 Poster: A snowHead
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We stayed in UCPA a few years back and was fine for a long weekend, but sadly now too old for their upper age limit! Looking to do a long weekend in March with a couple of mates and was wondering if there were similar options out there to keep the cost down?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Dashed, I have heard that the upper limit is a little flexible ... ? Get yourselves to a refuge? E.g. http://www.grandehalte.it/en/hut/prices (I don't know what you necessarily mean by "keep the cost down", I mean, it's skiing ...)
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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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£500 for a long weekend full board including lift pass at UCPA was a pretty good way of a “relatively” cheap weekend 
Will enquire about flexibility on upper age!
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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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A rabbit hutch and cooking for yourselves wouldn't be too pricey, but of course the unit cost would be a lot less if you went for a week.
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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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Email Action Outdoors/UCPA UK. There is definitely some wiggle room on the age limits.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I asked this question last year. I emailed Action Outdoors as had been suggested, but they were clear in saying they couldn't be flexible on the age limit.
I have now stayed at UCPA centres quite a few times and I don't recall ever having to show any ID that would identify my age...so you could in theory just put a different DoB down when you book and take the chance they won't check when you check in.
I also recall seeing people who were clearly quite a bit over 40 when I've been in the centres, so you could try booking directly with UCPA in France rather than Action Outdoors? Perhaps they are more flexible than Action Outdoors are able to be.
I'm at one of the centres again in a few weeks and I'm going to do my best to take note of whether they check any ID at check in.
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I am over 15 years past the age limit and I am still using UCPAs! Phone Action Outdoors and discuss it, some of the off-piste courses have a 55 year old limit anyway and they have over-age weeks too. I was told that if you were a regular UCPA user, proper skier and knew the drill then it was not a drama at all, they just do not want a load of middle aged Brits used to Chalets in Merihell whining about things.
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I just idly looked at the ucpa.com site - plenty of alpine ski options if you put in age 55. How old are you? I didn't dare try my age. 
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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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I had a look on at a couple of centres and maximum age for accommodation was 45! We definitely didn't stand out when were there a few years back as being the oldies (must have been just below the age limit then).
Issue potentially resolved itself for now as we're using a friend's place to keep the cost down even further 
Oh, and on the ID / age check thing, I'm pretty sure we had to show passports when checking in at the Agentiere one but it is a few years back so might be wrong. I've no idea if they checked DOB or if it was just an ID thing though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Swiss youth hostels. The ones in Laax and Saas Fee have incredible spas and the food is good. The one in St Moritz offers day lift passes for 45chf
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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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Another vote for AO being flexible... Give them a call. I've done a few trips despite being over age.... But their core thing is 'young people'...
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You know it makes sense.
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But their core thing is 'young people'...
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I felt a bit bad at Argentiere in Jan, I'm mid-late thirties now and it seemed my age group was the most common rather than early or even late twenties.
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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 all - really helpful!
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'm wondering what it is about me that made Action Outdoors give me a very definite "No" to my question of whether they could stretch the age limit, as it seems plenty of others have had success! That's hopefully good news for me, because I'm due to hit that age limit a few years before the other people I usually stay there with.
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FAQ
