 Poster: A snowHead
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Yes, I started winter-sports 'later in life' but over the last couple of weeks SWMBO and I have been working out where to go next.
This got me thinking ... where are the ' 10 PLACES I NEED TO SKI BEFORE THE KIDS INHERIT ALL" .Given that we are aged incompetents with delusions of grandeur and a love of 'twee'.. Then my list looked like this.
Zermatt
Val d'Isere - DONE
Les Gets - DONE
Wengen - DONE
Verbier - DONE
Solden
Courchevel
Whistler
Beaver Creek
Banff
Thoughts????
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brian
brian
Guest
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Agenterre, Zermatt deserves to be at the top purely for Matterhorn gazing.
Where's your skiing at now ? Apols for bluntness but there's nothing special about Courchevel unless you can ski the good bits. Ditto Verbier, how did you get on there ? Would you be up to the Vallée Blanche trade route ? If so, chuck in Chamonix.
Certain off the beaten track French speaking Swiss valleys have their twee appeal as well (well, I'm happy there).
I've not done North America but Utah is supposed to be the state of unrivalled quality powder so that's where I'll be headed (possible Tahoe tag on to work notwithstanding).
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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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Agenterre, Resort X
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Never been to Beaver Creek Banff or Solden but from what I 've read I am not sure why the latter is on the list? Zermatt is fantastic Whistler pretty good. Courchevel has some nice skiing but is not anything special.
I think Chamonix is a must, fantastic dramatic scenery and great skiing.
I've never been to the dolomites or Kitzbuhel but they are on my list of musts.
I might add Lech or St Anton or Ischgl for a bit of Austrian variety they are all great well known places.
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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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If it is only one place from Austria, then I would not choose Solden.
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Of the list, I have not done Solden or Beaver Creek.
Neither is on my places to ski list. I would not mind skiing Colorado one day. Aspen or Vail possibly.
My list would include :-
Serre Chevalier and Alpe d'Huez
Ischgl
Flims Laax
Somewhere small in the Eastern block with sightseeing potential - Poland, Slovenia Czechoslovakia as was maybe.
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12 countries I would like to have skied in before I quit
France- done
Scotland -done
England - done
Spain- done
These are in order of likelyhood:
Switzerland-
Austria-
USA-
Canada-
NZ-
Aus-
Japan-
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| Nick W wrote: |
| Agenterre, Resort X |
| Whitegold wrote: |
| Resort X is for losers. |
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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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Agenterre My 10 places I would like to yet visit and a brief WHY
Dolomites - Beauty
Zermatt - Beauty, food
Whistler - Skiing
Lech - Posh Austria
Utah - Snow
Ishgl - Party Austria
Val d'annivers - Freeloading off the locals and I like quiet
Serre Chevalier - Tree skiing
Chamonix - A plce all skiers should visit?
St Moritz - Posh Switzerland
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I'm U.S. based, for what it's worth. My list:
Zermatt - That Matterhorn thing and the fact that it makes almost every top 10 list of must ski resorts.
Lech - Visited a couple of years ago and loved it. I was injured and couldn't ski. Must return.
Aspen - Four mountains and a village with a great reputation. Many would say the best single station in the U.S.
Junfrau - Descriptions of the scenery make me really want to visit this area.
Dolomites - Not sure what village but I'm into scenery and I always read that the scenery in the Dolomites is unsurpassed.
Banff area - Reputed to have the best scenery in NA. My wifes' uncle and cousins rave about it. Supposed to be a great village.
Utah - We've been and will definately return. Nine stations within about 1.5 hours of one another and close to SLC airport. It's the snow stupid.
Big Sky - The first place I ever skied. Spent 4 days there when I was 20. Didn't ski again till I was 49. It's time to go back.
Summer skiing someplace in South America - Not sure where but I figure it's something all skiers should do before they pack it in.
Sun Valley - Historical resort where the the rich and famous played in the snow.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I like Frosty's list. I, too, think in term of region instead of resort...
Zermatt
Dolomites
St Moritz
Chamonix
Jackson Hole -- Scenary, quaint village, terrain
Tahoe -- Scenary, terrain, amount of snow (DONE, but will repeat multiple times)
Alta/Snowbird -- snow, not bad scenary (DONE, same as above)
Taos -- scenary, terrain (DONE, same)
Banff & Alberta -- snow & scenary
Somewhere S. America -- scenary, snow
Haikado, Japan -- just to be different
NZ -- scenary (ooops, I'm over 10 already!)
