 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ginger winger, at a guess, somewhere like Soll would experience maximum snow depths from mid-Feb through to early March. It's all down to the snow accumulating as the winter progresses.
You could, of course, get brilliant snow as early as December, but what I wouldn't do is take a couple of winters' snow patterns as any kind of indicator. If you're going to ski in low season you could probably hold on to your money until a couple of weeks before you travel to be sure the snow has arrrived.
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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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The first time we went it was the first week in January. At resort level there was no snow at all when we arrived but enough up top to make it a very good holiday. This time as we are looking to go for a longer period of time we are planning to go mid-feb in order to maximise the chance of good snow depths. It is a low resort so we do tend to look at the history as some kind of indicator but do you think this is wise or irrelevant considering we are going mid season? Or, as I think, is it in the lap of the gods more and more these days?
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ginger winger, it's always in the lap of the gods, however by choosing Mid February you have the best chance of good conditions, realistcally snow histories give an indication as to when snow is likely to be at its best but you cannot depend on them as some sort of forecast
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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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Why not just go somewhere with a better snow record?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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ginger winger, If you trust the official tourist board figures that SCUK reports, then Soll is pretty snow sure in Feb.
Being further East Austria is typically cooler lower than France is giving better snow fall at the same altitude, hence resorts in Austria that are low actually have a very good snow records in the mid-latemid seasn.
In terms of data, if you take the first week in Feb as an example, then Soll is better than almost everywhere else in Europe, and beats all the major french resorts.
(average snow depth in cm base/peak over last 12 seasons, from Ski Club UK)
Soll: 89/172
Chamonix: 69/170
Meribel: 86/134
Val Thorens: 96/136
Les Deux Alpes: 50/120
Alpe d'Huez: 86/105
Val d'Isere: 112/134
Les Arcs: 81/136
St Moritz 30/90
Sestriere & Sauze d'Oulx: 10/42 (yes the Milky Way really is that bad!)
Other low resorts (1000-2000m) in Austria have great data for Feb. E.g.
Saalbach: 126/193
Kitsbuhel: 89/163
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| Quote: |
| Sestriere & Sauze d'Oulx: 10/42 (yes the Milky Way really is that bad!) |
It had better be very cold then, over the month of January next year, given what's taking place there in Feb! 
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The giant slalom will be interesting at the olypics next year, highly possible the skiers will be running for the last 200 m with a lower slope average like that.
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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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I've heard a few horror stories from the milky way.
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Was in Soll this year and there are a large number of snowcannons at the top of the 1st lift. Speaking to locals and regulars - this years season was amazing as they hadn't used them at all and normally they are used. The good thing is that even if the season is poor, they've got the technology to make the pistes skiable...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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When looking at snow records look for the lowest snowdepths recorded at the time you wish to travel and find out if the slopes were open or closed with those depths, slopes which are alpine medows in summer and have few rocks can be skiable with as little as 20-30cm of snowbase, wheras those on higher slopes may have boulders and rocks that require in excess of 1M of snow to be able to ski, very cold temps in late November and early December are usually a good sign as many alpine resorts start laying down a layer of man made snow to form a very good base for the whole 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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| Quote: |
I've heard a few horror stories from the milky way.
_________________
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Was there for the New Year this year. There was just about enough snow to ski on but the links were all closing and it was getting very thin in places - my skis suffered somewhat 
Still - I managed to break them in Austria in February, so I guess it didn't really matter in the long term. Heyho
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kamikaze, not sure where you get your data from, the SCGB data for 1st wk February 1993-2005 is:
Soll 47/110
Chamonix 59/233
Meribel 68/163
Sestriere 64/125
Having said that, I basically agree that low Austrian resorts often have superb conditions, and Soll between wk3 Jan and wk1 March should always have runs to resort open etc. The last time I skied in Soll, there was only about 20cm of slush over grass, and each time you turned, if you looked back there was a green smear! But of course less than 50cm in places like Tignes or Zermatt means no skiing at all...
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Just out of interest and based on the snow records, which resorts are in the top ten for snow reliability in Europe?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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According to born2ski.com
http://www.born2ski.com/guideareas.asp?AreaID=1&WorldAreaName=Central+Europe
top snow reliability resorts are as follows ... (I'm not saying this is my view or 100% correct just throwing up some figures to see what others think)
France
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Alpe D'Huez 10
Argentiere 10
Val THorens 10
Chamonix 9
Tignes 9
Motterat 9
Val-d-Isere 9
Les Arcs 8
Meribel 8
Courchevel 8
La Clusaz 8
Les Menuires 8
Montgenevre 8
Risoul 8
Valloire 8
Italy
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Cervina 10
Corvara 9
La Thuile 9
Macugnaga 9
Passo Tonale 9
Alagna 8
Arabba 8
Bormio 8
Canazei 8
Champoluc 8
Claviere 8
Cortina 8
Cormayeur 8
La Villa 8
Livigno 8
Madesimo 8
Oila 8
Sestriere 8
Austria
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Stubai 10
Zurs 9
Lech 8
Pitzal 8
Obergurgl 8
Sölden 8
Galtur 8
Finkenberg 8
Hintertux 8
Ischgl 8
Pettneu 8
Mayerhofen 8
St Anton 6 ?????
SWITZERLAND
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Saas Fee 10
Zermatt 10
Davos 9
St Moritz 9
Les Diablerets 9
Verbier 9
Engelberg 8
Films 8
Klosters 8
Laax 8
Murren 8
Andermatt 8
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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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Plake, Ah - my fault. For some reason have two accounts with Ski Club UK. With the one that is fully paid I get full averages, the other account (with figures I quoted) was just last years. In my rush to cut and paste, I put just last years figures on! My fault!
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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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Plake, Ah - my fault. For some reason have two accounts with Ski Club UK. With the one that is fully paid I get full averages, the other account (with figures I quoted) was just last years. In my rush to cut and paste, I put just last years figures on! My fault!
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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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kamikaze, two accounts and double postinitus too.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Anyone think it's a bit odd that La Plagne doesn't get a mention but Les Arcs which is basically next door does?? OK there are some low bits of LP (the older, traditional villages) but there's also plenty above, say, 1800m.
Be careful with Macugnaga. I had a great time there many many years ago as a beginner and it's a charming old Italian village. But it only has about 4 lifts to its name.
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FAQ
,s I am still busy planning my next trip. Although this will not be untill the 2007 season, I am looking forward to this. My question is this. Just how important is Snow history in the decision making process as to the destination of your next trip. As a group we are considering a 10 day trip to Soll, Austria as this is where all our love of ski-ing was born from. I have been on 
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