 Poster: A snowHead
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OK, so with my broken ankle slowly on the mend, I am now turning my attentions to hopefully getting out to the mountains in Feb half term (teachers on tow)... Usual haunts of the last few years have been around Les Arcs, PDS, GM and Evasion Mont Blanc areas... Looking to branch out from the usual areas now, poss out of France... Pretty much 90% of my trips have been to France, with the odd trip to the US...
So, not too fussed where, but does need to be Europe. Looking for lots of terrain, as we get bored easily. All slightly above intermediate snowboarders, can handle pretty much most things... The one thing that has been missing on my last few trips is decent Apres... Les Contamines, where I own a place and love, has a 'very' quiet scene, as has the GM... So I am looking for somewhere with not necessarily 'loads' of bars, but has to have 'some' top bars that like to 'get going' in the evening... I loved the apres in L2A, and had possibly one my best NYEs ever... but really didn't like the terrain there... (plus I want to go somewhere new)
I have been thinking about the Dolomites, but have had conflicting views on the apres in the villages... Selva was one place, but then heard the nightlife was both good and bad...  Also been looking at Lech/St Anton or maybe Zermatt Never been riding there, just in the summer for a couple of days...
So, I am hoping with the 'absolute wealth' of knowledge on here, 'someone' can recommend me a resort that can offer me the apres and terrain I'm looking for...
As a starter, I don't want, Paradiski, Chamonix, PDS, L2A or T3V as I have been to these places... 
Looking forward to seeing what is recommended folks... Thx in advance
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Saalbach/Hinterglemm
Loads of terrain, plenty of variety both on the slopes and in terms of apres (there are 2 types - apres and apres, apres).
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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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St ANton is the obvious one. Solden? Ischgl? could be others?
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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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Verbier?
Kick off in Furry Shovel, pizza somewhere then end up being thrown out of the Farm at 05h00?
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under a new name, Nice... not thought of there... Thx.. Although, as an afterthought, has Verbier not just pulled out of the 4 vallees pass...?? Is it still possible to get all the way across now then...?
Last edited by After all it is free  on Fri 17-10-14 11:41; edited 1 time in total
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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AlpineAddict, well St Anton must surely be on your list then. Great skiing and plenty of choice (like about 6 venues) on the après front before you even get to the bottom of the slopes. Had a good few sessions in the Mooserwirt over the years. Check out the clips on YouTube for a taster.
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Apres = Austria.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Mayrhofen takes some beating for apres and with the full area pass there's more than enough terrain for a week.
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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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AlpineAddict, It was all postering and gamesmanship. The 4 Valleys are still one entity.
Andy
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I would try the Milky Way for skiing. I expect you'd get the most apres on the Italian side.
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You know it makes sense.
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St. Anton and Mayrhofen are great for apres and have a large terrain. Likewise Sauze has decent apres and a large skiable area. Verbier is another great place although the nature of the 4V means that you need to be comfortable skiing itineries to get the best out of it.
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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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if you've not experienced the Austrian apres then go! St Anton, Mooserwirt, Krazy Kangeroo etc etc
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Poster: A snowHead
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snowymum, Awesome... Hadn't realised it was such large area... Thx francium., Thx for this, but I think at 175km, there is more terrain to be and in other locations...
Liking the sound of St Anton and Sauze currently... I do have a desperate desire to go to the dolomites though so if anyone can recommend a decent village there, to throw into the pot...????
Thx all so far...
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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've only stayed in San Cassiano in the Dolomites, whilst there were nice bars that were busy it was not the "dancing on tables" type of apres with heaving bars you get in St Anton....
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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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Ischgl: 235km piste, almost all above 2000m. I've been several times and can't see how you'd get bored in a week. Dancing on tables type of apres. Not so many Brits - mainly Germans/Skandis. Innsbruck is the closest airport - transfer time around 1h15. Another possibility is Friedrichshafen - transfer time is around 2h.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Saalbach or Sauze. I love Sauze and defo going back again in March during dutch week. 400km of piste in milky way to keep you happy including some great terrain in Montgenevre. only downside in Milky way is the chairs are a little slow in the area but over a day you might be talking about 15-20 minutes extra spent on lifts.
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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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| AlpineAddict wrote: |
snowymum, Awesome... Hadn't realised it was such large area... Thx francium., Thx for this, but I think at 175km, there is more terrain to be and in other locations...
Liking the sound of St Anton and Sauze currently... I do have a desperate desire to go to the dolomites though so if anyone can recommend a decent village there, to throw into the pot...????
