 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Snow Lovers!
We're (5 dumbass blokes!) planning a ski trip, in December and were hoping to get some opinions to where the best place to go is.
We ideally want to stay in Europe, preferably around Sweden or Switzerland coz the girls are gorgeous there. Ahem, sorry.
We're looking for a package which will include Flights (from Heathrow), Accomodation (if catered, has to have wikid vegetarian food!), Ski Lessons, Equipment Hire and all the other necessary stuff.
This is our first ski trip so any help will be great!
Thanks in advance.
I love you
Mwah
(My email is chikching@googlemail.com)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Chamonix, all the Scandies are here, or La Grave.
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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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pudha, La Grave is a little joke methinks. Don't go to La Grave.
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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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Ain't no virgins in Chamonix neither. 
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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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| Quote: |
| pudha, La Grave is a little joke methinks. Don't go to La Grave. |
So where do you suggest??
And do you think I could get something for £600 max each person, all inclusive?
Who should I book through too?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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pudha, £600 all inclusive ? You want Megeve !
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£600 all-in with a flight from Heathrow (no charters & Locost) is a big ask. Look for a smaller Austrian resort with good nghtlife I'd suggest or maybe somone like skitopia
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| pudha wrote: |
| Quote: |
| pudha, La Grave is a little joke methinks. Don't go to La Grave. |
So where do you suggest?? |
Not La Grave.
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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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If you want vegetarian food then I'd avoid Half Board in a hotel. However chalets cater well for vegetarians. (I'm not a vegetarian but a friend I go skiing with is and he finds the vegetarian meals offered by hotels unimaginative)
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Try Ishgl, best party resort in europe, nice mountain and lots of chicks (all drunk after 3pm!!!)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Austria.
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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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Thanks guys...
I'm gonna get a quote for Ishgl
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pudha, Ishgl,Lech Zurs any of the three will do nicley just remember if this is a holiday with women in mind I hope you boys are Greek Gods as Men outnumber women 7:1 in ski resorts! 
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
pudha, Ishgl,Lech Zurs any of the three will do nicley just remember if this is a holiday with women in mind I hope you boys are Greek Gods as Men outnumber women 7:1 in ski resorts!
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Haha!
We've got secret weapons. Guns!
Ok guys, any other suggestions apart from Ishgl coz it's working out quite expensive.
I just don't want to be in a resort where the night life is non existent. A few bars and restaurants is all I want!
Any other options??
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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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pudha, are you and your friends all complete beginners i.e never put skis on at all?
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Poster: A snowHead
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pudha, the resorts that have been suggested to you so far are just about the most expensive Austrian resorts there are.
If you are after reasonable night life, a much cheaper option would be somewhere such as Mayrhofen.
Why does it have to be from Hethrow? Most Tour operator packages will be using charter flights, and won't even offer Heathrow as an option - the cheapest will usually be from either Stanstead or Gatwick.
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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'd avoid anywhere without a glacier in Dec.
Austria resorts near glacier ....
Sölden should be cheaper than Ischgl.
Nearby Obergurgl might be worth a try. Great for beginners but it's smaller and the nightlife = a few hotel bars & restaurants.
Kaprun is good for beginners and has a little nightlife.
Nightlife in ski resorts during december won't reach full swing until Xmas week.
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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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Regardless of which resort you end up going to, I'd suggest having some lessons on an artificial slope in the UK this summer so you know the basics before you go and all of you are at least upto snowplough turns to get the best out of your holiday. It will avoid wasting 3 days of your holiday learning to do that bit when you could have done it at home. Still have lessons abroad too of course, but having lessons here first will put you much further on.
Artificial slopes are much quieter this time of year so it's likely if you book a group lesson it would be a much smaller group than in the winter months.
I'd agree with DB, Austrian resorts (or French) near a glacier are best bet. Nothing too big and expensive because you won't get to ski hardly any of it anyway at the levels you're at.
