| |
| 18 Apr 2008 14:46:04 |
| Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
Off topic, but it's quiet... I'd like to do this kind of motorbike, sunny day, dry road with walls of snow either side thing. I'd always imagined, that after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over the top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess it's not really like that. Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the Col d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva). Cheers. Iain. |
| 19 Apr 2008 13:46:10 |
| LittleRob |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
iain.crombie@googlemail.com wrote: > Off topic, but it's quiet... I'd like to do this kind of motorbike, > sunny day, > dry road with walls of snow either side thing. I'd always imagined, > that > after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over > the > top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess > it's not really like that. Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the > Col > d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first > couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva). > > Cheers. > Iain. Iain I've not ridden this route (though I'm tempted this year) but I drove it in an open-top car a few years ago. I can recommend it. A very good resource is www.alpineroads.com Rob |
| 19 Apr 2008 10:47:55 |
| Matt T |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On 19 Apr, 13:46, LittleRob <greeneggsand...@greymouse.co.uk > wrote: > iain.crom...@googlemail.com wrote: > > Off topic, but it's quiet... =A0I'd like to do this kind of motorbike, > > sunny day, > > dry road with walls of snow either side thing. =A0I'd always imagined, > > that > > after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over > > the > > top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess > > it's not really like that. =A0Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the > > Col > > d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first > > couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva). > > > Cheers. > > Iain. > > Iain > > I've not ridden this route (though I'm tempted this year) but I drove it > in an open-top car a few years ago. I can recommend it. > > A very good resource iswww.alpineroads.com > > Rob All I can tell you is it sure won't be open yet - we've got about 3 metres depth of snow at 3000M at the moment, and it just keeps on coming. Tignes lifts shut on the 11th May this year, so I reckon it'll be June before the passes are reliable. I might be completely wrong though. Cheers, Matt |
| 20 Apr 2008 09:24:47 |
| LittleRob |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
Matt T wrote: > On 19 Apr, 13:46, LittleRob <greeneggsand...@greymouse.co.uk> wrote: >> iain.crom...@googlemail.com wrote: >>> Off topic, but it's quiet... I'd like to do this kind of motorbike, >>> sunny day, >>> dry road with walls of snow either side thing. I'd always imagined, >>> that >>> after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over >>> the >>> top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess >>> it's not really like that. Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the >>> Col >>> d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first >>> couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva). >>> Cheers. >>> Iain. >> Iain >> >> I've not ridden this route (though I'm tempted this year) but I drove it >> in an open-top car a few years ago. I can recommend it. >> >> A very good resource iswww.alpineroads.com >> >> Rob > > All I can tell you is it sure won't be open yet - we've got about 3 > metres depth of snow at 3000M at the moment, and it just keeps on > coming. Tignes lifts shut on the 11th May this year, so I reckon it'll > be June before the passes are reliable. I might be completely wrong > though. > > Cheers, > > Matt Matt From memory its open about July-October. We went the 2nd week of September, but the problem by then was that France had pretty much "closed" after the Summer season. There was only a single restaurant in Val d'Isere open. Fortunately we were only staying 1 night, but we met a couple who were there for 3 or 4 days! Rob |
| 20 Apr 2008 03:33:29 |
| Matt T |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On 20 Apr, 09:24, LittleRob <greeneggsand...@greymouse.co.uk > wrote: > Matt T wrote: > > On 19 Apr, 13:46, LittleRob <greeneggsand...@greymouse.co.uk> wrote: > >> iain.crom...@googlemail.com wrote: > >>> Off topic, but it's quiet... =A0I'd like to do this kind of motorbike,= > >>> sunny day, > >>> dry road with walls of snow either side thing. =A0I'd always imagined,= > >>> that > >>> after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over > >>> the > >>> top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess > >>> it's not really like that. =A0Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the= > >>> Col > >>> d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first= > >>> couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva). > >>> Cheers. > >>> Iain. > >> Iain > > >> I've not ridden this route (though I'm tempted this year) but I drove i= t > >> in an open-top car a few years ago. I can recommend it. > > >> A very good resource iswww.alpineroads.com > > >> Rob > > > All I can tell you is it sure won't be open yet - we've got about 3 > > metres depth of snow at 3000M at the moment, and it just