 Poster: A snowHead
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Can anyone tell me which of the sestriere runs and lifts are currently closed. The death earlier this year of the young girl has meant some of been poo-poo all year but I can’t seem to work out which ones they are and what the effect has had for sestriere
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sestriere opens its ski resort from Dec 7, 2019.
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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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I see that snow-making has been taking place, as well as the good recent falls of the real stuff:
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Lots more snow expected this weekend too....
The accident last year happened at the top of Mt Fraiteve. It’s the top of the mountain which is shared by Sestriere and Sauze - basically no effect on the Sestriere area, but affects Sauze’s area. I can’t recall the piste colour, but it was a section at the top with wind breaks either side and the poor child crashed into a wind break. I don’t know if that section will be open or if some mitigation has been put in place. However, last year we used the diversions and it was fine, but I think beginners did not have a great option to navigate around it. I will see if I can find out the position and report back.
When Sestriere Spa (lift company) did their commercial presentation earlier in the month, I don’t recall the issue being mentioned. They did mention a number of new lifts going in over the next year or two though ..... that would be great as there some areas that are under-exploited.
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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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James from Sauze online put on his FB page that the Blue from the top of Mt Fraiteve back to Sauze will be open again this year, I always find the blacks are easier than that section of blue. It would be much easier for nervous skiers if they put some sort of barrier on the edge of the blue, not sure if that is possible?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Jim,
Yes, I must say the blacks are (as far as I can remember) about as easy as it gets, but the blue is quite exposed and beginners must feel as if they are going to ski over the edge (even though that’s not a real risk). Some of the netting down either side for 100m would make it feel safer, especially in low vis or high wind.
Having said all that, there are lots of runs all over the Alps that look, or are, much worse. I think it’s just that most runs in Via Lattea lack that sense of, “oh ****, if I go off here it’s curtains” so this run feels slightly out of keeping.
I’m glad it’s open again, and I notice on the webcams that the area at the top of Fraiteve has been enlarged to reduce crowding. Hopefully, that is indicative of them improving that whole transit area at the summit of Fraiteve.
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Wow, the snow on top of the lift canopy has doubled over the weekend.
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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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Mmmmm road trip Tuesday me thinks 
That said will be driving through Oulx and Cesana tomorrow back from Val Thorens
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The Sestriere Facebook page shows some great depth (as does the Prali FB page). I think Prali were saying they had 80/90cm yesterday, so presumably a bit more by today.
What a great start to the season!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Nice depth in the kids' area:
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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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Checked in here yesterday for the week and the town was very busy on the first sunny Saturday after all the snow. Conditions are pretty good, it's quite hard under the fresh stuff but got enough for me. Cover is good, not been off piste yet so can't comment on that.
A lost kid meant we lost out on a few hours but the piste patrol found him eventually to great relief. Never lost one before in 8 family ski holidays and he is 12 and quite capable so we count ourselves lucky.
Forecast is sunny all week so I suppose it will get steadily scraped but no particular warmth to soften the snow ready to freeze hard overnight.
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100% sunny again today. We went down to Sauze d'Oulx where it is a lot icier. I think the half of Turin that weren't here yesterday came out today.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Apart from being a bit warmer, today was a carbon copy of yesterday. If it gets any warmer I'll need a lighter jacket, which I left at home.
It must have been quieter today, as there was no gridlock at 1630, but there were still some huge queues to be endured.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Groundhog Day or New Year's Eve? Sunny and quite warm again today. Great snow, when some of the hard bits under the soft stuff were softening in places. The worst crowds seemed to stay away today, must be getting ready for their parties.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It was a bit colder today, with a wind at altitude that strengths in the afternoon, scouring the scrapings from the more exposed pistes. The base is now very hard. Fingers crossed it will be a little warmer tomorrow, allowing for some softening in the sun.
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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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There was some high cloud about today, and the wind has mostly dropped. The temp dropped as the day wore on, we found some quite soft conditions early on, on the way down to Sansicario. Crossed over to Claviere side and found generally better snow there, but had to return for lunch to meet the ski-schoolers.
Most of the slopes above Sauze d'Oulx are very hard and badly scraped, thankfully I sharpened by board edges before heading out this morning. Stones, muck and vegetation showing through in many places, esp on the blues that beginners side slip down.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Our last day, and after clearing out of the flat by a record 0915, we went over to Montegenevre to make the most of our passes. Again, the snow was much better at Claviere than much of Sestriere and Sauze, and mostly better in Montegenevre. Is that down to being less popular I wonder? The one exception was the red slope of piste 100, which was smooth boilerplate from poles to poles, all the scrapings were being blown clean away by a string wind. Vile!
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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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Any one out there at the moment? Heading there for a weekend in a week's time and keen to know what conditions are like. Hopefully snow making has been compensating for lack of the real stuff
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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My dad gets there Monday night so I’ll hear if (that’s a big if) he has Wi-Fi and update if possible
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I'm going out to Sauze on Saturday for a couple of weeks so I'll try to send a report or two. If I forget please feel free to pm me to remind me.
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@esaw1, how is it looking out there?
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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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Any updates? Heading to Sauze on Sunday
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So we had Thursday to Sunday out there. There had been a bit of snow over the weekend before and the slopes are in really good condition. We also got a very small top up on Friday afternoon and a dusting on Sunday.
We skied the Sestriere side and over to Sauze and Sansicario. Didn't ever head right to the villages on the Sauze side, but the long run back into Sestriere was fine all the way down.
It was first time I've skied there and highly recommend it. Long runs, plenty of tree-lined runs, quiet slopes and good food at decent prices. One or two slow lifts - the 2 man chair back up the very last bit from Sauze to the Gondola top over to Sest, being the most notable.
One thing to note is that its principally red and black runs, you'd have a miserable time if you were a blue only beginner.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Here now, fly in early Sun before the storms hit so also gave me the advantage of a whole extra afternoon.
Lovely bluebird day with everything open. Tour rep was very pleased to hear the ice had softened up as apparently last week was one from hell.
Strong winds yesterday and today making only a few lifts open, all the long ones to the top of Motta closed and the Sises ones have only been open in the mornings.
Had a dusting over night which was nice but not badly enough to cover up the rain frozen tracked out between piste.
Apparently the winds will die down and also strained my lower back today so taking a half day in the sauna to recover and hopefully get back up the top of Motta and over into Sauze/Sansicario tomorrow.
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