Who is going skiing and where in 2017

[Amateurish]

JQ said:

That's interesting. Apologies, I can't help you but we're arriving in Morzine a day early this year and could benefit from such a scheme. Anybody know if anything like that operates in Portes du Soleil?

Sorry, nothing like this in the PDS

[//j17]

Welshbeef said:

...actually never stick a cam to the helmet either lastly don't put a helmet cam on as if you have a bump in a certain angle that plastic strut will pierce the helmet and... posssibly the skull.

Cool, have you seen some evidence of this that slipped past the courts? Certainly this was investigated by the French courts and no blaim was apportioned to GoPro and GoPro were considering legal action in I think the US against people publishing this libelous claim...

[Dakkon]

Just back from a week in La Rosiere, France, epic snow after the storm but was starting to go quite quickly by the end of the week.

Rightly or wrongly, I have been ski-ing for over 30 years, I still don't wear a helmet

[marcosgt]

Dakkon said:

Just back from a week in La Rosiere, France, epic snow after the storm but was starting to go quite quickly by the end of the week.

Rightly or wrongly, I have been ski-ing for over 30 years, I still don't wear a helmet

I only started 2 or 3 years ago.

With the kids we'd been going around Easter, so it was always warm, but when they left school and stopped skiing with us, we started going earlier (Jan/Feb) and it was bloody cold, so I found a helmet not only, potentially, protected my head, but also keeps my ears nice and warm.

The majority seem to wear helmets these days, so it doesn't feel stupid wearing one although I'm sure the cool dudes would laugh at mine

I like it, live and let live!

M.

[Tuna]

JQ said:

Very interesting article, cheers for posting.

The chalet we're using in a few weeks has a go-pro so I have been considering using it and the safety aspect did worry me. Did use one last year using a chest strap for the go- pro and the results were'nt great as I was wanting to video my kids in front of me and naturally my chest wasn't always pointing in the right direction, much easier with a helmet cam I suspect.

Last year I skied with both head cam and various other mounts. Whilst the head cam is better than the chest in terms of facing the people/things you want to film, you'd be surprised how often you just 'glance away' in the course of a run. Those little checks you make interrupt the film, but you don't tend to notice you're doing it at the time.

The best footage came from a selfie stick - stable, and easy to keep pointing at a subject for extended periods. Two easy options were a monopod type telescopic design and just fixing a mount on the end of a ski pole.

Tech tips: Keep the batteries warm with a chemical hand warmer when you're not using them - the cold weather drastically shortens battery life. Also choose a resolution and frame rate and stick to it, it makes editing much easier, even if you end up with gigabytes of footage to sort through.

[JQ]

Cheers for the info Tuna.

[Yipper]

feef said:

Putting a camera on a helmet does not have the negative impact you might expect.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/safety/resources/safetynews/w...

The safety of headcams for skiing may well depend on the angle of impact, and pure luck. If the prong bends down and the cam smashes in your eye, it will be a bad outcome. Or, if the prong goes through the helmet and spears the skull / brain (like some claim it did for Schumacher), that won't be a good outcome, either.

[feef]

Yipper said:

feef said:

Putting a camera on a helmet does not have the negative impact you might expect.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/safety/resources/safetynews/w...

The safety of headcams for skiing may well depend on the angle of impact, and pure luck. If the prong bends down and the cam smashes in your eye, it will be a bad outcome. Or, if the prong goes through the helmet and spears the skull / brain (like some claim it did for Schumacher), that won't be a good outcome, either.

Those aspects were covered to some extent in the research. It's worth reading the full paper linked to in the article rather than just that summary

In short, the risks from those edge cases are so slight that I'm still of the belief that the benefits far outweigh any supposed drawbacks

[theguvernor15]

Off to Zermatt in the morning for a week, first ever time skiing (bee having private lessons for a few months now), incredibly excited!

[JQ]

theguvernor15 said:

Off to Zermatt in the morning for a week, first ever time skiing (bee having private lessons for a few months now), incredibly excited!

You're in for a treat. You're not going to be able to sleep tonight.

[Ranger 6]

Skis back in the rental shop. Coach to GVA at 6:30

Had a great week but they could really do with more snow here.

[renmure]

6hrs after starting it is the end of the first days skiing her in Tignes. Really great piste skiing all over the Espace Killy area. Biggest surprise is how quiet things are. Haven't had to queue for any lifts, bubbles or even the funicular up from Val.

[prand]

After a surprise end to my current contract, yesterday we decided to try for a 4 day trip (across an awkward Thur-Mon) in out in the alps somewhere.

They really mean what they say about Half Term availability. Literally no accommodation in many places. On Booking.com. many places at 99% or more booked up.

However, 4 flights with easyjet for just over £100 each to Geneva, and eventually found a hotel in Les Gets for 3 nights B&B, then another across the road half board for the final day/night... for just under £1000 for four of us (more than I'd want to pay normally, but I'd say c £60pp pn is not too bad this late in the day, and the alternatives were either much more expensive or miles away from the snow).

However we should have a great time hopefully getting 4 days on the snow. Very much looking forward to this, wasn't expecting to be able to get skiing this year.

[housen]

just got back from verbier

ate well skied hard ...needs snow and less weird men in the apre scene

but overall good

think its due to snow this weekend to save this part of the season

[JD]

I'm heading to Chamonix in the second week of March, in the car.

