@michebiche, doesn’t your apt have a locker you can leave them in? If you haven’t already I’d ask the owner/rental company for a solution? If that doesn’t work you may be able to leave them at the consignes at Medran. Call Televerbier +41277752511 to check. They can also advise you on the Le Chable option
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
The SBB website has a section where you can see the facilities available at each station. It says Le Chable does have lockers. See here.
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?
Thanks all. Will investigate the stations lockers but may risk it with the boot room (passports in pockets!)
Hello! first time poster - booked (free cancellation) with cheap flights to go to Verbier for a week from Saturday, 3 Feb for a week. Any recent weather / snow updates for the 4 Vallees?
Hoping the recent mild rainy weather hasn't done too much damage.
If it has, I might rebook for end Feb. Thanks!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Blue skies today. Last fresh was Sunday night I think condition good. No rain damage where I was. Rode fresh tracks yesterday and today. A bit icy before warmed up, excellent after. Rode tortin (a bit horrid) and mont fort today, plus general pootling about up and down.
Le Chable has some kind of lockers, 5chf. They look like ski storage to me. No real point as you can park right there.
4 riding days after the snow most stuff is tracked out, but you would expect that. Overall I expect coverage is low, but no hidden rocks or other issues from that. On piste all is great, including down to the village (but not cable).
Thanks @phil_w - much appreciated. I'm a piste skier, so great to hear that they're still in good nick
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@phil_w, we tootled over for a giggle. Tortin most unsavoury lower down despite a delightful opening. As was Chaussoure. Saw some folks running some nice lines down Mt Gèlé. Pistes fine.
Surprisingly busy
After all it is free
After all it is free
Yeah, we trotted over there again today also. Tortin was indeed Unsavoury! I thought death from skiers sliding down a significant risk. Moguls were small, but not in condition.
It wasn't us doing those lines today, could have been Steve Klassen who was setting up the fwt thing; he was there with a bloke in snow shepherd gear. In pink
Here's one we rode, but haven't got the shots yet.
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Was over doing the Rock Garden on Tuesday (well known off piste area along from Tortin). It had snowed the night before and conditions were superb. However after you have skinned to get there, climbed the last bit and skied the more difficult stuff, I would recommend paying attention when you get to the flat bit - particularly if your guide has his camera out.
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Anyone able to give a snow update? Particularly off-piste, got a lesson booked on Friday but wondering if it might be all a bit horrible by then
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
michebiche wrote:
Anyone able to give a snow update? Particularly off-piste, got a lesson booked on Friday but wondering if it might be all a bit horrible by then
Cancel it if you can
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.
That bad..? I have until end of tomorrow to cancel, some forecasts suggest a top-up on Thursday night but sounds like it might need more than that!
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
@michebiche, no top up likely! It's maybe actually good for an off piste course as conditions are, well, good for you!!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
michebiche wrote:
That bad..? I have until end of tomorrow to cancel, some forecasts suggest a top-up on Thursday night but sounds like it might need more than that!
Unless you want to practice moguls, death crust and transformed mush. I would stick to the pistes and itineraries which should be pleasant in the sunshine and warm temps
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@BobinCH, no spring snow due to no overnight freeze I assume?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Pistes and rose it is!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Chassoure has nice chalky smooth packed snow on the skiers right wall of the bowl, Tortin is nice-ish up high but transforms to icy moguls for the second half of the itinerary. Haven’t done more off-piste than that so far.
Kids are in ski school for the mornings this week so hoping to ski a bit of fun stuff while we are free but I think the options are limited. I’ve skied here a fair bit but never been up Mont Gele, wondering if it’s worth it?
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?
Also being Australian I’m quite partial to some slush bumps but don’t like my chances of them forming in the mornings while we are kid-free
La Tzoumaz, Sunday 4th Feb: Reporting as an occasional and piste-only skier - the conditions are far better than I expected when I arrived a few days ago. The north-facing Savoleyres slopes seem to be faring a bit better than the south-facing Verbier slopes in terms of afternoon softness. But overall, the base seems good. Last week’s freeze-thaw means that where the cover is thin and in shade (like the Etablons->télécabine run) it’s exposing ice, rather than ground. So make sure your edges are sharp and be prepared for the odd sudden ice spot transition. Apartment balcony temperature at 1500m is 11.5C in the shade at midday. Bright sunshine. So, lovely conditions for on-piste cruising, but a bit soft later in the afternoon and beware ice in the shade below 1800m or so.
