Who’s going skiing and where 2019

Who’s going skiing and where 2019

Author
Discussion

Whoozit

3,583 posts

268 months

Friday 11th January 2019
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troc said:
Regarding Japan, I’m in a guided group, 5 days off-piste and one day cat skiing. Going with one of my favourite companies, extremely Canadian (based in whistler).
Your lead guide is Steve Clarke, with whom I’ve skied virtually every year for 15+ years in Whistler and who I count as one of my Whistler ski buddies. I did an ExCan two day clinic with him just after Christmas. Tell him Julian says hi smile

DuncB7

353 posts

97 months

Friday 11th January 2019
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Saint Gervais for me next month. Never skied the area before. Anyone with experience of the area on here?

The reason I post - private transfers. Any private transfer recommendations from Geneva?

Group size (5) makes it worthwhile and AlpyBus has risen in price significantly since I last meant to book smash

jonny996

2,603 posts

216 months

Friday 11th January 2019
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DuncB7 said:
Saint Gervais for me next month. Never skied the area before. Anyone with experience of the area on here?

The reason I post - private transfers. Any private transfer recommendations from Geneva?

Group size (5) makes it worthwhile and AlpyBus has risen in price significantly since I last meant to book smash
I live in Saint Gervais about 8 weeks of the year, love it both Summer & Winter.
Private transfer will cost you a lot, about 200-250 each way. Would you not be better hiring a car, it is a very easy drive & then it gives you the option to go to Megeve/Chamonix for Dinner one evening or ski Les Contimenes its on same lift pass but not connected.

DuncB7

353 posts

97 months

Friday 11th January 2019
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jonny996 said:
I live in Saint Gervais about 8 weeks of the year, love it both Summer & Winter.
Private transfer will cost you a lot, about 200-250 each way. Would you not be better hiring a car, it is a very easy drive & then it gives you the option to go to Megeve/Chamonix for Dinner one evening or ski Les Contimenes its on same lift pass but not connected.
We discussed the rental car option but no-one wanted to take the responsibility of driving so we've arrived at the private option. We were aware that a car may be useful to access unconnected areas but never mind.

I've just had Resort Rides recommended to me for €368 return ~€75pp.

Away from the Geneva transfer, any knowledge of the place and area you could share would be appreciated.

jonny996

2,603 posts

216 months

Friday 11th January 2019
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DuncB7 said:
We discussed the rental car option but no-one wanted to take the responsibility of driving so we've arrived at the private option. We were aware that a car may be useful to access unconnected areas but never mind.

I've just had Resort Rides recommended to me for €368 return ~€75pp.

Away from the Geneva transfer, any knowledge of the place and area you could share would be appreciated.
avoid the uplift from the village between 09.00 - 09.45 as it is busy with ski school starting at 10. Also think of Bettix as the base station & not StG. if the home run down to StG is open be aware it is a tricky red & very busy at the end of the day.
Get yourself over to Megeve side of the hill at least 1 day & especially the coates2000 area , the black run Stade Descente is a big hit with my 11 year old..
Also worth taking the free 5 min bus ride from Roschburne to the Le Jaillet area, there is a nice 6.5Km long cruisy blue that can be done in 1 sitting if your legs are up to it.
Folle douce is also worth the experience.
in town the pub Le grange is popular with English speakers & has free wifi, there are multiple great resturants & the Spa Parc thermals is something else if you fancy a afternoon/evening in a spa for 39 euro.
Ski hire go to Nerry Glisse via Skimun and avoid Intersport at Bettix, it is down 78 steps which you have to climb back up with all your gear.

seefarr

1,461 posts

185 months

Friday 11th January 2019
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EddieSteadyGo said:
Good work both - should be a super trip!

I'd also be very interested in doing this trip - I'd heard that technically the offpiste is regarded by the Japanese as "out of bounds" i.e. not to be explored, rather than 'you're on your own'. Is that true? Are you going to use a guide for the whole period while you are there?
In Japan, it's very resort dependent. Some places are in national parks so it's illegal, some places are just obstinately old-school or worried about liability and some places actively encourage it. Do be aware that they get A LOT of snow but they don't always have the same avalanche control skills as in Europe or Nth. America.

