 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Yeah, I know, another muppet who can't decide where to ski. I am flying from Australia, looking for some help with resort choice for early December skiing. Dates aren't really negotiable due to work commitments, but I have 7 or so nights. Happy to ski most advanced stuff, but not going cliff jumping any time soon. I have been to the French Alps a few times in summer for cycling, so know the locations well, just no idea what they're like when the ski season hits (its all pretty quiet in summer). Will be traveling solo, budget negotiable but 3 star is great. Looking for some authenticity to a place, not just apartment block resorts. Will not a have a car! Considering Chamonix vs ValD vs Verbier or any suggestions from learned snowheads.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
1Rich8, welcome to snowheads.  How early in December? That's generally before the season for most resorts, particularly for those with "authenticity"  .
The most reliable early season venues will have glaciers. So if it's still raining in the valley, you can be sure of some skiing. The only ones I know are Tignes (should have plenty open, but pretty much an "apartment block resort") and Les Deux Alpes, which is a resort town but a more interesting one, with probably more apres ski going on than in Tignes. There are Austrian glaciers too, but you'd need local advice as to where to stay to ski there without a car.
There is likely to be little skiing open in Chamonix, other than the Grands Montets. Verbier opens officially 10 December but the people who know the area might know of some parts opening earlier. A lot of resorts will have limited, mostly weekend, opening from early December but very much dependent on snow.
There'll be plenty more suggestions along soon, I'm sure.
Having a car, and staying flexible, might be a good idea - so you can respond to the snow conditions and also be able to stay somewhere more "authentic" and drive up to the snow. It's very low season, so finding a place at the last minute shouldn't be a problem. In French resorts many establishments will only take advance bookings on a Sat/Sat basis but might be glad of some bums on seats if you turn up on a Tuesday when there's practically nobody around.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Hello 1Rich8, aspam w states, you really need to be looking at access to a glacier that early on in the season and not having a car limits your flexibility. However, I suggest the resorts of either Saas Fee or Zermatt, close to each other but not linked by piste or lift, in Switzerland. They are traditional resorts, Zermatt steeped in history and tradition, no high rise appartments, they have glaciers and the resort levels are high so expect snow early on  . Both have good public transport connections, Zermatt in fact is only accessible by train. Rail connections from airports are very good, last bit by bus to Saas Fee. Downside- cost! The Swiss Franc is very strong  .
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
1Rich8,
Pam and David give sound advice and I'll chip in with a few more options. As previously mentioned depends on when in Decmeber you'll be in Europe-are you planning on fitting the skiing in around some work commitments while you're in Europe? i.e. What airports will you be using if this is the case?
Stubai in Austria is the largest in Austria. 20 minutes from the resort of Neustift. Pretty close to Innsbruck for flights, the glacier has a huge variety of runs, mostly blues and reds between 2,300m and 3,200m. There is also some awesom off piste to be had on the glacier.
Kaprun, Austria One hour from Salzburg, the Kitzsteinhorn glacier. Down the valley from Zell am See. The glacier has a large ski area with lots of varied runs, mostly intermediate standard, up to 3,030m.
Engelberg, Switzerland . Up to 3,020m above the resort of Engelberg not really the first one people will think off. Huge descents on and off piste are possible from 3000+ down to 2,000m to the resort. Due to the glaciers shrinking they're covered during in the summer in an atempt to preserve them.
Hintertux, Austria. The Hintertux glacier has particularly challenging and interesting runs when compared with most pistes on glaciers and claims to have the steepest glacier skiing in Austria. It's also pretty close to the resort of Mayrhofen which if it has enough snow is worth a look. Have been here myself in the non winter months and it was great.
Solden, Austria .Solden has two glaciers, the Tiefenbach and Rettenbach, and this makes up 39km of pistes. The glaciers are linked by the Glacier Express gondola. You may have seen the GS here a coupke of weeks ago, I've also been here in the autum and it was pretty decent then so would imagine it will be even better in December.
The others I can think of are mentioned in the other posts, oh wait theres Passo Tonale in Italy The Presena Glacier is open in the summer and has a variety of slopes that are graded from blue to black but with just two drag lifts. Fantastic off-piste runs from the glacier, up to 10 miles long apparently.
Some are part of superb resorts when the season gets going, others I'd only choose over a non-glacier resort if I had no choice. It depends where you've skied before really, the glaciers may seem big in comparrison to fields in Aus, some in NZ and may keep you happy for a week and are a safe bet for early December. The weather can be a bit changeable in my experiece at that time of year. I've been early December to be greeted by deep powder only for it to rain up to 2000m and wash it away. I went to France over Chritmas one year and the chalet host showed pictures of the week before and the home run down to 1800 was a green field then they had about 5 feet of fall.
Zermatt is great for out of season skiing and in season. Being linked with Cervinia which is high altitude should give you more options too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
1Rich8, if you head to St Anton you could catch the Mooserwirt opening party www.mooserwirt.at
Although I've not been at that time of year, as a regular checker of the webcams, it's usually got some decent snow
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Rich81, if you're without a car, how about doing a little Ski Safari by train? It's the most enjoyable way to travel through the Alps.
If you'd rather stay put for the whole week, I'd recommend staying in Innsbruck - it'll be much more lively than any ski resort in early Dec. There's a brilliant 15th century hotel in the heart of the medieval city centre called the Weisses Kreuz which is 10 mins from the train station and 10 mins from the ski lift (funicular train up to Nordpark). You can get single rooms from 40 Euros, and everything there is at city rather than ski resort prices, so you can even get a tasty meal and a beeer for 10 Euros.
