The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2015-2016 season

I’ve been to a couple of places in Norway (Hemsedal , Voss and Trysil) and they are decent . Sweden has Åre too and some much lower but very family friendly resorts too (sälen for example) . Self catering is the cheapest way . Hotels are very high standard but very expensive .

I’ve only ski toured in Norway, only difference is lift ticket prices (don’t know if they’re ridiculous?) but it can be quite reasonable – Look at airbnb for accommodation, Norwegian air for flights, plus car hire from ur fave hire car providing platform.

Shop at the nearest supermarket, cook for yourself, but look at the prices on the way round! First shop is always a standard supermarket shop, then a “Gumph!” moment when everything’s run through the till, followed by a stiff drink and a forensic review of the receipt.

they are goatskin palms and fingers. (whatever that involves)

Commitment from the goat.

We had flights sorted for Christmas. Now booked somewhere to stay and settled on a trip back to Wagrain. Bonus of this is that we get to see some Crashed Ice action on our first night there 🙂

2tyred – times of the year to ski to make it more affordable. Christmas – we reckon we can save about £1k for 3 of us by going over Christmas than going over New Year (which is generally on a par with the cost of half term).
Easter – Some real bargains to be had if you can shop about or book flights when they’ve just been released. Also look for the places that do free kids passes for late season (Serre Che, Les Arcs, Ski Welt, Ski Amade, Saalbach).
We’ve done one half term holiday (the OH had an op before Xmas and wasn’t fit enough to ski) and it wasn’t too bad from a cost or crowd point of view. We did, however, go with Snowcoach so travel took some time! 4 days skiing for roughly £1k for 3 of us – booked the week before.

Ah yes, but a flat in the Alps is the gift that keeps on giving. Snow in winter, biking in summer, space for friends and a retirement benefit.

Actually, maybe I should look into that…

It’s also a money pit, “charges de copropriété” for maintaining a building at altitude are high. Taxes for villages at altitude where you pay for the services you use and the services skiers from all over the world use are high too. Bills for water reflect the difficulty of maintaining service up remote valleys, and electricity use can be high in buildings that often have lousy insulation. You can expect your flat to cost you what you paid for it every ten years or so – not much of a retirement investment.

If you rent out expect the place to be trashed by drunks even if they are “friends”.

Buy a flat if you’ll spend a lot of time there yourself, months a year rather than weeks.

More glove choice: 10 Peaks Gloves[/url]
Bought a pair last year off SportPursuit and they were great. Nice and warm, and the zip to release fingers was really useful, what with adjusting kids stuff, messing with phone and GoPro, holding hot drinks, etc. No leaks through the zip, but after a slushy day they were damp. Dried out quickly though in the room.
I went for the Mount Allen gloves.

What’s the Norwegian ski scene like? We’re looking to tick off the northern lights, do some husky dog sledding, introduce the toddler to skiing, stay somewhere low key.

I wanted to do the Northern Lights and Husky sleds etc a couple of years back but by the time I got round to booking it it was seriously expensive. So we booked an apartment in Oslo for three nights and got the metro up into the hills every day where there is the winter park for some half decent skiing, plus tobaggon runs and stuff. Made a nice change between Christmas and New Year.

expect your flat to cost you what you paid for it every ten years or so – not much of a retirement investment.

Depends where you buy. Mine pays for itself even with me spending nearly 3 months per year there.

This first calendar year I think we (I, or me & family) will have stayed there c.65 nights. Once we get a pattern of use, we will then open it up to close friends to borrow.

Tax fonciere = €250 pa
Tax d’habitation = €250 pa
s/c (coproprietere incl water) = €500 pa
Elec = €150 pa

= €1,150 pa (c.£70 pm / £3 per day / £13 per day of use)

If I add a figure for cost of funds (but assume capital value moves in line with long term inflation) of c.3%, then it costs a further £25 per day of use. That’s for a family of four, including Xmas, Easter skiing. And not even Feb half term.

Where is your place Stoner? That’s staggeringly cheap on taxes and electricity. Is it tiny?

Is it tiny?

Said the actress to the bishop.

Yes. Yes it is. 😳

Yes, it’s really just our own cupboard* in a 90’s block. It’s in a great location in Montriond (a great village just outside Morzine) with a Navette stop in front for the bus up to Ardent in 5mins.

It’s a 225sqft pad, with a nice west facing balcony, bunk bed room (proper room with a door, not a coin motagne) for the boys to be shut away in, bathroom, bog, and main kitchen/living/bedroom. Works v well for us.

There’s v v few “large” apartments of 500-750sq ft, and of course chalets are madly expensive as they are really “businesses” rather than real residences.

* although brilliantly it came with not only a ski locker, but also a basement store room in which I can store all our outdoor equipment as well as 3 or 4 bikes. And it also has an underground car parking space, which we use as a bike stand in summer.

