Who's going skiing and where? 23-24

[Car bon]

Whoozit said:

You might have some luck searching for seasonnaire insurance?

Thanks

Seems to throw up mostly the same companies as backpacker - the search continues

[r159]

RSbandit said:

mikeiow said:

Yesterday in Les Arcs were the best we’ve had for over 2 weeks: a really beautiful day out!

A bit more snow forecast around Weds/Thurs - hopefully will be good for you (& our last week).

Glad to hear, our hotel is between La Plagne and Les Arcs so hope to cover ground on both sides...always a bit tricky this time of year so fingers crossed.

Looks like the weather has just come right for us too, 4’ due between now and when we get out to the Pyrenees.

[Car bon]

r159 said:

Looks like the weather has just come right for us too, 4’ due between now and when we get out to the Pyrenees.

It's been snowing in Andorra - the last 2 days and the sun is out this morning More forecast for the rest of the week, peaking on Sunday. Hopefully a great end to the season that had a very slow start.

[eeLee]

Burrow01 said:

Looks like there are a lot of people commenting on this thread who ski quite a few days / weeks skiing a year.

I am off to Obergurgl on 6th April, for a week, and need to renew my travel insurance.

Lots of the travel insurance companies seem to have quite low limits on the number of days they will cover (17 seems typical)

Who do people who ski a month / 6 weeks a year use for insurance?

What coverage are you looking for?

I am a member of the Kitzbühler Ski Club (€30 per annum IIRC) and with that I get insurance from the ÖSV in Austria.

https://www.skiaustria.at/de/services/versicherung...

Google translate will help you if you don't understand German.....

Edited by eeLee on Wednesday 27th March 07:56

[Burrow01]

eeLee said:

Burrow01 said:

Looks like there are a lot of people commenting on this thread who ski quite a few days / weeks skiing a year.

I am off to Obergurgl on 6th April, for a week, and need to renew my travel insurance.

Lots of the travel insurance companies seem to have quite low limits on the number of days they will cover (17 seems typical)

Who do people who ski a month / 6 weeks a year use for insurance?

What coverage are you looking for?

I am a member of the Kitzbühler Ski Club (€30 per annum IIRC) and with that I get insurance from the ÖSV in Austria.

https://www.skiaustria.at/de/services/versicherung...

Google translate will help you if you don't understand German.....

Edited by eeLee on Wednesday 27th March 07:56

Currently I am planning the week in Obergurgl this year, then at least 3 weeks in Canada next year, but would ideally like to do 4 weeks in Canada, so up to 35 days (and ideally another 5 days in case I can sneak in another week somewhere to take it to 40)

[Speed 3]

We're planning 3 months in Italy next winter and our Barclays travel pack only covers us for 31 days. You can get an extension but that excludes additional ski cover beyond 31. On a quick web trawl I found this with Big Cat for 2 of us:



https://www.bigcattravelinsurance.com/travel-insur...

I will do some further shopping around.

[tvrolet]

Off to Heavenly/Lake Tahoe again next week for a couple of weeks of end-of-season skiing. Usually it's nice end to the season with decent weather and spring snow, but last year there was a spectacular amount of new snow. And this year is looking good also with another foot of snow in the last week and a few inches falling most nights. Only problem might be I think there could also be a few storms coming in too with 'thundersnow' that closes things down.

Anyway, point of posting is the next season's Epic ski passes are now on sale. As mentioned previously on the thread US lift pass prices can be crazy expensive - just rocking-up to the ticket window when you arrive is a sure-fire route to a coronary. I believe they have smelling salts on hand when the prices are revealed.

So if you're plotting a US (and Canada) ski trip next year, even if you haven't got dates sorted yet, then you would most probably find it much cheaper buying a season pass NOW. The deals end April 14 or something like that. Even if you're only planning skiing in the US for a week then a season pass bought now will still save you cash. The catch? You're committing early to go to the US, and if you set up an auto-renew like me then they have you as a repeat visitor every year.

