 Poster: A snowHead
|
Just planning a long weekend break for a group of adults.
A couple of them are very nervous low end intermediates - just very, very easy blues are the order of the day. A couple of others want to try the steeper stuff and I know where some of that is.
Is there much for the "just above beginner" to do - or should I take them to Morzine?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Mosha Marc, Savoleyres for some beatiful tree-lined blues.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Best bets are on the La Tzoumaz side of the Savoleyres gondola. Long sweeping blues, quieter than the medran /ruinettes slopes, and better snow as its north facing. Nice restaurant Chez Simon, on the way down. Then, lower down take the forest runs which are beautiful and relatively flat, perfect for nervous intermeds. I taught some complete beginners there last year, after a day on the nursery slopes they loved it there. Then, you can go to la chaux, then lac de vaux, nice and easy and friendy slopes there, then take the cable car down to Tortin, and from there is a nice blue run to Siviez.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Mosha Marc, I agree with Hurtle, Savoleyres will fit the bill well. Bruson might be good for a day's excursion to add variety.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Chez Simon.....mnnnn!
Have the Croute Champignins (basically the best mushrooms on toast ever) and the Tarte au Pommes (best I've ever had).
Skiing for semi beginners?
Wrong resort really.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Mosha Marc, surprised you asked this.... you must have been there a few times... ?? at least to know the lay-out
I agree with rungsp, I don't recall it being friendly if timid... but a 5 plus weeker with a bit of gung-ho is a different matter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| gra wrote: |
| Best bets are on the La Tzoumaz side of the Savoleyres gondola. Long sweeping blues, quieter than the medran /ruinettes slopes, and better snow as its north facing. Nice restaurant Chez Simon, on the way down. Then, lower down take the forest runs which are beautiful and relatively flat, perfect for nervous intermeds. I taught some complete beginners there last year, after a day on the nursery slopes they loved it there. Then, you can go to la chaux, then lac de vaux, nice and easy and friendy slopes there, then take the cable car down to Tortin, and from there is a nice blue run to Siviez. |
This is ALL you need to know.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Savoleyres and Siviez, definitely.
Although like Zermatt it's one of those resorts whose "oooooh, it's really not that great for beginners" reputation is rather over-egged.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
paulio, I think the reputation of Zermatt not being great for beginners is more because the nursery slopes are quite a way up the mountain and not time wise easy to get to. I love Zermatt but do find it a bit of a bummer in so far as it can take a long time to put the skis on!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
JT, I've been there for 18 days in total now, in that time I've been over the La Tzoumaz/Savoleyres sector three times. Two of those were just to get out of the bottom of Vallon D'Arby and on the other occation we were there about an hour tops.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Mosha Marc wrote: |
| JT, I've been there for 18 days in total now, in that time I've been over the La Tzoumaz/Savoleyres sector three times. Two of those were just to get out of the bottom of Vallon D'Arby and on the other occation we were there about an hour tops. |
Hahaha, you should start skiing with better skiers. There is some fun terrain there, if you know where to look... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
If Savoleyres is the (non main) area where you drop off over the back of the mountain with a big 'between piste' rolling bowl type area ? if so then gra, and Hurtle, are right on the money. I took a 'three day experienced' boarder over there and he loved it - wide blues and a few reds that undulated and twisted a bit. Great fun except for a little path along the cliff from the gondola to access the pistes - he struggled a bit with the rocks one side and the drop the other 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Here's a noce interactive piste map for verbier. I was in their shoes a couple of seasons back and a good confidence builder is La chaux blue run. From Medran you tale la chaux express and you're there. It has a couple of short steepish parts but other than that it's good for confidence building. Next stage would be Lac des vaux. It's now shown as red in the map but it used to be a hard blue the last 2 seasons.
This claim about verbier not good for beginner is rubbish. As a beginner by definition you don't need hundreds of miles of runs. You need to build confidence a couple of days in easy runs so 2 or 3 of these is sufficient then you move on to harder blues/ easy reds.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
I think I'll print this out and stick it under their noses, it'll help with their fears.
I don't suppose any one has the name of a particular instructor (not a school) who's good with this type, likes to stop for coffee etc?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
there's an instructor in ecole suisse de ski called sasha. not sure what his last name is. You call ESS and tell them he's swiss italian. He's very good and patient with beginners
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Mosha Marc,
Just a thought but if it is the skiing you are after rather than the night life. Nendaz has some great easy skiing and access via Siviez to the Mont Fort area is better than from Verbier.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
T Bar, knowing the women going the priorities are; smart hotel, nice bars, good restaurants, fancy shops, lunch, fit instructor and skiing.
In that order. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
here:
(someone had to)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Mosha Marc,
I think you're right with Verbier then, but genuinely very very easy blues as opposed to standard blues is not really a Verbier speciality from my memory. IMHO the Siviez run fits the description but it is a few lifts from Verbier.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Mosha Marc, send a PM to skidog here, he is an instructor based in Verbier who I am sure will be happy to take a booking, and will be happy to stop as often as you like, show you the best spots for vin-chaud and treats etc if that is the preferred option.
Of course he is not restricted to that and go can harder/longer if you prefer.
He is your man, knows the place like the back of his hand.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Arno,<chortle>. They're going to love that on the printout 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| paulio wrote: |
Savoleyres and Siviez, definitely.
Although like Zermatt it's one of those resorts whose "oooooh, it's really not that great for beginners" reputation is rather over-egged. |
Agreed. It was where I went for my very first ski trip.
And by the end of the week, I was getting down most of the reds and all the blues in the main Verbier area and the Savoleyres area..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Haggis_Trap, my photo. I know you know but just to be clear, North Face is not in this pic but on the otherside, if the arrow did carry down we would infact have B52.
Mosha Marc, Sunday to Sunday. Thursday to Sunday is a potential - you do know you could stay with Peak Ski for the three weeks for the same price though huh? PM me if interested...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
I bet your gaff doesn't do Thurs-Sun weekends though, if it did you could put me straight 
