Euro Mini Summit

[Ripzalot]

Yeah, the 6 day forecast is looking really good (and that map doesn't include the 1-3 day accumulations!). I don't want to say anything more for fear of jinxing it and scaring it away...

http://www.snow-forecast.com/maps/alps_full.php

[bad_roo]

La Grave is getting absolutely leathered at the moment.

[truth]

Very nice.

[bad_roo]

Over 60 inches forecast for the next week on the glacier at La Grave.[/antijinx]

Truth - your position at TrueIce is looking pretty untenable.

[Mulletizer]

Spoke to some of the boys in La Grave last night. It was still dumping so much that they didn't open the lift (rare in La Grave) on Friday. Unfortunately it was warm and very windy when the snow was falling earlier in the week so there were some really nasty windslabs developing and it was apparently pretty scary on Thursday but they're starting too consolidate a bit now. Looks as if it's going to be going off on this week. Almost tempted to bring my flights forward but am putting my trust in Ullr to come up with the goods. If it's looking dicey I have some skis that I can sacrifice later his week

The other good news is that the pub has got its license and opened yesterday - we won't get thirsty.

[truth]

Originally posted by Mulletizer
The other good news is that the pub has got its license and opened yesterday - we won't get thirsty.

It was all good news from here. Any idea on who I might be able to call about an earlier lift to La Grave from Lyon? The 5 hour wait for the bus is not so appealing.

[bad_roo]

Problem you're up against there is that if the flight lands at 11am, you clear customs and get your bags by 12, jump straight into a car and drive the two hours to La Grave, dump your gear at the Chalet and take a shower it'll be knocking on for 3pm in any case. So no skiing on the Sunday. If someone was to drive to Lyon for a pick up it would mean sacrificing their first day on the snow and I'm not sure how many would put their hands up for that one.

Best bet would probably be to get the bus to La Grave unless anybody else is coming that way through Lyon on the Sunday. It'd mean a few hours downtime at the airport but looking at the timings it's tricky to see another way around it.

[bad_roo]

Originally posted by Mulletizer
The other good news is that the pub has got its license and opened yesterday - we won't get thirsty.

Which pub is this?

[brownmonkey]

Originally posted by Mulletizer
The other good news is that the pub has got its license and opened yesterday - we won't get thirsty.

Bet you a nickel Roo and me will drink all of you under the table...

[Mulletizer]

Originally posted by brownmonkey
Bet you a nickel Roo and me will drink all of you under the table...

This could get messy... It's the O Neill, now owned by Langley Travel and Pelle of the Skierslodge. One of my best buds is running it so at least we won't pay full price to be drunk under the table...

Truth: there are lots of buses that go from the airport to Grenoble (1 per hour). Get the first one you can. Then from Grenoble there are lots of buses that get nearly to La Grave (the ones headed to Les Deux Alpes, there are loads on Saturday). Get one of those to the Barrage du Chambon (about 10km down the valley from LaG) and arrange to get to La Grave from there. Either ask someone nicely to drive down to pick you up or hitch. Hitching on that road is very easy, I've even done it with skis and big bags. There are also buses that go from L2A to Serre Che that go through La Grave - you might be able to hop on one of them.

I think your "direct bus" is nothing more than a through ticket for the airport bus to Grenoble and the local bus; if it really costs 50E each way buying two tix separately will save you about 20 notes per journey.

Also, you could try posting on skipass.com in the "covoituirage" section. A post in English might get results - there are always loads of them driving from Grenoble to LG.

[bad_roo]

Originally posted by Mulletizer
(the ones headed to Les Deux Alpes, there are loads on Saturday)

I think the issue is that Truth's arriving on Sunday 18th when we'll all likely be on the hill sampling the delights of the Storm Of The Century (so far).

[Mulletizer]

Sorry, I meant Sunday. Lots of buses each way both days of the weekend. Feeling pretty hungover, not too quick today. Seems the only training I've done for this trip is get in shape to take on Roo and Brownmonkey in the beer stakes...

[truth]

I posted this map in the hopes that someone could show me where La Grave is in realtion to Cham...pay no attention to the colorations and what not.

[Mulletizer]

About six pixels ESE of Alpe d Huez. I'd say just about on the purple blob that indicates 50-100cm snow

[bad_roo]

And still it keeps getting battered with more snow. Another 95cm forecast in the next 72 hours.

[subtle plague]

The models look ridicilous..... , but i guess it wont be more than 20cm of fresh.. [anitjinx]
the only problem is, that the snow level will rise to 2000/2200m+ during the dump and lower again tuesday night....i hope the snow on P1 wont be washed away.(but even after that it seems to be quite a bit snow forecasted down to the valley.)

HELP!
Hmmm So how do i reach Brewski ? Has anyone of you his E-Mail Address ?? I cannot make it alone.......
HELP !

[Ripzalot]

is anyone skiing on SATURDAY? what time? i can be there anytime.

is the chalet full? i have a friend on the fence about going. he might make it down on wednesday night.

[bad_roo]

There's one place left in the chalet. Whoever wants it can have it. I'm going to be in transit on Saturday so I'm going to miss out.

[truth]

Euro electrical outlet conversion kit..any idea what I'll need in La Grave fellas? Need it for digi cam and helmet cam.

[Idris]

Originally posted by truth
Euro electrical outlet conversion kit..any idea what I'll need in La Grave fellas? Need it for digi cam and helmet cam.

you need 2 round pins, about the same width apart as your 2 flat pins....if your gear can't handle 230 volts you will ned a voltage transformer thinggy....sorry time to visit radio shack!

[bad_roo]

Cool. Truth and BrownMonkey can have a game of Helmetcam Joust.

[Ripzalot]

Originally posted by truth
Euro electrical outlet conversion kit..any idea what I'll need in La Grave fellas? Need it for digi cam and helmet cam.

check your gear's power converter. some work with both 110 and 230v and all you have to do it change the plug. if not, you'll need a power converter, which i have somewhere. i can bring it. let me know if you need it.

you can easily find the plug adapters in the airport shops.
http://kropla.com/electric.htm
type "c" or "e" (with ground)

[Ripzalot]

Avy talk time....

http://www.pistehors.com

3 snowboarders killed over the weekend in separate avalanches in Val d'Isere and Tignes. Interesting comments here regarding the accumulation of hoar frost:

"The cold dry weather over the last fortnight has created a thick layer of surface hoar crystals (goblets) which are now being buried by the fresh snow. When the sun finally comes out take extreme care going off piste as this will form a persistent weak layer in the snowpack which will create prime avalanche conditions for some time to come. " (see the 09 jan entry)



Question: How well does La Grave do at avy control? Do they bomb it or is this one of those at-your-own-risk places?

[bad_roo]

Without more information on slope, angle, aspect etc it's virtually worthless comparing avy conditions in l'Espace Killy with conditions in La Grave, about 60km distant. Mulletizer knows a bunch of seasonnaires who have been monitoring the season's snowpack closely. Lot of local knowledge there to tap.

[Mulletizer]

La Grave does absolutely NO avy bombing or control whatever. Every morning that there's been a significant change in the snowpack (ie if it has snowed) a safety committee makes the first run and decides whether or not to open.

Generally the easily accessed stuff gets pretty well compacted by lots of skiers so stays fairly stable; there are days when it can get a bit sketchy though...

Word is that there's been a fair bit of snow up top, rain from 2000m down yesterday. Before that warm and windy and snowy =ed nasty slabs.

Every morning one of the lift company employees is on hand at the bottom of the lift; his job is to identify the gapers who are likely to die if they go up the lift and send them to the guides or elsewhere. He will be able to give very specific snowpack advice on any day.