The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2012-2013 season

Snowforecast was reasonably accurate for us recently

Pretty good for the Alps. Chuffing useless elsewhere. (in my experience)

guess I could sign up for a month on snow forecast

You get most of the info you need for free – you only need to sign up for the detailed info.

I find lachainemeteo is very reliable. For the next couple of weeks the condidtions would best be described as “perfect skiing weather”.

They did get it very wrong when I was in Austria a few weeks ago though!

Funny, it was pretty right for us in Austria a few weeks ago. 🙂

I just used the free service.

yr.no has been pretty reliable for me in the past.

Tend to use yr.no too, mainly because it does everywhere outside of the Alps too.
Seems pretty reliable. edit: and the android app is handy too (rotate to horizontal to get the pretty hourly graph – OK it’s still in norwegian, but it’s understandable)

Sometimes look at Metcheck, but that’s usually for a laugh, not to see a weather forecast 😉

Yr.no has been spot on this week in Serre Che, as has the weather channel. Snow-forecast.co.uk has been a pile of crap!

Wallop – How’s it been? Assume you’re in the bar at the Plein Sud by now! You lucky, lucky, lucky *Expletive deleted*! 😉

Coffee before the first lift every morning in the square, I trust?

It has been fabulous, ta! Haven’t had morning coffee yet (the stuff served with breakfast is like rocket fuel!), but on your recommendation we have been to Le Break for lunch more than once! Très bien!

Having a superb time at the Plein Sud. Most evenings sat in the bar chatting with Lynn, Sebastien and the other guests (the army are here at the moment! All the senior officers are staying….). Food has been great – magret of duck tonight, yum!

Piste conditions are excellent, husband has said he’d return – result!

Superb! We were there for that same week last year! Is Anna T there this year? Blonde, infectious giggling, fastest skier I know, wheelchair! Awesome lass! And her brother is on STW as well!

Great to hear you’re enjoying it. The food’s always a delight there, and so good to hear it’s still the same standard!

Demain matin, un ‘tit café, huh? As you walk down to the main lift area (Place du téléphérique) it’s on the right hand side, just next door to one of the hire shops, by the road. Lovely, lovely espresso.

Anna isn’t in the hotel, if that’s what you mean – is that the sister of a fellow STWer?

Demain matin – je promets 😉

Yep, she tends to stay there while training. Lynne really helps her out, which is another reason to like the place, IMHO! She is indeed the sister of another STWer who’s here occasionally.

So, your mission tomorrow….

Coffee in the square, ski hard, then lunch at Le Bercail (Aravet lift station), then continue to ski hard. Then, beer at La Terrasse, or the Station if the Harpers are playing. DO IT!

Thinking of heading back to Ogden to try it out in sat if there’s still snow. Anyone fancy joining me? Bunnyhop & nbt?

If there is enough snow we’ll be skiing Hayfield.

Did you go ‘off piste’ grum through the trees? T’was a laugh when we did it, then just duck back under the tow rope and off you go again.

Have fun if you go again.

Cheers folks. Just booked Apartment Flunger for the week!

I knew someone would come through!!!! 😆

Flunger

Sounds ruder than it is, doesn’t it!

Let me know if the place is any good CK, might go next season.

Fellow yr.no user too, but I also look at the gfs charts that are widely loved on snowheads for long term weather.

Cheers Jane. Yeah the off piste through the trees was great once we discovered the little start ramp to get some speed up.

On an unrelated note. How cool is this?

http://www.splitboard.com/index.php/featured/videos/207-the-powsurf-chronicles

Santa Cruz have some boards like that on *that* website. They look like they might be shorter and for more urban stuff but for £45 I nearly took a punt.

Yeah they look more like the ones designed for doing tricks like kickflips/shoveits etc on. Could be fun though. That website also has a sale on POW gloves – anyone have any experience of them?

Passtherizla has some POW gloves that he uses for (bike) riding he seemed to quite like them but that may just be the colour scheme.

Dirt have tested some and they seem to like them too.

http://dirt.mpora.com/fresh-produce-news/fresh-produce-pow-gloves.html#slide-1

I know these arn’t strictly snow gloves but it gives you an idea on how the company makes stuff.

Thanks for that. Sounds like they might be worth a pop. Had most of my gear for years and years and my gloves are no longer really waterproof, seem to be on a bit of a spree replacing everything!

Funnily enough I haven’t read the 50 pages of this thread!!
But where to book a reasonble ski holiday?
Been looking at Iglu ski or crystal but seems prices have gone considerably up! If you had choice between Avoriaz, La Plagne, ALpe d’huez and Tignes which would you go for? We are intermediate boarders and looking to go on 23rd Feb for a week.

If you had choice between Avoriaz, La Plagne, ALpe d’huez and Tignes which would you go for?

Serre Chevalier. 🙂

Welcome…! 🙂

In classic STW style, none of the above – I’d go to Austria. I know I keep banging on about this but I love Austria compared to France. Much more friendly, atmospheric and much cheaper to eat out etc. Only been to Tignes out of your list and that was pretty good. Val D’Isere just down the road too.

Last minute with Crystal has got us some very cheap deals the last couple of years, but that was early season both times.

