Poster: A snowHead
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Hola!!
I need a holiday and have 2 weeks off in early December. Can anyone suggest a suitable ski resort that will have guarented snow cover? My low down is as such:
I'm going alone so a fun resort would be good.
I'm a beginner so teaching or maybe snowboard or cross-country skiing options would be nice.
Any ideas are more that welcome.
Cheers
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sat 27-10-07 15:04; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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moomooheidi, hi, think that before you decide where it might be good to decide what you want to do on the snow? Many resorts cater for all the disciplines but as a beginner maybe better to chose one and book some lessons.
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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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Welcome.
Head high. The village must be at atleast 1800 meters. It must have plenty of snowguns.
Try Val Thorens in France.
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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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Tignes, Val Thorens, 2Alpes
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Early december pick somewhere with a glacier that is open!
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Quote: |
cross-country skiing options |
quite a few resorts have rather low, valley-based, cross country tracks, which would be dodgy for early December. I noticed a sort of track in Val D'Isere (La Daille, I think it was) but it looks miserable, just shuffling round a short flat track, really, with a lovely view of the car park. I suggest you forget cross country, which is a very different discipline, for this trip. You'd be unlucky not to find plenty of downhill skiing in Tignes in early December and you don't need a lot of pistes open to have fun, especially if you have lesson. If you want to do cross country later in your skiing career, go to a resort known for its cross country skiing, where it's more than an afterthought. But I would strongly recommend you have lessons; it's not as easy as it looks and it's no fun if you just shuffle around on a flat track, rather than doing the proper gliding steps and learning how to negotiate gentle gradients (anything other than gentle gradients are for experts!).
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Thanks to everyone for your amazingly quick replies!
I have seen that Ischgl seems fulled geared up for the new season in December...any recommendations or negative aspects about this resort?
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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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Go for Banff? Cheap as its early season, no worries about snow (they plan to open in 2 weeks)!
CHeaper than you may think!
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One decent option is to rent a car and head anywhere in Ski Amade, Austria. That way you can pick and choose from a couple of Glaciers (Kaprun and Dachstein) and bonus from the higher Gasteins and try out different places like Schaldming at the weekends. Accommodation should be easy to find around this time (unless there is a mega dump) so you really can just pick and choose from a massive, massive ski pass.
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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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I am offto val thorens cos of the height. i heard they spent 5 million euros on snowmaking last year alone and this is the highest resort in the alps!
check out www.skivalt.com for a neat litle apartment too cos my friend owns it
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Leave it at late as possible before you book - early snow can be very localised. eg You could have poor snow in Tignes but great snow in Alpe dHuez.
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You know it makes sense.
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Reddiamond, when you off to Val??? BTW, that appart looks pretty good, wouldn't mind a week or two but need some people to fill it up with me...any offers???
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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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moomooheidi, Ischgl will be truly awesone in early December. Almost (if not all) runs and lifts will be open. The snow will be fresh and fluffy, the pistes will be quiet and the sun will be shining. Apres ski will be top notch.
Well' at least that's how I convinced 6 mates to join me on a weekend there 7-9 Dec. One can hope I guess, but when booking this particular trip lots of research including help from fellow 's and Ischgl locals reassusred me that it would be a good choice for that time of year.
If you want a better guarantee of good conditions, then head up the next valley along, to either Solden or Obergurgl.
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Poster: A snowHead
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if your travelling on your own, book the week before, you can then work out which areas have the best snow and can probably make a tidy saving.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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masmith,
Hi, I'm looking at Ischgl for a short break from 8/9 Dec to 13/14 Dec - how are you getting there? I'm finding flights to Innsbruck rather limited, and I've read that the transfer from Salzburg is 3 hours, which seems a bit long for a short break!
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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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vetski, flights into Zurich from Luton with Easyjet, worked out about £45. Then we pick up a 9 seater minibus for drive to Ischgl. 3 hrs max transfer, hopefully a bit less. Yes, it's a long transfer for a short break, but it's all part of the fun (if there's a few of you) and, when put into perspective, the extra hour or so (compared to other skiable resorts at this time of year) is not a great hardship. Once you're there you'll soon forget about the transfer. On the last day our flight back isn't until about 20:30 so no need to leave Ischgl until late afternoon.
One of the budget airlines (Easyjet I think) are starting an Innsbruck route, but not until mid-December if memory serves me right.
Let me know if you end up there ....
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vetski, Am sure you're already aware, but Friedrichshafen is better placed for Ischgl than Zurich, but not so much as Innsbruck. Ryanair fly there from Stansted.
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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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Thanks for that! Friedrichshafen only occurred to me about half an hour ago, so I haven't figured out the transfer bit yet - but will let you know if we end up in Ischgl. I've also been considering the Milky Way, but your description is very tempting...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'm of to VT for opening week (23rd Nov) Never a safe bet but as good as it gets.
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moomooheidi, you can afford to leave it till nearer the time and see where the snow is, you'll have no problem with getting accommodation for that point in the season. At the moment, the snow is looking better in Austria, but who knows what will happen in 4 weeks time.
Other considerations to those listed above that you could definitely put on your watch list...
Obertauern
Obergurgl
Hintertux
Zermatt
Cervinia
Les Deux Alpes
There may well be others by then - even some lower resorts.
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