 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| snowskii wrote: |
| I did ski every year from 4-18 though. I am hoping it’s like riding a bike and it comes back quickly? |
To a large extent. That muscle memory will be in there.
| snowskii wrote: |
| Maybe we could end up in the same lower intermediate group?! |
I wouldn't think about that. And in some ways it may be better if it doesn't happen.
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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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@snowskii, back to your original question, what airport you flying to? If you've decided?
Short transfer are important for short trips ...
La Clusaz f'r instance is very sweet but has little to no transfer infrastructure, so you'd need to rent a car.
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@under a new name, not true about La Clusaz transfers.
Aravis shuttle for example offer multiple transfers each day for €40 each way.
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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've never skied in La Clusaz but driven through it a few times. Or "past it" might be more accurate. The altitude of the village is quite low and it's quite often the case that there's no snow at that level (or only piles of grey stuff in shady spots) when snow at higher altitudes is OK. This might or might not be important but if taking someone for their first ever ski holiday I'd be looking for a location where the local ambiance was "snowy". Just looking at the geography, a lot of the accommodation will be some distance from some of the lifts. If you are going there at a quiet time, when parking won't be too difficult, a car would be an asset and it's certainly a very easy drive from Geneva.
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I am quite keen of the Zeel am option as there’s a really nice spa in hotel and we can make the most of this without kids. But worried the nursery slopes are going to be really chopped up at that time of year. But if we can get him up to a decent standard there is Saalbach just down the road included in the passes.
I have explained snow might now be perfect if we are going for blue sky skiing but that’s part of European skiing and I suppose is part of learning to ski different conditions?
If we are finishing lessons by midday latest; does anyone know if there will there be enough time to get over to Saalbach to enjoy some alternative cruises blues? Although we need to factor lunch in too. To come back down the mountain to go back up might be demoralising to a tired beginner. Maybe we should look at a bigger linked ski zone.[/quote]
@snowskii
There is also the glacier at Kaprun included on the lift pass with easy access by local bus from Zell am See. Virtually guaranteed good snow at that time of year and plenty of easy runs if needed.
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@Alastair Pink, huh, that's new I think, nice find.
But still not a patch on availability to e.g. Chamonix. Not that Cham's an ideal choice for the OP...
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never any guarantee of 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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| Alastair Pink wrote: |
@snowskii, welcome to snowHeads. 
As you're only doing 4 nights presumably you'll be making all the travel and accommodation arrangements yourself as tour operators are usually on a week's booking arrangement? If you're travelling from the UK then budget airlines fly to quite a few suitable airports, but I'd just suggest these three for a quick transfer from the airport to ski resort. Firstly for France the resort of La Clusaz is only about an hour's transfer from Geneva airport. Secondly for Austria one of the many resorts in the Ski Amadé area would be suitable as the area isn't far from Salzburg airport. Finally also for Austria you could fly into Innsbruck and ski at one of the many resorts in the Tyrol, for a resort good for a beginner I'd suggest either Alpbach (voted prettiest Austrian village by the Austrians themselves) or Westendorf. |
As Alastair suggests, flight into Innsbruck and a short transfer to Alpbach or Westendorf would be easy. I usually book a return taxi in Austria which often is cheaper than the hassle of a hire car.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| snowskii wrote: |
Thanks everyone, so the reason we want to limit the nights is because we have two preschoolers. They will be going with grandparents and will have the best time but we want to limit time away.
The idea is to test it out for my husband, give him a head start and then next year oldest will be old enough to start ski school and youngest old enough for ski crèche (might even bring non skier grandparents along). But the cost side of that is too much gamble for not knowing whether he will like it. Hence doing a short solo trip.
I am quite keen of the Zeel am option as there’s a really nice spa in hotel and we can make the most of this without kids. But worried the nursery slopes are going to be really chopped up at that time of year. But if we can get him up to a decent standard there is Saalbach just down the road included in the passes.
I have explained snow might now be perfect if we are going for blue sky skiing but that’s part of European skiing and I suppose is part of learning to ski different conditions?
If we are finishing lessons by midday latest; does anyone know if there will there be enough time to get over to Saalbach to enjoy some alternative cruises blues? Although we need to factor lunch in too. To come back down the mountain to go back up might be demoralising to a tired beginner. Maybe we should look at a bigger linked ski zone. |
Rest assured the nursery slopes will be piste bashed each evening.
If you are going for 3 or 4 days from a complete beginner you aren't going to be worried about how big an area you are going to or what its linked to. Any resort is going to have a nursery slope/ beginners teaching area and some suitable blue slopes to progress onto, and some reasonable skiing for you to test you old ski legs out on whilst Hubby is in beginner lessons.
If anything your better off looking a smaller area so you aren't paying extra for a big ski area lift pass you wont be using.
Are you American? - you refer to going down the mountain for lunch? That's generally not how its done in Europe: In France you squish a baguette down your salopettes and eat it on a chair lift as the restaurants on the slopes are ruinously expensive, and concentrate on eating proper food in the evening. In Italy Austria Switzerland excellent / hearty / acceptable eating opportunities await piste side at very reasonable / acceptable prices.
