Where are people thinking of this year?

AlternateID

cormee wrote: »

European webcams are depressing at the moment. No snow anywhere, then look at all the North Amercan resorts, already open, or opening soon. Whistler Blackcomb got 12cm two nights ago.

6 day lift ticket for Whistler for November is $720 at the ticket office. Cheaper to buy online but still expensive compared to Europe.

cormee

fannymagee wrote: »

Could you bear to see your little one on skis?! You could bring her much earlier if yes, and it'd give her a taste for snow. My boy hasn't asked to switch to a board yet, but I'm sure he will eventually and I reckon he'll be much more motivated to stick with the learning curve because he's already mastered the skis so he know's what's ahead ;-)

Ah it wouldn't bother me to see them skiing, though the boy is built for boarding. Anyway, it's not about them! It's about ME! I don't want to be heading back down the hills to meet them every few hours, and I like to go to the pub after for a pint or two.

fannymagee wrote: »

It'll be a good season. I can feel it in me waaaarthers ;-)

Ah here! But I hope your waters are right.

AlternateID wrote: »

6 day lift ticket for Whistler for November is $720 at the ticket office. Cheaper to buy online but still expensive compared to Europe.

Jesus, that's expensive.

AlternateID

cormee wrote: »

it's not about them! It's about ME!

If I were married with kids I'd put that on Christmas jumpers and t-shirts. I might just do that anyway.

dylbert

Mayrhofen booked for the 3rd week in January

AlternateID wrote: »

6 day lift ticket for Whistler for November is $720 at the ticket office. Cheaper to buy online but still expensive compared to Europe.

Was in Whistler last February, the cheapest we could find was $98 per day, that was through a ski club in one of the Universities in Vancouver.

DoraDelite

fannymagee wrote: »

It'll be a good season. I can feel it in me waaaarthers ;-)

I really hope you're right too otherwise webcam watch is going to be getting very stressful heading into December :eek:

Timmaay

Largely abandoned my long weekend to the UCPA opening in VT end of Nov by now ha, still got chamonix 2nd of Jan to look forward to (there will be loads of snow, I keep telling myself!), aside from that I suppose I could go later in Jan again, but Feb Mar definitely out, very very late season to VT might be on the cards if the weather is kind!

maddness

DoraDelite wrote: »

I really hope you're right too otherwise webcam watch is going to be getting very stressful heading into December :eek:

Relax people, it will be grand!

There is a great picture in the weather thread on Snowheads at the moment of Meribel on December 1st 2014 and another one a week later....not a flake of snow in the first one and a couple of meters of powder in the second.

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=121299

Last year was exceptional and hopefully not to be repeated for years.
Once the temperature is below about 5 degrees the snow cannons can be turned on and what is needed is cold ground in a couple of weeks time so the first snow of the season has a solid base.

This is what I keep telling myself anyway!

a148pro

Haven't dipped in in a while so better make it a bumper

granty1987 wrote: »

We havn't booked much yet apart from flights. They're costing €550-590 return from Dublin to Tokyo (via Charles De Gaul). Internal flights are like €50 return up to Sapporo.

Accommodation is going to range widely, not sure what route we'll take for that yet. Probably a hostel / lodge / whatever we can find. Just noticed that Australia Day and Chinese New Year are both taking place whilst we will be in the mountains so it will probably be a bit busier than normal during those dates.

We are purely going for the powder, we all live in the park when abroad but that isnt happening this time. New Powder board is in the post for me, n i know a few of the others are getting some Prior boards sent over from Whistler. Cannot wait!

We will actually be in Tokyo for the final of their rugby league so i am tempted to go to it! G'wan the Brave Blossoms!

Love this ****. Just love reading about lads living the dream and following their passion. Would love to ski Japan some day but the thought of sitting a plane for that long and leaving family etc behind just puts into some kind of taboo for me, but delighted to hear you're doing it! Let us know how it goes!

cocker5 wrote: »

Do they are excellent - for skiing and apres -cant be beaten in my eyes...

Yip this is my 3rd Trip to ST Anton and if i make the second trip in march it will be my 3rd to ischgl too...

