 Poster: A snowHead
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The Ski Club of GB website is reporting that Les 2 Alpes and Alpe d'Huez are to offer a joint 6-day liftpasss, with bus shuttle between the resorts, this winter.
More details in this report.
Any comments on this marital development?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think the season pass for both resorts has offered unlimited use of the other for a while now. The bus between the two is a good idea though.
What would really make a difference to me would be if they could get La Grave in as part of the arrangement...
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brian
brian
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Next up, a Paradiski style link from Bons to Auris.
They're probably only 2 or 3 miles apart. What's the longest cable car span at the moment ?
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2 Alpes and Alpe d'Huez offered a helicopter link for a while. This certainly wasn't in the liftpass!
As for La Grave entering the marriage, that would be a disaster. La Grave operates on a sacred philosophy of 'skier accepts all risks'. It's almost unique in Europe and can't be married with a conventional patrolled ski area. It should always be paid for separately and specifically - a bonding with Les 2 Alpes would swamp the La Grave lift and probably destroy the very magic that is that ski area.
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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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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
As for La Grave entering the marriage, that would be a disaster. La Grave operates on a sacred philosophy of 'skier accepts all risks'. It's almost unique in Europe and can't be married with a conventional patrolled ski area. It should always be paid for separately and specifically - a bonding with Les 2 Alpes would swamp the La Grave lift and probably destroy the very magic that is that ski area. |
weeelll... i agree that LG is a fantastic area and so on but i am not sure that making the ADH/LDA pass valid there would make all that much difference to it. It is pretty simple to access it from the LDA lifts now anyway so the question is whether the extra cost of buying a LG pass puts many people off. I would argue that it probably doesn't make all that much difference.
what would really be disasterous for LG would be putting a decent lift in - the tiny uphill capacity is what keeps it quiet IMO.
edit: i admit that my desire for LG to be covered by the other areas' passes is motivated by my own tightness 
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I believe Les 2 Alpes has always wanted to expand into the magic kingdom, but the skiers who support the La Grave area want to keep them out.
If memory serves me correct there was one year when La Grave couldn't afford to replace its gondola cable, but somehow they returned from the brink.
One day they will have to replace the whole gondola, and I guess that'll be the ultimate test of whether this magnificently independent ski area can keep its show on the road.
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| Arno wrote: |
| I think the season pass for both resorts has offered unlimited use of the other for a while now. The bus between the two is a good idea though. |
There is already a bus link provided by VFD and the existing 6 day lift pass allows some skiing in the other resort - the story is a bit of a none story (on behalf of the skclub I think) as the 2005/6 lift pass only allows 2 days in the other resort, is this any difference from the status quo, maybe an extra day or a free bus, anyone know details? The cable car link has been discussed for years but seems about as plausible as... well a link from Les Arcs to La Plagne by cable car.
In the 1950s there was a plan to link Aime la Plagne to the Maurienne by cable car via Courchevel. Only the Courchevel part got built. Hard to see the point of such things apart from an inter-resort p*ssing competition.
More interesting would be that 2005 will be the last year of summer skiing in l'Alpe d'Huez as the SATA have decided not to open the glacier next year... or the SATA's plans to extend into the environmentally sensitive Clavans valley.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Fri 28-10-05 20:13; edited 1 time in total
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| If memory serves me correct there was one year when La Grave couldn't afford to replace its gondola cable, but somehow they returned from the brink. . |
The lift company went bust in 1986 and the area was shut for 2 years. La Grave's finances seem to be quite sound now, there is a huge development going in on the car park by the bottom lift this year - a hotel or appartments I think.
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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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LDA liftpasses (6 days) allow free ski-ing at La Grave when the link is open. When it's not you have to pay. this has been going on for several years. LDA also offers free ski-ing to people with a 6 day pass for La Grave. Don't know about ADH though - I would think it's too far to go on a regular basis, and yes - great care is taken to keep the "punters" out of LG. Although we no longer have to walk across the top, the Piste basher pulley only works until 13.00. There's no reciprocal link from LG to LDA.
I've heard that plans are afoot to create a piste from LDA (Pied Moutet) down to Le Freney d'Oisans with a gondola back and ditto from/to Auris. this would create a ski across possibility which would be excellent, but would cost a fortune and the cannons would have to be super efficient. There's always been a weekly VFD bus to/from ADH/LDA and as previously mentioned the helicopter which is actually very good value when you think you get 2 heli rides into the bargain. Of course the TOs have traditionally run their own version (usually to Serre Che) and discourage Brits from knowing about local buses! 
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LDA and ADH is close together but could be quite a chore to commue from one to another.
From memory one has 10 hair pin bends while the other has 20 from the N91 road below. Going round 60 hair pin bends everyday isn't my idea to unwind.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Mon 31-10-05 23:48; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Does anyone know what the transfer time between the resorts would be and what time the last bus goes back from LDA to ADH??
How regular are the buses - I'm not always that good at sticking to a plan... 
Thanks
Simon
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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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Autoroute reports a distance of 20 miles requiring a 35 minutes journey. No idea about the bus service though.
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Simon L,
Having just driven down from LDA past the turning to ADH which I think is 13kms uphill, I would have thought 35-45 mins by car would be about right. The bus would take longer IMV
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You know it makes sense.
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It will take even longer when going through the hair pin bends with snow on them.
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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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I always reckon 1 hr - 1¼ hours between the two resorts by car. I don't know how far it is, but it's very tortuous. The regular bus goes on Weds and leaves each resort around 08.00 in the morning I think. Return leaves around 16.30. There's only one per week soSimon L, you'll have to get yourself organised. The helicopter take 5 mins, but only does 4-5 journeys a day with a max load of 5 per journey. You have to book it early in the week. It costs around €45 I think per person return - not bad at all IMHO.
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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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thanks for that -
easiski, it's not that I don't set out to be organised - I can plan to cover certain ground which is great off a map but when you get there it's a different matter and you see things you've just got to do - at the time you think yeah no problem I'll be back in no time but it doesn't always work out! Lift problems, queues ski buddy fatigue...
I've had a few near misses but I'm getting better at it - my most notable delays have centred around waiting for buddies at the bottom of icy decents and very nearly missing the last chair home...I mean you can't leave your wing man can you?
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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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saikee, Of course, real heliski-ing is against the law in France. 
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