Easter 2024

A snowHead

So for anyone that hasn’t twigged, Easter is very early next year - Easter Sunday is 31 March!

I have skied a lot in the 3V and have always had really good options for self catering but my friend has said he would like to go somewhere new next year.

I’ve always been thoroughly spoilt by the Three Valleys, I love the variety. The only place I can remember skiing which came close was the linked ski area of St Anton / Lech / Warth.

So triple question, is this ski area any good for first week of April and second, I’ve looked on AirBnB and there seem to be virtually no options, anyone know the best place to find options? Finally, I know winter tyres are mandatory until 15 April in Austria, I have hybrid tyres - the winter / summer ones - do they meet the requirement?

Thanks

A snowHead

I’ve just returned from St Anton (yesterday), am doing a TR which will appear in the next few days. It was very good. It was lightly raining on arrival at 7.30pm on 1st April. This translated into 20cm fresh snow on the itinerary runs on the first morning. These were fantastic in the morning but skied out by the next day. The next day was sunny on top with thick fog in the valleys, below 2200m. Fine as long as you stayed high. Then 3 days of sun but temps were low, keeping most snow nice and crispy. Days for sticking to the pistes, or well away from them. Got a bit cloudy with fine flakes of snow up high on Friday, not helping the surface but making the light a bit flat. It was snowing when we left at 8.30 am yesterday, making the mountains all white but apparently this changed to rain shortly afterwards. The main run down from Galzig, past the Heustadl, Krazy Kangaruh, Griabli, Mooserwirt etc was boggin’ artificial slush puppy moguls, but there are ways to avoid it. Based on the experience this year, recommended.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Wouldn’t Lech usually have a lot of slushy pistes by the first week of April?

(I am aware of its fantastic snow depths reputation, over winters as a whole).

Hochgurgl’s great. But not the km you’re used to in 3V.

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I have visited Lech mid April, and it was great snow that year and noticeably better than St Anton side where we were staying.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@kosciosco, tyres will be fine if they have m&s and the mountain symbol

You'll need to Register first of course.

To expand on @holidayloverxx's comment, your all season tyres will meet the legal requirements for winter tyres if they have the 3PMSF symbol. I'm pretty certain that every brand of all season tyres sold in the UK all carry the symbol: https://www.oponeo.co.uk/blog/winter-tyres-don-t-rely-on-the-m-s-mark

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

The run below Oberlech was slushy moguls, just as bad as 50 into St Anton, when we finished in Lech at 3.45 on Thursday. Directly above Oberlech even the red (208, which I’d searched out in preference to 200/201) from Weibermadbahn went to slush and in retrospect, finding the Cable Car in Oberlech would have been the better option. But the kids survived and we all got a seat on the bus.

North facing slopes in Warth down to 1650m were fine. As was everything above about 1700-1800m generally. Connections between areas are generally 1650-1700m, except at Zug, but the run to there is north facing. So the last 100-150m vertical to Alp Rauz, Zürs, Zammermoos/Mattun, Auenfeldjet were mushy when in the sun.

After all it is free

Dont discount Ischgl if youre considering Österreich. It's as good as anywhere in the Alps in April. Lot of north facing and mainly above 2000m.

If you want away from France, and you are struggling for self catering in the Arlberg You could consider the Verbier area.
Masses of decent accommodation particularly in the satellite resorts like Nendaz which is usually good value at Easter.
Good sized ski area with high skiing that is usually good in April.

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@T Bar, but keep an eye on the exchange rate which didn't do any favours to Brits in Switzerland this year!

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@kosciosco, I suspect the reason you can't find much on Airbnb is because the apartment owners have not opened their booking window yet. But, across Austria there will be plenty of self-catering options in due course and it is well worth checking the local tourist office sites as that's where many Austrians put their properties. As to where in Austria for two weeks, I'd say yes St Anton should be good for a couple of weeks but also suggest you look at the Ski Amade. Single lift pass for over 600km of skiing. Yes, that is spread over a number of areas, but Schladming and Bad/Sport Gastein could serve up a two centre stay. Here in Flachau we've had a lot of snow over the last week or so. Great up top and ski early to enjoy the best conditions plus, we're due another metre or so later this week. Might even be worth popping over for a long weekend this friday.

snow reports

I'm planning a trip for Easter 2024 too. Have certainly noticed how early it is next year, and planning to take advantage of being able to travel on Good Friday.

We're looking for somewhere we can reach within a day's driving from the Eurotunnel (or at least get close to in that time, so we can have a short drive to the resort on the Saturday morning), and a good place for young kids to take their first lessons. Flaine, Les Menuires and La Plagne are leading the pack at the moment. Is there anywhere less obvious I should be aware of?

Oh, and to reply to @kosciosco, I'd be pretty confident about the 3v in the first week of April, snow-wise. That's why LM is in my shortlist. I like to book accommodation through resorts' own directories. I'm not sure that every resort has one, but I've done this in Tignes as well as Les Menuires in the past. They're probably not open for next year just yet, though.

You know it makes sense.

@Dave_raclette, does it have to be France?

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

A snowHead

We drove to the Grand Massif in Feb half term. Kids were really shocked at how quick it was. I try to arrange holidays with the minimum amount of driving - especially as that's complete misnomer in times like Feb half term!

Due to that, we've never driven outside of France for skiing. I know that me might be talking an extra hour or so for Austria.....but, for me, that's quite a big deal factored into an already long journey. Not to mention bored kids.....who get car sick.....

We're going Easter next year, again to France. But keen on Val Thorens purely as that's where it all started for me back in the early 90s.....and haven't been back even though skiing has improved a lot! Plus, thought the kids should have a trip to Europe's highest.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Interesting! Not as much further as I might have guessed.

Help!!

Easter 2024

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