Hi all - I am planning a few European trips this year and it would be nice to try a couple of alternative resorts - probably not serviced by the main TO's. Will probably arrange close to travel so can chase the snow - decent off-piste is the main requirement whereas Après the least - does anyone have any good experiences to share? thanks John
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Monterosa
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?
How about the Maurienne Valley in France Johnor? Valmeinier, St Francois Longchamp, Val Frejus etc are virtually unheard of in the UK. We enjoyed a road trip there (based in St Jean de Maurienne) a few years ago - stayed on piste at the time though.
Or Val D'Anniviers (Zinal etc) in Switzerland? It has a good off piste reputation - but again, we skied there on piste.
the site owner drivers thousands and thousands of km per season, visiting resorts you may have thought of visiting but never did, but also a lot of resorts you never even heard of
and on alpinforum there's also lots of hidden gems
justy search for reports by user "starli"
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Resorts in the Montafon and Galtür (near Ischgl) which give you access to the Silvretta area in Austria. Depends if you are after lift served or touring off piste?
After all it is free
After all it is free
many thanks guys - I will probably be in Aosta in Jan - thanks for all the other replies I will look into your recommendations - and thanks for the links to the forums - it took me a while to get the pages translated but looks good now I managed that
Johnor
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
We stayed in Falcade in the Dolomites last year and really liked it, Falcade is lift linked to Passo San Pelegrino an then you can get a bus to Lusia all of which are on one local lift pass, it is also well placed to visit other resorts in the Dolomites, we went to Arraba and Alleghe. Practically no one skied off piste at Falcade, San Pelegrino or Lusia so there was tons of fresh unskied areas right next to the piste even a couple of days after the last snow. There is also a freeride area which is avalanche controlled but unpisted. They had a Freeride competion a couple of weeks after we were there, we were in Folgarida at the time but our instructor was going to compete and he said he thought it had some really nice off piste.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
For somewhere very different and (so I am told) good off-piste, try Areches-Beaufort. Some of the places named above (e.g. Valloire/Valmeinier) though well worth a visit have a fair few British visitors including the inhabitants of a big Snowcoach hotel, which is where we stayed when we went there. The last time I was in Areches-Beaufort and stopped for lunch (on piste) not only were we the only Brits for miles around we were also amongst the few downhill skiers. Most of the gear outside was touring gear.
Genuinely "hidden gems" are, of course, likely to have a relatively small number of pistes - but presumably you're not looking for mega mileage of pistes?
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.
Again thanks will look into the suggestions
To answer a couple of question - I am not looking at the touring option - don't mind a walk or climb though - and finally piste K's is not important
I've been looking at the link above to krippenstein and it states 30 kilometres off-piste variants - are these itineraries, patrolled off-piste runs or non patrolled runs within the ski area boundaries?
thanks John
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Johnor,
Look up some of Davidoff posts he regularly visits smaller French resorts with some stunning lines. There was another chap who posted after moving from Chamonix down to the Southern French alps and posted some very exciting routes.
A lot will depend on your experience and aptitude most of the routes posted are not ones that I personally would feel comfortable doing with a fair bit of no fall territory.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
We thought Disentis/Sedrun had a lot of potential.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
If you are in Aosta give Pila a try. There is a decent enough lift system. There is a brilliant confluence of 2 factors that give it some of the best quality lift serviced off-piste around. It is an Italian family resort that attracts people up from the big cities on the weekends, ie not that keen on doing stuff that might make then look less than perfectly elegant. Secondly it has a large number of British school kids on Interski holidays. They are not allowed to disappear over the boundaries.
I have spent a whole day tracking out the large bowls accessed from the lift up to Piatta de Grevon. It is a short easy hike left from the top of the lift. I was visiting a friend working on the hill for his 3rd season. He had never seen any tracks here more than occasionally. There is plenty of other terrain off the top lifts, mostly open areas between 2000 &2500 facing N. Lots of forest lower down for snowy days.