keeps on > > coming. Tignes lifts shut on the 11th May this year, so I reckon it'll > > be June before the passes are reliable. I might be completely wrong > > though. > > > Cheers, > > > Matt > > Matt > > =A0From memory its open about July-October. We went the 2nd week of > September, but the problem by then was that France had pretty much > "closed" after the Summer season. There was only a single restaurant in > Val d'Isere open. Fortunately we were only staying 1 night, but we met a > couple who were there for 3 or 4 days! > > Rob- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - That makes sense - I've seen snow up here in August, so I guess it's a pretty limited window. I don't know what the col de petit st bernard opening times are like, but probably similar. I've been in Tignes a couple of times in September - I wouldn't recommend it! Matt |
| 21 Apr 2008 13:53:21 |
| @elgy(nati-spam).org.uk |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
Matt T wrote: > On 20 Apr, 09:24, LittleRob <greeneggsand...@greymouse.co.uk> wrote: > >>Matt T wrote: >> >>>On 19 Apr, 13:46, LittleRob <greeneggsand...@greymouse.co.uk> wrote: >>> >>>>iain.crom...@googlemail.com wrote: >>>> >>>>>Off topic, but it's quiet... I'd like to do this kind of motorbike, >>>>>sunny day, >>>>>dry road with walls of snow either side thing. I'd always imagined, >>>>>that >>>>>after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over >>>>>the >>>>>top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess >>>>>it's not really like that. Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the >>>>>Col >>>>>d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first >>>>>couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva). >>>>>Cheers. >>>>>Iain. >>>> >>>>Iain >> >>>>I've not ridden this route (though I'm tempted this year) but I drove it >>>>in an open-top car a few years ago. I can recommend it. >> >>>>A very good resource iswww.alpineroads.com >> >>>>Rob >> >>>All I can tell you is it sure won't be open yet - we've got about 3 >>>metres depth of snow at 3000M at the moment, and it just keeps on >>>coming. Tignes lifts shut on the 11th May this year, so I reckon it'll >>>be June before the passes are reliable. I might be completely wrong >>>though. >> >>>Cheers, >> >>>Matt >> >>Matt >> >> From memory its open about July-October. We went the 2nd week of >>September, but the problem by then was that France had pretty much >>"closed" after the Summer season. There was only a single restaurant in >>Val d'Isere open. Fortunately we were only staying 1 night, but we met a >>couple who were there for 3 or 4 days! >> >>Rob- Hide quoted text - >> >>- Show quoted text - > > > That makes sense - I've seen snow up here in August, so I guess it's a > pretty limited window. I don't know what the col de petit st bernard > opening times are like, but probably similar. > > I've been in Tignes a couple of times in September - I wouldn't > recommend it! > > Matt There are no fixed dates and it can be very late in the season when the Col opens. It may open in late June, but it will almost certainly be closed in early June. It has been known to be closed in July - it depends upon the weather. The Petit st Bernard opens a little earlier. I did ride my bike over it one summer, but cannot recall it being anything special. The Galibier is much better. It was a long time ago and IIRC we went from the Mauriene via Valloire, Briancon, over the Montgeneve pass then back into the upper Mauriene valley over either the Cenis or the Frejus passes, up and over the Col Iserian then via the Cormet de Roseland to Annecy. I was riding a BSA A65 at the time, which was great for thundering up the passes but it really tested the brakes on the way down and hauling it around hairpin after hairpin got tiring in the end. BTW the scenery on the Bonneval sur Arc side is better than the Val d'Isere side. John |
| 21 Apr 2008 14:56:21 |
| Roger Moss |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
"Matt T" <matt_j_thomas@hotmail.com > wrote in message news:89738276-286a-44ab-a0a6-00940239637f@m44g2000hsc.googlegroups.com... On 20 Apr, 09:24, LittleRob <greeneggsand...@greymouse.co.uk > wrote: > Matt T wrote: > > On 19 Apr, 13:46, LittleRob <greeneggsand...@greymouse.co.uk> wrote: > >> iain.crom...@googlemail.com wrote: > >>> Off topic, but it's quiet... I'd like to do this kind of motorbike, > >>> sunny day, > >>> dry road with walls of snow either side thing. I'd always imagined, > >>> that > >>> after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over > >>> the > >>> top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess > >>> it's not really like that. Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the > >>> Col > >>> d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first > >>> couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva). > >>> Cheers. > >>> Iain. > >> Iain > > >> I've not ridden this route (though I'm tempted this year) but I drove > >> it > >> in an open-top car a few years ago. I can recommend it. > > >> A very good resource iswww.alpineroads.com > > >> Rob > > > All I can tell you is it sure won't be open yet - we've got about 3 > > metres depth of snow at 3000M at the moment, and it just keeps on > > coming. Tignes lifts shut on the 11th May this year, so I reckon it'll > > be June before the passes are reliable. I might be completely wrong > > though. > > > Cheers, > > > Matt > The Col de l'Iseran is 'usually' open from late May/early June, but with this year's exceptional late snowfalls who knows? The Col (and the whole of the Route des Grandes Alpes) is an amazing drive, roadside piste-markers and all. Our experiences in late October, trying to beat the Col closures due to the first snowfalls : http://www.mountainpassions.com/summer/touring/grandes_alpes_1.htm - Lac Léman to the Beaufortain http://www.mountainpassions.com/summer/touring/grandes_alpes_2.htm - The Beaufortain to Briançon. http://www.mountainpassions.com/summer/touring/grandes_alpes_3.htm - Briançon to the Vallée de l'Ubaye http://www.mountainpassions.com/summer/touring/grandes_alpes_4.htm - Col de la Cayolle to Menton Enjoy - we did, and we'll certainly do it again... RM |
