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Skippy: We came that way last night. Totally clear on the road. No ice or snow to speak of. With winter tyres you'll be fine. No need for snow chains. I've driven that road several times over the past few years and never had any problems.
Johnny, I'm just back from Serre Che. 'Tis a lovely spot, especially when there's some fresh up there!
Lovely, friendly, fun resort. I love it!
Happy to share any piste/restaurant/bar/other tips if you like!
Thanks Alphabet, makes me feel a bit better...
Am in les gets for a couple of days. nice bity snow on the piste today but misty. Rented a burton rocker board. Like it . I drove a corsa up from cluses at lunchtime and road was clear and grippy
Flashy, that would be great, ta. It will be my 3rd year out there, staying in the same place. Was going to be Tignes this year but circumstances forced us back to Chantermerle. It's a good area with plenty of variety but a god awful transfer. We prefer to fly into Grenoble & hire a car now.
We use an appartment about 5 mins walk from the lifts and usually eat in or at the Station bar. We did try a french restaurant opposite the Station one year. It was awful...
Much off piste at the mo?
Particularly enjoyed the 'itenerary' off the back from the top of the Yret lift at Monetiere.
La Taniere? Other side of the end of the piste? If so, the pizza is great, and the service is superb! It's where we usually finish the day watching people fall down the Alphand! TBH, I only use the Station for a few beers, not really for food (Can't say I'm that keen on fish and chips and the like when skiing.)
Tend to eat at Le Bercail, at the Aravet station. Not the cheapest, but very good quality and a little more refined than some! Make sure you try their sugar cubes......! 🙂
Other nice places, well there's a bar/shop in Chantemerle, just down the road from le Lapon (Forget the name, but it has a massive sofa just inside). Lovely food, and a really nice place to grab a beer or three.
Cafe Soleil at Serre Ratier is always nice, if you can sit outside. Le Pi Mai below La Cucumelle is lovely, just remember to head off the piste early for the best run in (It is signposted, but go earlier for a little woodsy fun!)
The OP stuff was pretty rubbish last week, as it had been a week or two since any proper snow. That proper snow seems to have arrived today, though! DAMN! There was a little left in the woods around the Aiguillete lift, and some around the Monetier end (Didn't get over to that bit you mentioned, was having too much fun blasting l'Yret!)
Pistes were all in epic form, though. Really well maintained!
Oh, and make sure you're at Sandrine's little coffee kiosk before the first lift from Chantemerle. Great coffee, lovely flirty service and all that buzz and excitement of everyone getting ready! 🙂
Anyone know how the Scottish 'resorts' are at the moment?
No, not La Taniere - had a few beers in there & always enjoyed watching the different 'styles' of folk on the Alphand. Other way, across the road from the Station. It was near and we don't seem to be that adventorous when eating out. I'll seek out those that you mention though. Think I've been in Le Bercail & Pi Mai but not sure. Here's hoping for lots of snow in the next 5 weeks 8)
grum - join snowheads.com
There is always a thread going with the various resort conditions everywhere in the world.
A friendly bunch too, very much the skiing, snowboarding equivalent of STW.
Edit - glad you had a great time flashy.
First stop for info on Scottish resorts is always:
http://www.winterhighland.info/general/
Glencoe was fully open over the weekend. But they could all do with more snow by the sound of it.
Just got back from Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Like the rest of the US, it's had a poor winter by it's own standard, but we drove up in a blizzard and took the snow with us. Fresh snow nearly every day and not a hint of ice. If you like the trees, it's the place to be and a really friendly place.
Bought an Endeavour Live RC for the trip and it was really good. It won't turn me into a great rider but it encourages you to get airborne and is really forgiving. I managed to hit all the landing ramps in the park (not something I am good at) & it loves powder 🙂
Only negative is finally admitting that my Northwave Legends hurt my right foot. Too tight across the toe's. Or does everbodys lead foot hurt/go numb?
I tried Burton Cartels instead of my Flows this time, but that made the pain even worse 🙁
Finally got to board on some snow in the Peaks this weekend!!!!!!!
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Love it! Grainy, mushy goodness! 🙂
Monday morning blues have hit hard. Especially on seeing this;
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🙁
Finally got to board on some snow in the Peaks this weekend
In a stream by the look of it?
Book another trip CFH (if you haven't already!).
We've finally got round to booking our next trip. Week in Kitzbuhel first week in April, hopefully it'll remain cold so all this lovely snow will stick about all the way down to town.
Hammerite, am pondering a late season play somewhere already! 🙂
Nice one. It makes sense.
Check out the Crystal sales mentioned somewhere above Flashy. Some right good bargains for full half board packages in Austria especially.
Yep, used Crystal for my trip last week. They were very good indeed, especially the in resort rep (Even if she did come round to the hotel room at a rather inconvenient moment on a couple of occasions....! 😳 )
2 wks to go....
8)
she did come round to the hotel room at a rather inconvenient moment
Were you "off piste" at the time?
PMSL @ Graham!
In the back country, playing with some lovely big pillows at the time, as it happens.... 😈
We're going with Crystal, managed to get a free childs place which really makes a big difference to the cost. Also going all inclusive, was only £200 more than a catered chalet.
Even if we eat out some lunches (get given packed lunch - but won't bother carrying it around everyday), and have drinks elsewhere I think we'll still save money as I'm sure I spent more than £200 on drinks all week in the hotel while in Cervinia.
Starting to pack tonight
digby,
It's got an A in it. And a K.
Lots of difficulties about going: work, relational, financial, and it's going to be hard to justify, maybe I won't be able to. But I'm torturing myself by finding out loads about it, just to be sure. arg.
How's Fernie? Still dumping? Saw a vid from the 17th of some insanely deep powder. Overhead turns all the way down, proper snorkel stuff. Amazing.
