 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello all,
My GF and I are looking for a ski vacation for the week of Feb 16-24, with possible a day or two extra on either end. We're limited by school vacation schedules so we don't have a lot of flexibility on dates. We'll be flying from Boston.
Ideally, we're looking for an area that gives us some flexibility in terrain. We're both advanced skiers looking for challenging terrain, some off piste, and maybe even a one night hut trip. She's on AT gear, I'm on telemark. We both have backcountry experience, but if we're looking at anything really advanced we'd hire a guide. some nice groomed runs are good, but that's not the goal of the trip. The ability to hit a few different ski areas using shuttles is important as we're hoping to avoid hiring a car.
In a perfect world we'd split our lodging in two places, the first few days in a smaller village, the last few days in a larger resort. But if we don't get the extra days mentioned above it's probably too much to move during the week. We would like to stay in an inn or smaller hotel. A town with a few nice restaurants is important.
I started the search looking at France and Switzerland, but several folks have mentioned that Austria and Italy would offer us more value for our money. I assume we'd fly into Zurich or Munich or even Paris and take the train to where ever we end up unless that's too much of a hassle. If we need to hire a car we will but it would be great if we could avoid it. I speak enough French to get myself in trouble but I'm not even close to fluent. I've skied in St Moritz and Garmisch, she spent 3 weeks summer alpine race training in Saas-fee, but both of those were a long time ago.
So, any suggestions? We're really open to pretty much anything. Our budget is around $3,000 for the vacation, not including air fare.
Thanks in advance,
-dave-
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The week you are planning is one of the peak weeks of the season in France and will be very busy.
If you do not mind pistes being bashed to death then have a look at the Monterosa ski area in Italy, perhaps staying in Champoluc. The town is nice, but with little nightlife. Shuttle buses can take you out to the outlying ski areas. Fly into Turin and get the bus from there to the resort. There are pleanty othe resorts nearby that you could transfer to if you wish.
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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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That week is the British 1/2 term school holiday, combined with most French & German regions holidays and the busiest and most expensive week of the entire season for skiing in Europe
If you go 2 weeks earlier or 2 weeks later you'll have a much better time and for the same money you'll be able to stay in much, much better accommodation.
I and my family am skiing that week in Selva Val Gardena in the Dolomites (Italy) and we're hoping it won't be too busy but I would avoid the French Mega-Resorts.
Swiss resorts might be a bit quieter as the Euro gets weaker against the Swiss Franc they're getting more and more expensive to the majority of Europeans skiers.
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Sorry, just re-read your post and saw you're also limited by dates - guess you already know it's a busy week in the Alps then!
I don't have vast experience of too many places but I go to Chamonix every year and from how you described your experience and what you're looking for I'd say it's well worth a look.
The off-piste and back-country possibilities are almost unlimited and the best in the Alps (IMHO) - Remember Heli-Skiing is illegal in France though so normal lifts and hiking and ski-touring are always involved.
There's several ski areas all along the valley with shuttle busses between them but they are quite far apart and the busses not that frequent
Whilst it will certainly be busy that week, it's not such a family-friendly resort (no ski-in-ski-out etc) so the big Tour Operators tend not to go there and consequently it doesn't suffer as much as the big resorts from the holiday rush but there will still be some long queues.
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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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If you're only there for a week I wouldn't bother moving, takes multiple seasons to really get to know most resorts (especailly offpiste stashes), let alone weeks...
I'd fly into Zurich or Muncich, and get the train to St Anton (stay in Pettneu or St Jacob if budget is an issue), and shred the Arlberg for the week.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I was unaware that this was the busiest week for vacations. We know we would be in high season, but perhaps not quite that high. Unfortunately, we don't have any flexibility on the dates.
Is Trois Vallees considered a mega-resort? I think based on the crush of humanity we would enjoy ourselves more at a smaller, out-of-the-way area even if it means giving up some variety and apres ski.
So many options...
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yad, It is only the busiest period really in France and even then you will find some good places away from the main drags -3V's is overpriced and to my mind, vastly over-rated. Resorts outside the main ones in the Haute-Savoie do not get as rammed, especially if you head towards Grenoble and that area.
Austria will not be as busy as not all the Austrian provinces are on holiday and nor are all the German states. Many do not even have a full week off in mid winter. The Dutch week is later in February as far as I know, there is a sticky somewhere here with a table in it which shows which countries and which states within that country are on holiday at any one time.