I only have summer tyres; but from my recollection of going twice before about 10 years ago (but not driving) the roads around Cham and off to Les Houches or Grand Montets seemed to be pretty well cleared - is that still the case?

I will have to purchase some chains I know that, but a little unsure what its like over there now.

Is the drive to Verbier viable? would it require the Vignette?

Also any ideas off a visit to Courmayer is worthwhile? is it better to drive or take the cable car?

[feef]

prand said:

After a surprise end to my current contract, yesterday we decided to try for a 4 day trip (across an awkward Thur-Mon) in out in the alps somewhere.

They really mean what they say about Half Term availability. Literally no accommodation in many places. On Booking.com. many places at 99% or more booked up.

However, 4 flights with easyjet for just over £100 each to Geneva, and eventually found a hotel in Les Gets for 3 nights B&B, then another across the road half board for the final day/night... for just under £1000 for four of us (more than I'd want to pay normally, but I'd say c £60pp pn is not too bad this late in the day, and the alternatives were either much more expensive or miles away from the snow).

However we should have a great time hopefully getting 4 days on the snow. Very much looking forward to this, wasn't expecting to be able to get skiing this year.

I'll be in Avoriaz at half-term, I find it works out far more affordable doing it DIY than trying to get a package deal for that week

[anonymous-user]

JD said:

I'm heading to Chamonix in the second week of March, in the car.

I only have summer tyres; but from my recollection of going twice before about 10 years ago (but not driving) the roads around Cham and off to Les Houches or Grand Montets seemed to be pretty well cleared - is that still the case?

I will have to purchase some chains I know that, but a little unsure what its like over there now.

Is the drive to Verbier viable? would it require the Vignette?

Also any ideas off a visit to Courmayer is worthwhile? is it better to drive or take the cable car?

I am pretty sure it's compulsory to have winter tyres and chains.

Verbier is a couple of hours from Geneva - Unless you can share the driving I would say too much to get there in one go.

[Marcellus]

desolate said:

I am pretty sure it's compulsory to have winter tyres and chains.

Verbier is a couple of hours from Geneva - Unless you can share the driving I would say too much to get there in one go.

Only compuslory to have chains, no legal requirementnto have Winter tyres

[AOK]

JD said:

I'm heading to Chamonix in the second week of March, in the car.

I only have summer tyres; but from my recollection of going twice before about 10 years ago (but not driving) the roads around Cham and off to Les Houches or Grand Montets seemed to be pretty well cleared - is that still the case?

I will have to purchase some chains I know that, but a little unsure what its like over there now.

Is the drive to Verbier viable? would it require the Vignette?

Also any ideas off a visit to Courmayer is worthwhile? is it better to drive or take the cable car?

JD, I've driven to Chamonix at least a dozen times in the last few years in everthing from a TVR on winters to a 330d on summers. My observations:

- Winter tyres are not compulsory in France, neither is carrying snow chains actually unless you are taking a mountain pass before which there is a blue sign highlighting them as a requirement.

- Of all the ski resorts to head to, Chamonix is possibly the easiest one to get to without winter tyres. It is one straight motorway all the way from Geneva which is usually busy so even when it snows it tends to melt and traction remains good.

- If money and time was no object, you should fit winters. I assume you will have your loved ones on board etc... one small lapse of concentration or bad move by another driver and your car will behave unexpectely... regardless of whether snow is on the ground or not... summer tyres become hugely ineffective under 5 degrees. HOWEVER... in the real world, spending £500+ on fitting winter tyres for a 7 day trip seems overkill. It really comes down to how confident you are with driving on snow and how you can react when the car does step out of line a little. You will get to Chamonix and you'll get back. When there, you might get stuck a few times (usually in the icy car parks) but on the roads you should be OK as its usually gritted.

I would think twice about driving further afield if the roads are snowy though... the short drives to Megeve and Vallorcine could be lethal on summers in the wrong weather.

The time we took the 330d (non xdrive) on summers I bought some 'snow socks' a few days before leaving as a 'just in case' measure. I was absolutely not expecting to need them, but then sure enough, one day after getting back to the car park in the Grand Montet car park I just couldn't get the car out off an icy patch. They got us out. £40 well spent.

In conclusion, there is no right or wrong approach to driving down to Cham. In an ideal world you want 1) good winter driving skills, 2) winter tyres, 3) 4x4, 4) no snow on the roads and 5) temperatures remaining above 0 degrees.

If you have a few of those, you should be OK. But buy some socks perhaps and watch some YouTube videos about using them.

Re Courmayer... driving is through the Mont Blanc tunnel and quite expensive, but I think worth doing on one day just for a change of culture + scenery. Make sure to grab a pizza for lunch and treat yourself to a Bombardino

Edit - I'm happy to stand corrected re the chains, but I think I've got it correct

[Steve7777]

desolate said:

I am pretty sure it's compulsory to have winter tyres and chains.

Verbier is a couple of hours from Geneva - Unless you can share the driving I would say too much to get there in one go.

The drive from Chamonix to Verbier is an hour. It's quicker and easier to park at Le Chable and get the lift up to Verbier. No Vignette required. You probably won't need winter tyres in Chamonix in March because it's unlikely to snow down to valley level then. If it does you will need them though because they only do an average job of clearing the roads. If you'd been here two weeks ago you would have needed them for sure. They do a much better job of clearing the road up to Chamonix than they do above Chamonix to GM. They're a legal requirement in Switzerland so don't have an accident if you do go to Verbier.