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Ski Pass Cost For a Month

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Mrs Golf wants us to go for a month (somewhere) in 2020, I've objected of course, and am begrudgingly spending 12 hours a day in research Very Happy .

The bits I can't pin down are ski hire and ski pass costs. The latter doesn't seem to have a particular discount. In 3V, for example, if you go beyond a week, it's basically about 49E per day; as long as you block purchase. Now a season (to us, we wouldn't do Christmas and Easter) is 90 days, so about 14E per day if you buy as a season ticket. Question for snowheads... Is there an in between that gets us below 49E per day, using 3V as a reference.

Similarly, ski shops only seem to do fairly short periods. I usually pay about 80E pp per 6 days. Would we do better than that for a month?

All of this is a trial run for a season in 2021. Then, we'll probably buy skis, and will defo get season passes.

Thanks for looking.

CG

Edit 1, GM does an early purchase discount- does 3V do that? Any other ski place?
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Take a look at MagicPass

https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=3379109&highlight=magicpass#3379109
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Charliegolf wrote:


Edit 1, GM does an early purchase discount- does 3V do that? Any other ski place?


It cost us about £550 each all in including insurance and a summer pass for the GM. Did 21 days - break even was 10 days. Enjoyed the best off-piste season ever. I am 41 and I started skiing when I was 4... Will do it again next year...
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A 2018/19 adult season pass for the six Haute Maurienne resorts (Bonneval-sur-Arc, Bessans, Val Cenis, La Norma, Aussois, Valfrejus) was €590 or just €295 if bought on or before 31 October:

http://www.aussois.com/en/skipass-prices
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For the 3V the "in-between" lift pass is the Liberte pass. It is basically pay as you go depending if you stay in 1 valley or go out. You get something like the 8th day free then every 5th day free, look it up. Once you get to about a month though you may as well get a season pass.
For hire surely for that time you may as well buy your own?
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@Charliegolf,

1. be ready for cheeky alpine weekend trips in preparation, sorting accom, etc.

2. one area or many? (I'd choose one, and get some in depth experience)

3. I can't see any area that don't do early bird discounts.

4. You are into season pass territory. Any time I've looked, and i have looked a few times for varying reasons, 21 days plus and it's season pass time.

5. are you going to have the opportunity to use a pass at other times? e.g. Chamonix annual pass is fractionally more expensive than a winter one and is, well, annual...
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1. Season pass is almost certainly the way to go. Around here the breakeven point is generally around 10 days skiing
2. No point in hiring for a month. Would be cheaper to buy skis in the sales now, or second hand later if need be. And you will definitely want to buy your own boots!
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Hmm, yes, kit, see point 1.

Time one of your recce trips around a local to wherever "bourse aux skis" and buy a new pair for 2nd hand price. Anywhere near Geneva and Sallanches is probably the best one, towards end November.

Boots? I would edge on the buy in resort option depending where you choose - some places have known good fitters - some don't. but there for a month and you can get them tweaked as often as you like and you'll end up with boots that will last a good number of years. My current shells are on year 6 (50-60 days a year) - mind you 2nd liners. I probably will replace for next season, must be said...
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Thanks everyone, as usual, a great response. Boots, we have them, so that 'tick' is done. @snowrider Re: Liberty Pass, I did the sums, and assuming we ski most of the 28 days, seasonal is best. @clarky999, @under a new name, Given this is a trial run for a season in 21, I agree about skis, but if second hand, wifey is worried about getting them fitted properly. Who would adjust 2nd hand ones for us (if we buy new, I assume the seller will?).

Cheers

CG
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Choose either a very large area or one where the season pass covers other resorts too. For 660€ my L2A season pass also gives me 10 days at Alpe d'Huez, 3 at Serre Chevalier, Montgenevre, Puy St Vincent and Sestriere and 1 at Flaine. Even for a month it's nice to have a change.
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@Charliegolf, don't try to ski all 28 days. You need a different mindset and take a few days off. First year I had an extended stay (3 weeks in January and the last 6 weeks of the season) I skied 21 x full days in January, it nearly killed me. I've calmed down since, I've now done the last 4 full seasons and normally ski 70 to 80 days, some short days and stay indoors when weather is poor.
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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.
@Claude B, Yeah, fair point! At 62 I do listen to my body!
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@Charliegolf, Similar to me I was 55 then, 60 now. Recovery is slower Shocked
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Charliegolf, Agree with all the comments regarding Season Passes (Ski Amade, 760km of Piste = £508 if purchased before 05/12/19). Season Hire is available in some areas. When I lived in the Aosta Valley a number of local shops would do it as routine. But, I would suggest you hire for a week, maybe try different types then ask to buy. I managed to pick up a 1 week old pair of Rossi Pursuits for one of my teenagers for €300 after a weeks hire in Austria. so say €380 for effectively a brand new set.

