 Poster: A snowHead
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The wife after a couple of years break is fancying a ski trip this year, good news for me as I already have 2 planned.
We're pretty flexible normally so if we ski in Europe can to some extent see how the season goes and go where the snow is good but we have a few restrictions in the form of a couple of weddings, and pets don't necessary make dropping things at a minutes notice feasible.
As it is we can either fit a week in around the 28th March, if not that week it would have to be the around the 12th April or the following week or later. Tour operators don't seem to be showing dates any later than the start of April-is this common at this stage of the season? Also it's Easter so expected prices to be a little inflated and a couple of weeks may or may not a difference to conditions. I've skied at Easter before but that was in Canada. We live in The Lakes so while I've done DIY before I've never driven due it taking at a guess 7 hours just to get to the channel but thought about taking the car and stopping off on the way back.
Option B, we roll a ski trip into a bigger holiday and head over to Canada. Last time we went to Whislter, and had it all, 20 odd degree heat, skiing in t-shirts, rain in resort and a few inches of fresh snow. We have family spread out across Canada so this time could try the Banff area, or the more inland areas in BC the cousins live near Big White.
The wife's a strong intermediate, can ski anything on piste but prefers reds and not much off piste. I'm in the same category but like going off piste but happy just to stick with or at most get a guide or try to join a group for a day as she like a morning or full day off.
So on balance would we be best going the end of March or worth waiting until mid April? Unless it's a better than average season I think the majority of resorts look to close mid April with the like of Tignes, Val Thorens etc open into May? Is this right? Hard to call this early on but I've been in Kitzbuhel in April and was able to ski to the town and Val Thorens and while on piste was generally fine with some sketchy bits the off piste was baked and not worth it.
Anyone any experience of Banff and the other Canadian resorts at this time of year?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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At that time of year just hang on and wait to see what the snow is like. It is different every year. I skied Cervinia in mid April and had 2 big powder days a year later we were in St Anton and were skiing on streams it was that warm. If this conditions are poor just drink. Enjoy
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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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So on balance would we be best going the end of March or worth waiting until mid April?
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End of March would be better. It's low season in France - accommodation prices are not inflated (if you avoid British TOs). Book flights now (they just get more expensive and all the best bargains will have been snapped up long ago) and then wait to see what the snow's like, and book accommodation at the last minute. You can leave transfers or renting a car till the last minute, too.
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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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March is a fabulous time to ski Lake Louise and Sunshine Village: still tons of great, powdery snow but generally warmer temps. Both have great conditions well into April and sometimes even late April, depending on how the season's gone. End of March is starting to get a bit late for Whistler and some of the other BC resorts.
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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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Have had a great time in Les 2 Alpes in April, bluebird powder days on both our visits and even if spring has set in in the resort, one lift up from the valley and you are in the high mountains right up to 3600m on the glacier
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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spin a coin....I've had warm days in March, powder in April and also the opposite....
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Unless it's a better than average season I think the majority of resorts look to close mid April with the like of Tignes, Val Thorens etc open into May? Is this right?
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Most resorts close when they say they are going to close even if the snow is good because the extra costs to not pay for themselves with skier numbers. The exception to this is sometimes resorts close early because of poor snow.
Although I have certainly been skiing in years when the skiing is better in Mid April than in March I would say this is the exception and that in general conditions are better in March. If I had the choice of when to go I would go for March.
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Thanks for all the replies. The crux with Canada would be it would have to be mid April as unless we did just a week we'd not be back for our prior engagements.
I'll start looking at flights for DIY, looked at Crystal as a yard stick the last date they're offering at the moment for anywhere in France is the week of the 4th April.
So are increased crowds not so much an issue as with earlier holidays in the season?
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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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Candanian Affair used to start their low cost flights at Easter with Canada 3000.
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Kaprun - Kitzsteinhorn is a good base - definitely worth a few days with guaranteed snow, then tour the area for the best non-glacial snow. Places such as Fieberbrunn, Zell am See, Maria Alm, Obertauern, the whole Ski Amade all within an hour plus many more. With it being further east and north different rules apply regarding weather, altitude and snow levels.
Plenty of things to do apart from skiing in that area too and its a beautiful place.
Another Austrian one would be Ischgl which is open until early may and we were skiing to the village in the last week of April 2014 even after a poor snow season. Plus you've also got the series of end of season concerts which are normally good. (Best non glacial snow record in the Alps??)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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So are increased crowds not so much an issue as with earlier holidays in the season?
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No, in my experience Easter is really quiet, absolutely nothing like NY/Feb half term.
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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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I skied once at Easter in Banf, IIRC early April that year. The local hill had closed for the season so we got the bus to Sunshine and Lake Louise, where there was snow, but it wasn't great (the scenery was, however). The big problem was the bus timetable kept changing and on one occaison we missed a bus and the next one tunred up two hours later. Personally I wouldn't reccomend it for mid/late April.
As to Europe, The UK tour operators tradditionaly stop after Easter. Years ago I was told this was because the charter aircraft they used were diverted to the warmer areas of the Med. The Frech also tend to favour the warmth of the Med over skiing at Easter. If my experinces on the A6 motorway south of Paris are anything to go by then so does the whole of Belgium. So Easter is never too crowded and the weeks after can feel really deserted. Most of the big French (and IIRC the rest of the Alpes as well) close either the last weekend of April or the first of May.
As others have said, sort out flights now and you can leave accomodation to later. To maximise my annual leave from work I plan to go out on Maunday Thursday and return on the Saturday night 9 or 10 days laler. And if the snow is good nip out for a weekend in April
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