| 21 Apr 2008 15:31:50 |
| Champ |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:46:04 -0700 (PDT), iain.crombie@googlemail.com wrote: >Off topic, but it's quiet... I'd like to do this kind of motorbike, sunny day, >dry road with walls of snow either side thing. I'd always imagined, that >after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over the >top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess >it's not really like that. Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the Col >d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first >couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva). I can confirm that it's not open in mid-June: http://www.champ.org.uk/bikes/images/mugellosnow.jpg This was on the way back from the Italian GP at Mugello in 2001. -- Champ neal at champ dot org dot uk |
| 21 Apr 2008 20:14:24 |
| john elgy |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
Champ wrote: > On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:46:04 -0700 (PDT), iain.crombie@googlemail.com > wrote: > > >>Off topic, but it's quiet... I'd like to do this kind of motorbike, sunny day, >>dry road with walls of snow either side thing. I'd always imagined, that >>after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over the >>top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess >>it's not really like that. Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the Col >>d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first >>couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva). > > > I can confirm that it's not open in mid-June: > http://www.champ.org.uk/bikes/images/mugellosnow.jpg > > This was on the way back from the Italian GP at Mugello in 2001. Great photo. Wasn't the barrier lowered at the bottom of the pass? |
| 21 Apr 2008 21:49:21 |
| Ace |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:14:24 +0100, john elgy <john@natispam.elgy.org.uk > wrote: >Champ wrote: >> I can confirm that it's not open in mid-June: >> http://www.champ.org.uk/bikes/images/mugellosnow.jpg >> >> This was on the way back from the Italian GP at Mugello in 2001. > > >Great photo. Wasn't the barrier lowered at the bottom of the pass? They decided that the 'pass closed' signs 30 km back were obviously lying, and that there couldn't possibly be snow at that time of year. Twats! -- _______ .'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com) ` | /`/ `\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `|/` ` |
| 21 Apr 2008 22:50:42 |
| Colin Irvine |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:31:50 +0100, Champ <news@champ.org.uk > squeezed out the following: >On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:46:04 -0700 (PDT), iain.crombie@googlemail.com >wrote: > >>Off topic, but it's quiet... I'd like to do this kind of motorbike, sunny day, >>dry road with walls of snow either side thing. I'd always imagined, that >>after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over the >>top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess >>it's not really like that. Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the Col >>d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first >>couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva). > >I can confirm that it's not open in mid-June: >http://www.champ.org.uk/bikes/images/mugellosnow.jpg > >This was on the way back from the Italian GP at Mugello in 2001. Nice! -- Colin Irvine |
| 22 Apr 2008 09:28:27 |
| Champ |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:49:21 +0200, Ace <b.rogers@ifrance.com > wrote: >On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:14:24 +0100, john elgy ><john@natispam.elgy.org.uk> wrote: > >>Champ wrote: > >>> I can confirm that it's not open in mid-June: >>> http://www.champ.org.uk/bikes/images/mugellosnow.jpg >>> >>> This was on the way back from the Italian GP at Mugello in 2001. >> >> >>Great photo. Wasn't the barrier lowered at the bottom of the pass? > >They decided that the 'pass closed' signs 30 km back were obviously >lying, and that there couldn't possibly be snow at that time of year. Hey, it was me, Bonwick and Alex F -- we looked at each other and said "how bad can it be?" :-) >Twats! Guilty as charged, yer honour. -- Champ neal at champ dot org dot uk |
| 22 Apr 2008 03:55:44 |
