 Poster: A snowHead
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So we can't go skiing this year til 2nd week of April. What do you SnowHeads recommend ? We're in Europe (Cyprus) so the high altitude Alpine resorts are the only nearby options - we're thinking Les Arcs. Is the schlep out to Canada worth the difference ? It would add about 3k to the price and involve pretty much a 2-day journey (in cattle class with our budget) each way. I love poutine and powder but I'm not sure I love it that much.
Looking for dry snow, reds, blacks and offpiste with good food and bars.
Whaddya think ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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So hard to predict what it the snow conditions will be like in a month. I did a Whistler vacation last April and it worked out well. I had originally been planning the interior of BC but discovered that despite good snow, there were some artificial closing dates around mid-month. Watch out for that. I also seem to remember that one of the two mountains at Whistler-Blackcomb was also closing soon after I left, despite good snow conditions. Check the websites. I am in Lake Tahoe right now and the snow is good. I have heard western Canada is good right now as well(forget even thinking about eastern North America.
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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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It's impossible to say what the weather will be like, but I spent 5 weeks in Switzerland last season including almost all of April and I had fresh snow every week I was away for.
I'd pick somewhere like Les Arcs, Val d'Isere/Tignes, Val Thorens or Verbier in your scenario. I don't think i'd bother with the expense and time it takes to get over to Canada.
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I’d probably stay in Europe and head high. Did Val D’Isere last year at the end of April and it was great.
But if I was heading stateside, I’d think about Tahoe or maybe Oregon. Lift pass prices are an issue unless you’ve bought well ahead but the spring pass for Timberline (as an example) is a complete steal and (almost) worth going for days of bargain skiing in the sun alone.
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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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This year, Europe.
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I thought the perceived wisdom was that if you want late season powder, you go to Utah, probably Snowbird. Otherwise Mammoth or its neighbours in California.
Zermatt, Val d'Isere, Val Thorens will all be skiable but freezing levels have been consistently high this year so I wouldn't be relying on "dry snow" as a likely description of the conditions.
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I think you're more looking at spring snow than "powder". If you want powder you probably picked the wrong time of year, really. The days are long and the sun is warm.
I would check the weather conditions. I've ridden BC a fair bit in April - which is late season there - and also Europe at the very end of that month. I'm not sure where I'll go in April yet. I'd chuck in Scandinavia and Iceland as other places to look at - easier to get to but smaller resorts etc.
As someone said, watch closing dates generally, and specifically in Whistler one of the mountains is closing early this season.
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Thanks Heads ! I think it's gonna be Europe. Val d'Isere or Les Arcs ?
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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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Val d'Isere.
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I’m heading to Revelstoke so watching the forecasts. Looks like a heatwave coming in before a deep freeze ie just as unpredictable as Europe!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Blewyn, I've done April in Les Arcs almost ever year for the last 20 years. We have always been able to ski - sometimes in powder, sometimes getting the lift down because the snow has gone on the lower slopes but usually in typical spring conditions ie rock hard first thing, gently softening during the day with slush by 5pm. I've also done Whister and Banff and the conditions were pretty similar. In fact at Whistler we took the lift down to the village every day and the local hill in Banff was closed for the season. We have also done Val d'Isere, Tignes, Courcheval, Les Menuires and possibly La Plagne as well and the April conditions have been within the same range of varability.
Personnaly, I prefer Les Arcs over Val d'Isere.
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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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@Blewyn, if you go to Les Arcs in April take your golf clubs. Val/Tignes will be guaranteed snow across the whole area.
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| Quote: |
if you go to Les Arcs in April take your golf clubs.
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I don't think he is being serious, the golf course will be covered in snow with skiers going down it. The skiing conditions in Les Arcs will be pretty much the same as Val d'Isere
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You know it makes sense.
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@johnE, spoil sport. (Although have you seen the temperatures next week?)
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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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@BobinCH, that’s the town I assume?
Very different on the hill.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| sbooker wrote: |
@BobinCH, that’s the town I assume?
