Who is going skiing and where 2015?

[NordicCrankShaft]

Asterix said:

Did you try classic or skating?

I was qualified as a Nordic (Langlauf) instructor before Alpine. We used to get up to some crazy stuff on those skies. Telemarking was also awesome. Always made getting back onto downhill skis seem like a piece of piss afterwards.

Classic, I was like Bambi on ice!! Had all the wife Norwegian family abusing me for the next few days

[a311]

shunt said:

Lucky sod, I was there a few weeks ago and had perfect snow and clear blue all week. Not a lift queue in sight, it really is a great place.

I'm really enjoying it. The amount of pistes is plenty for a week and there's still plenty of snow about. The piste marking at times is quite hard to follow which seems to be a common complaint, I think it's just one particular area in general-as it's high and exposed it must be a nightmare in bad weather/whiteout trying to find your way down.

I have a guide book for later in the week, I've nipped off between the pistes and it's quite variable,but finding some nice stashes of spring corn snow later in the day but there's plenty of lift served off piste and by the looks of it with a guide you can drop off the back at the top of Hochgurgl.

Lift queues simply do no exist, It's a cracking choice for late(r) season particularly.

Will stick some pics up.

[NRS]

Welshbeef said:

I saw a few this season walking up the very very long ski road.... They made it up by late lunch time then had a bite to eat and skied down again.

Not really my cup of tea if I'm honest.

It's in some ways a completely different thing. It's more the equivalent of running, but (IMO) a lot more fun. Just getting out and enjoying scenery. Skate skiing is again very different, and very cool when you get it working - but very tiring on the hills going up!

NordicCrankShaft said:

Moving to Norway this has been one of the thing's I've done a hell of a lot over the last year or so. Ski'd for the first time at Christmas 2013, then made the move and have ski'd non stop pretty much every weekend since the season opened last November.

We normally Ski up in Myrkdal which is in Voss where the father in law has a cabin but have also made trips to Geilo, Eikedalen and Hamsedal this year. Next trip will be the last weekend this month as that is the final weekend of the season.

Myrkdal though this year we've had an extreme amount of snow, 144" in some places and some of that has melted away with the recent change in weather too!

I tried cross country skiing over Easter.............Wow, extremely difficult!!

But I'm going to be gutted to have to pack the ski's away until November!

Edited by NordicCrankShaft on Tuesday 14th April 12:59

Come and join us in the north then, still lots of skiing to go here! We had less snow than you, but sometimes the season goes on into June. Probably going ski touring (rando) around 3 times a week average these days. Have a smallish 550m hill behind work, so sometimes climb that in the morning and ski back down to start the day before working. Thursday looks awesome weather so looking forward to the evening trip,

[Welshbeef]

Gutted left booking my flights for 2016 by a week price has gone up from £430 to £670 (for the whole family).

Business class is £920 so it's now madness not to go business class - annoying as we could have saved a lot of money.

[NordicCrankShaft]

NRS said:

Welshbeef said:

I saw a few this season walking up the very very long ski road.... They made it up by late lunch time then had a bite to eat and skied down again.

Not really my cup of tea if I'm honest.

It's in some ways a completely different thing. It's more the equivalent of running, but (IMO) a lot more fun. Just getting out and enjoying scenery. Skate skiing is again very different, and very cool when you get it working - but very tiring on the hills going up!

NordicCrankShaft said:

Moving to Norway this has been one of the thing's I've done a hell of a lot over the last year or so. Ski'd for the first time at Christmas 2013, then made the move and have ski'd non stop pretty much every weekend since the season opened last November.

We normally Ski up in Myrkdal which is in Voss where the father in law has a cabin but have also made trips to Geilo, Eikedalen and Hamsedal this year. Next trip will be the last weekend this month as that is the final weekend of the season.

Myrkdal though this year we've had an extreme amount of snow, 144" in some places and some of that has melted away with the recent change in weather too!

I tried cross country skiing over Easter.............Wow, extremely difficult!!

