 Poster: A snowHead
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Need some advice from you wise folk out there. I've recently got married and am really keen to get the better half into skiing. I'm selfishly going away to Lech with my ski-chum in mid-March and thought about taking the wife somewhere in early April. Unfortunately, due to leave restrictions, we can't get away until mid-April (from 16th onwards). So, my question is, are snow conditions going to be good enough to make it worthwhile? I'm worried a slush-fest would put her off, and that I may be better waiting until next year to try and get her into it. Last year, I took beginners to Passo Tonale in the first week of April and the snow was absolutely fine. Obviously, there's no knowing how the season will turn out this year, but are the chances of good quality snow pretty remote by mid-late April?
Secondly, if we were to go, where would people recommend? Her two brothers (also never skied) would probably join us, so it needs to be somewhere beginner-friendly, even at that time of year. I reckon village charm and beautiful scenery are nearly as important as the skiing if I want to entice her into making this a regular activity. We don't drink, so apres scene is not important, but decent restaurants would be a bonus. I'm not keen on the French mega-resorts - somewhere more low-key would be preferable. Given the time of year we are looking at, as well as the other considerations, Saas-Fee and Obergurgl are two resorts that I reckon might fit the bill. Please let me know your suggestions.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Try Mayrhofen, on the zillertal ski pass you can ski the whole valley right up to the Hintertux glacier, always good skiing there, but not much accommodation! So Mayrhofen is the best place to stay. Best Apres bar is at the bottom of the gondola on the Ahorn side. 
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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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Other people may be able to prove me wrong here, but I would be tempted to say that at that time of year, your need for high-altitude skiing may conflict with your hope of a low-key, pretty village.
For me, Cervinia (Italy) would be a really good place to try at that time of year - I went in the second week of April last year and conditions were fantastic. Inevitably, there will be slush lower down, but that is probably just a fact of life for that time of year. The lift infrastructure does give the option to return to town in a bubble though, so you could avoid the slush if needed.
It's all cruisey blues and reds really, so pretty good place for beginners I would say.
The food both on the hill and in the town is also superb. The town is relatively pretty (though there are some high rises which can be seen) with some nice churches, and a fantastic view of the Matterhorn (or Cervino as it's called on that side).
If people are starting to feel confident as the week progresses, you would also have the chance to ski down into Zermatt from Cervinia if you bought the right pass.
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Saas Fee sounds perfect for what you describe. It's always popular with beginners/intermediates that go up from here
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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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@kitenski, some awesome footage
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Ischgl.You can't go wrong.Everyone who I have taken there loves it and conditions have always been good right through April. Skied there on 1st May one year recently, it was snowing and Kylie Minogue was belting out her hits.
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April last year from my point of view (turn up the volume for lols):
https://vimeo.com/123984214
OK, of course it's not always like that, but April powder isn't particularly unusual. OTOTH, it is likely that later in the month anything south facing will be slushy after lunch (good technique and wider skis make slush more fun than anything other than powder though). Before it turns to slush pistes will be lovely soft and grippy too.
If you want to avoid slush, obviously high helps, but more importantly you want lots of north facing terrain.
As above, Ischgl is a good option for that, and the resort is normally open until early May.
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@clarky999, agree, you can have a very good day out by planning what slopes to ski when based on what direction they face, had a great time in Zurs/Lech last year on a sunny day and didn't really hit any slush!
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Recent trips at that time of year - 3rd week of April, Livigno. Lift pass came free with the accommodation so it was super-cheap. Excellent snow after a very hot March, fresh snow every night so we got first tracks in off-piste powder every morning. Lower slopes slushy by afternoon. No crowds or queues at all. Lots of good restaurants in Livigno. End of April/beginning of May, Stubai Glacier. Stayed in a nice Hotel at Neustift for a very reasonable price, good skiing on the glacier, icy in the morning, and entertaining slush moguls by afternoon. Hot (20c) and sunny down in the valley. Really enjoyable trip.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks for the responses guys. The enthusiasm on here makes me think I'll definitely go for a trip. The wife hates the cold, so maybe this is the ideal introduction for her!
@kitenski, I'm going to Lech in March, so a bit soon for a return!
Ischgl and Mayrhofen/Hintertux are interesting options, but I'd read that they're both not great for beginners - can any of you clarify whether that's true or not?