Very different on the hill. |
Well that’s at the base but 20 degrees in March is insane. The peak is at 2200m and the freezing level going to 3300m. That’s like it raining to 4000m in the Alps 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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While it may be more expensive, I am a fan of close to last minute planning. A major reason why I am skiing Tahoe right now(sunny for the next week with good snow levels) is the Lufthansa/German Airport/rail strikes, which might have been difficult to fully foresee a month in advance. Plus the usual weather variables, spending some more on airfare can avoid a huge waste of money to discover the snow mostly disappeared over the last month.
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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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Europe.
Val d'Isere
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Well, that's a no-brainer IMO.
The North American continent is really struggling this winter, due to El Niño.
Lots of resorts in the northeast already throwing the towel even though only mid March.
Whistler in BC also struggling. Only Alyeska in Alaska is having a record winter with over 600 inches of snow.
Southwest of the Alps has LOTS of snow since 2 last retour d'est. Austria, especially below 1300, really bad and green.
Best bet: go to Tignes, or Cervinia. Both fully open till mid May. Cervinia has exceptionally good conditions now.
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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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I second Cervinia/Zermatt, lots of snow here. Temps/rain the next week could make a mess on the valley runs, but it's pretty much guaranteed the upper pistes will be in good shape, especially on the Zermatt side. I've been in Zermatt all week and conditions are amazing. The Italian side is solid, though if you like powder, it tends to get quickly windblown. I only did one day on the Italian side as off-piste was crunchy after 2 really windy days and the pistes were rock solid.
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California snowpack is above average this year, and Mammoth will have good coverage and likely good snow conditions - mid April isn't particulary late there, closing will be at least May 27th if not later. No guarantees of fresh stuff of course. If you decided to pursue this route, probably the best option for a lift pass would be to grab an Ikon pass for the 2024/2025 season and take advantage of the spring access from April 1st this season. The second week of April is the last one for the Canyon and Eagle bases, so the whole mountain will still be open that week, too.
That said, I've just spent 2 days in Zermatt and the snow is excellent there right now. North America might not be worth the travel and jetlag.
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| johnE wrote: |
@Blewyn, I've done April in Les Arcs almost ever year for the last 20 years. We have always been able to ski - sometimes in powder, sometimes getting the lift down because the snow has gone on the lower slopes but usually in typical spring conditions ie rock hard first thing, gently softening during the day with slush by 5pm. I've also done Whister and Banff and the conditions were pretty similar. In fact at Whistler we took the lift down to the village every day and the local hill in Banff was closed for the season. We have also done Val d'Isere, Tignes, Courcheval, Les Menuires and possibly La Plagne as well and the April conditions have been within the same range of varability.
Personnaly, I prefer Les Arcs over Val d'Isere. |
Just out of interest, in general, what are the ski/resort pluses of Les Arcs over Val D’Isere?
[Genuine question, as I’ve never skied Les Arcs].
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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've been to Paradiski 2 times, and Tignes 3 times. In that order.
I cannot imagine why any sportive skiër would prefer Les Arcs, over Tignes.
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Whistler is hardly "struggling".
I prefer Les Arcs to Tignes. Each to their own. Late season neither would be my personal choice particularly.
Les Arcs has a family marketing image, and better trees.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Yeah, slow start this year in North America but things really turned around in February. We just got record snow (8’) over a few days in Lake Tahoe. Denver is getting slammed with a big storm now too. Warm air can carry more moisture than cold air so when it hits a cold front, records are getting broken. I expect we will see more unstable snow feast or famine going forward due to global warming. In any case, good Spring skiing to be had in Western North America, temperatures bouncing above/below freezing. Prices a lot more affordable, fewer crowds. Like someone posted above, you can buy an Ikon season pass for next year and use it this Spring.
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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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| phil_w wrote: |
Whistler is hardly "struggling".
I prefer Les Arcs to Tignes. Each to their own. Late season neither would be my personal choice particularly.
Les Arcs has a family marketing image, and better trees. |
Would you stay at one of the Les Arcs resorts or travel up every day from Bourg St Maurice ? Torn between being on-slopes and being able to eat out in Bourg and go to that amazing supermarket on the road out of town.