La Tzoumaz village is significantly less deadly for pedestrians than it was last week, when freeze-thaw made many paths treacherous without shoe crampons. Much jollity all ‘round yesterday (Sat 3 Feb) around the opening of the Savoleyres sector luge run. There was an international parapentiste competition running off Croix de Coeur down to Verbier yesterday. Today seems a bit quieter.
Some in the group opted to take the télécabine down last thing, after yesterday when the combination of soft churned snow, ice in the shaded sections above Etablons, and busy Weekend slopes made the gondola a much more comfortable return home.
La Tzoumaz village is significantly less deadly for pedestrians than it was last week, when freeze-thaw made many paths treacherous without shoe crampons.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
As linked by BobInCH - A tunnel between Riddes and Isérables/La Tzoumaz has collapsed A dramatic video in the article in Le Nouvelliste as well as Bob’s links.
This means that to get to La Tzoumaz by car, you have to take a circuitous diversion, ascending via Fey through to Isérables. You then take the road from Isérables and rejoin the main road to La Tzoumaz above the closed tunnel. The main issue is that the road through Isérables is very narrow in places, and not suited to HGVs or coaches.
[update: the return route down is via Condémines and Nendaz, so as to separate uphill/downhill traffic]
Public transport links aren’t affected, as this uses the télépherique from Riddes to Isérables, then the PostBus from Isérables to La Tzoumaz. The tunnel between Isérables and La Tzoumaz is higher up than the collapsed one.
[update: the TRI (télépherique Riddes-Isérables) will now be free and extra buses are planned between Isérables and La Tzoumaz. Currently they’re hourly but with a 4 hour gap around lunchtime].
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Tue 6-02-24 15:34; edited 8 times in total
After all it is free
After all it is free
That’s going to be a nightmare getting to La Tzoumaz? That Iserables road is ridiculously narrow. How will they get the delivery lorries in?!??
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Local agency bulletin: ‘The road diversion leaves the motorway at Conthey (not Riddes), passes via Fey-Les Condémines-Isérables and is only accessible to light vehicles, meaning that HGVs and coaches can no longer access the La Tzoumaz resort. This is due to the fact that the narrow roads are only wide enough for a single vehicle to pass in many places. A system has been put in place to facilitate traffic within the village of Isérables to reduce the likelihood of traffic jams, as the proximity of buildings means there is insufficient space for vehicles to pass one another or turn around.
The public transport route is unaffected, via Riddes railway station, the Riddes-Isérables cable car, and then the public (mini)bus from Isérables to La Tzoumaz and vice versa. It is likely that the frequency of these services will soon be increased.’
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Mon 5-02-24 14:50; edited 1 time in total
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@LaForet, have you ever driven through Iserables? Narrow is an understatement
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@BobinCH Yes, once, in a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Never again. I’ve also seen a car drop off the unprotected edge of the road while reversing to let another vehicle pass.
For anyone travelling to La Tzoumaz or Nendaz this weekend (10/11.2.23) and using the train, there will be a bus replacement service between Martigny and Sion due to engineering works.
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.
@BobinCH, have I missed your TR/photo dump from Japan?
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
kitenski wrote:
@BobinCH, have I missed your TR/photo dump from Japan?
Love report:
Pistes are lovely, not too busy, blue skies
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@BobinCH, sorry for off-topic question, but are you still able to use Imgur to post images on snowHeads? Seems to have stopped working for me over the last couple of days.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
denfinella wrote:
@BobinCH, sorry for off-topic question, but are you still able to use Imgur to post images on snowHeads? Seems to have stopped working for me over the last couple of days.
I am but the method for uploading the photos from iPhone to Imgur seemed to change a few weeks back and there are now additional steps. Looking down from Mont Gelé on Sunday afternoon
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@BobinCH, thanks. I'm posting from desktop so it's a different process for me. (Do you have an account or do you just do it without signing in?)
Still looks like great cover up high!
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?
@denfinella, imgur works for me on a desktop browser
This following the dramatic collapse of one of the tunnels on the main route up from Riddes to La Tzoumaz.
