 Poster: A snowHead
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I am arriving in Zurich from the States Saturday. I have been following the weather pretty closely, so I have basic understanding of what's been going on (ie prolonged high pressure and really warm sunny days, I call it the solar vortex). What are the thoughts on where I should go? (Other than telling me to go to the West Coast of the US, where the snow has been fantastic, this is a Euro trip.) Basically, I can go anywhere I want form Norway, to Georgia to the Alps. Who has the best snow currently and where do you think the best snow will fall first week of March? I typically ski off piste quite a bit, but will not skin or tour. I will hire a guide and hit the side piste. I prefer cold snow. Not a huge fan of sloppy changeable spring snow. Luckily it looks like I am going to have some choices in the next week.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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At the moment it looks like snowfall in early March will initially be accompanied by relatively high temperatures, before lowering. I would suggest someone high with plenty of north facing slopes. And probably somewhere on the north side of the Alpine ridge as cover seems to be a bit better there. For example:
France:
Tignes / Val d'Isere
Three Valleys
Austria:
Lech / Zurs / St Anton
Speaking of Georgia though, apparently they've had quite a bit of fresh recently. I don't know the skiing there at all but might be worth a look!
Will you be staying in a single resort, and how long are you visiting for?
Saturday onwards is still 6 days away so the forecasts won't be very reliable yet. It might be worth waiting a few days to get a better idea of which direction any storm systems will be coming from e.g. west (currently forecast?) / northwest / northeast.
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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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I am on the continent for two weeks. First week March 2-9 I am completely open and week 9-16 I booked Zermatt. I have 23 people meeting me and while I have no problem with last minute decisions based upon snow, it's tough to get a group that big to buy in to that method of ski travel. I booked Zermatt precisely because I fear what has gone on for the past month or so. I considered Tignes, but have been in the past. VT was probably second choice for 2nd week.
I am considering Wart/Schroken. Looks like they have a decent snow pack and snow on the way. My wife mentioned Courchevel and I believe they have decent tree skiing for storms.
With the weather coming in, I am a little concerned about skiing in the alpine. I hate white outs.
I imagine the high alpine off piste/side piste is still in decent shape and fairly chalky?
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@skiberg, unless you like crowds and waiting in line, I’d avoid France for 2-9 March. It is one of the busiest winter holiday weeks, including Paris.
St Anton/Lech/ Zurs is a good shout from Zurich.
Ischgl another good option.
If you can’t resist France, then I’d go for Val D/Tignes.
Enjoy 
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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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Forget France then. I hate lift lines. Particularly in Europe, it's mayhem. The States are so much more organized when queuing. Been to Ischgl. Good option, particularly because I will be on East Coast US time. 4:00 am Ischgl, is like 10:00 pm US time. This comes in handy when visiting Austrian ski areas. I was there in a poor snow year and skiing was still quite good. Even if no new snow they have fantastic ripping advanced pistes and I imagine they will be in good shape. Maybe Solden also. Skied there once but only for a day. Any insight on how conditions are at Davos?
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It’s gonna be busy everywhere, not only in France
It’s Carnevale/Fasching next week.
Lots of kids everywhere.
Don’t go on the side of Zermatt-pistes! Notoriously dangerous because of invisible glacier-crevasses
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@skiberg, in that case, you might want to pick your Austrian resort carefully too. The 2-9th March contains the "Fasching/Karneval" holiday which is celebrated in Southern Germany and for which the school are off there. I'm never quite sure of the impact on the Austrian resorts (I think it depends on the resort), but having experienced some quite spectacular queues in Zell am See a few years ago when I naively trotted off there during "Fasching week", I'd be inclined to check with those that know in more detail before booking anywhere in Austria. E.g. this thread for the Arlberg:
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=137655
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Carnevale/Fasching is not only in South Germany, but in many parts of Germany, e.g. Cologne. But also in Austria itself, and Belgium and Southern half of The Netherlands, all very densely populated areas.
It’s a major roman-catholic holiday, and since much of the continent is roman-catholic....
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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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@Langerzug, so is the Arlberg going to be busy then?!
