The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2013-2014 season

Flashy – some of that (gorgeous) gear is dearer than my first few holidays.

dd – I’m sending my Westbeach jacket back – no lift pass pocket 🙄

Flash by name, flash by…

Actually, flash by choice I think. 😉

flash by choice

We can all be as flash as we like given the anonymity afforded on an internet forum. 🙂

I choose to reject on here the flashness that comes so easily in real life.

Anyway, have you beaten Ski Famille into submission with your twitter campaign yet? I spoke to them today and they seemed surprised when I suggested that their new prices including flights weren’t cheaper than this year’s including Easyjet flights. They sounded less surprised when I suggested that Gatwick was a god forsaken spot miles from civilisation, and going from there would add the cost of a night in a hotel and possibly another day off work.

Hey igm! Just got a quote for us today from skifamille going 7th March. For three of us, in a room for three (double plus little single room off), passes, childcare (only childcare needed, no equipment/lessons for dd), equipment for mrs dd and me, flights, transfers: around £3k. 😯

Les Gets? Which chalet? Children’s lessons adds about £150 including skis & boots.

Les Gets is a great resort with children, but we’re going to recky the Esprit chalet there when we go out.

🙂

FWIW, I don’t wear Kjus. Not sure I would, even if I could afford it! It’s gloriously well made, and excellent kit, but much like Kastle skis, it just screams hedge fund manager!

Sorry igm, that was for Reberty.

DD – sadly for Reberty that’s about what I’d expect. We have friends who’ve been to SF there if you want me to ask what it was like. 2:30 on the bus not 1:15 says no to Reberty for us.

Flashy – but you are a hedge fund manager aren’t you?

Igmygm. 🙂

Given my posts flash, you’ll have to start the 14/15 thread soon. 🙂

😀

DD – if ygm is you got mail then I think you may have mistyped my address. If it’s you good man, then I’ll get the low down on Reberty for you.

Hmmm…it’s showing as part of our thread from yesterday. Will try again.

For three of us, in a room for three (double plus little single room off), passes, childcare (only childcare needed, no equipment/lessons for dd), equipment for mrs dd and me, flights, transfers: around £3k.

Ouch!

For comparison here is the cost breakdown for our Neilson holiday in Les Deux Alpes mentioned above:

Accommodation, passes and flights: £2359

That includes 7 nights (15th March) with three adults + 1 child + 1 baby in a “Family Room” (two large connected rooms with shared bathroom and balcony overlooking the slope). Plus flights from Manchester, transfer to/from Grenoble, 2 x ski/board carriage, 1 x adult lift pass (adult passes were on 2-for-1, child was free).

On top of that child ski rental was £50 for boots, skis and helmet. Then 6 x 2.5 hours of child ski school was £150, plus 6 x days wrap-around at kid’s club was about £180 from memory.

So I make that about £2739 (+ lunches and drinks).

(Note: booking direct online saved us £416, and SCUK discount saved us another £227).

Avalanche risk 4, time to wax some x-c skis for tomorrow then.

Awesome spring snow skiing on Liathach in Torridon today. Lots of walking but 3 superb descents.

There’s a bit in Landward about the Scottish Ski industry, with some history. Currently on iplayer for those that are interested.

Season ain’t over yet. On’t board it Les Gets today.

Hot? A bit

skiing on Liathach

😯

Wow, which routes/gullies did you descend Spin? Did the traverse on foot at the start of March and didn’t see anything I’d be happy descending from the ridge on skis or a board. Like to think I might have the skills for that one day, but not sure I’ll ever be that gallus.

Had a great day up at Cairngorm last Monday. Quietest I have ever seen it and lovely conditions. Still loads of snow up top, though getting a little patchy and slushy at the bottom. Unless there is a massive rise in temperatures it’s going to be there for a while. The half pipe and terrain park look great too, but again I lack the skills for that.

Just watched my 3 year old disappear up a lift with a ski instructor.

Ok I followed one chair behind. Fantastic

And his 7 year old big brother is pretty chuffed too.

Just back from a week skiing around Flashy’s favourite area. Had a great time, only had to wear a jacket one day all week. t was really warm, but the snow was in amazing shape. Didn’t seem to get as slushy as some places we’ve been when it’s warm, possibly due to how quiet it was.

Jnr bumped into Luc Alphand in Briancon he was buying frozen pizzas in Casino!

Wow, which routes/gullies did you descend Spin

The Way Up, No1 and something without a name in Coire na Caime none of which were too steep.

Still some pretty good skiing to be had en Ecosse if you don’t mind a hike.

Bidean nam Bian yesterday:

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If you maketh biggeth you can see my turns

Nice! Always wanted to do Bidean!

Managed a mid April return to La Plagne and then hit Cairngorms last week. Back to the fridge now.

First sesh in a half pipe en Ecosse.

I went to a ski shop. That almost counts right?

Girlfriend got some boots for her birthday. All part of the grand plan.

We’re two days back from Val D’Isere and had a great end of season time, off piste looking a bit bare and the pistes tended to the crunchy first thing and the slushy by the end but nice all in all. Photos to follow at some stage after bath time!

Biggest problem was that rudeness abounded (for which our overlap with Parisian school holidays was blamed!)…

I now wish for a Poc Orbic helmet and some Oakley Airbrake goggles!

So it appears that I’m due to be in Verona, Northern Italy last weekend of November.

What are the Italian resorts like for snow at that time of year? Any particular ones I should be looking at?

Off the back of this. Looks like this holiday is scheduled for early to mid December. Not tied to Italy in any way.

If you was going skiing at that time of year. Where would you go? Long hauls options considered. Likely to be last minute.

How did this rudeness manifest itself, Markie?

I’ve skied Val/Tignes a lot, often when the Parisians are there as I also go during zone C holidays. I worked in Val many years ago. The Parisians tend to be a part of the mass of people getting on with enjoying themselves and among the least likely to throw their weight around. They rarely drink to drunkenness, go with the flow on the pistes and “ils râlent” (an expressive form of moaning that is often done tongue in cheek) their way through the lift queue huddles without the aggression of some.

piemonster – if it’s last minute, go where it’s good!

That said I had my best December skiing in Fernie. From the 7th to Christmas, boot deep or deeper pretty much every day, barely anyone there. Ski a fresh line, lift back up and ski fresh 10 feet to the left. Repeat.

Flashy – time to start the 2014/15 thread. I’ve just booked. Can’t say any more on this outdated thread though.

time to start the 2014/15 thread. I’ve just booked.

😀

At least let me wait until Summer has started….! Then come back and tell us all about it! 🙂

Two weeks since we booked. A week in a catered chalet in Les Manures – ski in / out, hot tub, Sauna, regional flights, ski carriage and full 3Valleys lift pass for under £800 a head. Not that I’ve got a countdown running or anything…

Les Manures

Realy bad Norfolk stand up comedian? 😀

ski in / out, hot tub

Well that’s one way to clean your kit. 😆

This season hasn’t quite finished yet by the way:

@HenryOff_Piste said:

Fantastic fresh snow in #valdisere today & not a soul around! Great job Wayne, Alpine Experience! #offpiste #skiing

@igm, I haven’t even booked my 2014 summer holiday yet !

Technically neither have we.

[Flashy mode] Priorities old chap, priorities. [/Flashy mode]

off to arctic Norway on 16th May for a week touring with Mrs R. 😀

Ooooh – very nice nedrapier! 8)

Where abouts? Lyngen?

There was a piece on French TV at the weekend, new snowfall in Val Thorens and lots of people taking advantage of last few days of the lifts being open.