 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Snowheads,
i'm planning a three week holiday to The Alps and surrounding areas this summer (August). I'd like to get in a few days skiing if possible.
Anyone tried any summer skiing in the Alps? Any advice much appreciated - Thanks.  [/b]
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Also - advice any good campsites or good value hotels / hostels would also be a help. THANK YOU.
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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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Hi Nog, this has been discussed before, try this link
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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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Thank you.
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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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Noq,
Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth (c 1977) I spent a couple of weeks as a teenager summer skiing in Zermatt. We would get on the first cable car up at 7am, and would be done by 1pm, at which time we would walk back to the village from one of the upper cable car stations, and along the way we would stop and make a picnic lunch of local bread, cheese, salamis, etc. It was really great, and I would highly recommend it to others.
I would offer you my photos but back then all I took was color slides (what are they?) Haven't looked at them in years. I have however been back to Zermatt twice since then and enjoyed the same runs all over again. I did get a bit freaked out though during my last trip when skiing up at Schwarzee and saw what was left of the old dilapidated/no longer used cable car station. I felt like Charlton Heston in Planet of the Apes coming across the remains of the Statue of Liberty.
John Cacavas
http://cacavas.com
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Not la Plagne, Val Thorens (closed indefinitely), Val d'Isere (installation of snow canons) or l'Alpe d'Huez (lack of snow on glacier and installation of snow canons on the Sarenne. That leaves just the big two in France: Tignes (snow canons already installed and much needed this year for skiing if not by the environment with a 35 year record low snowfalls on the Glacier de la Grande Motte) and les Deux Alpes.
Boarders seem to like Saas Fee and Zermatt at least looks nice unlike the French two. There are also the big Austrian glaciers.
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davidof, are you sure about La Plagne? Not so long ago they had been hoping to open for 3 or 4 weeks in July...
By the way, are you still up this way next week?
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nog, I'm a bit late spotting this thread ............ Les Deux Alpes is the widest skiable glacier in Europe - not as long as Tignes, but the town and surroundings are much more attractive. You can camp very reasonably at Venosc (www.venosc.com) from a big site with swimming pool and so on to a little peaceful riverside site without much in the way of mod cons. Lots of choice. Also masses of apartments here at rock bottom prices (so long as it's not August).
If you want any more info look at www.les2alpes.com or www.easiski.com or you can PM me. I live here! 
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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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nog, I agree with Easiski, LDA was an excellent days skiing in July/August. If you only do one day, we skied on Saturday and it was relatively quiet being changeover day for the teams. We stayed in Serre Chevalier and drove over for the day.
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Having skied/boarded on most of the European glaciers i certainly prefer the Austrian ones. Kaprun,Solden,Hintertux,Stubai,Pitztal and Kaunertal have given me many a fine mornings snow sports. Another of my favourites is Val Senales in Italy where last year we had about 10cm of fresh snow in August.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Skiied in Zermatt last September. The snow was hard to start with, but slushed up by 2pm finish.
Factor 20+ suncream was needed!
The men's Alpine teams from Switzerland, Italy, Austria & Slovenia were there training, as were both the men's & women's Canadian freestyle teams. Made for merry banter on the cablecars up to & down from the glacier. 
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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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My only experience of summer skiing (Zermatt, slightly post dinosaur age) is that it is an extremely expensive waste of time. Flat, wet, muddy. Fantastic views, though.
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Forget skiing the Austrian Glaciers any time beyond July. The skiable area in Kaprun, Soelden, and Stubai is about equivalent to what you would get in a snowdome! The only one that is even slightly worthwhile is Hintertux, where you can usually ski from the top of the Gefrorene Wand down to the middle station. I would spend my money elsewhere if I were you.
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You know it makes sense.
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Tignes was ok from mid to late August last year, but earlier in the month is not ideal... I have skied in Les Deux Alpes in both July and August - with an early start you can get in some reasonable skiing up to lunchtime, plenty of other activities in LDA in the afternoon.
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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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I'm with PG, I've been to Tignes over the August Bank Holiday weekend for years, always fun, always variable.....
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