My uncle spends each winter in Val D'Isere and has managed to find a friend who is away from the resort while we are there, and can let us have their space. The car park has a clearance of 1.85m. My Vauxhall Combo is now 1.81m high - I have just removed the roof rails, and will need to remove the aerial before entering.
I reckon in the '70s, 1.85m was plenty for a car. Today it will be too tight for many larger SUVs, and even smaller cars with a roofbox won't fit.
We were one and done yesterday - I got blown over three times and vis was awful.
Didn’t bother today as it was much the same.
Forecast for tomorrow is sunny, but I doubt everything will be open, will see what we can get up to.
If its a springy type aerial don't bother as it's a good audible height warning indicator.
Used to do that with the Mitsubishi l200 I had.
Bagofshit.
Solden has **** all new snow. Not that it matters much as we've spent much of the morning renting boots for son1.
Guy in the shop totally begeistert that the moron at Snow and Rock sold us narrow boots when the boy has 1 normal and 1 wide foot.
Back on the lift to see what the afternoon brings.....
That’s a lot shit @thegeneralist. I try and avoid Snow and Rock where possible, complete lottery on boot fitting so try and use a not so local independent shop in Otley near Leeds. Hope you can go and get your money back.
You're right. Shoulda gone to backcountryuk!
Thing is, it's not like he's a big Jessie or anything. For the first seven years or so skiing he used those Rocces Idea six sizes in one ski boots. Kept expecting him to moan about them but nothing.
Today however he wasn't a happy chappy. We rented some wider ones instead and I'll have to have a word with Slush and Rubble when we return
Driving back home tomorrow after a brilliant week in Les Arcs. We had something like 48 hours of snow at the beginning which made for perfect skiing under blue skies for the rest of the week. I reckon the kids are about three days away from being quicker than me.
Big shout for Rivington Alpine, excellent boot fitters. If they have nothing to fit you then they won't just make do, they'll tell you
Driving home from Val Cenis. Also snowed here for first 2 days so we had a good week. Always happy and relieved to be returning in one piece as I’m not the greatest skier but my family and the company we ski with always ‘encourage’ me to ski above my level!
Time to start repairing the board after last year. Really should do it a bit more in advance. Same applies to stretching 🙂
and, can anyone recommend an app for keeping track of where the rest of your group are?
and, can anyone recommend an app for keeping track of where the rest of your group are?
BCA Tracker..?
can anyone recommend an app for keeping track of where the rest of your group are?
Slopes.
RM.
Thanks, will take a look at both
WhatsApp group turn on location at the start of every day
WhatsApp group turn on location at the start of every day
This works OK but if you don’t know the resort particularly well it’s often difficult to relate the map to the terrain and be able to see where they’re likely to be in 10 mins when you catch up.
it’s often difficult to relate the map to the terrain
Yep, that's it. We normally use Glympse at festivals but on the slopes it useful to see which run someone is on to work out the lifts.
I’ve not been to Saas Fee for many years. In fact, not since the MetroAlpin was first opened, which granted people far better access to the glacier (previously you used to get towed up the glacier behind a piste basher on a series of anchor tow anchors, the stench of early 80’s Mercedes diesel engine working its ass off took quite a while to get out of your ski gear).
The intervening ~35 years has taken its toll on the underground funicular and they’ve had to replace the cars this year. Which seems to have been the most precariously bonkers operation I’ve seen.
First day done in Obergurgl.
I was warned it was going to be cold, it’s not.
Very quiet slopes, just about enough snow but could do with some more. Patchy between the pistes with plenty of rock showing.
We’ll go and check out Solden tomorrow or Tuesday.
Just home after driving from Val d'Isere to Scotland. We had a great week, although the snow was not as bountiful as hoped for, despite the storm the previous week. A lot of snow had simply blown away. Pistes were OK, just, but offpiste was too bony to contemplate. Sadly they were making artificial snow up on the Pisaillas Glacier, which is a sign of the times. We skied 6 days at Vd'I/Tignes, and then used the 7th day on the pass to get a ""discounted rate" at La Rosiere/La Thile (discounted was 41Euro per person). It was snowing heavily on Thursday night with maybe 25cm in Val D'Isere as we left for La Rosiere on Friday morning.
A day in La Rosiere with lunch in one of the restaurants in La Tuile is usually a nice treat 🙂
We're driving to Meribel at the end of the week again. One of my fave resorts. Easy to drive to as it's closer than Val d'Isere, Val Thorens etc, middle of the 3 valleys so fantastic/plentiful skiing and plenty of apres if that's ya bag.
I did a month living in Meribel just before COVID, playing Apres gigs.....my liver still hasn't recovered.
A day in La Rosiere with lunch in one of the restaurants in La Tuile is usually a nice treat
Have to call out the horrendous T-bars you need to take from La Rosiere to La Thuile
This is my 32nd year of snowboarding. I'm an extremely confident expert. I did a lot of freestyle competitions back in the day. I'll comfortably hit 50mph+ according to my gps. Nothing fazes me on a board. Rarely see anyone I think is genuinely better than me other than young freestyle groms.
However, those 2 T-bars from la rosiere to la Thuile are absolutely horrific on a snowboard. I cut my teeth in the early 90s on horrific icy Scottish button tows and T-bars but nothing comes close to how bad those 2 are. The uplift track looks like it's been subject to a heavy mortar barrage. They may be ok on skis but at every single point on a snowboard, the terrain wants to take you away from wherever the t-bar wants to go. Clinging on for dear life the entire way
Should you happen to make it over to La Thuile, I highly recommend Roxi Bar or Il Punto Gi
First day done in Obergurgl.
I was warned it was going to be cold, it’s not.
Mmm yes. We were there last week and warned of insane lows, but it was actually fine with a couple of thermals and a shell.
We’ll go and check out Solden tomorrow or Tuesday.
Be sure to go right up to the gletscher. I wasn't fussed at first as the queues were a bit pisch, but when we got there it was immense. Really great easy wide emptyish carving pistes.
Make sure you get the correct chair above the gondola station. There's two right next to each other but only lifty's right gets you high enough for the next piste to the glacier.
Also, if you descend past hochdolden then be sure to take the black. It's not hard, and is soooo quiet compared to the red.
2 weeks till Tignes, looking at the forecast it looks like some snow is coming over this week, so hoping the slightly slower drop of fresh carries on for a bit as opposed to the crazy heavy day and then nothing for ages.
Work is a mix of what I need to do and tutorial videos to try and learn to carve better!
@boardinbob There's an easy fix ya know... 🙂 It is a schlep even on planks. The main issue it's very open and when it's windy - ya bugger...
I'm off to Corbier second week in Feb. Not been there before, any tips? Family skiing, mainly blues and reds.
Spent the new year ski touring at Purcell mountain Lodge in the Canadian Selkirks with sweamrs and sweajnr (11).
20cm of fluff on a supportive base made for excellent conditions better than my previous (solo) visit last February.
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Had a day on NYD at Super Besse in the Cantal. A small resort and with only half of the area open it was pretty busy. Most of the runs were bumpy by 2pm. If the whole area was open, especially the link to adjacent Mont Dore I could see it being a decent enough place to ski for a couple of days and then maybe having a day or 2 at nearby Lioran. If it got a big dump there's lots of mellow side piste stuff to have a go at too. Reds were more blue level and the Black which was open was a not very challenging red.
Not as many button lifts as feared but the main gondola is a little on the slow side, the chairs were decent enough. A few slopeside places to eat and have a drink which weren't too expensive. Loads of camper parking nearby with a shuttle bus to the front de neige.
Lift price for the day was 42 euro incl insurance but a 4 hour pass would probably suffice at 36 Euro. I'd go 9:30 - 13:30 then stop for lunch as slopes are south facing and after lunch end up covered in bumps. There a zip line from the top and a luge on rails too if you're in to that sort of thing.
Turns out my 1st day of the season was probably also my last though as the arthritis in the hip complained a lot more than last year the day after.
Been dumping all day here under Salzburg.
Got my first bit of backcountry powder under my belt. Sunshine tomorrow then more snow Thursday & Friday
BoardinBob
C'mon dude, the button lift (not Tbar) to La Thuile is undeniably long, but it is slow and not steep. You don't have to take the second one.
Taken it dozens of times. Trivial compared to proper horrors like the Goose !
Managed to get the day off yesterday (Wednesday) and got up to Weardale. No wind and sunshine with sugary snow on the 'pistes'. A very good day out.
Looks good @slowol - anyone out touring round the tops? Love that far side when the conditions are good.
Had a good lunch skive today. Wall to wall blue skies, good snow and ended up being several hours. Added to some urban freeride with the kids last Sunday and maybe a tour tomorrow night and then skiing with the kids again Sat/Sun it's looking like a good week.
Snow was fairly deep but patchy in places from being windblown. The ground is well frozen so apart from rocks and gravel most of the tufted grass is probably skiable. The snow is very sugary and drifted in places.
Flying out early Saturday, this week is going slowly already, last week was snowy in the Alps, this week, seems to be a drought in Tignes all week and there doesn't seem to be any fresh on the way, still a week in the mountains beats a week in the fens anytime!
I'm excited, have started packing and have my boots ready to re-adjust my feet to in the evenings this week.
Has anyone ever developed discomfort with a well worn in boot (10/11 weeks of use and abuse), I had the fitters adjust them before the last trip but there's a pressure point on the top of my right foot. I'm wondering whether to replace or just have them heated and adjusted again? Talking ski boots of course.
Ha “drought in Tignes” …I’m not going to feel sorry for you as a mates just returned from his week there and been snow most days with no sun. So I think you’ve got the best of it coming. Jealous even though I’m not long since back from a cracking trip to cervinia/zermatt.
Had a great trip to the Grand Massif. Snow when we arrived, one day of poor visibility and snow then for the next 8 days blue skies and cold temperatures.
Found a new pizza place at Chez Lili in Flaine - pizzas are enormous. Hopefully, things will remain good until our next visit in March
Weeeellll... 3 Valleys were ace last week. 7 days of sun, light winds and blue skies - oh, and great conditions. Bit icy on the lowest couple of hundred meters of the runs but otherwise A1. It snowed during the days leading up to arrival and was a bit claggy up to around 10:00am on ski day 1 then miraculously cleared for the rest of the trip. And no aggro getting out of Meribel or driving back. 🙂
Visited a friend in verbier over the weekend. Stayed down in chabel rather than the town itself. It was a revelation! Trains from Geneva airport practically to the hotel front door. 10 Min on the gondola up to verbier. Sooooo much cheaper and stress free living down in the valley.
Runs were in mint condition with blue skies. Only sketchy bit was the initial drop in off Mont Fort.
Did some late Apres but didn't particularly like the crowd. I'm a bit too old and working class for that lot. My friend did introduce us to the Alp and Horn bar at the bottom of the high street. Great spot if you want away from the typical verbier punter.
Sounds great @cobrakai, which hotel did you stop in? Was considering it for our annual lads weekender but ended up in Avoriaz instead. I heard the gondola is classified as public transport too so runs until very late.
Off to Chamonix on Thursday for another long weekend but this time with the wife and a few friends so expecting a fairly sedate trip and I’ll be on skis which always slows me down too. Looks like a bit of snow Thursday itself and then a few warm days. No complaints from me but shouldn’t really be that warm in January.
This one @tuboflard. The room was clean but basic and we went for the cheapest option which ment shared toilet and shower with a couple of other rooms but I think we were the only ones using it. Breakfast was good enough too!
Download the SBB mobile app (swiss transport) and you can get all train tickets in one place.
The gondola runs from 5am till midnight up to verbier.
shouldn’t really be that warm in January
In Tignes and for the last 2 days the road in the village has been wet not icy in the afternoon. Saw +2 in Val d earlier today too.
Pistes are in generally good condition though with a few very compacted areas. Snow forecast for Wednesday night and most of Thursday, we'll wait and see what that really turns out to be like. Still better wing here for the week than in the office!
Just back from 5 days Boarding in Chatel. 1st time there and lovely little resort. What a shame Easyjet don't fly back on a Tuesday so had to go fri-wed. Thanks to my mates mate who put us up. Snowed before we arrived and it held for the great 4 days of sun and blue skies. Bit too many drag lifts for my preference in Chatel but easy access into Avoriaz etc.
I was genuinely surprised by cost of eating out. 3 of us, starters, round of beers and great filet steaks for 130 Euro. Think you would easily pay the same in the UK without being in resort. Anyway great trip as I hadn't been for 5 years and mate for 10. Came back like riding a bike. Garmin watch recording speed however is dangerous! Didn't need egging on to go faster.