@Kingofthec, that was my concern - Saas Fee and Obergurgl were the only two 'charming' high altitude places I could come up with. Went to Cervinia 4 years ago, but wasn't overly enamoured by it. The skiing on the Zermatt side was terrific, but I felt, with a couple of excpetions, the Cervinia pistes were a bit samey and the village didn't appeal much to me. Haven't looked at Livigno in much detail, but am concerned it may be similar.
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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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@suggul,ok well to be fair the mayrhofen blues are a bit narrow as i recall, nice skiing trough the tree line but not much room for a novice to traverse etc. I'm taking my wife on her first trip this March. A very good mate of mine, who skis all the bloody time all over the world, told me to take her to Alpbach. It's not the highest but does hang on the white stuff pretty well. It's only 50 mins from Innsbruck, is a very beautiful village and is a very good beginners resort. I'm there on the 4th March, i'll post my report as soon as i can!! If you want her to fall in love with skiing then this could be a good shout.
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You know it makes sense.
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Ischgl is fine for beginners as long as you take the cable car down at the end of the day. Most of the skiing is above 2000m so taking the cable car down at the only means you miss the runs to the bottom (lots of fun but not for beginners). I've been there in both April and May and had most of the mountain open.
At that time of year it will almost certainly be Spring skiing so which ever resort you pick needs to be high. You will probably end the day relatively early and sit on the terraces (not a bad outcome for beginners).
The only tricky aspect this year could be the snow conditions given the very poor start to the season. I doubt that you will have problems picking something up late season so would be tempted to wait till closer till the time to book.
Spring skiing with plenty of stops to sit in the sun is a good way to start with a group of beginners.
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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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It'll be too late for Alpbach. Though it's very pretty.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@kitenski, I see what you mean about Lech now. That's not a bad idea at all. I can scope the suitable pistes as well as the places to eat out. Selfishly, though, it would be nice to go to another resort during the season.
I like @nozawaonsen,'s idea of waiting and seeing where the snow is good before deciding where to go. Will add Ischgl to the mix-pot of potential destinations. Have wanted to go there myself as it looks like an intermediate paradise.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@suggul, well you *could* stay in somewhere like Warth or Zurs so "close-by" but not the same  Or I know a really nice hotel in Stuben but the immediate skiing in Stuben really isn't suitable for beginners.
Given it's late season you could probably leave it really late like @nozawaonsen, suggests. Looks like schools near me go back on the 18th April. So it'd be after schools and after Easter.
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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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Always go for north facing slopes. Even Cervinia which is very high, gets a lot of sun on the slopes in April which affects it.
Courchevel holds up well but the higher slopes tend to be steeper.
Alrberg in April is very very slushy. Most of the resort is not particlularly high or north facing.
VT and Espcae Killy offer probably the best late skiing in the Alps.
Les Arcs and La Plagne are not quite as high but mainly north facing. La Plagne has a lot of beginners skiing.
Pila and Bormio are both north facing and pretty high, particulalry Bormio. half of the Livigno Valley as also north facing and holds up very well late.
Stubai has a good reputation for great late 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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I was about to suggest this! Val Thorens is a very good choice for late season snow.
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I've had luck with 3 Valleys mid April, but that was 15 or so years ago. Big enough area to have snow on offer. Was staying in Meribel and slushy on the return runs by afternoon. People out in t-shirts and sunbathing but still plenty of snow and all resorts still linked up.
VT is best in the Alps for late season, though not a pretty place.
This year however... who knows. It might turn out the drought will lead to huge amounts late season. Or you could be skiing on grass.
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I'd go for Tignes over VT for late skiing though neither is pretty.
Late season holidays can be great. Give me a bit of slush with sunshine over a blizzard with minus 25 wind chill. Early morning can shake your fillings loose but who needs to get up early? 2 or 3 hours great skiing and plenty of sitting on a terrace with a beer and a beautiful view.
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@suggul, you need to look to see exactly when the season ends before deciding on a particular resort. In the last week of the season many resorts are already half-closed, both in terms of places on the pistes as well as in the towns or villages. My gut feeling is that you will need to look to France as they generally have longer seasons than Austria. Most of the resorts around here will start shutting down a week or two after Easter (obscenely early this year), regardless of the snow conditions. Zauchensee, just up the road from me closes on 17th April if I remember correctly. There simply is not enough trade to justify keeping the whole place open. Plus, unlike France, most of the land is in private hands and the lift company will have negotiated an official end of skiing with the landowners. They then close the lifts and send the pistie-beasties out to break up any base so that it melts faster.
