 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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@willhanson, holding up fine as I left on Saturday.
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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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| willhanson wrote: |
Hello,
A group of us are heading to Morzine for the first time at the end of February. I have looked a various forecasts and can see that there seems to be no snow in the next week or two.
Is this likely to be a problem for us at the end of the month or is the snow holding up well at present? |
it will be fine - there is currently a good cover the higher you go and temps continue to stay cold to aid snow making lower down. No need to worry and enjoy your trip.
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| kitenski wrote: |
| back to reality, huge thanks to all the helpful info posted on here..... |
Looking very pro 
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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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@willhanson, it’s absolutely fine on piste, other than on some busy/sunny bits over in Switzerland. We skied Chatel, Avoriaz, Les Gets (down to Perrieres and Chavannes) and the circuit last week. Other than some unpleasant brown bits on the circuit the pistes are great, including skiing back to morzine by Piste B or Retout Nantes. It’s going to be v cold this week so any gaps can be fillled by cannon - other than the aforementioned brown bits that really do need a top up.
Off piste v chopped up though - which is to be expected.
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| snoozeboy wrote: |
The good news is that Gabelou is back open from tomorrow.
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Just an FYI in that - someone (a bloke down the pub) told me on Friday that it would be running at only 13 chairs per hour, which I considered so ridiculous I thought he had to be wrong. And he was. Just drove past it and counted, just under 4 chairs per minute, so total capacity of ~900 pax/hour, around a half of it's nominal rate.
So given the normal relatively low usage, I don't think we're going to be seeing bit lift queues building up. which is nice.
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| andy from embsay wrote: |
@willhanson, it’s absolutely fine on piste, other than on some busy/sunny bits over in Switzerland. We skied Chatel, Avoriaz, Les Gets (down to Perrieres and Chavannes) and the circuit last week. Other than some unpleasant brown bits on the circuit the pistes are great, including skiing back to morzine by Piste B or Retout Nantes. It’s going to be v cold this week so any gaps can be fillled by cannon - other than the aforementioned brown bits that really do need a top up.
Off piste v chopped up though - which is to be expected. |
To add to Andy - the brown areas are generally always problem areas due to lack of snow making on these pistes that often southerly facing.
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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
| snoozeboy wrote: |
The good news is that Gabelou is back open from tomorrow.
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Just an FYI in that - someone (a bloke down the pub) told me on Friday that it would be running at only 13 chairs per hour, which I considered so ridiculous I thought he had to be wrong. And he was. Just drove past it and counted, just under 4 chairs per minute, so total capacity of ~900 pax/hour, around a half of it's nominal rate.
So given the normal relatively low usage, I don't think we're going to be seeing bit lift queues building up. which is nice. |
We used Gabelou on the first day (Saturday) and it was fine - no queues and other than bigger gaps between the chairs all seemed to be normal. Emergency power cable in view!
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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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@andy from embsay, Chapeau mate.
Given what happened, I was gonna give it a few days before chancing my arm / life.
Thanks for taking one for the team.
This photo could have been taken just moments before something very bad happened.
Please post a picture of today's Dauphine to show you're still alive.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
| someone (a bloke down the pub) told me on Friday that [Gabelou] would be running at only 13 chairs per hour, which I considered so ridiculous I thought he had to be wrong. And he was. |
I think I know where he got confused. There was an announcement that said that only a quarter of the usual number of chairs would be left on the line, bringing the total number down from 52 to 13.
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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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@denfinella, Makes sense, I hadn't seen that announcement; but I don't think it was correct anyway (or the estimate was later changed) as my own observations suggest that they've only reduced the number of chairs by half. No, I didn't count them all, but as well as the chair-per-minute rate the gaps between them were about double that on the PdS chair going the other way, not four times as spaced out.
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You know it makes sense.
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| DJL wrote: |
What about the gulleys to the left of the road running from Mossettes to Grande Conche, near the cross on the left? Where would they sit in the list? |
I wanted to include these, but to be honest I don't know them very well, and when I've occasionally been tempted to try, they've been unpleasantly sharky for the top section. I guess maybe between the Wall and Death on my list, if there's anyone who knows them and can rank (or name?) them, please jump in
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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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@shep, It was the one with the rock in the middle - so Death (nice).
