Who's going skiing and where - 2021 #postcrisis
Discussion
Carbon Sasquatch said:
It's also a big risk - it needs to start with the mountain infrastructure - lift operators, piste prep etc and that's a big investment to make whilst hoping to sell more passes.
That's why it can't be done quickly or easily, because the rest of the infrastructure has to follow otherwise you just end up with a few locals having a great end of season & no additional revenue.
Indeed. I was in Val Cenis late in the season a few years a go (the bumper season when ever that was) and I think they extended the season for about 2 weeks, but decided against any more than that.That's why it can't be done quickly or easily, because the rest of the infrastructure has to follow otherwise you just end up with a few locals having a great end of season & no additional revenue.
When you consider how much of this season is probably going to be a write off, I think it would be a brave decision to massively invest in late season skiing in the hope that it lasts and people actually turn up.
Lord Marylebone said:
Would be interesting to know how many people buy their passes online or before the season starts.
We always just buy our passes when we get there as it takes 2 mins. Buying them before you arrive at a resort doesn’t seem necessary.
If you know you will be going skiing multiple times over the season then I can understand buying a season pass in advance.
You can often get deals.We always just buy our passes when we get there as it takes 2 mins. Buying them before you arrive at a resort doesn’t seem necessary.
If you know you will be going skiing multiple times over the season then I can understand buying a season pass in advance.
I saved over 60% buying in June for Val Cenis this year. I have had half price weeks passes the last 3 or 4 times I've been to Tignes, again buying in the summer. Big savings.
gregs656 said:
Lord Marylebone said:
Would be interesting to know how many people buy their passes online or before the season starts.
We always just buy our passes when we get there as it takes 2 mins. Buying them before you arrive at a resort doesn’t seem necessary.
If you know you will be going skiing multiple times over the season then I can understand buying a season pass in advance.
You can often get deals.We always just buy our passes when we get there as it takes 2 mins. Buying them before you arrive at a resort doesn’t seem necessary.
If you know you will be going skiing multiple times over the season then I can understand buying a season pass in advance.
I saved over 60% buying in June for Val Cenis this year. I have had half price weeks passes the last 3 or 4 times I've been to Tignes, again buying in the summer. Big savings.
I'll be looking to buy early next time we go (whenever the heck that is)
Lord Marylebone said:
Would be interesting to know how many people buy their passes online or before the season starts.
We always just buy our passes when we get there as it takes 2 mins. Buying them before you arrive at a resort doesn’t seem necessary.
If you know you will be going skiing multiple times over the season then I can understand buying a season pass in advance.
Always buy ski passes online and have delivered to UK a few weeks before departure.We always just buy our passes when we get there as it takes 2 mins. Buying them before you arrive at a resort doesn’t seem necessary.
If you know you will be going skiing multiple times over the season then I can understand buying a season pass in advance.
Kids need to be at ski school by 9am, so even 2 minutes can be too much time (and it will take longer than 2 mins...)
Speed 3 said:
EddieSteadyGo said:
The_Doc][url said:
This season they were going for the same, until they realised that at age 75+ the season pass is now FREE
Now that's a sign of a civilised society!
I'd better start saving for those bionic knees .
JQ said:
I really hope I'm still skiing at 75.
I'd better start saving for those bionic knees .
Do yoga, and avoid skiing icy/bumpy stuff. I turn 50 next year after 35 years skiing, those two things are what have kept me ready for 20-30 days on the snow the last 3-4 years. When I'm 75, I might choose not to do the super steep offpiste any more. But I'll sure as hell be carving it up on sunny days. I'd better start saving for those bionic knees .
JQ said:
I really hope I'm still skiing at 75.
I'd better start saving for those bionic knees .
On Ski A&E last night an older gent who’d been skiing 40 years +++ anyway he skied into a pole broke his nose but then detached the fact skin and lip from his lower jaw. The Dr opened his mouth to show ..... how he wasn’t screaming in pain is beyond me I'd better start saving for those bionic knees .
Whoozit said:
JQ said:
I really hope I'm still skiing at 75.
I'd better start saving for those bionic knees .
Do yoga, and avoid skiing icy/bumpy stuff. I turn 50 next year after 35 years skiing, those two things are what have kept me ready for 20-30 days on the snow the last 3-4 years. When I'm 75, I might choose not to do the super steep offpiste any more. But I'll sure as hell be carving it up on sunny days. I'd better start saving for those bionic knees .
jammy-git said:
EddieSteadyGo said:
Welshbeef said:
My earlier question aside from resorts that do go late to April normally this year is there anyway of extending many resorts way beyond normal end to possibly cover off some of the lost early season?
Might not be as good but spring skiing is nice longer days too and not bitterly cold.
The reason many resorts close in April is lack of demand rather than lack of snow. If you visit many resorts in the last week of the season, you often have the slopes pretty much to yourself. Might not be as good but spring skiing is nice longer days too and not bitterly cold.
In the early morning it tends to be hard. I ski from time to time with a friend who used to be a olympic downhiller and following her down on hard, empty pistes is a total joy & huge learning experience.
By about 10 the pistes have started to soften. The skis glide over like on powder but get the most amazing edges. Many of the photos you see of people almost sitting on the snow whilst cornering are done on spring snow (you can see by the 'spray'). That being said you need to have good technique. There is a reason why our local ski instructors call it 'break a leg snow'.