Thanks for the Scottish snow links - will check em out. Apparently Raise on Helvellyn is open for business at the moment 🙂
How's Fernie? Still dumping? Saw a vid from the 17th of some insanely deep powder. Overhead turns all the way down, proper snorkel stuff. Amazing.
Got a link to that? Though it will just make me cry.
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Final preps / checklist items are coming to mind now...
... which posed the question in the supermarket at the weekend...
Which hipflask beveridge??? *
Drambuie has always been the choice based on precedent and tradition (group think from late 80s first beginners hols)
ETA - * the author does not "fully" condone skiing whilst pished 😯
A decent Cognac has always been our groups choice, also based on precedent and tradition.
Depends on location, shirley?
For example, in the Southern French resorts, Genepy is the way forward. Have also very much enjoyed having some Calvados on hand on occasions. (I had some rather nice rum in mine for this trip, though, and am not ashamed to admit it!)
Mmmm,
Have tried single malt - and it didn't really fit the bill. Bit "thin" feeling in the cold. Drambuie works (IMO) because of the warming sweetness
I can see that cognac / armagnac / calvados would have a bity more body to it.
Sloe gin is pretty good.
I always forget my hipflask, even though it was bought for me with skiing in mind.
Did anyone see any of the X Games coverage at the weekend. I caught a bit, spent a couple of hours watching the boarder cross which was good fun. Gillings was unlucky in the final (not sure what happened - one turn she was in 3/4th, the next turn she's nowhere to be seen).
They had a cool Go Pro plug, a lady skiing the half pipe, Go-pro on her helmet, one on a stabilising frame attached to her, and another attached to a model glider thrown at the same time as she set off!
Possibly of interest to folk planning on doing some backcountry this year, [url= http://www.snowboardclub.co.uk/news-11364.html ]Nevis Range have just opened a new free-to-use Transceiver Park[/url] to practise your searches.
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Listening to the radio right now has reminded me of another reason to recommend Le Bercail at Serre Che......
Walked on to the sun trapped terrace one day last week to find an ice cold beer perfectly timed as I arrived. Great company for lunch and, at a perfect volume, the strains of La Grange on the stereo. None of your cheezy 80s euro-disco-poop up there. Just some great guitar led blues rawk! 8)
It's got an A in it. And a K.
Wow - that sounds fantastic! 8)
Well I hope you find a way to make it happen. Where there's a will there's a way I'm sure! Is it expedition style?
How's Fernie? Still dumping?
First week's been pretty good thanks, but raining really hard in town last night - 39cm of fresh above the mid station seemingly. Classic 'Variable Conditions' on the lower mountain aka 'slush'! 😯
I just missed out on the 'blower' powder featured in the video ^^, but I'm sure there's loads more good stuff left to come whilst I'm here!
Flash, was that from a friend, or had they seen you coming and knew what you wanted?
If the latter, I'm very impressed!
(Unless you wear a neon green onesie, stop for a beer every time you pass and leave 500% tips!)
The beer or the music? 🙂
Beer was ordered for me, so sadly not as well timed as a bar recognising me from afar....!
As to the neon green onesie - No chance!
digby - yes, yes, and yes. I could go, but I'm getting married later in the year. I've got the in-principle blessing of the most important person, but the justification backstory for 3 weeks and ££ is going to be tricky for others, including me!
Used to love the conditions summaries at Fernie: "Spring Conditions all over the mountain" = raining to 2000m!
The best was a note on the whiteboard at the bottom of Timber Chair saying:
"It's cold, but make sure you get to the top of White Pass. Trust us! 😀 "
Cloudy day, but there was a spectacular inversion a little way below the top of the lift. We stayed up there for about 45 minutes, snapping photos, gawping, and messing about in the sun. I've got a nice warm fuxzzy feeling just thinking about it!
[url= http://www.****/news/article-2093609/How-Conan-Doyle-pioneered-Skiing--tweed-suit-8ft-long-wooden-skis.html ]'You let yourself go,’ he said, ‘gliding delightfully over the gentle slopes, flying down the steeper ones, taking an occasional cropper, but getting as near to flying as any earthbound man can. In that glorious air it is a delightful experience'[/url]
Keepin' it steezy, Arthur!
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Les gets. The backside of mont cherie was great this afternoon 😉 Fresh snow on top and not many people riding it. The black was a bit choppy but ok. The reds were just lovely.
stevomdc, there's a couple of friends of mine living in a van in St Foy at the mo, Julia and Warwick. She splits, he skis. I said they should look you up. Hope that's OK?
No worries!
Hi Captain
Looking to take the girls somewhere boarding at Easter. The only problem is that due to Katies back operation she will struggle with drag lifts.
Been looking where you went. Is the area accesible enough without using drag lifts.
Cheers
Tracey
Is the area accesible enough without using drag lifts.
Lots of it, yes. Not ALL of it, but lots of it.
Really good interactive piste map here - http://plandespistes.serre-chevalier.com/ The drags are all those without a chair or bubble icon. If you're a confident boarder, you can ride almost all day without a drag. Only problem area might be the area around Barres (above Villeneuve) as that's the most most drag-heavy area. If there's plenty of snow, you can shuttle down to the village and back up the Casse du Boeuf chair, then over Cote Chevalier back to the other areas. Worth going up to the Barres valley, though, for the nicest cruisy greens and blues there! (Up Clot Gauthier, right off the top) Pretty much everything else can easily be linked without drags, but it's a little snow dependent. I went in March last year and stayed above the tree line all day, downloading on a chair at the end.
Thanks for that, was looking at Villeneuve with Crystal as we have used them every time and always had a great time.
They are still gutted that they arnt comming at the weekend so need to sort something out for them