 Poster: A snowHead
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@denfinella, that 180 number most definitely includes Antagnod, etc. But my perception is that it's somewhat more than 88kms on the main system.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| jaceknowak wrote: |
| I wouldn't book Skiwelt in advance for March and I wouldn't call it "snow sure" by my understanding of this term. |
#1 Many people have to commit to holidays a while in advance and take the punt. #2 As discussed there "snow sure" is in the eye of the beholder but the OP set out their criteria. So does Skiwelt meet that criteria would be the question.
| jaceknowak wrote: |
| Yes, it depends how you define "snow sure" but having pistes open and lifts running doesn't guarantee you will have good skiing. |
It kinda does if you simply enjoy skiing and being in the mountains whatever. My last two trips December 2022 and April 2022 have not been "vintage" - temps too warm on both occasions but a good % of lifts and runs were open and we all had some good skiing and enjoyed being in the mountains. Those holidays were mostly piste skiing because of the conditions. I like to ski off piste and of course being fresh snow sure is vastly harder to attain. But the best things in life rarely come easy 
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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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| Quote: |
#1 Many people have to commit to holidays a while in advance and take the punt.
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Of course and that's what I think is the point of figuring out which resort is "snow sure". I would book Solden for March months in advance but not Skiwelt.
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#2 As discussed there "snow sure" is in the eye of the beholder but the OP set out their criteria. So does Skiwelt meet that criteria would be the question.
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Fair enough, I think it's unlikely there wont be more than a small percentage of lifts open. As for brown runs, I think it's likely there will be some. But you're right, it probably does meet OP's criteria for "snow sure".
My understanding of the OP's question intent was: "Is that true that whatever resort I choose for a trip in March, I will be fine?". My answer to that is "Generally yes but in some resorts you have more chance of being finer than in others."
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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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| jaceknowak wrote: |
| Quote: |
#1 Many people have to commit to holidays a while in advance and take the punt.
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Of course and that's what I think is the point of figuring out which resort is "snow sure". I would book Solden for March months in advance but not Skiwelt.
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#2 As discussed there "snow sure" is in the eye of the beholder but the OP set out their criteria. So does Skiwelt meet that criteria would be the question.
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Fair enough, I think it's unlikely there wont be more than a small percentage of lifts open. As for brown runs, I think it's likely there will be some. But you're right, it probably does meet OP's criteria for "snow sure".
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Snow sure is a well established term - it means will be there be enough snow to ski the majority of the area. Nothing to do with conditions and not really open to interpretation.
It gets a lot more complicated if you want to book in advance for good conditions because everyone has a different idea of what that means. Personally I’d rather book the SkiWelt than Sölden in March (or Sölden in January!) because I like skiing soft snow and the chances are the SkiWelt will have either powder ir spring snow/corn or slush then, whereas if it doesn’t snow fir a while in Sölden chances are you’ll be skiing on re-frozen hardpack until 1pm.
And I really mean that! We booked a weekend in ‘low’ south-facing Saalbach late last season hoping to ski slushy bumps all day. That’s exactly what we got and it was joyous skiing all day long. The most fun you can have onpiste and Far better than scratching about on scraped-off hardpack.
The other advantage of slushy pistes is you don’t have to worry about people skiing too fast for their ability to ski and ability to stop, because slush seems to stop people who can’t ski from skiing at all, whereas on hardpack they don’t realise they can’t ski/stop as well as they think ‘til they crash into someone…
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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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Slush = poor mans powder
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I guess it is in the eye of the beholder. March is normally a very good month for skiing. Most resorts will have a decent base so are able to keep most of their runs open even if it gets a bit warm. Most resorts with the right aspect will have pistes I. Good condition most of the time. But pretty much all lower resorts run the risk of only having snow on the pistes, slushy and poor condition pistes etc. That risk decreases with altitude and aspect. I look for decent snow on piste (I.e. snow and not water), some surrounding snow so not skiing ribbons of snow through brown/green fields, and a chance of dry powder. So as the year progresses I go higher. A very high glaciated area will pretty much guarantee those conditions. So if I want “snow-sure” that is what I will pick, especially if I have to book in advance. And long experience has just reinforced that better conditions are more likely higher up especially as the season progresses.
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The whole question of “snow sure in March” is unfortunately nothing but perpetuating a misconception that March isn’t “winter”!  A misconception by people who live in warmer regions without actual “winter”.
I get that question from people living in the sub-tropics (where my family is from) a lot of the time. March is considered “spring” in large part of the earth where people live. So of course they need to ask if it’s ok to plan ski trips in March.
The fact that almost all major ski resorts are in regions where March is “winter” is lost to people who live in regions where March is “spring time”.
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The end of March can be quite springlike in the French Alps. The verges can be scattered (lovely French word parsemé) with cowslips and primroses. And the first violents coming up in the woods. At the same altitude as the ski slopes. And probably in the Austrian mountains too. A schizophrenic, time. A retreating puddle of meltwater beside a piste will quickly be surrounded by crocuses.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| the first violents coming up in the woods. |
Those pesky violents. Can't be too careful these days 
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| T Bar wrote: |
| I had friends who went to the ski Welt in March and said the conditions were awful and wouldn't return. |
That was my experience too, in the first week of March a good few years ago when temperature were 20c+ at mid station and what snow was there was shin deep slush or boilerplate on the highest stations
I'm sure it was just an unlucky year but I've not been in a rush to go back since
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We were in Les Gets mid-March 2022 and pretty much all the pistes were open, but they were quite slushy and lumpy.
I think we have to accept that good skiing weather is never guaranteed in the same way that you could book a beach holiday to somewhere hot and have it rain all week - luck of the draw, especially when booking in advance
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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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yeah, the post isnt about bad weather, ive been to the US and its been closed because it was too cold (it was -100 wind chill)
where did you go to ski and you couldnt because it was closed
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Tignes. The Grand Motte closed in October. High winds. Several times.
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You know it makes sense.
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Arabba. Birthday Bash. No lifts open, all buried in snow.
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FAQ
