 Poster: A snowHead
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We just came back from Samoens and it desperately needs some snow! The learner slopes in Morillon have disappeared so I think they've been relocated to Samoens which makes it pretty busy up there. Highly recommend Zigzag though, thought they were brilliant.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I am also in Flaine from 31/03 and looking for an instructor to give my teenage boys a refresher for a couple of hours - they haven't been for a few years and won't be as good as they think they are!
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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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Let the vacances begin!!! Tourists in town in full swing right now, from the grocery stores to the lift lines. Had a surpringly fun afternoon with my 14 yo in Flaine today - wife and younger son went to Paris for the week, so me and the older guy are on a mission to ski-ski-ski!, conditions and crowds be damned. 
Top of Flaine had maybe 3-5cm of fresh from last night, enough to make it fun and even some of the higher off-piste lines skiable. The story is the same as it's been unfortunately - top half of the bowl, above 2000m is skiing quite well honestly and the pistes are in good shape. Top half of Faust, Almadine, Minos, Lapiaz all still have decent snow. We hit the Pente a Jules line a couple times off Grand Platieres and it was fun honestly, just enough fresh to smooth out the crusty stuff. A much better way off than fighting the crowded icy moguls of Diamonte Noire. 
The story on the bottom half is big slushy moguls. I actually find them fun, and the ado loves them, but I know that's not the most popular opinion. All of the normal icy pitches at Flaine today were slushy moguls - bottom of Faust, Almadine, Jade, etc. All of the link pistes are complete carnage, people down on their butts pretty much the whole length of the moguls. I admit I caught an edge and joined them on the final run to the car today!!! Ooops.... 
We didn't start until 11 and finished in some light snow at 16h today, so we got what we deserved. We'll be up again in the morning tomorrow, trying to get ahead of the slush a bit, and I'd recommend the same if you're looking to avoid the moguls as much as you can. We didn't mess with anything lower than the top half of Flaine because I can't imagine it's holding up well.
Of course if the snow stars align on Thursday all of this could change real quick......
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Staying in Les Esserts. No snow in resort. Top of Flaine a joy. The rest of Grand Massif pretty much sludgy moguls……….still had a great day but absolutely wrecked
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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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The slushy moguls annoyed me, especially since one of the lifts was closed all day,the french don't seem to make much effort in grooming a lot of slopes. Their attitude seems to be like "take it or leave it" which would be fine if you weren't paying so much for a ski pass.
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@Mrmeaner, to be honest it's amazing the pistes are skiing as well as they still are this year. They started bashing and building the bulletproof base at the end of November so that they could still be holding as much snow as they are right now. They can't groom pistes during the day - imagine running a dameuse across all of that slush, not to mention having to close it to skiers while they worked on it. Unfortunately with spring like temps and so much traffic there's no way around the moguls on the most traveled connectors. They are grooming all the pistes every night right now (except the blacks).
Which lift was closed? There have been way more open this year than last, for example at least they have Diamont Noir open half the day even during the non-vacances weekdays now.
As for the snow report - I'd say things were a touch better today than yesterday today, although we also got a much earlier start. Top of Flaine got another 3-5cm refresh last night which seems to make all the difference with conditions like they are right now. Skied from about 9:30 - 14:00 and stuck to the top half of Flaine. The hors-piste lines off of Grand Platieres were all going quite well, and there were some nice deep snow pockets off of Pente a Jules and under the couloir to skier's right. Minos, Faust, Mephisto Superieur, Almadine all with really nice skiable snow. Didn't get up to Fred or Agate because the line was long and we wanted to spend our time waiting in the Diamont Noir queue. Thought about going into Gers but decided it couldn't be that good so decided to wait for the weekend. Personal gripe - I really wish people would try to fill the lifts more, so many groups going up leaving 1-2-3 seats open. Come on, split it up and you can all ski together again on the top. /old man rant 
Not sure if we'll head up tomorrow, my kid's got football practice tonight and then a game tomorrow night but we all know that a 14 yo can ski-ski-ski and still somehow have energy for everything else.
