 Poster: A snowHead
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Looks like I'm going to be heading over to Engelberg to have a go at the off-piste stuff over there. Anyone travelled over there independently? I'm going to be meeting people there but travelling alone.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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flicksta,
I normally fly to Basel but have driven down a couple of times. AIRC Basel is the most poular with the cheap airlines, ie, Easyjet go there from London airports. The train ride is ok once you get to the banhof, and the bus is good at around 3 chf. A taxi is nearer 40..and this will take around 20 mins. Once at the station the train is quick and easy altho you will probably have to change at Lucern. Again, the Swiss dove-tail their connectins so you will not have to wait long...
Drive-wise, I've gone to Strasbourg via Metz and also cut through via Nancy.... its not too bad but you will need a vignette at the Swiss boarder...
There is a new Flybe route to Bern which looks close on the map but will probably still be as long as I think you will have to cut cross-country across to Lucern..... I don't think the option to go down to Interlaken will gain you anything if you stay on the train... Car-hire wise it may be different...
Zurich via train is very convenient - my friends did it- as the train station is below the airport complex
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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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flicksta, yep - it's pretty easy. train from Zurich is very straightforward and not too bad from Basel (you have to get a bus to the centre of Basel because (shock horror!) Basel airport doesn't have its own station)
organising accommodation isn't too hard - there is a central booking service through the tourist office website.
when are you going? i'm over there at the beginning of Feb with a group so if you are around would be good to meet up
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Thanks for the responses, I not surprised you two have been there!
Arno - Working it out now. My buddy gets married in Whistler Dec 9th (resort open 18th Nov, they've had 130cm of snow already) so a cheeky weekend in Whistler. He's then off to Courmayeur for NY, then Engelberg and St Anton for 'January and February'. Details to follow. Looking forward to Engelberg, met a guy in both La Grave and Las Lenas who is from there and really rates it.
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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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flicksta, it's not quite as impressive or austere as La Grave but it's great fun and you can get a lot of good skiing in very easily due to the way the lifts are laid out. also it usually has loads of snow so that is all to the good
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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flicksta, Arno, I'm trying to put together my trip as we speak... I think Fatbob, is booked in as well.
I have a complication in the wings in Jan.... and I was thinkiing of a 4 day stay from about mid jan.... When this all firms up, I'll check to see if you guys are around... I might be able to throw in al ong weekend but need to sort out the complication 1st .............
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I should have some more details reasonably soon, I'll need to commit to some dates from a work point of view. Not expecting La Grave, but I may well just go there as well and do the Derby with parlor
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Yep I'll probably be around Engelberg area a few weekends from mid Jan to late Feb.
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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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contemplating Engelberg for a long weekend in Jan rather than Chamonix which is my usual weekend option. Never been there before. Pros and cons?
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jedster, con: slightly longer transfer time; smaller, less sophisticated town
pros: probably better snow record, smaller crowds, less of a feeding frenzy on a powder day
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| jedster wrote: |
| contemplating Engelberg for a long weekend in Jan rather than Chamonix which is my usual weekend option. Never been there before. Pros and cons? |
It can get very busy at weekends because it's so easily accesible from Lucerne, which means that if there has just been fresh snow it will probably be busier still.
I will be going back for my third consecutive season in January with the SCGB on an off piste trip. I would strongly recommend getting a guide for off piste because some of the best stuff, although not all, starts on the glaciers at the top.
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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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Looking good for 4 days after the 18th
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looks like we'll give it a shot - something different
any recommendations for guides?
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You know it makes sense.
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jedster,
Depends what you want to do and how you feel about navigation on the glacier. It might be worth getting one out for the day and have them show you around.... The Titlis glacier needs a few things pointed out and the trip off the back into the valley and the Laub should be a good days work... you can then take it from there.
I use a local instructor but recommend you go to the guides office 1st thing and chat through what you want to do..
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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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Looks like my buddy will be there for the last two weeks in Jan, which means I shall be there for at least one of them.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks JT - we'll likely do that.
flicksta - will be there 11-15 Jan
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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hmm, contemplating a trip here, flying into Basel at 21.35 on Friday 19th Jan, leaving at 21.55 on Tuesday 23rd.
Is a car the quickest way from airport to Basel and back? Don't fancy the idea of buses so late at night!!
Also any recommended hotels, one that has sauna or something similiar would please the missus, bar and shower will do it for me 
Cheers,
Greg
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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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I fly from Basel every Weekend and very late on Sundays I use the bus.
The bus(Bus No 50),very frequent, runs with Swiss effciency direct outside Airport to Basel SBB Railway Station. Takes 20min . Very Safe so dont worry .
Cost is SFr 3.80 . Pay before you get on its Sfr80 fine.
http://www.efa-bvb.ch/bvb/FILELOAD?Filename=bvb_45647A510.pdf
In Basel right outside where the Bus stops you have the Hotel Swcheizerhof, Hilton . Hotle Victoria.
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I am now pretty close to flying in on the 18th and staying for about 4 days, moving onto Andermatt and the Rhone valley.
