OH Finally Gives In!

A snowHead

Only 6 weeks ago my OH at the age of 24 finally learnt to ride a bike and is loving it, this is after a couple of years of quiet suggestion.
She wishes she would of learnt years ago, so you can imagine how surprised I was when yesterday she said to me whilst I was looking for a winter holiday, "I want to learn to Ski or Snowboard".

So I am now looking for somewhere for this winter (Jan or March) with the wish list:

Good for learning to Ski or Snowboard, Good Ski/Board School (english speaking?) Things to do for non skiers (in case she decides she needs a day off), Good Spa facilities (her request), some Apres (restaurants/bars)

Will think about budget after reading any suggestions. I will probably learn to snowboard with her, so it's something we can do together.
I apologise if this has been posted before - I did search but didn't find what I was looking for.

A snowHead

Obergurgl fits the bill and has plenty of English speaking (and British) instruction I believe.
(Certainly last time we went there my kids were with an English guy, and there were stacks more of them around.)
A bit cheaper than France and the slopes are very untaxing, so good for a beginner.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Megève might be another one to look at - lots to do off the slopes, easy skiing, plenty of instruction in English.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Get her skiing before you go, whether it be dry slope or snowdome. She will enjoy it more when you get on hols and she will have gotten all the painful bits out of the way! Happy

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Learning to snowboard together sounds good. If you decide on France the second week of March would be ideal - after the school holidays are finished. The learning curve with snowboarding is steep - and painful unless you are uncommonly gifted. Some lessons in a snowdome (they do "learn in a day" courses which are practical if you live a long way away, but will leave you knackered and bruised). One advantage of a "learn in a day" course is that you would know by the end whether it was something you wanted to continue with!

A key thing with learning is group size. Maximum 6 is a good thing to aim for. The British school (BASS) in Megeve has had some good reports on here but Megeve is a very sophisticated and pretty pricey resort - lots of Michelin starred restaurants and shops selling gorgeous clothes with no prices on. It's also not the most convenient, but if you are snowboarding, walking around in your boots is bliss compared to doing it in ski boots. I think Obergurgl is quite expensive too, in Austrian terms - and in early March you shouldn't need high altitude to get good skiing.

A lot depends on your budget and on the type of accommodation you want. If you like hotels, Austrian resorts generally have more choice. France has more catered chalets and self-catering options. Travel, accommodation, ski pass and lessons are much the same in both countries but Austria is cheaper for mountain restaurants and bars.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Another thought - for snowboarding I would recommend a British instructor because a lot of the French ones seem to be skiers who have just "picked up" snowboarding (no idea whether the same is true of Austrian ones). Too much steering with the shoulders, rather than the feet, goes on. But for skiing, you need a good instructor in a small group - whether British, French or Austrian is less important.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

pam w, As Pam says

I put My OH through the 3 week course at Tamworth recently. If you pick at sat or sunday evening there is only 1 or 2 other people on the course and the sloipe is really quiet!! She came on leaps and bounds, but yes she was knackered by the end of it!!

Thanks. I'm pretty sure we will have a few hours before we go just to make sure that she enjoys it.
Yeah I was kind of thinking that with something like snowboarding a Brit instructor would be handy especially if there is a communication barrier plus would also help her feel more comfortable with being able to fully understand instruction. I was hoping for Austria or Italy really but could be influenced to look elsewhere. Does anyone know of any Brit Snowboarding schools in Austria or Italy? Possibly a smaller resort might suit with quieter slopes and less people in the lessons.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

On the other hand I'm not sure lessons together are good - I tried to teach her to ride the bike and we clashed alot lol - so in the end she was taught by a professional cyclist (with no emotional attachment) through the Cycle Derby scheme run by the council and she was riding by the end of the first lesson!

I like the sound of the 3 week course PaulC1984, as it's only half hour down the A38 from me - was that a series of lessons booked or an offer of some sort?

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Is there a thermal baths in Obergurgl ?

Bad Gastein / Bad Hofgastein.

snow reports

Aosta valley should be on your radar - Courmayeur is lovely. Compact, pretty, spa resorts in the valley.

Gastein valley also a good suggestion

AthersT, the three week course is a series of 2 hour lessons. Because it was so quiet by the end of week 2 OH was going from the top. It was well worth taking out the membership as it reduced the cost of the lesson and you get 10% off at EB, free list pass etc

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

kiteman69, I will do that or the Snowdome.

What are people's thoughts on Iceland? Any one been? - from my limited knowledge, would be plenty to do and see away from the slopes, obvs top notch spa's and thermal baths etc. As a beginner boarder would it be engaging enough or is it really too limited.

A snowHead

If you fancy further afield. I learnt in Banff in Canada. Instruction was fantastic and there is tonnes to do if she doesn't fancy skiing.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

AthersT, Iceland - the user meh on this forum lives and skis there, could try PM'ing him. I'm not sure how suitable it would be for a week's skiing booked months in advance given it gets some severe atlantic storms coming through and has similar problems to Scotland in that it's close to the sea so you can get rapid thaws (happy to be told otherwise by someone who knows more though!).

You need to Login to know who's really who.

GET HER SKI LESSON NOT SNOWBOARD - (unless she was a skater as a kid) - having tought both and seen so many put off snowboarding by pain.

Yes you can learn to snowboard (the basics) quicker than skiing (unless you have rollerblading or ice skating) but you can learn to ski without pain - learning to snowboard invloves pain - put it this way, at uni, the likelhood of going to casualty in the first hour of skiing was <1% but in snowboarding it was 15 - 25 % - ok dryslopes are tough compared to a snowdome.

If she learns the basics of skiing and then would like to snowboard the switch is easy, the reverse is very hard.

