 Poster: A snowHead
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Can anyone comment on these European resorts on my short list of places to visit, or add some others?
Not arsed about pistes, bars etc, looking for good places to visit for off piste weekends with a guide:
Val d'anniviers
Andermatt
Gressoney/Alagna - done - great terrain, very quiet, good guides, potentially poor snow/high wind
Sainte Foy
La Grave - done - trendy, hence busy, fantastic terrain, not that snow sure lower down.
cheers,
greg
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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gregh, On the resort reports pages there is a really good report on Grimentz which is in Val d'Anniviers. Spent a lovely walking holiday in the region last year. All the resorts covered by one pass, but you would need a car with snow chains or snow tyres to do the area justice.
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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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gregh,
We plan to do something in Val d'anniviers this year but looking at your list then consider Engelberg.
I expect Val d' A to be a few good runs off the back down into the 'wrong' valley - a bit vague, I know, and
Engelberg has the Titlis glacier and the Laub. Haven't explored beyond that yet.
Those two resorts will make up two thirds of our must-dos this year
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gregh, you might find Ste Foy a bit limiting for a week, but combine that with some time in La Rosiere, with a guide and maybe some heli-skiing, and you'd have all the off-piste you would want.
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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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thanks all, yup David, trying to get permission from SWMBO to do that training week with you in La Ros!
regards,
Greg
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I've stayed 3 weeks in Ste Foy, of which probably 10 days I skied there, and the rest of the time other resorts in the Tarentaise. I agree with david@traxvax, it's very small, but if you only want a few days off-piste there it's great. Not been to any of the others on your list yet unfortunately...
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Have a look at Engelberg. Ski the Laub, with a guide (it can avalanche) - 1000m vertical of even-gradient powder, on a lucky day. Plus, Engelberg has other great off-piste on its glacial terrain.
It's hardly quiet, but Argentiere has to be done - the Pas de Chevre is one of the great off-piste runs.
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gregh,
I have skied Andermatt Val d'A and La Grave of the ones you mention.
They are all pretty good areas; a couple of points though.
If you think La Grave is busy Andermatt in my experience can be a lot busier, it is fairly close to Zurich and also to the ? St Gotthard pass for folk from Italy, whereas it might not be well known to British holidaymakers it was certainly heaving at the weekend of the week when I went. Busier than I have ever seen La Grave even on the Derby weekend. It might be worth checking out Dissentis further up the valley by train with which Andermatt shares a pass. There is not a lot below the tree line at Andermatt if the weather is bad.
As an another possible area to go Snowball gave a good report of Val Cenis in the Haute Maurienne. I went at the end of last season nearby and the area is lovely the snow was suffering a bit when I skied Val Cenis but the IGN map of the area indicates lots of potentially good slopes in a good season easily reachable by lift. The area is well know for ski touring and with other small resorts in the area should give plenty of possibilities , definately an area to which I will return.
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Andermatt is very much a weekend resort - I spent a week there in mid-Feb about 4 years ago; the weekends were pretty full, but it was essentially empty for the rest of the week. However, the lift system is reasonably rapid, even with a lot of people about, so you can still get a decent amount of skiing in, but you won't have the mountain to yourself on a weekend
Andermatt is a bit of a one-lift wonder, in that if Gemstock is shut, most likely due to high winds, then you lose a lot of the best skiing. Then again, La Grave and Alagna are even worse in that regard, unless you get yourself a helicopter...
Engelberg will be at least as busy on weekends, as it's even closer to Zermatt
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And high winds will affect the heli just as much as the lifts in Monterrosa but now they have the new Olen lift in at least you can get out of the Alagna valley.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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gregh, I've never skied there myself, but my brother worked in Arolla, (Valais, Switzerland) for a couple of years. He used to rave about the off-piste, touring and heli-skiing, especially from the Pigne d'Arolla. It's nearly 10 years ago that he was there so not sure whether there's still heli-skiing avaiable but it would be worth a look. It's on the Haute Route so ideal if you want to do a bit of touring.
The village itself was tiny- just a hand full of long standing hotels.
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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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Bexen, interesting you mention that. i've had some of my best powder days ever there. only 4 drag lifts (and only 2 of them are really worthwhile) but give access to a really interesting ski area with lots of off piste and which is all but deserted.
there were helis there both times i've been. i think they have a rule which means that tourers have the chance to get to the top of the pigne before the helis, so those who have worked for their turns get first crack!
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I'll stick to lift serviced off piste because it sounds like thats what you are interested in.
In good snow the Dolomites kick absolute bottom, stay in Arabba, so much untracked it will blow your mind, couloirs to die for (literally), dodgy snow record though...
Andermatt is good, certainly v quiet, day touring opens up the place so much more though.
Super St Bernard near Verbier, when it has snow, is just unbelievable, fast gondala and amazing lines. You can't stay there though so need a car.
The Oetz valley in Austria has great snow and most people who ski there don't go off piste. (Obergurgl, Solden + others). Same is true of Ziller valley in Austria, esp near Zell am Ziller, Gerlos and Eggalm. Base yourself in Mayrhofen, or somewhere quiet and ski the lot. Tux glacier if snow is cack.
Hardly off the beaten track, but Les 2 Alpes and Alpe D'Huez have some great iteneraries that are rarely skiied, get a guide / guide book.
Grimentz / Zinal are are on my hit list this year....
Heard rave reviews of Engelberg and Alagna, but so has everyone else....
I'm also doing the Dolomites with a guide this year, hoping to ski some scary couloirs! Check out the book http://www.scivolare.it/Images/Guide/freeride_in_dolomiti.jpg
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You know it makes sense.
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lewis,
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Grimentz / Zinal are are on my hit list this year....
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I'll tell the Tourist Office to expect you when....?
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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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March??!! Who knows, as soon as possible. In Zermatt in November so maybe I'll skin over from there..!
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Poster: A snowHead
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snowbunny,
Do you now the valley?
We'll get there this season some time
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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JT, Am buying an apartment there, yet to see the contract though the estate agent seems confident! I believe that ise has spent some time exploring the different stations, as have several other 
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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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snowbunny,
Best of luck with the sale.
The valley is on our list so maybe we can have a chat about it later.
We can even pop round for tea..!!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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JT,
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We can even pop round for tea..!!!
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By all means, apt is slopeside, right by the gondola
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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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Unknown resort, try Bansko in Bulgaria. It is quiet especialy after Christmass holidays. The best freeride is just above the top lift station at:2650m. Fantastic culoirs and forest riding.
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Grimentz great but alot of rocks under there if snow cover not great. How about arolla of the lochentental (miss spelt i am sure) as you would be in the area as it were. la grave steeps are legendary for a reason, they really do bring a veritable brick to your throat. but up the Valais as far as i am concerned. also not unheard of but if you go to champery you can acces in to so great off piste that never seems to get skied out subject to snow obviously)
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Lech is usually pretty quiet, and has some fabulous off-piste. Only about an hour and a half from innsbruck as well.
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Lötschental
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