⛷️ ❄️ Skiing and Snowboarding 23-24 🏔️ 🏂

Just in case anyone’s kids are coming up to skiing age, I’ve put 4 pairs of ski boots on the classifieds, two of which are adjustable.
Not really worth it if you’re a once a year full week skier but they have been utterly excellent for us with frequent weekend and short trips in the past. So good not having to queue for hire and waste half the morning at Scottish centres.
Alas the skis and poles are already sold, apart from one set of 130s.

Cheers

@toby1,

thanks for the comments. The “kids”, BTW, are 23, 21 and 17! 😂

The intention is that they contribute financially….

And this would be the first week of Easter, sat 23rd March.  There will be snow won’t there?

The base is at 1800m so should be snowsure at that time of year. We always do the first 2 weeks in April in Cervinia which always has a full cover of  snow even down to 1500m at Valtournenche which is just down the valley.

@rockhpoper70 they grow up so fast 😉

In my experience £1000 per person is reasonable for a high resort, we once went cheap to a resort level of 900m it was our second year learning, will never make that mistake again! At 1800m you’ll be far more likely to enjoy your holiday, the crusty man made ‘snow’/ice we had in Austria that year was horrible.

It’s all I can do not to constantly check the piste map and webcams and it’s months away still!! It fairness I did suggest we might not go this year so my wife booked other stuff in January which is why I’m having to wait and I don’t do wait well!

we’ve been in morillon all week, unable to ski, as i had an otb moment a week ago. skiing down an unpisted red run in falling snow, i hit a hidden obstacle in the new fallen snow near the bottom at speed. it turned out to be a deep rut. dislocated my shoulder and have a small fracture. the journey in the blood wagon and 2 ambulances down to bourg st maurice hospital was not fun.
i wasn’t the only one to hit the rut and fall.

to say i’m gutted is an understatement. we were into week one of a 6 week dream, long awaited holiday.

excuse bad typing.

Oh dear, Bunnyhop. 🙁 There’s some glorious weather forecast on the Var coast if you are able to walk comfortably.

After skiing on verglas over Christmas we’ve had good falls in the Pyrénées over the last week. Junior (ESF) is back in business and I’ve been waxing my classic and skate X-C skis to make the most of the good snow in the lower X-C resorts which is increasingly rare. It’s a bit of a faff preparing the old waxing classic skis but satisfying when I get it right:

@Speeder

with a focus on a sensible budget for family of 4 in feb half term we have done a few v succesful self drive trips to aosta. 1.5 days down and back on the sundays in 1 day (two drivers and a bit long and boring). Thats from the midlands. 6 full days skiing.

Some amazing value classy airbnbs in Aosta valley level. Buy the valley ski pass which is not really any cheaper than a big french resorts but you have 5 fantastic resorts to visit (5 min to 1hr drive to free by the lift parking) depending what you want and weather:

courmayeur

La Thuile

Pila

Cervinia

Monte Rosa

come in at well under £1000 pp including all elements of travel accomodation, lift and ski hire

Oh no. That’s a nightmare. Healing vibes….

Heading off here a week today….

https://www.stentifordsnowboarding.co.uk/destinations/st-foy

Known James for years through surfing here but never had permission from my family for an indulgent solo trip with him – turning 50 has its benefits!

Should be a week of powder turns – frothing is an understatement!

@bunnyhop damn, that sounds horrible. Was trying to work out what to say next, bit I’ve got nothing!

I’m massively adverse to paying birth e of 25€ for a day on the piste. As such, it’s unlikely I’ll but a day pass this year, but I might see which lakes or passes are adequately iced over/snowed up and take the kite out for an airing.

to say i’m gutted is an understatement. we were into week one of a 6 week dream, long awaited holiday.

Fudge….

There’s always red wine and cheese.

thanks everyone for your kind thoughts.
i’d got new slightly wider skis and had a 2 hour refresher lesson, which really improved my confidence, but hey ho.

we are home now, poor hubby had to do all the driving which wasn’t ideal.
i’m not looking forward to weeks of physio, no exercise and just trying to stay in a good frame of mind.

everyone else enjoy yourselves and i’d like to see lots of photos please.

Ive been snowboarding for donkeys years but now, at 52, ive decided to sack it off. The expense, the always delayed flights, the crap snow vs crap visibility, the relentless kit faff. Plus when i complete a run i just have an overwhelming sense of “meh”.

