Who is going skiing and where 2015?
Discussion
downthepub said:
Heading to Tignes a week Wednesday, all fingers and toes crossed for plenty of snow. Powder please! Can hardly wait!
Then planning some late season skiing in early April, unfortunately 'er-indoors has work commitments which preclude anything before then. At the moment it's looking like either Åre in Sweden or Mammoth Lakes in California - both repeatedly are recommended for late season swishing. Any comments on those places?
I've skied Mammoth before and Are although the latter was a number of years a go and only for a couple of days.Then planning some late season skiing in early April, unfortunately 'er-indoors has work commitments which preclude anything before then. At the moment it's looking like either Åre in Sweden or Mammoth Lakes in California - both repeatedly are recommended for late season swishing. Any comments on those places?
Firstly would I go all the way to North America just to ski Mammoth? No, would I go to NA over Europe just to ski? Possibly. Most resorts in Europe will still be open the first two weeks of April, longer if the snow allows with places like Val Thorens, Cervinia, and the Espace Killy open still into May. The list is quite long of places that should still have the majority of lifts still open in at least the first half of April.
Some comments on the resorts you mentioned. Mammoth is quite large by North American standards with good view of the Sierra's, it's hard to compare NA resorts in extent to Euro resorts as NZ resorts are quoted in acreage rather than KM's of piste. There's a good selection of runs so all abilities can find something-there's some very steep terrain and challenging double black diamond runs. It's quite strung out and most people use cars for getting to and from the slopes. There is something of a purpose built village that has been springing up. The snow and sunshine record is impressive but what tends to happen is that a storm will roll in providing days of white out and potentially closed lifts but then periods of prolonged sunshine and blue skys. I've been twice in April, once was on the back of such a storm and it was very wintery, the other sunny and typical spring conditions back in Europe.
It's quite a long drive from LA ~5.5hrs,(flights into SF and Vegas also possible) mostly through desert. OK it's not that far but after an 11+ hour flight it is. CA has a lot to offer as a holiday destination if I had the time and money (your flights cost the same if you're there for a week or two!) I'd make a ski tour of it including other resorts including the ones in the Tahoe area and non skis stuff, Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree national park, Vegas also doable as a bolt on.
I stand by my long standing comment that I'd not go to NA just to ski, factoring flights and jetlag a week isn't really worth it IMO over something that's a 2 hour flight away in Europe. We've family in Canada and on average go out there every other year and when we can ski taking in a few hills.
Are, I've only skied two days. It's strung out along a valley into 4 distinct areas, you need to use the ski bus to access the full area. Size wise it doesn't compare to the medium to large alpine resorts with 100KM of pisted runs it's ideally suited for beginners to intermediates, there's little in the way of on piste challenges for more advanced skiers. Drinking spirits is expensive but beer is comparable to France in price I found. I was in the area on business at the time so thought I'd check it out. It's popular with families looking for a refreshing change from the main alpine destinations.
a311 said:
Lots of useful stuff
Many thanks for your comprehensive reply. This April we went to Val Frejus for some late skiing, and whilst mostly skiable, the snow wasn't that great. Hence the thought about going somewhere with a chance of better snow. Agree that North America is a hellva slog just for the slopes, but fortunately I have some family in San Francisco and a certain amount of Virgin Atlantic miles burning a hole in my pocket. So any North America trip would not be 100% skiing and would entail a certain amount of seeing family and roadtripping. 'Er-indoors is an occasional skiier, very much looking for a gentle run once a day and then enjoying views/snowy scenes/hot chocolate/red wine/etc. I'm intermediate shading into advanced; so I guess that Mammoth may offer more.I'll add to Mammoth if I can - went a few times years back.
Big open ski area, not masses of challenging stuff but it sounds like that's not your bag (at the moment) anyway.
Good efficient lifts and not much queuing although it can get busy at the weekends as people drive up from LA & San Fran. I also found the people there very friendly. I rarely ski much with the family so it's handy being able to strike up a convo on the chair lift and end up with locals or others that know the place well and do some interesting stuff.
One downside we found though is that it's a typical American sprawling town - you often can't walk to the nearest bar/cafe/supermarket and we found the Apres to be a bit crap. Also, you never get that real 'I'm in the mountains' feel you get in The Alps - just a personal reflection for me.
We have family in LA so we'd stay with them for a bit and then drive up there.
I'd certainly ski there again but as a standalone trip it wouldn't be my first choice.
