Ski season 2017/2018

blue note

Any opinions on zell am see? We're probably going to book there at the end of January. It's a mixed level group - 3 people with 25 weeks between them, 2 with 3 weeks each and 3 with a weeks experience.

And what’s the apres ski like there?

blue note

Do people ever rent cars for her skiing and how do you find the driving?

maddness

blue note wrote: »

Do people ever rent cars for her skiing and how do you find the driving?

Loads of times. It's handy enough as long as it's not snowing heavily but I much prefer getting a private transfer.

a148pro

blue note wrote: »

Do people ever rent cars for her skiing and how do you find the driving?

Yes all the time, its usually fine but in Ireland we have no real experience driving in snow so can be a small bit of a worry. Mostly though there's relatively little snow along the route to the resort.

If you rent in Austria and Switzerland you get Winter tyres automatically, which means you don't have to worry about chains. Think that might be the case in Germany also.

If renting elsewhere just make sure they include the snow chains (again they're legally obliged to do this) and if you think there will be snow for your drive in or out (and this can be determined nowadays) then just be familiar with how to put them on. At the side of a road, in a blizzard, is not the time to learn how to put them on!

Having said that I must have rented like 15 or 20 times and not had to put them on.

Also one of those excess insurance policies goes a long way for peace of mind in case you do have a bump (or someone bumps into you). Costs 50 euro and covers the excess for multiple holiday rentals during the year.

Finally, make sure you don't have to buy vignettes to use in some countries, Austria for instance, they're like a sticker you have to buy and put on your car.

prunudo

Start of September, time to check into the winter sports forums

Just on the hire cars, the car we hired in Bergamo last March had winter tyres as standard and a set of chains in boot too.
There was light show fall on the pass into Livigno but not enough to get stressed about.

Rew

Load of snow in VT over the weekend I see

a148pro

Rew wrote: »

Load of snow in VT over the weekend I see

It begins! If I actually skied as much as I think about skiing I'd be olympic.

maddness

a148pro wrote: »

It begins! If I actually skied as much as I think about skiing I'd be olympic.

I'd be the love child of Bodie Miller and Lynsey Vonn

a148pro

maddness wrote: »

I'd be the love child of Bodie Miller and Lynsey Vonn

I would fancy your mother. This happens in the world and is a good thing.

lawred2

Rew wrote: »

Load of snow in VT over the weekend I see

VT?

irlirishkev

lawred2 wrote: »

VT?

I suspect Val Thorens. Tis quite high!

hawkwind23

Does the poster who does the app still post?
Link for app?
was like a countdown and webcam yoke , getting to that time of year soon! 84 days for me

maddness

hawkwind23 wrote: »

Does the poster who does the app still post?
Link for app?
was like a countdown and webcam yoke , getting to that time of year soon! 84 days for me

Cormee, he should be along soon

cormee

hawkwind23 wrote: »

Does the poster who does the app still post?
Link for app?
was like a countdown and webcam yoke , getting to that time of year soon! 84 days for me

This one? https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.addtheday.android

I haven't updated it in yonks, in newer versions of android the countdown seems to stop on some of the widgets. But it is counting on the app itself. Restarting the phone, or opening the app, tends to reactivate the countdown.

hawkwind23

cormee wrote: »

This one? https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.addtheday.android

I haven't updated it in yonks, in newer versions of android the countdown seems to stop on some of the widgets. But it is counting on the app itself. Restarting the phone, or opening the app, tends to reactivate the countdown.

Thats the one
you should give it a quick update , ill install and let u know of any bugs etc

olaola

We're going to Schladming & staying in an alpine resort. Can't wait! I've always wanted to do this. Bringing the nippers, he'll be nearly 4, so well on the way to starting ski school! Not sure what to do with madam, am hoping can find some kind of day care.

dzer2

olaola wrote: »

We're going to Schladming & staying in an alpine resort. Can't wait! I've always wanted to do this. Bringing the nippers, he'll be nearly 4, so well on the way to starting ski school! Not sure what to do with madam, am hoping can find some kind of day care.

request from the tourist board a list of child minders they are very good with childcare.

olaola

dzer2 wrote: »

request from the tourist board a list of child minders they are very good with childcare.

