 Poster: A snowHead
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Here are historical snow bases (according to Ski Club of Great Britain) and current year's totals:
Tignes - current 37 lower/ 60 upper, historical 69/146
Meribel - current 32/45 historical 35/102
Val Thorens - current 50/55 historical 62/138
Serre Chevaler - current 35/60 historical 46/132
I was going to ski in France in late January - especially off piste. However, no one has even a meter of snow. Should I cancel my trip?
Is this a bad snow year? Can things recover? I just do not want to waste a ski trip when all the US areas in California, Utah, Colorado -- all have bases between 100-200cm.
What to do?
Looks like St. Anton is doing well. Should I go there?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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chrisc, This is problematical for you because of the distances involved I can see. Of course things can recover - certainly last year we had less snow than this at this time of year (we were limited to the glacier and the very top of the mountain), however one cannot count on it. Where are you flying to? I suggest that if possible you keep your resort options open (at the end of Jan you'll be able to find accommodation without too much trouble almost anywhere), and wait until much nearer the time to decide where. Remember, even if you fly to Paris, St Anton is only about 8-10 hours away by road!
Switzerland also seems to be doing well. Definitely do not cancel the trip - just try to be flexible on where to ski once you're here! 
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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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If I had promised myself the trip I would come. Brits don't normally cancel trips, they book, they go.
How you fly in depends on where you can go, realistically. On snow falls now I would look at Zurich as the gateway as you can do Western Switzerland and Eastern Austria. Of course, you can travel by train or car further afield.
Do you have a list of resorts you might visit? Bearing in mind that most good size resorts in the alpes are much bigger than what you may be used to in North America.
As for levels, it is best to trust people on the ground and this website will have in resort reports from all manner of places. Far more reliable than certain weather reports...IMV
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chrisc,
Oh yes, I forgot to mention, i headed out to the alpes last year with all doom and gloom, I got to the resort and it dumped for the whole week. Things can change very quickly in the mountains here just as they can anywhere else
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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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I am flying to Geneva.
I thought Feb 1 was an OK time to visit. I am very concerned.
I did rocks in Europe a few years ago.
I would rather not go again at these bases.
I am looking into trains to St Anton -- 5 hrs with one stop in Zurich.
And just sacrifice 100e each at both Val dIsere and Meribel.
And do St Anton - - 1 week /Davos - 4 days /St Moritz - 2days.
I hate bad skiing.
With short vacations, time is HUGE in the US and bad conditions are unacceptable. Looking into skiing Austria now -- with a spin through Davos and St Moritz.
Where can I avoid rocks?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| easiski wrote: |
Switzerland also seems to be doing well. Definitely do not cancel the trip - just try to be flexible on where to ski once you're here! |
It's snowing here now. But, I'd be a little cautious about some reports from Switzerland, they're a little partial without putting too fine a point on it.
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ise,
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But, I'd be a little cautious about some reports from Switzerland, they're a little partial without putting too fine a point on it.
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Is this your way of saying that you feel they are being economical in their reports with a positive bias?
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snowbunny, I think anyone planning a trip is going to want to get some reports from several sources before making a decision.
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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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We're going to Courchevel for the 5th time in a row on 29 Jan and I'm not worried. We always go at the end of Jan and every year to date the snow has dumped BIG time in about the 2nd/3rd week of Jan
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| chrisc wrote: |
Here are historical snow bases (according to Ski Club of Great Britain) and current year's totals:
Tignes - current 37 lower/ 60 upper, historical 69/146
Meribel - current 32/45 historical 35/102
Val Thorens - current 50/55 historical 62/138
Serre Chevaler - current 35/60 historical 46/132
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Now what was it some Snowheads were saying about how you can't go wrong with a high altitude resort early season?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Can things recover. Within 24 hrs those figures could be transformed. Forecasts looking decent for next 7 days. I remember last year the busy christmas week was saved at the very last minute by a heavy fall. Come and enjoy.
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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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chris,
I was in Morzine last weekend, their base is over a metre, plenty of snow around, check my pics http://gregh.co.uk/albums/morzine06/
They are 80km from Geneva.
Regards,
Greg
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm glad it was't Utah JT, was only there for a 3 day break, would have spend 2 of those 3 days travelling if it was Utah 
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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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gregh,
Envious conditions..!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
Now what was it some Snowheads were saying about how you can't go wrong with a high altitude resort early season?
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Most Snowheads I read said "if you want to go early, wait and book at the last minute". Exactly right. Many resorts have had super snow over Christmas. Altitude is fairly meaningless if the problem is lack of precipitation. Anybody without schoolkids to worry about can book a holiday at the last minute and be pretty certain of finding some snow. Booking well ahead, without kids, is a very strange thing to do IMO.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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chrisc, Geneva is really the perfect base for most european resorts. You can get to anywhere quite comfortably from there. Just keep your air tickets and wait to see where the snow arrives. We're expecting some tonight and tomorrow and maybe a bit into Thurs - that would be Les Oisans which is south of Geneva - great off piste areas in all resorts and La Grave as well. Further north you could, for instance use Bourg St Maurice as a base and ski all over that area: Val D, Tignes, Les ARcs, la Plagne, and also easy to get to 3 V from there. If the snow looks better further east with a week to go then think about Switzerland and Austria. Don't plan where yet. BTW you're not allowing much time per resort - remember most big european resorts have nursery slopes as big as some of the US ones!!!!
