 Poster: A snowHead
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But Cymru am Byth, only the wildest optimist would expect anything other than freeze/thaw conditions in late March, surely? Trust me, when you've been there with 20% of the resort open and brown slopes everywhere, the prospect of at least a metre of frozen/thawing slush is absolute bliss... If you get fresh snow in late March, it's a bonus. It happens, but it's a bonus.
I really don't understand the aversion to the stuff - maybe it's because it's easier to cope with on a board or something - don't know - but it really doesn't worry me. There's always somewhere fun on the mountain to play even if the slopes are a bit hard first thing and a bit cruddy at the end of the day. I'll settle for 75-80% of the runs being open with some kind of snow coverage any day of the week...
I had the most fantastic couple of runs first thing on a partly frozen Casse Du Boeuf black run last year as the slope hadn't had a chance to soften up and generate chunks of crud everywhere like at the end of the day. It was partly frozen cordoruoy and there was the occasional patch of glacier-like sheet ice, but you could see it a mile off and just let the board run over the top 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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Cymru am Byth,
try some fat skis, they are great fun in slush! spring snow, ie softening top layer is thought by many to be as good if not better than powder!
regards,
Greg
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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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PG, You're obviously spoilt. This is the season for many of us. If not for the PSB I would have had a 12 month gap between skiing.
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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.
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rob@rar.org.uk, who with? Only BA release flights that far ahead, don't they?
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carled, BA. Heathrow is the closest airport to me, and I don't have to pay airport parking (can get there easily on public transport) which mean that BA flights booked well in advance are often cheaper than "lo-cost" flights plus airport parking.
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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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Cymru am Byth,
I have been to Serre Che a lot in April and always had decent snow (Untill last year when I opted out because there was so little)The secret is to use the sun and altitude so you get on slopes as they softn but not when they are to soft and yes it will be very soft at the bottom in the afternoon as the resort is fairly low but you can always get great skiing till at least 3pm and usually all day. This year I have no worries with the depths they have got. In recent years it is unusual not to have a warm spell sometime in March.
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T Bar, Guys, I've been skiing for the last 21 years and know what to do when conditions are bad. I'm having a winge and hoping that the conditions clear up so that I can maximise my enjoyment.
If you want to see a resort disintegrate before your eyes try Whistler on a warm April's day. 
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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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T Bar, From the newspaper articles and the hot cold weather I'm monitoring I'll leave the off-piste totally pristine for you. A year to be circumspect I think.
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As mentioned, been skiing for decades, with usually a late March/early April trip.
I've preferred these to the earlier season trips, better snow and weather.
Now it occurrs to me that possibly these trips also involved temperature increases such as is forecast, but not having the modern forecasts available I was just oblivious to them.
Maybe ignorance was bliss. 
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You know it makes sense.
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While some of you are worrying about the snow disappearing, it's difficult to image at the moment, with the stuff falling heavily again and more expected the next couple of days.
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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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chris, Not worried about it dissapearing, just prefer the crisp crunchy stuff to the slush puppy variety.
The Metcheck website is showing a temperature spike next Monday to move the freezing level above the top lift and staying high through to next Wednesday which is as far as the forecast goes.
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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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Cymru am Byth, I think this temperature spike is too far ahead to be more than vaguely accurate. Worry nearer the time - I agree - when we didn't have access to all these weather charts we were all much more relaxed!!
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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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easiski, That can work both ways. Been watching the rain forecast for tomorrow (was only 3 bars) and hoped it would change into snow. Instead it's expanded to 6 bars as we've got closer to the day.
A bit too far to pop down to LDA and ski the glacier. Would be more interesting as Miss X is there that week.
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Cymru am Byth, posting from MOnetier, got a bit warm this afternoon, but the snow is still fantastic!!!! 
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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.
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Carled, amazing because my house is in the pic! Its the 1st building from the right hand edge just beyond the tree line and itself surrounded by trees. The camera must be on the roof of the Bivouac Cafe above the reservoir.
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chris, Jammy bar steward.
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chris, This was one of the standard webcam positions last year. They've since moved the panoramic webcam position - you no longer get this view of the top of the Casse du Bouef Chair, unfortunately!
So your house, by my map logic then, is somewhere in the back end of La Salle? or is it further towards Monetier than that? The camera really foreshortens the view, doesn't it!?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Cymru am Byth, you are probably right.
carled, you're looking at the hamlet of Serre Barbin which is between La Salle and Monetier and you are right about the forshorten view as my place is about 2 miles from the camera.
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OK, I take it all back.
The Metcheck site has now revised it's temperatures downward for next week and it looks great. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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l left Monetier at 3pm this afternoon. It was snowing lightly and the temp had dropped to around -3 . The snow was heavier over the Col du Lauteret and down towards La Grave. There had been some fresh snow up the mountain this morning, although visibility wasn't brilliant.
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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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Welcome back Helen - good trip? Only 4 weeks to go now 'til the next trip & I'm out there too - what an added bonus for you... 
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I can assure you that the top of the Casse de beouf is far whiter than above, not a bare patch or rock on the piste.
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You know it makes sense.
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Helen Beaumont,
Any idea how much there is a the bottom and on the x-country trails one of our party only skis x-country or walks. Is it likely to be worth bringing x-country gear in first week of april?
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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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T Bar, loads!!!! All thex-country trails are open at the moment, about 150 cm at the bottom, but not sure about April. Followed the snow plough over the Col du Lauteret , it turned off to Le Chazelet.
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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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Another 30cm last night which covered all the off-piste tracks. More fresh powder and for the 1st time this season I was on the lifts at 8.45am.
T Bar, as things are I would suggest your friend bringing their x-country gear as its unlikely all the snow will go within 3 weeks because most of the trials are in shade for most of the day. Le Casset is a stunning hamlet.
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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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T Bar, there's a lovely walk along the river from therr to Monetier.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Just got back from serr chev. Had a wonderful time, the snow was the best I have seen in a long time. Pitty about the winds. On the final day went for a walk along the cross country trail. It is something I have alwys wanted to try and I am more determined because it seems such a sociable sport.
that's me for the season anyway. Unless!!!!
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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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kevducky, the good thing about Serre Che in windy weather is the trees to shelter you though. Thursday was a lovely day though. Faceplanted at the top of the Cibouit red on Wednesday, and yes, the snow was excellent.
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I just got back from Serre Che too. Had a wonderful time and got first tracks on Wednesday on a red at the top of the Foret lift (l'Eschaillon I think it was) - didn't even get the first lift up so very surprised at that! There are a lot of nice long runs and the Casse de Beoff has to be one of the best blacks I've done (certainly seems to be the longest). Would definitely go back there.
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| Quote: |
Faceplanted at the top of the Cibouit red on Wednesday, and yes, the snow was excellent.
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Helen Beaumont, Now that's what I call dedication to the cause in snow-testing... or is that snow-tasting? 
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Ooooh. the excitement's mounting.... 4 weeks today we'll be in resort
C'mon low temps, hang on in there for another few weeks!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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4 weeks tomorrow for me. Fiorecast looks cold for the next few days.
carled,
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I think 2006 should be declared a fine vintage!!!
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