| Matt T |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On 19 Apr, 13:46, LittleRob <greeneggsand...@greymouse.co.uk > wrote: > iain.crom...@googlemail.com wrote: > > Off topic, but it's quiet... =A0I'd like to do this kind of motorbike, > > sunny day, > > dry road with walls of snow either side thing. =A0I'd always imagined, > > that > > after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over > > the > > top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess > > it's not really like that. =A0Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the > > Col > > d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first > > couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva). > > > Cheers. > > Iain. > > Iain > > I've not ridden this route (though I'm tempted this year) but I drove it > in an open-top car a few years ago. I can recommend it. > > A very good resource iswww.alpineroads.com > > Rob BTW, and back on topic, there's loads of snow in the Espace Killy at the moment. The Grande Motte just got another 20cm of powder on it last night bringing the depth up to 310cm. Awesome skiing for the time of year and I think it's going to get sunny at the end of the week. Anyone fancies a bank holiday skiing trip there should be some good deals about. Matt |
| 22 Apr 2008 13:33:35 |
| Ace |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 03:55:44 -0700 (PDT), Matt T <matt_j_thomas@hotmail.com > wrote: >BTW, and back on topic, there's loads of snow in the Espace Killy at >the moment. The Grande Motte just got another 20cm of powder on it >last night bringing the depth up to 310cm. Awesome skiing for the time >of year and I think it's going to get sunny at the end of the week. >Anyone fancies a bank holiday skiing trip there should be some good >deals about. Indeed. Chamonix was excellent last weekend (Thurs-Sun) too - skied at Grand Montets, where we had some great powder, especially on the glacier, and only slightly slushy conditions on the last run home down to the car park level. Engelberg's still looking good too, although it's ten days since I skied there. Not much open today, with heavy snow and windy conditions, and I see they've now stopped trying to keep the run down to the village open, but the snow from Trubsee upwards still looks great. -- _______ .'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com) ` | /`/ `\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `|/` ` |
| 22 Apr 2008 14:27:19 |
| BrritSki |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
Ace wrote: > On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 03:55:44 -0700 (PDT), Matt T > <matt_j_thomas@hotmail.com> wrote: > > >> BTW, and back on topic, there's loads of snow in the Espace Killy at >> the moment. The Grande Motte just got another 20cm of powder on it >> last night bringing the depth up to 310cm. Awesome skiing for the time >> of year and I think it's going to get sunny at the end of the week. >> Anyone fancies a bank holiday skiing trip there should be some good >> deals about. > > Indeed. Chamonix was excellent last weekend (Thurs-Sun) too - skied at > Grand Montets, where we had some great powder, especially on the > glacier, and only slightly slushy conditions on the last run home down > to the car park level. "Slightly" mushy ? Shame I didn't know you were there, as I was there with a couple of old RSA regulars too. Were you with the group wearing SCGB monogrammed kit outside at the restaurant at Grand Montets mid-station on Sunday lunchtime ? If so, I think I saw you... We enjoyed the powder off Hearse chair Sat. morning too and had a great time, but were too disorganised to sort out tram to glacier until Sunday afternoon. Things were not helped by the Vagabond Gits who slept in after the big end-of-season-workers party on Sat. night, so the ski room wasn't unlocked until about 9.30 :( |
| 22 Apr 2008 15:30:36 |
| Ace |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:27:19 +0200, BrritSki <BrritSki@iname.com > wrote: >Ace wrote: >> Indeed. Chamonix was excellent last weekend (Thurs-Sun) too - skied at >> Grand Montets, where we had some great powder, especially on the >> glacier, and only slightly slushy conditions on the last run home down >> to the car park level. > >"Slightly" mushy ? > >Shame I didn't know you were there, as I was there with a couple of old >RSA regulars too. Were you with the group wearing SCGB monogrammed kit >outside at the restaurant at Grand Montets mid-station on Sunday >lunchtime ? It was a rep's refresher, and one or two were wearing the green jackets, including the boss, with others quite likely ewaring bits and bobs of kit, like shirts, fleeces etc. >If so, I think I saw you... Not me - I'd gone homw by then, having been completely exhausted by it all. Despite 60 days skiing this year my back[1] was still complaining after three full days of hard off-piste skiing, with a fair dose of digging for avalanche victims thrown in. >We enjoyed the powder off Hearse chair Sat. morning too and had a great >time, but were too disorganised to sort out tram to glacier until Sunday >afternoon. Things were not helped by the Vagabond Gits who slept in >after the big end-of-season-workers party on Sat. night, so the ski room >wasn't unlocked until about 9.30 :( Not the best start to the day. And there were even a few queues on Saturday, although we didn't bother going up to the glacier, as the lift wasn't running until around lunchtime due to high winds on top. -- _______ .'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com) ` | /`/ `\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `|/` ` |
| 22 Apr 2008 15:42:13 |
