That was for Pierre who was asking about hurty snowboard boots.
After a 5 year hiatus i am actually going to go skiing this year.
Its been difficult as my 20year skiing partner died from cancer during covid . We went away for a week to Europe every year as he was allowed a week away from his family after a troubled week with family ( dont just pop out for some things when you arrive in resort tired , in the dark, and forget to take note of where you are staying so you spend an hour lost in the cold + helmets can save you from concussion and memory loss for real ) We went to Switzerland , France , Austria and Italy and always managed to have a great week whatever the conditions.
A brewing friend mentioned he was going to Les Arcs and there was a spare room so I took up his offer . 24th Jan , usually reliable snow by then and before the french school holidays. Flying to Lyon then messing around with trains to Grenoble - Chamberry - Bourg and funiclar up the mountain.
Started the pre season exercises already and thinking about some dry slope sessions to see if I can remember how to link turns. Everything seems to have doubled in price since my last trip! I blame Thatcher . ( Cameron )
Should be Ok but the group Im going with are all pretty much beginers, and I like a challenge . Still, I dont have to ski with them all day every day .
Everything seems to have doubled in price since my last trip!
Yep, it's possible to cut some corners but it's a hobby for those that want to/can afford it these days. I wish I lived in Bourg SM, at least for winter, although access to the Alps in summer would be great too.
Bicester? I get nose bleeds that far south.
Sheffield is marginal.
Rivington Alpine get a lot of good feedback. I had my boots done there, and Mrs NBT's
Just seen a message on radio les Arcs reminding us that ski helmets are obligatory on piste in Italy as of now. I'm wondering if my Petzl ski mountaineering helmet is going to be acceptable if I drop down the Italian side of La Rosière.
Useful note, thanks @Edukator. I'd be wearing mine anyway, but visiting there at the end of Jan and hadn't seen anything to say this was now mandatory. I wonder what they'd do if you skied over from France and need to get back from the Italian side but are lidless?
Just seen a message on radio les Arcs reminding us that ski helmets are obligatory on piste in Italy as of now. I'm wondering if my Petzl ski mountaineering helmet is going to be acceptable if I drop down the Italian side of La Rosière.
Me to, Ive checked that mine has passed the ski safety test aswell as the climbing and mountaineering one. In reality unless you have a bad accident i suspect the check will be no more than a lifty or ski patrol checking there is one on your head
Ah thanks @singletrackmind! May try them.
Sorry to hear about your skiing partner, it must feel very painful to go skiing without them. It's been a couple of years since I was last on snow, I'm debating spending a day at Hemel to try and remind myself how to do it...
"Look at UCPA, it’s aimed at the younger crowd but as long as you’re aware of that and keep it in mind, they offer very good value: prices include full board, equipment, lift pass and instruction. Book via Action Outdoors and you can arrange a transfer too"
My son has used UCPA for both skiing and a summer holiday. He's not bothered about sleeping in a dorm, it keeps the cost down especially with food as he has a cyclist's appetite! Earlier in the year he went on an off-piste course and he's off again in December.
"Does anyone have a recommendation for snowboard boot fitting places?"
Son has been using SkiExchange, around 10 miles west of Cambridge. Easy parking too. If it's your own boots then it will be pre-booked during the week and not Saturday. However, if you're buying boots on a Saturday then they will fit them. Be aware that we were there about 4 weeks ago and boot fittings were very busy, ie back to back. Son also had skis serviced there. Very helpful people.
My great friend/ski chum, the lady Rosemary, died a couple of years ago now. We'd skied together every year since meeting on a chalet holiday in 2001, one of those amazing friendships that just picked up where we left off (we'd only see each other skiing as she was near inverness and I'm in Essex).
We think of her every ski holiday and remember the good times (there were a lot of those with her around). Miss her 🙁
Have pulled the trigger on two weeks in Norway (Jan/Feb), travelling on the train from Oslo to Bergen 5 and 6 nights respectively in Gelio and Voss. It's not going to be cheap, but will be good to see something other than the alps this year.
Might do another late season trip to somewhere high if we have time & money left 🙂
I used to go skiing before kids arrived, a couple of school trips then some trips with uni mates which usually ended with more progress in the apres department than my skiing technique. After a 15 year gap I had the itch to go skiing again and managed to persuade my wife (never done ski school, just had instructions bellowed at her from her military father in Germany) and kids (11 and 7, so less persuasion needed) to go skiing by selling it as a 2-day Oslo city break with 5 days of skiing in-between.
We did Geilo (Dr Holmes Hotel). The train from Oslo was great. We were very lucky with the snow conditions considering it was mid April, fresh snow each day, basically overcast days then thick snow each night. The instructors said usually it's mostly snow-making by the last couple of weeks. The slopes were so quiet it was perfect for getting the family into it. Geilo isn't a massive resort and the town was quiet in April but Jan/Feb should be great. The Vestlia ski area of the town is much better developed and has more beginner-friendly runs and lifts. I spent an afternoon skiing the Hovsdalen side (behind Dr Holmes Hotel) and I didn't see anyone else other than ski patrol and lift operators for about 2 hours! The town is kind of spread out in the valley, with the actual shopping/bars etc over near the train station but the bigger ski-in/out hotels near the Vestlia slopes. There's a shuttle ski bus that goes between each side every 15-20 minutes.
I probably wouldn't go back to Geilo just because it's a relatively small ski area and the family have progressed. As an excuse to ski in a different/beautiful country and visit Oslo though I couldn't fault it! Great little resort for a few days!
A follow up to the above ⤴
Confirmed the son and I are booked to go back to Isola 2000 in our Feb half term (14th-21st) 🥳
My wife and daughter are ignoring us this year and organised a rival trip elsewhere in protest of the pain and general awkwardness of ski equipment - entirely fair to be honest.
It will be our 3rd visit to Isola 2000. Love it. A small French 70s purpose-built resort. Some of the older lifts are a bit agricultural and the button lifts to the red runs can be rather aggressive (no problem for the youths wearing French national ski team kit who always seem to have a training camp the same week) but the ski area feels massive for the relative size of the resort village. Busy at the weekend with Côte d'Azur day-trippers helicoptering up but always feels quiet during the week (compared to Les Trois Vallees during British half terms anyway - hate it - never going back). Easy ski bus directly over the road from the BA arrivals area at Nice airport too and when it comes to skiing I am a sucker for repeat logistics.
Anyone who happens to be in Isola 2000 that week and fancies a beer/hot choc and bike/ski chat, or even just any Qs about the resort before going, then feel free to drop me a message.
Anyone watching webcams already and silently shedding a tear that they aren't out in the alps this week? Looks like the season is off to a snowy start!
Don't forget that UCPA do family and family plus weeks. They're an absolute bargain and great fun to be in a hotel full of other families.
Family plus weeks will take kids from 3 and will have piou piou lessons in the morning or afternoon, then there's a (free!) kids club if you want for the other half of the day.
3 square meals a day and we'd meet up with our kids at lunch and ask what they wanted to do for the afternoon and 9/10 times they'd want to go to kids club. It was only last year that our 10 year old wanted to start skiing with us in the other half of the day, and his brother was still happy to kids club it up.
It's our first year on just a family week at christmas so will see how they 7 year old does with a full day skiing or messing about making snowmen
I mentioned earlier in the thread that my daughter landed a ski rep job with Crystal in Andorra. She is now confirmed to be based in Pal - Arinsal so we've booked a week there in January. Looks quite family friendly (blue heavy) so perhaps not first choice of resort if we were not going to visit her, but still seems to be plenty to keep us entertained for a week. Webcam showing awesome snow already.
Well, I never thought I'd be contributing to this thread, but just booked two weeks (business class LOL - a long story) to visit family in Utah and planning on getting some skiing/boarding in whilst we are there. Should be guaranteed nice powder conditions.
I think you need to get your priorities right and that should read “planning on fitting in a family visit whilst we are skiing there”!
I’m heading to Val d’Isere on Sunday and it appears as though most of the resort is going to be open from Day 1 after some of the best early snow of the last 20 years. Can’t wait.
Turns out I’m not working over Christmas so we’ve just booked to go out early. Means changing apartments after a week but that’s no big deal
I think you need to get your priorities right and that should read “planning on fitting in a family visit whilst we are skiing there”!
Yeah, probably, but we have a wide range of age (some now simply too old to ski, but won't want to be left by themselves) as well as experience, so dawn until dusk skiing every day won't be an option unfortunately.
If you’re doing Utah make sure you buy your passes as far ahead as possible. The price of day tickets for walk up now is eye watering across most of the US. I’m still envious mind, some great places to ski and board in Utah (apart from Snowbasin where I fractured my spine).
^ Yes, I have seen the prices – some of the prices are mad.
I’m sure you don’t need educating, but Ikon Pass is the way to go if possible. More reciprocal arrangements with European resorts might help lower the cost per day if the excuse can be found to use them.
Puy Saint Vincent this year.
Booked for a few days.
Wow, love this thread, awesome. If I wasn't riding I would be skiing (given the time). Booked for Norway in Jan, never been but my other half hasn't skied for years so needed somewhere not as huge as the usual places I go but snow sure. Very small resort but they also offer snow shoeing and fat biking, so if her love for skiing doesn't reappear, we have options.
Booked a couple of trips today
Week in Passo Tonale with the better half in March. 3rd year going there and she feels really comfortable there and it's helping her progression
Also booked a week in Les Deux Alpes for me and my mates at Easter
Might try and squeeze a wee short weekend somewhere in January
Avoriaz is opening a few lifts and pistes this weekend, gonna head up there early tomorrow...loads of snow late last week and earlier this week
Quick report from Val d’Isere - best start of season snow in 30 years according to the locals, bluebird skies, bearably cold and next to no one on the slopes! Weather on the turn and modest snow top up expected. Courchevel has reportedly done best out of the recent dump and conditions said to be best in 70 (!) years.
Puy Saint Vincent this year.
Booked for a few days.
Snowbizz? I've been there a couple of times with them (and wife and son) and they were lovely. The night skiing is a fun thing to do too.
Peisey X-C this afternoon in nice weather. It officially opens on Saturday but there was 10cm of fresh on groomed piste for those of us who took a chance.