Loved the Strolz store in St Anton. I had boots with custom inners made there, with complimentary schnapps given at the foam-expanding phase
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Chamonix can be amazing but so many good skiers go there the off piste gets skied out rather fast unless it is renewed regularly. Unless you are prepared to skin a lot which I am not very enthusiastic about, especially now I'm older and need to husband my energy. However, I will be there on the 14th for a week and it looks like there will be new snow, so hallelujah.
St Anton is similar. When I was there 3 weeks ago it hadn't snowed for several weeks. Things were a bit limited. However even then, with a good guide we managed to make first tracks.
Now I tend to look for places not known for their (rather good) off piste.
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?
Most underrated - Montafon. Maybe I‘m biased because I‘ve lived nearby for a decade or so, but it has everything from one of the largest continuous vertical piste skiing in the Alps (ca 2000 m @ Hochjoch): plenty of challenging Ski Routes & off piste: reliable snow: brilliant transport connections + over 280km of piste in total. I also have a pass for the Arlberg & if I had to choose only one, I would opt for Montafon! Only disadvantage for many (not for me as my German is fluent) would be - not much English spoken..+ not Apres Ski to speak of (again not an issue for me). But the skiing - first class.
@Bergsteiger278, ok for me Living 2-3 hours away from you and with kids in school Montafon is really overrated.
Never Been there for years now, but as far as i remember i have never seem this place a little bit empty. Of course has to Do with the Timing but i also didnt like most of the slopes expect these in Gargellen
Underrated is also St Moritz. Most people think is a place to see and Being seen but skiing there is superb
Unfortunately with a ski pass for over 100 Euro pro Tag also a nice memory
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Snow&skifan wrote:
Loved the Strolz store in St Anton. I had boots with custom inners made there, with complimentary schnapps given at the foam-expanding phase
Overrated
La Thuile. The town is attractive with the best hot chocolate I've ever had but the skiing is mediocre imv. No decent home run. The drag linking it to La Rosierre goes on forever. You can use the lift pass in Pila and Cormayeur though including the Monte Bianco cable car.
Underrated
Flaine (and the GM). I'm there now. Yes, the Flaine architecture is grim but the range of well connected runs in the bowl suit a cruiser (which I am). You can ski back to many of the apartments for lunch with little walking. The single link to the GM gets congested at times but I can live with that. Good if you drive - nearest large area to Calais and convenient off the A40.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
billb wrote:
Overrated
La Thuile. The town is attractive with the best hot chocolate I've ever had but the skiing is mediocre imv. No decent home run. The drag linking it to La Rosièrre goes on forever. You can use the lift pass in Pila and Cormayeur though including the Monte Bianco cable car.
Underrated
Flaine (and the GM). I'm there now. Yes, the Flaine architecture is grim but the range of well connected runs in the bowl suit a cruiser (which I am). You can ski back to many of the apartments for lunch with little walking. The single link to the GM gets congested at times but I can live with that. Good if you drive - nearest large area to Calais and convenient off the A40.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@Bergsteiger278, had never looked at Montafon before and it looks great. Can I ask, is it (normally, obviously would vary!) at decent early season/later season place?
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Both- a limited lift service usually begins in mid November & lifts usually close late April. The highest point at Hoch Joch is ca 2800 m, so there is usually plenty of snowsure skiing.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@Bergsteiger278, thank you! Apartments in Schruns seem very good value.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Schruns (centre of the area) is readily accessed from Zürich Flughafen by train with only one change at Bregenz. Download the VVV transport app (kostenlos) for real time details. The transport connections between resorts & Schruns are outstanding - even by Austrian standards the Vorarlberg region is a “Musterbeispiel” for transport = best practice & the best I have ever experienced in the world.
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.
Which is one reason why I settled here a decade or so ago..
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@turms2 - also einigen wir uns darauf, uneinig zu sein.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@snowball,
Quote:
Chamonix can be amazing but so many good skiers go there the off piste gets skied out rather fast unless it is renewed regularly.
Well, yes ... and no. Two days last week we went up from Vallorcine as GMs rammed and my brother was out maximising his season pass. We found a lovely mellow pitch (sorry, no names, no pack drill) that no-one else was skiing (for no apparent reason as they were skiing anything else that had white stuff on it).
Not that steep, not that long, not obvious, but probably 12-15 turns a shot and 5-6 shots untouched.
Pretty tasty.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@under a new name, nice.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Bergsteiger278 wrote:
Both- a limited lift service usually begins in mid November & lifts usually close late April. The highest point at Hoch Joch is ca 2800 m, so there is usually plenty of snowsure skiing.
Wolfgang Schrahe did the right thing.
He started measuring the actual length of slopes, to check whether the ski areas were exaggerating.
They were, especially the Austrian ski areas had the nasty habit of 1. Exaggerating the km of pistes (Stubai was worst)
2. Exaggerating the height of top station (Kals was the worst, 200 metres extra)
The highest lift at Montafon is 2400.
There is not even a mountain without lift that reaches 2800.
Let alone a ski lift.
@snowball, It was as was the fact it was untouched on Wednesday and Friday
OK, you had to be pretty precise about your turns to avoid traps, but still
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?
