 Poster: A snowHead
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@HammondR, ian't there a train every half hour sometime? Fournier made a big thing of it ...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@under a new name, Yup, every half hour through the peak periods in winter (14 dec to 29 march), but only every hour during the off season (13 sept to 13 dec): https://www.chamonix.com/sites/default/files/media/brochures/Chamonix-hiver_2025_affiches_A0-HD2.pdf
Best start in ages here in the valley, some grand skiing this past week, and CdMB have released projected opening for Les Houches as well as GM and Flegere next weekend to go with GM and Flegere this weekend. Snow was already starting to get a wee bit sun affected on more southerly aspects yesterday but it's still well good out
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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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@under a new name, @Grum p, well it appears (and not for the first time) that I am talking out of my rear end. As a regular user of this train to get back to Argentiere from the end of the Berard valley at Buet it has always been hourly when I have been in need.
It was always one of the valley’s ironies that the train was every 30 minutes in summer (with a late last train), and mostly hourly when demand is high in the winter. With an inconveniently early last train if a knees up in the Buet Hotel is in order.
I must update myself.
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@HammondR, it would also help if it didn’t stop in Cham for 15-20 mins 
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Belated thanks for all the train info, will be v useful for future trips! I had great plans to travel over on Friday night for a legendary opening day, unfortunately the Airbus recall had other plans for me and I spent Friday night in a very noisy hotel near Gatwick and most of Saturday travelling and got to Grands Montets on Saturday exactly as thr lifts shut. So I ended up touring at le Tour (again) to the midstation and skiing down on slightly crunchy snow in the dark on Saturday, then heading up to GM today - skied out of course, with snow already quite transformed, but still good fun. Looks like rain in town from next weekend but a ton of snow higher up...
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V nice top up of soft snow at GM today and Pierre a Ric is open...
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Had a shortish outing up Le Tour yesterday. Pistes mostly firm, clearly been a bit of wind (and föhn) scour, some stones around, especially on home run, but all very skiable.
Surprisingly not very busy (thankfully) - echoed by the folks in Concept who'd had a fairly quiet couple of days.
15cms to freshen would be welcome (and obvs, any more than that too!)
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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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@Shiteslush, have you ever been to Chamonix? Have you actually ever been skiing?
I doubt it.
You are surely an idiot however.
Skiing today up Grands Montets quiet after 13:00 and smooth chalky snow in Lavancher bowl. Pierre à Ric as good as it ever gets.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Has anyone been to Les Houches the last couple of days please? How is it? Just arriving it Chamonix with a beginner and I usually take them to LH to begin with
Cheers
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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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@PortSki, top runs will be OK.
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Hey everyone!
Hope you’re all doing great. I’m heading to Chamonix in mid-February and super excited to hit Vallée Blanche. Last time I went in January, Vallée Blanche was closed because of low snow, so I’m a bit worried about that happening again. Anyone have the scoop on what the conditions are looking like this year?
Also, we’re planning to grab a 7-day unlimited Mont Blanc skipass, so if anyone knows about discounts or deals for high season, that’d be awesome. It’ll just be me and my son on the slopes.
Thanks a ton for the help!
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm almost afraid to ask, but how are conditions at Chamonix for someone flying out on Wednesday?
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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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@dingbat, Grands Montets was still holding up really well on Sunday - off piste actively pleasant and chalky where it has been skied. The bottom skiers left of the Combe de la Pendant (where it rejoins Arolles) was apparently not great, we kept right and cut back into Chamois to avoid it. Pistes a bit skiddy in my touring skis but cover still good. You'll be arriving with the new precipitation though so things may look very different by then!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Leo K, hi Leo, at present the VB is being recommended for expert ski mountaineers only but it is a bit early to say what things will be like by mid Feb - there is a positive forecast for more snow coming in next week.
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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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Thanks @under a new name & @schauspiele.
Fingers crossed so!