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@Blewyn, I'd stay in the resort itself. We go down to the SuperU with rucksacks sometimes for shopping. A short walk to the funicular then it's the same as you would be doing if you stayed in Bourg st. Maurice. There are probably more options to eat out in Les Arcs than in Bourg st. Maurice. We have even taken the navette around to Arc2000 and splashed out a fortune at the Taj i Mah. The main benefit in staying in Bourg st. Maurice is that accommodation is less expensive.
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You know it makes sense.
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| phil_w wrote: |
Whistler is hardly "struggling".
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I was there last week and they were complaining it’s been one of the worst seasons in living memory 
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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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| Quote: |
| I was there last week and they were complaining it’s been one of the worst seasons in living memory |
It's all relative though of course. How did you find it @BobinCH? We've come across Rockies locals describing packed powder runs as marginal or kinda icy, as well as some who don't get out of bed unless it's a powder day. They don't realise how spoilt they are with what they regard as normal snow conditions. For Europeans, there can be nothing wrong with what they consider to be sub-optimal conditions in North America.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| mountainaddict wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I was there last week and they were complaining it’s been one of the worst seasons in living memory |
It's all relative though of course. How did you find it @BobinCH? We've come across Rockies locals describing packed powder runs as marginal or kinda icy, as well as some who don't get out of bed unless it's a powder day. They don't realise how spoilt they are with what they regard as normal snow conditions. For Europeans, there can be nothing wrong with what they consider to be sub-optimal conditions in North America. |
Whistler wasn’t great. Verbier is miles better in comparison. Off course it can all change quickly with a big dump…
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| BobinCH wrote: |
| ... I was there last week and they were complaining it’s been one of the worst seasons in living memory |
Yeah, and?
That's nonsense layered on top of nonsense. How long is this "living memory", exactly? Laughable nonsense.
I know everyone here only rides in over-the-head powder all the time, and anything less is "struggling", but it's internet nonsense. The original comment was made by someone who hadn't been, when I was actually there.. it was nonsense, full stop.
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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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No complaints about Whistler at the mo despite it being the second week in April, been here since Tuesday evening last week and had 2 x 15 cm powder top ups across the vast majority of the ski area, still over 2 m at top, still ski out intact to village. The layout of the runs really lends itself to April skiing with the steeper bowls high up and more path like runs lower down that can be maintained with a combination of artificial snow and snowcat related redistribution. Temps are v pleasant and the height and vastness of the mountains is such that that you can easily adjust where you are skiing according to weather conditions.
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NA was struggling at the beginning of the season due to El Niño. But we caught up pretty good. Mt Bachelor, Palisades Tahoe, and Mammoth will all be open at least until late May.
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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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| phil_w wrote: |
| BobinCH wrote: |
| ... I was there last week and they were complaining it’s been one of the worst seasons in living memory |
Yeah, and?
That's nonsense layered on top of nonsense. How long is this "living memory", exactly? Laughable nonsense.
I know everyone here only rides in over-the-head powder all the time, and anything less is "struggling", but it's internet nonsense. The original comment was made by someone who hadn't been, when I was actually there.. it was nonsense, full stop. |
My mate lives there and he told me it’s the worst season he can remember. How is that nonsense? And conditions were really poor the couple of days I was there. It was a mud bath at the bottom and everything higher up was baked due to very warm temps. Sounds like it’s got better recently which is great.
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Got back from Banff at the weekend and it was great. There is a lower snowpack than average but I can’t say it affected me! Everything wide open - including all the free ride ‘off piste’ stuff. We had two days with 20cm+ fresh snow.
Even the lower runs were fine and although a little softer at the end of the day they weren’t what I’d call slushy.
Bad conditions there usually mean no fresh snow - not brown fields and no runs. One of our Canadian friends de used not to join us because it looked ‘a bit icy’. From a webcam. They don’t really know what poor conditions mean to Europeans! Similarly one day was a bit breezy. Chap on chairlift said how windy it was. I told him about the time I had at Cairngorm where I had to pole down a blue run due to the wind!!!
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