@Langerzug, I hadn't mentioned Zürs, but yes Zürsertäli is a very good run. Long, good variation, and often a place where one can let it roll. Can be a little sticky along the road in the spring! I had heard about the troubles of Strolz, and wasn't surprised. We'd say they got a little big for their britches.
I continue to hear good things about Montafon. Not hearing much English for a few days might be refreshing!
Over Rated:
Portes Du Soleil, St Gervais (miles of "meh" blue runs)
I can't really comment on St Gervais as I don't know it that well, but you clearly haven't been skiing the right bits of the PdS ...
Perhaps - only skied there a couple of times and the snow was poor.
Champerry was pleasant enough from memory.
It just felt like the foothills of the alps.
A huge big French resort for intermediate punters : but just not as good as Tignes or La Plagne etc.
As you say - maybe I missed the good bits!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@turms2, i love St Moritz, stay at the youth hostel and get bed & pass for 50chf
After all it is free
After all it is free
@Bergsteiger278, haha...genau
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Underrated - Andermatt/Sedrun/ Disentis, loads of little Zentral-Schweiz resorts like Melchsee Frutt and Hasliberg, Hoch i brig also Aletsch Arena, Bettmeralp, Airolo
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Thu 5-02-26 19:30; edited 1 time in total
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Overrated:- Chamonix (The Blizzard of Aahhh's has a lot to answer for); anywhere Epic or Ikon have got their claws into.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Nadenoodlee wrote:
@turms2, i love St Moritz, stay at the youth hostel and get bed & pass for 50chf
In the words of the T-Birds ‘tell me more, tell me more…’
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.
@Mike Pow, Swiss Youth Hostels - they have SO MANY in ski resorts and they run Ski & sleep offers, dinner usually basic fare but 19chf for 3 courses and there is usually a bar and lounge. We really liked the one in Laax with a spa - also the Saas Fee one has a v fancy spa.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
St Moritz is also quite high. Hence good snow condition late in the season, when lodging price tend to take a tumble. So it can be surprisingly affordable in the right time.
I went in one time, week after Easter. Lucked out with fresh snow more than once in a week's stay. Lots of quite good skiers killing it on the off-piste too. So I'd say it's only "under rated" for people who don't know! It's probably "rated" correctly judging from the many decent skiers who showed up after the storms.
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much on Thu 5-02-26 19:43; edited 1 time in total
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Onnem Correction noted - the height difference is 1730 (= 2430 - 700) rather than ca 2000m. This is still one of the longest - maybe the longest - continuous descents in Austria, possibly even in the entire Alps.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Nadenoodlee wrote:
@Mike Pow, Swiss Youth Hostels - they have SO MANY in ski resorts and they run Ski & sleep offers, dinner usually basic fare but 19chf for 3 courses and there is usually a bar and lounge. We really liked the one in Laax with a spa - also the Saas Fee one has a v fancy spa.
Will have a look
Thanks
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Der Schwarze Schneid in Sölden (which I have skied only once) may offer a little more pisted vertical (ca 1900m) than Montafon, but it is difficult to be certain. The Vallee Blanche certainly carries considerably more vertical (again I‘ve only skied it once) but it is a Ski Route rather than a piste iirc.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Haggis_Trap, "maybe I missed the good bits"
Yep.
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?
Bergsteiger278 wrote:
@Onnem Correction noted - the height difference is 1730 (= 2430 - 700) rather than ca 2000m. This is still one of the longest - maybe the longest - continuous descents in Austria, possibly even in the entire Alps.
Longest descend in the world, is also in the Alps.
I know, because I skied it. Albeit long ago, as a kid.
2300 vertical meters (3899 to 1564).
22 kilometers.
Even as somewhere with a bad rep', Bansko is still hugely overrated
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Onnem wrote:
Bergsteiger278 wrote:
@Onnem Correction noted - the height difference is 1730 (= 2430 - 700) rather than ca 2000m. This is still one of the longest - maybe the longest - continuous descents in Austria, possibly even in the entire Alps.
Longest descend in the world, is also in the Alps.
I know, because I skied it. Albeit long ago, as a kid.
2300 vertical meters (3899 to 1564).
22 kilometers.
@Onnem Actually, I also skied that many years ago - I hadn‘t remembered it being quite so long..but then starting over 3800m at Klein Matterhorn does rather help to increase the vertical.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
The hostel with the fancy spa in Saas-Fee is great. Unbelievable standard spa for a hotel, never mind a hostel.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Not a continuous decent tho!
Underrated
Zillertal Arena(may have the longest continuous vertical decent..)
Agree with VT and Soll as overrated
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@Scooter in Seattle,
Zürs is on all accounts, even legally/administrative, 100% part of Lech.
As I like to point out: you step on the Rüfikopfbahn in Lech, and you step off in Zürs
Zürs is equal to Zug or Oberlech
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Thu 5-02-26 21:43; edited 1 time in total
Ski the Net with snowHeads
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Quote:
2300 vertical meters (3899 to 1564).
22 kilometers.
Somewhere around 1610 in Zermatt; 1564 is Valtournenche - not continuous. Still the highest vertical drop by some margin. Second highest being Les Deux Alpes, 2230m from the top of the Lauze drag (3520) to Mont de Lans (1290), followed by l'Alpe d'Huez, 2180m from Pic du Lac Blanc (3300) to the bottom of La Fare (1120) via the tunnel.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