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Report from the family in Morillons yesterday is that yes it's mushy, yes there's no piste down from Les Esserts, yes there's no snow in Les Esserts itself...
But up there it's perfectly fine, to the point that a geant slalom was held (under Biolaire), young beginners with ESF lessons will have access to the magic carpet. Amazing considering the weather.
They left soon after the race so I imagine the conditions in the later part of the day were not so good.
Just wake up early and enjoy!
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| Quote: |
Just wake up early and enjoy!
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Exactly!!!
Just booked a guide for Vallée Blanche on Friday, hopefully we're timing it right after the big powder dump hahaha..... a bit of a gamble but I think it has the potential to be the descent of a lifetime.
Now if they don't open Gers until Saturday we'll be golden!!!!
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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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Tourmaline (the only run back to Flaine) is an absolute disgrace! The sell you an extra 100km or whatever of piste and make you ski that crap on the way home?
In fairness as was mentioned above it’s an absolute miracle you can ski into Morillon or Samöens. I was expecting to see a few cows or sheep on the way past the brown fields.
Stay high, freezing level is about a quarter ways up from Flaine Forum.
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Great day today. Far less busy. Slopes to Samoen fantastic and even Sauron not as bad
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| BigBubba12 wrote: |
| Great day today. Far less busy. Slopes to Samoen fantastic and even Sauron not as bad |
Thou shall not pass!
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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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Pretty grim out here this morning. Was lashing rain around 7:30 this morning but turned to sleet now. Tomorrow should be good up top?
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My 10yrs old got Gold in his ESF Competition camp so got invited to participate in the French ESF Etoile D'Or Competition in Les Carroz in mid-March. It seems the snow Gods are smiling upon us again. Now I have to book another unplanned visit ahead of the two weeker over Easter...
To those of you who "bash" the management of the pistes - I have been coming to the resort since 2009... Never has the contrast been this big above and below the snowline. Eever! The snow line this season has simply moved up 800 metres. Also, the prevailing winds have been from a different direction this year - witness the snow accumulation in places like Diamant Noire, Fred or Gers. The very fact that the resort was able to sustain such good level of skiing (given the circumstances last week) should be commended.
These are the new realities - while last year even all of Jura was skiing nicely in February, on the drive back this time I noticed that the downhillers and enduro MTBs were out on the trails already...
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You know it makes sense.
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Well that was quite a night. Loads of snow on Les Esserts and looks like a proper ski resort. A perfect last day, at least visually…..
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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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Les Carroz village at 1100m looks like a winter wonderland on the cams this morning.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Just getting ready to venture out and up from Samoens - the app suggests loads of lifts closed, anyone in resort got recommendations as to where to go / what to do?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Looks all open. Lovely skiing
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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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| Mrmeaner wrote: |
| The slushy moguls annoyed me, especially since one of the lifts was closed all day,the french don't seem to make much effort in grooming a lot of slopes. Their attitude seems to be like "take it or leave it" which would be fine if you weren't paying so much for a ski pass. |
In my experience "the french", and other resorts work their wotsits off at all hours to make the best of whatever snow is available. It's a while since I've skied in Grand Massif, we came back from the Espace Diamant a week ago, as usual, the piste bashers were working through the night. Like everywhere else in the region, the snow lower down was 'tired', but they made the best of it and we had a good week's skiing. I assume there's a limit to the amount of 'bashing' you can do to a piste with limited cover of tired snow, in warm conditions.
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| BigBubba12 wrote: |
| Looks all open. Lovely skiing |
It is! Must have needed to refresh the app!
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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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| craftybob wrote: |
Tourmaline (the only run back to Flaine) is an absolute disgrace! The sell you an extra 100km or whatever of piste and make you ski that crap on the way home?
In fairness as was mentioned above it’s an absolute miracle you can ski into Morillon or Samöens. I was expecting to see a few cows or sheep on the way past the brown fields.
Stay high, freezing level is about a quarter ways up from Flaine Forum. |
I totally agree. I was there a couple of weeks ago and numerous pistes had very obviously not been groomed overnight, various key lifts closed forcing you down KMs of moguled blues.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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How's the snow in Flaine? I assume Gers wasn't open today? Fingers crossed they can get it bombed and stable for tomorrow....