Was just in Ischgl in Feb... haven't been to St Anton for 3 years now.... cannot wait!!

Been to Saalbach, Lech and Mayerfoen also... but IMO St Anton and Ischgl just cannot be beaten... although my knees aren't the best at the mo.. so they'll probably beat me this time!

World class apres ski in both, think Ischgl edges it for me - incredible lift system, really nice resort (even nice jacks on piste ), great food and a quaint compact town, and didn't hear a word spoken in English while I was there! Also higher and better snow, and a couple of steep blacks in a ring. Watch out for the 25k bottles of bubbley though, and if you're after off piste St Anton significantly better.

Rew wrote: »

Was looking at Ischgl for Feb but accommodation looks either expensive or non-existent

In my experience next to impossible to get a room for less than the full week. You could try Galtur up the road and get the bus in, crazy cheap up there (or another one - Kappl is it - down the road).

cormee wrote: »

My wife hasn't been snowboarding with me since our son was born, six years ago. Her office x-mas party is in Chamonix most years, so she gets her fill then. I head off with a group a few weeks after. We also have a two year old girl now, so it will be at least five years before we all head off together.

I am with three year old now and his life ambution is to go skiing with me. Genuinely! You ask him what he wants to do when he grows up and he says he wants to go skiing with daddy! All because I fecked off last year and he's old enough to remember.

Any views on the optimum time to start him?

fannymagee wrote: »

Could you bear to see your little one on skis?! You could bring her much earlier if yes, and it'd give her a taste for snow. My boy hasn't asked to switch to a board yet, but I'm sure he will eventually and I reckon he'll be much more motivated to stick with the learning curve because he's already mastered the skis so he know's what's ahead ;-)

Your views on the above welcome too!

fannymagee wrote: »

It'll be a good season. I can feel it in me waaaarthers ;-)

Did you see that report about the Austrian equivalent of that Donegal postman who predicts the entire winter on the basis of the way the fox's fur is turned on its paw etc etc? Predicting a really snowy season, can't wait!

cormee

a148pro wrote: »

I am with three year old now and his life ambution is to go skiing with me. Genuinely! You ask him what he wants to do when he grows up and he says he wants to go skiing with daddy! All because I fecked off last year and he's old enough to remember.

Any views on the optimum time to start him?

That's great your kid wants to follow in your footsteps, my son doesn't seem the most physically inclined. I did have a rather proud father/daughter moment though, even though I wasn't there, my 2y/o daughter was in an Apple store in France 2 weeks ago, they were using a snowboarding video to demo one of their monitors, when my daughter saw it she shouted out "DADDY" just a pity I wasn't there to bask in the glory.

I was thinking 7 years old, afaik that's the age most ski schools start accepting kids for snowboarding.

Rew

We're thinking of bringing the older fella in 2017 when he is almost 4, time will tell though!

cormee

Rew wrote: »

We're thinking of bringing the older fella in 2017 when he is almost 4, time will tell though!

I could bring him now and send him to ski school. But, to be honest, it's not so much about his age, I just couldn't be arsed.

cormee

DoraDelite wrote: »

I really hope you're right too otherwise webcam watch is going to be getting very stressful heading into December :eek:

I've cancelled my trip and booked a week in a cottage in Kilternan! Can't wait! setting my countown timer app already & checking out the M50 webcams.

Anyone know what the apres-ski is like?

:cool:

Rew

cormee wrote: »

I could bring him now and send him to ski school. But, to be honest, it's not so much about his age, I just couldn't be arsed.

My wife ski's and we have a bunch of ski friends with similar aged kids so I suspect our trips will morph into family trips over the next few years

granty1987

a148pro wrote: »

I am with three year old now and his life ambution is to go skiing with me. Genuinely! You ask him what he wants to do when he grows up and he says he wants to go skiing with daddy! All because I fecked off last year and he's old enough to remember.

Any views on the optimum time to start him?

My parents met skiing in Austria back in the 70's and they took myself n my older brother n sisters from an early age. Not sure what ages they first went at but I had just turned 4. Always went to Grindelwald and loved it. Still love it so I think 4 is fine!

kal7

Have asked alot of instructors when to start little one skiing.