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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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| dingbat wrote: |
| I'm almost afraid to ask, but how are conditions at Chamonix for someone flying out on Wednesday? |
Whatever the conditions are, you can be comforted by the fact that they're much better than whatever our favourite US commentator is seeing in Colorado.
The Vail webcams showing bare slopes, and <1ft of cover at the summit, are mysteriously offline...
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Leo K, how old is your son? They usually have an age limit for the VB. By 'They' I mean the guides rather than the lift.
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@ed123, He’s twelve. He started snowboarding when he was six and has ridden in Georgia and Austria. That said, I don’t actually plan to take him to the VB with me — even though he’s really keen and keeps pushing for it. I’ve got over 20 years of freeride experience myself, but for VB specifically I’m not planning to go with a guide or take him along.
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@Leo K, I think that's terribly cruel! 
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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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@under a new name, What do you mean?
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Good to see Cham getting some freshy.
They needed it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Posettes is well-known for its (high) avalanche risk.
RIP, bro.
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@Leo K, VB solo without a guide goes against the conventional advice due to the crevasse danger. Fall in one, snow bridge failing or wrong turn, and what would often be survivable if with a group/guide could easily be fatal. If you Google doing it solo, which you may already have done, you will find accounts where people do it with no drama but that doesn't necessarily mean that you won't have drama
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You know it makes sense.
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@Leo K, depriving your son of the VB experience? 
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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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Big slide up the Grands today, on the approach to Rochasses. Have not heard any news since was reported but mobilised a sizeable force of searchers.
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Poster: A snowHead
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A car was seen driving down a trail in Les Houches, a few days ago.
Anyone see it?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| under a new name wrote: |
| Big slide up the Grands today, on the approach to Rochasses. Have not heard any news since was reported but mobilised a sizeable force of searchers. |
Pictures here, thankfully no one caught.
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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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@schauspiele, yeah saw those yesterday 
Mrs U up the Grands today. I'm sick. She's reporting the snow (on piste) as very good. And her skis have delaminated again. OOps.
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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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@under a new name, I know nobody cares, but it's really weirding me out seeing 'the Grands' used as a noun.
Sorry. 
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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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@KSH, Titter.
I'm afraid I've just rather adopted it as it's what the French all use
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| under a new name wrote: |
@KSH, Titter.
I'm afraid I've just rather adopted it as it's what the French all use |
Is it? How utterly bizarre.
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@KSH, well, all the local French (and Swedish) that I know round here.
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| Whitegold wrote: |
A car was seen driving down a trail in Les Houches, a few days ago.
Anyone see it? |
Surprised more folks haven’t spotted this.
Driving cars on ski trails is getting popular on the socials.
One in Chamonix (Les Houches) last week.
One in Troodos (Cyprus) a few days ago.
Welcome to snow rodeo.
Clip of the car, shredding a bluerun, in Les Houches, here.
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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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What a pleasant surprise!
Very gentle snow all day yesterday. Aimed to go up Les Grands (@KSH, ) but the car park was chocka. So having spent quite a bit of time up Brev-Flég in recent weeks and none at all up La Balme, we headed to Vallorcine (free parking). Loads of spaces.
And about 10cms fresh - albeit somewhat tracked by the 11h30 we got up.
However, tracked be folks who really didn't know where they were or what they were doing so lots of pockets of fluffy loveliness. Which we exploited mercilessly. OK, so just a few cms above "dust-on-crust" but rather excellent anyway.
And after lunch a fine route over the other side.
Best day of the season yet, for us anyway.
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@under a new name, We took the precaution of arriving at the Olympic cafe at Le Tour at 9:15. 2 x trudges up the Tete de Balme for fresh tracks (almost a foot of new snow in places).
After a midday picnic, 3 of us skied the Nant Noire down to Trient. Untracked from top to bottom with no lumps or bumps. 18 minutes from top to bottom without a great deal of effort. And I am not a quick skier.
Happy days indeed.
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