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Well, about a week ago I tried and failed to get accommodation for 2 of us during the latter half of Fasching week anywhere within 2.5hrs of Munich. First time I've not been able to find anywhere (when I say anywhere, I wanted to be within reasonable walking distance of a piste or lift to piste. There was accommodation available if I was happy to stay out of town somewhere or in a neighbouring town and bus to the pistes.) We found more available accommodation in France, but still not plentiful as it is the Paris school holidays. I don't know what your group's budget is but I would think you could have a bit of a runaround trying to find accommodation in a ski resort for 23 of you that particular week! Due to work and family constraints we had a narrow window of opportunity for a quick ski weekend and were only able to book less than a month out, but if I'd been able to I would definitely have chosen to go a different weekend!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Errr Switzerland....
Zermatt, arosa/lenz, laax, adelboden, Val A, etc
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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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Although if you can get somewhere Austrian, make sure to have your fancy dress ski outfit sorted for Fasching, and be prepared to party all night!
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@Gämsbock,
Yes, everywhere is gonna be busy, and definitely in Austria. It is the second busiest week of the season after the Christmas-New Years week
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You know it makes sense.
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@pandora, no, Fasching is not a big party thing in Austria. That's in Belgium, Cologne, South-Netherlands
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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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@PeakyB, good point, had forgotten it was half term!
If you don't like skiing in whiteouts, add "resorts with tree skiing" to your list. That does narrow down your options considerably though if you're also aiming for somewhere high and not in France. You can't have everything I guess...
Lenzerheide is a good idea.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Anyone with first hand info on conditions from Verbier, Adelboden or Lenzerheide? My experience in Austria has been that they don't need an excuse like Fasching to party. They are pretty good at it every day.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Langerzug, it most certainly is a big thing for the southern Germans, Fastnacht in Baden Württemburg and Fasching in Bavaria, half term week in both, fancy dress always in evidence on Fasching Dienstag on the slopes. Whilst not an official holiday no one does any work on the Tuesday, folk sit around drinking beer before an early departure from the office.
Anyway back to the original question. If you are arriving in Zürich and then going onto Zermatt I would say the Arlberg or Ischgl would both be good options, the snow base is still huge despite the sunshine. Other places to consider might be Davos, Arosa or Flims, given that they also had huge amounts of snow not so long ago conditions should still be OK. All of these places easy to get to by train from Zürich (need taxi transfer from station to Ischgl) and also for the journey onto to Zermatt. Not sure it makes much sense doing much travelling to other part of the alps, the weather is likely to be similar everywhere and most places have had less snow than eastern Switzerland and most parts of Austria. The last fresh snow was in the area to the east of Salzburg last weekend but they are all small, low resorts (see https://wepowder.com/en/forum/topic/265412).
I am assuming you are not looking for 23 lots of beds, as that might be a struggle, assuming you mean that you are meeting folk in Zermatt, finding a twin room for the week should be no great stress unless you are looking for budget options (just checked both St Anton and Ischgl and there were a fair number of choices)
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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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Lanzerzug, I must have it all wrong then. I was in Austria last Fasching, the only time I've been there for Fasching itself, and they had a street party in Bramberg-am-Wildkogel. We'd gone there for the big toboggan run and stayed to listen to the band for a bit afterwards. I drove back from Saalbach to Munich on saturday night just gone and most villages and towns with a piste had big banners up for Fasching parties. It was my Bavarian friend last year who told me to take fancy dress for skiing in on Fasching. We didn't, but we saw lots of people dressed up, most notably one huge group all dressed as Smurfs.
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@pandora, @munich_irish, it really is minor stuff compared to what’s happening in places like Cologne and Maastricht, trust me. And not just on tuesday afternoon, but for days, and all day long
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Mon 25-02-19 22:39; edited 1 time in total
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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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Lanzerzug, maybe they have bigger parties in Cologne, but that doesn't mean they don't have them elsewhere which was what you initially implied.
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@pandora, it’s not just about size, it’s the character of Carnival in the wider Rheinland area. The Austrians are way too “höflich” to behave the way the people in Cologne, Belgium and Southern Netherlands are behaving during Carnevale.
