 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
Going away 17/03 or 24/03 and can't decide where to go.
CC in Saalbach £330 incl lift pass, may be a bit low for late season
CC Tignes all in incl bar £720 expensive when there
CC in St Anton Approx £400 expensive when there
Anyone got any advice? How bad are the prices in Tignes and St Anton?
Or should we just go Canada and spend the rest of the year paying for it?
Any advice appreciated
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Saalbach was bloody cheap when we were there last week. St Anton not too bad. Tignes is France.....
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Nik, I skied Saalbach last April and it was fine. They don't need much snow to cover the grass, and the Austrians are pretty darn good at piste management, and usng their snow well.
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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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The Eastern Alps have had less snow than the Western Alps this year.
Head West.
Book Tignes.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cant remember the last time we had cr*p snow in Tignes. If all else fails there is always the glacier. I agree with stewart woodward, that 720 is a bit expensive for Tignes.
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720 does include lift pass and not many have knoked prices down much, at the min crystals working out just under £600 and thats with out liftpass and free bar. But snow is better than grass. Is 3euros average price all over Tignes? What are the prices like on the mountain?
Thanks for the info guys
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Nik, we don’t normally eat on the mountain as the resort eateries are easily accessible from nearly all parts of the ski domain. There are several options both in both higher resorts (Le Lac and Val Claret) where you can ski up to the tables and get a burger and beer for around a 10er.
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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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Its a little early to expect discount prices for March.
The snow conditions are also V good, and have been all season, so don't expect discount prices untill the lat minute.
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Nik, I have skied both Saalbach and Tignes. They are both great but very different. You are right, the back end of March can be dodgy for Austria but in recent years the snow record at this time of the year has been good.
I would wait for awhile as I feel sure you will be able to get good deals with tour operators as before Easter is not that popular. I wouldn't book until at least 2 weeks before chosen departure date, when the prices should start to come down and you will have a good idea if the snow is going to be OK. the Saalbach website is excellent have a look at http://www.saalbach.com/620.0.html?L=1&id=620
My choice would be Saalbach just so long as the conditions hold up.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Skiing in both tignes and st anton is great and I think snow condtions are probably okay at both. Given the higher initial cost for tignes and that fact that is pricer when there and the apres, food & beer are not a patch on st anton i'd say st anton. What sort of skiers are you? Tignes has easier cruiser piste, both have fantastic off-piste. If timid piste skiers than st anton can be a bit daunting, not steep but bumpy, busy & often slushy on return runs.
As for Canada's, its not always got better conditions than europe, I was in fernie 2 seasons back and we had 3 weeks from end of jan through to mid feb where it was well above freezing and rained stacks from top to bottom of ski hill. This weather was affecting all of BC and Alberta.
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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've skiied about 6 weeks and partner has done at least twice that. We went to Suisi in Italy last time and it was a bit flat and Arabba last March (very quiet) so we're due for some nightlife and challenging skiing this time. I like it when it's bumpy and slushy although I get knackered playing about in it! From everything I've heard the atmosphere in Austria is better than France so leaning towards them at the minute.
What is the skiing like in Saalbach? The position of the chalet we're looking at sound like it's in a good position near lifts and town, this one has been reduced and has free lift pass and has all roms free at the min!. Will perhaps take the advice and wait a couple of weeks to book. It may take me that long to make my mind up!
Thanks for the advice. I forgot how friendly it is here!
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Nik, depending on what the weather does, bits of Tignes (& the Espace Killy) were getting quite bumpy and slushy last week, if that's how you like it - we had snowfall on the Friday before we arrived, I believe, and then it was sunny all week. Of course, they've had new snowfall now, so I couldn't possibly comment... But it looks like certain slopes may well be prone to this. Maybe some feedback from our resident in Tignes?
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You know it makes sense.
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Saalbach from distance memory is good intermediate piste terrain, typically austrian mountain huts and apres ski. The snow record in st anton is far better than saalbach probably on par with tignes (i'll get shot for saying that by some). Just checked ski club website and consitions in saalbach seem okay at the moment. Remember most austrian resort only need quite small snow depths to make the piste skiable, it's mostly grass underfoot not high alpine rocks. Nighlife, for me anyway, austria wins - no competion. Don't get me wrong I've spent many a good time in Tignes / Val d'isere - st anton just edges for me in terms of skiing, atmosphere, apres etc.
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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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Nik, Have you checked the Saalbach website mentioned in the previous post? There is a very good interactive pistemap to be seen. There is a circuit that you can do there taking in most of the terrain. It should be OK and good fun for a 6 week skier. As Waynos states the mountains are very grassy and and only need about 25 cms for a good base. The apres ski as with all Austria is very good in Saalbach.
