 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm off home to NZ for xmas, and want to stop off (Geneva or Zurich or Denver) for a spot of pre-xmas skiing. Am thinking the week 10 to 18 Dec 2005. 
Needs to be snowsure as I've done pre-xmas skiing in Courchevel and it was ...well. You can imagine. And I'll need to book the skiing bit fairly soon in order to co-ordinate with flights to NZ.
Tignes is the obvious first choice. But I've been there. What about Switzerland? Just looked at Saas Fee's historial snow report for that time of year- it's blimmin great! Any other Swiss contenders within co-ee of Geneva or Zurich? And what about North America, bearing in mind it would need to be within a reasonable distance of a major international airport.
Many thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sass Fee is probably a good option, however you will need to check on their next seasons opening dates
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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From the research that I have done, it seems that Austria attracts good early season snow. Flying to Zurich would give you reasonable access to Ischgl (usually opens last weekend in November) and the Arlberg area. There are also high resorts in Switzerland within reach of Zurich such as Andermatt, Flims/Laax, Engelberg and a number of others.
Zermatt would also be an option from Geneva.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Manda, if the conditions are anything like they were this year, I would wait until the last minute to book, as conditions for that week were pretty much awful all over. We ended up in Val d'Isere, where it was pretty poor, but better than the rest of the resorts (one run open in Verbier etc). You shouldn't have any problems with availability for that week.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Manda, If you have to book, then Tignes is your best bet in France. Don't know about any other countries, but if you go there, you will get snow.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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A suggestion, if you can detour to Salt Lake City, then Utah generally opens late November...and teh skiing can be quite incredible.
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Kramer, I was in Tignes 13-18 Dec 2004. Espace Killy had best snow going at the time and even what was there was pretty dire but c'est la vie for that time of year. Good point re: booking late - it's not as if resorts will be heaving at that time of year 
David Murdoch, Where's Salt Lake City in relation to ....well.... stuff? (my knowledge of USA geography outside LAX is negliable).
Ray Zorro, thanks, will take a look at the Austrian resorts you mention. Am hoping for easy rail links between resort and airport, hence focus on Switzerland c.f. Austria (also not many airlines operate long-haul down-under from Austria ..... )
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I've enjoyed amazingly good skiing in the first week of December in Zermatt and La Plagne, but every winter's different. Zermatt now has a substantial commitment to snowmaking. Hintertux is probably the best bet of all, if you want to be sure of skiing natural snow on a glacier base.
But the real point is that you need make no commitment at all. Ski resorts are universally empty in the week you're looking at. Just check the snow reports, turn up and check in.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Ski resorts are universally empty in the week you're looking at. Just check the snow reports, turn up and check in. |
David Goldsmith, woohoo! That's what I like to hear....
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Manda, regarding Salt Lake City and it's location to stuff -- I assume you mean skiing.
The Salt Lake City airport is within an hours drive to Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, Solitude, Snow Basin, and the Park City area resorts of Park City Mountain Resort, Deer Valley, and The Canyons. The resorts in the Cottonwood Canyons (Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, Solitude) have about the most reliable snow record in the U.S., averaging about 500" per year. Also, folks often refer to Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons as the canyons, which is not to be confused with "The Canyons" which is the name of a resort in Park City. Alta is a retro resort, the lodges are old timey functional, the food is basic American pub grup, most lifts are old and slow (though they did put in a new high speed quad from the Wildcat base) but outstanding skiing. Alta does not permit snowboarding. Snowbird, which adjoins Alta, is steep and deep. Lodges and infrastructure are more modern, but I think the lodges are ugly. There is a joint lift ticket (Snowbird does allow boarding). I think Salt Lake City is somewhat ugly without much of a central core -- it's like a large, mostly white, middle class, suburb. Lots of skiers stay in either Midvale or Sandy and ride the buses up to the resorts. You can find really inexpensive lodging in these areas and they are within about 15 miles or so of the resorts. Loding in the Cottonwood Canyons is limited and expensive. The road to Alta and Snowbird is treacherous if the weather is iffy. Unlike almost anywhere in the U.S., Utah has a pretty efficient bus system. Park City is approximately 35 miles from the Salt Lake City Airport -- it's sort of the sin city of Utah. Park City has tons of lodging options, lots of restaurants and bars, really a fun place. That said, I don't think the skiing at the Park City Resorts is as good as the Cottonwood Canyon resorts, and the scenery is not as good. Deer Valley prides itself on providing the best service and grooming money can buy -- the grooming is good, the infrastructure is very modern, and they have really good restaurants (at least for the U.S.) but it's a bit too refined for my taste. Deer Valley also does not allow snow boarding. I've enjoyed skiing at The Canyons more. Never skied at Park City Mountain Resort, but it appears to have about the same kind of terrain. So there's basically 3 relatively large areas within 10 minutes of one another and downtown Park City. It's a bit under an hours drive from Park City to Alta if the roads are good. There are also companys that offer a combination bus pass and lift ticket to Alta/Snowbird from Park City. I've not been to Snow Basin but I've heard many folks giving it rave reviews. I'd say that the two areas with the most convenient access to skiing in the U.S. are Salt Lake City and the Lake Tahoe areas. The Denver airport is a good bit further from the Colorado ski areas.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Manda,
SLC is a mere 3-4 (I think) hour detour from Newark - lots of services in to it I believe. So if one is taking the long way round to the southern hemisphere I would think it a reasonable detour.
As our verbose friend above says, it's near a whole heap of great skiing. I had a very entertaining end of November there two years ago, alhough there was apparently unusually deep snow for the time of year.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Manda,  It's the half full half empty thing really isn't it. I reckon if you're already spending a whole weekend on a plane, a few more hours won't add significantly to the DVT risk - and a few days blasting around Alta will do more for you than walkking up and down the plane's aisle every hour or so...
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You know it makes sense.
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I ski in St Anton before Xmas. Never been a problem.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Never been a problem.
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As in......? Snow cover/quality? Lifts being open? Hotels being open? Flights being available?
And when, exactly? (ski-wise a "week before xmas" can be a very different animal c.f. "3 weeks before xmas")
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FAQ
wow. You out-do me in the endless chat department! Not that I'm complaining, mind 
And I dunno about this 
