 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all!
After recommendations for snow sure skiing spots in Europe for my girlfriend and I end of Feb time? (February half term - teacher life problems).
Don't mind it being pretty lively, we're both in our mid-late 20's so don't mind a few beery treats.
Any input would be greatly appreciated! Just soooooooo many choices looking online, the other half is a beginner, I'm more advanced.
Taaaaaaa
Daniel
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Beware of crowds. Avoid France end February. And check other holidays elsewhere.
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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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@SnowBeau, could you go at Easter? Plenty of high resorts still snowsure. Accommodation is cheaper, slopes are quieter, weather is generally sunnier.
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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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Just about any resort should have snow then.
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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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| Quote: |
recommendations for snow sure skiing spots in Europe for my girlfriend and I end of Feb time? |
All and any of Europe.
Any further details available to narrow it down? 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Anywhere above 500m in the Northern Hemisphere will be 100% snowsure in February.
It is peak-Winter and peak-cold.
Go to Verbier, Switzerland.
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February is high season and it is very likely that practically all resorts will have good conditions. From what little you have said I would suggest that many of the Austrian resorts might be good. A lot of them offer relatively straight forward skiing with plenty of apres ski (being Austria this almost inevitably involves copious amounts of booze of one sort or other) for those so inclined. Places to consider might be Ski Welt, Kitzbühel, Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Ski Amade and the Zillertal though plenty of other options too. All easy to get to via either Munich or Salzburg. Some of the Italian resorts might be good too, though I know less about them and I suspect somewhat quieter on the apres ski front.
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I'd avoid the major resorts during feb, half term tends to mean they are all crammed.
Damuels has proven a good option for me during feb hols.
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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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Get out of France and go to the Dolomites. Stunning scenery and miles of confidence building runs.
As for snow it is mid season. There will be snow everywhere.
Anyway the Dolomites have huge amounts of snowmaking, and are experts at managing what they have Also their runs are free of rocks so 6 inches is enough.
But the best bit is they will not be crowded. I was also in education and took to skiing the Dollys in Feb half term to avoid the madness in France.
ENJOY
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Well I feel a bit of a fool now! I've only spent time in Northern Finland and Ischgl which I believe have longer seasons than others so i wasn't sure...
I might look at Easter as suggested, from what I see it looks like Austria get 1 week in Easter and we get 2 so may be quieter.
Thanks for the suggestion on the Dolomites, sounds very promising!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The dolomites are great but on my own February visit the main Sella Ronda area was not quiet, getting accross to the Marmolada was busier than just about anywhere I've been. The peripheral areas are probably better. I would certainly recommend the Dolomites to anyone but on my visit it would not be to avoid busy lifts mid February.
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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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The lifts on the Sella Ronda circuit do tend to get busy at half term but each of the four valleys it covers have their own ski area where the queues are mostly negligible as soon as you're off the Sella Ronda route. Alta Badia (Corvara, Colfosco, etc ) for example has 53 lifts and 130 km of pistes to enjoy and queues are rarely a problem.
For getting to the major destinations like Marmolada or the Hidden Valley at half term you definitely need to make an early start to avoid the crowds.
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@olderscot,
Over the years I've tended to ski Austria at half term which I certainly found less busy than the Dollies other than Fasching which can be pretty busy.
Been to France a couple of times recently.
This year we went to St Gervais which seemed pretty busy but my knee stopped me from doing much skiing. A few years back we went to Val Cenis which really wasn't bad at all though a bit busier than when I've been later in the season.
Booked Les Arcs for next year , will have to see how that goes.
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You know it makes sense.
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I found the Dolomites quite busy in February (Snowheads Birthday Bash) too. As @T Bar says the Sella Ronda was very busy - longest queues I've been in for a while. There are certainly quieter areas away from the main circuit and it is an outstandingly beautiful area.
Problem next year is that Easter is a bit late.
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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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| Bob wrote: |
I'd avoid the major resorts during feb, half term tends to mean they are all crammed.
Damuels has proven a good option for me during feb hols. |
This is only true for France, UK half term isn't an especially busy week in Austria or Italy.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| SnowBeau wrote: |
Well I feel a bit of a fool now! I've only spent time in Northern Finland and Ischgl which I believe have longer seasons than others so i wasn't sure...
I might look at Easter as suggested, from what I see it looks like Austria get 1 week in Easter and we get 2 so may be quieter.
