 Poster: A snowHead
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I have managed to get the first week of May available for a Ski trip. The good news is it looks like VT and Tignes are open that week.
My plan would be to book time of work and then book everything else the week before so I can call it off at the last minute.
Does anyone have any advice or views of other options of where to ski?
Also has anyone been to the Dutch Week in VT before? It sounds great but is it really busy?
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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 wouldn't consider anywhere other than VT or Tignes hat late, but the Austrian glaciers may be an option? I would have to be a very poor year to need to cancel.
Dutch week is busy, but they're there to party not ski too hard.
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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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Sölden usually closes with the May day bank holiday weekend. Even in poor years the glaciers are always workable that weekend, so as above, that's not really a risk option. That said, much of the village party scene is closed down at that time of year and there's almost never anything white down low. Maybe 1 year in 10 you'll be able to use the pistes down to the mid station, but plan on the glacier.
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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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Leaving everything to the very last minute makes good sense. Personally I'd be looking at Tignes, but no need to make a decision (even a decision to go skiing that week) at this point.
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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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Thanks all, all very useful. Any advice on transport routes if I don't drive? I'd like to avoid the faff of going through Switzerland with all the potential covid issues
I can plot a reasonable route using trains but I'm open to flying to avoid 12 hour+ journey times
Also does anyone know if Saas Fee is open at all in May? I think from memory they close the whole mountain including the Glacier?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Solden looks good too and there are really good looking flights via Innsbruck with a train/bus transfer. In fact it looks a lot easier than Tignes and VT from a travel point of view.
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I would check a) when the lifts stop running for the season (to see the extent of skiing available in May) and then b) what the snow is like nearer the time. Many of the higher resorts still have good snow in May (especially if you like slushy bumps later in the day), but not enough visitors to pay for the lifts to keep running.
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Ischgl runs into may fairly often and also worth a look. Snow at tux will be good but it is bleak when the weather comes in. But that's the case on most glaciers!
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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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From their website it looks like VT is planning to close on 22 April this year. If that's right you wouldn't want to aim there. They almost always have plenty of snow at that time of year but they close due to visitor numbers falling after easter.
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The VT website is a bit unclear because they are still advertising the Dutch week (30 April - 7 May) so I guess they don't know for sure. All the more reason to keep it last minute I guess.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If your feeling flush Mammoth California skis well into may, I've done June and with the amount of snow the west coast has had this year I think they'll be aiming for Independence Day.
Riksgranssen (sorry about the spelling!) Opens in Feb and runs until end of May.
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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 Val Thorens website is clear, closing date is the 8th of May:
https://www.valthorens.com/en/ski/ski-domain
I have never skied later than mid-April before but despite being a massive EK fan would choose VT over Tignes that late in the season. The runs shown in the red box should be in nice condition for at least some of the day, predominantly sheltered north facing bowls at high altitude. I just don't think that Tignes can really match that, the Grande Motte and Double M, yes, but most of Tignes' other runs are either not as high or not facing as due North and would therefore be likely to have worse snow on them
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You know it makes sense.
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| Henwc wrote: |
I have managed to get the first week of May available for a Ski trip. The good news is it looks like VT and Tignes are open that week.
My plan would be to book time of work and then book everything else the week before so I can call it off at the last minute.
Does anyone have any advice or views of other options of where to ski?
Also has anyone been to the Dutch Week in VT before? It sounds great but is it really busy? |
Tignes that week would only have the Grande Motte glacier open.
Would recommend you go the week before (weekend 23/4 or 24/4 to weekend 30/4 or 1/5) when as much of the Espace Killy would be open as the lift cos can keep open. More bars etc would be open that week, too.
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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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Thanks for all the info, if Tignes is just the Grande Motte then VT is the clear winner
Skyscanner has LGW<>INN flights into May so it looks alright
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Poster: A snowHead
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Ischgl normally closes the first Monday in May so this year I would expect the last day to be on the 2nd.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@philwig, Iceland looks great from the photos!
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