 Poster: A snowHead
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We've been unable to get away Skiing so far this season  and can only see a window of opportunity at the end of April, but is it possible to get a good weeks skiing in the final week, is there likely to be any snow at this time? Is there anywhere you'd recommend?
If there is a chance to ski then how do we go about booking it as everywhere we've looked (looking at package deals) seems to only book up till about the 2nd week of April, does it need to be booked seperately or is there somewhere that does package deals?
Thanks in advance
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Snowy23, have a look at La Rosiere, the resort is open until 22nd April. We regularly ski the last week of the season, never not been able to ski back to the village. The lower runs below the village are closed and you'll probably have to take the gondola down to La Thuile but there's always plenty of snow up on the Col, the road usually doesn't open until late May. Go to www.larosiere.net for more information.
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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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Ivor Shed, Thanks for your reply, unfortunately when it closes is about the time that we would need to fly out
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Snowy23, You could consider the EOSB in Val Thorens. No details posted up yet but it will be the last week of April. Last years details are here.
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=67092
You just need to get flights to Geneva and there will be a transfer bus arranged by the lovely michelle.
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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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Snowy23, a few TO's have their last week starting on the 22nd...Alpine Elements being one. Might be worth giving them a ring and asking their opinion re conditions etc. On their website they've offers for 22nd to 29th April to Tignes / Val D.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Snowy23, Try Ischgl....they pride themselves there on being one of the first to open and last to close in Austria. I think it's open till April 30 this year. Most of the skiing is above 2200m, and with this year's snow levels, there should be more than enough left at the end of April
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Val Thorens open till 8th May this year.
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Tignes until May.
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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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| Cynic wrote: |
| Tignes until May. |
Checkout Mark Warner & Ski Olympic they will still be operating untill May. The resort will be quiet & the snow is normally very good 
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Snowy23, another vote for Tignes.
I went for an end of season tripg last year, and despite a poor season as far as snow, had a great time. Plenty of all day skiing (although you've got to expect slushy afternoons).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Laax in switzerland - it has a glacier at the top at about 2800m, plus masses of snow this year.
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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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Val Thorens "guarentees" snow or they will refund you.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Mon 20-02-12 18:09; edited 1 time in total
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Laax closes on 15th April.
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You know it makes sense.
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Tignes +1
Snowstar are also operating a 29th April start date - they will sort transfers as the service busses from GVA and LYS will have stopped by then. I have powder skied on the Grand Motte on 1 may twice in teh last 4 years (clearly last year was an exception). Whatever you do I would leave it till late (other than the flights)
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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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1. Tignes, France;
2. Val d'Isere, France.
3. Val Thorens, France.
Find a resort above 6,000 feet and a summit above 10,000 feet.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Les Deux Alpes will be fine then too, opens until 28th April!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Snowy23, Step 1 - don't just look at packages. The majority of Tour Ops finish their programmes at the end of the Easter week, i.e. mid-April.
Step 2 - Look at resorts with high altitudes (ski area, not necessary the altitude of the village) or with glacier access.
Step 3 - organise the whole thing yourself.
For example - Kaprun in Austria. Good skiing on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier until 1st May. Apartments available for around €500 a week (Tourist Office/Holiday Rentals etc) or plenty of B&Bs and hotels still open. Easyjet/Ryanair/BA to Salzburg (or Munich). Holiday Shuttle from SZG to Kaprun, or hire a car for €150-ish. Package deals on lift ticket and ski hire (kitzsteinhorn.at). As it is Spring, you might want to do other things, such as rent a bike and cycle down the road to Zell am See, walk or cycle around the lake, go paragliding on Schmittenhoe. Be realistic - you're unlikely to get 7 days of deep powder, but you can still have a great holiday.
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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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Tignes again!! had a couple of great trips skiing into May. But.....
Last year shifted our end of season trip to Livigno and had great conditions leaving on 24th April, will be doing the same this year - looking to leave around the 21st. Great thing here is the price, free lift passes with certain accomodation and duty free when you get there - did the whole trip (fuel, tunnel crossing, appartment and food) sub £300pp.
long drive so you could fly into Innsbruck and hire a car if you don't do road trips
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I've had a terrific time skiing in Ischgl in early May. The final day this year is 30 April. The last week has a real carnival atmosphere, loads of outdoor parties and bands. And in the past Elton John, Scissor Sisters and Kylie have all played the closing party.
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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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Are in Sweden usually goes to 1st may.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Snowy23, As you've seen, there are a numb of areas open then. But you have to bear in mind that in normal conditions you will be starting late to avoid the overnight freeze and finishing early (for a nice barbeque) to avoid slush.
Nothing wrong with that, I personally love spring skiing. Grands Montets (Chamonix) nominally open until May 10 or so. We've skied powder in various places from mid April onwards - but there's no way to guarantee it.
If you're looking at a 0900-1630 ski every run with a sandwich for lunch forget it.