I think you can easily pay well over $100 a day for passes in the US. A Tahoe Value Pass is $529 ($450 for me since I'm an OAP ..so £350 or so) and as well as a season's skiing (with a few black-out dates) you get 10 x Buddy tickets and 6 x ski with a friend tickets (discounted tickets) and 20% off the [expensive] food on the hill and some discounted rentals I think...but I always take my own gear. So for 2 folks going for a week you might find it best for 1 to get a season pass and another to use the buddy tickets. Obviously the cheapest option is a pass for a single resort, but maybe worth looking at the epicpass.com web site for options. And you only have to put $49 down, I think the balance comes off in October if memory serves.

Epic doesn't cover all the US/Canada areas - but Tahoe, Vail & Whistler are there amongst others. Anyway, check the prices out now if you're plotting [certain] US areas next year,

I had a couple of trips to the alps earlier in the year where the snow really wasn't the great, and certainly wasn't plentiful I'm thinking I'll upgrade my Tahoe pass to include Vail and go out there for the Jan and/or Feb trip next year. I did that last year when the snow in the alps was real poor in Jan but hoped this year would be better. It was, a little...but over the last few seasons the US seems to have been getting much better snow.

[Whoozit]

tvrolet said:

Off to Heavenly/Lake Tahoe again next week for a couple of weeks of end-of-season skiing. Usually it's nice end to the season with decent weather and spring snow, but last year there was a spectacular amount of new snow. And this year is looking good also with another foot of snow in the last week and a few inches falling most nights. Only problem might be I think there could also be a few storms coming in too with 'thundersnow' that closes things down.

A friend just arrived in Palisades. It's looking pretty amazing.

tvrolet said:

Anyway, point of posting is the next season's Epic ski passes are now on sale. As mentioned previously on the thread US lift pass prices can be crazy expensive - just rocking-up to the ticket window when you arrive is a sure-fire route to a coronary. I believe they have smelling salts on hand when the prices are revealed.

So if you're plotting a US (and Canada) ski trip next year, even if you haven't got dates sorted yet, then you would most probably find it much cheaper buying a season pass NOW. The deals end April 14 or something like that. Even if you're only planning skiing in the US for a week then a season pass bought now will still save you cash. The catch? You're committing early to go to the US, and if you set up an auto-renew like me then they have you as a repeat visitor every year.

To add, a full season pass can also get you access to European, Australian and Japanese resorts. I skied for free in Rusutsu last year on the back of the Vail Epic pass.

[Burrow01]

tvrolet said:

Anyway, point of posting is the next season's Epic ski passes are now on sale. As mentioned previously on the thread US lift pass prices can be crazy expensive - just rocking-up to the ticket window when you arrive is a sure-fire route to a coronary. I believe they have smelling salts on hand when the prices are revealed.

So if you're plotting a US (and Canada) ski trip next year, even if you haven't got dates sorted yet, then you would most probably find it much cheaper buying a season pass NOW. The deals end April 14 or something like that. Even if you're only planning skiing in the US for a week then a season pass bought now will still save you cash. The catch? You're committing early to go to the US, and if you set up an auto-renew like me then they have you as a repeat visitor every year.

I think you can easily pay well over $100 a day for passes in the US. Anyway, check the prices out now if you're plotting [certain] US areas next year,

For Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR) ski passes, there is normally an early bird sale of season tickets for $1000 - $1200 that finishes in June. This covers all the RCR resorts, and you can extend it to cover Lake Louise also

Typically a day pass is 120-130 $ (CAD)

I paid $160 per day (US) in Tahoe 3 years ago!

[The_Doc]

Every few years I think, yeah why not give North American skiing a go?
I've skied in the Alps for 40 years and never been across the pond to the snow.

Then I think: 11 hours of flights, 4x flight cost, insurance more, no European culture/food/glamour, snow's the same, gravity the same, and now £100/day for a lift pass!

And I just don't bother.