| Ace |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:30:36 +0200, Ace <b.rogers@ifrance.com > wrote: >On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:27:19 +0200, BrritSki <BrritSki@iname.com> >wrote: > >>Ace wrote: > >>> Indeed. Chamonix was excellent last weekend (Thurs-Sun) too - skied at >>> Grand Montets, where we had some great powder, especially on the >>> glacier, and only slightly slushy conditions on the last run home down >>> to the car park level. >> >>"Slightly" mushy ? >> >>Shame I didn't know you were there, as I was there with a couple of old >>RSA regulars too. Were you with the group wearing SCGB monogrammed kit >>outside at the restaurant at Grand Montets mid-station on Sunday >>lunchtime ? > >It was a rep's refresher, and one or two were wearing the green >jackets, including the boss, with others quite likely ewaring bits and >bobs of kit, like shirts, fleeces etc. > >>If so, I think I saw you... > >Not me - I'd gone homw by then, having been completely exhausted by it >all. Despite 60 days skiing this year my back[1] was still complaining >after three full days of hard off-piste skiing, with a fair dose of >digging for avalanche victims thrown in. > >>We enjoyed the powder off Hearse chair Sat. morning too and had a great >>time, but were too disorganised to sort out tram to glacier until Sunday >>afternoon. Things were not helped by the Vagabond Gits who slept in >>after the big end-of-season-workers party on Sat. night, so the ski room >>wasn't unlocked until about 9.30 :( > >Not the best start to the day. And there were even a few queues on >Saturday, although we didn't bother going up to the glacier, as the >lift wasn't running until around lunchtime due to high winds on top. [1] Still recovering, all too slowly, it seems, from injuries incurred in my bike smash 20 months ago. -- _______ .'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com) ` | /`/ `\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `|/` ` |
| 22 Apr 2008 16:45:59 |
| BrritSki |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
Ace wrote: > On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:30:36 +0200, Ace <b.rogers@ifrance.com> wrote: > >> On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:27:19 +0200, BrritSki <BrritSki@iname.com> >> wrote: >> >>> Ace wrote: >>>> Indeed. Chamonix was excellent last weekend (Thurs-Sun) too - skied at >>>> Grand Montets, where we had some great powder, especially on the >>>> glacier, and only slightly slushy conditions on the last run home down >>>> to the car park level. >>> "Slightly" mushy ? >>> >>> Shame I didn't know you were there, as I was there with a couple of old >>> RSA regulars too. Were you with the group wearing SCGB monogrammed kit >>> outside at the restaurant at Grand Montets mid-station on Sunday >>> lunchtime ? >> It was a rep's refresher, and one or two were wearing the green >> jackets, including the boss, with others quite likely ewaring bits and >> bobs of kit, like shirts, fleeces etc. >> >>> If so, I think I saw you... >> Not me - I'd gone homw by then, having been completely exhausted by it I know what you mean :) >> all. Despite 60 days skiing this year my back[1] was still complaining >> after three full days of hard off-piste skiing, with a fair dose of >> digging for avalanche victims thrown in. Only practice I hope.... >> >>> We enjoyed the powder off Hearse chair Sat. morning too and had a great >>> time, but were too disorganised to sort out tram to glacier until Sunday >>> afternoon. Things were not helped by the Vagabond Gits who slept in >>> after the big end-of-season-workers party on Sat. night, so the ski room >>> wasn't unlocked until about 9.30 :( >> Not the best start to the day. And there were even a few queues on >> Saturday, although we didn't bother going up to the glacier, as the >> lift wasn't running until around lunchtime due to high winds on top. > > [1] Still recovering, all too slowly, it seems, from injuries incurred > in my bike smash 20 months ago. > Just be thankful you're even walking, let alone skiing... |
| 22 Apr 2008 16:57:27 |
| Ace |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:45:59 +0200, BrritSki <BrritSki@iname.com > wrote: >Ace wrote: >>> all. Despite 60 days skiing this year my back[1] was still complaining >>> after three full days of hard off-piste skiing, with a fair dose of >>> digging for avalanche victims thrown in. > >Only practice I hope.... Sure, but we did some complex scenarios, indlucing one where we had 6 transceivers buried (in backpacks), 1 real body mostly buried and one non-transceivered backpack that needed probing for. Not completely realistic, perhaps, but enough to get the idea about how to coordinate things etc. >> [1] Still recovering, all too slowly, it seems, from injuries incurred >> in my bike smash 20 months ago. >> >Just be thankful you're even walking, let alone skiing... Yeah yeah, but that's not the point, is it? -- _______ .'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com) ` | /`/ `\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `|/` ` |
| 22 Apr 2008 17:39:16 |
| Pip Luscher |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:30:36 +0200, Ace <b.rogers@ifrance.com > wrote: >Not me - I'd gone homw by then, having been completely exhausted by it >all. Despite 60 days skiing this year my back[1] was still complaining >after three full days of hard off-piste skiing, with a fair dose of >digging for avalanche victims thrown in. Real or practice? -- -Pip |
| 22 Apr 2008 18:40:05 |
