 Poster: A snowHead
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@Kramer,
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Sorry to bore you.
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Sorry, didn't mean to suggest you bored me, it's the whole tenor of this thread and so many people (admittedly not all) thinking that their way is the right way.
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Unfortunately I'm rarely down in London these days.
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 Let me know if you do - a trip to Lima on me awaits!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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A decent lunch on the mountain cost somewhere in the region of 15€
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No, it doesn't. Though you can get chicken nuggets, chips and a glass of wine for that price in my favourite place in Les Saisies.
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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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| Hurtle wrote: |
Sorry, didn't mean to suggest you bored me, it's the whole tenor of this thread and so many people (admittedly not all) thinking that their way is the right way.
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Welcome to the internets.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Chaletbeauroc, indeed
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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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| johnE wrote: |
| ......A decent lunch on the mountain cost somewhere in the region of 15€....... |
Wow there's a whole new thread there....
But again depends on the resort and country and if up the mountain or down in the valley, and if you're stupid enough to order Chantilly for your hot chocolate 
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@Weathercam, It also rather depends on what you consider a decent lunch. If strapped for cash I'd always recommend a Goulash Soup, available in many of the Swiss mountain restaurants, usually with a good amount of beef in it, full of flavour and with plenty of bread. Will still only set you back around ten or eleven francs. Proper main dishes tend to start at around chf20 or just under, plus drinks or anything else, some places still do a set 'menu du jour' for around chf25, including a starter, a drink, a main and a desert of some description.
You can generally work out the best/cheapest places by watching where the ski instructors eat.
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Plat du Jour is IMHO a decent lunch and at Les Arcs area is around 15€. OK I don't drink alcohol at lunch and hate sweet pop so only drink the table water. Others may, as is the theme of this thread at the moment, chose to add more on
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@Kramer, and I forgot to add to my post, agreeing about costs, that the snow in Saalbach 2 weeks ago was good, excellent piste up high, but somewhat soft below 1300 in the afternoons. Off-piste pretty non-existant though.
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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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@dunc999, thanks for that constructive contribution to this thread. 
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@Kramer, <looks_at_thread_title> Oh well, if it's constructive you want, then we had a great ski yesterday on the Swiss side of the PdS, impressive how well they've managed the snow, nary a brown patch on the pistes anywhere.#
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You can generally work out the best/cheapest places by watching where the ski instructors eat
I think that depends on who is paying for their meal
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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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Beautiful day in the mountains today. Cold air, blue skies, suns out. Pistes running smooth and fast with great cover above 2000m. You’d have to be pretty miserable not to enjoy it
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| BobinCH wrote: |
| You’d have to be pretty miserable not to enjoy it |
Challenge accepted!
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You know it makes sense.
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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
| @Kramer, <looks_at_thread_title> Oh well, if it's constructive you want, then we had a great ski yesterday on the Swiss side of the PdS, impressive how well they've managed the snow, nary a brown patch on the pistes anywhere.# |
I love PdS, how are the links at the moment?
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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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@BobinCH, are you affected by the French half-term holidays, or they probably don't, like Italy, want to venture out of France to Verbier etc?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| DavidYacht wrote: |
You can generally work out the best/cheapest places by watching where the ski instructors eat
I think that depends on who is paying for their meal |
Those were my thoughts too.
I was told by a snowboard guide that apparently snowboarders don't tend to buy their guides lunch like skiers do.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Weathercam wrote: |
| @BobinCH, are you affected by the French half-term holidays, or they probably don't, like Italy, want to venture out of France to Verbier etc? |
No but we are affected by the Swiss, Swedish and UK half term holidays.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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| Kramer wrote: |
| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
| @Kramer, <looks_at_thread_title> Oh well, if it's constructive you want, then we had a great ski yesterday on the Swiss side of the PdS, impressive how well they've managed the snow, nary a brown patch on the pistes anywhere.# |
I love PdS, how are the links at the moment? |
The link to Chalet Neuf/Superchâtel stopped running on Saturday, I believe. TBH It was astonishing that they managed to keep them open as long as they did.
In previous seasons, when that ink is not open they've extended the navette bus services to go all the way to the lac de Vonnes car park (Gabelou and PdS chair lifts) and back- this year they've been running a link-up service from the Pas de Morgins on both sides, but not too frequently, and I haven't been able to confirm whether this is instead of or in addition to the previous operations, which were never easy to get information about at the best of times.
Other links to Avoriaz from Châtel and les Crosets are all open and in good condition AFAIAA.
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@Kramer, the ice rink of a mogul field in the other thread should give you a hint. This has been a particularly difficult season under 2000m, while better than average above 2500m. If that’s the trend PdS is really going to struggle
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@BobinCH, unfortunately I think so too. A shame, because as I say, they were great fun resorts. It was always fun to do the full tour, and fairly easily accessible to low intermediates too. 
This is what I mean about people becoming accustomed to poor conditions. To be fair, some of the people who can remember regularly skiing down to Le Chable/Innsbruck/Bourg St Maurice in the 60s and 70s must have felt the same way about us.
