Anyone planning a ski or snowboard trip this winter?
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Thanks. I didn't even know there was one there.0
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kingstonian said:
For anyone looking to go to Switzerland (or fly to Geneva en route to the French Alps), the Swiss entry requirements changed on 22nd Jan. For anyone fully vaccinated there is now no longer a need to do a PCR/LFT prior to travel, you just need to complete the Swiss Passenger Locator Form (you can only do this within 48 hrs of your flight).
If you’re going into GVA and onwards to the French Alps (as I am), it is probably still best to also comply with French rules which for fully vaccinated folks is the Declaration D’honneur form plus a PCR/LFT test done within 24 hrs of travel.
I'm hoping that the French requirement is lifted in the next couple of weeks... not too onerous, TBH, but still an extra thing to do & pay for, for little or no public health gain at this point.0 -
I'd always say to anyone british that you're going to have way more fun on holiday if you've got the basics sussed before you go.
Even just putting the boots on will help. Imagine what more you can do if they can put the skis on/off themselves, side step, snow plough or even slide slip before you get there.We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver1 -
TheBigBean said:
Thanks. I didn't even know there was one there.
No problem.
The snow dome place in Hemel was built on the site of an old dry ski slope. It is very similar to Milton Keynes in terms of size.0 -
ddraver said:
I'd always say to anyone british that you're going to have way more fun on holiday if you've got the basics sussed before you go.
Even just putting the boots on will help. Imagine what more you can do if they can put the skis on/off themselves, side step, snow plough or even slide slip before you get there.
Yes, agreed. That’s exactly why I made sure my kids had a couple of lessons before we took them on their first ski holiday. They made much quicker progress, and therefore enjoyed it much more, because they already had a grasp of the absolute basics.0 -
Agreed.briantrumpet said:kingstonian said:For anyone looking to go to Switzerland (or fly to Geneva en route to the French Alps), the Swiss entry requirements changed on 22nd Jan. For anyone fully vaccinated there is now no longer a need to do a PCR/LFT prior to travel, you just need to complete the Swiss Passenger Locator Form (you can only do this within 48 hrs of your flight).
If you’re going into GVA and onwards to the French Alps (as I am), it is probably still best to also comply with French rules which for fully vaccinated folks is the Declaration D’honneur form plus a PCR/LFT test done within 24 hrs of travel.
I'm hoping that the French requirement is lifted in the next couple of weeks... not too onerous, TBH, but still an extra thing to do & pay for, for little or no public health gain at this point.0 -
Easier to get to though! Also seems to have a better website. Very tempting for my post covid wildness? Does it have anything that would meet the definition of fun? i.e. a reason for me to put skis on myself.kingstonian said:TheBigBean said:Thanks. I didn't even know there was one there.
No problem.
The snow dome place in Hemel was built on the site of an old dry ski slope. It is very similar to Milton Keynes in terms of size.0 -
TheBigBean said:
Easier to get to though! Also seems to have a better website. Very tempting for my post covid wildness? Does it have anything that would meet the definition of fun? i.e. a reason for me to put skis on myself.kingstonian said:TheBigBean said:Thanks. I didn't even know there was one there.
No problem.
The snow dome place in Hemel was built on the site of an old dry ski slope. It is very similar to Milton Keynes in terms of size.
Kinda depends where you live as to how easy it is to get to !!!
It is a good place for beginners and early intermediates, plus nervous skiers who want to get some confidence. Beyond that, it is fairly straightforward and dull. Personally I enjoyed it because I was skiing with my kids and helping them get back into snowboarding in preparation for our weekend away, but I wouldn’t go for any other reason as I’d be bored after 20 mins.0 -
Sounds like I need to take a seat and watch the lesson then.kingstonian said:TheBigBean said:
Easier to get to though! Also seems to have a better website. Very tempting for my post covid wildness? Does it have anything that would meet the definition of fun? i.e. a reason for me to put skis on myself.kingstonian said:TheBigBean said:Thanks. I didn't even know there was one there.
No problem.
The snow dome place in Hemel was built on the site of an old dry ski slope. It is very similar to Milton Keynes in terms of size.
Kinda depends where you live as to how easy it is to get to !!!
It is a good place for beginners and early intermediates, plus nervous skiers who want to get some confidence. Beyond that, it is fairly straightforward and dull. Personally I enjoyed it because I was skiing with my kids and helping them get back into snowboarding in preparation for our weekend away, but I wouldn’t go for any other reason as I’d be bored after 20 mins.0 -
Yeah, if they are having a lesson that’s what I’d do
There are loads of places to eat there after a lesson. An Ellis Brigham shop too where you can splash some cash.
Oh, one thing you might consider is they have a indoor skydiving thing there too - if I’d known about it before we went I’d have booked it for my wife !!!
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The main issue I'm trying to work out is whether it is worth spending a lot of money on a ski trip during the school holidays. I'm thinking it will be cheaper to establish this in a snow dome. A friend of mine went skiing with two kids and one hated it which would be a disaster.0
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Going to a snow dome or dry ski slope at least gives you the confidence to get on the lifts or pommers.0
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No harm doing a lesson or two indoors and seeing how they get on and whether they enjoy it.0
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I can't think of a reason you wouldnt do it honestly...TheBigBean said:The main issue I'm trying to work out is whether it is worth spending a lot of money on a ski trip during the school holidays. I'm thinking it will be cheaper to establish this in a snow dome. A friend of mine went skiing with two kids and one hated it which would be a disaster.
