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[Closed] The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2016-2017 season

 igm
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Agreed. Awful.


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 2:14 pm
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Looking terrible up top of Mossettes

It's all so early, hopefully this continues on till the end of January - with a few nice sunny days through the 21st to 28th!


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 2:29 pm
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cairngorm hopeful next weekend

I reckon unlikely TBH. Was up there on Saturday morning, and it looks very thin. Was 12 degrees just north of Perth this morning at 6am 🙁


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 2:37 pm
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@ The DT's: There's not much difference between Grenoble and Lyon airports distance and time wise as Grenoble is north of Grenoble pretty much half-way between Grenoble centre and Lyon airport. And it's a good 15 mins by coach to the auto-route. Lyon airport is on the right side of the city for heading towards the Serre Che part of the alps. Only issue is (and admittedly it can be a big one on change-over days:) From Lyon airport you have a fairly major peage/ toll booth too get through which gets jammed up when busy. But even then there are petty obvious routes to avoid this.


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 3:13 pm
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My season's lift pass turned up this morning .... along with some gratuit day passes for PdS and 2Alpes.
Smiling..... just a bit


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 4:47 pm
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Posted : 14/11/2016 5:25 pm
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mugsys makes a very good point - in fact if you go round the galibier via the north valley and Italy, Via Michelin reckons the difference to Briancon is 1 minute (just over 3 hrs).


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 5:25 pm
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I was comparing the Turin Transfer, good point about the difference between Lyon and Grenoble, But I haven't seen the Col du Galibier open in Jan before. Is that the route you meant mefty?#
Also looking at a long weekender so a 3 hour transfer would be out of the question.


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 5:30 pm
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Is that the route you meant mefty?#

No via St Jean de Maurienne and close by Modane into Italy, but agree long transfer for weekend.


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 5:53 pm
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Val d'Isere webcam looking equally rubbish 🙂

http://www.valdisere.com/en/now/webcams_valdisere/


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 6:13 pm
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Verbier. It was only 3 weekends ago they closed the bikepark in Autumn sunshine. Opening weekend of ski season


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 7:01 pm
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The trouble with going via Modane and Italy to get to Serre Che are the queues for the Frejus tunnel toll booths and the cost of the tunnel (€43.70 each way).

Sprootlet - where is your season pass for? PdS and L2A are a fair trek from each other!


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 8:00 pm
 LD
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More advice required if folks could be so kind. So work, family life and stuff in general leaves me looking at a Wed to Sun trip in Jan. Flights etc fairly cheap but cannot fight my way through google to find any basic cheapish accommodation in resorts close to Geneva. Any tips much appreciated.


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 10:39 pm
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LD
http://www.chaletmontana.eu/
and Zeb can sort out transfers for you from and to GVA for about €25-30 c.80mins e/w
Ski buss leaves from straight outside the Chalet up to Ardent Lift, 5mins away.


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 11:06 pm
 LD
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Mmm, that's the idea. Not sure PDS has enough runs to keep me occupied though!


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 11:53 pm
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Mid Jan won't be sold out so you could leave it last minute, tricky bit may be sat night as most companies offer Sat-Sat. Your golden option is to find last min availability for a company with Sun-Sun trips


 
Posted : 14/11/2016 11:57 pm
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Not sure PDS has enough runs to keep me occupied though!

I know what you mean. 400 miles of piste seems so little these days! 🙄


 
Posted : 15/11/2016 12:00 am
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😆


 
Posted : 15/11/2016 1:24 am
 igm
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Stoner's suggestion is good for access over the back into Switzerland, over the side into Chatel, over the other side into Avoriaz and in the other direction Morzine/Les Gets. Short free buses each time. Not a bad place. Of course Stoner is, give or take, one of your neighbours there... 😉


 
Posted : 15/11/2016 12:02 pm
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Apologies if this has already been posted.


 
Posted : 16/11/2016 4:43 am
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Any thoughts on L2A as a destination for a group of very mixed abilities? One happiest on blue runs, one starting reds, one starting blacks, 3 experienced/off piste skiers and one trying to keep up with them? I've offered to try to find a location, and the accommodation looks good, but would appreciate opinions on the skiing suitability!


 
Posted : 16/11/2016 9:13 am
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Im off out to work in the grand massif for the season so hopefully should get some time on the hills! 😀


 
Posted : 16/11/2016 9:47 am
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I may have to appoint myself moderator of this thread and weild my icy hammer of ban towards anyone displaying excessive smugness!

😉


 
Posted : 16/11/2016 10:27 am
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Any thoughts on L2A as a destination for a group of very mixed abilities? One happiest on blue runs, one starting reds, one starting blacks, 3 experienced/off piste skiers and one trying to keep up with them? I've offered to try to find a location, and the accommodation looks good, but would appreciate opinions on the skiing suitability!

