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Part-time ski bum [Starts Page 2]

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
It looks like I am going to able to secure a month off work from mid January, so I am planning a a trip through the alps from east to west. Catching up with friends and the mrs en route. I have used AirBnB a fair bit through Europe, so plan on using it again to try and find cheap accomodation. I will probably try Tiscover as well, as they appear to have some fairly reasonably priced apartments/studios. I will possibly look for accomodateion in the valleys outside of resort to keep the cost down.

I plan to take the car over on the ferry and take the following route:

1. CONFIRMED Les Menuires 19 Jan - 23 Jan
2. CONFRIMED Aimes - for access to La Plagne/Les Arc/Sainte Foy 23 Jan - 25 Jan
3. Picking up a friend from Turin then heading to Cervinia 25 Jan - 1 Feb
4. CONFIRMED Wangs for Flims/Laax 1 Feb - 3 Feb
5. CONFRIMED Raggal for Montafon 3 Feb - 5 Feb
6. CONFIRMED Zams for Ischgl & Serfaus 5 Feb - 9 Feb
7. Innsbruck - for 5 days with the Mrs
8. Take in Zurich, maybe Salzburg or Brussels on the way home

It would be great to get peoples thoughts on these resorts, the logistics of this operation and any thoughts on accomodation.

I am quite into photography, so it would be nice to keep a live photographic record as I go along. Maybe post some of them up here?

Andy snowHead

Would be great to meet up with any Snowheads in any of these resorts on the dates stated. This is me

Andy Ski 1

DSC_0139-1


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 21-01-15 19:27; edited 13 times in total
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Cervinia-Wengen is a non trivial link. Maybe better park in Zermatt and ski over?

Although I s'pose Gd St Bernard then Kandersteg car train would not be too terrible.

No idea re Wengen-Ischgl or the rest.
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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?
under a new name wrote:
Cervinia-Wengen is a non trivial link. Maybe better park in Zermatt and ski over?


Thanks. You are absolutely correct. I would definately rather stay in Zermatt or nearby, but the cost is prohibative. I would consider staying in or near Visp, but is that too far away?

I think the other links aren't too bad. Wegen-Ischgl isn't the easiest.

I like the idea of using Motorail/car train. I'll look into that. Is there still Motorail running north-south through France?
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@Feast, I don't know of a French one...

The motorail has worked well for us. We used the Kandersteg link between Brig and Mürren a couple of years ago.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@under a new name, that's really interesting, I will definately look into that later.
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@Feast, check out also http://www.seat61.com/Motorail.htm#.VImkANXF9VY
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Feast, Good tour!

I love Serfaus / Fiss / Ladis - It's a really fantastic ski area - I would certainly include that snowHead
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@under a new name, that site has been recommended to me on several occasions now. Thanks.

@red 27, Thanks for thoughts. I think a trip to Serfaus would mean staying in Pfunds. Any idea if that is an easy daily commute?
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@Feast, I think Prutz would be better than Pfunds.
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Cheers @clarky999. I recall looking at Serfaus last year finding that both Prutz and Ried were both viable low cost alternatives to stay in Serfaus/Fiss/Ladis.

@clarky999, You know Austria really well. Where would you go for a bit of steep piste and some off piste?
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So Cervinia to Wegen is 4 hours, at least...

Cervinia to Wegen
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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.
@red 27, Is there much non skiing activities in Serfaus.Fiss.Ladis e.g. swimming pool, shops, skating?
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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
@Feast, hmmm, and that's not even taking you Goppenstein (Brig) to Kandersteg.

Drive Chamonix-Montets_Martigny-Zermatt. Park in Zermatt. Take all kit in backpack. Ski across to Cervinia accommodation. Then Zermatt-Kandersteg tunnel thus to Lauterbrunnen. Can't think of an easier way. Pesky mountains getting in the way.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Feast, much as I love Wengen I'ts a bit of a pain to go to Cervinia or Ischgl, what about Davos instead ? perhaps going via Milan ?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@under a new name, @D G Orf, This Cervinia location is all a bit misleading anyway, as it is actually Zermatt that we want to go to.

It's just finding somewhere cheap to stay in Zermatt which is the real problem..?

