 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello all, I am just back from ADH last Saturday and don't think i can survive until next season without another snow fix. Problem is my better half can only do a full week from 10/04/10 or a weekend. Did a weekend last year to Sass Fee but it ended up costing more than an average week. I am looking for suggestions for either a resort with snow that late in the season or a cheap weekend. Thanks for any help provided.
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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 don't think you'll have probs organising a holiday for 10th April.
I'm guess that some of the tour operators might be finishing their seasons around then, but if you're happy to go DIY you won't have a prob finding resorts that are open well into April, and some (like Tignes) that are open into the beginning of May.
I went to Avoriaz last year in mid April and had a cracking time. Even had a couple of reasonable snowfalls whilst we there there.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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if you can do a week, it's usually cheaper (per day!) and there'll be plenty of places with lots of snow available. Tignes being one of them. But for a short break, Butterfly is right - you can't beat mountainsun.
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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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How about this:
Belfast-Stranraer-A75-M74-A82-Glencoe 
Can't be more than 500 miles round trip ?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cheers for the replys feeling a lot better. I can feel the snow heading my way!
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I was in Tignes that week 3 years ago and had conditions like January. It's not always quite like that but there will be no problem at all with the snow.
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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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Did that week in Val D'Isere last year. Resort runs home got a bit heavy in the afternoon, but everything else in the resort - and next door in Tignes - was lovely.
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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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2009 was good in Feb/March but April got washed out. But take the previous years, none of which was exactly vintage. After all it rarely snows in Scotland nowadays!
April 2008:
http://www.winterhighland.info/publicreports/index.php?21,2008-04-20
(that's for the 20th, the week before had same cover - check out those reports too)
here's a pic of Glencoe from the 13th - show me the mud Tiger2?
http://picasaweb.google.com/neil2829/SunnyGlencoe13thApril#5188841417470905330
April 2007 (generally regarded as a poor year):
http://www.winterhighland.info/publicreports/index.php?21,2007-04-11
May 2006:
http://www.winterhighland.info/publicreports/index.php?21,2006-05-02
2005 had an early finish.
May 2004:
http://www.highland-instinct.co.uk/gallery/gc/winter200304/04may1/
2003 seems to have tailed off & all I can find for May 2002 is (check out picture 3):
http://www.haggistrap.co.uk/photostrs/number2.shtml
This man seems to have snowboarded in Scotland every year since 1998 (barring 2003 & 2005 - seems places were still open last year). I can confirm his report of conditions on 17th Feb are spot on:
http://www.ruanaich.com/snowdiary/snowdiary.html
I don't know of any photos for seasons earlier than that but maybe by now all of you who have reached this far realise that Scotland in April is likely to be snowy in the mountains.
2010 is a much better season than any of these, certainly the best of the decade, maybe the last 30 years.
Tiger2, there is a hole for folk like you, but I see you are already in it 
Plenty of folk from over the water come to Glencoe, it's your local resort too 
By taking A77/M77/M8/A82 you would save >60mi & 1.5hrs driving each way over Ross' unusual route choice. 150mi & 3 hrs each way from Stranraer.
Finally, here's the view, enjoy:
http://www.haggistrap.co.uk/photostrs/meallabhuiridh360pano/popup2.html
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You know it makes sense.
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You are right, its difficult to get a weekend cheap (compared to cost per day for a week).
I wouldn't expect a problem in early April though. Have done long weekends around that time for the last few seasons sucessfully. In fact in Laax in 2008 we had fresh dumps every night, over 12inchs mid mountain one day, and the pistes were open all the way down. In Mayrhofen last year only a few runs were shut and you could still ski to most low points. A bit soft down low, but I read somewhere that 'slush is a poor mans powder' so I like to think of it that way!
In general I would probably expect lower runs to be closed, or at best slush by the afternoon, but you just stay higher. In my experience many Europeans seem to be bored with skiing by April, and head for the beach instead, so pistes tend to be quiet and lift queues non-existant, even in school holidays. That more than makes up for a bit of slush in my book. Lift passes are normally cheaper by then too, to reflect the fact some runs and lifts may be closed.
If you are happy to drive, you can leave your options on resort open till the last minute and watch the snow condidions in places a week before, as there will always be rooms available in April. If flying, just book the flights to an airport with lots of resort choice, and do the same. Not sure if transfer services are limited late season, as I normally drive or hire a car.
Oh, and don't forget lots of sun cream as its always expensive in the resorts!. I learnt the hard way, in April 2007 in Flaine. It was gorgeous sunshine for 3 days (21C+ down in Les Carroz where I stayed - couldn't ski back that far though!). Even up top you just kept peeling layers off (snow was still good though) - some people were skiing in shorts and t-shirt. By the end of day 1 I had caught the sun more than I ever have on a beach holiday - you just don't feel it with the cold air on your face, but I certainly felt it at the end of the day when I came down 
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