First time family trip

A snowHead

Hello,

I am looking again after our last two ski trips have not gone ahead for different reasons.

We are a family of five (two adults, three children (9, 10, 12) and am looking for February half term 2025. I see a lot of good prices on Crystal for March 2023, so part of me thinks its worth waiting, but the part has spent so long looking, thinks I need to get it in the diary to stop looking!

We are all beginners although the wife has skied in her youth. We are not against self catering and I know the wife would be especially keen in Italy. Budget is not fixed but we would want to visit a snowdome before going and get some winter gear.

Crystal ski have Pila (flights and accommodation) for around £5,000 for the the Hotel Plan Bois - which looks to be in a great location for skiing. Others I have looked at are Norway. I am open to sorting the different elements individually but there are a lot of options!

Does the Crystal Pila trip sound a good start, or other options to explore?

Thank you, just reading the forum has help a lot so far.

A snowHead

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

@R0dge, left field idea. Chamois in Italy. Small resort, less busy, no need to pay for huge resort and its infra. Will be quiet and one very nice hotel close to the slopes. Ideal for beginners and loads of IT charm.

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We (2 adults, intermediates, and 2 children on their second ski trip, ages 9 and 7) did Pila at the Plan Bois this half term just gone, with Crystal.

Pila would be a good option, we certainly enjoyed it. Like you say, the Plan Bois is in a great location, and there is a lot to like about it. The only negative I would say is that whilst 75% of the food there is good, 25% was a bit oddly school dinners-like.

Our experience might be a bit different to yours in that we're not beginners. Pila has two main blue runs that are great higher up, but which converge with all the other runs into the village, so they get quite busy and the snow got quite choppy when we were there, due to it being warm and not having had fresh snow for a while. This made the run through the village itself quite unpleasant at times, so we tended to avoid it until we were coming back to the hotel. I don't know whether beginners would perhaps be kept to the baby slopes a bit further down in the village where things looked a bit calmer.

Pila is a very good option for families, it's scenic and high up so the snow is reliable. The two main blue runs are long and varied, and there are plenty of reds if you progress that far. However, do be aware that there are only the two blue runs to choose from. Have a look at the Pila webcams - the one with the orange chairlift (Baby Gorraz) shows the busy section into the village, have a look at it about 4.00-4.30 Italian time, which is about its peak busyness. The Grimod webcam shows the main blue run higher up, where it is much easier.

For our kids' first skiing, we went to Ruka in Finland. I don't know Norway, but I would think that too is a good place to learn, probably quite similar. Ruka is on a much smaller scale than the Alps, with generally much more gentle slopes. It is cold, but you can rely on the snow.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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Yes. If you're determined to go at half term, and realise that it will be busy and expensive, it does make sense to book in advance

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

Italy will be less busy than France, of course. That's one of the reasons Pila is a good choice.

After all it is free

Go for that deal if that price is for Feb 25 HT.

The price won't fall. You'll save over independent flight costs at a rip off time, on hold luggage charges and avoid the stress/cost of transfers.

Check out Ski Miquel if you're considering an easy package deal - great locations, fantastic value and top notch grub (compared to the established package players)

I'm sure I'll get shot down for this but I don't care - personally (and from experience having taken 3x kids from an early age, initially at the Snowdome) I'd save the Snowdome £ and put it towards an initial 'family' private lesson (esp for the 3x kids as they're close in ages) when you get there. Other than getting used to putting on boots / clicking into skis there is no real benefit to scraping down 5m of sugar and repeating this as many times as you can within the hour / whatever wunder package you book at the Snowdome. . the kids especially will pick all of this up and more within 20mins precisely on 'actual' snow and will have more fun in the process . . . trust me! snowHead

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Id agree with kids especially if daring and confident, my youngest started in resort and was fine but she's always been daring. If older or nervous then a fridge or dry slope is definitely a good idea.