I would say that key for you (and assuming Mrs Golf is of similar vintage), is the choice of location. We're not much younger than you and after many years of exploring concluded that Austria was the best location to buy/rent/set up a business and stay in the Mountains. We chose the Ski Amade area in Salzburgland for the extensive ski area on one pass. 20% cheaper than France to eat on the Mountain. Proper town to live in with services. Easy access by air via Salzburg (45 Mins), Salzburg itself as a wonderful alternative to skiing if the weather's no good or you want a break. There are other areas in Austria that fit the bill too and you never feel trapped on the hill. Have a look at our Facebook Page @theredandwhiteskicompany for more info. If you decide to come our way, do drop us a line if there's anything we can help with.
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@Charliegolf, any shop will fit them I’d imagine. If you’re in one place for a month you’ll want a friendly shop anyway wink
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Charliegolf, Season passes in Austria are much better value than the big name French resorts. Ski Amade covers 760km of pistes (had this for 6 weeks in 2016-17, staying in Flachau), if you fancy moving between resorts Salzburger Superski covers what seems like half of Austria (2700km of pistes) for not much more money - we had this for a 12 week trip in 2017-18 staying in four different resorts and skiing about 25. TirolCard also covers a huge area.


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 1-05-19 9:30; edited 1 time in total
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Quote:

if second hand, wifey is worried about getting them fitted properly. Who would adjust 2nd hand ones for us (if we buy new, I assume the seller will?).

I've often had bindings adjusted in a shop where I had skis serviced, and never had to pay extra. If you take second hand skis in for waxing etc along with one of your boots, they'll sort out the bindings for you. In the Espace Diamant the break-even for a season pass is around 14 days. Mont Blanc Evasion is a good one to look at.
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Charliegolf wrote:
@clarky999, @under a new name, Given this is a trial run for a season in 21, I agree about skis, but if second hand, wifey is worried about getting them fitted properly. Who would adjust 2nd hand ones for us (if we buy new, I assume the seller will?).


Any shop should happily adjust the bindings for you (only takes a couple of minutes assuming they're mounted for a similar BSL), especially if you get the skis serviced or something at the same time.
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@RobinS, half price Grand Massif pass is pretty good value...
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Bear in mind bad weather. We increasingly eschew longer passes in favour of buying only when we know we'll be skiing. The only time I had a serious accident was a bad weather day when I'd bought a period pass and was determined to get my money's worth - I really shouldn't have bothered to go out and nowadays, I wouldn't. In a month, you may find that you have a fair number of bad weather days. We now snowshoe on bad weather days - which costs nothing and saves a day's rental. Just a thought. Or just have a rest: you may find that in 4 weeks you need a few breaks. So perhaps worth doing the math to see if simply pay-as-you-go is an option. Sell it to Mrs Golf as an opportunity to do a day's spa: where we are, Switzerland's largest thermal resorts is only ½-hr drive away and makes for a nice break. Or perhaps a day out shopping? Again, where we are you could go out for the day to Lausanne or even Geneva, all by télépherique/bus/train.
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I rented skis for a season in Gland, just outside Geneva, and a lot of Swiss apparently do that.
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More good gen, thanks everyone. @under a new name, Yes it does look good; and an area we've never considered.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
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In St Anton, you can buy period passes in single day increments up to 21 days, then the next period pass is 30 days. After 30 days, there is only the season pass. Hope that makes sense.

We go for 8 weeks now, so a season pass is a no-brainer. As it turned out, I only missed 1 day - in a bid to help an injury heal.

I beg to differ with @LaForet, having a period pass makes it easy to try a day when it looks iffy, or go in early if it is shyte. You don’t have debate with yourself about whether it is worth buying a day ticket, or staying out, feeling you need to get your money’s worth when you would rather go in. We have had some absolutely fantastic days going out in conditions that looked like crap from the appartement, but finding a slice of heaven somewhere on the hill. We call them, “the something from nothing days” and they often the most rewarding.
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Quote:

having a period pass makes it easy to try a day when it looks iffy, or go in early if it is shyte

I agree.
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The Salzburger super ski pass is the best value pass I have ever come across. Buy skis and drive to Austria. Try a few places in the interests of research if you fancy a full season somewhere.
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@ulmerhutte, I have a bit of a phrase, "if there's a boat going out, might as well be on the boat, as you won't catch anything at home" (I've just invented the last bit for clarity Happy )

I will tend to pop out to have a wee look but equally my criteria for coming back in are pretty weak. 5 runs a ski day makes. (certainly in Chamonix although I might need to extend that elsewhere he he he).

