 Poster: A snowHead
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Morning all,
Finally the time has come to let the snow filter into the mind again & start making plans for the new year.
I'm on the hunt for somewhere a little different to spend a week or so in jan/feb time. There will be a couple of us all advanced skiiers so looking for a range of steep & post-thigh burning runs. So far cast thoughts to Russia (Elbrus area) and also Slovenia/Slovakia parts of the world. Also on a budget so somewhere cheap ish would be handy. Size of resort isn't really an issue as long as whats theres suitably challenging/playful terrain.
Anyone any thoughts/suggestions/recommendations??
I'm sure theres some gems hiding out there.....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Not sure Russia would come in as budget due to the cost of getting there but I rather fancy a trip to Kamchatka (sp?) in the far north-east. Heli-skiing galore, complete wilderness etc. The problem is I'm not good enough at the moment!
I'm sure Wengen or La Rosiere will fit the bill 
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brian
brian
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That Himalayan place posted on here recently looked like a bit of an experience.
www.skihimalaya.com
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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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ben wright, Lets not forget Serre Chevalier, Les Arcs, Les Deux Alpes, Puy-St-Vincent, and of course Le Seignus
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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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Frosty, I'm very careful to not post puffs for my chalet in response to enquiries that aren't suitable e.g recently someone was looking for a chalet in the sort of resort which we completely fitted the bill for except they wanted somewhere with quite a bit of nightlife. Our village has a few bars and a nightclub but it's still a very quiet place so I didn't post.
The scatter-gun approach may work but virtue is its own reward 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Frosty the Snowman, how could you forget La Rosière?
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| tree_hugger wrote: |
Morning all,
looking for a range of steep & post-thigh burning runs. |
Are 'post-thighs' what a postman develops from cycling with a heavy bag? 
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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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tree_hugger, a very open question! In the Alpine countries, I'd suggest La Grave or the Monte Rosa area. Have you thought about northern Scandinavia - Lyngen Alps, that sort of thing? Not the cheapest, but if you're not drinking a lot of booze shouldn't be too bad
Reckon Russia could be very interesting although access isn't the most straightforward
The Tatra mountains on the Polish/Slovakian border have some pretty exciting looking skiing too
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Arno, thanks for that.
Yeah trying to head away from the Alps for a change. The Tatras are certainly somewhere I'm thinking i might look into further. The good ol' lonely planet may hold some clues for how to get around/ where to go etc. Mount Elbrus etc in Russia also looks cracking for some steeps but as you say cost of getting there & general unknowns about access could be tricky. Scandinavia i think is for after a pay rise! Cheers.
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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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Frosty the Snowman, there's Bansko of course... Alpe d'Huez (don't know if Sarah is back there next season)... if Nade gets on line during the season I reckon La Plagne will get a few plugs...
It's surprising there's not more really.
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tree_hugger, if you can get hold of a copy of this month's Skiing magazine (Borders may have it?), there is a write up of a trip to Russia in that. Conclusion: access is not easy, but that's all part of the fun.
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You know it makes sense.
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Bansko! That's it, a resort that has snowhead connections and might actually meet your criteria (hmm, just looked at the piste map and it doesn't look too challenging but it's the best we've come up with so far)!
Still, it's somewhere different and cheap.
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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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Shemshak in Iran might suit. It's a small resort but steep and more or less unpisted. It's in snowBase and the search engine will yield some stuff. Good vertical. Good snow. Mid week (i.e. not Thursday or Friday) it'll be almost empty. The cheapest flights would probably be a cheapy to Dubai then change to Tehran (honestly cannot recommend Iran Air - somewhat dodgy safety record and a very elderly fleet). You could also check out the new snowdome in Dubai.
Hotel / Chalet in the resort will be cheap but basic and lift pass a joke - approx $4 / day in local equivalent. No booze of course unless you get very lucky with a friendly local. Take your own gear. For a bit of variety (but much less challenging unless there is some off piste open) Dizin and Towchal are available. You will need visas which probably means a visit to the Iran Embassy in London.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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tree_hugger,
Engelberg, only queues are about 0930 in the morning out of the village and the Titlis and Laub are huge playgrounds. Pick your lines after a dump. If you get more than 4 runs in a day you haven't expored much or are very fit and fast.
On second thoughts, its crap, too expensive and full of rubber-limbed swedes.
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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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tree_hugger,
My guess is in most mountainous regions you can find serious territory if you know how to look for it. But the further away from Western Europe you get the greater the cost because of travel. Otherwise I would suggest Hokkaido in japan where they get serious quantities of snow.
