 Poster: A snowHead
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What is that about?
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well, as mine was the first exasperated response, it was "about" your absurd claim that there was "barely any snow in resorts near Geneva". Not to mention the dubious implication that little would have changed in almost a month's time.
Without that, the basic question at the top of the thread - an interesting one - would have received much more thoughtful answers, I'm sure.
(I can hear the rumble of the second snowplough of the morning up my road, as I type and it's not even mid January yet ). 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Up until NY i was thinking of not going on my already booked ski trip. Self employed means it costs me a fortune everytime i take a aweek off and if I'm going to loose/spend that amount of dosh I want it to be good. Having said that I am now going as there is now enough snow to ski on and any day skiing is better than working as has been previously said. Hope that's a sensible answer to the OP.
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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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Depends.
If pre booked and cancellation costs serious money then very little would stop me going skiing.
If the only thing booked is can week's annual leave then the decision to go is more conditions dependent - no point spending money on a less good holiday if it could be kept for a better one later in the season - assuming there's only enough money for one holiday but enough leave for several.
Probably Half Term in a large French resort - busy, people skiing like they drive, would go to less well known resort or argue with the school in early years, or just go at Easter rather than that bun fight.
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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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| horgand wrote: |
Folks, go easy for gawds sakes the op is asking a legitimate question looking for reasonable opinions, for me it's when the hassle and costs don't justify the probability of of good skiing. In persistent white outs, or wind, our dangerous crap skiing, I'd prefer to be swimming and running in Ireland, but that's just my 2 & a1/2 pierce worth.... each to their own!!  |
Fair point. Think some folk get a bit protective of "their resort" and do not welcome any suggestion that the snow conditions there are not absolutely amazing. It's ok.We are dealing with the weather gods. Sometimes they will not be kind. Just the way it is.
If you're booked into resort x for certain week, then go and just make the best of it. If you have flexibility as to when and where to go, perhaps look at all options. Austria may be a better bet this year or defer for a while and hope things improve.
next year or the year after, France may have pristine conditions from early December through to early May.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Think some folk get a bit protective of "their resort" and do not welcome any suggestion that the snow conditions there are not absolutely amazing
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maybe sometimes, but that's not the case here. I have reported regularly for years on conditions that are well short of amazing but to suggest there's "barely any snow" is plain wrong.
The absolutely worst skiing conditions I've personally known were in Arabba last year when every single lift was closed because of the huge amount of snow and off piste skiing was prohibited by law because of the dangers.
There are plenty of days when I don't think it's worth going skiing. Particularly white outs, but also high winds/cold, if I'm feeling grotty or if (as at New Year, though the snow was excellent) the lift queues are too long and the pistes too crowded.
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Another who had thought about this in the lead up to out NY trip. We had brought our 4 teens/young adults this year and had forked out a lot of dosh on this trip and did want some return. Luckily it all came together for our trip a few days before we arrived. However if we had been there over Christmas I think I would have been crying into my Gluwein.
In another year or two there will only be hubby & I on ski trips so the outlay won't be as eye watering as this years trip and I will be able to adopt the its a holiday and beats being at home attitude.
I have learnt a lot from having booked a Christmas and a New Year trip in the last two years, won't be going early season for a few years. My nerves need to recover from the late snow arrival this year.
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| cstreat wrote: |
For the majority of ski holiday makers, I would question if it is a sport: a sport is something you are fit at, do regularly, and do not mix with alcohol; how many runners/cyclists/footballers stop half way and think " oh, I`ll have a couple with lunch" , after doing squats a few times a day in the preceding weeks ? |
Skiing is a sport........it has several disciplines (Nordic and Alpine) in the olympic games for a reason.
If you want to stop for 2 hour lunches and drink alcohol its up to you. I'm a competitive runner and take on nutrition and hydrate regularly on long distance events....exactly the same applies to skiing. If you want to hydrate with a glass of wine and take on nutrition in the form of a tartiflette then its up to you. Personally i would rather have water/coke and sandwich.
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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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Skiing is a sport........it has several disciplines (Nordic and Alpine) in the olympic games for a reason.
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Yes but..... swimming is a sport in exactly the same way. Doesn't mean everybody who has a splash around in a pool,alternating with a session in the bacteria-tub and a few slides down the flume feels that they are taking part in a "sporting activity".
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I can vouch for Trysil in Norway - we had a cracking time there. It was nice not having to worry about snow (although visibility was an issue on one day) which we did the year before in Ellmau (loads of grass and mud by the end). Any resort that will give you your money back if there is poor snow has to be worth a look! That said, it looks like many parts of Europe are fine this year.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I would question if it is a sport:
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Of course it is not a sport. Sport requires the use of a horse.
