1 Day ski trip on your own

A snowHead

Ok so here is my situation. Married with 3 kids too young to start skiing/boarding, wife has no interest in it either.
I use to be a massive snowboarder but I havent boarded in 5 years now, and some people at work started to arrange a day ski trip to the Alps (we work for a railway company so get very cheap euro star tickets, go friday night retrun saturday night) so after much discussion/arguments with the wife she finally agree to let me go which im super stoked about.

problem is now everyone else has dropped out so its just me left. Question is do i go? Going to Les Arcs for 1 day. I have travelled about on my own in the passed (india, Sri Lanka, france) but i have never been boarding on my own, never been to les arcs before and ive never used euro star to get to the slopes.

It seems a shame to waste the pass i have from the wife, she wont agree to me going any longer so its this or i make it 6 years without hitting the slopes.

Has anyone else every done anything like this before??

A snowHead

thestoney6, Go for a week and show her who's boss

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

thestoney6, it seems rather unfair on you...

anyway. just go. I've done solo trips attached to business travel to places I'd never visited many times. Always had fun.

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I believe some TO used to offer exactly the same in the past. So it is doable (at least from London).

I would probably do it if I was "massive snowboarder but I havent boarded in 5 years now" and I would not get any other chance
and if - I would be based in London and close.
Not sure how many extra hours of travel you have to put on top of the Eurostar journey if starting from York.

We did Eurostar night train for a week, and boarded on both Saturdays, yes the journey was tiring (I can't really sleep on trains/buses etc).
But we still had lots of energy in the morning and had perfectly enjoyable full day on the slopes on both ends of the train travel.

I guess it depends how tired you get after the day/night on the train. I know I would still enjoy the mountain but also know people that wouldn't. If you can sleep on the train then you should be good.

Les Arcs apparently is fairly easy accessible from the train, no buses etc to mess around, just funicular.
Make sure you change on the train, maybe look up earlier for any bag storage etc. on the station.
All you need is a good weather. If it happens to be bad you won't get the other day wink

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thestoney6, some comments on similar trip here: Lastminute.com to offer 'one day, two night' ski breaks ... by Eurostar

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Yeah, I've done Les Arcs from the train, although the connections can be fidly. Zermatt or St Anton maybe...

After all it is free

Sounds like you need a change of wife

But seriously, an acquaintance used to do it regularly when he was a ski rep on the snow trains. It should be straightforward enough if you're a good sleeper on the train, and try not to waste time renting gear/buying lift passes in resort, so do it in advance if you can. A day by yourself on the slopes is no bad thing, I often do it if no mates are available that day.

It does sound like a lot of work though just for one day, especially as the weather might be poor, but I guess one day is a lot better than none, so go for it!

I note you live in York........would the fridge at Cas not be easier?

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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

There's aa whole thread from holidayloverxx about it:

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=823002

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holidayloverxx did a solo trip and posted a report here:

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=823002&highlight=solo+trip+train#823002

altis, Snap!! Very Happy

You know it makes sense.

I've skied alone before but soon mix in with a group. The time/distance getting to the destination is the big factor. Personally I'd be using the fridge as hopefully a decent kip before the day on the snow would make it a better day out.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

Thanks for all this guys, the train to london from york is under 2 hours (and i get that for free) so its not much more travelling. Its funny from york to the slopes is only 1 change on the train, when i go home to visit family in norfolk its 2.

NE1 - I have been to cas a couple of times and find it boring, i found it useful for learning or trying something new like riding switch, but thats about it.

Thanks for the link to that review didnt see that before so thats really useful.

I think after reading all this youve convinced me to go for it. I will go premier class on the euro star so should get nice chair to sleep in, i have all my own gear, so might just load up my ipod an hit it.

Thanks guys

A snowHead

thestoney6, Personally, I don't think it would be worth the hassle. Skiing/boarding alone isn't going to be half as much fun and despite the cheap ticket it still wont be that cheap.