Which is a damn shame, but just looking now on Crystalski.co.uk, 1 week in Breckenridge in Feb 2025 for 2 Adults **Room only** with flights and ski pass is £6,591. Before food, before equipment hire, before any sort of flight/seat upgrade (10 hours on a United Airlines in Economy anyone?)

so it never gets booked.

[shunt]

A few weeks ago in Obergurgl there was a noted increase in Americans on the slopes. I suppose it's much cheaper for them to come across the pond instead of their own back garden.

[4Q]

The_Doc said:

Every few years I think, yeah why not give North American skiing a go?
I've skied in the Alps for 40 years and never been across the pond to the snow.

Then I think: 11 hours of flights, 4x flight cost, insurance more, no European culture/food/glamour, snow's the same, gravity the same, and now £100/day for a lift pass!

And I just don't bother.

Which is a damn shame, but just looking now on Crystalski.co.uk, 1 week in Breckenridge in Feb 2025 for 2 Adults **Room only** with flights and ski pass is £6,591. Before food, before equipment hire, before any sort of flight/seat upgrade (10 hours on a United Airlines in Economy anyone?)

so it never gets booked.

It's not just the cost and flight time. I did 10 days in Breckenridge last year and even though I had a couple of days in Denver first, it was really hard getting used to the 7 hour time difference and the altitude with the base elevation being at nearly 3000m and the peaks at nearly 4000m.
Plus the runs and lift network were nowhere as extensive as one of the European mega resorts. The food on the mountain was crap and expensive too. I'm not sure I'll be going back unless I had another reason to be there.

[The_Doc]

4Q said:

It's not just the cost and flight time. I did 10 days in Breckenridge last year and even though I had a couple of days in Denver first, it was really hard getting used to the 7 hour time difference and the altitude with the base elevation being at nearly 3000m and the peaks at nearly 4000m.
Plus the runs and lift network were nowhere as extensive as one of the European mega resorts. The food on the mountain was crap and expensive too. I'm not sure I'll be going back unless I had another reason to be there.

Yes, Altitude sickness on my ski holiday would be aprox 100000% bummer.

"“So many vacationers race off to ski, drink alcohol and sit in hot tubs. It’s a recipe for disaster,” said Sue Purvis, a Wilderness Medical Associates instructor and owner of Crested Butte Outdoors...

So what does Purvis recommend if you feel ill? First, assume you have altitude sickness until proven otherwise and do not go any higher in elevation. This may mean staying in the condo rather than skiing on the first day of your vacation. You also can schedule a layover day in transit at a lower elevation city, such as Denver or Salt Lake City, to aid in acclimatization.

That ‘brutal’ first day
“That first day is brutal,” Purvis said. “You’ve got to rest. Surrender to the fact you might be feeling tired, short of breath, headachy. Rest and hydrate.”

Purvis also added that symptoms can hang around for one to four days. If the symptoms have not improved in 24 hours, then descend in elevation. If symptoms become acute, then descend immediately and head to the emergency room."

Source: https://www.onthesnow.com/news/how-to-avoid-altitu...

My summary: fk that !

Alps: stay at 1200-1800m, best snow 2000m-2800m
I've been to the top of Val Thorens at 3200m and walking from the lift to the piste was tiring and I was short of breath (aged 22 !!) and we quickly retired to the condo for drink and hot tubs as noted above.

[Timberwolf]

A friend got altitude sickness badly in Tignes (~2100m resort level) a few years ago after absolutely caning it the previous night and going up on 3 hours' sleep with a stonking hangover. Outside of that we've been fine, although you do notice how quickly you run out of breath if you go stomping up the hill in ski boots to take photos off the Grand Motte (3456m at the point you get off the cable car).

[poosemon]

That and the constant posting on Social media of all the massive queues at the major resorts so people probably thinking don't want to be in that.

I've only skied north america once, which was Canada in 2005 when the £<>$ was so advantageous that it was almost cheaper to go to Canada rather the Europe!

