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moo 
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Post subject: Anyone ridden at La Grave
 Posted: Feb 28, 2012 - 08:32 PM
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First post: Nov 24, 2004
Total posts: 352
Location: No longer Whistler
Status: Offline
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Going to L2A mid March, thinking of looking for a group of others & guide whilst there to do a trip to La Grave.
How hardcore is it? Don't mind most types of terrain apart from really exposed places. Not got a great head for heights. |
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saroogi
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Post subject: RE: Anyone ridden at La Grave
Posted: Feb 28, 2012 - 09:21 PM
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First post: Apr 13, 2011
Total posts: 224
Status: Offline
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Check out Neil McNab's page, he takes groups there. I think there's a part where you need to rappel into however, I understand the terrain to be quite difficult so you'd get more enjoyment out of it if you consider yourself an 'advanced' rider... I watched this brilliant webisode recently about it as well (see below), if you get the chance watch all of these webisodes, they're amazing! Anyways... I'd love to have done La Grave when we were there, only don't think I'm at the standard that I could enjoy it - plus they don't open it until there's good cover, which I think wouldn't be an issue by now!!
http://vimeo.com/15315278 |
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Wookie
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Post subject: RE: Anyone ridden at La Grave
Posted: Feb 29, 2012 - 09:04 AM
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First post: Nov 05, 2005
Total posts: 80
Location: Europe
Status: Offline
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I did a season a long while ago in L2A and we used to pop over a fair few times, always with a guide.
Basically there are two ways to get there - over the top from L2A on a tow and walk or get a lift around the mountain and go straight into the village. From there village there is a two stage lift up.
Basically you choose your way down (hence then essential need for a guide) as there are no marked runs.
Finally the last time we went there that season - the weather was hot and the snow not that great and we thought we knew it well enough to not have a guide.
We got ourselves to the top of a series of couloirs (Triffids) and my mate fell on the drop in and smashed his way down the mountain for about 400m and ended up with a smashed board, busted knee and some pretty bad head injuries. He survived but can't snowboard ever again... |
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StevieMcK
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Post subject: Re: RE: Anyone ridden at La Grave
Posted: Feb 29, 2012 - 09:59 AM
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First post: Mar 11, 2005
Total posts: 1723
Location: East Kilbride
Status: Offline
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Wookie wrote:
always with a guide
Thats the most important thing is you're considering going to La Grave. Make sure you hire a guide and you all have beepers/probes/shovels (you can usually hire them when you book a guide).
I've never managed to get the right conditions to go, even though I've spent the best part of 8 weeks shredding close to it over the last few seasons (Alpe D'huez and Serre Chevalier).
This video should give you an idea of how exposes the mountain is!  |
_________________
My Photos
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moo
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Anyone ridden at La Grave
Posted: Mar 01, 2012 - 01:48 PM
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First post: Nov 24, 2004
Total posts: 352
Location: No longer Whistler
Status: Offline
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Thanks for the info, nothing that looks overly hardcore on the 2nd video, don't like the sound of a 400m fall though!
There's interesting thread on goneboarding about some guys who got left behind by their guide in the dark over there! |
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62dave
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Post subject:
Posted: Mar 01, 2012 - 03:06 PM
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First post: Sep 28, 2005
Total posts: 49
Status: Offline
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haha, that was me! Not a nice place to be on your own at 11pm!
So like the other guys say. Have all the gear and a LOCAL guide.. not a douche from Canada! |
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cantridepete
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Post subject: Re: RE: Anyone ridden at La Grave
Posted: Mar 01, 2012 - 03:38 PM
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First post: Oct 28, 2008
Total posts: 2988
Location: Haute Savoie
Status: Offline
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StevieMcK wrote:
Wookie wrote:
always with a guide
Thats the most important thing is you're considering going to La Grave. Make sure you hire a guide and you all have beepers/probes/shovels (you can usually hire them when you book a guide).