However, it may still be worth going for a day, even if only to set a precedent for you being allowed a pink ticket in the future. Very Happy

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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There are some unnecessary comments here about the OP's wife. You know nothing about his family situation. I wonder how many blokes would be happy if their wives took off for a weekend trip without "permission", leaving them with three small kids to look after on their own (especially if they'd already been doing that all week)?

It's good for a parent to have a weekend off occasionally, without kids or spouse - but with 3 small kids that's no easy matter. thestoney6, what would your wife like to do for her weekend off?

I wouldn't think it was worth the hassle either, frankly - maybe some time at the snowdome - a freestyle lesson, for example?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

thestoney6, I've never been riding with anyone else and I have a great time. You can appreciate your surroundings and enjoy your riding more when you're by self. I also do day trips and short breaks, and sure if you were there for a week you'd want company but a day isn't really a problem.

PS don't forget an external power source (eg battery pack) for your phone/ipod battery Wink

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thestoney6, now you made me look at this option as well. As we have 5 months old baby, full week looks very unlikely this winter and we already missed last one.
I guess no matter how tiring the actual journey is, you are still able to get the full day on the slopes!
Right from the first lift and with some apres at the end.

From what I remember you can log in and reserve/change you Eurotrain seats right till the end.
That's what we did, train was not full and I changed the seats to have some empty around us.
Then right from the start, knowing which ones were free we split and took another 2 seats next to us.
It made the whole night much easier to sleep as we had full two seats per person.

After all it is free

For me it seems like such a long way and so tiring for a single day on the slopes.
I would either

1. lie and tell her the tracks are snowed in and you can't return the same day Very Happy

2. Give her a super xmas and drop the odd comment on how tiring it will be for a single day and hope she offers a two or three day pass.
3. Give it a miss and make her happy, make out you are doing it for her and hope you get some great sex that night!

I do solo trips but its always 3 nights, 2 days on the snow.

I can't believe you lot are so negative about somebody wanting to get on the snow!

thestoney6, even if you half fancy it then give it a go! It may be hard work but I'm sure you'll look back afterwards with fond memories of an exceptional weekend.

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I think few posting here have read the thread mentioned by altis and Iski.
holidayloverxx got a lot of Negative Waves before her trip - including from me
But she clearly had a great time.
So fingers crossed for thestoney6. I hope it goes well. snowHead

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I went on my own for three nights to Les Menuires in January (almost a similar story - three small children, except I left the HUSBAND at home!) I went with Ski Weekends and had a room in a chalet to myself, shared the chalet with another couple and another single bloke on his own. The justification for going was simply that my husband was going for two week long "business" (more like jollies in these particular cases) trips to the US in the upcoming months and it was only fair I had a small international break of my own too.

It was fine! Didn't feel particularly lonely, as it was nice to get a break from the children. If I'd gone for four nights I might have started to miss them. Staying in the chalet with the others meant I had some social contact, and it was nice to not have to go at somebody else's pace and go wherever I pleased. I remember one moment in fairly thick fog hearing a family arguing on the slopes a few yards away and felt grateful it wasn't me and mine! There's a lot to be said for on your own.

Had such a great time that when I got back my husband got jealous of the photos and so we booked our first entire family ski holiday for a few months later, lots of lessons at Hemel for them and now everyone except our two year old (the others were 4 and 6 at the time) skis snowHead

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pam w, it was a joke, and I hope it was taken as such.

And besides, albeit with just looking after the one young toddler, my wife is 'allowed' with no complaints or concerns from me to go visit her family in Greece, go on a two week combined business trip/holiday in India, have nights/days out with her friends, etc. Just as I was allowed to go on a week's skiing course in Verbier last year, visit my family in London for the weekend, etc.

I did the eurostar 1 dayer a few years ago.. the link to les arcs is dead-easy as the funicular station is just behind the railway terminal at bourg st maurice.. just walk off the train and onto the funicular (if the train gets in early there may be a wait, but just get some breakfast).. then straight up the funicular and onto the lifts..