Glad i've done it and experienced it. Had a massive dump of snow like nothing i've ever experienced in Europe on one night...and skiing Lake Louise/Banff and Sunshine Mountain was awesome.

But having done it once - fairly happy to stay this side of the Atlantic....Other then the initial experience of "Skiing in Canada" I don't think North America has a great amount on Europe - especially the larger, well connected resorts i.e 3 Vallys/Pardaski/Espace Killy. Perhaps if I was stronger on off piste some of the advantage on volume of snow might be a plus point, but for on piste skiing not a great amount to be gained for me.

[mikeiow]

prand said:

I have all my holiday insurance, including skiing with my bank account. It has a max of trip length 31 days. Apparently I could take unlimited trips per year. Not quite lucky enough to be able to ski for over a month in one go, probably max of 2 weeks give or take a few days in one year.

Same for us (Nationwide).
Doesn’t cover off-piste fancy stuff, but then, neither do we
Although I did manage only my second-ever black run today

Isn’t Carre Neige an option for those skiing in France?
No idea about the extended duration, mind….or even really what it covers….

[tvrolet]

Usual hornet's nest stirred by posting-up about US lift passes

Up to anyone of they want to go, or want to avoid. But so many false narratives. I started going to the US so ski maybe 30 years ago as a once-in-a-lifetime bucket list trip to Colorado. But I enjoyed it so much I've been back maybe 25 times, and for the last 15 years or so I've been going annually for end of season to Heavenly, Lake Tahoe (bought a shared ownership/timeshare there some time back). At the expense of skiing in Europe? Certainly not, I enjoy Europe too and have had a couple of trips out this year. But I do like skiing in the US; it is different, not just euro skiing with English and a funny accent.

Of course the truth is like-for-like nothing in the US is ever going to be cheaper than Europe (note the like-for-like!). If you want to ski as cheaply as possible then the US/Canada probably isn't a great idea. And it does explain why 'mercans find it s good deal to ski in Europe...especially those not near the ski areas who'd have to fly (or long drive) anyway.

But it doesn't have to be extraordinarily expensive - season pass in advance, cheap flight (choose when the sales are on and work dates around the cheapest fares), cheap rental car and maybe AirBnB. When I started going I did fly economy and while it wasn't exactly pleasant for 11 hours, I felt it was worth it. But maybe for the last 15 years, as an older bloke I only do Business class for a lie-flat bed on trans-Atlantics. But again I only buy tickets when there's a BA sale on, and chose dates for the cheapest fares...like flying out on a Tuesday.

The old chestnut of lift queues comes up again and again - usually from some Facebook posting. I've NEVER had long lines in the US or Canada, even when I've been there through spring break or St Paddy's day. I gather New Year and presidents day weekend are busy, but my pass doesn't cover that so I avoid. The longest lines I've EVER experienced were in Flaine earlier this year - unbelievable! But US lines have an advantage the a) they're organised and polite and not a free-for-all, and b) they have singles lines. This means the chairs don't typically go up half-filled, but more importantly as a single skier there's rarely more than a handful of folks in front of you, even on a busy day. And yes, for some unexplained reason 'mercans don't put the safety bar down (but don't object if you do).

What's normally held up as an example of crappy lift lines is the lift out of Game Creek Bowl in Vail. There's some good skiing into Game Creek, and also a good way to get into the back bowls off the Eagle Bahn gondola without skiing the front side. But there's no walk-out or ski out alternatives; the only way out is a single lift. If the lift breaks down (which can happen on any lift) then there will inevitably be a long line that builds until it's running again. But it's a high-speed detachable, so any line will clear fairly quickly.

Everyone is different, but I've never had a problem with jet lag westbound, or altitude. I've found the time difference works to your advantage - you wake up real early on the first morning so you can get to the lifts before opening for fresh tracks . But coming home the lag is a killer for me, but never going to the US, and I must have been the best part of 100 times with vacations and business over the years. I'd always expect to be skiing first thing the day after arrival.