Niseko is a different beast entirely and is operated more like a Nth American resort. Inbounds off-piste is fine and they have back-country gates which, if they're closed, they mean it and it's for a very good reason. Besides the obvious risk of uncontrolled avalanche terrain and thousands of powder-mad yobbos with no avalanche training dropping in above you, they can get very deep cracking (think crevasses in a 10M snowpack) and people do drop down them and are killed.

http://www.fastfun.jp/mountain-safety/
http://niseko.nadare.info/

Jarcy

1,559 posts

274 months

Friday 11th January 2019
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jonny996 said:
DuncB7 said:
We discussed the rental car option but no-one wanted to take the responsibility of driving so we've arrived at the private option. We were aware that a car may be useful to access unconnected areas but never mind.

I've just had Resort Rides recommended to me for €368 return ~€75pp.

Away from the Geneva transfer, any knowledge of the place and area you could share would be appreciated.
avoid the uplift from the village between 09.00 - 09.45 as it is busy with ski school starting at 10. Also think of Bettix as the base station & not StG. if the home run down to StG is open be aware it is a tricky red & very busy at the end of the day.
Get yourself over to Megeve side of the hill at least 1 day & especially the coates2000 area , the black run Stade Descente is a big hit with my 11 year old..
Also worth taking the free 5 min bus ride from Roschburne to the Le Jaillet area, there is a nice 6.5Km long cruisy blue that can be done in 1 sitting if your legs are up to it.
Folle douce is also worth the experience.
in town the pub Le grange is popular with English speakers & has free wifi, there are multiple great resturants & the Spa Parc thermals is something else if you fancy a afternoon/evening in a spa for 39 euro.
Ski hire go to Nerry Glisse via Skimun and avoid Intersport at Bettix, it is down 78 steps which you have to climb back up with all your gear.
I've stayed and skied in St. Gervais more times that I can remember. Two friends have now bought chalets there.
Last time I went, I used the Altibus for Geneva transfer, which dropped me off in town at the start of the new bridge. Really cheap, about €25 IIRC. Disappointed if this is no longer running, but try here: https://www.altibus.com/station/saint-gervais-bus-...
{edited to add; it looks as though you can still catch an Altibus up to St. Gervais but you may have to change at the main rail station in La Fayet. If not, then you could also use the Tramway du Mont Blanc from La Fayet up to St.Gervais, or catch a short taxi ride up}
You don't really need a car once in St.G. There's a free ski bus to Les Contamines (which is a must to go to). Everything else is lift-served, included Les Houches if you fancy the cog railway Tramway de Mont Blanc (separate ticket, but tram and lift pass all included). We often do this on our last day. I wouldn't stay at Bettex. Never really had a big problem with the base station queues except for school holidays. Maybe wait 15 mins from time to time. But at least you're then staying in town.
La Grange was also my favourite bar for chilling out. Oboose Cafe for apres drinks, near the base station.

Coates2000 is worth a trip across Megeve for a day out. La Jaillet can be reached my ski bus but needs a little coordination. Although I like the 6.5km blue, a mate had a big off there resulting in broken shoulder, ribs and a hospital stay for the rest of the week. And a painful drive home - we drove his car. Mont Joly has good options when conditions are good, and now they've replaced the slow chair with a fast one. One day they'll build the link there over to Les Contamines, meaning you can access an even bigger area on skis alone. It might spoil Les Conts a bit though, as it's a hidden gem and carries the best snow. I've tackled a bit of the offpiste in Les Conts as well, and there's some great options.


Edited by Jarcy on Friday 11th January 13:01

j_4m

1,574 posts

63 months

Friday 11th January 2019
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troc said:
Regarding Japan, I’m in a guided group, 5 days off-piste and one day cat skiing. Going with one of my favourite companies, extremely Canadian (based in whistler).

Once back in Europe, it’ll be a bit of piste skiing with the wife and friends and then some quiet ski touring by myself smile
Very jealous, dying to ski Japan.

jonny996

2,603 posts

216 months

Friday 11th January 2019
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you also have the Ouibus option to Stg

troc

3,740 posts

174 months

Friday 11th January 2019
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This flight from Helsinki to japan is full off two types of passengers. Japanese people and (mostly Swiss) blokes with avalanche airbags smile

gregs656

10,818 posts

180 months

Friday 11th January 2019
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Sounds like some amazing trips coming up for you folks, keep us updated... as in, pictures!