I wouldnt worry too much about boarding on your own as its not like its for a whole week, enjoy the solitude and the peace of of the mountain and come back refreshed and envigorated if a little tired.. something you will never get at a snowdome..

I had a really good day but you do take a chance on the weather and as saturday is usually 'changeover' day the slopes can be a lot less busy which is a bonus..

You know it makes sense.

thestoney6, I think Les Arcs is your only sensible, choice, but you could get a bus to La Rossiere or Tignes/Val d'Isere. The funicular opens fairly early and get your lift pass at the bottom. If necessary arrange your equipment hire in either Bourg st Maurice or Arc 1600. Skiset in Arc 1600 will normally let you leave your shoes etc there, and I think there are left luggage lockers at the station. Have a morning coffee and coissant in either Bourg or the bakers in the place of the dead tree in Arc 1600 and hence onto the first lift of the day.

The last time I skied on my own in Les Arcs I met a chap on the Marmottes lift who was also skiing on his own that day. We were of similar standard and had a brilliant day going everywhere. It turned out we had actually met several years earlier in a completely different situation.

Enjoy it. Lucky sole.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

A snowHead

So overall this 1 day trip by night train could be an option, bar the cheapest tickets will be probably around £149-179.
Shame Crystal Ski does not sell them as package for 99£ any more.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

halfhand, when your wife took off without "permission"? Respect. wink

My daughter has a friend whose husband has never even spent one night alone with their two - no doubt partly her fault for not being willing to let him get it a bit wrong. My OH looked after the kids full-time whilst I went out to work - he was brilliant with the kids but never did get the hang of house-work!

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Personally I really like skiing alone, and probably close to 50% of my ski days last season/so far this season have been solo. You get to do exactly what you want, and don't have to deal with anyone else's faff.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

thestoney6, I would absolutely do this - even if nothing else, it's some total you time alone, which I imagine is something that doesn't happen often with a young family. I actually really like travelling by train - I take the time to read, and sleep easily, so the big journey wouldn't faze me at all. Stick some books on the Kindle App, download a film or two, and take your headphones. Lovely!

And a day on the slopes for the price of a lift pass? Rude not to, I reckon.

Enjoy the trip!

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pam w,

. Actually we've never done the "permission" thing other than as a joke between us. The caveat we apply is "can you afford it? Yes? OK just put it on the calendar so I know when". Toofy Grin

After all it is free

Genuine question..... I appreciate that people like clarky999, live out in the mountains so probably ski alone in areas they know very well..... but how safe is it to go to somewhere you don't know and ski for the day alone? If conditions are fine it's probably no problem at all, but if they are ropey?

The OH used to ski alone while Jnr and I were in lessons (she's skied for years, we're both relatively new). She had an incident at the beginning of a holiday when we didn't know the area too well where the conditions changed very quickly and she couldn't work out where to go, as a result got quite spooked, she's not fancied skiing alone too often since.

pam w, +1

thestoney6, As the female half of a couple with a school age child I am beggering off for a long weekend to Italy at the end of January on my own so I say go for it Smile

I've skied solo before, as long as you are sensible and tell folk where you're going (in the same way you would if you were mountain climbing) then that's fine. If you are only going to be boarding for a day and travelling straight back do you need company? It's about enjoying the snow not talking with your mates! Have fun!

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hammerite, depends a lot on where. Offpiste with little knowledge of the area, bad vis and/or dodgy avi conditions is obviously a recipe for potential disaster. If you're onpiste then as long as you're reasonably competent then even in bad visibility you should be able to get around fine - you can always ask a lifty if you get lost.

You also have to think about whether being in a group actually makes things safer, or if it's just an illusion of safety in numbers. Obviously depends on who is in the group.

In some ways I think I'm safer skiing solo, there's no pressure to go bigger/faster/steeper, or get talked into trying something in marginal conditions. When there's no-one to bounce the idea/decision off I'm more likely to back off from something that feels a bit sketchy. You also learn quite a lot about what sort of things you're really comfortable in your ability to ski when there's no back-up.

Help!!

1 Day ski trip on your own

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