If we actually went to Zermatt, then Wegen isn't half as much trouble.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Feast wrote:
If we actually went to Zermatt, then Wegen isn't half as much trouble.
- Actually, that is utter rubbish. It's still 3.5 hours.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Visp is 1hr 10 from Zermatt so quite a lot to add on at the beginning and end of the day? I don't know what your budget is but accommodation in Tasch (10 mins away, where you park your car) is much more reasonable than Zermatt itself. Would you consider the Youth Hostel in Zermatt ? (Not to be confused with the Matterhorn Hostel, which isn't so well reviewed ) I haven't stayed myself but as I say the reviews are pretty good and they do an evening meal as well?
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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?
@Feast, have you tried Hotel Bahnhof in Zermatt:

http://www.hotelbahnhof.com/eng/home.htm

flop house of choice for hairy ar$ed brit mountaineers/ski tourers
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Feast wrote:
Cheers @clarky999. I recall looking at Serfaus last year finding that both Prutz and Ried were both viable low cost alternatives to stay in Serfaus/Fiss/Ladis.

@clarky999, You know Austria really well. Where would you go for a bit of steep piste and some off piste?


No worries. Ischgl is ideal for that sort of stuff, and while I haven't skied Serfaus/etc, they have a rep for good and uncrowded offpiste.

I've only been in Montafon (Silvretta-Montafon) a couple of months, but I REALLY like what I see and hear. No idea what the pistes are like, but there seems to be an abundance of great offpiste and everyone says it takes ages to get tracked after a storm.

St Anton is the obvious alternative too, and then on a pow day there are hundreds of tiny little family resorts where you can have private powder all day long.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Feast, be careful staying in Cervinia if it's Zermatt you want to ski. The links are very prone to closure due to wind and that pass must be one of windiest spots on Alps. Plus the parts of Zermatt you want to ski are on the other side and even all going well you will no sooner be there you'll have to return.
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Täsch to Goppenstein (where you get on the train is abou 1hr 10. Kandersteg to Lauterbrunnen about an hour.

That's your solution, I'd say.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Oh and generally a bit of waiting to get on the train.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@scotsgirl, thanks. That's too long a commute for me. Plus it's a false economy with diesel the price it is at the moment.

@Arno, great recommendation. Looks like about £95 for a twin with a shower. Have you stayed there?

@clarky999, you've just moved to Montafon haven't you? It looks and sounds great. Thanks for your thoughts. Have you got any guide recommendations for Ischgl?

@peanuthead, thank you for that advice. I had that concern in the back of my mind, thanks for bringing it to the forefront. What are the parts of Zermatt that are best then? Guessing Sunnega/Rothorn/Gornegrat?? Puzzled

@under a new name, that's really useful. Thanks.

@D G Orf, I haven't even looked at Davos, but I know it is preferential in terms of logistics. What's your experiences of Davos?

Thank you to everyone for your help and advice. It's really useful. snowHead
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@Feast, Davos has the best, the very, very best, pizza restaurant in the world.
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How about this? Ultimate ski in/ski out in Zermatt? Historic hotel refurbished for this Winter, dinner bed and breakfast for about £140 in January?
http://riffelberg.ch/rooms-suites/rooms-overview/double-room-mountain-view/?lang=en
If it's full on skiing you are after, and you aren't too bothered about night life in the village itself (though the train runs up and down til quite late) you would cerainlybe on the first lifts staying here!
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@under a new name, I am really struggling to argue with this point.

@scotsgirl, I will take a look at this. Price wise it probably too high for me. I am generally looking at £30/night studio appartments Embarassed
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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.
Feast wrote:


@clarky999, you've just moved to Montafon haven't you? It looks and sounds great. Thanks for your thoughts. Have you got any guide recommendations for Ischgl?


Yeah, in mid September. It'll be great when the season really kicks off, but it's bloody quiet the rest of the time! Pretty easy to escape back to Innsbruck at the weekend when I need a bit of life though.

Sorry I don't know any guides - I don't really use them tbh. There's lots of easily findable and accessable offpiste though. Even when I went there on holiday about 8 years ago - before I really knew anything about skiing offpiste - we still found plenty of fun stuff to play on. I'm pretty certain there are guides working and living there though; maybe try the ski school or tourist office?
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 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
under a new name wrote:
@Feast, Davos has the best, the very, very best, pizza restaurant in the world.


