Poster: A snowHead
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Thinking about the various Bansko threads where the key bits of the proposition seem to be :
It's cheap
The lift system is modern
Pistes are good for beginners
What would you choose as 3 main crtieria when choosing a place to ski?
I think mine are:
Does it snow frequently & heavily?
Is the terrain interesting? (this is not the same as are there 100s of km of piste?)
Is it (relatively) accessible in the time I have available?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Snow,snow,snow.
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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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Plenty of red/black slopes.
Good snow record (almost everywhere will meet this at some point in the season so it was only an issue when booking for mid-December).
Lack of other skiers - not just short lift queues or fast lifts but few people on the slopes.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Interesting terrain
Small queue's
Snow Quality
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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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Amount of pistes of the required level
Amount of snow
Accesability of the slopes
Price also has a habit of rearing its head.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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good sking
easy to get to
good boozing
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It partly depends on who I am skiing with Friends/wife/whole family.
I have found it pretty difficult to get information on snow fall other than by hearsay, though I do take this into account particularly when booking in advance in first half of season. 2nd half of season I become more interested in north facing slopes and reasonable altitude.
Appropriate terrain for those I am skiing with is important.
Full family holidays cost becomes a fairly big issue multiply everything by four and differences soon add up.
Quiet resorts at high season, I prefer a few queues to busy slopes though try and avoid either.
To be honest if it is decently snowy and not to crowded I will usually be pretty happy.
PS quite like somewhere that is at least moderately attractive, less keen on purpose built, not bothered about doorstep skiing.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Fri 27-10-06 14:27; edited 1 time in total
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snow
cheap beer
enough variety of runs so the beginners in the group don't struggle and the rest of us don't get bored
cheap beer
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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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Good snow, good terrain, good apres ski.
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Depends on who I'm going with, but the biggies for me are:
Varied terrain (a little bit of everything including steep pistes, bumps, fast reds, range of gentle terrain).
Range of altitude (must go high and low; open bowl skiing at altitude as well as lots of piste and off-piste skiing through the trees).
Decent lift system (especially no/few drags, plenty of fast chairlifts and some nice gondolas or cablecars. Padded seats and covered chairlifts score additional points).
Ski in/out (don't mind walking to the resort centre for shopping and apres, but long distance hikes in boots with skis on my shoulder is a definite turn off).
If all those factors are in place bonus points for:
Short drive to other resorts for a bit of variety.
Good ski school/instructors.
Knowing the resort well enough to find the 'hidden gems', meeting up with local friends and neighbours.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Snow quality
Decent and varied runs
Good night life
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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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Interesting one this and it should maybe go in a seperate topic but most people have so far put down snow. How do you determine this?
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rob@rar wrote: |
Depends on who I'm going with, but the biggies for me are:
Varied terrain (a little bit of everything including steep pistes, bumps, fast reds, range of gentle terrain).
Range of altitude (must go high and low; open bowl skiing at altitude as well as lots of piste and off-piste skiing through the trees).
Decent lift system (especially no/few drags, plenty of fast chairlifts and some nice gondolas or cablecars. Padded seats and covered chairlifts score additional points).
Ski in/out (don't mind walking to the resort centre for shopping and apres, but long distance hikes in boots with skis on my shoulder is a definite turn off).
If all those factors are in place bonus points for:
Short drive to other resorts for a bit of variety.
Good ski school/instructors.
Knowing the resort well enough to find the 'hidden gems', meeting up with local friends and neighbours. |
after those criteria rob -do you then ask the question - "do I have a place there?"
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You know it makes sense.
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Good terrain
Small resort - generally less queues, and less idiots
Good accomodation and company
No point getting too stressed over the snow conditions, as you can't do a lot about it.
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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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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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It's changed over the years. This year it's:
Nice place
Can get away from the crowds if necessary
Do-able by train
As I'm booking for a group, I won't be able to fulfill all of those.
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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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Good snow
Good terrain (reds and blacks for me)
No huge queues (tricky in school hols)
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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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T Bar wrote: |
Interesting one this and it should maybe go in a seperate topic but most people have so far put down snow. How do you determine this? |
I think snow quality is a different thing to snow fall. Snowfall is something you can try to maximise your chances on- by historic charts, duration of stay, location, late booking e.g. taking a fortnight in Feb to Western Canada you'd be unlucky not to get at least one powder day, taking a weekend to Europe booked any time significantly in advance would be entirely pot luck as to whether you had any fresh snow.