(i had a friend who made the exact mistake you speak of. She lost a few friends as a result, not to mention the money)We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
How did an adult lose friends? I'm talking about kids.ddraver said:
I can't think of a reason you wouldnt do it honestly...TheBigBean said:The main issue I'm trying to work out is whether it is worth spending a lot of money on a ski trip during the school holidays. I'm thinking it will be cheaper to establish this in a snow dome. A friend of mine went skiing with two kids and one hated it which would be a disaster.
(i had a friend who made the exact mistake you speak of. She lost a few friends as a result, not to mention the money)0 -
Possibly as a result of being with other families and your kids having melt downs because they hated skiing.0
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No No, an adult with other adults.
Was encouraged to go, told it was great, everyone would ski with them etc etc.
A basic ski holiday is near double a non-ski holiday, then add lessons etc and they spent a ton of money, hated the skiing, no one did wait for them (or do anything with them) etc.
It was a spectacular falling out apparently. Kind of sad I missed it...
(Shoulda listened to ol' david d raver they should)We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
Be aware if you come to France that Covid is completely out of control here. Half a million cases recorded yesterday with 30,000 people in hospital.
Don't get sick if you do come, or have a ski accident.BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
Instagramme0 -
davidof said:
Be aware if you come to France that Covid is completely out of control here. Half a million cases recorded yesterday with 30,000 people in hospital.
Don't get sick if you do come, or have a ski accident.
4000ish/100k seems to be the topping-out figure, and although Haute-Savoie is still up there, I see that Isère has overtaken it, and Drôme is catching up.0 -
Why are the numbers so high?briantrumpet said:davidof said:Be aware if you come to France that Covid is completely out of control here. Half a million cases recorded yesterday with 30,000 people in hospital.
Don't get sick if you do come, or have a ski accident.
4000ish/100k seems to be the topping-out figure, and although Haute-Savoie is still up there, I see that Isère has overtaken it, and Drôme is catching up.0 -
I keep telling you to go to North America. Proper snow.ddraver said:I'd go to Austria just for the snow right now honestly... 😕
Getting a bit hard to pretend now0 -
Not so much right now apparently. The huge dump they had over Xmas/NY was the last of it - similar to here.
(I don't pay much attention to it though so it may be the people on the podcasts I listen to being miserable)
I can't quite square the cost of US ski passes either
AND i broke my feckin' touring bindings yesterday
grumble grumbleWe're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
I guess it depends where you go. Picking somewhere at random - Lake Louise has had 5.5m this year which is now a 2m base. Mt Baker has a 3m base. Both upper mountain. Revelstoke has had 7.8m this year.ddraver said:Not so much right now apparently. The huge dump they had over Xmas/NY was the last of it - similar to here.
(I don't pay much attention to it though so it may be the people on the podcasts I listen to being miserable)
I can't quite square the cost of US ski passes either
AND i broke my feckin' touring bindings yesterday
grumble grumble
As for the lift pass cost, I understand the criticism that the lifts aren't as good (noting my rule about inverse correlation to skiing quality), but I didn't think the passes were particularly expensive for a season.
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If I recall you need to get the Ikon pass, which sells out early. Otherwise it's horrifically expensive.0
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briantrumpet said:davidof said:
Be aware if you come to France that Covid is completely out of control here. Half a million cases recorded yesterday with 30,000 people in hospital.
Don't get sick if you do come, or have a ski accident.
4000ish/100k seems to be the topping-out figure, and although Haute-Savoie is still up there, I see that Isère has overtaken it, and Drôme is catching up.
The stats are just bizarre - roughly 400,000 cases a day for what feels like weeks now with what appears to be a uniform rate of infection across the entire country makes no real sense to me. Both here and South Africa saw with Omicron a rapid rise in infection numbers and then after a week or so running at those high numbers a fairly sharp decline, whereas France is holding at those high rates. Surely after a week or two of 2.5 - 3 million infections you’d expect rates to reduce.1 -
ddraver said:
Not so much right now apparently. The huge dump they had over Xmas/NY was the last of it - similar to here.
(I don't pay much attention to it though so it may be the people on the podcasts I listen to being miserable)
I can't quite square the cost of US ski passes either
AND i broke my feckin' touring bindings yesterday
grumble grumble
As others have said, they key to buying lift passes in US or Canada is buy early. When we went to Whistler in 2019, we found that by buying lift passes early they were significantly cheaper, plus the lift pass price included free ski hire for each of our sons which financially made quite a difference too.0 -
I'm quite glad that the two times I'll be cooped up with others (plane/train) will be 10 days apart at the start & end... so if I do get it on the way out, I'll be clear for the return, and and if I get it on the return, too late to worry. Not that I need to test for the return now, of course.kingstonian said:briantrumpet said:davidof said:Be aware if you come to France that Covid is completely out of control here. Half a million cases recorded yesterday with 30,000 people in hospital.
Don't get sick if you do come, or have a ski accident.
4000ish/100k seems to be the topping-out figure, and although Haute-Savoie is still up there, I see that Isère has overtaken it, and Drôme is catching up.
The stats are just bizarre - roughly 400,000 cases a day for what feels like weeks now with what appears to be a uniform rate of infection across the entire country makes no real sense to me. Both here and South Africa saw with Omicron a rapid rise in infection numbers and then after a week or so running at those high numbers a fairly sharp decline, whereas France is holding at those high rates. Surely after a week or two of 2.5 - 3 million infections you’d expect rates to reduce.
And yes, they are smashing the records now... almost humorous that we have to test to go there.
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