They all say on skis at 3, but start to teach at 5yrs

Last year our just three year old, did fine in short bursts on skis.

She did have more interest in pool though.

16degrees in Flaine where we are heading in Feb.

just watching GS from Soelden

DoraDelite

it's coming... http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Chamonix/6day/mid

cormee

DoraDelite wrote: »

it's coming... http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Chamonix/6day/mid

My brother just booked a hotel there for three week's time

DoraDelite

Hopefully that's the start of some serious snow over the next few weeks, good news for your brother if so. I'll be there in 5 weeks so need it to dump down!

Eurovisionmad

The warm spell plaguing Europe appears to be coming to an end

lbj666

Eurovisionmad wrote: »

The warm spell plaguing Europe appears to be coming to an end

Wow temps are due to seriously plummet. Even if a 1m falls would they still put the canons on to build up the base ?

cormee

DoraDelite wrote: »

it's coming... http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Chamonix/6day/mid

Looks like it alright, snow forecast for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in VT.

ABOUT TIME, TOO! DAMNED CLOUDS.

Billy Mays

Anyone here been to St Johann in Tirol?


I've been going to Tignes for the last 5 years but won't be heading this year. A mate of mine is going to St Johann and has asked me along.


I realise it's not on the same scale as the Espace Killy but how does it compare?


I'm kinda worried I'll be bored after a few days having been used to boarding in one of the best areas in the world.

lbj666

Billy Mays wrote: »

Anyone here been to St Johann in Tirol?


I've been going to Tignes for the last 5 years but won't be heading this year. A mate of mine is going to St Johann and has asked me along.


I realise it's not on the same scale as the Espace Killy but how does it compare?


I'm kinda worried I'll be bored after a few days having been used to boarding in one of the best areas in the world.

Never been but ya it is small.

There are a lot of other resorts nearby that you can plan day trips to though, such as the whole ski welt, Kitzbuhl, Kirchberg etc . There is a pass you can get that covers the whole lot of it , i think its the kitzbuhl all star card.

kal7

St Johann is quite small. The conical shape means if lower slopes poor there is very little to ski. Alot of the area is at the same steepness level. You do have option to go to nearby resort for variety.

Found we had skied whole resort, all that was skiable in day, or day and half. Still enjoyed it.

Excellent apres ski though

Billy Mays

kal7 wrote: »

St Johann is quite small. The conical shape means if lower slopes poor there is very little to ski. Alot of the area is at the same steepness level. You do have option to go to nearby resort for variety.

Found we had skied whole resort, all that was skiable in day, or day and half. Still enjoyed it.

Excellent apres ski though

Are the other resorts accessible by lifts/piste or do you have to get a bus to them?

lbj666

Billy Mays wrote: »

Are the other resorts accessible by lifts/piste or do you have to get a bus to them?

Bus or taxi , no idea how frequent the are or price.

stevire

Been to St.Johann before, it was a good year for snow (2011?). It is very small and you can get around quite easily, not much off piste and low altitude so you do need to get good snow coverage. It's cheap as chips though and a good base to get on the SkiWelt to get to other areas - Kitzbuhel is less than 10mins on the train and I believe it's covered on ski pass

kal7

need to get bus, but the day we did it was well worth, the bus hassle, think ski pass covers the buses, if I remember correctly.

Seifer

Looking at Val di Fassa, Italy for first trip this year. It's part of the Dolomite SuperSki area so looks like it has exactly what we're looking for. Mix of second time skiers and more seasoned members in the group.

Anyone have any knowledge / recommendations for the area?

a148pro

Seifer wrote: »

Looking at Val di Fassa, Italy for first trip this year. It's part of the Dolomite SuperSki area so looks like it has exactly what we're looking for. Mix of second time skiers and more seasoned members in the group.

Anyone have any knowledge / recommendations for the area?

Not that resort specifically but Dolomites are stunningly beautiful but not particularly well linked, in my (limited) experience (Cortina). Want to head back and do more of them so can't be that bad.