Skiing

[haranguerer]

Engleberg just after Christmas Rois - going to go back to skiing too - going with gf and some of her family and they'll all be skiing

debating trying to squeeze in the annual trip to livignio for snowboarding later on seeing as missed it last year, but its probably not that likely...very first world problems

[WeeDonns]

Booked ours a few weeks ago for 23rd Jan in Val Thorens 7 of us going. Going earlier this year,went in March the past 2 years.
Booked all separately for the first time as we'd normally always use crystal ski or directski etc
Flights were only £18 e/w before luggage. Belfast to Lyon with easyjet so £370 for flights, transfers & (what looks like) nice accommodation.

I think i'd struggle going back to the Skiing Haranguerer! The board is just so much handier to carry about once you're off the slopes for a start

Really looking forward to it now; I see lots of places are offering early bird hire deals atm so must get that sorted soon.

Never heard of Highlife Rois, sticking their url in here so I can find it again next year http://www.highlife.ie/


@Rois, you've done the fully catered chalet a few times now ? Do you find your group stays in the chalet most nights or do you still venture up to the resort in the evenings?

[Rois]

I would struggle to do anything other than catered chalet now if going for a week. Nice home-cooked food and bottomless wine bottles, not to mention daily soaks in the hot tub before dinner. We tend now not to go out after dinner too much, but prob because we're getting too old and would prefer to be up for first lifts than going out in the resort. If we go to a pub, we usually just chat to each other anyway. That said, we're staying close to the resort centre this time so I'm looking forward to wandering around the town some evenings this time.

That's a super price for Val Thorens WeeDons!

Haranguerer, you're being forced back to the two planks?? At least draglifts will be a bit easier...

[gallsman]

Anyone been skiing in Andorra? If so any recommendations. Have never done it but seems like too good an opportunity to turn down with the pyrenees on the doorstep.

[Rois]

Any ski trips planned this winter?  The Alps appear to being having a horrendous time.

Part of me is thinking about biting the exchange rate bullet and going to Canada (Banff or Whistler).  Any of you well travelled people been there? 
California seems to be getting amazing snow but the dollar rate is just too bad for me to think about Mammoth, where I'd love to go someday.

[seafoid]

Any ski trips planned this winter?  The Alps appear to being having a horrendous time.

Part of me is thinking about biting the exchange rate bullet and going to Canada (Banff or Whistler).  Any of you well travelled people been there? 
California seems to be getting amazing snow but the dollar rate is just too bad for me to think about Mammoth, where I'd love to go someday.

There is a big dose of snow due this week.
http://www.meteofrance.com/previsions-meteo-france/annecy/74000

[Milltown Row2]

Daughter just back from 9 days skiing in Lincoln Newhampshire... Said snow was amazing slopes were great!! School trips have changed!! I went to Helen's bay Ffs

[Rois]

Aw jeez very nice! Freezing there though I'd say MR.

Seafoid, as predicted by Meteo France, the snow has started falling in the Portes de Soleil - my FB page is littered with photos of it, people are so excited!

[seafoid]

Rois , the PdS was dependent on artificial snow and to get the real thing is fabulous. It is far cheaper and it doesn't ice like the artificial stuff. More snow tonight  .

[Rois]

Rois , the PdS was dependent on artificial snow and to get the real thing is fabulous. It is far cheaper and it doesn't ice like the artificial stuff. More snow tonight  .

Consensus from what I've read is that the snowmakers in the PdS have done a super job around the Avoriaz sector with what they had as more of the resort was open than would have been expected.  I'm on mailing lists for what feels like half of the chalet companies in the area and they're all discounting amazingly in Jan, beyond normal.   
More snow forecast from Tues onwards too but that's probably too far out at this stage.

[seafoid]

Rois , the PdS was dependent on artificial snow and to get the real thing is fabulous. It is far cheaper and it doesn't ice like the artificial stuff. More snow tonight  .

Consensus from what I've read is that the snowmakers in the PdS have done a super job around the Avoriaz sector with what they had as more of the resort was open than would have been expected.  I'm on mailing lists for what feels like half of the chalet companies in the area and they're all discounting amazingly in Jan, beyond normal.   
More snow forecast from Tues onwards too but that's probably too far out at this stage.

I think ski numbers are falling via a combination of unpredictable snow and economic recession. Sales of skis in CH have been falling for a decade.

Fewer skiers mean better skiing for those who persist but it's bad for the resorts. Lots of hotels have gone bust.

[WeeDonns]

The wife & I went to Chamonix for Christmas, the snow wasn't great. None at all on the lower slopes.
We only had 4 days skiing so there was enough piste to keep us occupied, kinda.

Some friends went to Sierra Nevada in Spain on the 2nd week of December and had great snow. Its definitely on the list now for a last minute early season trip next year. Some of them booked late with cheap flights into Malaga, all very handy  - although they said the resort was pretty dead in the evenings.

A group of us are headed to alpe d'huez now on 4th Feb. Never been there before so looking forward to it. Fingers crossed for plenty of snow

[Rois]

I think ski numbers are falling via a combination of unpredictable snow and economic recession. Sales of skis in CH have been falling for a decade.

Fewer skiers mean better skiing for those who persist but it's bad for the resorts. Lots of hotels have gone bust.

Well they have fallen off a cliff this year in the PdS judging by the abnormal prices I'm seeing for Jan. 

WeeDonns had you skied in Chamonix before?  I've a few friends going at the end of the month so they'll be watching closely.
I used to work with a Spanish guy who couldn't believe we didn't ski in the Sierra Nevada and when I looked into it last year, it was def a very atrractive option.  If you had good conditions later in the year you could do skiing and golf in one trip.

[WeeDonns]

No, hadn't been before. Had the flights booked for Geneva a few months back & just picked the resort closer to the time based on available hotels within an hour and 'predicted' snowfall. Left Belfast @6am and was on the slopes before lunch so was good in that way.
I wouldn't be a fan of the resorts where you've to get a bus between different mountains.
Val Thorens/Soll are still my 2 favourite resorts for ski & apres. VT probably shades it because of ski in/ski out

My Bro-in-law is headed to Whistler in the next 2 weeks. They went for their honeymoon last year and then got a good deal during the summer back to the same place this year. Would love to do it some year

[Rois]

No, hadn't been before. Had the flights booked for Geneva a few months back & just picked the resort closer to the time based on available hotels within an hour and 'predicted' snowfall. Left Belfast @6am and was on the slopes before lunch so was good in that way.
I wouldn't be a fan of the resorts where you've to get a bus between different mountains.
Val Thorens/Soll are still my 2 favourite resorts for ski & apres. VT probably shades it because of ski in/ski out

My Bro-in-law is headed to Whistler in the next 2 weeks. They went for their honeymoon last year and then got a good deal during the summer back to the same place this year. Would love to do it some year

Yeah I know what you mean re: Chamonix but the last few times I've skied there I've stayed in chalets that run private minibus transfers every morn and eve which makes it so much easier, though the lift queues at Grands Montets and at Flegere weren't good with the old lifts.  We got married in the Church in the middle of the town there in summer season and we're heading back again in summer as my husband is doing a race.  I love the town.
If you hear again about any of those Whistler deals, let us know!  We were in Aspen this summer - it's a class place, would also love to ski there.