But I'm going to be gutted to have to pack the ski's away until November!

Edited by NordicCrankShaft on Tuesday 14th April 12:59

Come and join us in the north then, still lots of skiing to go here! We had less snow than you, but sometimes the season goes on into June. Probably going ski touring (rando) around 3 times a week average these days. Have a smallish 550m hill behind work, so sometimes climb that in the morning and ski back down to start the day before working. Thursday looks awesome weather so looking forward to the evening trip,

I agree about the cross country skiing, wish I could do it! They are mental about it here, looks tiring but can think of nothing better then getting out somewhere local Sunday Afternoon for a cross country ski through the forest's and the scenery!

Where about's North are you? I'm Bergen so feel like I'm constantly wearing a rain coat

[NRS]

NordicCrankShaft said:

I agree about the cross country skiing, wish I could do it! They are mental about it here, looks tiring but can think of nothing better then getting out somewhere local Sunday Afternoon for a cross country ski through the forest's and the scenery!

Where about's North are you? I'm Bergen so feel like I'm constantly wearing a rain coat

It's just practice, takes time to get the balance. Once you get the balance walking then you can also go a lot quicker, as you really push with your weight and balance on one leg, rather than keeping your weight between two legs and balancing on them both. The later means you're not having as much weight on one foot, and so you're more likely to slip backwards too. Did you go waxless? The great thing about classic is it can be as tiring as you want - can go for a relaxed trip or really push on. Skating is a different story.

I'm in Harstad, so in the desolate north, Amazing nature, and if you like the outdoors it's a great place. If you're a big city person it's not the place to be though! With the 6 months or so of proper winter you don't have nearly as much of the depressing rain you get further south, so even though we have 2 months of no sun I prefer it in many ways.

[NordicCrankShaft]

NRS said:

It's just practice, takes time to get the balance. Once you get the balance walking then you can also go a lot quicker, as you really push with your weight and balance on one leg, rather than keeping your weight between two legs and balancing on them both. The later means you're not having as much weight on one foot, and so you're more likely to slip backwards too. Did you go waxless? The great thing about classic is it can be as tiring as you want - can go for a relaxed trip or really push on. Skating is a different story.

I'm in Harstad, so in the desolate north, Amazing nature, and if you like the outdoors it's a great place. If you're a big city person it's not the place to be though! With the 6 months or so of proper winter you don't have nearly as much of the depressing rain you get further south, so even though we have 2 months of no sun I prefer it in many ways.

I didn't have a choice in the matter they were waxed by my wife's aunti!

Been watching this Petter Northug recently on the TV, what an animal that guy is an absolute beast of a skier!!

I like Bergen as I like the city, but I'd love to live somewhere remote like that also, I love the quiteness of places like that, think I might have a hard time convincing the wife though. We have a trip to Svalbard booked for the begining of next year, looking forward to that!

[popeyewhite]

Staying in Cervinia. Skied mostly Zermatt today, snow is fantastic up top, the reds from the cable car are excellent, very fast and quiet. Cervinia's snow is marginally better but it's a slush-fest by three in the afternoon. Long late lunch on the Swiss side under perfect blue sky, then surf back into resort. Great day.

[IainT]

popeyewhite said:

Staying in Cervinia. Skied mostly Zermatt today, snow is fantastic up top, the reds from the cable car are excellent, very fast and quiet. Cervinia's snow is marginally better but it's a slush-fest by three in the afternoon. Long late lunch on the Swiss side under perfect blue sky, then surf back into resort. Great day.

Love Cervinia although last Jan 2014s -26C was a bit chilly! Which hotel are you in? Loved the Buccaneve (40th Birthday treat) but usually stay in the Mon Reve (on Red 3).

[5potTurbo]

Just booked for Whistler for Christmas and New Year as we did for the same period in 2012/13.

