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So much snow, doesn't get much better than this, and then they shut the resort :)

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
This was yesterday in the trees - just another good day - and not bad considering various mates passed on the trip saying you never get any snow in the Pyrenees Smile

Just an average day in the Pyrenees, considering it never really snows that much from Weathercam
http://vimeo.com/59165967

And then today when they shut the resort due to too much snow, it was a 5 out of 5 day, so we weren't going off doing steep bowls !

And believe it or not we're skiing "blacks" but with the amount of snow, and the built in slope reduction function of a GoPro Smile looks like a green !

We like lifts being shut :) from Weathercam
http://vimeo.com/59167934
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Impressive dedication! Looks awesome - almost enough to convince me hiking uphill might occasionally be worthwhile wink
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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?
Yep I've skied blacks on a couple of occasions where if you turned you were toast. World's slowest falline runs. Still better than the alternative
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nice ... you cant sit in on a day like that !!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Powder always makes me smile. And Fleetwood Mac as well. Thanks. Very Happy
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I don't want to get all health & safety, but... are you awfully sure it's wise to go touring when the avy risk is 5/5, and on closed runs at that? Strikes me as a tad risky, to say the least.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
sah,

I thought the same, but didn't want to sound like my mum (and I'm in my fifties!!!) Little Angel
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Quote:

Strikes me as a tad risky, to say the least.


Yes well, I don't want to sound like my mum either, but even a twisted knee could leave someone well out of pocket - can't imagine any commercial insurance policy coughing up for a rescue on closed runs, or off piste with 5/5 avy risk.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
It is possible for grown ups to make their own decisions re risk evaluation and adopt that radical form of insurance known as self insurance. Conditions which are sufficient to lead a lift company to a decision to close for the day do not mean all and every bit of terrain is a death trap nor that the inviduals who choose to ski are taking a much greater risk than those who say choose to go ice skating or a walk for the day.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Quote:

adopt that radical form of insurance known as self insurance.

sure - I do that a lot. For example I don't insure against cancellation, theft of equipment, lost passport, or any of that stuff. I just wouldn't want to shell out for a helicopter or a severe injury (my recent injury could have been self-insured, it didn't cost much at all). But the "skiing against local advice" clause which is in just about all policies (including my snowcard "extreme adventure" which includes off piste without a guide) is a catch all. As long as people understand the situation, no problem. I tend to be a bit haunted by that story of the families of the lad killed in Tignes, whose family faced a very large bill indeed for search and rescue. But then I'm old enough to be my mother. wink
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
fatbob wrote:
It is possible for grown ups to make their own decisions re risk evaluation and adopt that radical form of insurance known as self insurance. Conditions which are sufficient to lead a lift company to a decision to close for the day do not mean all and every bit of terrain is a death trap nor that the inviduals who choose to ski are taking a much greater risk than those who say choose to go ice skating or a walk for the day.


It is entirely possible to make your own decisions. Is it not reasonable to ask why or how such a decision was made, especially when such actions are posted on a public forum?

Avy risk of 5/5 pretty much does mean that all ski-able terrain is a potential death trap (the definition of 5 is "Numerous large-sized and often very large-sized natural avalanches can be expected, even in moderately steep terrain."). And a black run is what, 25 degrees+, certainly entering the most avalanche prone angles even is the risk was 3 or 4. Also, if the slope is closed then there is every chance the avalanche control work can be going on, perhaps the OP knew otherwise for that area?

I'm not having a go at anyone, I'm genuinely curious.
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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.
If it helps any on the 6th it was risk 4 above 1500 meters, risk 4 dropping to 3 below that altitude. Bareges is at 1250m so they could have been in risk 3 territory that day.

Given the conditions in the video not much chance of a helicopter rescue Happy
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 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
Ah, then I misunderstood the OP:

Quote:

And then today when they shut the resort due to too much snow, it was a 5 out of 5 day, so we weren't going off doing steep bowls !
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
On the day when the resort was shut (Thursday) that was because the road to the only lift area (two miles out of Bareges) was shut due to the avalanche threat to the main access road.

We knew the resort would be shut and had various conversations with locals (ski guides / instructors) the night before as to what our best options would be, and devised a plan accordingly. And on the day we were not the only ones who had the same plan. That of skinning up from the village up the piste (Bareges is the second oldest ski resort with the funiculaire going from the centre now closed down due to age) in the protection of the forest which was instigated by Louis XIV to protect the village.

We then skinned to the top of the old funiculaire station in safe conditions, again passing and coming across others, I was probably the most aware of the tragedy that occurred in Tignes in December and that thought was going through my mind but such was the route we took it was safe (as far as we knew).

Once down in the restaurant above the village we came across two guides (Henri & Baptiste) who had done the same route, with the descent down through the trees. The final descent down the piste back into the village after lunch was bonkers with the world and their wife out on snow shoes, walking up the middle of the piste scowling at us skiing down.

Once back down, and in the bar later (run by Christian boss of the ski school) we focused on Friday, by then they knew that four lifts would be open, so in the morning we went up on the ski bus in the hope that the open lifts might give us better access, which was a bad move as we should just have skinned up as we only used the drag (that you don't need a pass for) that gives you access to all the forest as we were not about to go doing any open faces.

There were a fair number of boarders and skiers tracking the pistes that's why we stuck to the trees, and again at lunch time bumped into various groups and guides all with stupid smiles on their faces. It was at lunch time that the pisteurs came in announcing that they were shutting the main car park and that cars would have to be driven in convoy back down accompanied by the Police.

So we were more than aware of the situation and did make a decision based on the conditions, and yes I'm not too sure what would have happened had one of us fecked ourselves, though if you seriously thought we were going to pass on a day like that, that's the gamble sometimes you have to take, in much the same way as I kite / windsurf in big seas and strong winds.

Was damn good though Very Happy

This pic shows the area with the red line being the drag - and the black line the sort of area of the forest we did, with pistes being fairly obvious along with the piste back into the village, you can spot the old funiculaire running through the forest and at times in the vids of us skiing in the trees.

And finally I was wearing my ABS bag but no way did I have the handle attached, let some of you theorise why Smile

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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Oh and this is the vid from Friday, about a metre or more on top of Wednesday Smile

Bareges tree skiing in The Pyrenees from Weathercam
http://vimeo.com/59298434
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Weathercam, makes a lot more sense now. Thanks for all the info! So, it wasn't a piste that would have had any chance of avalanche control going on then. Glad I asked now; this does seem a fairly sensible day out after all:-)
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Weathercam wrote:
And finally I was wearing my ABS bag but no way did I have the handle attached, let some of you theorise why Smile


Because you didn't want to catch it on something (e.g. tree branch)? Must admit I skied with mine the whole day yesterday without the handle attached, but if I was in serious avalanche terrain I'd attach the handle.
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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?
Even more gutted that sis sold her gaff in Peyragudes Sad

Weathercam, Looks out of this world.
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Mate who had to leave Bareges on Saturday due to them evacuating the village, went to Cautaret, and guess what, they've closed the resort there!

He's driving around the Pyrenees trying to find resorts that are open, he's actually hoping to get back to Bareges later this week.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Met snowheads in Chez Louisette (see plan above) on Friday, just signed up. My last day skiing in Bareges. Final run, with Matthias our guide, Battiste and Jerome, was a big traverse well past the furnicular and then powder all the way to Betpouey on the road between Bareges and Luz St Sauveur. Amazing! Mid thigh powder on Telemarks! Nothing wrong with the Pyrenees.
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