If you want a nice tan, some nice spring skiing, slushy bumps (what better? Oh yes, spring snow, better than average powder)... Go for it.
Worst case, book flights into Geneva and you can always go sunbathing by the lake.
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Snowy23, Sorry, other point, DIY for sure. You'll find uber cheap rates at good hotels (who will have given up on tour operators by that point), rent a car just in case and get cheap flights as you're out of season for the locos and there are no charters available.
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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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Zermatt 
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Snowy23, As has been said by many,perfectly possible.Some things to bear in mind though.Certainly spring,so aim high....as high as possible.Most likely freeze/thaw,so later start(unless you like icy pistes),and earlier finish,though don't diss the slush...great fun on the right skis,and good for the legs 
Forget the TO's,you are looking DIY.An easy route is into Geneva,hire a car,then off to wherever? Tignes,Val Thorens,Les deux Alpes.Have skied LDA many times in late season no problem.If interested in LDA,PM me,have a couple of contacts for accomodation.Self catering,but you should be able to crack a good deal?
Or,there is the EoSB,check out the details above.This may be your best bet if you find DIY a bit intimidating?Don't worry,most of them are,very nearly,normal  
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I would go Stubai Glacier or Kaprun.
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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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Agree with Stubai Glacier,if you get the snow there are quite long runs which are amazing for a glacier.
Much bigger and better than most other glacier areas.
Thats why they call it the Konig Gletscher !!
Brilliant organization and very friendly too...........
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I have done Tignes over the May day weekend and the resort was fully open until the Monday. The skiing was great up to about 15:00 then it was time to stay up on the glacier. The ski down at teh end of the day was in fairly heavy snow.
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You know it makes sense.
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Was on the Hintertux glacier last May for a course. Conditions were excellent (even some powder) and I was really impressed by the size of the area.
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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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Another vote for Kaprun, if it's a warm spring there are many other things to do in the afternoon. If you're lucky you could be skiing powder.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Just my opinion: Stubai > Solden > Kaprun
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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^^^^ +1 that gives you a lot of skiing with glaciers thrown in as a safety measure.
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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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Val Thorens. Nearly everything is still open until the first weekend in May (and IIRC the links into Les Menuires) which I reckon gives you a bigger area with more variety than just about anywhere else at that time. I've skied there until the last day of the season (May 4, 2008) and had a great time. Spring snow lower down but still winter higher up, sunshine and no lift queues.
The last (possibly penultimate) week is also 'Dutch week' when about 8,000 Dutch people descend on VT so book early as it can be hard to get last minute accommodation. This is not a bad thing - they organise some great apres ski (big marquee with live bands) and also a massive ski test. The ski test is excellent; all the major manufacturers are there with the following season's new skis and boots. You buy a ski test pass for a couple of days or a week and can try as much as you like.
By that time the first reviews of new gear are usually starting to appear on North American websites so you can read up on skis that interest you and then go and try them out long before any reviews appear in S+R, EB etc in the UK. You also get the chance to talk directly to the manufacturer's representatives to find out whether it really is a new ski or just a new graphic! The ones I spoke to were refreshingly candid about which of their skis were really worth trying and which they wouldn't bother with 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hi Snowy23,
As many of the other posters have said, there are still resorts open until the end of April and, wherever you choose, I am sure that you will have a good time.
There has been masses of snow across the alpes this season so there should still be plenty of good skiing left at the end of season. Pick somewhere high (over 2000m is a good estimate) and with a glacier. Tignes, Val Torens, 3 valleys, Paradiski are all open until the end April/beginning of May.
If you are happy with booking your own flights then we have availability in our chalet Bon Vie from 22-29th April. It is located in Plagne Village at 2050m with easy access to the glacier and higher skiing areas. En-suite, log fire, fully catered etc - details via the link below.
Happy planning!
Heather
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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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I would vote fot Stubai glacier or Hintertux in Austria. Longer runs and good lifts.
Also as a glacier they will still expect skiers at that time of the year so in my opinion they try much harder to have more terrain open.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| under a new name wrote: |
If you're looking at a 0900-1630 ski every run with a sandwich for lunch forget it.
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I don't know - I certainly managed it the last few years (Avoriaz in mid-April and Tignes late-April).
It all depends how averse you are to hard-pistes (first thing in the morning) and slush (in the afternoon). Personally, I'm happy to ski both, and secretly quite like slush 
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Hintertux (or stay in Mayrhofen and bus up). Bit more skiing than at Kaprun, though would agree Zell am See is nicer than Mayrhofen. Easy drive (or trian) from Innsbruck, Salzburg or Munich.
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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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Cervinia/Zermatt? Can ski to 3,900m.
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I did after the TO's had stopped visiting Les Arcs last year (pre booked train to visit friends) had a great time, I mean very hot and a bit of a walk to get to any snow. Skied down a stream as it formed as well! (messed the ski's up a bit but was awesome!)
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