Ski/ Snowboarding 2013/14

[Weststander]

Taking an 11 day ski holiday in mid-February in a family resort near Briancon, French Alps.

Getting on for 2 metres of snow at resort level already - the French Alps have had an amazing January of non-stop top ups.

We're driving for the first time, as the flight costs (x4) to any airport anywhere near the Alps got incredibly high around February half term, even when looking 9 months ago when those flights first came online. Driving also allows more flexibility on the length of the holiday.

Can't wait!

 

[Captain Sensible]

Most of the western alps, France & Western Switzerland have suffered from the mildest January in 30 years. Means that rain regularly fell up to 1500m, Germany has hardly any snow, Eastern Switzerland, Italy and Austria managed a bit more snow in January but again very mild. In recent weeks that has improved and plenty of snow on the way this week so everyone should enjoy a great February skiing. Evidence of this is FIS ski meetings have changed in Europe due to poor snow. See today's downhill switched to ST.Moritz in Switzerland as Garmisch in Germany had no snow.
We've been spoilt over the last 3 years but the ski piste magicians at resorts have kept pistes open.
Here's where I'm off to next week.
the Augstbord Region near Visp, Switzerland!

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Taking an 11 day ski holiday in mid-February in a family resort near Briancon, French Alps.

Getting on for 2 metres of snow at resort level already - the French Alps have had an amazing January of non-stop top ups.

We're driving for the first time, as the flight costs (x4) to any airport anywhere near the Alps got incredibly high around February half term, even when looking 9 months ago when those flights first came online. Driving also allows more flexibility on the length of the holiday.

Can't wait!

Which resort? Serre Chevalier?

 

[cirC]

Wife and I went to Niseko,North Island Japan..... never seen so much snow http://postimg.org/image/705v1fyyj/
9 days skiing and it snowed most of the time.If you like powder it is the place to go http://postimg.org/image/7g4ghw64j/
gets between 14 and 18 metres a winter of the white stuff.
http://www.skijapan.com/Home/Resorts/Niseko/Snow-Report gives you an insight and click the link near the top of page for videos or go to youtube and search Niseko.
Did the trip independently and the skiing blew us away.Current top of mountain snowfall recorded this season,just shy of 12 metres.You do get a long ski day 8.30am till 8.30 pm with the floodlights giving visibility over 2/3rds of the ski area.

 

[m20gull]

boarders can often use a lot more of the slope and generally are seen as a bit more aggressive, where as skiers are all ages and you have all types, you have idiot skiers as you do boarders, but people just like to moan in general.

Boarders often have to unstrap from their bindings so sit down in places which might bug skiers, but im not quite sure as I board.

I ski and this year I was outnumbered by boarders in our party. We spent all week bickering like little children.

Their main gripe is the skis sweep off all the soft snow leaving ice and moguls everywhere on the piste.
Our gripe is that you never know what a boarder is going to do as they can move in any direction, while skis go in a straight line. And it takes AGES for boarders to put their board on at the top of a cable car. And they have to get off and walk on the flat bits.

 

[Weststander]

Which resort? Serre Chevalier?

Puy St Vincent.
We will drive through Serre and Briancon.
Puy has more than enough skiing, has an amazing snow record, is great for families (and others), lack of lift queues outside French school holidays, friendly non-ESF ski school for kids/improvers, and is relative good value. Only thing for some - lack of apres ski, but that's very common in most French ski resorts.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Puy St Vincent.
We will drive through Serre and Briancon.
Puy has more than enough skiing, has an amazing snow record, is great for families (and others), lack of lift queues outside French school holidays, friendly non-ESF ski school for kids/improvers, and is relative good value. Only thing for some - lack of apres ski, but that's very common in most French ski resorts.

Cool. I did years in the Alps and Apres was pretty much the most important thing, went on a 1 week holiday to 3 valleys with other half and didn't have a single alcoholic beverage. Apres is a waste if you're only there for a week anyway. I used to live in Villeneuve in Serre Che, Briancon was a nice little day trip, nice place.

 

[Weststander]

Cool. I did years in the Alps and Apres was pretty much the most important thing, went on a 1 week holiday to 3 valleys with other half and didn't have a single alcoholic beverage. Apres is a waste if you're only there for a week anyway. I used to live in Villeneuve in Serre Che, Briancon was a nice little day trip, nice place.