As DB says, December is quite quiet until Christmas week. Why not try January, better chance of snow and first couple of weeks of January are always cheap and low season.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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alex_heney, Would second Mayrhofen as an alternative cheap cheerful you will LOVE the Ice Bar and the dutch women are Fund Plus its got a glacier
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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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Saas Fee springs to mind. You might have to shop around for somewhere with vegetarian food though.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I've narrowed my searches to St Anton, Mayrhofen and Ischgl.
St Anton and Mayrhofen are considerably cheaper.
So what exactly what I need addional to the flights and accommodation??
Ski Lessons
Snowboarding Lessons
Lift Passes
Resort Passes
Ski Boots and Ski Hire.
How much, if you were to guesstimate, would these cost me???
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Wow. Great though St Anton is, I wouldn't say it was ideal for skiing novices. Nor do I think it is cheap.
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I'm not that keen on Mayrhofen for Dec as
1) It's not as snow secure as Kaprun, Sölden, or Obergurgl.
2) It's ca 20km from Mayrhofen to the hintertux glacier.
3) It typically opens at the end of Nov and nightlife before Xmas is likely to be even quieter than the above 3 resorts.
However, if the trip was moved to Jan than it's a worthy contender and nightlife in all four resorts is likely to be swinging.
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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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pudha,
Listen to DB, and put Solden on your list... It is high and you will need height if the snow is late.
Also, it had a girly bar IIANM..
You want a resorts for lad.. and a place to ski.
Mayrhofen may be very good for nightlife but you might not see snow ..and have to get the bus 30 mins up the road every day. And if you a re late out to ski in the morning, it might be 12 before you even get high enough up Hintertux to ski.
At least everywhere is Solden should be relatively close by.
But, I'd just get a commitment from the party, put your money by and follow the snow with a late booking.
Eaaly Jan could be a good bet as it is just as cheap but you have given it another 4 weeks to snow. All resorts and runs should be geared up to be open and you will have more choice of where to go.
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pudha, Saalbach is your friend. Forget St Anton til you've done 4 or 5 weeks.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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St Anton is an expert resort, most beginners would get more out of other resorts.
Thinking about it Obergurgl is probably the best bet. The big resorts are a bit of a ghost town the first three weeks of dec (and I've skied a fare few of them in Nov and Dec inc Kaprun, Sölden and Obergurgl). Obergurgl can't compete with the big resorts in full swing during high season but at this time of year there are still enough people to create an atmosphere in the few local pubs. It's a high altitiude village resort (1.800 - 3.080m skiing) so there isn't a 20km bus journey or multiple lifts to get on the snow. If the snow is really bad then Sölden isn't far away. For dec (pre Xmas) my list would be ......
1. Obergurgl (in the main village not up a country road)
2. Sölden (make sure you get a place near to the town centre apre ski in Dec).
3. Kaprun (position as above)
Ski resorts in early Dec are a lot different than in Jan to Mar esp if the snowfall comes late. Has anyone visted Saalbach, Mayrhofen etc during early dec? All the Austrians here head to the glaciers at that time of year for a reason.
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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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Mate trust me Ischgl rocks even before xmas, you can do it more cost effectively if you book your accom and passes through the resort website, which is actually really easy. The get a cheapo flight to Innesbruck. Solden is pretty good to although not as gucci as Ischgl, but the night life is good and have to conceed having glaciers is good in december, if your a begginer you might not get to see to much of the area thou. I would avoid Mayrhofen and the Ski Welt in December just not snow sure enough.....sure you will enjoy where ever you go!
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DB, I was skiing powder in Mayrhofen the first week of last December and it opened in Mid November? It is always open for the first weekend in December and the snow cannons cover pretty much the whole resort
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it might be 12 before you even get high enough up Hintertux to ski.
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Seriously how late did you get up? You would have to leave Mayrhofen at nearly 11 to be that late up the glacier and in December it will be open well below mid station.
pudha, The below are approx amounts and might be a little over the mark. St Anton is no place for begineers trust me on that. Most of the resorts mentioned above are excellent choices As much as I love Saalbach I would be wary as it is low and if the snow is not good in December your options are limited....