By about 11:30 I'm back at my desk starting the working day :-)
And on one of the final Saturdays my ski club organises this at the clubhouse. https://youtu.be/6-gtEGJKfj0
And yes, I can confirm that the main reason why the slopes close is because they'd lose massive amounts of cash staying open. Here in the Engadin the last slopes tend to close in early May but the lower (2000m at the bottom) slopes tend to be closing end of March / early. You can realistically ski until end of May if you're ski-touring above 3000m.
EddieSteadyGo said:
chandrew said:
....
By about 11:30 I'm back at my desk starting the working day :-)
This is the dream. Live in the resort - then ski the mountain for a couple of hours enjoying the scenery, the air and the exercise. And then start work.By about 11:30 I'm back at my desk starting the working day :-)
Even more possible now that remote working is the 'norm'.
eps said:
EddieSteadyGo said:
chandrew said:
....
By about 11:30 I'm back at my desk starting the working day :-)
This is the dream. Live in the resort - then ski the mountain for a couple of hours enjoying the scenery, the air and the exercise. And then start work.By about 11:30 I'm back at my desk starting the working day :-)
Even more possible now that remote working is the 'norm'.
I run a tech / AI business. We work for global clients and since starting in 2010 all my team have worked remotely. All I need is a fast internet connection (we have speeds similar to central London here and good 5G coverage, unlike my parents in Cumbria) A friend is an architect working mostly on the bid stages of very large commercial deals (skyscrapers, city redevelopments, airports etc). Lord Foster and his family spend a significant amount of time in his houses here. I'm in my 4th year here after about 12 in Zurich and before that Geneva
There are obviously quite a few folks who own banks, hedge funds, industrials etc some of who benefit from the airport at Samedan but whilst they might have their residence here there are far fewer who live here all year round. A number do though send their children to the local school.
The upsides are obvious - skiing, skeleton, cross country skiing are all a few minutes from the doorstep and in the summer there is mountain biking, hiking, swimming in the lakes. I spend more time working these days than I ever did before but instead of the hours I used to spend fighting the masses to get on the Circle Line at rush-hour I can now spend a similar amount of time in the open air.
The closed seasons are very quiet and many find them tough though we historically tend to catch up with friends. It's 3 1/2 hours to Zurich or Milan airports which used to be a pain, especially for the first / last flights but thanks to Covid clients now don't want me to travel. The local schools are good, there are plenty of festivals etc and in the holidays sports camps for the children (a local child ski pass is CHF 100 for the year and ski clubs are much cheaper than childcare - my daughter gets about 50 half days ski instruction a season).
But as I note there probably aren't many places in the mountains in Europe which I'd want to live full time. You need good infrastructure, not too small and without a completely seasonal population. If you do think you'd like to do it I'd suggest going for some time in the closed seasons. It can be glamorous but there is a good reason that the mountain-folk are so tough and have a culture of pulling-together for help.
That’s great insight about the reality of living /full season/full year in such places.
I used to live in my youth a seaside village which was huge in Victorian times but is and has maintained its appeal. But off season it’s quiet very very quiet.
Also nearest
cinema was 45miles each way
Bowling alley was 70-80miles each way
Theatre similar - though there was one in the village but that was only used for Xmas kids panto and a summer play.
Indian restaurant 20 miles each way
Chinese 15 miles each way.
Nearest top flight football ground 200+ mile round trip
Oh and the county was dry on Sundays and was the last dry county on Sundays in the U.K.
So reality was out of season pub pub pub. Wednesday through to Sat night week in week out
Oh and it rained all the time
But it’s lovely though I don’t know many who live where I do now who grew up in this sort of area who could give up so much of what they are used. However the opposite is easy to do
I used to live in my youth a seaside village which was huge in Victorian times but is and has maintained its appeal. But off season it’s quiet very very quiet.
Also nearest
cinema was 45miles each way
Bowling alley was 70-80miles each way
Theatre similar - though there was one in the village but that was only used for Xmas kids panto and a summer play.
Indian restaurant 20 miles each way
Chinese 15 miles each way.
Nearest top flight football ground 200+ mile round trip
Oh and the county was dry on Sundays and was the last dry county on Sundays in the U.K.
So reality was out of season pub pub pub. Wednesday through to Sat night week in week out
Oh and it rained all the time
But it’s lovely though I don’t know many who live where I do now who grew up in this sort of area who could give up so much of what they are used. However the opposite is easy to do
It also depends on whether you need/want to live in the same place all year.
School age kids dictate that for some, but outside of that, you have flexibility.
My ski apartment is locked up for 2/3 of the year - I may go there occasionally in the summer, but it's generally December to Easter.
Re- the earlier post - the time difference to the UK also helps - you get an extra hour in the mornings to hit the slopes.
School age kids dictate that for some, but outside of that, you have flexibility.
My ski apartment is locked up for 2/3 of the year - I may go there occasionally in the summer, but it's generally December to Easter.
Re- the earlier post - the time difference to the UK also helps - you get an extra hour in the mornings to hit the slopes.
Welshbeef said:
I used to live in my youth a seaside village which was huge in Victorian times but is and has maintained its appeal. But off season it’s quiet very very quiet.
Also nearest
Bowling alley was 70-80miles each way
Well you wouldn't have that issue in France, where it seems even the sAlso nearest
Bowling alley was 70-80miles each way
ttiest little resort is more likely to have a bowling alley than a shop! I'm starting to wonder if they develop:1. There's snow, let's ski.
2. There's skiing, lets build a resort.
3. There's a resort, let's build a bowling alley.
Or actually:
1. Nice mountain, let's build a bowling alley.
2. There's a bowling alley, let's build a resort.
3. Hey, there's snow outside, do you think we could ski on it?
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