 Poster: A snowHead
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Would appreciate some ideas for late season skiing. We are a group of 6 looking for a reasonably snow sure area. All good skiers. Last season we were in in cervinia and tignes the year before . Our travel dates are fixed at 4 th April for a week.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We were in Les Arc 2000 19th April this year and there was still plenty to keep us busy. Things did get a little slushy in the afternoons and lower resorts were pretty bare but high up it was fine. I would say anywhere high will be good.
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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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At this stage plan to go pretty much anywhere as long as the lifts are guaranteed to be open. We've not had a poor trip in a good few years going that same weekend. The barest we have had was a trip to Les Arcs, which I think has also been the highest of all the resorts we've been to at that time of year.
To be extra safe though leave it relatively late and just see what coverage is like closer to the time.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Angus og, April is not necessarily late season. Chamonix typically closes May 10.
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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: |
Chamonix typically closes May 10
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bits of it  For many resorts, April is late - Les Saisies will close 24th and lower areas of the domaine will have closed a couple of weeks earlier. I suppose Val Thorens and Les Deux Alpes are other obvious suggestions.
But yes, leave it late - then you'll know for sure.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Angus og, I'd leave until week before and book based on snow cover, you'll get in anywhere that time of year.
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@pam w, well, yes, well, no, depends what you think of as late.
Alos, lifts shutting is not a good indicator of snow conditions. Monterosa closes the weekend after Easter, no matter what weekend that is nor how early or late Easter falls.
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On the down side of booking late - that week is either the first week or second week of the Easter school holidays (depending on region) so a peak week for UK despite how "late" it is.
If you were just two I wouldn't hesitate in saying wait until last minute - for a group of 6, I personally wouldn't be prepared to risk it.....
We have booked to go out a week later (12th April) to St Anton (and have our fingers crossed that it will be good enough to ski back to base.... Time will tell.
Last season we went L2A that same week (second week of easter school hols again) and there was very little snow left on what should have been a ski in ski out hotel BUT was fine higher up.
I have in past skied in Courchevel in April and that was good above 1850 but getting a bit dodgy skiing down to 1550 and a bit slushy at 1650 level and Meribel.
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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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Val Thorens.
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Thanks for all the ideas.We really need to book early as for some of the group it is their only trip this year and we all would like some fairly decent accommodation and preferably skiing back to the village/town.Has anybody been to valmorel or valloire at easter.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Yes. It'll be fine.
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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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Been to Valmeinier not Valloire, it'll be fine (as Altis says). Really good area. If coverage is bare down low there is plenty higher up and lots of lifts to get up from Valloire too. Even if it is UK easter hols it won't be mega busy. We went there at half term and it wasn't too busy.
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| under a new name wrote: |
@pam w, well, yes, well, no, depends what you think of as late.
Alos, lifts shutting is not a good indicator of snow conditions. Monterosa closes the weekend after Easter, no matter what weekend that is nor how early or late Easter falls. |
Similarly quite a bit of the sella ronda closes weekend after easter - dolomiti superski pass finishes on April 12 2015, but "The end of season date may vary in some valleys. We cannot guarantee that all lifts will be functioning until the end of the season."
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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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@bertie bassett, hmmm, quite! It just gets down to cost savings when the Milanese and Torinese have decided the beach a better option than the bar opposite the lift for tanning.
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Poster: A snowHead
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"Late" depends on where you are going. "Late" in the Jura is a lot sooner than "late" in Les Deux Alpes. But as several posts above demonstrate, you certainly can't be sure of "skiing back to base" in April in many resorts (it's not guaranteed any time, of course, but less likely at the beginning and end of the season).
But "skiing back to base" is not the be-all and end-all - what you need, if you have to book early for an April ski trip, is plenty of east and north facing slopes, a sensible altitude and a sensible attitude. It's spring skiing, it's likely to be hard in the mornings, slushy in the afternoons, maybe rather grassy (if you're lucky) or horribly muddy (if you're not) at lower altitudes but extremely pleasant on a terrace with a cold beer at 2.45. Followed by another cold beer and a slooshy ski to base (if you're staying high) or maybe to the top of a gondola (if you are lower down in the valley where you are very likely to find crocuses, wood violets, primroses, cowslips and apple blossom taking advantage of the longer days).
If your lip curls at the thought of apple blossom, let alone downloading in a gondola, go high. And keep your fingers crossed.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| HoneyBunny wrote: |
| Val Thorens. |
+1 Impossible to go wrong.
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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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@Angus og, If you are looking for snow sure that week I think Les Arcs would be a good option..particularly Arc 1950 or Arc 2000. We stayed in Arc 1950 in April this year and had a very good week.
I've been to Valmorel but not that late. We wondered about going back there in April 2015 but decided it might be a bit risky.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@pam w, aye!
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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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Been in Obergurgl loads of times in early April and never had a problem with snow cover.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I've also done Obergurgl and Hochgurgl in April and we had fantastic snow!
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I've done Mayrhofen in April and it's had good snow.
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We usually go to Val Thorens first week May to lock up the apartment and it is often the best snow of the season. It starts to get slushy at village level in the afternoon but that's about it.
Early April is not late season for Val Thorens you would be pretty much sure of good conditions then and could book. It is also empty. January and April are , in our experience, the two quietest periods of the season.
Even when Easter week falls in Easter it isn't as packed as half term.
When it gets to April the continental thoughts must be turning towards the beaches.
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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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I have done skiing in April (early to late) in Val d'Isere, Tignes, Val Thorens, Soelden, Kuehtai, Gerlos/Wald/Koenigsleiten, Zell am Ziller and Mayrhofen.
Of course, conditions has varied year on year but I have always been able to ski & the occasional download down to the resort was never a problem. Though thinking about it most of the time, I have been able to ski down to resort level.
Snow quality wise, there has been the occasional slush fest but I have also had the joy of -15 with fresh snow.
If you can, just book your flights and decide on your resort nearer the time depending on snow levels. 
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| Quote: |
Even when Easter week falls in Easter it isn't as packed as half term.
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I like it
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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My shortlist (ignoring your recent places) would be
Courchevel, Val Thorens, Alagna, Chamonix, Obergurgl, Sulden perhaps also Sestriere if you like tree skiing. On another thread I mentioned a leftfield choice of Solda / Sulden Am Ortler in Sud Tyrol - that would be plenty high enough too.
I'd agree that 4 April isn't that late but I'd still opt for altitude to get the best snow.
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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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| johnE wrote: |
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Even when Easter week falls in Easter it isn't as packed as half term.
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I like it |
You can't argue with my logic. I was going for a 'comedy goldsmith' proof argument.
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"Late season" skiing is, IME, a much better bet than "early season" skiing.
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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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This is from May 17th, under 2000m, last season (aka a TERRIBLE snow year for the Northern Alps):
https://vimeo.com/95663922
Most places are more than fine 'til late April at the least.
Wanna be extra safe? Ischgl/Obergurgl for non-glaciated terrain, or Mayrhofen (Hintertux) or Sölden with glaciers.
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Poster: A snowHead
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a TERRIBLE snow year for the Northern Alps
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it was a warm end to the season, but no early closing round my bit of the northern French alps where the snow was fine, if not epic, from before Christmas. I've known a lot worse.
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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 still skied (ok I had to walk the last 150m or so) all the way back to resort on the last day of the season at Les Deux Alpes last winter, 26th April. That was in a very poor winter for conditions late in the season.
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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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Verbier will be a very safe bet for 4th April
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FAQ
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