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Just to add some perspective, 3 of us skied 2 weeks ago in Grandvalira for £700 pp full board including lift passes and ski carriage. 2 weeks before that 2 of us skied in Paradiski for £930pp half board, ski in ski out, including lift pass and ski carriage (and I spent another £150 or so on lunches for both of us, so roughly a grand per person all in), and 1 month before that I skied on my own in L2A for £1100 all in (which included ski hire that time instead of taking my own gear as the carrier wanted too much money).
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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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| Kramer wrote: |
| This is what I mean about people becoming accustomed to poor conditions. |
Folks are finally adjusting to the new normal.
Rain is the new snow.
Ice is the new hardpack.
Dust on crust is the new pow.
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| Kramer wrote: |
@BobinCH, unfortunately I think so too. A shame, because as I say, they were great fun resorts. It was always fun to do the full tour, and fairly easily accessible to low intermediates too.
This is what I mean about people becoming accustomed to poor conditions. To be fair, some of the people who can remember regularly skiing down to Le Chable/Innsbruck/Bourg St Maurice in the 60s and 70s must have felt the same way about us. |
The conditions are only poor low down. You think it is a poor season but in Verbier we have had a fantastic season so far. Skiing to Le Châble is overrated. We were skiing Attelas couloirs in November, backside Mont Fort in early December and Bec des Rosses in January.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Lauchernalp
Zero viz
Much snow
6 lifts
Massive linking off-piste
5.70chf for parking
Nice
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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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The conditions are only poor low down
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Was in Val D a few weeks again, and even high conditions weren't what I'd consider "good". No snow in 10+ days, +5 degrees, off piste pretty much nonexistent. Granted snow depth wasn't an issue, and pistes were reasonable. I'm sure they had some great early season conditions, but that's the joy of living in/next to a resort - you will almost always get some good weeks even in a bad season. The issue is for holiday makers booking a ski week a few months before. Can they book Europe with any certainty? Probably fine for enough snow cover at higher resorts and piste skiing, but maybe not if they want some fresh snow or off piste.
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| boarder2020 wrote: |
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The conditions are only poor low down
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Was in Val D a few weeks again, and even high conditions weren't what I'd consider "good". No snow in 10+ days, +5 degrees, off piste pretty much nonexistent. Granted snow depth wasn't an issue, and pistes were reasonable. I'm sure they had some great early season conditions, but that's the joy of living in/next to a resort - you will almost always get some good weeks even in a bad season. The issue is for holiday makers booking a ski week a few months before. Can they book Europe with any certainty? Probably fine for enough snow cover at higher resorts and piste skiing, but maybe not if they want some fresh snow or off piste. |
Strange comment. You can’t guarantee fresh snow every week of the season anywhere! US and Canada have been much worse than Europe this season even if they improved recently. They can’t even run the Kicking Horse FWT comp on the Ozone it’s so bad. They had to move the comp from Andorra to Verbier a couple of weeks back and it was excellent. Even Niseko has had some poor conditions early this season.
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You know it makes sense.
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@BobinCH, could not agree more, it has never been the case that you can guarantee good off piste or fresh snow months in advance. Best to pick a resort with reliable pistes (snowmaking and high) and be pleasantly surprised if there is good off piste conditions. I go with the hope rather than expectation, and pretty much all my off piste is last minute when conditions are good.
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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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| Origen wrote: |
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A decent lunch on the mountain cost somewhere in the region of 15€
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No, it doesn't. Though you can get chicken nuggets, chips and a glass of wine for that price in my favourite place in Les Saisies. |
A very nice and considerably large Tartiflette and green salad in LDA two weeks ago cost €18, we split it as was comfortably enough for two. I’d say it was decent.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| jirac18 wrote: |
| Origen wrote: |
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A decent lunch on the mountain cost somewhere in the region of 15€
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No, it doesn't. Though you can get chicken nuggets, chips and a glass of wine for that price in my favourite place in Les Saisies. |
A very nice and considerably large Tartiflette and green salad in LDA two weeks ago cost €18, we split it as was comfortably enough for two. I’d say it was decent. |
Thank you for your contribution. How was the snow?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| BobinCH wrote: |
| boarder2020 wrote: |
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The conditions are only poor low down
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Was in Val D a few weeks again, and even high conditions weren't what I'd consider "good". No snow in 10+ days, +5 degrees, off piste pretty much nonexistent. Granted snow depth wasn't an issue, and pistes were reasonable. I'm sure they had some great early season conditions, but that's the joy of living in/next to a resort - you will almost always get some good weeks even in a bad season. The issue is for holiday makers booking a ski week a few months before. Can they book Europe with any certainty? Probably fine for enough snow cover at higher resorts and piste skiing, but maybe not if they want some fresh snow or off piste. |
Strange comment. You can’t guarantee fresh snow every week of the season anywhere! US and Canada have been much worse than Europe this season even if they improved recently. They can’t even run the Kicking Horse FWT comp on the Ozone it’s so bad. They had to move the comp from Andorra to Verbier a couple of weeks back and it was excellent. Even Niseko has had some poor conditions early this season. |
I never said I expected a powder day. In fact if you go back and read some of my posts I've acknowledged that even in places that get lots of snow like BC they are quite a rare thing. But zero snow in over 10 days plus temperatures getting up to +5c at 2500m, and off piste completely awful. Not expecting that when I book to one of the higher snow sure resorts in Europe at the end of January. But perhaps my expectations are too high?
