 Poster: A snowHead
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Can any one suggest a good guide for ADH, I am going out on the 29th of january for the week. Staying in the Horizion des Huez apartments.
1) Can someone suggest a good guide for someone starting off in their off piste?
2) Boot fitting is it better to get it done here (Ireland) or in ADH)?
3) Anyone any experience of the Horizion apartments?
4) Anyone in the the area fancy a meet up for a few runs and the customary few beers!
The winter bug is really starting to bite! Non-stop looking at videos....!
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Can help with a couple of those q's:
1. the bureau des guides runs introductory days for groups - should be able to link there through the ADH website. they do stuff like take you down the Grand Sablat (the classic entry level backcountry run from the top of Pic Blanc) then arrange a helicopter to take you back to the resort. that would be a pretty cool experience , although a little previous off-piste skiing would be a good idea. if it hasn't snowed for a few days, the run can consolidate nicely into something which feels quite like a piste but it does drop almost 2000m so you have to expect some variable snow. alternatively you could just do a private off-piste lesson. the Vaujany ski school is really good for this because you start from Alpette and do laps of the Dome des Petites Rousses cable car which accesses some really wild feeling off piste very quickly and easily
2. don't know about the boot fitting situation in Ireland, but Lacroix Sports always used to be the place for bootfitting in ADH. It's a bit hidden away behind the ice rink but a local could show you I am sure.
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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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Quentin Delavignette is a nice guy, good guide, knows the area well.
There is a fabulous amount of off piste in ADH, with numerous glorious lonely runs - it's the greatest asset of a resort that doesn't get enough respect.
You can find him via the bureau des guides or he has his own website with some good pics - http://www.delavignette.com/
None of the guides are cheap, so get a group, or join a group, if this is what you want to do.
There is a guide book to off piste runs in ADH, LDA and La Grave which is worth buying for when you run out of videos.
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m_raff123,
2. If you do it in resort you can go back for alterations etc if required.
3. Reasonably equipped rabbit hutches run by Maeva. In the Eclose area which is a bit out of the way, but served by the resort navette. Google search gets you planty of info/reviews, but you might have to spell it correctly - Les Horizons d'Huez.
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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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| FranzKlammer wrote: |
| There is a fabulous amount of off piste in ADH, with numerous glorious lonely runs - it's the greatest asset of a resort that doesn't get enough respect. |
+1
i could happly ski there for the rest of my days (with the odd side trip to La Grave and the Ecrins)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have had some pervious off piste only a few hours...on carving ski's so wasn't that confident doing it. I like the sound of the helicopter ride! Any general idea of the cost? I saw a group called SnowStance any idea what they are like?
Well there is a Snow and rock store in Dublin, is Lacroix Sports reasonable?
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m_raff123, There is a good ski hire shop in L'Eclose called Rocky sports. It is family run although it does have a Sport 2000 franchise so I think you can book online etc. The owner, Bernard, is a very helpful guy. I have had boots from him, although on a special offer at the end of season, and found him very thorough.
Without wishing to be negative, the only slight disadvantage of the Horizon appartments is that they are on the lower level of L'Eclose so you have to walk, then take a pedestrian lift, then walk again to the first run / chairlift behind the shops at L'Eclose. Having said that, we have some friends with an appartment in the other half of the Horizon building and they never complain about it. I am not sure about prices for buying ski gear, but my impression is that at the moment, although I don't know if the situation is different fir Ireland, is that equipment is probably cheaper here. But then price is not the whole story........
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m_raff123, Arno,
Forgot. I have a feeling the original Lacroix people have maybe retired, I may be wrong but I am sure I remember something.
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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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skitow, could be right - i always stay around Vaujany these days so my knowledge of ADH shops might be a bit out of date...
m_raff123, I know Olly from Stance and he is very good. he has done a lot of work in New Zealand so there is no language issue. they are instructors rather than guides so that will limit where they can take you a little, but that might not be a big deal at your level. actually, looking at their website, looks like they go places like the cerisier, piefroide and combe du loup which would all be pretty cool outings
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Arno, m_raff123, I have never met or used Olly but I did enquire with him once about some lessons for my children and his response was really good, he explained very well what he was proposing etc. and I got the impression they would give value for money. It did not come off in the end though for other reasons.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Arno, are you in the ADH region this season?