Train/Télépherique(TRI)/PostBus
Access by public transport is perversely much easier now, thanks to additional transfer buses³ in the schedule. Buses now run half-hourly between the télépherique in Isérables and La Tzoumaz, connecting with increased frequency of the télépherique between Riddes and Isérables. Previously PostBuses were only hourly, with a big gap around lunchtime. When we came home yesterday on the new 07:14 from the La Tzoumaz télécabine, it all went smoothly and we connected with the train to Martigny and thence to inside GVA. Bustop to GVA station time was 2h:45m - a much more relaxing trip than in a rental car, with all the hassle and worry that entails. From what I saw, they've got an extra bus in reserve at Isérables in case the first bus is filled-up - we saw two buses arriving together on Wednesday, with occupants' skis loaded onto the back.
Navette connecting Riddes station and télépherique
This Weekend, thee will be a navette (free shuttle bus) running between the railway station and the gondola station in Riddes. Although it’s only about 300 metres, it’s uphill and would be a bit of a trek in ski boots or dragging a case, ski bag and boot bag.
By Road
Not so good - it now takes an hour+ to drive the 13kms between Riddes and La Tzoumaz. Between 08:00 and 20:00 there's a one-way circuit route¹. The upward route isn't that bad but the return route down to the valley floor is via Nendaz, which is further. The centre of Isérables has pretty narrow streets in places, which can be daunting, although access is controlled via traffic lights. Outside of the 'rush hours' when locals are coming up/down for work, the volume of traffic looked relatively light.
There is extensive free parking down in Riddes and day-trippers are being encouraged to park there and come up via the télépherique and bus. In fact, some people are commenting that this is better than the previous situation, where you'd drive up, then be searching for ages for free parking in the village (which was often distant from the centre by mid-morning). Parking in Riddes, you'll be walking less distance than if you parked in the big car park in La Tzoumaz, and you'll be dropped off right outside the ticket office.
On balance, if you're visiting La Tzoumaz without a lot of equipment or heavy luggage, I'd say this switches the preferred transfer to public transport as opposed to car rental. An advanced Saver Day Pass on SBB is CHF 52 which gives you access to any train any time and connecting télépheriques and PostBuses. If you decide car rental is still better/necessary, then budget an extra hour drive time. Just be aware that a large SUV or minivan will be a tight squeeze through the streets of Isérables.
Last Weekend, they organised further additional transfers using smaller coaches for a big Belgian TO group of 200 visitors, arriving in the village in one go. The assumption is that this will be repeated for similar, large tour groups, so that the public transport link won't get overwhelmed.
Rail Engineering Works 10-11 Feb Between Martigny & Sion
This Weekend only, there are engineering works scheduled that will close the line to local train services between Martigny and Sion. There will be a bus replacement service. This will be somewhat tedious for anyone coming by train. I would check the SBB timetable if you’re travelling this weekend.
_______________________________
Last edited by After all it is free on Sat 10-02-24 13:04; edited 8 times in total
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@LaForet, thank you for the information, that's most useful. Do you know if the frequency of the La Tzoumaz village ski bus has increased too?
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As of the day before yesterday, no, the village navette is still running the same schedule, but as of two days ago, it wasn’t busy as far as we could see. Perhaps a bit fuller when all the ski schools go up/down in the morning. IThe ski bus was also a bit busy down from Etablons at the Weekend with the lugeists. But nothing out of the ordinary.
The luge run is now open but they’re not allowed (nor would it be sensible) to do the last run down from Etablons to the télécabine as this is fairly narrow and at the moment, icy in places as well. So they have to take the navette back. Usually after some drinks in the bar there ….
Just amended the above to add that there is also a navette running between Riddes station and the Riddes télépherique station this Weekend. It’s only about 300m but uphill and would be a pain if you’re in ski boots and carrying skis and poles, or lugging a roller case / boot bag / ski bag.
Overall, now the initial issues have subsided, I’d say that the tunnel closure isn’t a catastrophe for anyone booked to go to La Tzoumaz. If you were transferring from GVA by public transport already, then if anything, the extended schedules make it easier than it was before. If you are renting a car, then yes, you have to budget an extra 60+ minutes for the journey, but at least you’ll be prepared for the re-routing.
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