Surely it is a completely irrelevant question. We all know what skiing is, but actually do not know what sport is: is motor racing a sport? and if it is then so is chess, and if it is then so is poker, and if it then so is pitch and toss. And to go another way is competative rock climbing a sport? and if so then is rock climbing a sport? and if so is scrambling? and if so is hiking? and if so is walking up the stairs?
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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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| pam w wrote: |
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Skiing is a sport........it has several disciplines (Nordic and Alpine) in the olympic games for a reason.
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Yes but..... swimming is a sport in exactly the same way. Doesn't mean everybody who has a splash around in a pool,alternating with a session in the bacteria-tub and a few slides down the flume feels that they are taking part in a "sporting activity". |
Agreed.....this brings us nicely round to the title of this thread "At what point is it not even worth going skiing?".....maybe if you treat skiing as "just a holiday" you can do without it??? Runners need to run....Cyclists need to cycle.....Boarders need to board......skiers need to ski.
All can be taken part in good weather conditions and bad weather conditions.
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| 2waterford wrote: |
Another who had thought about this in the lead up to out NY trip. We had brought our 4 teens/young adults this year and had forked out a lot of dosh on this trip and did want some return. Luckily it all came together for our trip a few days before we arrived. However if we had been there over Christmas I think I would have been crying into my Gluwein. .....
I have learnt a lot from having booked a Christmas and a New Year trip in the last two years, won't be going early season for a few years. My nerves need to recover from the late snow arrival this year. |
I think those enough lucky enough to be living in the mountains or who spend the winter months there can afford to be a bit more phlegmatic and cool about less than ideal conditions, knowing that even in a poor season, there will be at least a few weeks when they can avail of perfect conditions with wonderful scenery right down to resort level.
For those of us consigned to one or perhaps two weeks on the slopes in any season, it is only natural to want to avoid bare,icy slopes, closed lifts and brown/greenish runs down to resort level. Obviously it's in the lap of the weather gods and nothing can be done except perhaps leave booking to as close to departure as possible and be flexible re region/country.
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You know it makes sense.
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| johnE wrote: |
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I would question if it is a sport:
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Of course it is not a sport. Sport requires the use of a horse. |
Shootin' and fishin' don't require horses.
Skiing is a sport for me. I could have set off to the Alps today but decided to stay at home because of the snow conditions, will think about going out in March, I did ski in November though.
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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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Back to OP: I reckon I've probably got another 15 seasons in me (if lucky) so @ 3 weeks per year, that makes 45 weeks until I can't physically ski. Therefore won't ski is not on my radar.
Summary of pithy responses:
Bad day in the mountains always better than a good day in the office
All skiing days are good days, it's just that some are better than others
Really bad weather is why ski stations have bars and spas.
( but... there's no such thing as bad weather, only poor clothing)
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Poster: A snowHead
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Bad day in the mountains always better than a good day in the office
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this isn't always true; depends what makes the day bad. If it's a compound fracture and some hours of agony, I've had many better days in the office. If it's poor snow conditions, or a white out, or being freezing cold then finding a nice restaurant with a huge vat of delicious home made soup, crispy baguettes, a real fire, hangers to put your jackets up to warm and nice warm slippers to put on and defrost your feet, then that's extremely pleasant.
But for many people they will only get one week skiing and if, as someone argued, they are self-employed a week off work will cost them a lot, before they start paying for the holiday. So judging the likelihood of finding good days in the mountains, rather than poor days, is important.
There are rules of thumb (early season snow is statistically quite likely to be poor, though there are people who deny that such a thing is true), best not to book too far in advance, be flexible, etc etc etc. But sometimes it's just bad - or good - luck.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We are always happy to be in the mountains at any time although Musher can get a bit restive without his planks on his feet 
As a a cross country skier my snow is often gone first so I go hiking sightseeing and shopping, there is always plenty to do and the trains in Austria and Switzerland where we go are good for day trips.
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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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@Paul100,
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I think those enough lucky enough to be living in the mountains or who spend the winter months there can afford to be a bit more phlegmatic and cool about less than ideal conditions, knowing that even in a poor season, there will be at least a few weeks when they can avail of perfect conditions with wonderful scenery right down to resort level.
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you have hit the nail on the head there. Sums us up, and we know we are lucky (and are older and have worked for it though) we certainly don't have
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another 15 seasons
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in us so are enjoying what we can, while we can, and I for one don't want to cause myself any unnecessary injuries. I have enough friends now dropping out due to their 'crumbly bones' and played bridge last night with someone who had a nasty fall the other day on her new hip and wasn't too happy about that, but as @pam w, has said we enjoyed
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huge vat of delicious home made soup, crispy baguettes, a real fire, hangers to put your jackets up to
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once we got home, everything drying away, hot baths, supper sorted, books to enjoy, TV to catch up on - BUT particularly at the moment we are also glad that we do't happen to have any friends or family due here this week so we are not having to work out the best places to go to help someone enjoy their one week of the year.
