 Poster: A snowHead
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A good friend of mine will be 50 in late March and I am trying to find a skiing trip to take him on to celebrate.
Amazingly our wives seem to to be encouraging this.
He is Italian but based in London. He is a fabulous piste skier, able to get his hips to the snow when carving and only a slightly less good off-piste skier.
We would probably have only a week to ten days.
I would love to suggest heliskiing but unless someone knows somewhere this can be done cheaply then it would be just too expensive.
Ideally this holiday would be challenging but not too extreme as, though I am not a bad skier with nearly 30 years experience, I am not nearly as good as him!
A little comfort/good food would be nice .... but I am open to suggestions.
Not being youngsters, a meal with a good bottle of wine is preferable to clubbing!
I am looking for something a bit special .... he owns a chalet in Sauze D'Oulx so skis there most of the time with his family so doesn't get pushed enough.
Simply going to a better resort would be good but something with a bit of the 'wow' factor would be great.
Any (not too expensive) suggestions would be gratefully accepted?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Che idea fantastica! Sounds like he's cracked skiing. How about a "learn to snowboard" week with private lessons somewhere like Zermatt? Or a week's ski touring, staying in mountain huts? There are plenty of experienced ski tourers on snowheads who could advise (I'm not one of them, sadly).
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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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Or heli-skiing perhaps at La Thuile
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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North America ? Completely different experience IMHO.
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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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Stay at Hotel Maiensee in St Christoph and take in a Heli day with Wucher doing Mehlsack, with a big lunch in Lech on his birthday! PM me if you want any web links. Lots of options for great days, could easily fill 10 days with quality stuff to do. That's where me and my OH had our big birthdays, but we couldn't run to Maiensee or Heli day!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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What about one of the following:
A week with mountaintracks learning off-piste. See where they are going late March. Will be fabulous I'm sure
If you have a few bob and want to go somewhere you wouldn't normally - Japan? I don't know what snow would be like late March so take advisement on this
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Folks, the OP has said that heli-skiing is too expensive, so he's really not looking to break the bank with luxury options. That's why I suggested something completely different - maybe depends whether the Italian friend, who sounds super-cool, has lived out of the country long enough to stop bothering so much about needing to "fare la bella figura"; beginner snowboarders are unlikely to achieve this. 
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Touring from hut to hut would be a lower cost but still adventurous option, and challenging in a variety of ways, including the living arrangements, possibly.....
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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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Ischgl. Done.
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Cresta Run  (only open 'till late Jan though)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I agree with SnowMonkey69, if you can afford it go to Canada or the US - it is so different and would be a special experience.
In Europe I would probably go to Zermatt, just because I love it... 
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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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2 options for me:
1. I'd pick a different country, and a resort he's never been to before - fresh skiing challenges, but also pick somewhere you can do some different things like skidoo rides in the evening, ski-joering, torchlight skiing from nice restaurants etc. You could do a few fun things for the same or less as heli-skiing
2. Head to Norway (or elsewhere in Scandinavia), do some really different resorts, and over 10 days combine it with a trip to see the Northern Lights and some husky sledding etc. - bound to be unforgettable!
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Zermatt, Cham, or Verbier with a guide. Every day. With a good dinner every night. Or Heli in Canada, which would be cheaper!
Being serious, (not that he above wasn't!) he/you have dined well so far, don't let that limit your desire for funky snow.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Thornyhill, They didn't say they didn't want to do off piste. In fact he described his friend as only a little less than fabulous as an off-piste skiier. He said they'd love heliskiing, and I've only ever heard of heliskiing to ski off-piste
He said nothing about budget only that a week of heliskiing would probably be too expensive. Tbh I don't know prices to japan, but unless you've priced it again why do you think its gonna be so much more than canada?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Three of us were 50 in the same year so we had a week in St. Anton. Great fun. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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fixx's option number 2 sounds amazing actually! I would love to do that one day!
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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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peanuthead, he didn't say "a weeks" heliskiing, just heliskiing.......
I'd plump for a 10/11/14 day in Canada, dependent on budget. Great inbounds powder and if you're in the right place (Revelstoke for instance) you could check out the Cat-skiing option. Sort of like heliskiing without the heli bit, but somewhere in the region of half the price.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Have a look at Sainte Foy or La Grave FoofyNoo,
Both resorts are off-piste focused (La Grave is more difficult than Ste Foy in my opinion), with small friendly dinner-and-wine type nightlife and a completely different vibe from his usual skiing. I'd recommend booking a couple of days of guiding interspersed with some piste time too. Both are small resorts but other bigger resorts within an easy drive.
Good luck finding something which suits!
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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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| Quote: |
| Or a week's ski touring, staying in mountain huts? |
The Silvretta area around Ischgl would be ideal - terrain is not too demanding as an intro tour and most of the huts have hot showers.