At the last minute you'll be able to find accommodation most places, and you shouldn't have a problem with trains or car hire. Really - don't despair - these blank patches are quite common, just wait until about a week to go and then decide. Watch these reports rather than the major internet ones. Have fun.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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it is way too early to panic! so far this season the northern resorts have had the better snow - hence the comparatively low figures for the resorts that you mention.
for instance, I am off to Chatel later today - a very low resort and one where I am used to panicing about grassy pistes before my regular New Year visits. I am absolutely gagging to get out there as they have plenty of snow at the moment and small top-ups over the next few days - you can check out the webcams at www.chatel.com to give you some peace of mind.
all it needs is for a couple of weather systems to hit the middle and southern resorts over the next 2-3 weeks and they will be sorted as well. there is every reason to believe that will happen.
as mentioned above, if you can do so it may be best to keep your choice of resort flexible, if only to help you relax about the upcoming trip!
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brian
brian
Guest
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Looks like a big dump coming this weekend and a reasonably snowy outlook for the first week of 2006 
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The snow in Alpe D'Huez is a bit hard packed but there is plenty of it and its very skiable. Its been snowing today and the forecast like brian says is really good for the coming week - more light snow over the next couple of days and then heavy snow over the weekend! It was only a few weeks ago that we were all saying how brilliant the early snow was so think it is far too early to write it off as a bad year. Sure there is still much more to come......
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3V is pretty shitty at the moment (or it was yesterday), but a few decent dumps will sort it out. Don't worry, chrisc.
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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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lets cross our fingers, coming from the states, this will be our first trip to europe. (3V) already booked the chalet, 2 car hires, plane tickets, so no backing out for me. Will be there mid Feb and hoping it starts snowing soon...
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koondog, I wouldn't even think of panicking yet. Mid-Feb is bang in the middle of the season, and there'll be huge amounts of skiing in the 3V then, even if the season proves to be poor (and it's way too early to tell).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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koondog,
You'll have an excellent time in the 3V, Its soooooo big...
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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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thanks for the re-assurance... sooo psyched, can't wait lol
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koondog, as laundryman has said, it's far too early to start worrying about February. Be confident of a great time - the 3Vs are enormous and I'd be very surprised if there wasn't really good skiing to be had by then.
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You know it makes sense.
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there seems to be loads of snow forecast for many areas over the weekend - so conditions should be great next week. But possibly a difficult time on the road for people leaving or arriving on Saturday. I am driving down from Calais arriving in the Alps Sunday evening and am about to go and re-remember how to put on snow chains. Next week, with everybody gone and fresh snow, should be fantastic.
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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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winter park has experienced record snowfall totals for the month of january. come ski where you don't have to worry about the most important element of a holiday........snow!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Rusty Guy, Accept what you say totally, and I have skied 4 weeks in the US in past years. I would no longer consider the US as a ski destination because of immigration procedures. When I go on holiday, I like to feel welcomed and happy, not stressed.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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chrisc, koondog, the advice to "book late and follow the snow" is impractical for many people, so dodgy snow is the price you sometimes have to pay for skiing in Europe, I'm afraid. There's no way of telling for certain how things are going to be in 4-6 weeks. No point worrying about it yet, but it'll probably be ok. You maximise your chances by going high but people who tend to think in terms of "can't go wrong" would be best advised to be more cautious of their convictions.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
the advice to "book late and follow the snow" is impractical for many people, so dodgy snow is the price you sometimes have to pay for skiing in Europe, I'm afraid.
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this is a high price to pay unless you have no choice, when you are travelling so far. I don't see why booking late should be so impractical, outside peak holiday periods (which are best avoided anyway). In my experience most people who book very early do so simply because they are psychologically reluctant to live without that feeling of certainty, not because late booking is impractical. But then they have to accept that certainty about where they are going for is not compatible with certainty about the snow.
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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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booking late wasn't an option for us, considering all of the factors involved. esp coming from the US. limited flights, chalets and car hires. and we have folks flying in from different locations, so the organizing this trip needed to be done early. If it was possible, we definitly would love to follow the snow. Even if the snow isn't the best, we will all have a blast.
after we get back to the states, we will be 'following the snow' when we make our annual trip out west...
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Well, big groups (20+) have to book early otherwise they'd end up scattered in different hotels/chalets/appartments all over the resort. Feb half termers have to book early if they want anywhere decent with childcare. No doubt there are others, too!
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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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| Quote: |
So what's your experience, what kind of people, if you don't mind my asking?
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I have worked with lots of people who book up their holidays (summer and winter) months and months in advance. Once a holiday is over, they are desperate to book the next one. They want to be able to show you the brochure picture of the actual hotel or chalet they are going to, and if possible tell you about the actual bedroom they are going to have. It's important to them, part of the anticipation, to be able to come back to the office, rub their hands together and say "I've booked". And the industry puts masses of pressure on people to book early because it's good for their cash flow and profits. Fine, if that's what people want from the holiday and if (in the case of skiers) this certainty is more important to them than the state of the snow. But the fact remains that for many people, booking a long way in advance is not a practical necessity but a psychological one. My experience is mostly French, I admit, but French resorts have a big excess supply of accommodation outside the peak times, because of the lemming like insistence of French holidaymakers to cram their holidays into a few weeks.
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pam w, if you're now saying "many people" or most people you know", I couldn't disagree, in fact I'm fairly sure you're right  Just that most people I know need to book early because they do indeed go at busy times or simply have exacting requirements.
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FAQ
so can't say anything more specific than that...he's got 4 weeks to get better 
+ I just had a lovely run down with 2 students at the end of the day - not rocks - fab snow - fair bit of grass in the middle, but hey - nowhere's perfect!! 
