 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All
I would love some advice please, a group of us all begineers wish to go on a snowboarding holiday around the 15th March. What places are still likely to have snow. We have looked at Neiderau but we have no idea really where will be ok, with good snow.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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grabers, Welcome to  's. I'm not a snowboarder and have never been to Niederau I'm afraid. Any of the higher resorts ought to be pretty guaranteed decent snow then I would have thought.
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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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Well you can never guarantee the weather but at that time everywhere will have snow! Stop panicking!!!
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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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I thought some places would not be too great after Feb time ? Because prices start to get cheaper, and i assumed that this was because there was a risk or no snow ?? But if this is wrong thats good news
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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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Well as I said you can never guarantee anything but the middle of March should be fine, in fact, personally, I think it's the best time to go. If you're worried then head to a higher resort.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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grabers, i'd go with this advice, you should be fine at 95% of resorts in the middle of March.
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grabers, welcome to snowHeads
You shouldn't have too much problem with snow around the middle of March. Most (if not all) resorts will do absolutely everything within their power to ensure good snow until after Easter. My experience of the last few years has been that April is a great time for snow.
If you are beginners, then you want to look for a resort that has nursery slopes up the mountain. The 1st place to lose it's snow is the valley, and you don't want to have to go to a place that isn't suitable just to get a slope with snow on. You also want to look for a resort that has wide easy runs - many resorts have "easy runs" that are great for skiers (ie flat), but too narrow for boarders.
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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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grabers, at that time of year anywhere will be good. As beginners easy access to the slopes and good apres will be important. Austria is probably a good bet.
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grabers, welcome to Snowheads. You also ought to think about the quality of tuition available as this will make a huge difference to your enjoyment of the holiday. If you ask on the snowboarding thread about recommendations for good tuition for beginners, as well as a good place to start learning, I think you'll get lots of information. You can do some starting lessons on the artificial slopes in the UK if you are really keen, and get off to a faster start on your holiday. But it's not cheap.
Like everybody else above, I would say mid March should be ideal for snow. But don't go to France before 8 March, because it's their school holidays and busiest time.
Good luck.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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grabers,
Welcome to 's
I have never boarded or been to Niederau so treat what I say with caution. But I disagree with the others, I would not book in advance to go to a resort with a top height of 1600m for the third week in March. Occasionally there is very warm weather at this time of the year and at low altitudes snow conditions can be poor. Personally I would look to go a little higher.
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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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grabers, you could do a lot worse than serre chevalier. the terrain here will bring you on nicely. And we have some superb instructors.
The question is do you want to ski or snowboard!!!
If you want help aranging anything in serre chevalier, drop me a pm, i have very good contacts from places to stay(obviously owning a chalet, but i have contacts for all sorts of accommodation not just mine) to ski hire to great instructors!
Am more than happy to give advice and help
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oh just to confirm that for the last 3 years we (serre chevalier) have ahd more than enogh snow at that time of year. 2years ago we had 2 ft of pow on 1st april!
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You know it makes sense.
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| grabers wrote: |
Hi All
I would love some advice please, a group of us all begineers wish to go on a snowboarding holiday around the 15th March. What places are still likely to have snow. We have looked at Neiderau but we have no idea really where will be ok, with good snow.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks |
grabers -- Welcome.
Neiderau, at 800 meters, is way too low for mid-Mar.
You want white, not green, slopes.
The village should be at atleast 1500 meters, preferably 1800.
Head to France, Switzerland or Italy.
Try Les Arcs 1800, Courchevel 1850 or Cervinia.
If you insist on Austria, then Lech / St Anton has is that country's number one resort and has an excellent snow record.
Enjoy.
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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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Stubai is also a glacier resort and should be fine in March. Besides, isn't Austria more snow-sure than the likes of france and switzerland? There is a reason that the BUSC main event is in Saalbach and not France this year 
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
Besides, isn't Austria more snow-sure than the likes of france and switzerland?
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No, in a word. Nor necessarily less.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| grabers wrote: |
Hi All
I would love some advice please, a group of us all begineers wish to go on a snowboarding holiday around the 15th March. What places are still likely to have snow. We have looked at Neiderau but we have no idea really where will be ok, with good snow.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks |
dont go boarding go skiing, much faster and much more control. I hate snowboarding, after skiing you wont want to go back to boarding. Plus snowboarders are always the ones who seem to push in lift queues and unexpectactly crash in to you. DONT DO IT!
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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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To be fair, skiers do that too.. I do that all the time, mainly cause skies are a lot more manouverable... The whole snowboarder vs skier thing is something that shouldn't really be taken seriously, its all just good fun. 
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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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Christopher, what a load of codswallup!
anyone with half a brain after spending a day in ski boots, hard nasty things that hurt, would look at snowboard boots with relish!
i know thats what stops me skiing, it just hurts too much.
snowboarding is far more liberating and much more fun. And quese were only invented so there was some pushing in to do! 
Timmaah, the whole skiing vs snowboarder thing is pathetic and shouldn't even be a problem. It really pisses me off when people on snowboard forums start on their anti skiing rubbish and it does the same when skiers do it. Its not nessecary as anyone on the mountain has as much right to be there as the others.
I snowboard cos i'm better at it and the boots are more comfey. The only time i tend to unexpectadly crash into skiers is when the skier pulls straight infront of me giving me not space or time to do anything about it.
live and let live man, lifes tooo short and the mountain is for everyone
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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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grabers, Greetings! And welcome to snowheads.
| You wrote: |
| I thought some places would not be too great after Feb time ? Because prices start to get cheaper, and i assumed that this was because there was a risk or no snow |
I think you have mis-read the brochures.
Prices vary with demand. They are high for Xmas and New Year and then plummet for the rest of January. They rise again in February with the French holidays and peak with the British Half term (mainly Feb 11-17 in 2008).
The price fall after this has nothing to do with snow conditions. You will see prices rise again for Easter, and then fall away in April.
March 15 is mid season and snow conditions will be as good as they get.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Whitegold,
Are you serious?
I have been to Austria twice in late March to low resorts and had some of the best snow ever. Of my 15 weeks skiing I have had the best snow in Austria and some of the worst in France well above 1850m!!!
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Christopher, stop talking rubbish, boy. 
Alpe d'huez is a good beginner place - wide variety of easy slopes accessible by chairs/gondolas. Can be icy in the mornings late in the season, but the plus side of that for beginners on boards is that it's nice and soft all over the place by about 11:00.
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Jonpim,
I totally agree with your analysis on pricing, but sceptical about:
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March 15 is mid season and snow conditions will be as good as they get.
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No-one knows what the snow conditions will be like mid march next year. In my experience at low altitudes on average the conditions will be on the wane by then and in a poor year may be very poor. At higher altitiudes I would not disagree but Niederau is very low in both it's bottom and top station.
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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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T Bar, I stand corrected. Looking through the Ski Club Historical Snow Reports (members only  )it seems that mid season for Niederau (830m) is End Feb/Begininng March (week 13). Despite Global Warming the pattern for All Years (graph shown here) is similar to that for recent years, except for last season which was disastrous for many low lying resorts ( BBC news report).
I note snowheads does not have a report on Niederau - anyone want to post one?
Resort Reports here.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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grabers you willbe fine at niederau very good for all beginners if snow is dodgy theywill bus you up to aufach 20 mins away,but most off niederau s slopes are north facing so any snow hangs around ,ideal place to learn
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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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grabers, I am taking two newbie snowboarders to soll on 15th March, the gondola takes you up to the slopes where the beginner snowboarders practice therefore its not at resort level. johnboys report says it all about Soll, it really is a great place to start.
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