It really gets quite wild
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I am already booked in Zermatt. I have not skied Arosa or Flims but I will check them out tonight. Thanks for the info, particular with Fasching, in the States its only a big deal in certain parts of the deep south, otherwise no-one even notices. I am interested to see what's going to happen with the snow this Fri and then Next week.
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@Langerzug, accept that it is not two weeks of terminally dull "party time" as in Köln but there is plenty that goes on in Bavaria. Our village, like everywhere else has Fasching Balls, Rosenmontag celebrations, Fire brigade fancy dress dance etc etc and they close off the centre of the village for open air drinking on Fasching Dienstag (usually freezing cold with snow but shorts and t shirts this year). Centre of Munich is a pretty big party though nothing like Oktoberfest.
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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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@skiberg, I've not skied in Eastern Switzerland this year but they got a lot of snow in the same huge storms that hit Austria this January. So I'd expect Davos, Arosa Lenzerheide, Flims to be pretty good. There's a live thread on Verbier here:
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=138862
I'd cross Adelboden off your list as it's orders of magnitude less interesting than any of the others listed above. I'd add Andermatt, Disentis and Engelberg to your list.
This is a good site for looking at upcoming snowfall in the Alps.
https://wepowder.com/en
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@skiberg, Arlberg will be very busy, for that reason we avoid that holiday period and arrive in 9th. I’d head to Switzerland on 2nd.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If you are in Zermatt from the 9th, (by coincidence so am I), why not simply go pretty much next door to Verbier? You travel will be relatively quick and easy. Train right to the bottom of the mountain below verbier, then either a lift or bus or taxi up depending on how you see it. Saas fee is literally in the next valley to Zermatt, and like Zermatt has skiing even through the summer. Plenty of just off piste sking in Zermatt. Obviously though use your brain, and not just off the glacier pistes. Should have a great time, and im right with you in hoping for good conditions
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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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Verbier has a pretty big night out in Carnival week, but that is about it.
Not a significantly busier week in terms of crowds, and the lift system never seems to get overwhelmed in any case (with the exception of Medran first thing around New Year).
If you like no-need-to-tour off piste there is nowhere like it really.
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We have more than enough Snow in Arlberg (St Anton, Lech ) and more one the way from this weekend.
However, I would advise not to turn up here without first having a reservation somewhere, it is High Season & Kids Holidays.
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You know it makes sense.
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Do Austrian schools have holidays 2nd to 9th March?
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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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I think I am zeroing in on The Arlberg and maybe Cham. A bit concerned about snow in Cham, but it looks like at altitude its been pretty good and they are going to get slammed in the next 7-10 days.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Flims - Laax, lesser dutch and germans so quieter. Staying Berghaus Nagens on top of mountain, skiing only, no nightlife, but first on the slopes in the morning! Just for a few days. After 3 days you have seen the area. Berghaus Nagesn is very flexible in amount of days you want to book. rooms from 2-person till 12 beds dormatory.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@skiberg, you'd hate France. 
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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 Val d'Anniviers (next valley to Zermatt) is good for off-piste and no lift lines. Grimentz is the place to stay.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Italian side of the matterhorn?
Otherwise 4 valleys
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@skiberg, snowing in Zermatt, you will be glad to hear
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Finally. Although it looked like absolute devastation due to the last few weeks on anything not north facing and low. I still think the Alpine will be pretty good. I just finally booked Lech for three nights starting tomorrow. I think Arlberg is safest bet for next few days. Then I am not sure. Looks like snow may come in a little on the Italian side of Mont Blanc so maybe Courmayeur or La Thuile. Maybe Verbier, but I'm afraid of overflow from the Parisian half term. I think least crowds will be in Italy.
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Snow seems more likely for the northern rather than southern side of the alps. Chamonix looks like top spot for the next few days though the Swiss alps and Arlberg (could be excellent when the sun comes out tomorrow and maybe into Sunday) not far behind. The weather early next week is likely to be unsettled and stormy. See https://wepowder.com/en/forum/topic/265563 for as good a forecast as anywhere
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FAQ
