 Poster: A snowHead
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| Harry Flashman wrote: |
The group instruction was pretty average - but that seems to be fairly normal in France anyway!
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Was way, way better than ESF in my (fairly limited) experience of instruction.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'm doing my first UCPA in march, and I wish I'd found out about them sooner. At 38 I'm almost at the end of being able to use UCPA even before I've begun 
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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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Some variation in the incomes of our group but nobody poor. Consequently I try to keep costs down but, as we ski 8 days and 6 of them with a guide (often travelling out on the Friday when I can find a hotel which will do that) it does add up.
I generally reckon about £1,400 each, of which about £400 or so is for the guide. That's without lunches, which are not elaborate - we prioritise (off piste) slope time.
We pick resorts for good, challenging, off piste, but Verbier and some others in Switzerland are now excluded for a while as too expensive. We like less-skied resorts if possible so we are more likely to get fresh-tracks but some places like St Anton just have to be done.
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johnE, Thanks, that clears that up. I'll look forward to a nice short drive to Morzine in Feb and maybe sneak a couple of hours in after lunch.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
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I wish there were much less of them (lifts).
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There are huge areas of the Alps with no lifts at all and plenty to explore - so given that you say you are so "anti" you are indeed hypocritical buying expensive lift passes and then moaning about it! |
There are indeed, and seeing some of your posts it seems we are familiar with the same places. An I hope they will remain. Hence, mentionning ski de randonnee growing in popularity.
I am not so anti. I recognise the need for lifts. Maybe some are less intrusive/invasive/useful or plain obvious than others. However, the fact they are criss-crossing the landscape mercilessly kind of defeats the enjoyment and goal of a holiday (or extended stay) in the mountains.
I am convinced most people on this forum would agree that the reward, is much more the effort you produce (maybe skinning or hiking for a a while after an approach, be it by lift or not) before, during and after earning a great descente than just being dragged or ferried up there while munching on a Mars bar or smoking a cigarette which butt some people are more than happy to discard somewhere below.
There could be less lifts, leaving more open spaces for people to enjoy and thus, the lift pass would be cheaper. On the other hand, on can argue the lift pass fee would remain the same in order to cover for an increased/more developed emergency system in order to respond to accident happening in non marked areas.
The lifts kind of reminds me of airlines, some guaranteeing you 28 weekly flights to Singapore, for example. Is that really necessary ?
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I guess you need to consider the resort as well, no point getting a cheap self-catering deal to a resort with only small, overpriced supermarkets. Also cheap flights can be a trap if then you have to pay for private transfers and some companies charge extra for late arrivals, early departures...
Having a good look online and planning ahead helps to choose the resort, ski school, ski hire. If you have the flexibility you can hang on for last minute deals - tour operators will always try to fill their own chalets and club hotels (SkiWorld, Imghams, Crystal..).
You can also try Chalets Direct's solution room and just set your budget and prefered resorts, some chalet companies might want to give you a deal on certain dates.
Booking ski equipment online can save up to 50% (SkiSet, Intersport). If you get a few people together of the same level then private lessons can work out better than group ones and it's more fun as well.
Quite a few transfer companies offer last years prices or 10% off if you book ahead as well.
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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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| volklwaffen wrote: |
| ...the paper is most probably full of fiber which is good for the marmot's intestinal transit... |
It keeps them 'regular' as my gran would say 
Anyway, an interesting thread so far, although it seems most people's budgets aren't far too removed from one another.
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ansta1, I am self employed also, when I became S/E ( best move I have ever done by the way ) I worked out what I needed to earn each day to maintain my employed salary and maintain my income after taking out time for 4 weeks holidays, 1 week sick and week between xmas and New Year. I can now go away for 4 weeks hols each year (its now 5 actually as we bought a cheap caravan and go away in to for 2 weeks in the summer) without thinking that whilst I am away I am not earning any money I just view time off on hols as paid leave, and more importantly spend quality time with my wife and son as he grows up and still wants to come on holiday with us. Back to the thread, for our weeks skiing I look for the best deal with a T/O that give us ski in ski out location, easy transfer, half board and kids club. Prices have gone up for this season, have had to pay £2400 for the 3 of us to get this inc the kids club but not lift passes yet. I budget on 30 euros on the slopes each day for coffee and food ( we share a Tartiflette most days and a couple of warm drinks with cake ), I find the idea of going back to the hotel/resort for lunch eats in to the skiing time too much. A few drinks in the evening with the meal is fine, cant drink til all hours and ski the next day, and when Ive paid to ski thats what I want to do. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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£100 per day for each full sunny day on the piste is my base price, which includes everything including spending money.
This cannot usually be done outside of Scotland, and it can be even cheaper in Scotland (last year it was about £70 all inclusive).
