 Poster: A snowHead
|
My wife re-introduced me to skiing 11 years ago after a break of 26 years since when we have skied mainly in the US - skiing in Europe twice last year was (for her) a disaster. We went to Cervinia for a week and then for a shorter break to Courchevel. The difference between the trails in the US and the pistes in Europe which affected her skiing are (a) the comparatively bare mountainsides in both Cervinia and Courchevel which induced vertigo - not a problem with the tree lined trails in the US and (b) the (on the whole) wider trails in the US which induced less claustrophobia and induced a feeling a greater security in the sense that they provide more room to get out of trouble. There is also the issue that the US resorts we have skied (Park City, Heavenly, Vail, Keystone, Breckenridge) tend to have a higher base and peak. I should add that she is also a very good and (normally) confident skier. However at our age (we are both in our early 60's) I want to take as many opportunities as possible whilst we are still comparatively fit to go skiing. I've also just spent a large amount of money (for me) having a pair of Lange 120x boots custom fitted and I am itching to get out to try them this year (season).
So my question to forum members is , could you recommend a resort which is more like the description I have given for the US resorts skied (broad trails, ideally tree lined and preferably quite high ?
We've just come back from 10 days in Breckenridge and I would like to strike while the iron is hot. The tree line was at 12,000 ft so covered most of the skiing zone. I skied a drop of about 3,000 ft in Cervinia and not a tree in sight!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Austrian resorts tend to be lower; and therefor have more runs in the trees. The trees in the alps tend to top out around 2000-2200 meters (6500-7000 ft give or take) so you'd have to look at resorts with the majority of runs below that.
Regarding the vertigo, I know an instructor, in a not too tree-friendly resort (but otherwise fine, Les deux Alpes) who is very very good in helping people manage their source of in-confidence. Contact her through www.easiski.com if interested.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Thanks - I seem to remember skiing through trees in Galtur in 1967 although they may not have survived the avalanche in the 1990s - and Morzine before that...although the runs were a lot narrower than in the US.
Also while I think of it, why does the tree line in Europe seem to be so much lower than in the US?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
parallelgorilla, I hope this doesn't sound rude - but why not stick to the US resorts where she feels at home?
In Europe, you can't really have both trees AND high altitude. And unless it's very warm (e.g. at the very end of the season) there's no advantage in altitude - just cold, windy and bleak. If you're stuck with Europe for the time being, there are plenty of resorts with lots of tree lined runs. One, which came up in a recent thread, which is very pretty and has well groomed pistes, is Megeve. Lovely pedestrianized town centre, lots of chic shopping, lots of very good restaurants.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Not at all rude - and thanks for the suggestion - the answer re not sticking to the US is the sheer distance it's a long way to go for what may be less than a week and if that doesn't include a Saturday night the air fares are prohibitive. Thanks for the suggestion re Megeve - I dont know anything at all about it but will certainl investigate.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
parallelgorilla, The alps refers to the pasture abovethe treeline I believe, all alpine resorts that I have visited have a siginifcant proportion of the skiing above the tree line.
A couple of suggestions one is to go at a quiet time.
If you want tree lined skiing Serre Chevalier in France is very good Flims in Switzerland is good A lot of the ski Amade resorts around Salzburg are excellent but they are less high.
There is some tree lined skiing in Galtur but it is not extensive the avalanche was well away from the ski area.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks for all the suggestions - great forum - certainly gives me something to work on - Flims looks particularly attractive because apart from anything else it holds the possiblity of a train journey via Eurostar to Paris and then Geneva....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Serre Chevalier and Schladming both come to mind - not high (no trees high up) but broad and easy cruising in the trees.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Sounds good - another one on the list - lot's to work on before the w/e. Thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Autrans or Meadre in the Vercors
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Coming back to the forum for some more advice - looks like we're going to go over Easter so getting a little late - although some TOs seem to have lots of availability - and a hige number of resorts from whicyh to choose. Based on skiing last year at Courchevel in early April I am little nervous about snow conditions at such a late stage. Any recommendations from the ones in the list about (Autrans, Meadre,Serre Chevalier, Flims, Megeve,)
Thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
parallelgorilla, The Paisey Villandry & Les Coches areas of the Paradiski ski area might be an option...
The resorts are at a decent altitude and have lots of wide tree lined runs, and although conditions will inevitably be spring-like (what with it being spring an' all) cover should be OK.
I was there late march 2 years ago in glorious hot sunshine which more than made up for the puddles on the lower pistes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks - will have a look
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
The lower half of the skiing at Montgenevre (and the rest of the Milky Way) has some nice tree skiing - but bare higher up.
I think people assumed you were based in the US.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Thanks - based in Lancaster UK, not Lancaster Pa! Unfamiliar with European Resorts because I have skied Courchevel (for 3 days) Cervinia (for a week) both last year, Cairngorm (for 3 days in 2011) Livigno (1975) Galtur (1967) and Morzine (1965) and thats' it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Saalbach.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Serfaus and Fiss (linked) in Austria offer a good combination of tree lined and open; both villages around 1400m.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Thanks again
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Serre Che as above is the nearest to the treelined spec I've come across. Sadly you can't do a lot about the much lower treeline in Europe and hence the fact that conditions on piste can still turn bad pretty quickly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
parallelgorilla,
I'm not entirely sure why the US and EU tree lines are so different, but as noted, they are.
I think Austria is going to be your best bet (from what I've heard of it).
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