Thanks for the suggestion on the Dolomites, sounds very promising! |
Ignore those saying go high at Easter, unless you like bleak moonscapes. Go low in February, Austria or Italy.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Half term this year was certainly busier than usual in the Dolomites due to the clash with Fasching and Yes, the Sella Ronda and Marmolada were very busy. I did the Sella Ronda in the afternoon with a small group and we only made it back with 5 minutes to spare before the last lift closed (it wasn't helped by the piste police closing a piste to try and land a helicopter to airlift out an injury which was a little frustrating and also astounding to see the number of people who decided the rules didn't apply to them). Half the problem was the police couldn't stop people skiing through and could only shout and throw things at the skiers who decided to take their chance and ski through anyway.
In general though the Dolomites is a great choice for half term and certainly far quieter than most of the French resorts. Austria I can't compare to as I haven't been there in ages and I'm now free of the need to go at half term. 
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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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Last Feb half term we went to Salen in Sweden (flew into Oslo and hired a car). Not too busy except in Lindvallen as that week did conflict with some local school holidays.
For next Feb we have booked to stay in Radstadt, Austria.
We have previously been to Bansko for half term. Never again (at half term) it was absolutely heaving.
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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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Monterosa reasonably not busy - Italy in general a plan.
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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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Can anyone suggest a little corner of the Dolomites, not on the Sella Ronda, which might be good for a family holiday at half term? I'm researching on behalf of my son. My daughter in law doesn't ski but enjoys being in the mountains but would also want some other aspect to a holiday, and a couple of days in Venice and Verona either end would make sense. They don't need a big variety of skiing - convenience, and a nice hotel with a pool, would be more important. Maybe Alleghe (I never got there, because although I was on the famous birthday bash when SHs discovered Alleghe I managed to drive into Arabba so never saw it). But I know there are other similar satellites - a group of us visited one of them but I can't remember what it was called.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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San Cassiano and Corvara just off the main Sella Ronda circuit, and their local skiing is a little quieter for it than villages on the circuit I think. Great scenery and mountain restaurants, as you’d expect. San Cassiano has quite a few upscale hotels, mostly a short walk or free hotel minibus ride to the main gondola. Corvara has more choice at a lower price point, I think.
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Thanks @rob@rar, 
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| pam w wrote: |
| Can anyone suggest a little corner of the Dolomites, not on the Sella Ronda, which might be good for a family holiday at half term? I'm researching on behalf of my son. My daughter in law doesn't ski but enjoys being in the mountains but would also want some other aspect to a holiday, and a couple of days in Venice and Verona either end would make sense. They don't need a big variety of skiing - convenience, and a nice hotel with a pool, would be more important. Maybe Alleghe (I never got there, because although I was on the famous birthday bash when SHs discovered Alleghe I managed to drive into Arabba so never saw it). But I know there are other similar satellites - a group of us visited one of them but I can't remember what it was called. |
Alta Badia would suit plenty of skiing around there and a real village/town.
Also worth considering is Cortina which will be good for the non skier. The skiing there is OK but not well connected.
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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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| rob@rar wrote: |
| San Cassiano and Corvara just off the main Sella Ronda circuit...Corvara has more choice at a lower price point, I think. |
Just come back from a cycling trip in Corvara. Not ski season, but a lovely village with some awesome food. Our hotel was a little tired but, unlike so many Alpine resorts, had massive rooms. I sense it would be very pleasant in winter, and I also sense that the Sella Ronda circuit might be easier on skis than on a bike.
In Feb, I would avoid very high, snow sure resorts. The downside of altitude is the possibility of closures due to high winds. In Feb, snow is guaranteed anywhere, so why take the risk? Over the years, I've lost more days skiing to adverse weather than to a shortage of snow, so, in peak season, make tree-lined slopes a priority. Some high skiing obviously isn't a problem but make sure you're not dependent on it.
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| Jonny Jones wrote: |
| Just come back from a cycling trip in Corvara. |
On the Maratona dles Dolomites? Did you meet a chap called Eddie on that trip who might have said he'd skied San Cassiano a few times?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Yeah, we did the Maratona sportive. Absolutely awesome event. Tough ride, though, with the most vertical I've ever ridden in one day at 4,230m.
Didn't meet Eddie, but with over 9,000 riders in total there were a lot of faces to take in.
Fell in love with the Dolomites, though. I need to go back.
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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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| Jonny Jones wrote: |
| Didn't meet Eddie, but with over 9,000 riders in total there were a lot of faces to take in. |
Wow, huge event!
| Jonny Jones wrote: |
| Fell in love with the Dolomites, though. I need to go back. |
Very keen to visit in the summer, it does look lovely. Winter time pretty special as well.
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