 Poster: A snowHead
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Desperate to get at least one more week's sliding in, probably can't make it until after Easter (could well be mid to end April). Very little to nothing affordable via usual package operators currently, but seeing a fair bit via Sunweb, all in France. Self catering suits me fine, not looking for apres, just some nice blues & reds and some decent snow (spring, soft & wet is OK if holds through to mid afternoon; anything but hardback & ice).
Never actually skied/boarded in France, so advice appreciated please. Have had a look at piste maps, and know that several of the resorts should be high enough at that time of year - but how high will I have to go? I don't like sleeping at altitude: are there lower resorts to stay in and get a cable car, gondola or bus up easily? My lungs aren't that keen on high altitude effort either: so again, how high will I have to go to get reasonable posted runs?
Which resorts would you recommend? Not after huge areas, just gentle enjoyment.
Cheers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Stongly recommend Tignes or Val Thorens.
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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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High altitude is pretty much essential for skiing so late. I note, though, your problem of sleeping at high altitude. What is your maximum resort height?
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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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Val Throens would be an option but stay down in Orelle or a little furter down the valley in St Michel (if you have a car as only 6 mins to the Orelle lift station) and catch the bubble up just to ski/board
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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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Difficult with altitude. If you're going to be skiing up high there's something to be said for acclimatising to some degree by sleeping as high as you're comfortable with. But if that's a problem for you, one option is Les Deux Alpes which has some good high skiing - not difficult - with big lifts up from the resort. Skiing down is rubbish anyway, tricky, crowded, scary. Should be some affordable accommodation in resort.
When you go up high in a fast lift, if you have problems with altitude, take it easy. Sit and have a coffee, admire the view, don't dash straight out and start exerting yourself.
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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 will go also in the 2nd Week of april.
Dont book anything right now except flights. Book something last min according to snow / weather conditions
Except high altitude the orientation of the slopes is also important
A "north" seeing slope from 1800m to 2300m could be better als southfacing slope from 2.300 to 2.600
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The EoSB might suit, although it does have the issue with sleeping at altitude.
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Thanks. I usually ski Austria, so resort around 8-900m? Or Finland, quite a bit lower  Can ski up on the Austrian glaciers, though can get very out of puff, especially when live at 200m!
I was always brought up on 'climb high sleep low' so staying at 1800-2000 seems worrysome when that's usually around where I'm skiing.
North facing slopes obviously better. And I'm never bothered about skiing home runs; lifts back are fine.
I might leave it a bit and grab something a bit more last minute, depending on conditions (and if/how much I can get done in Scotland): but, **** me, it's gone mid March already!
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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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consider Ischgl. Sleeping at 1300, skiing till 2.600
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@Grizzler, Hintertux might be a good option. for you. A reasonable amount of fairly easy slopes. You can stay right down in the valley but access high and glaciated slopes. As a place it is pretty dull but there are a couple of bars/restaurants. I have previously got pretty good half-board deals further down the valley, with a short drive to and from the lifts (or there is a bus). That last is very much low season so some bargains to be had of you look - try booking.com and look in the valley villages.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I used to do Mayrhofen /Hintertux every end of March /early April. Fond memories (well, bar a certain out of control woman who took me out). Would gladly do it again (and wanted to this year). Would also gladly do Ischgl.
But there are, and have been, no affordable packages at all. I don't know why, but very definitely noticeable this year, not only for now but earlier on in the year too. Even the Zillertal villages seem very expensive. (I've been elsewhere in Austria this year for reasonable prices and availability, so don't know why.)
I don't want to do a DIY trip ATM, so I am limiting myself to the usual ski package providers.
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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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@Grizzler, have you tried sunweb?
I definitely noticed flight price suddenly jump at some point after I booked mine close to release from Lufthansa
We are off to Mayrhofen for 1st April
What about 1550m? My first ever, not with parents, ski holiday was in April staying at Courcheval 1550 in a last minute Inghams trip many years ahhho. We stayed in easy walk on gondola upto 1850 and downloaded via same lift as run down was looking very patchy! We stayed Courcheval side as we found Meribel to be a slushfest. Although others in same accommodation did pish through it into Val Thorens.
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Been looking Sunweb mainly, Nicky - hence the France bias. All of their Austrias ('all' being not a large number) are pretty pricey; probably same or more than the little which Crystal has (and neither has much self catering - which isn't a total deal breaker, but is ideal).
Haven't seen much Courcheval, will look.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Grizzler, I guess it is a case of whats left? Was quite a lot earlier on of self catering options for Mayrhofen when we booked.
We found April nice and quiet previously wondering if we will find it a lot busier this year. Comment from ski school abojt expecting laarge classes due to Easter week. Maybe way it is falling with Easter beig middle of school holidays vs those years where holidays either start or end with Easter.
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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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@Grizzler, how about Monterosa? Quick search for 8th of April (presume week your after?) Shows a few options there
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Poster: A snowHead
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Ideally you need to put a value on what altitude you don’t like sleeping at. I don’t have problems sleeping at altitude until close to 5000m, we all have different tolerance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You could stay at Bourg St Maurice, 800m, then follow the snow to the higher resorts depending on conditions. Les Arcs, Tignes, etc.
Use a ski a la carte pass. We’ve done a boys week that way, and accessing all the resorts is straightforward - even 3V is possible ( for a one day trip. I wouldn’t commute daily)
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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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This may be a daft question but at what altitude do people consider sleeping at altitude a problem. I always thought it was 3000m, or higher, but it appears other people find quite low altitudes a problem.
@Grizzler, we are going in 10 days time and staying in Arc1600. We confidently expect to be able to ski back to the door and possibly down to Villaroger at 1200ish metres. At this time of the year almost anything is possible snow wise. I have known blizzards at the end of April before and skiing down to 1300m and then again some years nothing below 2000m being open on the last week of the season. Last year it was good and if the lifts were open you could ski until the end of May.
I expect to find hard snow at the start of the day, gradually softening on the east facing slopes to give that beautiful 1 or 2 cm of soft snow on a firm base which will gradually deepen as the day progresses and then moving to the more western facing slopes. Classic spring snow.
Your main problem may be actually getting to the resort with airlines slashing their flights to ski area airports with consequently very high prices. The best bet may be to get the train to Bourg st Maurice and get an apartment in the town or one of the surrounding resorts.
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