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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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Thank you all for your input - it's certainly very helpful. @Samerberg Sue, I never thought about that. How do I find out when resorts will start scaling back their lift operations? Obergurgl website has the week I'm looking to go as "interim season", rather than main season. Does that mean reduced lift operations? I take it Ischgl will be fine at that time if people ski there until May?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| suggul wrote: |
| I'm worried a slush-fest would put her off......so it needs to be somewhere beginner-friendly, even at that time of year. I reckon village charm and beautiful scenery are nearly as important as the skiing if I want to entice her into making this a regular activity. We don't drink, so apres scene is not important, but decent restaurants would be a bonus. I'm not keen on the French mega-resorts - somewhere more low-key would be preferable. Given the time of year we are looking at, as well as the other considerations, Saas-Fee and Obergurgl are two resorts that I reckon might fit the bill |
Given what you're asking for I'm not sure why people are proposing VT and Tignes. They meet almost none of your criteria. I don't know Obergurgl but to quote where to ski and snowboard (2008): "Saas Fee is one of our favorite places - a sort of miniature Zermatt without the conspicuous consumption. And good snow is guaranteed, even late in the season: the altitude you spend most of your day at - between 2500m and 3500m - is unrivaled in the Alps"
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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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Head as high as possible.
At least 1800m in the village.
Big ski area (to maximize the chance of open trails).
Somewhere that looks good and buzzes with visitors the whole season (not just at peak times).
Top choices:
1. Courchevel 1850.
2. Val d'Isere.
3. Zermatt is also doable (rare exception to the rule). Lower (1500m), but it is prettier than the other two, higher up top than the other two, has a good late-season record, and it has the last-remaining genuinely-all-year-skiable glacier in the Alps.
4. Other uglier resorts that can also be fine include La Plagne, Les Arcs 2000, and Saas Fee (pretty, but boring).
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| Whitegold wrote: |
| 4. Other uglier resorts that can also be fine include La Plagne, Les Arcs 2000, and Saas Fee (pretty, but boring). |
The resorts are ugly but I'd say that the scenery when you're on the slopes isn't, and surely that's what matters? Given the choice between Courchevel and La Plange I'd almost certainly go for the latter...mainly because it's like to be cheaper 
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You know it makes sense.
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| suggul wrote: |
| Thank you all for your input - it's certainly very helpful. @Samerberg Sue, I never thought about that. How do I find out when resorts will start scaling back their lift operations? Obergurgl website has the week I'm looking to go as "interim season", rather than main season. Does that mean reduced lift operations? I take it Ischgl will be fine at that time if people ski there until May? |
Obergurgl is open later than Ischgl - normally until around the end of May. I don't know how much (or if!) they scale back... Email the tourist office maybe? Pretty much every resort website will have a closing date hidden away somewhere.
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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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@clarky999, thank you. I did that this morning. The response was a little convoluted:
"Normally, the most of the lifts are operating until the 24th of April 2016. Some of the last years the t-bar lifts are closed in the end of the season. But it depends on the snow conditions at this time. So we can say it very shortly how many parts of the ski area are operating."
I guess that means if conditions are good, most lifts will be open. Another reason, perhaps, to check conditions and book late.
I contacted Saas-Fee, too, but they close all lifts on 17th April.
@Whitegold, I love Zermatt and have skied the glacier twice in the summer. Not sure about the suitability for beginners, though. On the other hand, can't think of a resort that is more likely to get the wife to fall in love with skiing. I'll look into it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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been to cervinia for the last 3 easter holidays - great conditions - esp up the top.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Cervinia - normally we go first week of April, in 2015 we went 12-19 April and it was still good, with one or two fresh powder days. Cervinia is terrific for beginners and families, and is real quiet come that time, so you will get good deals.
Lower slopes got a bit of light rain on one or two days, which made for interesting skiing as you were flying down some slopes, only to hit sticky snow and different pressures on each ski
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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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@suggul, the lift company page for any resort you are thinking of going to will have that information fairly clearly marked. If it closes before you intend to go out, then cross it off the list and keep going until you find a resort that fits your criteria and is still in full swing.
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