We hit the bluebird day perfectly and did Vallée Blanche, a wonderful day out on the glacier with perfect powder, conditions, and weather. We were supposed to be with a private guide and a group of three, but my buddy had to bail so it was just me and my teenager and we joined a group of six with the Guides des Chamonix. Unfortunately one of the other GdC groups had a couple skiers that were really struggling, like I didn't think they were going to be able to ski off the route, so our group of six quickly became a group of 12, which just felt a bit big for any kind of coherence or flow. It was all good though - I tried to make the most of the many long breaks and take lots of pictures and soak in the beautiful surroundings. It's really gorgeous back there.
Saw a group coming over the Italian side set off a decent size slide with the second-to-last skier triggering it. Luckily they made it across and all seemed to be okay. Another party called in secours and a chopper was there within about 5 minutes, it was impressive. It flew right back out so I don't think anybody was caught. I'm sure they were rattled, I was rattled watching it all unfold from far away. AV risk 4/5 today and stuff sliding everywhere, I definitely would not have been comfortable on any of the steep stuff today.
Hope everybody enjoyed the fresh today!!!
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Another fun day today, nice little refresh last night on top of the bigger drop on Thursday night. Started in Carroz 1200 to try to avoid the Saturday traffic on the way back down and the snow is the best it's been in Les Carroz for a while (although you can't quite make it back to the parking lot, unless you're my younger son that skied the mud and rocks and somehow didn't mess up his bases lol).
The top of Tourmaline was definitely not pisted last night, I'll give you that, but the bottom section wasn't bad. We always take the race course over to the right so I never actually know how the middle of that run is doing. Veret tire-fesse was closed all day so we headed up and hit Diamont Noir a couple of times, the powder was very good in the couloir but a little heavy actually on top of Grandes Platieres. The run got crowded after that. We were going to do some off-piste but things were sliding - big slab on Pente a Jules that I assume was from the bombing, as well as the other couloir off the top. Then we saw a skier trigger a small slide to the skier's right of Diamont Noir and decided things were a bit too unsettled for the bigger lines today. Lindars never opened up, nor Gers. Overall in Flaine the snow was very windblown, with some very nice pockets and some very exposed crust. Both Lindars and Gers are so full of snow it's sickening lol, when they settle and get opened it's going to be a par-tay.
Did a bit more cruising around Flaine then headed back to Tete des Saix, which was extremely windy on top. Aigle Noir was closed so we did a few of the blacks on the way back to the car - Corbalanche had very deep pockets of great snow, as well as Coccinnelle. Veroce got a little less but there was some fresh left on far skier's right near the trees.
Crowds were not that bad honestly, better than earlier in the week, maybe because it's a transfer day and I think the Parisiens are heading back (and NL from the looks of the plates going down the mountain this morning). It looks like we'll get a bit of a refresher in the next couple days but the big stuff is mainly going to miss us. It's good skiing right now though, hope everybody is being safe and having fun!!!
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Anybody up at Flaine today? They didn't open Gers yet, correct? It looked like they did get Lindars going though.
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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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Spent last week in Flaine - conditions were great in the morning up until lunchtime, then the lower slopes became absolute slush fest and mogul-city.
The snow on Thursday night was well received and made for a really enjoyable Friday. Saturday was super quiet on the slopes, but busy on the roads, as that was the switch-over day for most hotels.
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Yeah @alexstoick glad you got to catch some of that fresh on Friday and Saturday!! I agree Saturday was nowhere near as crowded as I expected with the constant stream of cars descending the mountain the morning.
Another great day today, some fresh last night and certain areas seemed to get a nice amount. Flaine was fogged/snowed in during the morning but Vernant was clear so we did the freeride lines off the Grand Vans ridge on the Vernant side. They were great, including two runs down the couloir under the lift in amazing snow before it started getting scraped. Hit Corbalanche next which still has really good snow, although a bit chopped, down the fall-line. Had just enough time for one run in Flaine once the skies cleared and it was a beautiful afternoon over there - did Pente a Jules and the snow was great out of the couloir, although the entry is getting quite icy. Lots of fresh tracks left to be had in Flaine even at 15:00.