I've never managed to get the right conditions to go, even though I've spent the best part of 8 weeks shredding close to it over the last few seasons (Alpe D'huez and Serre Chevalier).
This video should give you an idea of how exposes the mountain is!
good video. hard to imagine that people go up there on snowblades
The video does seem to make it appear to be almost perfectly safe though, i'm not sure if that was the purpose of it!? |
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StevieMcK
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Anyone ridden at La Grave
Posted: Mar 01, 2012 - 04:16 PM
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First post: Mar 11, 2005
Total posts: 1723
Location: East Kilbride
Status: Offline
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| Its perfectly safe if you've got a guide and the right kit. However a lot of folk just pitch up with their board and go for it. |
_________________
My Photos
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nickmotture
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Post subject:
Posted: Mar 01, 2012 - 06:05 PM
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First post: Jan 09, 2006
Total posts: 11165
Location: Washington DC USA
Status: Offline
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moo
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Post subject:
Posted: Mar 01, 2012 - 07:09 PM
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First post: Nov 24, 2004
Total posts: 352
Location: No longer Whistler
Status: Offline
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Do you have to rapel in like on the vimeo vid at 4.10? kind of hoping there are a few ways down and that is one of the harder ways.
No problem with hiring a (local) guide, that was taken as read. |
_________________
www.myspace.com/iainmoo
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TheKork
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Post subject:
Posted: Mar 04, 2012 - 02:40 AM
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First post: Dec 28, 2009
Total posts: 86
Status: Offline
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| I was over in L2A for 2 weeks in January, I never got round to going but I spoke to a few people who said that it a guide is obviously recommended, however, it is not as 'wild' as it once was and has got much more sign posting and guidance than it once did. |
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227angrydonkeys
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Post subject:
Posted: Mar 04, 2012 - 11:27 AM
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First post: Dec 08, 2007
Total posts: 1392
Status: Offline
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| It's called La Grave for a reason.... |
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Sidget
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Post subject: Re: RE: Anyone ridden at La Grave
Posted: Mar 04, 2012 - 12:00 PM
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First post: Sep 10, 2006
Total posts: 11083
Location: Under a lil rock
Status: Offline
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StevieMcK wrote:
Wookie wrote:
always with a guide
Thats the most important thing is you're considering going to La Grave. Make sure you hire a guide and you all have beepers/probes/shovels (you can usually hire them when you book a guide).
I've never managed to get the right conditions to go, even though I've spent the best part of 8 weeks shredding close to it over the last few seasons (Alpe D'huez and Serre Chevalier).
This video should give you an idea of how exposes the mountain is!
Really interesting video, watched the entire thing - makes La Grave rather appealing... powder days must be amazing |
_________________
brace for satire
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chaletslovakia
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Anyone ridden at La Grave
Posted: Mar 11, 2012 - 08:50 PM
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First post: Feb 22, 2008
Total posts: 313
Location: Jasna, Slovakia
Status: Offline
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| I seasoned in L2A and was always put off by the locals about going without a guide; probably sound advice. But L2A is one of the greatest off-piste mountains on its own when it snows - the front face of the big side and the backside of the little side are paradise, easy access and with low traffic - and no guide or equipment needed. As a result we never got to La Grave, but we didn't really need to... |
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It's cheap, a great all-round hill and LOTS of easy access off-piste...
Plenty of great riding, guiding, grub and beers without the hefty Alp pricetag.
visit www.chaletslovakia.com
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moo
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Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Anyone ridden at La Grave
Posted: Mar 24, 2012 - 05:58 PM
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First post: Nov 24, 2004
Total posts: 352
Location: No longer Whistler
Status: Offline
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Didn't make over there in the end.
Having decided I was going to do it, the guide bureau said it would be no fun on a snowboard now, only top half powder and then bottom half massive moguls (5-6 feet high). The lift was closed for maintenance as well so couldn't have done more than one run either.
One for another winter... |
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