 Poster: A snowHead
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For the last ten years we have done the 3 day trip to Tignes with Mountainsun, I must say they do a great job at a very reasonable price. However we all need a change now i think we have exhausted there for now.
So where else can you go?
I have looked at the reports of best early skiing/boarding places to visit and Cervinia or Solden look good but i cant see any sought of package like the one Mountainsun do, and trying to sort flight/transfer/accommodation is just as much as a week in January (which we do every year) so does anyone one know of any good alternatives to boot camp in Tignes?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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How early?
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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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29th November for 4 days or close to that date
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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 usually skiing in Norway or Sweden at that time of year. Done one trip into Finland as well. Short days though, can be very cold and 2 of the last 5 years the snow has not been great. The other 3 years though we got very lucky with some good snow. The problem is you would need to organise most of it yourself. Flight to Oslo then drive to Lillehammer or Trysil can be very easy to organise.
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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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@creynish, welcome to Snowheads!
Is there any reason you stick to shorter trips? Invariably I find a ski trip to be about the same price , be it 3 days or 7 days! Something to do with cramming in a weeks worth of apres food and booze!
You might be interested in the PSB (link to last year) but I think that exclusively visits Tignes!
That early in the season is mildly terrifying too book on the long finger unless theres a glacier option nearby. Perhaps you can look into flights to Geneva then start booking resorts closer the time?
Have you looked at UCPA? https://www.ucpa.co.uk/
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
i cant see any sought of package like the one Mountainsun do
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I suspect they don't exist - the Mountainsun package, with the transfer, is probably unique.
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@creynish, We run pre season coaching clinics in Tignes using Mountain Sun and then go to Hintertux during the first week in December. The snow is fantastic on the Tux glacier and we include a private transfer.
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Thanks both
We do the 3 day trip simply as it is better than a visit to the snowdome!
i stumbled across it years ago and our first trip was only £99 for three days skiing you cant beat that. true to say it is now much more expensive but you can still get late November for less than £250 if you get cheap flights and that is fully catered!
In ten years we have only had 2 no ski days and both have been due to wind and snow not shortage of snow.
So its been great but you do get used to the same slopes all the time and its time for a change.
We do a group ski/board with 4 couples every January and squeeze a spring ski in end of season (just returned from Italy) so for the lads to get away on a sneaky warm up session boys only trip is great but could not justify a full week without the wifes, but 3 to 4 days as long as it is not to expensive the lads can get away with!
i have started to do some research there are resorts equally as good from what i can see (Solden / Cervinia) but it looks like its get your own way there etc. and like you say it then starts to get to the cost of another weeks holiday.
Also as December is peak for me in work i can only take 2 work days off at a time so has to be a Friday to Monday sort of thing.
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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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@creynish, Later in the season we do a Cheeky Weekend trip to the Portes du Soleil in Morgins. very quick 1 1/2 hour private transfer from GVA and only a couple days off work. Ran it for the first time this year and was great with three full days of skiing.
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| Quote: |
you do get used to the same slopes all the time and its time for a change.
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the best way to make good use of the few slopes available is to get some coaching - that's what I've done on the Mountain Sun trip, with Inside Out Skiing. Makes it far more worthwhile.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Kitzbuhel is always worth keeping an eye on early season. Obviously its weather dependent but ive had a couple of fantastic weeks there in early december. They have superb snowmaking and it was deserted.
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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 was out in the Amade region on the 19th November, in the next 5 weeks I got more powder skiing than I had for the entire previous season 
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We’ve been going to Zermatt for 2-3 nights at the end of November for about the last 9 years, booking the Ski Test package via the tourist office. This includes hotel/apartment of your choice plus international lift pass and the opportunity to test a vast range of new season skis. At the end of November we can usually get Geneva flights for under £60 each and either drive up (if we are with friends) or take the train. 3 nights gives us 3 days skiing and a late flight home. There is always good glacier skiing and the links to Cervinia are usually open to Plan Maison (weather permitting).
It’s good fun. Zermatt town isn’t fully open, but it has a far less blingy vibe than during the main season.
