It wasn’t two feet. It wasn’t even one in any place I skied.
Tignes April 8th to 12th 2024.
- Thread starter Sbooker
- Start date
ChrisC
Well-known member
I think Tignes overreports a bit. Val d'Isere snow totals were typically less. Although I do not know if the highest point in Val/Tignes - Grande Motte - really might get more snow due to altitude.
ChrisC
Well-known member
You might be able to find untracked snow on your own on a powder day with a bit of knowledge and observation.
Finding spring snow corn at the right time and in the right aspect would be even more challenging. A guide's knowledge is probably even more valuable on those days.
ChrisC
Well-known member
I believe those towers are for power lines coming into Val d'Isere, and not a lift.
This is an insane video. You must know the run well to be going at that speed. However, it looks like many skiers get over their heads and ski it slowly. Seems ripe for a collision.
Vallee Perdue is on the La Daille side of Val d'Isere – sandwiched between the red Triffolet run and a tree-lined green, aptly named “Verte”. To access, ski down past the Tommeuse lift on the green. You'll see a gully off to the left, and that's the top entry point.
I have never skied it—I have no genuine desire to get trapped in a gully. Telluride has a run called East Drain, which is similar—a Frozen creekbed/gully that snowborders seem to like. Maybe on a powder day.
ChrisC
Well-known member
It's pretty easy to have a 'best day on skis' on a powder day at Val d'Isere/Tignes—there is so much off-piste terrain for all ability levels.
The extremities are so poorly served by lifts (Col Pers, Vallon Sache) that the snow remains untouched for longer periods of time despite the crowded middle slopes. Gran Vallon is relatively easy to get to—bus to Fornet from Val d'Isere (then laps with HSQ and surface lift). Col Pers is a lot more difficult (3-4 lifts) and a bit of a runout.
You likely could handle 100mm skis. In Alaska, snowboarders had an even better time because they could push through the snow and not get knocked out by slough or sluff—obviously, boards are even fatter than 100mm+++. On steep aspects, sometimes slough/sluff can catch up to you, load the tails of the ski, and if you have enough snow weight, it will spin you around/knock you down. You need to let it pass by you at times.
Piste to Powder at St. Anton is another good value - € 649 for 5 Full Days. That's practically the rate for a one-day private guide rate in Switzerland. I had great days with them at Rendl, St. Anton, Stueben, and Zurs.
Mostly because snow is measured at the bases and Tignes is 1,000 feet higher. Fornet sector probably gets the most due to Retour d'Est, twice as much during our April 2018 week. Western storms I'd guess distribute fairly even by elevation in the Tarantaise.
While formal snow data I got from Fraser is measured at the bases of both areas, it is possible that marketing posts a SWAG like Snowbird does.
That would be Liz on April 13, 2018. It was top 5 lift served for me.
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Pretty sure the skiing they do would be above my ability level from what I’ve read.
Definitely not. Piste-to-Powder splits into 4 groups by ability range. They will also move people around during the day for compatibility if necessary.
F@(king Australian yobbos.
I know that posting pro ski videos is a rabbit hole that we should generally avoid; however, I'm happy to make an exception for Candide -- this time doing a preposterous late spring line at Tignes that mixes equal parts mank, scratchy refreeze, slop, and rock. The audio alone makes me cringe. As always, I wonder how many takes they did to get this mix of footage.
Per one of the comments: "43 years of age, broken back injury, no helmet, and shit snow conditions; yet again, Candide pulls off this masterpiece."
There's also a short clip of him airing out the Aiguille Percée a few years ago.
Per one of the comments: "43 years of age, broken back injury, no helmet, and shit snow conditions; yet again, Candide pulls off this masterpiece."
There's also a short clip of him airing out the Aiguille Percée a few years ago.
The audio is unquestionably a salient point in that video. Does he have to buy a new pair of skis every time he does something like that? I'd guess it has to be scouted by helicopter and he would still need a photographic memory.
Buy? Someone of his star power would likely be showered with free product from any ski manufacturer, especially if he's repping them and/or using them in his videos. Here's what a search turns up:
Candide Thovex is essentially riding his own brand, which is a big shift from what you probably remember.
Current (post-Faction era)
- He founded and reps Candide Skis
- This is a boutique, design-driven line where he controls the shapes, messaging, and edits
- AK 121 (his “favorite” big-mountain ski)
- AK 106
- Area 91 (more freestyle-oriented)
Before that (what most people associate him with)
- Longtime face of Faction Skis
- Had the famous CT (Candide Thovex) series — CT 2.0, 3.0, 5.0, etc.
- That partnership ran approx. 10 years and ended after the 2021–22 season
Big picture (the honest takeaway)
Candide isn’t really a “team rider” anymore in the traditional sense. He’s moved into:- Brand owner
- Creative director
- Media-driven skier
jasoncapecod
Well-known member
Most of his vids are done with multi takes and edits
Still he’s the GOAT
Still he’s the GOAT
Of course I misspoke!