And we had chosen to go away this year for New Year so while we enjoyed a great time skiing in Vermont, our guests who were staying in our chalet enjoyed the snow in Les Gets. We found out when we got back that the Christmas guests had cancelled at the last minute, so I had wasted a lot of nervous energy fretting about their lack of snow unnecessarily.
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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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Are you a Leprechaun or do you just have short legs
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Beginning Jan in St Gervais 2013
Beginning Feb in Val d'Isere 2014
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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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Up to waist once skiing and snow pilled up in front. Waist deep probably slight exaggeration but still more snow than I have ever seen.
Was fun to learn to ski powder and my first time venturing off piste with a guide.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Without that, the basic question at the top of the thread - an interesting one - would have received much more thoughtful answers, I'm sure.
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Agree
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| pam w wrote: |
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Bad day in the mountains always better than a good day in the office
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this isn't always true; depends what makes the day bad. If it's a compound fracture and some hours of agony, I've had many better days in the office. If it's poor snow conditions, or a white out, or being freezing cold then finding a nice restaurant with a huge vat of delicious home made soup, crispy baguettes, a real fire, hangers to put your jackets up to warm and nice warm slippers to put on and defrost your feet, then that's extremely pleasant.
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hm...i have to admit that i must agree with you
However ...
i had a fracture twice because of snowboarding...the first time was my humerus bone in arm (little below from shoulder) and the other one, a rip
However, for me even so, it is better from a day in the office...
Poor snow conditions? my opinion is that alway could make a few turns...
white out? yeap..that sucks...but also enjoy a couple of hours
freezing cold?yeahhhh... acceptable...we are talking about skiing, so sometimes happens...
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@turms, I am retired now but had many very enjoyable days in the office, actually! It's rather bleak to think of someone so unhappy in their job that they'd rather be having their arm broken. 
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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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of course...i could not deny that
but even so, an accident on mountain has its own beauty....and above all you are on a mountain...
ok, of course away from us...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| turms wrote: |
of course...i could not deny that
but even so, an accident on mountain has its own beauty....and above all you are on a mountain...
ok, of course away from us... |
So an accident on a mountain has its own beauty...This is better than "waist deep in powder for the last 2 years without skiing a piste" ......this has since been played down to a "slight exaggeration "
I check this part of forum out for Snow Conditions and like to read the outlook thread....is this really the correct part of the snowheads forum to be talking nonsense like this. Any chance of moving it to another forum/room within snowheads.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Wed 14-01-15 21:30; edited 1 time in total
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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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Sorry everyone......it's just the title of this thread makes no sense to me.
Especially in the snow conditions and weather forum of snowheads.
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You know it makes sense.
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@hedley, or Ceefax...
and then your OH would ask you a question just as page 22 came up, and you'd miss it, and have to cycle through again... 
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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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@Arctic Roll, oh yes I'd forgotten about good old ceefax
Seriously though going on holiday was more of punt back in the day.
Nowadays we can check everything beforehand. to the point of OCD.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| bluenatic wrote: |
| turms wrote: |
of course...i could not deny that
but even so, an accident on mountain has its own beauty....and above all you are on a mountain...
ok, of course away from us... |
So an accident on a mountain has its own beauty...This is better than "waist deep in powder for the last 2 years without skiing a piste" ......this has since been played down to a "slight exaggeration "
I check this part of forum out for Snow Conditions and like to read the outlook thread....is this really the correct part of the snowheads forum to be talking nonsense like this. Any chance of moving it to another forum/room within snowheads. |
i didnt understand what are you trying to say...sorry my English are not perfect.
And yes....everything is included in the game....accidents, white out, poor snow etc etc etc
what do you mean by "waist deep in powder for the last 2 years without skiing a piste"
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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When a resort like le Grand Bornand starts posting snow depths down to individual centimetres rather than rounding to the nearest 5 like most years you know things are a bit bad:
Le Grand-Bornand (1300 m) updated : 14/01/15 12 cm 35 cm
12cm at 1300 m !
Still maybe better than the home run at Pipay (1600m) / les 7 Laux yesterday.
that's definitely well past the point where I will pay to ski.
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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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Let's summarise.
In general things are a bit shoite. Skiable but shoite.
By Monday there will be some more faces.
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FAQ