If the local skiing isn't open (I've skied there in mid Dec), you've got tons of places within an easy rail journey including St Anton (1 hr 5 mins), Zell am See, and the neighbouring glacier at Kaprun (1 hr 50), Stubai Glacier (1 hour by free bus), Garmisch just over the border in Germany (1 hr 30) which also has glacier skiing (on Germany's highest mountain), and the gorgeous Kitzbuhel (1 hr 25) but I'm not sure how early they open and there's no glacier there.
You can find out how all these resorts are linked on the SkiRail Map of the Alps (which I helped to produce!) - there's a sample here http://rogerlascellesmaps.co.uk/SkiRail_Product_Information.aspx?area=SkiRail_Product_Information
The snowcarbon website (www.snowcarbon.co.uk/) also has tons of useful info about ski trips by rail although their main focus is package trips from the UK.
Hope that helps.
N Neige
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Neil Neige wrote: |
Rich81, if you're without a car, how about doing a little Ski Safari by train? It's the most enjoyable way to travel through the Alps.
If you'd rather stay put for the whole week, I'd recommend staying in Innsbruck - it'll be much more lively than any ski resort in early Dec. There's a brilliant 15th century hotel in the heart of the medieval city centre called the Weisses Kreuz which is 10 mins from the train station and 10 mins from the ski lift (funicular train up to Nordpark). You can get single rooms from 40 Euros, and everything there is at city rather than ski resort prices, so you can even get a tasty meal and a beer for 10 Euros.
If the local skiing isn't open (I've skied there in mid Dec), you've got tons of places within an easy rail journey including St Anton (1 hr 5 mins), Zell am See, and the neighbouring glacier at Kaprun (1 hr 50), Stubai Glacier (1 hour by free bus), Garmisch just over the border in Germany (1 hr 30) which also has glacier skiing (on Germany's highest mountain), and the gorgeous Kitzbuhel (1 hr 25) but I'm not sure how early they open and there's no glacier there.
You can find out how all these resorts are linked on the SkiRail Map of the Alps (which I helped to produce!) - there's a sample here http://rogerlascellesmaps.co.uk/SkiRail_Product_Information.aspx?area=SkiRail_Product_Information
The snowcarbon website (www.snowcarbon.co.uk/) also has tons of useful info about ski trips by rail although their main focus is package trips from the UK.
Hope that helps.
N Neige |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great! Thank you all so much. My proposed dates are 4th-11th December, purely due to work commitments in Venice finishing then. I looked at France because I am familiar with the language, culture and can essentially navigate myself around the Alps without too much trouble. As Grizwald has picked up, all of these places will far exceed anything I have skied at home, where I'm used to repeated loops of comparatively short runs using drag tows in slushy snow. The only way is up really! I'll take a closer look at Zermatt because of the link with Cervinia combined with ease of transport, town feel etc. I'll assess the expenses of car hire, which could be a good move- just need to dust off the right-hand side driving skills.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
then most definitely go for a glacier. Have fun!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1Rich8 wrote: |
| Great! Thank you all so much. My proposed dates are 4th-11th December, purely due to work commitments in Venice finishing then. I looked at France because I am familiar with the language, culture and can essentially navigate myself around the Alps without too much trouble. As Grizwald has picked up, all of these places will far exceed anything I have skied at home, where I'm used to repeated loops of comparatively short runs using drag tows in slushy snow. The only way is up really! I'll take a closer look at Zermatt because of the link with Cervinia combined with ease of transport, town feel etc. I'll assess the expenses of car hire, which could be a good move- just need to dust off the right-hand side driving skills. |
You'll be happy in Zermatt, and really, really happy if the conditions are good enough to open the non-glacier areas! Which I think there's a good chance there will be. Only downside for Switzerland (for Brits and Eurozoners) is the strength of the CHF but I believe the Aus $ is as strong as it's been this year? Don't know how the $ is fairng against the Swiss Franc since they decided to peg to the euro sort of....
| 1Rich8 wrote: |
| due to work commitments in Venice finishing then |
Lucky you Venice is a lovely and interesting city if you haven't been.
Let us know what you decide anyhow. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
I would seriously consider getting a car, and avoid making plans until a couple of weeks before the trip to see where the snow falls. You are going to need altitude at that time of year, but the last two years we have done Tignes on that week and had loads of snow right down to village level (and beyond) but it is a bit of a concrete jungle.
If you have a car you can make the call the week before and your travel is sorted, just drive there. Without a car you need to navigate public transport etc which can create a problem in quite a few French resorts - I have tried to work out train travel to French resorts because it would be more relaxing than driving, but never found a way that seems easy compared to jumping in the car.
The Swiss Franc is a serious consideration. Could add a lot of cost to the trip if you get it wrong. I had an extremely expensive Swiss trip a few years ago, which must now be astronomical as a result of the exchange rates. The Euro is pretty much in the toilet, along with the pound and the dollar, so Austria, Italy and France might be significantly cheaper options.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
I would seriously consider getting a car, and avoid making plans until a couple of weeks before the trip to see where the snow falls.
|
Agreed - but with the proviso that even if there's loads of snow, many resorts won't be open (or will only be open e.g. at weekends) during the time you're travelling.
But yes, Venice is wonderful!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