As far as St. Anton is concerned I have not skied there personally but I am wondering if would be better to try St. Anton after more experience as I believe there are some challenging runs there and not so much easy stuff. Waynos what do you think?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| clara_jo wrote: |
| Nik, depending on what the weather does, bits of Tignes (& the Espace Killy) were getting quite bumpy and slushy last week, if that's how you like it - we had snowfall on the Friday before we arrived, I believe, and then it was sunny all week. Of course, they've had new snowfall now, so I couldn't possibly comment... But it looks like certain slopes may well be prone to this. Maybe some feedback from our resident in Tignes? |
If it snows heavy slopes tend to get bumpy untill the piste bashers do their job.Generally only certain slopes are left as bump runs and the other slopes are pisted each night.
Like all resorts pistes get slushy in the afternoons as the season progresses but our season does not end untill May so i would not expect slushy slopes in March. Freezing levels are forecast to rise this week but we expect snow in Tignes not rain like lower resorts anticipate.
Chech out the Tignes snow report 2006/7, which i try and update every couple of days, for current conditions.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've heard the lift queues in St Anton get quite bad, any one any experience of this?
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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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Nik,
St Anton is an 'expert' resort with terrain that a 6 week skier would probably appreciate more when they are more experienced. Nearby Lech or Saalbach's terrain is probably better suited to your current level of skiing. I've no experience of Tignes so can't comment.
Never had too much of a problem with lifts in St Anton but I tend to rise early jumping on the first lift and getting away from the main St Anton lifts.
Probably better to wait and see how much snow (or rain  ) lands where before deciding nearer the time.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Agree with DB I've never really seen bad lift queues in St Anton, I think years ago it did have a reputation for queues. This year they have a really fancy gondola replacing the old Galzig cable car, so that should certainly sort out any queue problems in am rush hour.
At six weeks experience you should be ok in St Anton, as I said before the lower slopes can get slushy , busy & bumpy later in season, but this is all educational conditions. I was there last season with a friend on his first ever ski trip - he loved it to bits. So much so he wants to buy an apartment in austria now - though not St Anton as buying property in western austria is near impossible - so much for EU!
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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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Saalbach is very risky so late in the season. Especially in light of current below-average snowdepths.
It comes down to St Anton vs. Tignes.
Tignes-Val and St Anton are pretty much equal on skiing. St Anton wins on nightlife. Tignes will have better snow in Mar, because it is higher.
On balance, Tignes wins.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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snow depths are not only a factor of altitude, st anton has excellent snow record. Check out the historical snow records on ski club site http://www.skiclub.co.uk/skiclub/reports/historical/report.asp St Anton reports (3.5m) more than 1 metre at altitude than tignes for march. I've skied both resorts until end of season in recent years - you'll get good snow at either well into april - st anton at village level will suffer but not in the mountains where 90% of skiing is.
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I am considering the same options for my group of 3 for March 24th. I have been to Tignes/Val for two week stints at the end of March/April many times but my wife and I also love St Anton, having been there twice, and want to head out their with our friends who have never experienced Austria. As Waynos says the historical upper snow depths for St Anton are the best of all the resorts on the Ski Club data base. In 1999 when they had the massive storms it reached 6.5m!!! and is normally 3m or more late March. However, checking the figures for now , the current depths are well below average (Worst since 94/95 I think) so I am going to give it a nother couple of weeks before booking one or the other.
The last couple of years have been very warm in late March when I have been to Tignes and the lower runs were always slushy from in both Tignes and Val after lunch if it was sunny. However, I enjoy skiing those conditons so it does not bother me at all. I would expect either of the resorts to have some fun slush in the afternoons.
The big benefit you get with St Anton that you don't get with Tignes/Val (Or anywhere else I have been that is noted for being lively, Pas De La Casa, Meribel etc) is the Apres ski which is utterly superb, great fun and uniquely Austrian!
You also have access to Lech/Zurs on the Arlberg pass and these resorts have more cruisy runs and should have good snow also as the slopes are mainly North facing I believe.
Its a difficult choice and I am holding out to see if St Anton improves a little, but this is because we have been to Espace Killy so much and want give St Anton another go. In terms of skiing both are excellent and I expect both will end up being fine!
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Thanks for all the advice guys but the choice was getting very limited. The deal in st anton went the just as we had decided where to go (typical!), didn't dare risk saalbach so expect good snow ther now.
Complete change of plan... off to les arcs 2000 on 17 March! Had a choice between there and 2 alpes and having been there already decided on les arcs for somewhere different.
cheers
NJclarke
talking about it being warm in france in march went to 2 alpes 2 years ago and it was a heat wave - 27 degC in the valley! -10 with windchill on glacier
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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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Nik, been in La Plagne and Les Arcs that time and it's been fine
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I liked les arcs although stayed in la plagne. seem to remember a great mountain restaurant on the les arcs side near the cable car linking the resorts.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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i agree, the austrians are very good at piste cover, saalbach's good but not right for late season. For me it would definately be tignes, just because of its vast area of skiing and its general reputation. 
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