 Poster: A snowHead
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Couldn't think of a better title, hopefully the post makes more sense...
I'm wondering where the best ski area is that will allow you to ski as uninterrupted as possible by
a) having quick chairlifts for all / most of the network and
b) having a really well thought-through connected network.
I've just come back from Verbier (4 Valleys) which is an epic ski area; however the older I get, the more I become aware of having to be out of my skis to get into gondolas and / or I give away my legs to drag lifts.
Technically I can ski Tortin pretty easily, however a run down there wipes out my legs for the day; so I wonder why they don't piste Tortin.
I'm on the hunt for a resort that is akin to the big ski areas like the 4 Valleys, but ideally somewhere you can spend the whole day on chairlifts and groomed pistes (with access to off piste when conditions / fitness allow).
Outside of the US, does anybody have any ideas?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tignes/Val D. Great ski area linked by chair lifts & bubbles. No need to use any drag lifts.
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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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You don't say how old you are but could you also improbe your fitness as well?
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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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I am 57...whats the problem with taking skis off and having a nice sit down? Anyway +1 to Tignes Val d...but there are gondolas to get the best out of it
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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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Saalbach has a large linked area (circuit). You won't have to endure any drag lifts but you will have to use the occasional sit down bubble lift. Rarely any queues either.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@sasha320, I think the 3 valleys in France fits the bill. 4 valleys now with link to Maurienne valley from Val Thorens.
Personally I think the lift system is better in Espace Killy but 3 valleys has more Kms of piste.Grooming very good in both areas I think.
I don't know anywhere in USA that is anywhere near the size of the large linked areas in Europe.
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I think there'll be a lot of ski areas out there where you can ski all day without taking your skis off with a little bit of piste map reading..... Taking my skis off during the day is one of my pet hates.
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Sella Ronda.
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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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Sella Ronda and satellite areas.
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@jbob, great minds. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Les Arcs.
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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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Yep, Dolomites ^^
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I guess that the Arlberg, with the Flexenbahn and Auenfeldjet, is now a very large, connected ski area. Those 2 lifts have connected St Anton to Zürs, Zug, Lech, Warth, and Schröcken. On the same network are also Stüben and St Christoph.
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You know it makes sense.
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4th vote for the Sella Ronda area. If you want to get the most out of the area there are some gondolas and cable cars involved but I think any large area will have them. If you want to put the miles in there can be few better places in the world, there are some very long pistes.
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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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5th vote for the Dolomites. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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@sasha320, As @PeteMan, has said, the Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Leogang-Fieberbrunn Ski Circus has a large (270km) fully-connected area, and it's possible to ski all day without doing the same piste twice, and without taking your skis off. It's also similar to somewhere like the French 3 Valleys, in that you can plan whole day itineraries, so you always feel that you're heading somewhere, rather than going up and down the same mountain repeatedly. Once it's fully connected to Zell am See/Kaprun, as it will be within the next couple of seasons it will be well over 400km. It also has the fastest lift system in the world.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks for all the replies guys*, really insightful and it'll give me plenty to go on when planning next season.
The last time I went to Sella Ronda I only skiied a couple of days, remembered I loved it but I can't remember the lift system and now I have an excuse to return!
The Saalbach ski area looks interesting.
* except for the 'look at me how politely offensive I can be' responses re. fitness and age.
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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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@sasha320: Piste Tortin? 
Sacrilege!
I have crucifixes and Holy Water in abundance all around me as i type.
The Tortin Bumps are a shrine.
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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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Think laterally:
https://www.skiplex.co.uk/
You can just get on and stay on, no lifts, no skis off...ski all day without stopping if that is your thing 
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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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| Jonpim wrote: |
@sasha320: Piste Tortin?
Sacrilege!
I have crucifixes and Holy Water in abundance all around me as i type.
The Tortin Bumps are a shrine. |
I get it, I really do. When in the mood, nothing beats skiing down Tortin in one go, racing your mates to see who'll get down first!
However some skiers would like to access the entire 4 Valleys ski area without the 'challenge' of Tortin to get across to Nendaz etc and / or without having to take the gondola down. Maybe they could piste Tortin a little bit? :0)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The Grandvalira area, once up on the mountain, is almost entirely chairlifts. A few drags... but you can go all day with your skis on.
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Three Valleys in France is the world's biggest and best-connected ski area.
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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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@jbob, @laundryman, @clarky999,
Shooosh. Let them all clear off to the 3Vs and we'll keep the best to ourselves. 
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so hypothetically, which resorts could possibly be linked to other resorts to make mega ski areas, could there ever be a piste and lift link from tignes to les arcs linking val disere, tignes, les arcs and la plagne, there must be loads of austrian ski areas that could be linked together, or in italy you could link cervinia with the monterosa resorts as well as zermatt.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@compostcorner, in theory, yes. And, for example, planning is currently under consideration to link Cervinia to Monterosa.
Practically however, environmental and political concerns seem to get in the way.
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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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Another large linked area in Austria would be the SkiWelt. The only gondolas there are the ones up from the base areas, the only time you would need one while getting around the area would be if you were going from the main area to the Westendorf area or vice versa. And only one drag that I have used in my last 4-5 visits there.
@compostcorner - they are currently in the process of linking the Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Leogang-Fieberbrunn area into the Zell Am Zee area, which will result in an area large enough that an average semi-fit intermediate skier will be hard pressed to ski from one end to the other and back in a day.
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