The 3+1 are made up, over the top to La Grave and more challenging off piste than you can shake your ski poles at. Grab a guide from L2A's or La Grave's Bureau des Guides, or http://snowlegend.com/en/ or Tina/Francky http://www.bandofboarders.net/


 
Posted : 16/11/2016 11:22 am
 igm
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CFH bans himself shock 😉


 
Posted : 16/11/2016 11:29 am
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L2A will suit the others too, the whole mountain is mainly blue with shades of red. Special mention for the Signal run off the glacier, it's made for mixed ability groups


 
Posted : 16/11/2016 11:32 am
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cairngorm hopeful next weekend

We're due more snow this week but I doubt Cairngorm will have enough to open, they need quite a lot to cover all the boulders up there 😉

The Lecht might run again, as long as the showers head far enough east.

Some more pic's from my micro split adventure the other night

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

Tomintoul in the background
[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 16/11/2016 11:43 am
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I may have to appoint myself moderator of this thread and weild my icy hammer of ban towards anyone displaying excessive smugness!

I'd second that, the more seasonaires we can ban the better the bar stewards! Not that I'm just horrendously jealous, oh no, not me 😀


 
Posted : 16/11/2016 12:02 pm
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😀 @igm


 
Posted : 16/11/2016 12:03 pm
 igm
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On the other hand if you want to do a season in Europe, best to do it before we lose freedom of movement of labour.

Other ski areas are available but I can't see for example the French handing out a load of work permits for kids to work for UK holiday companies.

The days of "cheap" European ski holidays may be numbered.

Of course, perhaps not.


 
Posted : 16/11/2016 12:25 pm
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I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!1


 
Posted : 16/11/2016 8:24 pm
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Does L2A still offer days out on their pass? Think it used to be AdH and Serre Che, but I might be wrong.


 
Posted : 16/11/2016 10:36 pm
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Hello to Turbo1397
What will you be doing in Grand Massif? We're largely going to a pair of ski bums with various friends visiting...smug, yes indeed


 
Posted : 17/11/2016 8:24 am
 igm
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Don't you love how for a week's on the snow the excitement starts building about 6 months in advance.


 
Posted : 17/11/2016 9:58 am
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hammerite - Member
Does L2A still offer days out on their pass? Think it used to be AdH and Serre Che, but I might be wrong.

Yes, they still offer that and a few others [url= http://www.skipass-2alpes.com/fr/s%C3%A9jours ]click on me and scroll down to the 6 day pass prices for the list [/url]


 
Posted : 17/11/2016 10:31 am
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@sprootlet.. I'm working as a transfer driver. Dec-apr, either staying in samoens or les carroz .


 
Posted : 17/11/2016 2:42 pm
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Just booked Wednesday- Saturday in Morzine, flying into Geneva, in early February. Which is a good reasonable transfer company?

Last time we booked with Morz Express and the snowy and dark conditions were obviously not enough of a challenge for the child that was driving us as he didn't stop playing with music on his phone. Needless to say that we weren't impressed with the service/driving so will book someone else this time. Can anyone recommend a firm?
Cheers


 
Posted : 17/11/2016 2:58 pm
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Posted : 17/11/2016 5:57 pm
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Can anyone recommend a firm?

Used before.

http://www.thefarmhouse.co.uk/airport-transfer-form.php


 
Posted : 17/11/2016 6:00 pm
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danradyr1 - Member
Just booked Wednesday- Saturday in Morzine, flying into Geneva, in early February. Which is a good reasonable transfer company?

Ive used a few companies and have found the cheaper ones invariably wanting. I now only use AlpNav http://www.alpnavtransfers.com/ they're head and shoulders above, very comfortable, obey the speed limits (surprisingly not a given! 🙁 ) and dont have to fill a big minbus, ragging around the valley before they start making their way back to Geneva, so they pick you up hours before you really need.


 
Posted : 17/11/2016 6:10 pm
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[IMG] [/IMG]

Thoughts?


 
Posted : 17/11/2016 8:29 pm
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You are going to need to sort the crack in the tarmac out, winter is nearly here and the snow and ice is only going to make your job harder...


 
Posted : 17/11/2016 8:53 pm
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@danrady have used Ski Transfers (spin off of Ski Blue Ridge) in summer, it was €30 each way

@igm as I posted in March the French local we met in Peisey was thankful the Brits are still coming as business from elsewhere had really dropped off. As protectionist as they are the French understand tourist economics. Anyway any changes are for the 2019/20 season.


 
Posted : 17/11/2016 9:03 pm
 igm
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Anyway any changes are for the 2019/20 season.

Agreed - at the earliest, possibly never.

The point though is that while the French will definitely welcome the tourism, they may not welcome UK ski instructors (no previous there), UK companies making the profits, UK staff getting the work. They will try to be protectionist and have the tourism. There will be a compromise maybe - but it won't be the good times we currently enjoy. (And if that lass you keep talking up gets in there may not be a compromise)

Anyway enough of this now. Let's giggle like kids about early season snow that we all know means almost nothing.


 
Posted : 17/11/2016 9:20 pm
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