For a week abroad with 6 full days skiing, that would only be £600. That is barely enough to cover flights, accomodation, lift pass, ski transport and return trip to the airport.
It can be done if you take buses, and go for cheapest options, but you would have very little spending money left over and you would still be likely to get a few white out days out of these 6 days booked.
It is not worth it really, for the extra mileage and variety available.
I would rather climb the local hill on a bright sunny day with no wind, and ski 500m for nothing!
Also, when you consider the difference in price for medical and travel insurance between skiing in Scotland and going abroad the gap in prices widens further.
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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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| geoffknight wrote: |
| ansta1, I am self employed also, when I became S/E ( best move I have ever done by the way ) I worked out what I needed to earn each day to maintain my employed salary and maintain my income after taking out time for 4 weeks holidays, 1 week sick and week between xmas and New Year. I can now go away for 4 weeks hols each year (its now 5 actually as we bought a cheap caravan and go away in to for 2 weeks in the summer) without thinking that whilst I am away I am not earning any money I just view time off on hols as paid leave, and more importantly spend quality time with my wife and son as he grows up and still wants to come on holiday with us. Back to the thread, for our weeks skiing I look for the best deal with a T/O that give us ski in ski out location, easy transfer, half board and kids club. Prices have gone up for this season, have had to pay £2400 for the 3 of us to get this inc the kids club but not lift passes yet. I budget on 30 euros on the slopes each day for coffee and food ( we share a Tartiflette most days and a couple of warm drinks with cake ), I find the idea of going back to the hotel/resort for lunch eats in to the skiing time too much. A few drinks in the evening with the meal is fine, cant drink til all hours and ski the next day, and when Ive paid to ski thats what I want to do. |
agree and that is all factored in, its just the mental niggle that if i am out of the office i'm losing £x per day/week.
havent had a sick day in over 15 years, despite working 6/7 days most weeks in one way or another.
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feef,
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| I'm doing my first UCPA in march, and I wish I'd found out about them sooner. At 38 I'm almost at the end of being able to use UCPA even before I've begun |
I'm 47 and will be doing my 4th UCPA trip this season. £780 for the guided off-piste week inc. flights and transfer is unbeatable value. As snowball says, just hiring a guide for 5 days would cost around £400.
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You know it makes sense.
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Total budget £1000/person to include private lessons and spending money.
Our DIY booking for February 2013 in Mayrhofen= £1160 for two people, S/C in an apartment, flights (with ski carriage & prebooked seats etc), return minibus transfers and 6 days lift passes. Leaving £400 for 3 days private ski lessons and £450-ish for spending money/food money.
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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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I always reckon £1k per person per week to a standard TO CC on a quiet week to cover everything.
The 'luxuries' in that would be:
Lunches on the slope €10-15 per person per day.
Nice meal out on the night off at €50ish including wine.
I try not to drink out and about, often buy bottles of supermarket wine or beer to have in the chalet after dinner.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Though usually somewhat frugal, I don't have much financial discipline on holiday.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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laundryman, There's a lot to be said for that. Having sorted most things as cheaply as possible I then tend to take the attitude o f"I'm on holiday now so if I/we want it I/we can have it"
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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.
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| Chasseur wrote: |
Interesting.
I do like the opinion split i.e. those that aren't overly bothered about the cost of skiing - as in "it is a holiday, after all, and I want to have a good time, so cost is secondary to that" and then those who passionately look to screw down the last cent in the pursuit of achieving their week or two away on the slopes with every cost-cutting trick in the book.
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From the cost-cutting perspective, there is the possibility that some people look to squeeze as much skiing as possible into a season and that saving £300 on a couple of trips pays for an extra week.
While not that cost conscious re holidays I do find myself appraising summer holiday options through a filter of "Hmm why would I pay that for a long haul flight when there's no snow there".
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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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| fatbob wrote: |
| Chasseur wrote: |
Interesting.
I do like the opinion split i.e. those that aren't overly bothered about the cost of skiing - as in "it is a holiday, after all, and I want to have a good time, so cost is secondary to that" and then those who passionately look to screw down the last cent in the pursuit of achieving their week or two away on the slopes with every cost-cutting trick in the book.
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From the cost-cutting perspective, there is the possibility that some people look to squeeze as much skiing as possible into a season and that saving £300 on a couple of trips pays for an extra week.
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As I said, both approaches are fine with me
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I have to admit that on the last trip me and the missus made to L2A, we did head back to the chalet a lot to take advantage of the free tea/coffee and the cakes. It was more out of taking it easy than any cost cutting - we'd hammer around in the morning and then come 1pm, we'd be back at base eating and drinking the freebies. We'd also take a half baguette filled with meat and cheese out with us as a bit of extra fuel, but would also grab something to eat either in the resort (crepes, chips, stuff like that) or we'd have a sarnie or something similar on the slopes, all depending on where we were at the time and how big the queues were at the eateries.