All of the below tend to be cheaper if yoiu book them independantly of the TO! Hit the web and have a look in you chosen resorts and you will get good deals
Ski Lessons Approx €120 - 150 depending could be cheaper
Snowboarding Lessons Why would you want to but about the same as above
Lift Passes €115 - 145 check the resort websites befor you book they normally have the prices up and they do vary from week to week should be at the cheap end in Dec
Ski Boots and Ski Hire. Approx €80 - 100 Euro for the week
Beer about €3.50 a bottle/ pint in most Austrian Resorts drink the local stuff to save money
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You know it makes sense.
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Ordhan,
Last year was a very good year for early snow, you got lucky - good for you  . I was skiing powder in Serfaus early Dec 07 but other regular visitors said the resort was grass one year earlier. Living in Austria I drive around for early season snow, the resorts I have mentioned have proved to have the best conditions & apres ski year in year out. Obergurgl has ca 500m height advantage to Mayrhofen and there's no need to get a lift from the town/village to the slope.
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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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Guys, seriously can you help a brother find the cheapest deal!
Can someone give me a direct link of something I can book and get it over with!?
I've contacted this website and the guy recommends St Anton and Mayrhofen but going by the above responses with Mayrhofen being rubbish for snow, my mind is swaying.
Someone, ANYONE, can you provide me with a direct link for something to book.
Your help is much appreciated guys!
Thanks
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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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Just type Ischgl.com into google, then click on winter, on your left hand side you will see a box with accomodation written in it, slecet the book holiday (dont worry it just gives you options) put your dates in there and you will get a load of accomodation options. Most of the hote garni's (B and B) are between Euro 450 and 600 for 2 people (ie euro 300 each) in the week before xmas. Or give the TO a ring their v helpful and all spkeee z english. I agree with other posters, dont go the St Anton if your a begginer you just wont make best use of the ski area.
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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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I would suggest Mayrhofen in January. Better snow, still cheap (low season), resort will be up and running properly (most/many don't get up to speed till Christmas), some nice easy slopes (including 1 complete mountain that's generally regarded as mostly beginner terrain), and the Ice Bar is just mental.
I stayed in Hotel Neuhaus c/o Inghams, which is OK, but a 2min free bus ride to the lifts.
December is early. The last thing you want is a trek up to the Glacier with every one else being forced to do that same. Glacier lift pass is a bit more expensive.
Can't comment on any other location mentioned, since I've not been to any of them.
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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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What bit of don't go to St Anton do you not understand?
| achilles wrote: |
| Wow. Great though St Anton is, I wouldn't say it was ideal for skiing novices. Nor do I think it is cheap. |
| Charlatanefc wrote: |
| Saalbach is your friend. Forget St Anton til you've done 4 or 5 weeks. |
| DB wrote: |
| St Anton is an expert resort, most beginners would get more out of other resorts. |
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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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| pudha wrote: |
Guys, seriously can you help a brother find the cheapest deal!
Can someone give me a direct link of something I can book and get it over with!?
I've contacted this website and the guy recommends St Anton and Mayrhofen but going by the above responses with Mayrhofen being rubbish for snow, my mind is swaying.
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Mayrhofen is extremely unlikley to be "rubbish for snow".
Why DB thinks it likely, I don't know.
It normally opens fully for skiing from the first weekend in December. Parts of the area are often also open for weekends only for a few weeks before that.
Almost all the skiing is above 1600m, so is pretty snow sure. ALst year (January 2007), when there was no snow in other valleys, we were being bussed up to Kaltenbach (further down the valley, also covered on the same lift pass) as being one area which did have plenty(ish) of snow.
And if the Mayrhofen areas themselves are not open, Hintertux and the buses to get there are all covered on the lift pass, and are less than half an hour away.
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Someone, ANYONE, can you provide me with a direct link for something to book.
Your help is much appreciated guys!
Thanks |
http://www.crystalski.co.uk/crystalskisearch.do
The cheapest one showing is £344 per person, B&B from Gatwick.
All the UK operators go there, the above is just one example.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| alex_heney wrote: |
Mayrhofen is extremely unlikley to be "rubbish for snow".