Thx all so far... |
Think you'll find that there's 489km of pistes if you buy the zitteral pass if thats not enough for a week I don't know what is.
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| kitenski wrote: |
| I've only stayed in San Cassiano in the Dolomites, whilst there were nice bars that were busy it was not the "dancing on tables" type of apres with heaving bars you get in St Anton.... |
I have been dancing on the tables in the dolomites and somewhat oddly in one of the quieter resorts - above colfosco there is the Edelweiss bar across from the start of the drag lift. Come 4pm the music is turned up the drinks are flowing and there's definitely some dancing on the tables that was going on in January.
Having said that I think for the OP I would also go to Austria, as it's definitely the place for apres apres
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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AlpineAddict, the train is included in your pass which will take you down valley to any of the resorts - try out Kaltenbach and ski over to Hochfügen for fantastic freeride and off-piste. If you want to go in the other direction then the buses up to the glacier at Hintertux are included
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Ischgl for huge area and the best of the best when it comes to apres (supposedly, I will confirm once I've been in January!!), St Anton is fantastic for skiing, and has brilliant apres (Mooserwirt has to be experienced) - but I will also agree with Saalbach. Great ski area and really fun apres.
To be honest you'll have a good time pretty much anywhere in Austria.
However, if you've never been to Val d'Isere/Espace Killy I'd definitely consider it. Loads of great bars/clubs/live music places, and the best and original Folie Douce up on the mountain. It remains my favourite ski area. Vast and with plenty of variety, mileage and challenges for decent boarders.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Another big vote for Ischgl
Wolfs Apart hotel ticks all the boxes.
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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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Thx all for the suggestions... Seems like there are 2 threads of similar request now so interesting that the same (ish) resorts are coming up... Gonna gather all the resorts mentioned here and get researching in earnest next week... I think to ensure some decent nights out, Austria seems to be the winner... Might have to push the Dolomiters back to a time when I am not feeling the love for getting smashed, and dancing on tables... 
Again, thx for the suggestions so far folks...
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Mayrhofen
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You know it makes sense.
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Love Austria, and will go back when they get rid of smoking in bars. Zermatt hits the terrain bit, and the bars, henustal on the way down then paperla pub. For boarding though, one of the guides suggested it was not that good for boarders, assume this can only be the glacier run when coming back from Italy, - but the flattest bit of this can be avoided. Great place.
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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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apparently smoking is banned they just don't care
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Poster: A snowHead
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Selva would be pretty good on a peak week such as HT. As for large terrain skiing? It's.......... 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@mikeelsa, i think some smoking in some places is allowed. It is the reason why we dont bother with Austria.
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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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Easily St Anton or Ischgl. The apres is immense in both. Depending on the snow this season, Ischgl might be the safer bet for the skiing as most of the pistes are higher up. St Anton was a bit grassy at the bottom this year in Jan  Still perfectly skiable though.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| mikeelsa wrote: |
| apparently smoking is banned they just don't care |
It is along certain criteria. In bars and restaurants, I think it is the size of establishment that dictates smoking/non smoking or whether it has dedicated areas. I think I am right in saying that the government have significant, vested interests in several large tobacco companies which doesn't exactly compel strict enforcement of the laws around smoking in public places (bars/restaurants). That is second hand info, so may be incorrect.
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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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@Cacciatore, All governments have a significant interest in the revenues from both tobacco and alcohol.
If people like @twoodwar are stupid enough to discount an entire country because they are too lazy to find a smoke-free area, then I for one am glad that the Austrian government works on a compromise between all the interested parties instead of demonising smokers. I am very anti smoking and simply walk out if a bar is too smoky for my liking, there are always plenty more to choose from.
I find the "holier than thou" attitude of some Brits and Americans nauseating as well as hypocritical, the further away those types stay from my favourite areas the better as far as I'm concerned.
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Samerberg Sue, Nice post, agree totally.
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| Samerberg Sue wrote: |
@Cacciatore, All governments have a significant interest in the revenues from both tobacco and alcohol.
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Indeed, though my understanding was that the Austrian gov may have a particularly deeper commercial interest.
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I'm a reformed smoker (ie the worst kind of non-smoker), but would never let smoking rules put me off from visiting an excellent ski area! Just leave the bar if it's too smoky.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Cacciatore wrote: |
| I think I am right in saying that the government have significant, vested interests in several large tobacco companies which doesn't exactly compel strict enforcement of the laws around smoking in public places (bars/restaurants). That is second hand info, so may be incorrect. |
As I previously posted, Samerburg Sue. Thanks for thought, but I'm really not that anal/interested.
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