Wife was picking us up in Les Esserts/Morillon so we actually skied Sauron all the way down, it was quite slushy and rocky at the bottom but I guess doable lol. Same with Carroz 1500, the run under Molliets is getting pretty slushy and dirty just before the road.
Lindars and Gers still not open, the snow looks so incredibly gorgeous in there. They were blasting the heck out of Lindars this afternoon. Ger is full up and looking a bit unstable so who knows when they'll get that open. But when it does, it's gonna be sweet.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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So I was excited a couple of days ago to see snow at Les Esserts on the webcam - but I checked again today and it looks like it's all been washed away.
Coming to Morillon on Sunday and bit worried for the conditions and where to take beginners/low intermediate. We were assuming we'd start on Marvel - but how is that at the moment? We have one beginner with us who has lessons (1e) starting on Monday and we aren't even sure whether the beginner area is open, so we will need to check where the meeting point will be.
I'd like to ski to Flaine if poss as I really like it and I suspect the snow will be better, but have been advised that the route into Flaine isn't great for low intermediate/nervous skier particularly at the moment.
Aa most of the Grand Massif reports seem to be from people who are looking for off piste or harder runs has anyone got any advice for the other end of the ability scale? what's are the blues/greens looking like? and is there much snow making happening or is it not the right weather for that either?
Just trying to set my expectations 
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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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Hey @skimummk!
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So I was excited a couple of days ago to see snow at Les Esserts on the webcam - but I checked again today and it looks like it's all been washed away.
Coming to Morillon on Sunday and bit worried for the conditions and where to take beginners/low intermediate. We were assuming we'd start on Marvel - but how is that at the moment? We have one beginner with us who has lessons (1e) starting on Monday and we aren't even sure whether the beginner area is open, so we will need to check where the meeting point will be. |
Yeah, snow was pretty rough at Les Esserts on Monday and it's been warm all week again. It was slushy mud at the bottom when we got there around 15:00. I heard last week that Marvel was closed and I expect that's still the case.
It looks like your timing will be good though as there's a pretty good dump forecast for Sunday with some places showing a pretty low snowline. Fingers crossed!!
Flaine is still skiing great - it's true that Tourmaline can get a bit nasty and that's the only ski route down into Flaine. You can take the "race course" by staying hard right after the first steep drop - it's fine for beginners and I think it's actually easier than the piste at that point. It can get moguled under that especially later in the day. It might be tricky if they don't get it pisted after the Sunday snow. My advice would just to go early and try to beat the mid-day traffic. (and my other advice would be to embrace the moguls!!)
Once you get into Flaine there's plenty of blue runs in good shape - of course the classic Serpentine which is mellow after the first pitch up top. You can take Crystal to avoid the steepest part of Serpentine and I think that's actually an easier way down.
Mephisto from the middle point down is a great blue run, and the top half is probably a great first "red" run. It's only got one steep pitch with a bit of a committing left hand turn at the bottom but it's not overly difficult. All the blues on skier's left side of the bowl by the Aujon and Grenarier lift are mellow and nice. When the snow is good Lapiaz and Minos feel more like blues than reds IMO. The problem is they take you to Jade, which can get steep and icy.
Stay away from Faust (well maybe not the top half) and Almadine as they are some of the harder reds. Fred can be great and is not too steep, although the chairlift is tricky lol.
Have a great trip! I hope we get set up with nice snow and you have a blast!!
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@coldrainsnow, nearly a month now since we were there for our long weekend but found that race course route a) far more pleasant and b) good fun.
@skimummk, so would definitely recommend that.
Unfortunately there's still a pinch point after that which you do still have to navigate. A bit of a pain but worth it for getting yourself up to the Flaine bowl.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
@coldrainsnow, nearly a month now since we were there for our long weekend but found that race course route a) far more pleasant and b) good fun.
