des hommes, la piste des femmes and casserousse in Chamrousse where most probably I crossed my first skis and ended up as a snowball but I was way to small to remember
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
3, The Streif - Kitzbuhle - Austria (First thing in the morning, gets super icy though)
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Really? Other than for the race, I didn't think it was anything special. Actual race route is (laughably!!) an 'extreme ski route' rather than a piste though (piste winds across parts of it, IIRC).
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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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"Pierre a Ric, Grands Montets - Chamonix (in the morning when groomed, just straight line it) "
You what? Almost never (but not quite!) have I seen it fun.
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Gentiane - 4 vallees, even better if you started from Month Fort
Jerusalem for a piste piste
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You know it makes sense.
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Hmmm, on 4 vallees, back face of Mont Fort, in deep powder on 203 SL skis (circa 1992)
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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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luigi
+1 James Bond run.
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Poster: A snowHead
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A few shouts for 'La Face' in Val... nearly made my list in the first place!
And a good showing for 'Jerusalem' - can't believe I spent a season in the three valleys and missed/forgot that... Will have to have a look at the piste map
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Santa Crocoe in Pedraces, first thing in the morning before the lunchtime crowds get there. Fantastic makes a very average skier feel like a downhill racer
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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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Gotta join in - I agree with many of the above but got to mention a few not yet mentioned:
Combe de Vallon Meribel
Robert Blanc les Arcs
Triffolet Val d'isere
Marmottes Val d'isere
Any of the Naturides in Tignes (are they included?) Particularly the ultrasteep one from top of Toviere and one where you go thru the eye of the needle
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I don't get buzz about jeruselem, maybe I was on different 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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| patricksh wrote: |
| I don't get buzz about jeruselem, maybe I was on different piste... |
+1
Not really mentioned in this thread, but when in Sella Ronda area everyone raves about the Marmolada, 3 cramped cables cars to get there, then a long, long monotonous piste with no scenery, WHY, when almost everywhere else in the area is absolutely stunning. Well actually I do no why, it's for clocking up the miles and vert, if that's what floats your boat, that's fine with me. Means your not crowding the piste I am on .
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Kel wrote: |
| Santa Crocoe in Pedraces, first thing in the morning before the lunchtime crowds get there. Fantastic makes a very average skier feel like a downhill racer |
Oh Yeh baby.
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The headwall on Zursertali and the tuck at the end.
Madloch to Zug
Kandahar
Schindlarkar
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Wagrain - Rote8 top to bottom.
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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 Jerusalem including run into St Martin. Blue sky, empty piste and good snow essential!
+1 Sarrenne, though Tunnel/Rousses/Challets/Fare run would probably tip this.
Maybe a thread of best Piste combo from top to bottom would be good, I certainly enjoy long runs, uninterupted by lifts.
Tetras followed by the run into Meribel Village, to catch the last chair up is a very satisfying way to end a day ...
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One day of thaw late last season, when the off piste was particularly bad, we skied an empty piste in good condition for choice (something I have not done for years) and was reminded that carving fast down a piste can be fun too. However, I still hate icy bumps.
My distant memory of pistes particularly remembers the run from the Aiguille Rouge to Villaroger with affection. Also the Sache at Tignes, though most recently I skied the off piste version that includes the Mouse Hole (a dramatic hole through a rock face which accesses a slope that otherwise cannot be skied). I wonder how many snowheads have skied it.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Thu 11-10-12 11:03; edited 1 time in total
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