Yes n America has had an awful season too. But it feels like the first one in a while, certainly some places like Tahoe had an excellent previous year (second snowiest on record I believe). Whereas Europe feels like it's on a downward slope with bad year after bad year.
Yes kicking horse had to move the comp to a different face. At least that was an option unlike Andorra where there presumably was not enough snow to host it at all. Perhaps Verbier is having a good season, bit it seems to be an exception rather than the norm.
But bang the drum about Europe still being good all you like. Whatever keeps people away from here
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| BobinCH wrote: |
| boarder2020 wrote: |
| BobinCH wrote: |
| boarder2020 wrote: |
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The conditions are only poor low down
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Was in Val D a few weeks again, and even high conditions weren't what I'd consider "good". No snow in 10+ days, +5 degrees, off piste pretty much nonexistent. Granted snow depth wasn't an issue, and pistes were reasonable. I'm sure they had some great early season conditions, but that's the joy of living in/next to a resort - you will almost always get some good weeks even in a bad season. The issue is for holiday makers booking a ski week a few months before. Can they book Europe with any certainty? Probably fine for enough snow cover at higher resorts and piste skiing, but maybe not if they want some fresh snow or off piste. |
Strange comment. You can’t guarantee fresh snow every week of the season anywhere! US and Canada have been much worse than Europe this season even if they improved recently. They can’t even run the Kicking Horse FWT comp on the Ozone it’s so bad. They had to move the comp from Andorra to Verbier a couple of weeks back and it was excellent. Even Niseko has had some poor conditions early this season. |
I never said I expected a powder day. In fact if you go back and read some of my posts I've acknowledged that even in places that get lots of snow like BC they are quite a rare thing. But zero snow in over 10 days plus temperatures getting up to +5c at 2500m, and off piste completely awful. Not expecting that when I book to one of the higher snow sure resorts in Europe at the end of January. But perhaps my expectations are too high?
Yes n America has had an awful season too. But it feels like the first one in a while, certainly some places like Tahoe had an excellent previous year (second snowiest on record I believe). Whereas Europe feels like it's on a downward slope with bad year after bad year.
Yes kicking horse had to move the comp to a different face. At least that was an option unlike Andorra where there presumably was not enough snow to host it at all. Perhaps Verbier is having a good season, bit it seems to be an exception rather than the norm.
But bang the drum about Europe still being good all you like. Whatever keeps people away from here |
What was strange was that you took a one off experience in Val d’Isere and extrapolated it to the demise of European skiing. In the same year that Whistler had no snow for 3 months and people queueing for miles paying 300 CAD to ski on rocks  |
I'm not extrapolating my 1 week in Val D. The thread is "is anywhere in Europe decent right now?". Someone said up high and I mentioned that even Val D pretty recently wasn't up to much.
Hardly a massive thread drift, or particularly controversial, to point out Europe seems to be on a downward trend over the last few winters. Seems more weird to try and justify another not particularly great winter in Europe by saying "yeah but it's not as bad as a resort in Canada".
But like I say, I'd rather keep the "there's no problem, Europe winters are as good as ever" narrative going so why not
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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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| boarder2020 wrote: |
But like I say, I'd rather keep the "there's no problem, Europe winters are as good as ever" narrative going so why not |
You’re making stuff up again. I simply said it’s been a good season high up to counter the narrative that’s it’s a poor season (which it is low down). And the facts showing snow depths at 2500m well above average substantiate that, even if you couldn’t find any decent snow in VDI
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It's very nice skiing in Norway right now.
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| Kramer wrote: |
| Skiing, when it's good conditions (good snow cover and skiable all over the mountain so that links are open without having to schlep around on buses etc) is great fun. Mountain biking (to me) is even funnerer, it's just hard to do it reliably in winter. |
Trois Vallees, quote from yesterday:
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| Every piste and every lift open in Courchevel today, in fact the only pistes closed in The 3 Valleys are the black Tetras and Couloir Tournier in Méribel plus the low pistes down to Raffort / Les Allues (a few Stade pistes closed for race training too). |
Some reality checks needed on costs as ever with snowheads 
4 days with family
Flights for 4 INC one ski bag, 1x23kg hold bag, 1x15kg hold bags, 2 x cabin bags £560
3 valleys 4 day Lift passes for 4 £1033
Tiny apartment for 4 : £725
Lunches for 4 - cheapest £43.46, most expensive £98.94
Evening meals for 4 - cheapest pasta in the apart, most expensive £181
Car hire : £235
Parking £30 in Liverpool
Not included: tolls, petrol, ski hire for 2
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@Kramer, FWIW this is from Meteo France for the Vanoise region
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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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Oh go on @kitenski, sum the total. The people demand it.
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@Orwell, far too scary to do that for a 4 day break 
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