Why DB thinks it likely, I don't know. |
It wasn't me who said Mayrhofen was "rubbish for snow", to clarify I said there are other more snow secure places. Places with a closer glacier, with skiing over 2500m so that if it's warm early December you can still ski.
e.g. Mayrhofen has skiing at 630-2500m altitude, Obergurgl has skiing 1800-3000m, Sölden 1.350 - 3.250m.
http://www.bergfex.at/mayrhofen/
Early December is risky, 2006 and 2007 were at opposite ends of the snow scale. Was anyone skiing Mayrhofen Dec 2006, how were the conditions?
Early season when the skiing bug is greatest I look around for resorts with the best snow and most number of lifts open. Kaprun, Hintertux, Sölden, Obergurgl etc are all up there but Mayrhofen has never made the shortlist. Staying near the base of the Hintertux lifts cuts out the 20km journey but then you miss the apres ski in the town. For me Mayrhofen is one of those resorts best visted in full swing during high season (or when the early snowfall is very good) when you can ski most of the way down to the apres ski.
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| DB wrote: |
| alex_heney wrote: |
Mayrhofen is extremely unlikley to be "rubbish for snow".
Why DB thinks it likely, I don't know. |
It wasn't me who said Mayrhofen was "rubbish for snow", to clarify I said there are other more snow secure places. Places with a closer glacier, with skiing over 2500m so that if it's warm early December you can still ski.
e.g. Mayrhofen has skiing at 630-2500m altitude, Obergurgl has skiing 1800-3000m, Sölden 1.350 - 3.250m.
http://www.bergfex.at/mayrhofen/
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OK, but that is very misleading.
The only time you drop below 1600m for Mayrhofen is if you are sking back to the base, which you only do at the end of the day, and which beginnners are unlikley to do in most of the area anyhow.
Almost all the skiing is above the top of the gondolas, and IMO, it should say 1500-2500m for Mayrhofen.
And while you may be right about it being 20km to the glacier, it is 40 minutes on the free bus.
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Early December is risky, 2006 and 2007 were at opposite ends of the snow scale. Was anyone skiing Mayrhofen Dec 2006, how were the conditions?
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No, but I was skiing Kaltenbach in late January 2007, when conditions were even worse in most areas of Austria than early December.
I was actually staying in Neiderau that time, which had completely green "pistes".
And while you may be right about it being 20km to the glacier, it is 40 minutes on the free bus.
[quote[]
For me Mayrhofen is one of those resorts best visted in full swing during high season (or when the early snowfall is very good) when you can ski most of the way down to the apres ski.[/quote]
Yes, but that is true of almost all resorts.
If you are going mid December, and are on a budget and nightlife is important, then IMO Mayrhofen is one of the better choices, even if it would be a btter choice again in mid January.
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You really do have to be very cautious looking at the lower elevation from Bergfex. This subject came up earlier in the year too.
The lower elevation it gives is actually the elevatrion of the base station of the lowest lift, even if it is never possible to ski down to that.
e.g. Zell am Ziller is shown as 530m, but you can never actually ski below 1300m - it is marked as premanently forbidden on the piste map below the mid station of the gondola.
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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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Ok so let's sum up coz alot of people are throwing alot of different opinions in
St Anton
Pointless for Beginners
Mayrhofen
Cheap
Good for beginners
Reasonable Nightlife
Not Snow reliable
Ishgl
Great NightLife
Expensive
Good for beginners
Solden
High if snow is non existent
Snow record is not good around December
Good Nightlife
Kaprun
Good for beginners
Little Nightlife
Fairly Snow Secure
Obergurgl
Snow Secure
Great for beginners
Little Nightlife
Small Resort
Near Solden if no snow in Obergurgl
All lifts and slopes nearby.
Anyone want to add anything on to these lists??
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Saas Fee
Good for beginners
Snow sure
I'm a bit senior to comment on the night life - but I'm told it's good
Costs - I'd say about mid range - anybody been in the last year or two?
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FAQ