I've also been to a few places, had I not been, would be on my top 10 list (Jungfrau, St. Anton). Not that they're not good. Just not on the "must repeat" list so I have a fighting chance of getting to the resorts on "the list".
Fortunately, I don't feel I need to hurry. I'm still young. 
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Mon 30-07-07 20:04; edited 1 time in total
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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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St Anton - Never skied in Austria
Alagna - Dolomites look so nice (idiot see below  )
Murren - OHMSS is just about my fave Bond film (even with George Lazenby) certainly the best score
Snowbird/Alta - Driven through for a look but out of season
Jackson Hole/Grand Targhee - Tetons are beautiful in summer would love to go in winter
Backcountry Alpe D'huez - impressed by Arno's TRs
Verbier on a powder day
Las Lenas - Argentinian girls & grills are so hot
Valdez - AK heli lottery win fantasy
Blencathra - Some year global warming will pay back and the Caldbeck fells will be great. Bowl above Hayswater looks pretty nice too
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Mon 30-07-07 22:56; edited 1 time in total
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fatbob, pssst - Alagna isn't in the Dolomites
Actually I was going to write a full list but mine overlaps with yours in a big way! I'd like to do Zermatt too, never having been there to date
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You know it makes sense.
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fatbob, Alagna wasn't in The Dolomites when I skied there
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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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Bariloce (Argentina)
Las Portilos (Chile)
St Anton (penciled in for this winter)
Montana
Jackson Hole (when the lifts are running)
Heliskiing in Turkey
Lebanon (and a visit to the Hochar vineyards)
La Grave (Yes, JT, I know...)
Hmm, I must have a crap imagination as I seem to be running out at a mere 8...
So could add:
Doing the combination 4 downhills of which the Inferno is only one
And somewhere in Austria, just so I can tick it off.
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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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| David Murdoch wrote: |
Montana
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Is that Crans Montana (Switzerland) or the US State? 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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Alastair Pink, US State!
T Bar, errr, yes, ooops.
So I'll be at 9 then?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Agenterre, What a great idea for a thread...
I agree about Beaver Creek not going on the list. I like it but would choose Vail first. Solden is the only one on your list I haven't skied, but went past it by bus this year in January and it appeared to be a chav filled snowless pile of mud. And (stuck record time here) you really do need to put Jackson Hole on your list. Perhaps VDI instead of Courchevel too?
On my to do list of places I haven't been, and in order of preference
Telluride,
Utah,
St Anton
Gressoney/Alagna
La Grave
Crested Butte
St Moritz
Taos
Klosters
LDA
David Murdoch, The absence of the tram at JH doesn't make a huge difference - and yes - Chateau Musar rocks.
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10 things which I'd love to do in no particular order, some a little more realistic than others:
Dolomites
Utah
Pyrenees
Cragieburn
Kitzbuhel
St Moritz
Kamchatka heliskiing
South America
Gd Paradiso touring
Atlas mountains touring
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Tough one, as I've skied a lot of the resorts that were on the list. SO...
Chamonix
Lake Louise
St Anton
Engelberg
Glencoe
Would also like to go back to places I've only skied a day or two
Tignes
Davos
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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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Will I be unpopular to suggest Yad Moss to be on the list? It is a real skiing slope in England!
What about the 5 resorts in Scotland Glenshee, Cairngorm, Lecht, Glencoe and Nevis Range?
It cannot be complete unless one has skied England and Scotland too in additional to all the big names . Just strike it when there is enough snow.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Agenterre, quite right to include Courchevel on the list. The Trois Vallees can't/shouldn't be ignored - it is a spectacular area - and Courchevel is the most 'comfortable' resort in the area. Worth doing once - and there are plenty of people who can tell you the best places to go to.
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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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Alastair, I absolutely agree about 3Vs, but don't think Courch is the most convenient place to stay if you want to ski the whole area. Mottaret, ugly as it is, is probably best for that. Have to sample the food at Bel Air above Courchevel at lunchtime, though! I am addicted to their lentil salad.