Do like the apres ski, but not on family holidays.
It's hard to burn the candle at both ends, maximising bars and skiing day after day.
Austria I found was the best for apres ski by a million miles - in 2 time phases - the one straight at the end of the days skiing, and then the later evening/early hours session. Ischgl and St.Anton stand out, but like Val D'Isere, are not cheap.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Do like the apres ski, but not on family holidays.
It's hard to burn the candle at both ends, maximising bars and skiing day after day.
Austria I found was the best for apres ski by a million miles - in 2 time phases - the one straight at the end of the days skiing, and then the later evening/early hours session. Ischgl and St.Anton stand out, but like Val D'Isere, are not cheap.

Val d'Isere ruined me I lived there for 4 seasons, not cheap but always a good night out

 

[Weststander]

Val d'Isere ruined me I lived there for 4 seasons, not cheap but always a good night out

I went to Val D'Isere once, and Tignes a couple of times. Obviously great skiing. Prefer Val D'Isere just because of the apres ski option if you want it. Tignes dead in that respect.
Without trawling through all your posts, are you off skiing/boarding this winter, or have been already? If so, where to.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I went to Val D'Isere once, and Tignes a couple of times. Obviously great skiing. Prefer Val D'Isere just because of the apres ski option if you want it. Tignes dead in that respect.
Without trawling through all your posts, are you off skiing/boarding this winter, or have been already? If so, where to.

I'm not mate, funds dictate that it's a no go this season unfortunately. Funny you should say about the Tignes night life, that's where I did my very season back in 2001/02. For tourists Val seems a lot better but the local community in Tignes is a lot more relaxed, much better ambience in the bars if you knew where to go.

 

[Barnham Seagull]

Just back from Les Gets, great snow conditions with two or three fantastic sunny days. Back out there in 5 weeks, cant wait!!

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[Weststander]

I'm not mate, funds dictate that it's a no go this season unfortunately. Funny you should say about the Tignes night life, that's where I did my very season back in 2001/02. For tourists Val seems a lot better but the local community in Tignes is a lot more relaxed, much better ambience in the bars if you knew where to go.

I've had to reduce to 1 ski holiday max in most years since family & house money-pit works. Selfishlessly make it our main holiday if money dictates. Having to drive this time, as even Easyjet set flight costs at silly high levels near Feb half term!

I hope to ski more again if finances permit in the future.

Have always loved everything about it - mountain scenery, snow (have never grown out of the kids snow thing, and never moan about it in Sussex either), the bars, gorgeous cold lagers, like minded people, skiing fast and trying to improve technique, and giant slalom competitions or similar if available on package holidays.

Val D'Isere - when i went about 5 years ago, we kept going to a large bar on the main street with live bands. Like a sardine can.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I've had to reduce to 1 ski holiday max in most years since family & house money-pit works. Selfishlessly make it our main holiday if money dictates. Having to drive this time, as even Easyjet set flight costs at silly high levels near Feb half term!

I hope to ski more again if finances permit in the future.

Have always loved everything about it - mountain scenery, snow (have never grown out of the kids snow thing, and never moan about it in Sussex either), the bars, gorgeous cold lagers, like minded people, skiing fast and trying to improve technique, and giant slalom competitions or similar if available on package holidays.

Val D'Isere - when i went about 5 years ago, we kept going to a large bar on the main street with live bands. Like a sardine can.

Was it The Morris bar?

 

[Weststander]

Was it The Morris bar?

Not sure. On the left as walking up the main street i.e. NOT the side of the road with the lifts and a massive new/renovated posh hotel that was plush inside. As you went into the big apres ski bar, bands played on the far right with a dance floor in front. The bar was straight on. Quite a fair way up main street.

There was another apres ski place you would know well. At the top of the main lifts up the mountain full of Brits and others dancing outside to trance, or other dance music from, mid afternoon. Included a ringed off 'VIP' area outside too.
Austria famously has a lot of places like that too, but even more manic.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Not sure. On the left as walking up the main street i.e. NOT the side of the road with the lifts and a massive new/renovated posh hotel that was plush inside. As you went into the big apres ski bar, bands played on the far right with a dance floor in front. The bar was straight on. Quite a fair way up main street.

There was another apres ski place you would know well. At the top of the main lifts up the mountain full of Brits and others dancing outside to trance, or other dance music from, mid afternoon. Included a ringed off 'VIP' area outside too.
Austria famously has a lot of places like that too, but even more manic.

The outside bar will have no doubt been the Follie Douce(sp), can't think what the first bar is though...? Maybe The Underground Bar?

 

[Munkfish]

I'm off tomorrow. Holla.