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I do remember a thread way back where myself and another long-gone SnowHead tried to outdo each other with the low cost of our ski holiday. I think we both went to Serre Chevalier.
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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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musher, Alps are great in summer & a lot more laid back. Don't underestimate how steep hiking "that gentle blue" will be however.
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Alps in the summer or another skiing holiday...hmmmmmmmmmmm
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Chasseur wrote: |
| I reckon on about £100 - £150/day spending money if staying somewhere on an HB basis. |
If half board, what does the £100-£150 per day spending money cover? Beer? I normally find £200 per week is sufficient for me, but I'm not much of a drinker...
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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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queen bodecia, lunch as well? It does seem a bit steep though even for me who does tend to knock back the wine.
I would probably budget that per day for two of us self-catering and including lunch and evening drinks.
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Hells Bells, yes I normally take €300 and bring back €50-€100. Dinner on the mountain is usually around €10 per day, plus same again on drinks plus a few bits and bobs here and there. There's not really much opportunity to spend money anywhere else unless you go to places like Zermatt and Kitzbühel where there are loads of shops.
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You know it makes sense.
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| queen bodecia wrote: |
| Chasseur wrote: |
| I reckon on about £100 - £150/day spending money if staying somewhere on an HB basis. |
If half board, what does the £100-£150 per day spending money cover? Beer? I normally find £200 per week is sufficient for me, but I'm not much of a drinker... |
Airport/plane food/drinks, lunch, drinks (on-mountain/apres - alchoholic or non as the case may be), replacement/new gear (sometimes), wine with dinner (asuming not CC inclusive deal), taxis etc etc - stuff, basically. As said before, I don't like to feel that one has to scrimp when its a holiday.
Each to their own and all that, eh?
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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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With the job I currently have, I can't afford to go skiing. I'm somehow booked to go to St Anton in January, though!
Managed to get flights, transfer and accom for £430 which I think is pretty good. Add another £270 for pass and skis.
Not bothered about lunch on the mountain at all, It'll normally consist of something from the supermarket and maybe a beer if we stop. The main extra cost will probably be beer, eating is done from the supermarket or 1 meal a day at a cheaper restaurant in town (pizza, probably!)
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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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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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The Farinet does look rather nice http://www.hg2verbier.com/bars/club/---farinet---switzerland though not quite the rather edgier, dancing on the tables places I'd probably head for, given the choice 
queen bodecia, not exactly skinny, if that's what you mean. Its not that hard to spend in the mountains, if you relax the purse strings a bit you know. Coffee and a large brandy at 9.30, hot chocolate and rum around 11, a couple of beers with lunch, a few vin-chauds around 3pm and then a good 3-4 beers before dinner. Bottle of wine with dinner and then out again for more beer and shots. Its really not that difficult.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Chasseur, that's way more than I could manage... 
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| fatbob wrote: |
| musher, Alps are great in summer & a lot more laid back. Don't underestimate how steep hiking "that gentle blue" will be however. |
Indeed !... I can only agree on that !
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That's a pretty lethal regime, even for a holiday.
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pam w, all a thing of the past, I rather think 
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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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| Chasseur wrote: |
Interesting.
I do like the opinion split i.e. those that aren't overly bothered about the cost of skiing - as in "it is a holiday, after all, and I want to have a good time, so cost is secondary to that" and then those who passionately look to screw down the last cent in the pursuit of achieving their week or two away on the slopes with every cost-cutting trick in the book. |
It's interesting indeed. I'm going to Vail in February with the in-laws. There are 8 of going in total...all staying in one self-catering chalet. Half of us are from the 'I couldn't care less what it costs' school of thought and the other half are the home-made sandwichs on the slopes, penny-pinching sort. It'll be the first time we've all been away together and the arguments have already started about what/where we'll be eating in the evening. We want to eat out most nights, the others want to stay in every night and have us all share the cooking and food shopping  It's going to be an interesting trip i'm sure!
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My own reading of this thread is a bit different. There are a few "have a blow out and hang the expense" contributors, and some "pinch rolls from the breakfast buffet" penny pinchers, but most seem to fall into a sensible mid-range. Have a decent holiday without spending more than is necessary to have a good time or running serious risks to health by drinking obscene amounts of alcohol.
Katie Smiler, Hmm. I'd suggest that you come to an arrangement where the "savers" shop, cook and pay for meals in for half the holiday, and the "spenders" treat them to dinners out for the other half. Each group then spends about as much as they would if they had things entirely their own way, and the holiday should be most enjoyable!
Or, of course, each group does its own thing....
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FAQ