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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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Are you American? - you refer to going down the mountain for lunch? That's generally not how its done in Europe: In France you squish a baguette down your salopettes and eat it on a chair lift as the restaurants on the slopes are ruinously expensive, and concentrate on eating proper food in the evening. In Italy Austria Switzerland excellent / hearty / acceptable eating opportunities await piste side at very reasonable / acceptable prices.[/quote]
No apologies. That’s unclear. British. I meant if we come down to go on a bus over to a bigger ski zone.
So I have spent many nights musing. It’s practically been keeping me awake actually!
I haven’t made a final choice but I have narrowed it down to La Clusaz and Geilo.
Zeel am see had the nicest hotel (irresistible spa) and great views but the way the lifts work I think is going to be hard work.
La Clusaz is the traditional choice. It’s the kind of place I am used to. Probably most romantic and also has apres I found the trappers teepee which could be a finishing touch. So this is in the running.
But the more I think about the more I am being drawn back to Geilo. I have never been here before. From what I am reading it’s like skiing I have probably never known. Actual snowpiles, powder, deserted slopes, no ques. The ski school is so small that if you choose group there’s high chance you might be the only members. I think from a learning to ski point this probably actually is the best. Loads of soft blues, I assume less ice, less moguls. It’s going to hurt less to fall? He has a good chance to progress fast here and there is night skiing in the weekdays so we can take lots of breaks with ski in ski out and he can keep going if he’s not tired.
It’s quite boring from an apres point of view but it’s authentic and he would rather quietness over poser apres any day. There’s also a wilderness sauna/ ice bath experience which could be wild.
Will Geilo be inspiring enough or will he think it cold and boring?
Gosh it’s a lot of pressure lol!
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Is there any guarantee of "powder" (as opposed to snow.....) in Geilo? I wouldn't have thought so. And powder often means bad weather, not the best learning conditions. I learnt to ski there on a school trip over half a century ago, on skis as high as we could stretch an arm. So my own memories of the skiing (which I loved) will be irrelevant. But the scenery is, well, fairly ordinary compared to the Alps. I don't see how Geilo is any more "authentic" than La Clusaz - and the drinks will definitely be more expensive.
It is silly to argue that lunch on the mountain in France is unaffordable. There are often restaurants with a good value "plat du jour" which, with a glass of house wine, is perfectly affordable. Best to seek local knowledge for that, once you know where you are going.
Is there much in the way of ski in/out accommodation in either resort?
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You know it makes sense.
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I have no idea! It’s a long time since I have been skiing, and never to Norwegian snow. But my memories range of European skiing range from perfect to wet slushy, to hard or crunchy, to moguly, to ice sheets.
I am just going by pictures here for Geilo!
La Clusaz option is not ski in ski out as spa is a must. The Geilo option is directly on the bottom of the nursery slope ski in ski out.
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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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Ah yes, the pictures always have loads of snow......that Geilo option should be good, if spas are a vital part of the equation. I can't stand them!! On our school trip to Geilo we stayed in a dorm at the youth hostel. So no spas - but I remember discovering for the first time, and falling in love with, duvets! And eating whale. The train trip up was nice, with little painted houses.
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Poster: A snowHead
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snowskii,
If hubby progresses well in a snowdome and gets the ski bug while he is learning there, a series of regular snowdome lessons followed by regular practice (once he can snowplough turn) without lessons would mean that he could manage abroad without lessons and ski with you. It's possible to reach a very good standard in a snowdome if he is committed to learning, goes regularly and enjoys it. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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but I remember discovering for the first time, and falling in love with, duvets! And eating whale.
@origen - I don’t know how to quote sorry!
This requires further investigation?! Where do they not have duvets?! And what is whale like!!!! I was looking at the food. Didn’t see any whales but they did have some incredible looking meat dishes.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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[quote="luigi"]@snowskii, wrote,
“Should give a good idea of the lie of the land and a few mountain eateries, the Pinzgauer Hutte looks fun with the skidoo tow back! 
There is a full-on apres scene round in Saalbach/Hinterglemm, we had a memorable gluhwein fuelled ski boot bop at the Goaßstall “
Yes, the Pinzgauer Hütte is certainly worth doing for lunch - great views/location, and the skidoo tow is a novel, memorable experience.
For the après-ski scene in Saalbach, there’s no need to go all the way to Hinterglemm. You have some of the best après spots in Saalbach itself: the Soul House, the Hinterhag Alm, the Spitzbub, the Off-Piste Bar, Burgi’s Bar, Bauers Schialm.
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| Quote: |
Where do they not have duvets?!
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The question should be - where DID they not have duvets in the early 1960s? And the answer is - the UK. Fitted sheets are recent too. Flat sheets were the norm and in thrifty households, when the middle area was worn thin, you turned and hems sides to middle. Good for another decade at least. 
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