Big open ski area, not masses of challenging stuff but it sounds like that's not your bag (at the moment) anyway.
Good efficient lifts and not much queuing although it can get busy at the weekends as people drive up from LA & San Fran. I also found the people there very friendly. I rarely ski much with the family so it's handy being able to strike up a convo on the chair lift and end up with locals or others that know the place well and do some interesting stuff.
One downside we found though is that it's a typical American sprawling town - you often can't walk to the nearest bar/cafe/supermarket and we found the Apres to be a bit crap. Also, you never get that real 'I'm in the mountains' feel you get in The Alps - just a personal reflection for me.
We have family in LA so we'd stay with them for a bit and then drive up there.
I'd certainly ski there again but as a standalone trip it wouldn't be my first choice.
I haven't been to mammoth as its always been too much effort from San Fran to get there, as to do so you have to drive past all the Tahoe resorts which lets be honest you can spend quite a bit of time in and between them they offer everything from the cheap local hill (Tahoe Donner) through to mega resorts at heavenly and northstar. So we have always found ourselves not bothering with the extra three hours drive for one resort. So if you will be flying into SFO then you may want to look at what Tahoe has to offer vs the extra drive to Mammoth.
Having said that we are flying to LAS this year so if there is good snow in Tahoe we will probably drop into mammoth in one direction or the other to take a look at what it has to offer. Fingers crossed for this weeks storm providing the three feet of snow above 7000ft the NWS are promising and that it isn't the last storm between now and Easter as it seems like its been the last few years.
PS if the Sierra snow is as bad as previous years you can always abort from Tahoe to Salt lake or up to Oregon, both are only a day in the car away, just watch the weather channel to see where the jet-stream is and who has the fluffy stuff, then grab those car keys.
Having said that we are flying to LAS this year so if there is good snow in Tahoe we will probably drop into mammoth in one direction or the other to take a look at what it has to offer. Fingers crossed for this weeks storm providing the three feet of snow above 7000ft the NWS are promising and that it isn't the last storm between now and Easter as it seems like its been the last few years.
PS if the Sierra snow is as bad as previous years you can always abort from Tahoe to Salt lake or up to Oregon, both are only a day in the car away, just watch the weather channel to see where the jet-stream is and who has the fluffy stuff, then grab those car keys.
For those heading to Tignes, its at least now all white, but its mostly cannon snow, thats up top nothing going open up lower down until they get more snow.
I've got the car here in Tignes & am planning a day or two to Val Thorens which is pretty much fully open & does not have 3k students to ram the place up. Any VT'ers care to comment on current conditions?
I've got the car here in Tignes & am planning a day or two to Val Thorens which is pretty much fully open & does not have 3k students to ram the place up. Any VT'ers care to comment on current conditions?
We're in discussion with friends at the moment on going either 7th or 15th of March to a Crystal Balcons Chalet in Belle Plagne.
I'm doubtful on off piste as well, a bit too old and unfit these days but as it's my big birthday skiing trip I'm planning instead on doing the Olympic Bobsleigh run in the 4 man bob with driver, apparently it reaches 120kph so that should provide enough of an adrenaline rush.
I'm doubtful on off piste as well, a bit too old and unfit these days but as it's my big birthday skiing trip I'm planning instead on doing the Olympic Bobsleigh run in the 4 man bob with driver, apparently it reaches 120kph so that should provide enough of an adrenaline rush.
Well, just had a day in Val Thorens, compared to Tignes where we are staying VT is mint. Heaps of powder, most of the upper VT is open & running, plus its not bunged with effing students. Still only 8 lifts open here in Tignes.
So Saturday will be a trip to VT for sure before we head home
So Saturday will be a trip to VT for sure before we head home
bp1 said:
Belle Plagne next February, never been before any tips? Reasonably advanced skiers, but no mental off piste stuff - getting too old 
.
Stayed in Belle Plagne about 4/5 years ago... . One of the better French attempts at building a resort as it looks like the people designing and building it actually gave a s
t what it looked like! Don't worry as you drive up through the older resorts with their USSR-esque concrete blocks, occasionally with pieces of rotting wood nailed on - your resort doesn't look like them!There was a reasonable range of restaurants too, not the classic 7 night/7 restaurants, all crap. Apres was a bit dead though, but such is the way when most appartments are self catering.
One word of warning, we were in Les Balcons and the footpath that lead from there across the resort to the bars, etc was made of plain wood and on a slope. In a ski resort. Where it's cold and icy and people are walking in ski boots. I'm guessing this was dreamt up by the same guy they ask where to but the toilets in French mountain restaurants and who always replies "How about down a flight of smooth tiled stairs, spiral if possible!".