Another vote for Austria. They do skiing/boarding well i.e. mountain food, apres, good snow and lovely slopes – usually tree lined as opposed to barren mega high places.

BTW – 23rd Feb will be half term still in many areas of France, so likely to be busy. Austria or Italy won’t suffer so much with crowds. If you are intent on France check out Alpine Answers, more deals will come closer to the time of travel.

Mc – If it has to be one of your choices, then Tignes is the one I’d choose.
However as others have said, give Austria a go. We had friendly cafe service, good food at a reasonable price, not too much pushing in the queues and the scenery is gorgeous.
Last year we went to Bad Gastein. It has a good bus service with lots of other resorts dotted around. If like me, you don’t like the busing around bit, then stick to France.

So where in Austria would you guys recommend then? problem is as I don’t know the resorts I’m scared to book, don’t want lots of drag lifts, intermediate level both boarders.

Serre Chevalier went there once it sucked.
I did check French half term dates and that week didn’t come up, anyway we are stuck with that week now.

They do have some deals for Avoriaz is potential other options.
So hit me with some Austrian resorts to look at

I’m going to Morzine on the 23rd of Feb so that’s as good a reason as any not to go to Avoriaz…

I feel sorry for the other people on the flight over there that morning, my children don’t cope well with doing what they are told.

Out of those places you listed in France, I wouldn’t go back to any of them if I could go to Austria instead. St Anton is much better than all of them.

Thankfully I’m going back there in a week’s time too! It’s a big area, very friendly, not as expensive as France and there’s a lot of scope for off piste if that’s your thing. Can get busy but the area’s big enough for you to get away from the crowds.

The Apres ski there is incredible too, nowhere else gets close.

Just wanted to come on and say THANK-YOU to all the recomendations I got before christams. Managed to get a decent weekend for the Mrs and I out in Megeve. Was on the first slope from my front door in less than 6hrs – cant complain about that. Some cracking snow helped and the village was quiet but had plenty of offer for a romantic weekend away. Much appreciated as always

Awwww!

Group hug?

Packing my bags for tomorrows trip to 3V.
Yr.No. and XC weather showing snow over the weekend ,Snowforcast showing nothing all week.
Going with a random stranger as i am ‘billy no mates’ so hopefully he wont be a cross dressing axe murderer .

STW ski trip next year ?

So where in Austria would you guys recommend then? problem is as I don’t know the resorts I’m scared to book, don’t want lots of drag lifts, intermediate level both boarders.

We had a great time in Mayrhofen – both intermediate level boarders too. Mayrhofen has good bars/restaurants etc but we actually preferred Zell am Ziller which is on the same lift pass ten minutes on the train down the valley as it’s much quieter with lots of nice cruisy reds and easily accessable off-piste. Hintertux is about 40 minutes on a bus and has glacier skiing and spectacular views etc. The whole area on the Zillertal ski pass is enormous but as Bunnyhop says you do need to get trains and buses – they are very regular/efficient though.

St Anton is great too – went years and years ago but I seem to remember a lot of it is quite steep.

We really enjoyed St Johann In Tirol last year which is small but links to other nearby resorts and had great snow when we were there.

Zell am See/Kaprun is meant to be good too but I’ve not been.

STW ski trip next year ?

already at least 3 STWers on the sH bash in 7 sleeps time, plus at least 1 STW lurker, and probably some more.

Tignes from the shortlist.

Après ski in Austria. I assume that was the people hanging around the outside bar for the hour after the piste closed drinking cold beer at minus lots. It was then dead for a few hours (I assume people were eating) then there was more hanging around bars too noisy to hold a conversation in. If that’s your kind of thing fine.

I’d rather put my feet up in front of the TV supping a hot chocolate in a flat in Tignes and take a walk around the resort just before bed to watch the foreigners falling over drunk, showing off doing things they can’t do drunk or sober and are painful if you fail… .

least 1 STW lurker

*Fire up the pitchforks!*

I_Ache – Member

I’m going to Morzine on the 23rd of Feb so that’s as good a reason as any not to go to Avoriaz…

Eh, why would you go to Morzine and not ski Avoriaz ?

It was aimed at munqe chick as in to say stay away as with my ski skills I am a liability.

As it happens I won’t be skiing avoriaz because the pass I get with my lessons is only Morzine and Les Gets. I also won’t have time outside of my lessons to explore over that way because my kids lessons finish at 2 so there is little point in upgrading. Maybe next time.

L ache good point, we skied a day last weekend at Morzine as it was snowing heavily, so lots of snow there. Saturdays pass is a bargain at 24 Euros as well 🙂

CFH – couldn’t find the coffee place, and still not sure where the Terrace is (is it known by a restaurant name or could it have changed hands?), but did manage lunch at Le Bercail – very nice – and après at The Station. The Harper Brothers were playing tonight but I disappeared back to the hotel before they started, sadly.

The Army chaps in the hotel are celebrating Burns night – I’ve never seen a haggis be addressed before!

It’s the bar that’s immediately off the bottom of the Alphand, on the left hand side as you ski down. Past the Le Bletonet lift, and just there on the left.

The coffee stop is a tiny little kiosk here just by the door to Regis Sports

http://goo.gl/maps/8e96G – Mappage!

Glad you liked Le Bercail! Did you have the sugar cubes? 🙂