There are no small/family/quaint restaurants on the slops; it's how it it - but a season pass gives you 20% off food in the corporate-style diners...but I don't eat much on the slopes anyway.

The 'big' areas aren't as big as the 'big' European areas, but would folks avoid Grand Montets just because it only has 5 lifts? (and huge lines on a powder day!). But I like having a rental car so I can get about (US and Europe) and do different areas.

Although my wife comes with me to Tahoe, she's long since given up skiing and so all my skiing has been solo for years. Maybe it's one reason why I also like the US? I can speak the language and folks are quite happy to chat on lifts and in bars. I've met and skied with a few really good people in the US; I can't say the same for Europe as my French is rudimentary and German/Italian is limited to buying beer. US runs are well prepared and off-piste is usually lift served, accessible and within the patrolled area. I've found lift lines short, and I can really clock-up some miles in the day. And certainly for the last however-long the snow late-season in the US has been better than Europe. If I was to recall my top-10 memorable ski days then I'd say most (but not all) would have been in the US/Canada.

I see Breckenridge coming up a few times as a choice. I've never skied there - always avoided it as it looked like too many Brits there and not much to recommend it. Plus rather then being stuck in one place get a rental car and visit different places; in Colorado I like Vail and Beaver Creek. I've skied Aspen, Snowmass, Arapahoe Basin, Copper Mountain and no doubt others in Colorado...but as they're not on my Epic pass I'm not sure I'd do them again - but maybe Aspen again for a day as it's quite cool. In California I love Heavenly, and Kirkwood has some good skiing - but some old lifts and no village to speak of...but it's on the pass so it gets an annual visit. Palisades (aka Squaw Valley) is good too, but not on the Epic pass and having skied it a few times I'm too much of a cheapskate to pay for an extra pass. I've done Whistler a few times but never really struck lucky with snow - it's always been fairly heavy and on the melt. Quite fancy Mammoth and some of the other Canadian areas like Kicking Horse...but not made it yet.

Go if you want; don't go if you don't want. But tales of monster lift lines in my experience are just scare stories from exceptional events. And not everyone gets hit by jet lag and/or altitude sickness. And of course I'll still be skiing in the alps next year too, assuming I'm still above ground. But I'm plotting Vail next year for maybe a week/10 days in Feb and Tahoe for a fortnight at the season close. As to Europe, I've pretty much ticked off the bucket list apart from St Anton and the Trois Valleys...but in truth the party reputation of St Anton puts me off so I think it'll stay on the list for another year, and the motorway skiing reputation of the 3 valleys puts me off going there either...we all have prejudices

But as per another post...Japan beckons, but the flights are crazy expensive Makes the US seem like a giveaway.

[thepritch]

Timberwolf said:

A friend got altitude sickness badly in Tignes (~2100m resort level) a few years ago after absolutely caning it the previous night and going up on 3 hours' sleep with a stonking hangover. Outside of that we've been fine, although you do notice how quickly you run out of breath if you go stomping up the hill in ski boots to take photos off the Grand Motte (3456m at the point you get off the cable car).

Left Tignes (Val Claret @2200m) this morning, after skiing there for just under a week. Had a headache the first night but after that no issues at all. HR obviously elevated by about 10-20bpm so you know you’re at elevation but any out of breath moments I just put down to my lack of fitness!!

Great resort, quite Britishy, but would definitely go back for the extensive pistes.

[thepritch]

And the snow at Tignes was full on. Superb coverage this late in the season, with snow forecast the rest of the week. Felt like deep winter, not early spring.

[Whoozit]

tvrolet said:

But as per another post...Japan beckons, but the flights are crazy expensive Makes the US seem like a giveaway.

I flew JAL in economy from LHR to Sapporo via Haneda on my trip last year. The tickets were £1400 so not cheap. However the long haul seats in economy have so much legroom and recline, they are like 1980s era business class seats. And the food on board was amazing. If you were to break your business class habit, that could be a cheaper way.

And while on the three hour layover in Haneda I went to the rooftop deck and saw Mount Fuji