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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.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| flicksta wrote: |
| Looks like I'm going to be heading over to Engelberg to have a go at the off-piste stuff over there. Anyone travelled over there independently? I'm going to be meeting people there but travelling alone. |
The route with the least hassle i.e. no changes is to fly into Zurich, pick up a trolley and wheel it straight to the inhouse station and train directly into the centre of Engleberg. If you have not booked an Hotel, the information centre is extremely helpful and they speak perfect English. Loads of hotels on the Engelberg web site as I'm sure you've found. Weekends are to be avoided as they are really really busy with the locals. Unless you're there for the first lift in the morning you'll be greeted with a full on crowd busting out of the lift station doors and more arriving behind you.
Many Hotels will provide lift passes and I recommend this as trying to queue for one at the weekend is not to be undertaken lightly. You will receive a refund on return of the pass of a few francs. A good restaurant in town is the Italian pizza place, they do many other foods as well. The Yucatan-Bar opposite the railway station entrance is THE apres-ski bar, happy hour 5 - 6.30.
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kitenski, have you discounted driving straight to Engelberg on arrival?
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Wear a helmet . . . some very serious off-piste.
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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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| slikedges wrote: |
| kitenski, have you discounted driving straight to Engelberg on arrival? |
Nope, that is what I'm doing, 4 of us with one Focus estate all booked up 
Need to get onto the hotel to sort the lift pass, so how busy will it be on the weekend of the 19th Jan??
Does anyone know how to get in contact with the guides? Would like to pre-book one early on in my 4 days, probably the sunday.
Cheers,
Greg
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kitenski,
I am meeting my group over the weekend...which has shrunk to about 4 ...to confirm what dates we will be coming in. I am working on the 18th. Depending how confident you are on the glacier depends whether you need one, IMV. The guide office keeps very funny hours so I would try the ski school to see what they say....
Its just around the corner from the Yucatan but is supposed to close at 1800..!!
I'll call my contact tomorrow to see what is what... defo'
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| JT wrote: |
| kitenski, I am meeting my group over the weekend...which has shrunk to about 4 ...to confirm what dates we will be coming in. I am working on the 18th. I'll call my contact tomorrow to see what is what... defo' |
Cheers JT
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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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I went to Engelberg last season for a weekend. We hired a car and drove from Zurich airport . Watch out for speed cameras - 3km/h over the limit and you'll get a ticket. The drive took about an hour I think. The weather was appalling, visibility very low and temperatures even lower. I had only skied on fairly wide pistes up until that point, and the narrow tracks at Engelberg were somewhat off-putting. The town is nothing much, the hotels all pretty old fashioned, and there's only one bar (the Yucutan?). The slopes on the eastern side go up *high* so if you're not used to it take it easy. I managed to give myself altitude sickness on the first day. The western side is easier, but I didn't get much time over there as the weather on the Sunday was even worse than the Saturday.
I'm sure Engelberg is a good place if you're very experienced (my much more experienced friend really enjoyed it) but as a more junior skier I was rather out of my depth.
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Flying out on the 19th now..leave for Andermatt about 25th/26th and then onto Val d Annivers for a few days.
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You know it makes sense.
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JT, Be good to get together on the Saturday or Sunday when you arrive if conditions permit. i'd like to download some of your experience of the area having been thwarted somewhat by conditions nad injury on my previous visits.
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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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mini snowheads ski on the Sat or Sun????
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Poster: A snowHead
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| fatbob wrote: |
| ...conditions nad injury .. |
 sounds painful
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Some typos are just too good to change 
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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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| fatbob wrote: |
| Some typos are just too good to change |
b0llocks.
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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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fatbob,
I am looking at flights to Zurich from London on the 19th..just need my mate to give me the nod, and we are booked into the Cathrin for 4 or 5 days. I will see what Kitenski and Co are upto on the Sat and need to ski with my mate who might not want to be too adventurous. Some more friends arrive sat night so sunday should be a good day. When do you get in and where are you staying..? Meet you Friday night..?
We will be there 4 or 5 days before we go off to Andermatt and VDA.
The Steinberg, Galtiberg and Laub are a must and should be doable in the one day...
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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 met a local who claimed to have done the Galtiberg 5 times in one day.
There's your benchmark!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Arno wrote: |
I met a local who claimed to have done the Galtiberg 5 times in one day.
There's your benchmark!
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That sounds incredible. To get up the lifts takes up quite some time. They must surely have had someone waiting with a vehicle at the end of the run to shuttle them over to the main lift station.
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Arno,
Well, you always get some genius...!!! There is a race around Monterosa which takes in 4 peaks, I believe, and the winner does it in less than 4 hours... I can't quite remember, but I have the conversation on tape somehwere, I'll check.
I would think the travelling/lifts would take at least the 5 hours. and as richjp says you would need someone to clear your way.
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He reckoned that if you got the timing right you could step straight onto a bus at the bottom of the run
10,000m vertical descent in a day is more than enough for me though
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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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In the Bellevue for the weekend of the 19-21 but struggling to find room for 2-4 Feb - anything special on except the Brit invasion? Start of Swiss/German school hols? Might end up down the valley or in Andermatt though would be good to take a few runs with Arno
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fatbob, i've just booked 10 people into the bellevue for 1-5 Feb. Have you tried emailing them direct?
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