Thanks! Will do

blue note

Just booked zell am see for the 20th January. Cannot frickin' wait!!!!! 😎

Rew

http://www.latania.co.uk/blog/2017/09/12/new-3-valleys-courchevel-meribel-2018-piste-maps-release-analysed-plus-the-gopro-couloir/

GoPro appear to be sponsering a piste in the 3 Valleys

Rew

olaola wrote: »

We're going to Schladming & staying in an alpine resort. Can't wait! I've always wanted to do this. Bringing the nippers, he'll be nearly 4, so well on the way to starting ski school! Not sure what to do with madam, am hoping can find some kind of day care.

We sent 4yr old to ski school, 3yr old and baby to nanny last winter in France worked out grand but it was only half days. Not sure he could have done full days.

4yr old said to be recently, "Dad when I got to ski school again can you tell them not to speak French coz I dont understand" oops

3 going 4yr old and 4 going 5yr old both have a loads of camps under their belt now so think will be better able for this season. Having done 6 mths Montessori def meant the 4 yr old was comfortable with the format.

a148pro

He's better than me already! From my limited experience, full day wouldn't be a runner for 4 year old. So key is to have the craic with them for half day then find a relation to dump them on while you feck off and get some fast turns in. Or get childcare obv.

a148pro

Rew wrote: »

http://www.latania.co.uk/blog/2017/09/12/new-3-valleys-courchevel-meribel-2018-piste-maps-release-analysed-plus-the-gopro-couloir/

GoPro appear to be sponsering a piste in the 3 Valleys

Looks like skiers left of grand couloir? Pretty sure that was off piste and unskiable last time I was there, unless I'm reading the map wrong

maddness

It's manageable alright as long as you the snow is good enough.

olaola

Rew wrote: »

We sent 4yr old to ski school, 3yr old and baby to nanny last winter in France worked out grand but it was only half days. Not sure he could have done full days.

4yr old said to be recently, "Dad when I got to ski school again can you tell them not to speak French coz I dont understand" oops

3 going 4yr old and 4 going 5yr old both have a loads of camps under their belt now so think will be better able for this season. Having done 6 mths Montessori def meant the 4 yr old was comfortable with the format.

He's got SKILLZ! Himself will be nearly 4, so fingers crossed he'll like it alright. It's just 2 hours a day, so we'll have the craic after that.

cormee

Europe is finally starting to be mentioned in Snowreport's tweets!

a148pro

Yep wepowder has woken up from its summers surfing also

Billy Mays

Lads, any idea how much it is to join an off piste boarding group with guide for a day in St Anton?

I go off piste at the side of groomed runs when I can and did a lot of runs through the trees between pistes in Sauze last year. I reckon I'm ready to take the next step and do some proper off piste runs with a guide who knows where they're going.

The group I'm going with tend to stick to the pistes so hiring our own guide isn't really an option.

cormee

Billy Mays wrote: »

Lads, any idea how much it is to join an off piste boarding group with guide for a day in St Anton?

I go off piste at the side of groomed runs when I can and did a lot of runs through the trees between pistes in Sauze last year. I reckon I'm ready to take the next step and do some proper off piste runs with a guide who knows where they're going.

The group I'm going with tend to stick to the pistes so hiring our own guide isn't really an option.

I can't tell you how much a guide will cost, but I would advise you to do some of the great ski routes in St. Anton, you don't need a guide to do them, but you do get all the fun of off piste, without the risk of avalanche or bottomless cravasses. There was one particularly fantastic one, Route 33 I think, it's about 3 or 4k long of some of the best terrain I've ever snowboarded. Also, make a trip to Lech, great ski routes and off piste there too.

stevire

The ski routes in St Anton are great if you get the conditions but can get tracked out quickly too. Would always recommend bringing avi kit with you even if you are only doing the ski routes, plenty of signage in the area advise the same thing.

We got an offpiste guide when we visited St Anton. It was amazing, they will find untracked fields and bring you away from the crowds. It was a few years ago now but think it was about 60e each between 4/5 of us, St Anton is a little more expensive than most Austrian resorts. Then hire avi gear on top, you won't be allowed to go without it but it's about 20e for a day and cheaper if you hire for the week. I would prebook ahead on the avi gear if possible as it does book out.

There was quite a bit of hiking and we had approx 5km skate home on the flats at the end of the day but totally worth it.