Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!
Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

TR: Pointe de Gargotton, Couloir NW
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead

Today's objective, set by M., was the North Belledonne. I had in mind the iconic Gargotton summit. You can see this as you come down the autoroute from Chambery and turn up to Albertville. You can see the peak to the east. The couloir has snow right through to May but it is steep and best tackled with stabilized powder. That means not going on a risk 4 day after 50cm of fresh but being a bit patient.



We planned to ski the large couloir in the shade, straight off the summit.



It was a long climb from the snowline at 780m to the summit at 2400 and quite warm



M. needed a drink before we traversed along the ridge to the summit



The first turns were a couple of cm of powder on hard ice, not my favourite conditions but it soon turned to excellent powder





Lower down the snow was better mixed with a bit of sun



Not the best powder ever but on a relatively open, steep slope like this you have a choice between mad faceshots and relative safety



There was a lot of surface hoar between 1700->1000m which will form a weak layer after new snowfall. Crusty on south facing slopes but this melts off in the afternoon. Powder of various types on North sector slopes and in the trees.


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 19-02-13 22:41; edited 1 time in total
snow conditions
snow conditions
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

Snow looks ideal!
snow conditions
snow conditions
 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?

Looks a fair old pitch on the kick turn photo and descent - see why you didn't go crazy.
latest report
latest report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.

davidof, great pics and write up snowHead
ski holidays
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

davidof, you're having a good season Very Happy
snow conditions
snow conditions
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.

that looks like a great line - thanks for sharing
snow conditions
snow conditions
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

As I said to M. at the entrance of the couloir-

"Today is the feast of St Gabin
He that outlives this day, and skis safe home,
Will stand tall when this day is named.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say “To-morrow is Saint Gabin.”
Then will he point to the far off Summit and say
“That couloir I skied on St Gabin’s day.
And friends in England now in bed
Shall think themselves cursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap while any speaks
of our descent on Saint Gabin's day.
latest report
latest report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!

davidof, Very Happy
snow report
snow report



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy