Forum menu
howsyourdad1 - I too would like to see your photos (although can't deny to being envious).
I’ve booked my first trip in 5 years, always hated a holiday after 7 years of seasons but I had the urge to snowboard this year for some reason.
Book for first week of March. Hoping it will be chilled by then. Self employed so any hints of isolating and trip gets binned!
I missed my 2020 trip, was due to fly in March the same day the French resorts all closed down. The first time I’ve missed a ski/snowboard season in over 20 years 😕. 2021 never happened either.
So next year we’re meant to be off to Oregon for a week in March around Mount Hood (Timberline and Meadows is the plan). I really hope it comes off as desperate to get some snow under my feet. Anyone with experience of either resort, views welcome.
We have just called off our January trip to Val Thorens and moved it to March.
Hopefully things will be more settled by then.
We could have cancelled however we have booked with Travel Ski on the Ski Train and wish to support their initiative in getting the Ski Train running for 21/22.
Scrapped Morzine for the 9th of Jan obviously so currently looking for cheap digs in Switzerland, poss saas fee.
Friend lives in Geneva so he'll happily drive to whatever resort we find.
Just hope the Swiss don't tighten there restrictions any more than the current ones.
I see that holidays to Bulgaria are still available for 2 Jan. Teens need a PCR to travel out of the UK and that's it.
Would you in the current environment?
Just moved my flights for tomorrow to Milan for Cervinia out to October and Mallorca.
It's a sorry state of affairs. 🙁
Got feb to look forward to, but I'm not convinced that will happen either.
For those driving ( @cobrakai you may be affected), be aware that British citizens aren't even allowed to drive through France to get to their destination country as of yesterday
https://mobile.twitter.com/LeShuttle/status/1476245791027179524
On the Hull/Rotterdam ferry, no problems at check in with clear PCR tests (£34.99 Randox collect / drop off), should get us through the Austrian border tomorrow evening.
Brought my ebike for a blast in the morning with the dog then boarding in the afternoon.
Ski Sunday
Sunday 2nd January. 8.00 p.m BBC Two
Whoop, whoop.
For all those who are missing out on skiing in France at the moment think yourselves lucky. Dreadful icy snow, traffic jams into the resort with non-residents being turned away, queues for everything everywhere in the resort. Then someone will try to board the same gondola as you without a mask. Apparently people do this for pleasure. It'll be amusing reading the papers tomorrow to see how it's reported.
I am in the process of moving my January off-piste camps from Sainte Foy to Switzerland. Upsetting, but seems like the best way for my clients to get some shredding done. Nice for me to ride somewhere else too! Kind of looking forward to it, once I get the stress of re-organising out of the way.
Hope the off-piste is better in Switzerland than here Steve. The snow has been rained on and frozen; it's slippery corrugated iron. That's why we were on the groomers with the hordes. 21°C forecast on the plain tomorrow, they're calling it a Winter heat wave.
Flying in to Geneva NBT so staying in Switzerland entirely.
Booked 5 nights in Anzere from the 10th to the 16th. Never been but flights and digs came in at under £400. Looking forward to it!*
All subject to swiss restrictions staying the same and avoiding the rona between now and then!
For all those who are missing out on skiing in France at the moment think yourselves lucky. Dreadful icy snow, traffic jams into the resort with non-residents being turned away, queues for everything everywhere in the resort. Then someone will try to board the same gondola as you without a mask. Apparently people do this for pleasure. It’ll be amusing reading the papers tomorrow to see how it’s reported.
Similar reports from my friends who made it to Cervinia. I swithered until the last minute about going, but I think I made the right call.
Does anyone know if there are any further planned restrictions in Italy?
We're supposed to be going to Val Gardena in early Feb but that could be just after the omicron peak☹️
Snow all gone at my local resort on the Aubrac but had 2 good days skiing before xmas. Hoping to go for a few week-end in the Alps later.
It’s spring conditions here in Austria for the next 5 days but temperatures dropping after that. Piste skiing still ok though.
Absolutely no issues at all driving through NL/DE/AT, just need valid tests
Good luck to all those that get out. I've moved my Feb hols back desperate to board.
Ive seen videos of the USA and it's rammed to hilt it looks very uncomfortable .
this is our last day of five skiing in Austria (Badhofgastein) and it has been really good. Plenty of snow, a little springy at times and some low vis, but overall pretty good. The whole mountain is treated as 2g and so we have only had to show covid passes once despite coffee, lunch and apres stops every day.
ski lifts are a 100% compliance on ffp2 mask wearing but you soon figure out a way to make it work.
Looks like my French long weekend won’t go ahead in January, what are the resort options in Switzerland close to Geneva? I’ve only skied in Zermatt previously which is a bit far?
Could you not try for somewhere like Chatel @ElVino? Nice ski area and can also pop in to France assuming they’re not monitoring the border on the piste (can’t imagine it somehow).
Any of the Swiss resorts connected to pds. Les Crosets for easy snow access or Champery for cable car access to snow.
Pretty sure Chatel is in France.
Or Villars is nice with a day out to Glacier 3000.
A brief update from Canada then - the slopes have been pretty empty but that's because it's been -25C or colder a lot of the time. The good news is that Facemask wearing is pretty much a given at those kind of temps. A friend is out in Whistler and whilst the snow is fantastic the roads are terrible. It took them 3 hours to get from Whistler to Squamish yesterday.....
A few shots from recent trips.
[img] 
[/img]
Sunshine powder
[img] 
[/img]
Silver Star and the Okanagan
[img] 
[/img]
Sweamrs chasing Sweajnr
I've managed a couple of days of touring but we've also got a rain crust in the middle of the snow pack so it's pretty twitchy.
[img] 
[/img]
Laps in Icefields parkway.
So it is @LD, don’t know why I always thought it was in Switzerland. But that what I was thinking, PDS resorts but over the border.
Meanwhile, the resorts I’m off to in Oregon (hopefully) are getting pounded, in fact all closed for two days as they’ve closed the road up from Portland.
Big dump for a couple of days then blue skies today
Our trip on the 22nd to 3V isn't looking likely now, I can roll the apartment over to next year easy enough but can I get through to Jet2 to sort flights? can I buggery !
Our trip on the 22nd to 3V isn’t looking likely now,
Rumour has it tourists will be allowed back soon, announcement expected this weekend. They've already said business travel restirctions should easy today
What do you lot think are the odds of a late spring trip going ahead? Easter or a week or so earlier, perhaps. We'd planned to go and almost booked for half term, but then the Omicron stuff landed and it all seemed impossible again. My wife is very covid-risk-averse...
18" fell at Loveland over the past couple of days. Me and Mini 10 are heading up to ski what's left this afternoon.
Had my trip to Club Med Val D'isaire on 16/1 cancelled yesterday. Was expecting it, but still gutted. I'm not going to look at alternatives for various reasons, but now wait until our lads trip to Cortina d'Ampezzo in March.
What can possibly go wrong!
What do you lot think are the odds of a late spring trip going ahead? Easter or a week or so earlier, perhaps. We’d planned to go and almost booked for half term, but then the Omicron stuff landed and it all seemed impossible again. My wife is very covid-risk-averse…
Cases are riding fast in Austria. It’s Ffp2 masks in lifts, shops and walking around restaurants ATM. Possible announcement about stricter mask use next week.
Rumour has it tourists will be allowed back soon, announcement expected this weekend. They’ve already said business travel restirctions should easy today
So Feb Half Term might be a go-er for France?
What is the source of the rumours?
We're booked to Meribel on the 15/01. I'll be very happy and stunned if we actually make it.
No idea about sources for rumours, but the Germans have just dropped their quarantine requirements for UK arrivals, so possible / likely that the French will jump on the same trend and ease off too.
Wife’s off to Austria in the morning with a mate, still not sure she believes it’s going to happen!
We’ve got the Eurotunnel booked for March, hopefully we’ll be allowed in to France by then, even if it’s just to transit through and we’ll go somewhere else. Haven’t made any other plans as we’re taking the camper and will just see where looks best at the time.
I've got 10 days booked for cervinia at Easter. Hoping nothing scuppers it!
What is the source of the rumours?
On Thursday I emailed the people we're renting our apartment from, to ask if I can delay the balance payment given that we can't come over yet. Had a reply that afternoon:
Yes absolutely. Today on the radio they announced travel restrictions will ease for professional business this Friday and should be opening borders for tourists as of next week.
However more than happy to wait until we get that notification
Can recommend Sainte Foy Uncovered, based on the speedy replies and general helpfulness while we've been arranging this trip
http://www.saintefoy.info/
Chatel is in France. Only a couple of Ks from the border with Switzerland, Morgin is in Switzerland, all part of Portes du Soleil.
Just back from 3 weeks in Austria. Was great when we arrived - empty slopes, vax passport to get in and also to show in every eatery and pub. As well as buying your lift pass. You now need a negative pcr as well for the travel into the country.
It’s all functioning reasonably but even so, a few bars are closing just 3 weeks in (temporary) as staff has tested positive.
FFP2 masks in the lift queues and bubbles- well observed (unless you’re shouty and Dutch)
Oh - and the snow was great.
I’m confident France will change tact very soon. Just sit tight people……
Jumped on some easy jet flights to GVA today. Going for a 4 night short break on the 9th Feb. Going to wait to book accom. Till after the French decide if they want our money. Verbier or Nendaz if they decide they don’t.
My daughter is working in the alps this season and she has been telling us that English skiers are flying to Turin, hiring a car ( with Italian plates ) and driving across the French border with no issues as they are not being stopped for passport checks. And the French resort that she is working in is very grateful for the business. Not sure if I would be bold enough to try this, could be an expensive mistake if you are randomly stopped
My daughter is working in the alps this season and she has been telling us that English skiers are flying to Turin, hiring a car ( with Italian plates ) and driving across the French border with no issues as they are not being stopped for passport checks. And the French resort that she is working in is very grateful for the business. Not sure if I would be bold enough to try this, could be an expensive mistake if you are randomly stopped
Sounds like I'm being overly cautious, none of us will be on British passports, 2 Kiwis and 2 Irish, perhaps we should just go to PdS like originally planned
Oh dear, I picked up odd skis so for the rando tomorrow so had to look in the loft for an old pair. I've found a 30-year-old pair of Fishers with Silvretta bindings - 5.2kgs the pair, at least I'll have a good excuse if I'm trailing behind.