Alternatives:
1. A night or two at the hotel at the top of Gornergrat above Zermatt. The location is definitely 'wow.'
2. Catskiing in Canada. As mentioned, it's half the price of heli skiing. Staying in a wilderness lodge is fantastic (eg Mustang Powder, Island Lake, Chatter Creek) - I was lucky enough to do three days in January at Mustang Powder for my 50th - but the cheapest option is to do day trips and base yourself in a town. Fernie Wilderness Adventures is a fantastic set up and is about $450 a day.
3. A stay at Chateau Lake Louise - with or without heli/catskiing. Another 'wow' - the location is stunning and the hotel's not bad either. The local skiing is excellent too.
4. A run on the olympic bobsleigh track in La Plagne.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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What's the budget?
Apparently the cheapest heli skiing in the world is in Russia (Kamchatka?), maybe worth finding out how much it really costs?
A hut touring trip could be sweet too though, I hear a lot of good things about the Silvretta (near Ischgl) area.
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| peanuthead wrote: |
| Thornyhill, They didn't say they didn't want to do off piste. In fact he described his friend as only a little less than fabulous as an off-piste skiier. |
So you suggested 'learning off piste'
| peanuthead wrote: |
| He said nothing about budget |
| Foofynoo wrote: |
| Any (not too expensive) suggestions would be gratefully accepted? |
Then you suggested Japan....subsequently admitting that you have no idea about pricing.
I don't understand why you keep doing that. If I have nothing constructive to add I don't post. You just seem to come up with random snippets of useless. It really is getting irritating.
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| FoofyNoo wrote: |
We would probably have only a week to ten days.
Simply going to a better resort would be good but something with a bit of the 'wow' factor would be great.
Any (not too expensive) suggestions would be gratefully accepted? |
The first two are fairly self explanatory.
Budget please? Huge implications for recommendations.
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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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Really sorry guys. Was off the grid for a couple of days!
Thank you all so much for all your fantastic suggestions.
I will be checking them all out.
As regards budget ... it's difficult ... maybe around a couple of grand each .... but maybe would go a bit higher for something super special ...
Japan is a great idea and I would love to go one day but maybe as part of a longer holiday as it is such a long way to go.
Maybe Western Canada would be our limit
I have skied in Whistler and Lake Louise and loved the North American experience(though I did destroy my anterior cruciate there but that's another story)
My friend has never skied there so that may be a good option
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FoofyNoo, A bit of an unusual suggestion, but if you're considering North America you could have maybe a week's skiing in Jackson Hole Wyoming with a day or two's stay in nearby Yellowstone National Park - an amazing place to visit in Winter and with very few crowds (unlike in Summer). Information on staying in Yellowstone in Winter here.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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haven't fully read previous posts (apologies) but the OP caught my eye as we are using www.arcticheliskiing.com for a 50th in March. worth a look as very diferent and flights there are cheap.
Day heli is possible in a number of places in Europe including Alagna, Zermatt, Grimentz etc. so if you chose a resort you like in Switzerland for example heliskiing will be an option.
www.eaheliskiing.com is worth a look for other ideas.
I have done a lot of heliskiing all over so can give more input on Canadian operators etc if you need
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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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FoofyNoo, a 10day trip to Japan would be very doable, very enjoyable and would get my vote!! Indeed I am hoping to do this for my 50th!
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It all depends what you want, but I'd be wary of cheap heli, as you tend to get what you pay for. In North America three mellow runs with a group of beginners may be a big disappointment. In Europe one descent may be fun, although you could get the same thing other ways. Personally I avoid resort-based heli when I'm paying, as you can't get the terrain or the vertical, and the costs are significantly higher than the real thing. Rent the apartment in Sauze and burn the profits in Jet A.
I've some commercial interest in both cat and heli. Cats are worth considering - you can do daily cat skiing from several resorts, and most people who do it really do say it's their best ever day in snow. That's in general very reliable (few down days) and costs about $500 a day without accommodation. More money gets you a back country lodge and multi-day guests (read: quicker riding).
Otherwise, it depends what you're after. You can spend more on a hotel than on a heli per day if you try...
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Off topic, I'll be interested to hear how the Iceland heli works out - that looks interesting, although they're a bit unclear on the details. Their daily rate is about the same as North America, although the vertical isn't stated. Their private rates look reasonable, although they're selling smallish quantities of collective time. The cost of flying to the location isn't really significant compared with the overall cost in my calculations.
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You know it makes sense.
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philwig, (slight thread hijack) but where would you recommend I head one Easter with the kids for some family friendly skiing with the chance of the adults getting some cat skiing in decent snow??
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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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philwig, will report back on Iceland once back.
OP: I forgot but we also looked closely at the pook.co.uk last season but went to Japan instead. They offer French based heli. Worth a look but I cannot vouch for them personally
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Poster: A snowHead
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How about the Spring Off Piste Bash ..... but may need to up the budget for accomodation as it's not luxury ..... get to ski La Grave, Serre Chevalier and Montgenevre off piste with guides for the week.
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