The flight prices I'd been tracking cost me an extra €1,200 due to slow approval of time off at work, again ,but it now means we're flying Lufthansa Premium Economy for less than the now available Economy seats. Still, it was a lot of money for 4 of us. *sobs*

Really looking forward to it as we had a great time there before, and this time we've booked a ski-in, ski-out condo on Spearhead Drive. WIN!


this of course means our usual annual jaunt to La Clusaz in February WON'T be happening in 2016, but I'm sure I'll blag a weekend or so here and there with my mates to go drinking skiing.

[popeyewhite]

IainT said:

Love Cervinia although last Jan 2014s -26C was a bit chilly! Which hotel are you in? Loved the Buccaneve (40th Birthday treat) but usually stay in the Mon Reve (on Red 3).

Staying with ClubMed at the Cristallo. Good food and rooms. Funnily enough I stayed at the Buccaneve with my wife about 10 years ago. Very nice hotel.

Have to say today was just about the most extreme heat I've ever experienced in a ski resort. By the time you were above 3000m it was bearable but the sun was so strong that as soon as you stopped skiing you began dripping with sweat. Saw lots of Marmots and mountain goats sampling the mountain air.

[Welshbeef]

5potTurbo said:

Just booked for Whistler for Christmas and New Year as we did for the same period in 2012/13.

The flight prices I'd been tracking cost me an extra €1,200 due to slow approval of time off at work, again ,but it now means we're flying Lufthansa Premium Economy for less than the now available Economy seats. Still, it was a lot of money for 4 of us. *sobs*

Really looking forward to it as we had a great time there before, and this time we've booked a ski-in, ski-out condo on Spearhead Drive. WIN!


this of course means our usual annual jaunt to La Clusaz in February WON'T be happening in 2016, but I'm sure I'll blag a weekend or so here and there with my mates to go drinking skiing.

Would love to go there.

Am I guessing that all costs in for 4 your looking at £8k for a week or more?

[5potTurbo]

Welshbeef said:

5potTurbo said:

Just booked for Whistler for Christmas and New Year as we did for the same period in 2012/13.

The flight prices I'd been tracking cost me an extra €1,200 due to slow approval of time off at work, again ,but it now means we're flying Lufthansa Premium Economy for less than the now available Economy seats. Still, it was a lot of money for 4 of us. *sobs*

Really looking forward to it as we had a great time there before, and this time we've booked a ski-in, ski-out condo on Spearhead Drive. WIN!


this of course means our usual annual jaunt to La Clusaz in February WON'T be happening in 2016, but I'm sure I'll blag a weekend or so here and there with my mates to go drinking skiing.

Would love to go there.

Am I guessing that all costs in for 4 your looking at £8k for a week or more?

That and a bit... *gulps*

To be fair though, Club Med skiing in Europe over Christmas & New Year is more expensive than that (€14K IIRC), and there was little snow last year in that period in some French resorts. Given that lift queues in Whistler are an altogether civilised experience, and the snow we had on our last visit was THE BEST ever experienced, it's worth it!

However, this isn't a regular occurrence for us since I'm not a powerfully built, Red Bull can throwing typical PH company director, and all that, you know.

[NRS]

NordicCrankShaft said:

I didn't have a choice in the matter they were waxed by my wife's aunti!

Been watching this Petter Northug recently on the TV, what an animal that guy is an absolute beast of a skier!!

I like Bergen as I like the city, but I'd love to live somewhere remote like that also, I love the quiteness of places like that, think I might have a hard time convincing the wife though. We have a trip to Svalbard booked for the begining of next year, looking forward to that!

Good! As long as you get the right wax they're much better than waxless skis!

Yeap, he was up here with the Norwegian Ski Championship and it's insane what he (and the rest) can do.

Yes, a lot of southerns would be very difficult to move northwards! Not to mention the usual moving back to where the female's family is (particularly when having kids), which you seem to have discovered!

Yesterday had a nice trip up a 500m hill in the evening sun and met some reindeer at the top, today might be a bit bigger (1000m, or perhaps 2 600m trips). Will be leaving work early to make the most of a sunny day!