Being centrally placed in a big ski area strikes me as being quite important - hence Wengen (which is lovely anyway) for the Jungfrau region, and not Solden, but rather St Anton or Lech for the Voralberg region.
stoatsbrother,
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Chateau Musar rocks
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Yummm. I remember once getting a case with a broken bottle in it and the wine dealer said he thought that was caused by a stray shot whizzing over the Bekaa Valley! (I've always fancied doing the 'ski in the morning/lie on the beach in the afternoon' thing in the Lebanon...)
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Hurtle, I said 'comfortable' not 'convenient'.
Mottaret is certainly 'convenient' but it's a dump. It's a daft place to stay.
To do the 3Vs, avoid the centre valley - Courchevel, Val Thorens (my personal favourite) and Les Menuires (horribly underestimated, IMHO) are all usually surrounded by decent snow. Meribel and Mottaret are only surrounded by decent snow to the extent that decent snow can be found on the valley either side of the one you're in. 
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You know it makes sense.
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Alastair,
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I said 'comfortable' not 'convenient'
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Yes, I can read. I was making a different point which was to do with being able to ski the whole area without getting stuck in the wrong valley at the end of a day. And there are undoubtedly competing priorities - yes Les Menuires has some terrific skiing close by (I love La Masse) but that has got to be one of the ugliest villages ever built. Anyway, each to his own, daft is as daft does, to adapt another saying.
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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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I was a late starter (27) but I've been lucky to cram in quite a bit of skiing in the past 14 years.
Also been very lucky to have skied at many of this post's 'dones' and 'to dos'.
In no particular order, for a variety of reasons (snow, terrain, vistas, experience) and limited to just one resort/area for each country for brevity and modesty here's my list of the ones I've done and the ones I'd like to do (done first):
ARGENTINA - La Hoya - Cerro Castor
AUSTRIA - Arlberg resorts of St Anton, St Christoph, Lech and Zurs - Montafon area
CANADA - Kicking Horse - Whitewater
CHILE - Antillanca - Corralco
FRANCE - La Grave - St Foy
ITALY - Monte Rosa circuit of Alagna, Champoluc and Gressoney - Cortina
JAPAN - Rusutsu, Hokkaido - Asahidake, Hokkaido
NZ - Ohau - Mt Olympus
NORWAY - Stranda - Narvik
SWITZERLAND - Engelberg - Zinal
USA - Snowbasin, Utah (tough one and changes weekly) - Jackson Hole
and last but not least,
WALES - Brecon Beacons National Park - Snowdonia National Park
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Tue 14-08-07 2:14; edited 7 times in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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stoatsbrother, ah, 'twasn't the tram I was referring to. I visited JH after a huge dump a few years ago but it hadn't opened for the season - at all. Two excellent rando days though in thigh deep powder. Yum.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Alastair Pink wrote: |
| Agenterre, As others have said, not sure why Solden is on your list (although I must admit I've not been there). |
I have been there and have no idea why it's on your list !!
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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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Davos....... and then struggling.
Atm I am on a Swiss kick so ticking some of the smaller places, but in the next few years my goal will be to pick off routes rather than resorts.
For example, I'd go back to Verbier to do the back side of Mont Fort and places. Gressoney to do some more heli in great snow...a toughie there, I know.
Chamonix, when I am passing through and the Midi is in good condition.
As for specific resorts, I am less interested. That said, local knowledge and good snow in any high lift resort would keep me around for quite a while.
I hope to do a good few days based in BSM and will be looking to get out back to everywhere...ha ha
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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,ll keep it simple.
Asia Done
Africa Done
North America Done
South America Done
Antarctica Done
Europe Done
Australasia Done
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Tue 31-07-07 10:20; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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DM,
That is two years now...... maybe you'll get there this year.. You'll know where we are..
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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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| Agenterre wrote: |
| Frosty The Snowman .....and where is this ski resort with its own vineyard? |
About 11 posts up from yours
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Hmmm
Zermatt
Igschl
Whistler
Lake Louise/Banff
Heavenly/Tahoe
Utah
Aspen/Snowmass
St Moritz
Arabba/Dolomites
Wengen/ Murren
There's a dent in the bank balance
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FAQ