Avoid hitting the lift up and down for Aosta at the same time as the kids, the queue can be huge.
Further up the valley the top lift at Courmayeur (Youla/Arp) opens up loads of long runs back to the lifts or down to roads/bus stops. Courmayeur is definitely not undiscovered but the top lift is tiny and having no pisted makes it a little heaven.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
If you are in Aosta give Pila a try. There is a decent enough lift system. There is a brilliant confluence of 2 factors that give it some of the best quality lift serviced off-piste around. It is an Italian family resort that attracts people up from the big cities on the weekends, ie not that keen on doing stuff that might make then look less than perfectly elegant. Secondly it has a large number of British school kids on Interski holidays. They are not allowed to disappear over the boundaries.
I have spent a whole day tracking out the large bowls accessed from the lift up to Piatta de Grevon. It is a short easy hike left from the top of the lift. I was visiting a friend working on the hill for his 3rd season. He had never seen any tracks here more than occasionally. There is plenty of other terrain off the top lifts, mostly open areas between 2000 &2500 facing N. Lots of forest lower down for snowy days.
Avoid hitting the lift up and down for Aosta at the same time as the kids, the queue can be huge.
Further up the valley the top lift at Courmayeur (Youla/Arp) opens up loads of long runs back to the lifts or down to roads/bus stops. Courmayeur is definitely not undiscovered but the top lift is tiny and having no pisted makes it a little heaven.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Another almost hidden resort near Aosta is Crevacol - www.crevacol.it - on the road up to the Grand S. Bernard pass into Switzerland. Only two lifts but during the week you'll probably have it to yourself.
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?
Not really unknown but usually overshadowed by St Anton / Studen, Sonnenkopf is pretty sick.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Johnor wrote:
Again thanks will look into the suggestions
To answer a couple of question - I am not looking at the touring option - don't mind a walk or climb though - and finally piste K's is not important
I've been looking at the link above to krippenstein and it states 30 kilometres off-piste variants - are these itineraries, patrolled off-piste runs or non patrolled runs within the ski area boundaries?
thanks John
This vid (and loads more like it on YouTube) gives an idea:
I doubt very much if it patrolled but I think all the terrain mentioned is accessible via the mechanical uplift. Personally, I'd hire a local instructor/guide to begin with.
And my plan is to do just that sometime this coming season.
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.
All - lots of food for thought - many thanks I've a lot of research - might have to change my 'few trips' to 'numerous trips'
The vid is great and just what I would be looking for - although I may not do it as much justice as you guys
And as for 'Sonnenkopf is pretty sick' - I wont let that put me off
Johnor
Qute a bit of info on here, just search for monterosa
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.
Haute Maurienne area is good for off piste and linked by buses with a special lift pass to try lots of the resorts. For example Val Frejus is great but you need a guide to do lots of the off piste far from the pistes (especially climbing up to left or right from the top of the lift access) or down the steep main bowl. But just skiing what you can easily see would be a bit restricted for more than a day visit. La Norma nearby is also worth a visit - also with lots of off-piste far from the pistes. Val Cenis is the largest area and while being a little bit bit more Brit frequented is still cheap and mostly a French-family resort. I would suggest the the Lanslevillard village is a better centre for the skiing than Lans le Bourg and if you want a good cheap hotel try Etoile des Neiges. This has always been where I stayed but our guide took us around to the different resorts in his van. Try off far left of the most left lift and piste and don't miss the Termignon conection: the upper of the two connecting lifts had super off piste to both sides of it: http://www.piste-maps.co.uk/Piste-Maps/France/Val-Cenis-Piste-Map-Large.jpg . Bonneval is the resort furthest up the valley and makes a very good day out with very good off piste to each side of the main ski area.
I don't know if you would consider Ste Foy as hidden? I reckon it still fits the bill with really great off piste even if you don't go off the back (but do take a guide and go off the back).
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