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@Glosterwolf, I actually think fridges can create nervousness - two of mine were 'non plus' but the youngest got stressed with all the traffic / weaving in and out / general numbers . . .better to spend the same £ (which for 5x is considerable at the SD) on lessons in country IMO

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It depends so much on the individual child. Some cope better with new stuff than others - though having said that, a fridge is a weird environment. On the whole I think fridge lessons are more worth the (considerable) cost for adults who can see the whole experience as valuable learning, if not that much fun. They are particularly valuable for the kind of adult who is not at all sure they want to ski at all, but being dragooned by a keen partner or friend. Much better for them to hate every minute of an 1.5 hour lesson in Hemel Hempstead than to make the same discovery on the first morning of an expensive holiday in the Alps. Most kids get on well in ski lessons, and love it. But not all. Some will need a lot of nurturing, and perhaps very small group lessons.

You know it makes sense.

Thanks for the replies. I have been in contact with San Miquel so see what that leads too. I will look at Chamois as an option. Yes, my years were incorrect - always living in the past...

The snowdome may need some thought. I have been on a dry slope a few times as a child and on snow once as an adult. The snow was much, much nice. I know a snowdome is not a dry slope but obviously it is not the same as a mountain. That decision can wait though.

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

Apologies for dragging this up, but an 'opportunity' has arisen for me to take the three kids myself for 4 nights (3days skiing) in the second week of Easter. Some research shows Obergurgl should have snow and I can reach it from Innsbruck airport.

I have priced up flights, accommodation, car hire, ski hire and lessons, and skipass.

The question, 3 days enough for beginners and if Obergurgl in April is worth the big spend?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you

A snowHead

@R0dge, Never been there but my understanding is that it's very good late season and decent for beginners. Three days will certainly give a decent taste of skiing and should be a very enjoyable break. I would check on the lesson status in that not every ski school can provide three day group lessons starting on the day you want.

A snowHead

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

I took the kids away skiing last march and it wasn't too expensive, got them lovely clothes from Peacocks to stay warm, were cheap too as used a code and got kids peacocks discounts https://www.lovediscountvouchers.co.uk/peacocks I meant

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks everyone.

Well flights booked, just got to choose between two hotels: The Moss and The VAYA Crystal.

The Ski school has repleid which gives me some confidence. Fingers crossed!

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Obergurgl is an excellent resort - v family friendly! Have also stayed at the Crystal - very convenient as the boot room is an elevator ride from the closest gondola! Not sure which part of the hotel you are in (theres a posh part and a posher part) but either way the rooftop pool is superb . . !

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

Crystal hotel booked and they are going to assist with equipment hire. I will go with private lessons for the 3 children without me as I think it will be better for their learning. Also the ski school can accommodate us arriving on Saturday to start Sunday.

I have looked at hire car costs and transfers from Innsbruck to Obergurgl with Alpin buses, and both seem around the same cost. Can anyone see any benefit of having a car there? Or any advice for getting to Obergurgl?

All the help is much appreciated.

After all it is free

Can't comment on Pila but the Snowdome thing is worth checking out sooner rather than later.

Chill Factore in Manchester has half price lesson deals at the minute (normally all summer).

I'd expect others to do the same to get people in and bitten by the bug.

Gives you chance to get the basics, do the odd bit of practice whilst it's quiet then come back just before you go to do a quick refresh.

Only real danger with that is that you get too bitten by the bug and before you end up going next year you're pricing up ski carriage for your newly purchased gear (not speaking from experience here at all, honestly).

Getting transfers is probably less hassle given you're unlikely to be driving big distances once at the hotel. 3 days seems an ideal intro for the kids, leave them wanting more rather than getting grouchy and tired.

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@R0dge, depending where you live, i would definitely recommend going to a fridge before you go, but i would wait until after this winter season has finished, as the fridges will be less busy until autumn, when people start thinking about next season.

most fridges offer deals during the summer, and have holiday camps for the kids, for instance Hemel have kids group camps, in the may half term. seeing as they will generally be using the learner slope side of the establishment at first, it will not be an issue regarding how busy the main slope is.