Italy could be a good option as well, but there has been a slight problem in terms of if the northern Alps have good snow, they don't in the southern Alps. But as a result the Italians have invested heavily in snow making and are brilliant at keeping the pistes open despite snow droughts. The areas of the Alte Adige/Südtirol, Trentino and Piedmonte are the best options with Sudtirol and the Dolomites being my favourite of all the Itaian skiing areas.
Switzerland is sadly now quite expensive because of the currency fluctuations. Positives, it is less likely to be crowded and you have a fantastic choice of resorts if you avoid the ones overrun with Brits (simply because the prices go with demand, not because of the people). I suppose what you can afford depends a great deal on how far your dollars will go.
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The busiest period in France next season will actually be week commencing 23rd as Paris holidays and Brit holidays do not clash this year - the french regions on holiday the week of 16th will not cause the same kind of crush that the Parisians do. Also prices are slightly lower this year - other European nations will be holidaying alongside the Brits but from a french pov they will not make a massive indent, especially if you head to slightly less' international' areas. Suggest you shortlist a couple of resorts you really fancy in Austria, France and Italy and the guys on here can then help you make a decision. But if you do want France you'll get more choice if you arrive/depart on Saturday during Feb. Especially leave on 23rd as this will get mobbed! Enjoy.
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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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Thanks again for all the advice.
Based on comments here and elsewhere and talking with several folks around here we're concentrating on Austria. I've started looking at places like Ischgl, St Anton, Lech, Obergurgl, Solden, and Kitzbuhel. If we choose well I think we can get a lot of what we are looking for in a single location and hit a few different resorts as well as some off piste/touring. We have a bit more narrowing down to do, obviously, and figure out what fits our budget.
Do most folks fly into Innsbruck? Or Zurich or Munich and take the train or rent a car?
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Zurich - then take a train, one change, super easy - bang into resort. Innsbruck is closer but more prone to delays from my experience.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I also have a cousin who lives in Zurich which means would could spend a day and see the city. She might even join us for the first few days of skiing so that would be a benefit to flying into Zurich.
It's also much cheaper to fly to Zurich, so that's good too.  But I don't know if the train would eat up any savings.
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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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| yad wrote: |
Thanks again for all the advice.
Based on comments here and elsewhere and talking with several folks around here we're concentrating on Austria. I've started looking at places like Ischgl, St Anton, Lech, Obergurgl, Solden, and Kitzbuhel. If we choose well I think we can get a lot of what we are looking for in a single location and hit a few different resorts as well as some off piste/touring. We have a bit more narrowing down to do, obviously, and figure out what fits our budget.
Do most folks fly into Innsbruck? Or Zurich or Munich and take the train or rent a car? |
You have a penchant for selecting the most expensive places! Is it just because you know the names? There are many much cheaper places you can select in Austria and still have a really good time as well as value for money, just as you can in France. The only place where it is difficult these days is Switzerland and that is simply due to the currency exchange rates.
Why go for "names"?
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I am going by recommendations from friends who have skied there and know the type of skiing we like. I'm open to other places, but it's hard to start searching when you don't know much about them. Can you recommend locations that have advanced skiing and enough terrain to keep us occupied for a week?
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You know it makes sense.
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We're looking for the following characteristics - I'm ranking these in relative order:
1) Great advanced/expert skiing with multiple area options from a central location
2) Ski village environment with B&B/Inns and restaurants close proximity to base lifts
3) Reasonable cost/value
4) Availability of off piste/hut tour options
5) Reasonable access/transportation to Zurich or other major airport
#3 and #4 are pretty close together. Again, we're pretty open to anything since we've never been in the area, and I'm pretty sure we'll enjoy where ever we go as long as snow conditions are good. One concern is which areas are likely to have good snow at this time of year. Would areas with higher elevation give a better likelihood of good snow?
Again, I appreciate all your help and apologize for not having a better feel for the area. But that's why I'm here. This board was highly recommended.
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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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yad, take a look at the Montafon /Schruns area of Arlberg and also Bregenzerwald. Both areas are closer to Zurich than any of the other ones you listed. They are not used by many tour operators so there is little or no artificial hiking of prices. you will have to deal direct with the hoteliers though but be assured most of them have a way better grasp of English than the majority of native English speakers have of German! 
If flying into Munich then you have a much wider choice open to you but perhaps not the easiest of transfers.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I would say that week would be perfect for skiing in US or Canada, before their busy time in March. As others said, will be v crowded in Europe, although mightnt be too bad backcountry, though you may want to book guides etc ahead of 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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We've skied out west in the US a lot, this year we're looking for something different. We will probably go to the western US during Monica's April school vacation.
I think we'll be able to deal with some crowds, we ski in the eastern US.
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