Learning a bit about skiing in a Snowdome before you go is a GREAT idea

As for resorts I'd follow the recomendations of Megeve, Banff or Austria - Courmayeur I would leave for a 2nd trip, the runs are not great for an absolute beginner.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

Despite me owning an apartment in France AthersT, I'd say if you want to convert Mrs AT to snowsports for life:

1. Go to Austria. The ambience is unbeatable for a first timer - a non-skiers' (or boarders') vision of a ski resort is more likely to be a village that looks like Obergurgl or Alpbach, rather than Tignes or Flaine. And the apres ski atmosphere of Austria is just wonderful.
2. Go to somewhere with snow at resort level - eg Obergurgl, Obertauern or Kuhtai (though you will need to research whether all fit the bill regarding your non-skiing criteria).

In late 1992, as a skier of a few seasons, I proposed (er going skiing to Obergurgl Laughing

!) to my then girlfriend of two months (who had been on two school ski trips 20 years before) - and we've happily never looked back since. Very Happy

We went to Obergurgl last year and there's a bus along to Hochgurgl that goes along again to Solden. We used it, was busy but fairly efficient. It meant the non skier in the group could meet up with us in various places for lunch. Mountain ambience was lovely in Austria (although that may have been the Aperol?)

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

I went to Soldeu in Andorra for my first time, and I'd definitely recommend it! The ski instructors are British, which makes such a difference when you're an absolute beginner, not only from a communication point of view but just from a banter perspective. It can be frustrating to learn so having a laugh with all the instructors really makes the experience enjoyable.

Plus the slopes are well groomed and there's plenty of beginner friendly blues that give you that feeling that you're skiing the whole mountain rather than just being stuck on the nursery slopes. The snow making is excellent plus it has a good reputation for sun and blue skies (though obviously not guaranteed!).

Lots of decent bars for apres ski. There's not huge amounts for non-skiers to do but if you pick a hotel with a spa (such as Piolets Park & Spa) then at least there's that option for the OH.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

AthersT, but you could already ride a bike, so were "teaching" her. Not a good idea and skiing could end up the same, even if she has lessons, you won't be able to stop yourself. At snowboarding you'll both be beginners and she might pick it up faster than you do. However, I agree with Idris that snowboarding is painful - not that I'd ever have the nerve to try it on a dry slope. If your GF is - not to put too fine a point on it - a wimp, then don't go there but don't interfere with her skiing and promise not to take her on any slope she has not skied with her instructor.

snow reports

I'm in the process of checking interest in a trip that would probably suit - well I hope so as it's designed for this circumstance Shocked

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=112021

All the bashes are very friendly and inclusive but tend to be made up of people who can already ski/board - even if they've just a week or two under their belts.
The idea this time is to get together a bash that's specifically suitable for snowHeads who are just starting out. After all, it's always nicer learning with friends.

We've got lessons, ski-hire, lift pass all included in twin deals for beginners or snowHeads who already ski.
This way, everyone's got company, doing their own thing at their own pace and no-one feels like they're holding anyone up yet we're also all in the same place for lunches and pootling around together - I'm sure you get the point

Zell am see/Saalbach? There's a spa in Kaprun that's meant to be good.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

AthersT, Åre in Sweden is good, great ski school (Skistar) and there is a lot to do if you need a change.

A snowHead

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

thecramps, I will look into it!

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

AthersT, take a look at the Radstadt/Altenmarkt area of Ski amadé as it has superb beginner facilities and good skiing for those who want to imporve. I agree with Idris, get her to learn to ski first if you want to get her hooked. You could learn to snowboard so you are both in beginner classes but not in the same one. The options for days off are great with a really good Therme in Altenmarkt and a direct train link to Salzburg if she want to take a complete day away from skiing. Loads of instructors who speak excellent English, including several native speakers (including our own flangesax among others). The transfer from Salzburg Airport is cheap (50 Euro return in a minibus taxi) and only takes 45 minutes (can be slightly longer in heavy traffic) but it is motorway all the way and fabulous scenery (e.g. the castle at Hohenwerfen which was the castle in the film "Where Eagles Dare").

You'll need to Register first of course.

AthersT, +1 for Soldeu, I would put the instructor aspect at the top of my list for the first year, get that bit right and you will be enjoying winter sports hols for the rest of your days, get it wrong and solo hols are on the cards ! The Piolets has a small spa area, and outside hot tub, plus you can take a bus to Anddorra la Vela to the big thermal spa Caldea if the desire is really there
On the other hand we were in Obergurgl this year, my 9 yr old son who had 4 weeks experience from previous holidays, but was still reverting to snowplough on steeper blue sections, had an English instructor Rob, who was brilliant, by the end of the week he was skiing all of the mountain, taking his mum and me into areas we don't usually venture, the Austrian schools do 2 hrs in the morning and 2 in the afternoon which really helped, it may however be a bit much for a newbie. I would go back to both resorts again for those reasons. Hope it work out for you whatever choice to take Very Happy

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Samerberg Sue, I love the look of Radstadt/Altenmarkt especially being so close to so many other options for skiing/boarding within the Ski Amade. Thanks! Also I think we may well go with this plan as it will be great to be able ski/board together and be at a similar level. The OH has decided she is going to have a lesson before we book just in case she hates it. Radstadt/Altenmarkt are joint top of the list along side the Gastein valley in the list at the moment.

After all it is free

geoffknight, Thanks! There does seem to be a common theme between Austria/Andorra being the best for newbies so I think we will concentrate on that. Though I do like the look of the Bash to Livigno and we will see after she has had this lesson.

AthersT, Contact flangesax and see if they have any space for you, it will be a great week for you both then!

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Hi AthersT, let us know how her lesson goes!

Help!!

OH Finally Gives In!

snowHeads Forum Index >>> The Piste