| Andy Bonwick |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:28:27 +0100, Champ <news@champ.org.uk > wrote: >On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:49:21 +0200, Ace <b.rogers@ifrance.com> wrote: > >>On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:14:24 +0100, john elgy >><john@natispam.elgy.org.uk> wrote: >> >>>Champ wrote: >> >>>> I can confirm that it's not open in mid-June: >>>> http://www.champ.org.uk/bikes/images/mugellosnow.jpg >>>> >>>> This was on the way back from the Italian GP at Mugello in 2001. >>> >>> >>>Great photo. Wasn't the barrier lowered at the bottom of the pass? >> >>They decided that the 'pass closed' signs 30 km back were obviously >>lying, and that there couldn't possibly be snow at that time of year. > >Hey, it was me, Bonwick and Alex F -- we looked at each other and said >"how bad can it be?" :-) > >>Twats! > It was ok at the bottom.. >Guilty as charged, yer honour. They made me do it. |
| 22 Apr 2008 23:53:15 |
| Champ |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:40:05 +0100, Andy Bonwick <nospam@bonwick.me.uk > wrote: >>>>> I can confirm that it's not open in mid-June: >>>>> http://www.champ.org.uk/bikes/images/mugellosnow.jpg >>>>> >>>>> This was on the way back from the Italian GP at Mugello in 2001. >>>>Great photo. Wasn't the barrier lowered at the bottom of the pass? >>> >>>They decided that the 'pass closed' signs 30 km back were obviously >>>lying, and that there couldn't possibly be snow at that time of year. >> >>Hey, it was me, Bonwick and Alex F -- we looked at each other and said >>"how bad can it be?" :-) >> >>>Twats! >> >It was ok at the bottom.. > >>Guilty as charged, yer honour. > >They made me do it. Of all the people who can play the "a big boy did it and ran away" card, Andy, you are not it. -- Champ |
| 23 Apr 2008 09:49:47 |
| Ace |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:39:16 GMT, Pip Luscher <pips.computer@spammers.foad.ntlworld.com > wrote: >On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:30:36 +0200, Ace <b.rogers@ifrance.com> wrote: > >>Not me - I'd gone homw by then, having been completely exhausted by it >>all. Despite 60 days skiing this year my back[1] was still complaining >>after three full days of hard off-piste skiing, with a fair dose of >>digging for avalanche victims thrown in. > >Real or practice? As I said elsewhere, we were practising various types of scenarios. But as it happens our guide that day, who's also the club's alpine advisor and rep's course director, did trigger a small, but perfectly formed, avalanche earlier that day. He'd been pointing out how the fresh snow and wind would have been loading certain slopes, and stopped at a lip to ask if this was one such. Of course it was, and a he went over he'd told us all to wait until he was down, in case it was unstable. And so it proved, with about a six inch thick slab breaking off and creating a slide about 15m wide and 20m down. I've skiied with him lots of times, but never ween him quite so pleased with himself, later claiming that he was 90% sure it would go and was deliberately setting it off. It was a very good example, I must admit. Later, when setting up a practice session, he searched in vain for another such, so that we might make the scenario a bit more real. We had to make do with a slope that might have gone, but didn't. -- _______ .'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com) ` | /`/ `\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `|/` ` |
| 23 Apr 2008 10:02:58 |
| Ace |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:53:15 +0100, Champ <neal@champ.org.uk > wrote: >On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:40:05 +0100, Andy Bonwick ><nospam@bonwick.me.uk> wrote: > >>>>>> I can confirm that it's not open in mid-June: >>>>>> http://www.champ.org.uk/bikes/images/mugellosnow.jpg >>>>>> >>>>>> This was on the way back from the Italian GP at Mugello in 2001. > >>>>>Great photo. Wasn't the barrier lowered at the bottom of the pass? >>>> >>>>They decided that the 'pass closed' signs 30 km back were obviously >>>>lying, and that there couldn't possibly be snow at that time of year. >>> >>>Hey, it was me, Bonwick and Alex F -- we looked at each other and said >>>"how bad can it be?" :-) >>> >>>>Twats! >>> >>It was ok at the bottom.. >> >>>Guilty as charged, yer honour. >> >>They made me do it. > >Of all the people who can play the "a big boy did it and ran away" >card, Andy, you are not it. Ringleaders! You're all a bunch of ringleaders. -- _______ .'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com) ` | /`/ `\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `|/` ` |
| 23 Apr 2008 18:35:32 |
| Andy Bonwick |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:02:58 +0200, Ace <b.rogers@ifrance.com > wrote: >On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:53:15 +0100, Champ <neal@champ.org.uk> wrote: > >>On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:40:05 +0100, Andy Bonwick >><nospam@bonwick.me.uk> wrote: >> >>>>>>> I can confirm that it's not open in mid-June: >>>>>>> http://www.champ.org.uk/bikes/images/mugellosnow.jpg >>>>>>> >>>>>>> This was on the way back from the Italian GP at Mugello in 2001. >> >>>>>>Great photo. Wasn't the barrier lowered at the bottom of the pass? >>>>> >>>>>They decided that the 'pass closed' signs 30 km back were obviously >>>>>lying, and that there couldn't possibly be snow at that time of year. >>>> >>>>Hey, it was me, Bonwick and Alex F -- we looked at each other and said >>>>"how bad can it be?" :-) >>>> >>>>>Twats! >>>> >>>It was ok at the bottom.. >>> >>>>Guilty as charged, yer honour. >>> >>>They made me do it. >> >>Of all the people who can play the "a big boy did it and ran away" >>card, Andy, you are not it. > >Ringleaders! You're all a bunch of ringleaders. Can I claim I didn't understand the French sign telling us the road was closed and I assumed the barriers were because it was a toll road? |