It you could guarantee blue sky powder days i might go again, but mostly in europe its a lottery and not worth the misery that surrounds it.

bah humbug

bah humbug

The travel and depending on the weather isn’t great. But for those times when it all comes together and you’re flying down a piste looking at the blue skies above and cloud inversion below, the snow spraying as you put in occasional corners. I can get being meh about so much of life, but never about being in snowy mountains.

@bunnyhop that really sucks. I broke my leg (A skier broke my leg) after 3 days in Sun Peaks, BC of a 10 day holiday. I read a lot and ate a lot of poutine. Luckily, I experienced the best pow day I’ve ever had the day before so I still have some good memories.

This is essentially my screensaver at the moment. Off for 3 weeks in March. Never been snowboarding in March so hoping for some good conditions.

The season is shaping up nicely. Hopefully this week’s snowfall allows a few days up at Glenshee or Glencoe this month

Start of February I’m away to Les Carroz with my mates

Start of March, me and the missus are away to Passo Tonale

Start of April we’re off to Les Deux Alpes

Cannot wait!

mark – that is awful. but hopefully you’ll have an injury free trip this time.
my list of injuries and illness over the years has been long, preventing me from skiing. but this one has really upset me, as i’m on the wrong side of 60.

Off to La Plagne with friends on Friday, bit of a trek from Geneva but got spooked booking stuff lower. 

I’m in the “meh” category for skiing so tend to only want to go every other year.

Had planned 10 days in Avoriaz with my family over new year but Pleurisy [hmm, sounds like a French resort!] put paid to that.

@ceepers, we were in Ste Foy when the accident happened, love that place. will be back this season assuming the recovery goes well

@mark, enjoy, March in Canada will be fantastic

@blackflag, we were in Ste Foy with Rod, he’s given up on the board and gone back to skis for the reasons you mentioned – though he did break the board out on one powder morning. Sacking off flights and aiming for longer trips by car or by train has made a difference too – travek by train was refreshing, driving is a bit more effort but makes it easier to get around

These are the new skis I got for Bunnyhop (in a  165 length)  and myself (in a 175) – a bit his ‘n’ hers matchy matchyas they’re both in the grey colcour scheme, but the price was insane – £349 in the UK, €349 reduced to €300 in French decathlon stores works out at about £265 per pair.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/freeride-ski-patrol-95-binding-tyrolia-attack-2-11-at-demo/_/R-p-308573?mc=8548598

I’ll have to have a read through all this over the next couple of days. Friday morning we drive down to the Eurotunnel, cross Saturday and will be somewhere in the Alps Sat night / Sun morning.

Haven’t decided where yet but we have campervan and will decide on the drive down. Should have about 18 days in the mountains, plenty of time to find some decent snow 🙂

Oh, hope you heal quickly @Bunnyhop

The travel and depending on the weather isn’t great. But for those times when it all comes together and you’re flying down a piste ….

Whoosh!

Ive been snowboarding for donkeys years but now, at 52, ive decided to sack it off. The expense, the always delayed flights, the crap snow vs crap visibility, the relentless kit faff. Plus when i complete a run i just have an overwhelming sense of “meh”.

It you could guarantee blue sky powder days i might go again, but mostly in europe its a lottery and not worth the misery that surrounds it.

bah humbug

I hear you. I’ve recently realised that it’s not my memory playing tricks….. the really good powder days are indeed rarer and rarer these days. I’m not sure it’s worth spending £6-7 grand on a week holiday when it’s quite likely ( based on the last x years ) that you might not get any fresh snow whatsoever.

If you’re into piste skiing then that’s clearly a different matter, but I’ve got no interest in pistes except to find the lift again.

Having said which, we completely lucked out at new year and had a fabulous week of low Vis, clouds and lots of lovely fresh snow in St Anton, so my mojo is restored.
Som much so that I’m thinking of taking the kid away for another week. Problem is that nowhere else appeals as much as StA…. despite the 350 quid lift pass..

Had a banging week in zell/kaprun. Going to la plagne Sunday 😆 

3 more days b4 heading to Utah for 9 days of skiing in several different resorts. Stupendous amount of snow has fallen in the last 10d – gonna be the powderest holiday ever…

Just had a great week in Les Menuires with my daughter on boards.  Only two days of really good snow but the sun on the other days allowed us to go out and play with the best of what was left.  Not the fluffiest of days we’ve ever had but still a lot better than we’ve managed over the last few years.  Being able to take a train almost directly to the resort also helps as driving is just too much these days

@blackflag I’ve got a lot of years snowboarding behind me ( started in 94) but I still get super excited. I think you just have to enjoy what’s in front of you, be it waist deep pow or slushy piste. There’s always some fun to be found.