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right? It's super fun when you actually race the kids too. I recommend a bit of a cheating head start so you have a chance, and keep your skis down on the jumps on the end if you need to overtake them. but you're right there's no way getting around the actual tricky part on the bottom of Tourmaline if it's moguled. Good news is you only really have to do it once.
The other "secret" intermediate tip heading back down the other side of Grands Vans into Les Carroz or back up to Tete des Saix is to first stay far right at the top and take Grenat instead of Dolomie (there is a sign that says "easiest way down".) I actually usually take Grenat most times because I prefer it and it's always much less crowded. It still puts you on top of the often moguled pitch on the bottom of Dolomie, but the secret there is that there's an access road to the far right on top of the steep part that you can take if the snow's decent. If you're trying to make the Corbalanche lift you have to cut off just a touch early, but even doing that it's often way easier if the piste is moguled and you're not comfortable on that.
If we get this dump on Sunday I'll be solo up at Flaine on Monday, DM me if anybody wants to hit Gers if it's open or some off-piste lines if things are stable enough.
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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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@skimummk, how's it been? Looks like we'll get a bit of a refresh tonight....
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Poster: A snowHead
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Snowing in Les Carroz at 1140m. More heavily at 1500m and above.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Coming down strong across the valley at 1000m!!! Sticking too.
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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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Stopped snowing in Flaine but still very cloudy so hopefully we'll get more overnight.
Put at least 4" down up Aup de Veran this afternoon.
Could be fantastic tomorrow
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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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@Sailbad the Sinner, yeah! Kids get out of school at midi, I'm picking them up and we're heading straight up for as much as we can get in.
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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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Not weather related!
Going to Club Med, Samoens next week and in view of 2 completely stuffed knees, unlikely to do much skiing!
Does anyone have info on bike hire operating this time of year?
Found Les Carroz outfit, but cant see that being viable.
Thanks
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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A couple of inches overnight in Flaine and still snowing.
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| martinperry wrote: |
Not weather related!
Going to Club Med, Samoens next week and in view of 2 completely stuffed knees, unlikely to do much skiing!
Does anyone have info on bike hire operating this time of year?
Found Les Carroz outfit, but cant see that being viable.
Thanks |
Extreme Glisses is at the bottom of the GME gondola https://www.xtremeglisses-samoens.com/en/
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| plaff wrote: |
| martinperry wrote: |
Not weather related!
Going to Club Med, Samoens next week and in view of 2 completely stuffed knees, unlikely to do much skiing!
Does anyone have info on bike hire operating this time of year?
Found Les Carroz outfit, but cant see that being viable.
Thanks |
Extreme Glisses is at the bottom of the GME gondola https://www.xtremeglisses-samoens.com/en/ |
Thanks. Contacted - lets see what happens - will probably dump right down into the valley now!!!
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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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Just got back from an afternoon up at GM, started in Morillon and worked my way over to Flaine and then back. Definitely a nice refresh although the lower elevations are still pretty much toast - I downloaded down Sairon for possibly the first time ever because I didn't want to ski the mud back into Les Esserts.
Snow was good up high, albeit a tad bit heavy. Flaine had some spots that were very nice - got some fresh tracks up top even though the visibility was oscillating between bad and terrible in the top half of the bowl. I kept thinking it would clear but it didn't, and eventually the bottom half got fogged in too so I headed back. Lower stuff in Carroz was okay, fog line was at about 1800m by the time I left. Tete des Saix entirely socked in for most of the day.
Combe de Veret looks loaded and ready to ski, I thought for a second about bootpacking it up the cat track but didn't want to mess with the fog or a potential slide. Lindars, Diamont Noir, Mephisto Sup. all closed for AV control. Snow felt like about 10-15cm of heavy on top of a hard crust so it could definitely slide in places.
Tomorrow will be a good day as it looks like the sun will come out! It felt crowded today, especially in Les Carroz and Morillon, and I swear the lifts were all running at half speed but maybe I was just getting impatient haha.
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When do I start getting interested / panicked for our trip to Les Carroz on 01 April? A lot of weather between now and then right? (first trip skiing )
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FAQ