Hemel also offer family group lessons if you want to all learn together.

like you, i had booked a feb half term trip about a year ahead of when we where going away, for the kids first time skiing. so had plenty of time to organise them lessons before they went, apart from anything else i am a great believer of beginners getting a feel of the equipment before you hit the mountains for the first time.

i was fortunate with my girls lessons, that i booked both of them onto an hour taster session at our local dryslope (it was near Bristol and was about £15) before they went on to Hemel, as this enabled them to put boots on, step into skis, and get a feel of skiing, slowing down and stopping, and even using the drag lift.
this meant straight away they was put on the 2nd rung of beginner groups at HH for may half term, and had effectively private lessons to themselves both days, as they are 3 years apart they were in different groups, by the 2nd session they had both progressed to using the main slope with their instructors.
obviously i cannot guarantee this will be the case for you if you choose this route.

we went back again a couple of times before the trip to the alps, and they were both "main slope ready" and could use the slopes without an instructor

again, this enabled to go into higher level group lessons when they eventually got on real snow, and we were even able to go up the mountains on the chairlifts, the day before their lessons started.

as others have mentioned, it is a major (ongoing Toofy Grin

) investment, and you do want to see if they are going to enjoy it.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@terrygasson, Based on my experience - going to have to disagree on this; whilst it certainly is an advantage in terms of kit faff / getting on a poma (if confident enough) I think the money is better spent on lessons in country and on real snow rather than in the dome(s). 20mins of a small private group lesson equates to 3hrs in a fridge IMO - this is primarily based on the snow itself being far superior (not sticky sugar) and the fact that 1 'run' on a typical real nursery slope probably equates to 10 'runs' in a dome but without the constant poma travel in between . . . .'you pays yer money and makes yer choice etc!'

To your point however its all £ whatever you choose to do Very Happy

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All this discussion about fridges now a tad irrelevant as the OP has taken the plunge and going for 3 days in a couple of weeks! And already fixed up lessons in resort.

@Origen, ah, i was still reading it as going next year!!!

should have gone to specsavers Toofy Grin

@Belch, will have to agree, to disagree, but am going on my experience with my kids, and the progression they made, but others may not have seen the benefit.

as stated above, it is all a moot point now as the OP is off in a couple of weeks

You know it makes sense.

@terrygasson, I must say I am biased - I went to MK for the first time in 8yrs last week as I've splurged on a fancy dan pair of new Supra Boa boots and needed to ensure the boot fit wasn't off before my trip next sat. . .even going at 11am on a Tuesday (when it was pretty much empty) it was as expected; sugary pasty 'snow' that you can stop on even when straightlining simply by pushing your weight forward / mardy staff that seem to think those having lessons can push in the que at all times / a bloke in full matching ortovox gear with an avi pack that looked like eddie the eagle but skied like a dangerous penguin on steroids . . . . . .I'll be visiting again for an hour in 2034 once my boots are knackered . . .

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

@Belch,

fair enough

hope the new boots are a winner, and you have a great trip, its another week until we go Sad

A snowHead

@terrygasson, Enjoy your trip!

A snowHead

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

@Origen, TRUTH! I was so tempted to say something sarky (about his gnarly backpack primarily) but thought if I did he might take it to heart and fail to bring amusement to others in future (!). . . . .

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I once saw a guy - a grown man - in a full Swiss cheese racing suit on a terrible dry slope in the Ayrshire coalfield which had no lift (the lift had long since given up the ghost). It was just after Christmas so perhaps it was a present from Santa. The best thing was that he was a pretty complete beginner. The local kids - very few of whom were ever likely to have the privilege to ski on real snow - were expertly whizzing round him, in their jeans and scruffy anoraks with fur round the hoods. The lack of lift meant that getting back to the top meant sticking your skis on your shoulders and tramping up the mud at the side. Good for your legs but not so good for the state of your Swiss cheese racing suit.

Help!!

First time family trip

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