 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey there. Two years in a row visited Evasion Mont Blanc area (Megeve/St Gervais les Bains/Les Contamines Montjoie) and by feel and by tracklog I rode nowhere near the same distance as for example Cervinia, 3 Valees. This made me think, what are best resorts for covering most distance on snow during the day? Lifts must be quick, pistes longer than chairlift. Any recommendations in Austria, France or Italy for next trip? Visited Mayrhoffen/Zillertal, 3 valees, Paradiski, Cervinia, Evasion Mont Blanc. Would like something new, but with effective lift system + long slopes.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ha ... I was just checking my ski tracks and by far it is St. Anton (since January 2020)
This list includes St. Anton, Courmayeur, Pila, La Thuile/La Rosiere, Heavenly, Northstar, Val Gardena, Chamonix ...
I lost data for Val D'Isere (2019) but pretty sure that would be up there with St. Anton if not even better.
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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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You can rack up serious vertical in Monterosa. But will definitely repeat pistes a few times in a day to do so.
Saas Fee the same.
Depends what you want really. I like both of the above for teaching better skiers as you get long pitches for your lift ride. And I like skiing them both. But then I don’t mind at all doing the same pistes over and over. In fact I really don’t get the whole thing of racking up as many different pistes as possible either!
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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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Like everyone, looking for impossible, lots of perfectly prepared runs, lots of places to safely ride offpiste after good snow dump, nice town, low prices, not a lot of traffic and zero waiting at the chairlifts  It's hard to judge resorts fairly, when so much depends on weather, on place one is staying, group of friends etc. But numbers does not lie. When lived in Les Menuires with a group of friends and beginner girlfriend, all on snowboards, made 52 or 55 km of riding, without lifts, Lifts were maybe 25-28. A nice ratio. And that was done by a beginner snowboarder girl. To make the same distance I would have to ride all day alone, pushing big speeds, in Megeve/Les Contamines. Just because riding down is almost as much as chairlift.
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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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Tigne (Val D area) for distance/lifts and manageable cost if staying Tigne.
Verbier, lift type /long run ratio. Stay in Nendaz for cost, decent village acees etc.
Odd choice, but really good, Grimentz/Zinal for really good riding and limited but significant lift to altitude (long lifts) to access long down journey.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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By and large you are going to get more ski time to lift time with cable cars as they take the most direct route (don’t hug the ground) and often rise steeply over rough ground. Second would be funiculars. The trouble of course is that unless you are very fortunate with timing and queues there will be some waiting and faffing time.
Assuming a reasonable level of competency you are probably going to get a better ratio of skiing time down difficult blues/easier reds than greens or blacks. Off piste you will get more time off lifts, but not necessarily in skiing down.
We used to reckon that on a quiet day in Tignes/Val you could maximise vertical by simply using the Funi and skiing down the O.K. all day. But, would you really want to do that?
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Oops, wrong thread. 
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Sun 28-01-24 21:57; edited 1 time in total
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By and large you are going to get more ski time to lift time with cable cars as they take the most direct route (don’t hug the ground) and often rise steeply over rough ground. Second would be funiculars. The trouble of course is that unless you are very fortunate with timing and queues there will be some waiting and faffing time.
Assuming a reasonable level of competency you are probably going to get a better ratio of skiing time down difficult blues/easier reds than greens or blacks. Off piste you will get more time off lifts, but not necessarily in skiing down.
We used to reckon that on a quiet day in Tignes/Val you could maximise vertical by simply using the Funi and skiing down the O.K. all day. But, would you really want to do that?
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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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Knocked out 125+kms in a day (incl lifts) in 3 valleys last February. Back in the bar at 3.45 pm, so could have made another 10-15 kms had we skied to last lift.
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You have to travel on lifts the same vertical distance that you then ski down. The horizontal distances will depend on the gradient.
So you want the steepest lifts (typically cable cars) and flattest runs (probably greens). Doesn’t necessarily make for the best skiing.
EMB only has one cable car which runs horizontally across a valley (Rocharbois) so you would have to choose the gondolas/chairs which are steepest but don’t only serve steep runs. Doing nothing but loops of the Mandarine green from the Megeve-Arbois gondola would probably give you a good ratio.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You have to travel on lifts the same vertical distance that you then ski down. The horizontal distances will depend on the gradient.
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And the miles travelled will depend on how many turns you put in. Big sweeping turns = lots more mileage than just bombing straight down. And often more enjoyable? Higher ratio of time riding to time faffing with lifts, too.
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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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Les Sept Laux near Grenoble.
All fast chairs, so no need to faff with removing skis or waiting for cable cars. Steep hillsides, so pistes take more roundabout routes than the direct lifts. And usually deserted on weekdays, so no queues.
I think steep blues or reds would allow more vertical than greens. On greens you wouldn't be able to get enough speed up.
One of my favourite ski areas for a short trip, if conditions are good!
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Interesting point. I love long runs with detachable fast chairs and almost always seek them out especially when I'm skiing alone. (I mean, any day on skis is a good day, but I don't love riding lifts, especially gondolas/bubbles where I have to constantly remove skis, wedge myself among strangers, etc). Whenever I see a new detachable 6-pack I get excited...
I don't care about vertical but rather interesting runs. And, also, "feels" -- meaning, can I get a full day of skiing on with that pleasantly spun feeling by around 3 pm without getting sick and tired of waiting in queues?
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm not really fussed about distance, more the time out skiing. If we finish at 3 because of some random reson I feel cheated, similarly if we start late due to faffing.
Other than that, a full day out in the mountains is a good day.
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