Skiing was good, though seem to remember a lot of flat bits and a lot of polling until we learnt the resort a bit so knew which run combinations to avoid/where you needed to carry speed.
Well if anyone is thinking of doing Tignes pre Christmas DON'T, go elsewhere & on my suggestion please don't give them your custom after our experience this early season week.
They have been grooming & prepping new pistes all week, they are ready now & have been most of the week, except they won't open the lifts to them until next week, so they say.
So its been >1 hour lift queues here in Tignes most of the week which gives you plenty of time to admire the pistes they have not opened but could of. It also means the main DoubleM piste into the town has already been overused, is icy hard & now in a dangerous condition due to overuse before the season gets underway.
I have seen so many accidents, shunts, mishaps, body bag toboggan's & ambulances leaving the town its been ridiculous. Overcrowded pistes beyond belief, yet you can see lifts & pistes they won't open but are mint. Some of our group skinned up them yesterday & they are in perfectly useable condition but not open.
They have been grooming & prepping new pistes all week, they are ready now & have been most of the week, except they won't open the lifts to them until next week, so they say.
So its been >1 hour lift queues here in Tignes most of the week which gives you plenty of time to admire the pistes they have not opened but could of. It also means the main DoubleM piste into the town has already been overused, is icy hard & now in a dangerous condition due to overuse before the season gets underway.
I have seen so many accidents, shunts, mishaps, body bag toboggan's & ambulances leaving the town its been ridiculous. Overcrowded pistes beyond belief, yet you can see lifts & pistes they won't open but are mint. Some of our group skinned up them yesterday & they are in perfectly useable condition but not open.
cptsideways... not a surprise at all with pistes remaining closed this and next week... all resorts will protect and pamper as many runs as possible until the last minute before the Christmas peak week...
In Tignes these 2 weeks it'll mainly be seasonaires and students plus a few tourists so if the resort doesn't open a percentage (30% iirc) they have to give refunds so they open the minimum to keep the little money they can knowing they may upset a few also knowing that the big money won't arrive until the 20/21st and then they'll have most of the runs open.
A lot of resorts won't advertise that they open until the 20th but then if the pistes are in great shape they'll open some runs early.
A friend who is a Technical Director of a smaller resort says he likes to have at least 1.5m of base down on the main runs before he opens them as that "should" get him through, if the runs are used before then it makes the job of getting the base down harder and more importantly more expensive if they're making it!
In Tignes these 2 weeks it'll mainly be seasonaires and students plus a few tourists so if the resort doesn't open a percentage (30% iirc) they have to give refunds so they open the minimum to keep the little money they can knowing they may upset a few also knowing that the big money won't arrive until the 20/21st and then they'll have most of the runs open.
A lot of resorts won't advertise that they open until the 20th but then if the pistes are in great shape they'll open some runs early.
A friend who is a Technical Director of a smaller resort says he likes to have at least 1.5m of base down on the main runs before he opens them as that "should" get him through, if the runs are used before then it makes the job of getting the base down harder and more importantly more expensive if they're making it!
bp1 said:
Belle Plagne next February, never been before any tips? Reasonably advanced skiers, but no mental off piste stuff - getting too old .
It's all very cruisy and easy blues and reds to be honest. I learned to ski there so had fond memories of the place, until I returned 20 years later as a far more capable skiier and then realised how flat it is. Missus loved it though! It's all pretty much door to door skiing though and they keep the snow well. There's a couple of cracking reds around the one called lucifer though and the long reds to the bottom from there are pretty good if you've got good edges. The blue called Tunnel is a novelty providing you just go straight down the top steep section, otherwise you have a long pole to the tunnel entrance! . awooga said:
It's all very cruisy and easy blues and reds to be honest. I learned to ski there so had fond memories of the place, until I returned 20 years later as a far more capable skiier and then realised how flat it is. Missus loved it though! It's all pretty much door to door skiing though and they keep the snow well. There's a couple of cracking reds around the one called lucifer though and the long reds to the bottom from there are pretty good if you've got good edges. The blue called Tunnel is a novelty providing you just go straight down the top steep section, otherwise you have a long pole to the tunnel entrance!
You can always spice things up a bit by skiing over to Les Arcs. The pressure to not miss the last gondola and lifts back home should get a bit of adrenaline flowing come mid-afternoon 
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