Funnily enough the guide sent me in first as I was young and disposable back in the day.
I obviously made it look harder than it was, as he decided it was too hard for the others and then took them into Les Crosets via the t-bar from the bottom of Cubore. Had I known it was cheerily named "Death" I sure as hell wouldn't have been volunteering to go first 
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Poster: A snowHead
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While we're on off piste type stuff, what are folks thoughts on where to find some off piste fun under current conditions? Arriving Champery on Saturday and looking at stuff like Happy Valley, faces off Croix de l'Hiver, Cubore couloirs and Sattellite/other side of Tete de Lindarets.
Also for doing the tour on boards (can ride drags but kinda rather not) which way round would you go given Gabelou is back and Corbeau run appers to be closed?
Am happy boarding most stuff and well used to less than ideal condition in Scotland!
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 6-02-23 16:48; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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@scottishandy, Well you'll not be surprised to know you won't find any powder, other than maybe first pitch of Vallée de la Manche (I heard there's still pockets up around Refuge de Boston, but that's a hike). Elsewhere there's lots of nice chalky off-piste in the places you mention. The traverse into Happy Valley is rock city, def a bootpack if boarding.
I think the clockwise circuit is slightly more boarder friendly, and misses the one T-bar that's unavoidable going the other way. Don't dismiss doing the bus link Linga->Chatel, on a cold morning it can be more pleasant than three long chairs back-to-back...
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@shep, Cheers, sounds more positive than the icy moguls I was imagining!
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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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| scottishandy wrote: |
Also for doing the tour on boards (can ride drags but kinda rather not) which way round would you go given Gabelou is back and Corbeau run appers to be closed? |
Worth remembering that the Corbeau chair is always open for downlift, although of course you'll have needed to use the long Chalet Neuf button and the shorter Ecottis T-bar draglifts to get there. Doing it the other way you still need to use the Culet T-bar, which is one where I've seen more people having problems, with quite a jerky take-off sometimes lifting unprepared folks right off their skis,
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@shep, a chap in one of the shops Friday was saying with skins you could still access fresh tracks (but that was before it warmed up over the weekend!)
@scottishandy, there was some very nice side of piste stuff around Combe Du Machon on Saturday, wind blown snow deposited from Jean Vuarnet above!
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I suspect the warming on Friday and Sat did for any last north facing spots of fresh. I was out touring last Weds and the snow was pretty poor on all aspects, including northerly. Some OK chalky stuff here and there but inconsistent. Might be the odd high up couloir holding onto a few turns worth but I'd be quite surprised at PDS altitudes (and considering how long it's been down and how many folk were out touring in the small area we were in!).
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How was yesterday’s snowfall?
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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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Can you get from Chatel to Avoriaz at the moment without having to go by bus to Pre-La-Joux, i’d heard one lift was taken out by a landslide at Christmas
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@OuatteDePhoque,
That was Ski School,
Death is the first one and Poubelle goes off Death via a short and high traverse to the right.
I skied death a couple of times last week. Really nice grippy snow and no bumps to be seen. The rock half way down was surprisingly small.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Ozboy wrote: |
How was yesterday’s snowfall?
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As uninspiring as expected. It snowed heavy for about 20 mins, put down 5+ cm and then stopped.
Ah well, pistes are nice, it's still cold and sunny weather. Glass half full.
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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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| Thunderer21 wrote: |
| Can you get from Chatel to Avoriaz at the moment without having to go by bus to Pre-La-Joux, i’d heard one lift was taken out by a landslide at Christmas |
Yes
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@Chaletbeauroc, my mate (a very decent skier) got completely wiped out on Chalet Neuf button on Saturday. Very odd - he’s a pretty big lad (100kg I guess) and it heaved him right off his feet at the take-off and landed heavily on his back. I’ve never found that one too bad - unlike the écotis drag that jerks me about 3’ in the air!
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You know it makes sense.