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You know it makes sense.
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Sister company to mountain Sun, dolomite Sun? Similar deal to Albergo Frohsinn in San Cassiano last year I believe.
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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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Monterosa typially opens last weekend in November /First weekend December, last season opened 1.12.17.
Not glaciated so snow is a little bit of a question but usually OK, at least, on pistes.
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Poster: A snowHead
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We like to do Xmas markets...
So, thinking of flying into Innsbruck on a Sunday, Kitzbuhel 3 night & flying out of Salzburg on the Saturday.
Really depends on what we decide for our March trip though....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've been to kaprun and skied kitzsteinhorn in November It was pretty good plenty snow on glacier and you could ski diwn to mid station on gondola.
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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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The last few years I've been going to Hintertux for a week at the end of November (DIY flight, transfer and accommodation) and it's been excellent. 
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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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@creynish, like you, we did the Mountainsun long weekends for quite a few years. They were cheap as chips, and (except flights), everything was included , even on-site ski "hire". Unfortunately, I've never found anything else like it, either. Yes, there are places open at that time but it's not cheap when you add everything up. Sorry  .
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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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@creynish, we tend to do a Thursday night to Monday trip each Nov. Around the same time. Last couple of years we have been at Hintertux (we have a place in Mayrhofen) but before that we went to Solden. Problem is always flights as Innsbruck flights tend to be weekly at that time of year so you have to fly to Munich for Hintertux. Solden is a slog from Munich but we have done it too.
Both offer good early season skiing with maybe Solden having more if the yopen the non glacier slopes as well like this year.
I prefer Hintertux though as better glacier area with getter mix of slopes.
Stubai is meant to be great too. Search on the forum at top as this topic comes up a lot
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We have an apartment in the 4 Vallées which we rent out and so always go out before Christmas to make sure everything is sorted. Usually over a long Weekend late November/early December. Worst case scenario is we've had to take the télécabine over to Verbier and ski it's higher reaches. Best case (this year) 'our' upper slopes were open as well as much of Verbier. Both flights and car hire are usually pretty cheap (say, £90-£110 each for flights, £35/day car hire) and then it's just accommodation. Plenty of agencies would have owners happy to rent out pre-Christmas at a week's, low season rate, across a Weekend, as usually rentals don't start 'till Christmas Week. Obviously, you could go for Verbier rather than a satellite, but expect higher prices even low season.
An alternative in our area would be to base yourself at a valley thermal resort like the Bains de Saillon https://www.bainsdesaillon.ch/en/ (between Martigny and Sion) and drive out to resorts like Verbier, Crans, Champéry-PdS, Les Diablerets-GLacier 3000, and even Chamonix. Or, of course, just stay in a regular hotel in the valley and drive out. This would let you adapt to the specific conditions and go up to places with better snow cover. I only suggest these as I'm familiar with the area - there are lots of ski areas where you could take this approach.
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@Perty,
We’ve been going to Zermatt for 2-3 nights at the end of November for about the last 9 years, booking the Ski Test package via the tourist office. This includes hotel/apartment of your choice plus international lift pass and the opportunity to test a vast range of new season skis. At the end of November we can usually get Geneva flights for under £60 each and either drive up (if we are with friends) or take the train. 3 nights gives us 3 days skiing and a late flight home. There is always good glacier skiing and the links to Cervinia are usually open to Plan Maison (weather permitting).
It’s good fun. Zermatt town isn’t fully open, but it has a far less blingy vibe than during the main season.
This sounds just what we are looking for! can you give me some more details please.
we will fly Geneva and probable car hire.
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@Alastair Pink,
Hi is it fully open? do you have any contact detail;s / suggestions?
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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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@maggi,
Still looking will update here if anything worth looking at!
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@Bennyboy1,
do you do all the booking independently?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@creynish, yes even before we had our place we did it independently - more of an adventure!
Accommodation in Austria is very cheap normally that time of year (Nov) as it’s pre season and many places won’t really be open yet. Be prepared to have limited choice of places to eat. Booking.com or Airbnb will find you something. Flights and car hire first.
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FAQ
