Ski season 2011/12

Paul_iow

Where would people suggest going for a week of skiing, or boarding for the 1st time, around Feb time? In Europe please

ddraver

Les deux alpes is reasonable for beginners. TO be honest, have a look at smaller resorts as you can't really make use of large resorts anyway, so you may as well save the money. If you want the nightlife though you ll have to go to a big resort- Austria is great for apres ski, particularly St Anton!

IcarusGreen

Hopefully I'll be taking a team of 8 (4 alpine + 4 Nordic) to Rupholding (S?) in Germany for 3 weeks (1.5 training +1.5 racing) if I pull it off it should be a good few weeks!

Stevo_666

Paul_iow wrote:

Where would people suggest going for a week of skiing, or boarding for the 1st time, around Feb time? In Europe please

My Top Ten Resorts are mostly European (as I haven't done much in North America) - check some of these out:
- Val D'Isere
- St. Anton
- Chamonix/Argentiere
- Verbier
- Whistler/Blackcomb
- Tignes
- Meribel
- Val Thorens
- Zermatt
- Alpe D'Huez

All have very good skiing, the top half of the table has good night life as well. A lot of them are billed as good for strong skiers but tbh if you're a beginner then I reckon any of them will be fine to get you started. If beer-skiing is the priority then St. Anton is well worth a look

BTW: There's bound to be a fair few gaps as I've only included ones I've been to, rather than just read about.

Stevo_666

deadkenny wrote:

Utah is the most reliable so I keep going back. It helps that there are loads of resorts in easy reach with a car.

Kenny, which resorts have you been to in Utah then? I need to do my homework Have only done Whistler and Tahoe Stateside. Jackson is still on the hit list, but apart from that, not sure whats worth the long haul & jet lag.

Anonymous

Utah -

Park City
The Canyons
Solitude
Brighton
Snowbird
Snowbasin

There's also Deer Valley attached to Park City but it's skiiers only (!), as is Alta which links to Snowbird. As I've been skiing with boarders I've never managed to do them. Though they're supposed to be some of the best resorts.

There are a number of other smaller resorts dotted about.

Snowbird is perhaps my favourite for the snow, together with Solitude and Brighton. Park City is famous for being where the hold the Sundance Film Festival (there is also a resort called Sundance). Snowbasin has the most luxurious resort facilities with marble bathrooms and chandeliers in the restaurants. The Canyons is interesting to do some shopping for million dollar homes. Park City, Snowbasin and The Canyons tend to catch the sun though a bit too much.

Further away that I've yet to do - Beaver Mountain, Powder Mountain, Wolf Mountain, Brian Head, Eagle Point. The latter two are a fair distance away from the rest.

Most are about 30 to 45 mins drive from Salt Lake City which is a good cheap base if you want to try them all. Weird for a ski holiday as it's a city, not a ski resort, but it's so close to the mountains. Or you can set up camp in one of the resorts, like Park City. Bit more of a trek to some places, but on the doorstep for 3 at least.

Further away stuff is an hour to two hours or more driving.

Note that Utah is a dry state (Mormons!). Doesn't mean no alcohol, just that most booze is 3% unless you pay membership for special bars that sell the proper stuff, though easy enough. Stuff you get from the stores will be the low alc stuff.

bartimaeus

I will be family skiing which I enjoy... but secretly I would like to be doing this again:

Stevo_666

Bartimaeus wrote:

I will be family skiing which I enjoy... but secretly I would like to be doing this again:

Take it you were doing the Vallee Blanche and not the North Face of the Aiguille du Midi (which would require enormous cojones) ?

bartimaeus

Yes... though one of our guides was the first person to ski the North Face of the Aiguille du Midi (Yves Detry).

For anyone who has ever seen "Blizzard of Ahh's", this is a view of 'Chamonix, 9,000 vertical feet... below'.

DF33

I can feel a new thread coming on...........

paul.skibum

I work in a ski resort, I am a ski instructor, can snowboard badly, xc ski a fair bit too.

I will be skiing on (snow permitting) 24th Nov through to 8th April. I thank you.

Stevo_666

Bartimaeus wrote:

Yes... though one of our guides was the first person to ski the North Face of the Aiguille du Midi (Yves Detry).

For anyone who has ever seen "Blizzard of Ahh's", this is a view of 'Chamonix, 9,000 vertical feet... below'.

Yep, bit steep isn't it :shock:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bipxH48EIUk
I've got that Blizzard of Aahs video in the loft somewhere - must dig it out. Of those 6 runs in that Telegraph article, I've done 4 & 5, though one of times I did the Courchevel couloirs was mostly on my ar$e after losing a ski near the top...

Paul Skibum - I hate you

bg13

did tignes last year for three weeks, gonna do another two weeks there this year, vast area with lots of good off piste, gonna do it on SKI'S because that is what normal people do!

would love to do a whole season on skis, very jealous of those that do!

Bred2shred

No abroad trips for me this year but i will be making the most of the domestic snow when it comes.

I'm only 2 hours from Glen Coe and 3 from aviemore and i have a spare room if any of you southerners are looking to hit Scotland at any time, i'll put you up if you buy the bacons

Neil

RallyBiker

I'm off to Adelboden with the Mrs. in January. Going to spend a fortune by the looks of things with the exchange rate! Hopefully if the clutch lasts in my van for a few more months, I'll grab one of the inevitable deals that the stuggling companies will be giving out mid-season and go for a cheapy! :P