HHmmmm you ever try the tiny little one in Villenueve (Val d'Aosta)? Hard to imagine better pizza than that!
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Fair enough, this is closer to the mark then?
http://www.youthhostel.ch/en/hostels/zermatt/price-next-year
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Feast, Not been to Davos in Winter only Summer even then I stayed in the Hotel Kulm at Davos Wolfgang, very pretty, not as nice as Wengen but for the route you are suggesting it might be an alternative solution
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Feast, Sorry to be slow to reply... I stay in a hotel in Fiss which has fantastic pool, gym etc but I'm afraid I'm not sure about the public facilities, Serfaus is quite a size and there's a big supermarket in Fiss. I think the whole area is quite 'upmarket' so perhaps best to stay in say Reid (or similar) and make the easy drive up the hill each day to avoid blowing the whole Tour budget. Maybe you could base yourselves in Landeck and do day trips to Ischgl, Fiss, St Anton etc etc... Best ski area in the world for me, the resorts in that area.

The Ski Dimension area certainly has some FANTASTIC steep piste skiing - some really serious, scary (but pisted) black runs, 5 or 6 of them off the Lazidbahn and Pezidbahn lift. "Lazid X-dream" is particularly dreamy/nightmarish Skullie Shocked Toofy Grin
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@clarky999, I haven't no. How did you end up there?
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@clarky999, cheers for the thoughts on guiding.

@scotsgirl, thanks. A hostel is probably closer to the mark. Thanks for the link.

@D G Orf, Wegen is looking difficult, which is a real shame. I have been reading some mixed reviews on Davos Puzzled

@red 27, agree. Ried or Landeck has to be the way to go. Maybe Landeck, as that serves Serfaus as well. Can see myself being in Austria for 2 of the 4 weeks at this rate.

What is the deal with this Cervinia - Zermatt link then everyone? Sounds like it is really weather dependent. Is staying in Cervinia to ski mostly in Zermatt really not realistic? Skiing in Zermatt also means CH14.50/day for parking. Yet another reason to stay in Cervinia..

snowHead
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Cervinia-Zermatt is just high. So it can get windy.

The resort you are talking about is called Wen-g-en. Not Wegen.

I think it's a more interesting area than Davos. Why'd you pick it?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
under a new name wrote:
@clarky999, I haven't no. How did you end up there?


I spent a summer teaching kayaking there a few years back. Some really fun rivers in the area, and some BIG mountains!

Pizza place was good too wink
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under a new name wrote:
The resort you are talking about is called Wen-g-en. Not Wegen.
Embarassed I am normally a pedant for such things. Absolutely right to correct. What a tool..

Picked WeNgen mainly because it appears towards the top of a lot of peoples to do lists. Would be quite cool to see the Eye-ger. wink
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Feast wrote:

Picked WeNgen mainly because it appears towards the top of a lot of peoples to do lists. Would be quite cool to see the Eye-ger. wink


Absolutely. If you can possibly squeeze it in, then do it.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@clarky999, Was it the pizza place at the sports club in Villeneuve?

Our son worked in Villeneuve last Summer and he took us to the sports club for a pizza which was pretty good. Our daughter is due out there next Summer so it will be useful to know if we pay her a visit.
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@Feast, we've visited Zermatt over many years and have never been in able to ski at least one day on the Cervinia side. That said, if you are only there for a few days you might get unlucky and find the link closed. One thought echoing some suggestions from Scotsgirl, consider staying in Tasch. You can choose a more reasonably priced hotel with parking and use the fast and efficient shuttle up to Zermatt each day. The trains start early and run late so you can get an early start on the mountain and then enjoy the nightlife till late (or at least until your budget drags you away!). I've not stayed at the Youth Hostel but have stayed adjacent with a good view of the comings and goings. The views from some of the rooms must be amongst the best in Zermatt and the restaurant looks cheerful and busy which I take as a good sign. Whatever you decide, I hope you have a great trip.
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@Welshcakes, great input. Thanks. I really think it is going to be Cervinia. Struggling to find anything in Tasch at the right price.

I am likely to be collecting a friend from Turin airport, another reason why Cervinia makes more sense logistically.
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