Late season holidays

A snowHead

Hi there, got my first trip to livigno booked at the end of jan this season and immediately my sights have turned to the future!
The only week I can secure because of exams etc is the 15th to 22nd of April.
Is it a fair bet to get snow in tignes allowing most of the resort to be skied at this time of year or is it more likely that we would be confined to the glacier?
I know its impossible to tell but what are people's past experiences of late holidays?
thanks
ryan

A snowHead

I was in Tignes last May Bank holiday & the snow was excellent.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

element, I went to Hintertux this year at the end of May (came back on 31st) and the conditions were great (and it was still snowing) and there was still lots open.

Obertuern usually stays open to May, so that would be an option too.

If you go a week later you could join all the other sH at the ESOB07 in Val Thorens.

edit:
Sorry, I misread your post, and didn't see that you were set on Tignes.

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Generally you should be fine in Tignes at that point. Only in a completely disastrous year would you be confined to the glacier. The state of the slopes might depend more on aspect than on altitude and you would obviously expect spring conditions overall, but with luck you should have super warm weather, take off several of the layers you wear in January, and have a great holiday. My son spent last winter in the Espace Killy and said April was far and away the best time (not that the same thing would apply every year, of course). You could afford to book later (and easyJet flights not yet out). You could get some excellent end of season bargains if you are aiming for a package. Snow conditions in the Espace Killy are almost certain to be FAR better in the week you are planning, with long sunny days and uncrowded slopes than they will be at New Year when prices will be sky high, it will be dark early, probably cold, the resort will be full of people and the off-piste too thin and rocky to bother about. Enjoy snowHead

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element, we were in La Rosiere last season in the last week of April and there was still plenty of snow, the only runs not open were those going down below the village, there were only 3 of them. It was a superb week, sunny and warm with good skiing conditions just about everywhere, our ski host, Matt Tayler of Tracks Vacations, told us these were normal conditions for that time of year in La Rosiere. So to be certain go high, to a resort with a good snow record, incidentally, we saw quite a few instructors from Val d'Isere, Tignes and even Courcheval with clients in the resort.

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I was in Courcheval (La Tania) last week of the season last year, great skiing, got fairly slushy in late afternoons, but could still ski down to La Tania at 1300m.

Even better was a beer in shorts on the balcony after a days skiing Very Happy

I was there the year before and had powder every day Smile

Cheers,

Greg

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Hello to everyone,

I am new to this forum, literally just registered, and wanted to ask for some advice...

I am planning a snowboarding holiday and I was thinking beginning of April as far as the date is concerned and Ski Amade as a location because I have heard it is nice.
I will be travelling from the UK and meeting up with some friends from Greece. I've only been on 1 ski holiday before in the Alpes and that was in Chamonix. I had a very good time although I didn't like the fact that I had to get a bus to get to the pistes so I would prefer a place where you can ski from your door. Finally, my snowboarding level is intermediate to experienced and I am not particularly interested in parks etc. I enjoy more freeriding and offpiste.

So, to get to the point, could you give me some pointers regarding the following:

- at that time of the year if the snow is usually good/enough?
- is beginning of April a busy period?
- is the Ski Amade a good choice? (any specific resorts?).
- If not, do you have any alternate destination suggestions.

Thanks a lot

After all it is free

Cabamaru, Hello and welcome to SnowHeads

I've not visited that area myself,but im sure someone will be along soon. I learnd in Austria and realy must get back there and explore.

Cabamaru, We were in Ellmau, Austria in the middle of March last year and normally that resort closes at the end of the following week. The snow was superb. So you may find that although the snow cover is good, the resort is not open! (Ellmau is not in the Amade but I imagine that their season operates on a similar basis).

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Thank you for your replies.

So tessaventer, you are saying the the austrian resorts close in March?

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Cabamaru, Certainly Ellmau, which is low at about 950m, closed in the third week in March last season.

snow reports

Cabamaru, Check the ski amade website www.skiamade.com as usually the closing dates are posted

Cabamaru, Welcome to snowHeads

Schladming is part of the skiamade area and that is usually open to mid April. I don't think that I would plan a trip this far in advance at that time though ...

Very close to the skiamade area is Obertauern which is usually open into May.

You know it makes sense.

element, that week should be good almost all over. better in resorts with a proponderance of north (or more or less) facing slopes. Ideally go where there is a glacier just to be on the safe side. We always get loads of snow in April here. Why tignes?

Cabamaru, the first week of April looks like the busiest half term hokiday week this year. If you can go either a week earlier or a week later that would be advisable. Have you skied in Greece? If so what's it like? BTW Welcome. Very Happy

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

easiski, what would you expect week of 14.04.07 (week after Easter week) to be like in LDA - crowds and snow (ridiculous question, I appreciate)?

A snowHead

I've been seeking advice on Flachau, which part of the ski amade area ( see 'flachau' in this resorts section ) and have had some good tips from kerekip, & particularly flangesax who is resident in the region, perhaps they might be able to help.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

.......sorry about that, had to hit the refresh button & it resubmitted !

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks everyone for the contributions.
easiski, I'm going with my parents and theyre bringing a friend whos never skiied before. We've been to Tignes before and I think they like the convenience of knowing the resort, where to go where not to go etc. However they would be open to trying somewhere different I'm sure, so long as its not too expensive:) We've also been to Alpe d'Huez which they would also be keen to go back to.
Why would we choose Les Deux Alpes over Tignes or Alpe D'Huez? How does it compete on price? I notice its a little lower at the resort so I suppose in theory there is more chance of not getting to ski home?
Thanks very much:)
ryan

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element, for someone who's never skied before, Les Deux Alpes is a far better choice than Tignes.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

kitenski, I would say that Tignes is worse in terms of getting home, IMO, having had an absolute nightmare there a year or two ago with a nervous second weeker.

ah ok

As an old git I tend to forget about how hard certain runs are! I Guess it also depends on the snow conditions as well

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Herman Tryer, coo Shocked

deja view

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For late bookings from the South East try www.chavelocity.com Toofy Grin

snow reports

Cabamaru, Welcome to snowHead

I went boarding in La PLagne at the start of April last year, the snow was great although slushy low down late on, apprently we got some of the seasons best conditions though, it was pretty quiet too, however, Easter is a bit earlier this year so it may be a bit more crowded.

You know it makes sense.

Latchigo, I like La Ros and I've never said otherwise (go check if you wish) it's not the 'Holy Grail of Skiing' but it is worth a week or two or three of anyone's time . . . just like many of the other 1,500+ Alp resorts.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

Cabamaru,
The week after Easter is usually a lot less crowded in my experience at least after the Monday.

Help!!

Late season holidays

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