Within Western Europe outwith the alps Davidoff has posted information about serious looking skiing in Massif Centrale and the pyrenees in his website at pistehors.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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PG, "Frosty the Snowman, there's Bansko of course... Alpe d'Huez (don't know if Sarah is back there next season)... "
Always here!! The weather is just fabulous at the moment - and quite a heathly dusting up top to make everything look all 'clean'!!
What about Poland - I watched a programe a couple of months ago, very cheap and pretty wild (in terms of landscape) I don't know about challenging but worth a look - mind you we get a couple of Poles at the end of each season round the hire shops buying out all the equipement being put to retirement to take back with them for their guests!!
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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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PG, "Frosty the Snowman, there's Bansko of course... Alpe d'Huez (don't know if Sarah is back there next season)... "
Always here!! The weather is just fabulous at the moment - and quite a heathly dusting up top to make everything look all 'clean'!!
What about Poland - I watched a programe a couple of months ago, very cheap and pretty wild (in terms of landscape) I don't know about challenging but worth a look - mind you we get a couple of Poles at the end of each season round the hire shops buying out all the equipement being put to retirement to take back with them for their guests!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hey, great. Thanks everyone.
After a little research the High Tatras option may be in for a try. Bit of an unknown but hey, could be grand. Anyone been there?? If so welcome of any tips / clues as to best spots & travel & accom, etc. Best take the transceiver etc, not sure if they're into their avalanche control out there?!  Cheers
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tree_hugger, know a couple of people who went touring there. Guides are really cheap and are actually indispensible (as opposed to ski-mag "if you go off piste you must take a guide blah blah" indispensible), certainly in Poland. You aren't allowed to leave the marked tracks without a guide as it is a national park and them's the rules.
Good thing is that guides are V cheap there. Mountain huts are supposed to be surprisingly good. In fact, they visited one where the guide had called ahead to his mates who had snowmobiled in to an unmanned hut they visited with generous supplies of food, booze and firewood. The mountains are supposed to be quite rocky and steep. Plenty of steep couloirs if that's your thing.
Zakopane is the centre on the Polish side of the Tatras. I'll have to remind myself where the base is on the Slovakian side
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tree_hugger, I am leaving for the High Tatras tomorow for a week-end hiking.
This is my 15th trip to these mountains. As soon as I get back, I tell you more about this place.
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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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tree_hugger, had a look at the write up of the trip I've mentioned above. Seems they started out on the Slovakian side and visited the towns of Tatranska Lomnica and Strbske Pleso. The gist seems to be that it's a bit less developed than the Polish side.
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Yeah I got that too. By the sounds of it theres the high tatra bits (quite a few smaller towns/villages with a small number of lifts). Such as tantranska, etc. Whereas Polish side sounds a bit more 20th century! Also like the sound of Jasna which is actually in the Low Tatras but sounds pretty big for slovakia with gondala, detachable quads, etc. Think I read that in the rough guide. Anyways, everywhere seems well connected by trains so think we'll just fly out & take it as it comes, spend a day or two or more at each spot.... I'll be interested to hear more from kerekip after their trip. Cheers for now.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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tree_hugger, Went to the Tatras in Slovakia over 30 years ago in the summertime. Wonderful wild scenery. We stayed in the resort of Stary Smokovec. at the the Grand Hotel, and I see from the web site it is still there today.
Try putting "Stary Smokovec" into google and brings up loads of information. I reckon this might fit the bill - one thing I am sure it will be good value and snow sure that far east.
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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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Ask "czechracer" on Epikski (I think that's how he spells his name...can't be bothered to check/czech!!)
He knows that area very well.
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tree_hugger, Back from the High Tatras, awful weather for hiking.
Ski resorts are mostly run by one company called Park Snow.
Their pass is valid for all their resorts in the mountains, but they are small resorts located close to each other, but not close enough to reach them easily by public transports. Most resorts have a few runs, but all of them can be easily skied in one day. The black run under the Lomnic peak is challening, snow can be 3 meter deep by February. The runs by Strbske Pleso can be another choice for a day.
When going to ski there, consider the following: different culture and cuisine from the Alps, cheap food, accomodation, pass, etc., small resorts, you can freeze yourself to death on the outdated chairlifts, quite a long queues especially at the week-ends.
You mentioned Jasna/Chopok which is currently the best resort in Slovakia.
Modernized lift system, excellent runs, perfect snow, but too crowded sometimes.
Be aware that the two sides of the mountain are separate resorts. Hopefully they will be liked by next season.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
Hopefully they will be liked by next season.
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And if they're linked - they'll be liked even more 
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