 Poster: A snowHead
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The time has come to start planning my group trip for March of next year.
So far (confirmed), we have 2 decent skiers, 2 decent boarders and an Intermediate boarder. Probably also coming are an excellent skier and a novice boarder.
2 years ago we went to Courcheval and loved it. The skiing was superb.
This year we went to St Anton and it blew everyone away - awesome.
Trying to decide where to go next has been tricky.
It has to be somewhere that we won't be too much overshadowed by the trip to St Anton (which will be hard to beat!).
Tough slopes are a must. Itineraries and easy to access off piste stuff (for novice off pisters) would be good.
Nice places to have an apres ski vin chaud.
Not too ugly.
Varied/extensive slopes.
Zermatt was ruled out on the grounds of cost. Which has left Verbier as the main contender... Does it tick the boxes that i have listed above?
Cheers for any comments...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You know, I think you will.
A lot!
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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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it ticks all the boxes except for cost!!!
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magic_hat, not sure why it would be any cheaper than Zermatt? It does not have a cheap reputation... (can't see why personally, but then I didn't find Zermatt expensive (for lunch, limited experience) either.
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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've been fortunate to have a local showing me around when I have been to Verbier - suggest you try to do the same if you can find someone. the skiing is really great but i could see that if you didn't know where you were supposed to be going you could end up standing in long lift lines and skiing a lot of moguls and wondering what all the fuss is about
i would put Verbier in the pricey category so surprised you have decided it is a better option price-wise than Zermatt
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IM(VERY)HO Zermatt is cheaper than Verbier.
Other than that, skiers will love it and the boarders won't get what all the fuss is about. The skill level of the skier or boarder is directly proportional to the enjoyment they will have.
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| Quote: |
i would put Verbier in the pricey category so surprised you have decided it is a better option price-wise than Zermatt
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agree with Arno on this..having said that...I'd love to go back.
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Should suit you really well. Try a guide for off piste too since there is loads you would never try otherwise - over the back etc.
Le Chable is cheaper and no slower to get up the mountain because you beat the queues (but of course doesn't have quite the buzz).
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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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Verbier should suit your requirements just fine
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Verbier is better for skiing than Courchevel, Zermatt and St Anton.
Do it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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parlor is spot on.
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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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From your description I think you might prefer the skiing/boarding in the Espace Killy to Verbier. Have you thought about Val d'Isere?
Agree with Arno and Parlor's comments that Verbier gets interesting when you get more confident off piste and know where to go. I live nearby and it took quite a few trips before I got the Verbier bug. The first few times it was as described above "you could end up standing in long lift lines and skiing a lot of moguls and wondering what all the fuss is about"
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bobinch,
It is possible that our road trip will take in a visit to Bruson on our way to Big Dog up the road so we might have time to look at a few things.. 
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You know it makes sense.
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Cheers All - lots to go on there. As usual, excellent Snowhead advice!
The cost thing (versus Zermatt) was mainly based on the fact that we prefer to stay in a catered chalet for our group trips. There are not many of these in Zermatt and the ones that i have found cost a fortune. Verbier, on the hand, has loads of them and they are reasonably priced.
Val d'isere is a good call, although we had all agreed to avoid France if possible (only because 5/7 of our trips have been to France!).
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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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Magic, VIP have some nice chalets in Zermatt but they aren't cheap. Val d'Isere is really worth making an exception to your "avoid France" strategy and there are loads of good chalets - try YSE for the best food. Not cheap but you get good value for your money. But Verbier, Zermatt, Val d'Isere, St Anton, Courchevel - you're talking about arguably the 5 best resorts in the world so you can't go far wrong.
JT, from your comments on the Grimentz thread I think you'll like Bruson. It's very small but you often have it to yourself and if someone's skied your line you just skin a little bit further up the ridge for another one! If you get organised with transport/train times you can also ski down the other side to Orsieres which looks very tempting. You also have the rather super Super St Bernard for a bowl of soup at the Monastery and ski over the border into Italy and a very nice lunch!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| magic_hat wrote: |
| The cost thing (versus Zermatt) was mainly based on the fact that we prefer to stay in a catered chalet for our group trips. There are not many of these in Zermatt and the ones that i have found cost a fortune. Verbier, on the hand, has loads of them and they are reasonably priced. |
This is true.
| bobinch wrote: |
| JT, from your comments on the Grimentz thread I think you'll like Bruson. It's very small but you often have it to yourself and if someone's skied your line you just skin a little bit further up the ridge for another one! If you get organised with transport/train times you can also ski down the other side to Orsieres which looks very tempting. You also have the rather super Super St Bernard for a bowl of soup at the Monastery and ski over the border into Italy and a very nice lunch! |
This is very true.
The Orsieres & Sembrancher runs off the back of Bruson are in my top 5 ever runs.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Come on Parlor. Give us the top 5. If they're in Verbier I want directions how to get there as well 
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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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magic_hat, I love Verbier as well, loads of good skiing/boarding but it is not cheap. As swiss resorts go it is on the high side (expensive), but with then skiing is not cheap. If you are up for taking a guide then there are loads of off piste and plenty of great trips to be found. For the weaker skiers there is a big choice of places to ski if the snow level is good. There are four areas all easy to get too. Have 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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Love Verbier. But I've skiied it with locals who knew where to go for both skiing and food and drinks. If you know anyone working there I'd try and hook up with them for a few days.
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Just back from Verbier.
It's definitely not cheap - on mountain, hot chocolate (from a sachet) is 4.5CHF, approx £3. plate of chips 6CHF.
Half pint of Erdinger is 5CHF at the Fer a Cheval, and a VERY small (100ml) glass of wine is 6CHF.
(I got 1.65CHF to the pound)
we did have a very nice meal at vieux Verbier (by the Medran lift), dinner for two with one reasonable bottle was about 250CHF.... the Adrien wasn't open.
I live in London, so I'm used to paying high prices... but some places are distinctly in the 'over-priced' category (especially if you start hitting the cocktails in some of the cheaper bars)
good bars:
farinet (excellent cocktails, at 20CHF a shot, running to seriously expensive (500CHF for Moet Magnums, anyone?)
Garbo (looks like it's been refurbed recently, good service and good music)
average: Atelier (has imported beers, and comfy seats, but expensive 'bar' food - and why would I want to drink London Pride in Switzerland?)
Fer a cheval - at least it has Erdinger on tap...
Beers in the supermarket are about 2CHF a go.
Resort doesn't seem to open fully until the 12th.... a lot of restaurants are not open / on restricted hours...
40CHF a day for 2 working lifts is a bit steep too....
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| Gabriela wrote: |
Hi!
Verbier is amazing but for amazing off piste I would recommed Chamonix with a great night life and loads of Apres! Its also such a massive area that you can go from skiing the toughest off-piste to some easier off-piste! And you can also get great deals on Chalets!
Check out http://www.skiskiski.co.uk/ski-resort-Chamonix-France.aspx its got info on Chamonix and info on other resorts!
Happy Holidays! |
Well from your website Chamonix has
Black Runs : 0
Red Runs : 0
Blue Runs : 0
Green Runs : 0
Number of Lifts: 0
Can't be much of a massive area with that few lifts/pistes...
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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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bertie bassett, 
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Surely the Aiguille du Midi lift is open? the Vallee Blanche is a nice run, after all.... (not sure whether that counts as "toughest off-piste" or "easier off-piste" in Gabriela's definition, though....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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RandyAlp, Where's the first picture of ??
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