[Welshbeef]

5potTurbo said:

That and a bit... *gulps*

To be fair though, Club Med skiing in Europe over Christmas & New Year is more expensive than that (€14K IIRC), and there was little snow last year in that period in some French resorts. Given that lift queues in Whistler are an altogether civilised experience, and the snow we had on our last visit was THE BEST ever experienced, it's worth it!

However, this isn't a regular occurrence for us since I'm not a powerfully built, Red Bull can throwing typical PH company director, and all that, you know.

E14k for 4 for a week....
E500 per person per day.

We're looking at £71 per person per day - that's eating out in different places every night meals on the mountain lots of drinks.

[popeyewhite]

Welshbeef said:

5potTurbo said:

That and a bit... *gulps*

To be fair though, Club Med skiing in Europe over Christmas & New Year is more expensive than that (€14K IIRC), and there was little snow last year in that period in some French resorts. Given that lift queues in Whistler are an altogether civilised experience, and the snow we had on our last visit was THE BEST ever experienced, it's worth it!

However, this isn't a regular occurrence for us since I'm not a powerfully built, Red Bull can throwing typical PH company director, and all that, you know.

E14k for 4 for a week....
E500 per person per day.

We're looking at £71 per person per day - that's eating out in different places every night meals on the mountain lots of drinks.

Was chatting to a London barrister and his wife today who spent a 'wonderful and atmospheric' 2014 Christmas here at ClubMed Cervinia with their two kids for £4k. That's all food, lift passes and lessons/guiding. Guaranteed snow, guaranteed (well, nearly) fantastic time for the children.

[Welshbeef]

popeyewhite said:

Was chatting to a London barrister and his wife today who spent a 'wonderful and atmospheric' 2014 Christmas here at ClubMed Cervinia with their two kids for £4k. That's all food, lift passes and lessons/guiding. Guaranteed snow, guaranteed (well, nearly) fantastic time for the children.

£4k for a week winter sports family of 4 is a fair price

[NRS]

Triggered my first ever "avalanche" yesterday. Was very small wet snow one, just a section a few meters across moved down a few meters. Heavy wet snow, and did a cut at the top of a convex slope to see how it would react, so not a problem in terms of safety. Need to start driving more inland to get drier snow, but it is awesome skiing down into the sea.

[a311]

Well that's my season done, pending a possible couple of days in Scotland at at the start of May.

Very much enjoyed Obergurgl, and would recommend it to anyone who's looking for an end of season trip in particular. Otherwise it has the same issues as any other high altitude area namely a lack of trees and an exposed position that would be difficult in bad weather (lift closures etc) there are some trees though and the snow was typically spring like with good and full coverage all the way down to the village. The lower slopes became chopped up rather than slushy as the day progressed but higher up on piste the conditions were ideal.

I don't ski on piste all that much these days but as it was a trip with the Mrs other than a day with a guide I found the area to be great with good variety and plenty for a week. It looks like a new chair is under construction in Hochgurgl that will do away with the need for a T Bar drag and possibly open up a few new pistes. Having skied in the 3V etc if limited to piste skiing I'd much rather visit a smaller area such as this with quiet pistes and zero lift queues over a big linked area.

The day with the guide was excellent, another advantage to a small area being the off piste doesn't get tracked out too quickly and there are still plenty of stashes of powder and spring corn to be found.

The village is small without much going on at all at night and few restaurants as most accommodation is half board hotels. There are a few apres bars on the slope and the infamous Nederhutte which has live bands etc and was mobbed with a good party atmosphere-surprising for such a small resort.

You can ski in Solden for an extra 10 Euro which is about 25 mins down the valley. It's a much bigger resort with a couple of glaciers and also the location for some scenes from the new Bond film.

[897sma]

Off to Tignes at the weekend for a couple of days to finish the season off, managed 58 days this year so far so this will round it off nicely at 60. This is the first time I've ever tried doing a season and commuting back for work 3.5 days a week and it's been tiring but fantastic. Already rented the place for next year and can't wait for next season.