JEA1K

2,485 posts

222 months

Friday 11th January 2019
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biggrin
Fluffsri said:
Hoping for a few soft landings, its going to be my first time on proper snow!
Well you've picked the best place on the planet IMO for your first week, plus possibly one of the best snowfalls in the past 20 years you lucky bugger! biggrin

chandrew

979 posts

208 months

Friday 11th January 2019
quotequote all
troc said:
If you have Netflix, I can highly recommend 'The Horn' - its about the Zermatt mountain rescue heli. It's a bit "RedBull" in places but still interesting to see what happens when you damage yourself smile
I've had a ride in that :-(

8 years ago it cost CHF 120 per minute from the time they took off to when you leave it at Brig hospital plus all the drugs etc. Given I was in and out of consciousness I can't even remember the ride.

Rojibo

1,714 posts

76 months

Friday 11th January 2019
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chandrew said:
I've had a ride in that :-(

8 years ago it cost CHF 120 per minute from the time they took off to when you leave it at Brig hospital plus all the drugs etc. Given I was in and out of consciousness I can't even remember the ride.
Tell us more, did your insurance cover it?

Jakarta

566 posts

141 months

Saturday 12th January 2019
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Heading to Björkliden for the first week of their season 10-17 February.
Train to Kiruna and then hire car for the short drive up the E10.

I gather their season starts so late as it's dark most of the day until then...

Welshbeef

Original Poster:

49,633 posts

197 months

Saturday 12th January 2019
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Need some help
16/2-24/2 range half term.

Want to go skiing family of 5. Kids age 7/4/nearly 2.
Want it to be a family ski HoLIDAY not a SKI holiday.

Would have gone to Bansko but it’s really busy then plus missed buying flights when cheap now it’s nearly £5k return flights which is ROFLOL.

I’m wondering if Hemsedal or some of the Nordic resorts would be good - want lots of things for young ubs to do play in the snow etc without needing gondolas. Also don’t want to be spanked on £.

Appreciate the help.

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 12th January 2019
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Norwegian resorts are generally excellent for kids with 2 caveats

They use drag lifts a lot
It's cold.

Apart from that plenty to do in my experience.
Beer is mega expensive.

S100HP

12,645 posts

166 months

Saturday 12th January 2019
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Sierra Nevada. It doesn't have half term.

Edited by S100HP on Sunday 13th January 07:10

EddieSteadyGo

11,719 posts

202 months

Sunday 13th January 2019
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Welshbeef said:
Need some help
16/2-24/2 range half term.

Want to go skiing family of 5. Kids age 7/4/nearly 2.
Want it to be a family ski HoLIDAY not a SKI holiday.

Would have gone to Bansko but it’s really busy then plus missed buying flights when cheap now it’s nearly £5k return flights which is ROFLOL.

I’m wondering if Hemsedal or some of the Nordic resorts would be good - want lots of things for young ubs to do play in the snow etc without needing gondolas. Also don’t want to be spanked on £.

Appreciate the help.
With a young family, ensuring they are safe and can enjoy the snow without cars and other dangers is very important.

I would recommend Oberlech.

You arrive in the town of Lech and drop off your luggage at the main gondola, which is then transported up by the staff to your hotel a little way up the mountain.

After you have parked your car, you catch the gondola up to Oberlech where you walk to your hotel. Oberlech consists of a collection of very nice hotels and bars. No cars are allowed - and because it is at a good altitude, there is always lots of snow on the ground which stays pristine pure and white.

There is a really nice children's play area in the snow. There is also a sledging/toboggan run from Oberlech down into the village which is surprisingly challenging and which is lit up at night. Your children would have a great time playing there - mine loved it.

And there is also a small practise area with a travelator where your children can learn to ski, whilst only being a few metres from your hotel.

Many of the hotels in Oberlech have spa facilities, there are some lovely snow walks. Or you can walk down or catch the gondola into Lech if you want to do some shopping.

And of course, Oberlech is properly "ski in, ski out", so you literately just walk out of the door of your hotel, clip your skis on and you're off.

Edited for typos

Edited by EddieSteadyGo on Sunday 13th January 08:51

CAPP0

19,532 posts

202 months

Sunday 13th January 2019
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Any got a view on which are the optimal North American resorts if you've only got a week?