So while I totally get @LaForet's point, and we surely will take a good lunch over a crap ski, and a season pass makes you more that way inclined, equally it is quite lovely to have the attitude that you'll have a look and come home if it's not entirely to your taste. snowHead snowHead
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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.
I have been known to get the lift up the mountain, ski about 1000 metres vertical to the Auhofalm in Flachau, have a fab lunch, then ski down a couple of hundred metres to the lift, get it back to the top, ski about 500 metres then get the gondola back down...and it doesn't have to be a crappy weather day Laughing

Anything that involves getting a lift and moving downhill on planks is a ski day, even if it just to the next lift and downloading
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I remember turning up at Le Corbier a couple of years ago in the rain. We were 50/50 but it looked like it was going to clear so we bought day tickets.

The rain got worse. We toughed it out for a while but then found somewhere for an early lunch. Fortunately, they didn't seem to mind the puddles we left on the floor. We went back out again but it was really pithing down so gave up around 2pm.

That must be the worst value for money skiing we've ever had.

Compare that to out annual National Trust membership which we can use to drop in somewhere for just half an hour if we feel.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
There's no earlybird discounts for three valleys season passes Twisted Evil
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When it’s borderline near break even point, always go for the unlimited options, season pass that is.

Having the option to go out “just a test because it’s free” may yield fantastic ski day. Or just a leisurely day of long lunch in the mountains.

I also found a large number of short days in less than perfect conditions are the key to improving too. Just ski long enough for the enjoyment. No need to go all day long, especially when slightly tired.
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 Poster: A snowHead
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@andy1234, Cheers Andy, thought not.
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Quote:

Or just a leisurely day of long lunch


Yeah not in Cham though usually, the on mountain dining is more or less (but not entirely) worse than NA standards.

@andy1234, really?? I am somewhat surprised. But there you go.
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have a look at Ski ala carte may be of use https://www.skialacarte.fr/FrontOffice/

only disadvantage over a season pass is there is no charge for less than a full day, but the almost free days are nice to enjoy snowHead
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With respect to @ulmerhutte my point was just to cost the two options out. In some locales, as mentioned, you don't really get a discount for more than 2 weeks. In others, again as mentioned, a season pass may look attractive. It all depends. If you end up saving, say £750 between the two of you by buying by the day then that's a factor. If you're talking 10% saving then of course, it may not be worth it. Also, to be clear, if the weather is dependably great for the next 5 days and you're up to it, then get the 5-day pass. And it'll also depend on your tolerance to skiing in poor conditions: we can't be bothered, but a lot of people are happy to go out unless it's truly terrible.

And to argue against myself, some areas have very enjoyable outings that you can do entirely on foot. We had a great day out last year when I wouldn't have skiied but the visibility was great above 2000m (temperature inversion) - we used télécabine and navette links to get on foot right up to the summit of the area; fantastic views without the worry of skiing in fog lower down.
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@under a new name, But the post-mountain dining is most excellent I find Cool .
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@shep, indeed!
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@Charliegolf, On the pass thing - if you have a car with you then getting a month for somewhere with "unlinked" resorts will work fine.
Sans car, I would head for a linked area EK, 3V, GM, PdS etc... (maybe even go to one of these with a car if you can find somewhere to park it).
2020 PdS season passes were €500 (though now €775), so if you ski 20/30 days, then thats 35 sheets a day instead of 50.
As for ski hire, unless you want something niche, I would get something preowned as the cost will probably be around 2-2.5 x 1 week hire, and you can sell them on for half that when you're done.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Quote:

I have been known to get the lift up the mountain, ski about 1000 metres vertical to the Auhofalm in Flachau, have a fab lunch, then ski down a couple of hundred metres to the lift, get it back to the top, ski about 500 metres then get the gondola back down...and it doesn't have to be a crappy weather day

Sounds like a super day, @holidayloverxx. I've had days like that. snowHead I've also spent some happy, warm, productive afternoons cooking supper, or having a siesta, or with feet up reading a book, looking out of the window thinking how crap it would be to be out there! But that's with a season pass.
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@pam w, that's with a season pass too ...usually
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Then sometimes, when you've given up on the day as it's snowed all day, it all clears about 3. You'd be loathe to buy even a half day pass at 40+€ but with a season pass ...... snowHead snowHead
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