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| andy from embsay wrote: |
| @Chaletbeauroc, my mate (a very decent skier) got completely wiped out on Chalet Neuf button on Saturday. Very odd - he’s a pretty big lad (100kg I guess) and it heaved him right off his feet at the take-off and landed heavily on his back. I’ve never found that one too bad - unlike the écotis drag that jerks me about 3’ in the air! |
Happens to me every time especially the one on the left. Cannot wait until they are finally replaced.
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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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@Ozboy, this was the left one!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Thunderer21 wrote: |
| Can you get from Chatel to Avoriaz at the moment without having to go by bus to Pre-La-Joux, i’d heard one lift was taken out by a landslide at Christmas |
It's faster to PLJ by bus especially during peak times due to the bottleneck at Linga gondola. Its a shame they seem to have permanently the Forrestiere run that was designed to take skiers form Super Chatel directly to Lac Vonnes to meet Gabelou which would have broken the monotony of having to download PDS chair. The run was only open for one season and has been fully equipped with snow making. The official reason for closure is due to instability and land slides - but locals seem to think the lift company did not obtain the correct land approvals and is now subject to legal action.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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One man's monotony is another man's quiet reflection, appreciation of some very nice views, quick dram of whatever's in my hip flask...
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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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Hmmm weather not looking good next week… 
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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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| Ozboy wrote: |
| Thunderer21 wrote: |
| Can you get from Chatel to Avoriaz at the moment without having to go by bus to Pre-La-Joux, i’d heard one lift was taken out by a landslide at Christmas |
It's faster to PLJ by bus especially during peak times due to the bottleneck at Linga gondola. Its a shame they seem to have permanently the Forrestiere run that was designed to take skiers form Super Chatel directly to Lac Vonnes to meet Gabelou which would have broken the monotony of having to download PDS chair. The run was only open for one season and has been fully equipped with snow making. The official reason for closure is due to instability and land slides - but locals seem to think the lift company did not obtain the correct land approvals and is now subject to legal action. |
A few years back after some heavy rain a number of the footpaths over that side were closed due to landslide risk so it might be true.
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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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cu8406 - Fairly cold and sunny, what's not to like? Perfect half-term weather.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| doddsie wrote: |
| cu8406 - Fairly cold and sunny, what's not to like? Perfect half-term weather. |
Next week (from monday ish) currently looking very mild... And potentially staying that way until halfterm week, but obviously that's off in FI...
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Next week is UK half-term in most places and I think the average holiday maker next week with their kids will like the dry sunny weather. Hopefully it will also be cold enough to make some snow overnight. But as stated outside of the next 5 days we're kind of guessing what's going to happen.
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| doddsie wrote: |
| Next week is UK half-term in most places and I think the average holiday maker next week with their kids will like the dry sunny weather. Hopefully it will also be cold enough to make some snow overnight. But as stated outside of the next 5 days we're kind of guessing what's going to happen. |
Apologies - not half term around here until the week after so I'd assumed that was the case for most places  However, whether it's half term or not, next week (from 12/13th ish) is looking very warm on the current model runs. No chance of snow making I wouldn't have thought. It does look dry and sunny though which will suit a lot of people but certainly the lower pistes are desperate for a top up and won't stand much of a thaw.
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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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@Dashed, Not sure where you're looking, but on the forecasts I look at I'm seeing daytime highs hardly above zero at village level, freezing overnight, so although not exceptionally cold, and I grant you the forecast sunshine, it's hardly a heat wave and they'll certainly be able to run snow-making in those temperatures.
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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
| @Dashed, Not sure where you're looking, but on the forecasts I look at I'm seeing daytime highs hardly above zero at village level, freezing overnight, so although not exceptionally cold, and I grant you the forecast sunshine, it's hardly a heat wave and they'll certainly be able to run snow-making in those temperatures. |
Bergfex currently showing 16 degrees at 1000m in Morzine on Monday and the 3 ensemble models I looked at on the 6z and 12z runs are all showing daytime highs of 5-6 degrees (or higher) at 1500m ish.
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FAQ
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) (from Fornet chair)