The last few years I’ve found the Korua “yearning for turning” & Arthur longos “SHE” vids super inspirational. You don’t need perfect snow to rail some carves or spin off some side hits.

Too many  people learn to skid turns and never bother to progress past that point ( sure that’s not you) you can always refine technique and progressing each holiday by thinking about it/ watching YouTube / purposeful practice prevents that “meh” feeling IME

@ceepers.
absolutely spot on.
Buying a new board for different conditions helps 😉 also.
yearning for turning played a bit to the ‘old man’ crowd  but I wholeheartedly embraced it, got myself a Korua for the piste, a capita spring break for the slush etc. etc.

Just back from a long weekend in La Plagne @jedi. Was pretty quiet but with the occasional pinch points around Bellecote and there was a lot of European university groups out for some reason. Watched one of them very nearly break the legs of my instructor (she was remarkably calm about it but still told him he was being a dick).

Conditions were very good indeed, pistes were in a very good state everywhere, off piste not so good except the odd pocket higher up and north facing.

And depending where you’re staying in La Plagne I’d recommend Le Petit Comptoir for food and Le Brix for beers in Plagne Centre.

Next trip, stopping by Lac Montriond in March for some skiing at Avoriaz.

Thanks dude

Too many  people learn to skid turns and never bother to progress past that point

That’s me. For 20 years, 17 of them with children.

Until last year.

Finally had some lessons. Definitely having them again this year.

is that Mattun, Generalist….?  is it true Happy Valley is shut for an extended period…?  Mattun is a favourite but age/fitness/a bit more  money means we’re off to Lech later in the season

Been back from Les 2 Alpes a week and a half, nothing else booked. A picture to half cheer me up…

Any thoughts or views on Arinsal as a a beginner friendly resort?   Passo Tonale seems to be quite booked up for the number of rooms we are going to need. 23March for maybe a week, ideally probably five nights.

Following on from the Generalist. Yep, I get what you are saying. I’ve had to reassess what floats my boat in recent years. Kids changed it too. Spending time getting them up to speed has been fun and challenging. Making the most of what you get is another. Mixing up who you ski with, what you are skiing and when, has also helped. I love a bit of knee deep pow but also spring corn and a good piste also get me to excited. I’ve always enjoyed a good long run, top to bottom Zermatt in one was definately great.

Is that Mattun, Generalist….? is it true Happy Valley is shut for an extended period…? Mattun is a favourite but age/fitness/a bit more money means we’re off to Lech later in the season

Well spotted!
We got the “new” Schindlergrat gondola to the 2nd station, ie the lower one and then headed sort of towards Gampen. Then kept as far right as possible. The final drop down above Steissbachtal was insane. Found some untracked steep bits which were utter joy. That piccy is the missus avoiding the steep bit. I think we did it 4 or 5 times that day.

Yep, Happy Valley is expected to be closed all season I think. There are huge ‘schrunds all over the mountain where it slipped after the rain in December. Makes getting down on a board at the end of the day a PITA. That black below Galzig

Let’s see if this vid works… First two seconds are quite nice.

3 more days b4 heading to Utah for 9 days of skiing in several different resorts. Stupendous amount of snow has fallen in the last 10d – gonna be the powderest holiday ever…

87 inches at Alta in the last week. Pity Utah beer sucks! 😉

Utah beer was pretty crap last time I was there but it was equally quite a long time ago.

The Cottonwood Canyon resorts are amongst my favouritist anywhere, Brighton and Snowbird in particular. And Powder Mountain was very special too. Only problem I had was fracturing my spine at Snowbasin on the first run of the day. Still, the patrollers were a good laugh asking me if I’d been smoking anything that morning and even sent me a get well card!

Skinned up to 2450m, looked around and thought “not bad snow for November”. 🙁 The rain mid week washed away all the fluffy stuff and what’s left isn’t very nice. A turn every 3-4m keeping the speed down and skiing around nasty things – laborious.

Does anyone have recent experience of taking the train to the French Alps? We’ve booked Les Arcs 1800 for Christmas, and I don’t want to fly so it’s train or car. We live in Bristol so it looks as though we could do it in a day. Any tips welcome!