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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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It's good to hear your willing to pay for a guide, and any off piste from pic blanc it's essential if its your first time, however the back of the signal has loads of 'safe' easy off piste for the first day. Follow the piste and when near the chair back up look around (and from the lift). Had some great powder days in that area last season getting fresh lines before racing back to work!
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Also Auris has some great slopes for getting to grips with off piste without a guide, just stay on the front (ADH) side!
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You know it makes sense.
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livetoski, no definite plans but I am thinking about a long weekend in March and maybe something end of season in La Grave
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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m_raff123, As I fellow Dub I can help here a bit.....we've been there a few times, never stayed in the Horizon, we've always taken the Pierre Et Vacances due to their location to the pistes.
As for boots...that's kinda awkward, because my previous pair were a pair of Lange Softech that I bought in Twinner (upstairs in the Berger center) in ADH and they were amazing, attention to detail was spot on and the boots never gave me a second of grief until they died of natural causes last year, and where did I buy my replacements??.....Snow+Rock in Dundrum, I had them in Bad Gastein (Jan), Mayrhofen (Feb) and Kitzbhuel for Paddys week and they too have been spot on....so it's really much of a muchness.....if you arrive there at lunch and cant get out till the following morning, I'd buy them over there...but if you're arriving late and don't want to give up 2-3 hours for your first morning head for the DTC.
Hope this helps......
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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 also recommend Quentin Delavignette. If you book him as a private client through his website then it is marginally cheaper than going through the bureau.
Alpe d'Huez is one of the best off-piste resorts in the Alps. 2000m vertical and a fantastic lift system with no ski bums. For some reason the La Grave crowd tend not to travel.
The Vamos book is good but expensive. It also misses out the impossible in AdH and some of the stuff off the pied froid ridge, both of which you are unlikely to ski on a first go. Needs to be used in conjunction with a 1:25 map and a compass.
Make sure you do the Sablat. It isn't a difficult ski and the views are stunning. In powder or corn conditions you can really stand on the gas as well. A guide is a good option as the bulk of it is either avi prone or glacial or both. The first pitch is prone to windslab, the traverse round the lake is exposed to avalanches from above and the run down to Clavans warms up really quickly. Otherwise its all good.
From memory the heli pick up is 200EUR for the whole heli. Takes 4 people so 50 each if you fill it. Lunch in the auberge in Clavans is good 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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Well im a Tyrone man but sure thats for discussing over a beer or 2 i think! I dont think we get to ADH until arround 7pm! plus i think i would rather the extra few hours skiing! So dundrum it is then! First pair of ski boots...now the choices begin! I plan on doing a season in Canada next year so im willing to spend but any advice?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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always think this photo captures the off-piste at ADH nicely:
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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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livetoski, sadly you either need a heli, a taxi or a bit of a skin to get back out of that one
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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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m_raff123, You could always try the lads in MacSki on the Lisburn Road in Belfast?..I've bought loads of gear there and I used to have to travel up to the them to get all our gear serviced, there's no point in looking for advice on manufacturers and such, cos the shape of your feet, legs and expectancy will determine that....the blokes in the shop will steer you in the right direction.
There's an Irish bar in ADH (there would be wouldn't there) called O'Sharkeys....it's not actually that bad, but not ideal for Apres.
Tyrone & Dublin in one bar???......could easily be Gills beside Croker on All-Ireland Semi Final day.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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m_raff123, I'm heading out the week before and staying at Les Horizons. I've not been to ADH before so can't give any insight. We'll also be booking some off-piste guiding so thanks for the info from those above.
BTW, is there an Alpe d'Huez snow report thread for the new season yet? Nice to hear how white and fluffy things are getting!
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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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FAQ