Of course snow quality can stay good for weeks after a snowfall if temps stay constant & low, grooming is good, runs aren't overskied etc. This however is rare.
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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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Isn't the answer La Rosiere?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Mark Hunter, if you look at the metcheck website (as linked on the PSB weather threads) and compare Deux Alpes next week with La Ros, the answer is yes!
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Snowsure
Under 2 hrs transfer
No riff-raff
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I think the two main criteria must be varied slopes (believe it or not, I enjoy skiing ALL types of slopes, including blues and greens, but there should be some interest, some bumps, some steep, some nice fast wide pistes), and snow. I also like ski-in- ski-out because I don't like walking in ski boots and lugging skis around, and find it hard with my limited breathing. Good cake also helps
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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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1) More than reasonable hope that I'm going to be able to board everyday around the whole area, not just some runs.
2) Access to the whole area by chairlift (and not t-bar or poma)
3) Single rooms and Family rooms at a price where the supplements don't double the price of the holiday.
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fatbob wrote: |
after those criteria rob -do you then ask the question - "do I have a place there?" |
Funny you should mention it...
Yes, mostly Les Arcs pushes all my buttons. That's not to say that other places don't. Courchevel is probably a better match, but prices are very silly there.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Snow.
Reasonable variety of runs.
Bit of off-piste that isn't too scary.
Good instruction.
Good choice of mountain and base restaurants.
Absence of concrete jungle developments.
Beer, wine.
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As with others, depends who I'm skiing with
Family: Snow, cheap(ish), Traditional i.e. not England on snow.
Group: Snow, good self catered accommodation, varied terrain (+ another 20 'must haves'!)
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You know it makes sense.
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Range of interesting runs for all occasions
Efficient and fast lift system
Tartiflette
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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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T Bar wrote: |
Interesting one this and it should maybe go in a seperate topic but most people have so far put down snow. How do you determine this? |
It's not such a big issue for me. I've never had too little snow to ski on (started in 1979, skied every year bar one since then) and for me part of the enjoyable challenge of skiing is to be able to adapt my technique to snow conditions and terrain. I like skiing hard pack and ice, I like skiing fresh untracked powder and just about everything in between, with the exception of rain-soaked crud. Just so long as there is some kind of snow to ski on, and there always has been for me in more than 25 years, I really don't mind what the conditions are like.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Forgot to add this before:
I think it's ultimately the people you go out with that makes a holiday! Skiing / boarding with a good set of friends is always an ace experience...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Kramer wrote: |
Good snow, good terrain, good apres ski. |
Wot he said
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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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Mouth wrote: |
....
Tartiflette |
and that!
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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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Big lift and a good gradient to the valley floor.. and a road back would be good...
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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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Good variety of pistes
Not too busy
Decent alpine charm
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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If booked in advance:
*Decent historical snow record (Using Ski Club data to check).
*Accommodation - good quality, close to slopes and apres (I'm another who doesn't like walking in ski boots!).
*Good amount/variety of skiing. I want to ski some tough stuff, but equally I might want an afternoon of cruisng.
If last minute (that is usually for me now):
*Good snow.
*Good amount/variety of skiing. (See above).
*Price - if it's last minute I can find both of the above at a good price.
And 9 times out of 10 I want it to be to a resort that I haven't visited before (some variety etc.)
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1) Good snow on challenging terrain with some trees
2) Good childcare and ski school for sprogs (for family holiday) or good apres ski (for non family)
3) Nice town with good restaurants
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Efficient lift system (no queues)
Ski in/ski out
Good food
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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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The trouble is when find a resort / hotel etc that meets your needs there is always the feer that if you go some where else it will not be up to scratch. Most times so far the places Ive ended up in have ticked most of the boxes
The criteria i chose has changed over the years along with my and Mrs Gs skills on skis and the size of the overdraft
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1) 1800m resort
2) 100km +
3) Can get to easily from Belfast
4) Good value
5) Variety of terrain. ie Glacier/ Tree lined/ Cruisey Reds/ Blues
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