| 23 Apr 2008 19:39:50 |
| Ace |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:35:32 +0100, Andy Bonwick <nospam@bonwick.me.uk > wrote: >On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:02:58 +0200, Ace <b.rogers@ifrance.com> wrote: > >>On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:53:15 +0100, Champ <neal@champ.org.uk> wrote: >> >>>On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:40:05 +0100, Andy Bonwick >>><nospam@bonwick.me.uk> wrote: >>> >>>>>>>> I can confirm that it's not open in mid-June: >>>>>>>> http://www.champ.org.uk/bikes/images/mugellosnow.jpg >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> This was on the way back from the Italian GP at Mugello in 2001. >>> >>>>>>>Great photo. Wasn't the barrier lowered at the bottom of the pass? >>>>>> >>>>>>They decided that the 'pass closed' signs 30 km back were obviously >>>>>>lying, and that there couldn't possibly be snow at that time of year. >>>>> >>>>>Hey, it was me, Bonwick and Alex F -- we looked at each other and said >>>>>"how bad can it be?" :-) >Can I claim I didn't understand the French sign telling us the road >was closed and I assumed the barriers were because it was a toll road? No, I'm sorry, there isn't time. -- _______ .'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com) ` | /`/ `\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `|/` ` |
| 23 Apr 2008 10:41:02 |
| Matt T |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On 23 Apr, 18:35, Andy Bonwick <nos...@bonwick.me.uk > wrote: > Can I claim I didn't understand the French sign telling us the road > was closed and I assumed the barriers were because it was a toll road? > Only if you managed to pay someone 20 Euros as you went through. |
| 23 Apr 2008 23:34:05 |
| Wicked Uncle Nigel |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Matt T <matt_j_thomas@hotmail.com > typed >On 23 Apr, 18:35, Andy Bonwick <nos...@bonwick.me.uk> wrote: > >> Can I claim I didn't understand the French sign telling us the road >> was closed and I assumed the barriers were because it was a toll road? >> > >Only if you managed to pay someone 20 Euros as you went through. This is Bonwick. He'd duck under it behind someone else and assume it was an automated toll. Thinking about it, that's probably how he got into cave diving. -- Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest" My position was (and, to be honest, largely remains) one of complete ambiguity. |
| 29 Apr 2008 07:48:42 |
| PG |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
<iain.crombie@googlemail.com > a écrit dans le message de news: 67e43850-d590-4349-b7ee-0010b728be1e@s50g2000hsb.googlegroups.com... > Off topic, but it's quiet... I'd like to do this kind of motorbike, > sunny day, > dry road with walls of snow either side thing. I'd always imagined, > that > after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over > the > top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess > it's not really like that. Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the > Col > d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first > couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva). > > Cheers. > Iain. May have missed this link in another reply ref opening times, but the provisional dates (week number in year) for the passes in the Savoie are given and regularly updated on this official page: http://preview.tinyurl.com/6fy96b The Iseran is (provisionally) set to open between weeks 24 (week starting June 9th) and 41 (week starting October 6th). For those who can read French, that page also links to useful info during the season on road and traffic conditions on routes giving access to the Savoie resorts. Pete |
| 29 Apr 2008 07:59:06 |
| PG |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
"PG" <pgk9@alpesprovence.net > a écrit dans le message de news: fv6cmm$gol$1@aioe.org... > > <iain.crombie@googlemail.com> a écrit dans le message de news: > 67e43850-d590-4349-b7ee-0010b728be1e@s50g2000hsb.googlegroups.com... >> Off topic, but it's quiet... I'd like to do this kind of motorbike, >> sunny day, >> dry road with walls of snow either side thing. I'd always imagined, >> that >> after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over >> the >> top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess >> it's not really like that. Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the >> Col >> d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first >> couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva). >> >> Cheers. >> Iain. > > May have missed this link in another reply ref opening times, but the > provisional dates (week number in year) for the passes in the Savoie are > given and regularly updated on this official page: > > http://preview.tinyurl.com/6fy96b > > The Iseran is (provisionally) set to open between weeks 24 (week starting > June 9th) and 41 (week starting October 6th). > > For those who can read French, that page also links to useful info during > the season on road and traffic conditions on routes giving access to the > Savoie resorts. Which reminds me, why is that the GPS can tell me if there's an accident / serious delays along my driving route and propose possible diversions, yet is determined to send me over the Petit St Bernard or the Iseran if I set out from Bourg St Maurice say to Chamonix, no matter what time of year? I wonder how many people get caught out by this - I've met a couple just recently. The diversion thing works fine - the Gorges pass (usually open all year round) between Albertville and Megeve is closed I suppose due to work on securing from landslides, and the GPS told me I would save time using the motorway through to Les Houches from Bourg last week. I ignored it on the way back, and got sent all around the houses, adding a good 30 minutes to the trip - so the GPS was right all along ... Pete Peter |
| 29 Apr 2008 09:40:43 |
| Memascii |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Apr 29, 7:48 am, "PG" <p...@alpesprovence.net > wrote: > provisional dates (week number in year) for the passes in the Savoie are > given and regularly updated on this official page: > > http://preview.tinyurl.com/6fy96b > Hi, That's excellent. Found one for Haute Savoie and Swiss passes too (if anybody is interested). http://www.cg74.fr/pages/fr/menu3/routes-150.html http://www.swissinfo.org/ger/verkehrsinfo/index.html?siteSect=490#pass Cheers. Iain. |
| 02 May 2008 03:57:42 |
| Matt T |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On 29 Apr, 06:59, "PG" <p...@alpesprovence.net > wrote: > "PG" <p...@alpesprovence.net> a =E9crit dans le message de news: > fv6cmm$go...@aioe.org... > > > > > > > > > <iain.crom...@googlemail.com> a =E9crit dans le message de news: > > 67e43850-d590-4349-b7ee-0010b728b...@s50g2000hsb.googlegroups.com... > >> Off topic, but it's quiet... =A0I'd like to do this kind of motorbike, > >> sunny day, > >> dry road with walls of snow either side thing. =A0I'd always imagined, > >> that > >> after the lifts close down in val d'Isere they run a snow plough over > >> the > >> top, though as it sometimes snows right through to May/June I guess > >> it's not really like that. =A0Any ideas on fixed dates for opening the > >> Col > >> d'Iseran, or ideas where freshly opened high passes might be the first > >> couple of weeks in may (within 3 hours of Geneva). > > >> Cheers. > >> Iain. > > > May have missed this link in another reply ref opening times, but the > > provisional dates (week =A0number in year) for the passes in the Savoie = are > > given and regularly updated on this official page: > > >http://preview.tinyurl.com/6fy96b > > > The Iseran is (provisionally) set to open between weeks 24 (week startin= g > > June 9th) and 41 (week starting October 6th). > > > For those who can read French, that page also links to useful info durin= g > > the season on road and traffic conditions on routes giving access to the= > > Savoie resorts. > > Which reminds me, why is that the GPS can tell me if there's an accident /= > serious delays along my driving route and propose possible diversions, yet= > is determined to send me over the Petit St Bernard or the Iseran if I set > out from Bourg St Maurice say to Chamonix, no matter what time of year? I > wonder how many people get caught out by this - I've met a couple just > recently. > > The diversion thing works fine - the =A0Gorges pass (usually open all year= > round) between Albertville and Megeve is closed I suppose due to work on > securing from landslides, and the GPS told me I would save time using the > motorway through to Les Houches from Bourg last week. I ignored it on the > way back, and got sent all around the houses, adding a good 30 minutes to > the trip - so the GPS was right all along ... > > Pete > > Peter- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - Every year we get people trying to get to Tignes from Geneva and ending up slightly disappointed that, having paid the toll for the Mont Blanc tunnel, they have to stay in Italy for the night or face the prospect of driving for another 5 hours. I think it's pretty disgraceful of the SatNav companies not to have sorted this out. M |
| 02 May 2008 13:02:50 |
| Ace |
| Re: Pass opening dates/Col d'Iseran |
On Fri, 2 May 2008 03:57:42 -0700 (PDT), Matt T <matt_j_thomas@hotmail.com > wrote: >On 29 Apr, 06:59, "PG" <p...@alpesprovence.net> wrote: >> Which reminds me, why is that the GPS can tell me if there's an accident / >> serious delays along my driving route and propose possible diversions, yet >> is determined to send me over the Petit St Bernard or the Iseran if I set >> out from Bourg St Maurice say to Chamonix, no matter what time of year? I >> wonder how many people get caught out by this - I've met a couple just >> recently. >Every year we get people trying to get to Tignes from Geneva and >ending up slightly disappointed that, having paid the toll for the >Mont Blanc tunnel, they have to stay in Italy for the night or face >the prospect of driving for another 5 hours. I think it's pretty >disgraceful of the SatNav companies not to have sorted this out. Maybe they're all investing heavily in the Mont Blanc Tunnel Company... -- _______ .'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com) ` | /`/ `\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10 `|/` ` |