Well if you get to wanting to do winter weekend lets Stoner I’m sure you’ll have a customer base here from a few people 🙂

225sqft …. multiply by .3048… multiply by .3048…. OK gotcha!

I think my bedroom alone is bigger than that*, which explains why taxes are a lot higher (and my leccy bill!).

So used to working in Sainte Foy – a “small” apartment here is more like 700sqft. The whole shoebox thing really passed us by!

*Not chalet willy-waving here, this is my full-time abode, down in the valley!

And Swetty Mountain bikers !!

Was looking at something myself in Montrond for 2 weeks in august on the bike

What’s people’s thoughts on Goggles, especially their colour/tint?

I’ve only ever had one pair, with a slight tint. Used in rain, cloud an bright sun. they’re a bit scratched so fancied a new pair.

Is it worth getting a couple of pairs for different conditions? Are there any colours that particularly enhance difficult, flat conditions?

Jeez that’s cheap, Stoner! Even for the size.

Edit now I’ve done the sums and found some documents:

334 ft2 plus a south facing balcony

Taxe foncière 384e this year
Taxe d’habitation 496e (two years ago, it’s gone up )
charges de copropriété 1600e and rising
water 160e
electricity circa 100-150e

What’s people’s thoughts on Goggles

I like Smith I/O. They have interchangeable lenses so that deals with any light condition. Plenty of brands now doing some kind of a quick change lens system. It’s probably best to try them on in a store though, to make sure they fit your face/helmet (if you wear one).

What’s people’s thoughts on Goggles, especially their colour/tint?

As above, ones that fit/work with your helmet first of all!

Tints?
I have a Persimmon for bad weather, and Snow Black Iridium for the sunshine. Seems to cover everything I might need very well indeed. If the weather looks changeable, I’ll take a spare lens in the goggle pocket of my jacket. A doddle to change the lens when having a cheeky coffee. Crowbars and a Smith lid, BTW.

Yep – go with the brand you can try on in your local shop. It’s really important that they fit well.

I’ve got Oakley something (Canopy maybe?) with a rose prizm lens which suits me in all conditions.

With goggles I have found that certain brands and models come down too low on my nose so as others have said try out some. If you pick a set with interchangeable lens you can swap around depending on the day. Smith have some photo-chromatic if you want to avoid the hassle. Pricey though.

Really like my goggles from Summit Worldwide[/url].
First comfy pair of goggles I have found, they have interchangeable lenses and look great. I went for the Evolve.
Price is reasonable too.
Haven’t managed to damage them. I’m a bit hard on eyewear, no matter how much I try to look after them.

For anybody else who sweats like a Turkey at Thanksgiving, I can recommend the Smith Turbo Fan range.

They have a little fan at the top that maintains airflow across the lens. The only goggles I have ever had which are mist-free.

As above, ones that fit/work with your helmet first of all!

Yep! You’ll notice that I didn’t ask about brands or interchangeable lenses… 😛

I wanted to low-down on colours & tints first. I know that Bolle work well with my helmet, as do my current ones (though ‘ve forgotten who makes them). Once I know what tint I might be looking for, if I can’t get them in by Bolle then I’ll go down my local S&R and try some on!

Serre Che have moved their opening back a week. Was due to be this weekend, but there’s still grass showing on the Cucumelle!

I reckon avoriaz may move theirs forward from Dec 19.

chamonix opens this weekend

Chamonix [Grand Montets} opened last week !!

did it?? my mate lives there said this weekend

Hochkoenig in Austria opens this weekend, think Zell does too.

I have some Bolle goggles (Nova I think). Bought them reduced off somewhere like Sportpursuit. Lens was Vermillion Gun which turned out to be a bit poor in low light. I got on to the UK distributor (Bushnell I think) and ordered a photochromatic lens for £25 – rather than sending me a new lens they just sent me new goggles with the photochromatic lens!

jedi – Member

did it?? my mate lives there said this weekend
Sorry this weekend. Last week my daughter said she was going there next weekend, she meant this weekend.
Meanwhile in Morzine today

Lots of snowy pictures from Verbier too.

Looking at those snow pictures is making my legs twitchy!

Back of Avoriaz (Le Fornet) apparently

https://www.facebook.com/MorzineSourceMagazine

Looks like Monday could be a stunning day for skiing in Scotland. 2 days of storms followed a very calm weather window

rumours Avoriaz might open next weekend…
https://www.facebook.com/TheEdgeMorzine/posts/10153818568508901

could it be a great, great season? I think so. 😀 😀 😀 😀

Yep, official Avoriaz Facebook page says they are opening the 5th.

Never been to Avoriaz before, once we get dropped by transfer service at the car park, what is the best way to get to the flat? It is the other side of the resort. Don’t fancy walking with kids and suitcases.

there are skid/wheel dolly trucks around that you can use and leave at docking stations. They then get taken back to the car park for others to use. It’s well thought out.

Great thanks.