 Poster: A snowHead
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Just got back from Sestriere. Never been to the area before in 30 years of skiing.
This was my annual trip with a mate to do some more adventurous skiing that we cant do with our families.
Over the years we've tended to move away from the obvious off-piste options (Chamonix, Engleberg, etc) because of the competition for fresh tracks - all gets skied out so quickly on a powder morning and you are often better off somewhere low-key where the skiers tends to get up late and stick to the pistes...
Anyway, this year was Sestriere. It had snowed the night before we arrived and we had five days still finding untracked powder in the trees. Despite the high altitude there are a LOT of wooded areas and they are genuinely much less dense than the trees in, say, the French Alps. Something to do with the elevation?
Modern skis have made it so much easier for strong intermediates / early advanced skiers to play around off-piste. All power to them but it does mean more competition for fresh tracks for those of us who are stronger off-piste skiers. I reckon the answer is trees. It's one thing having a crack at a big open bowl but it requires a bit more technique and experience to handle tree skiiing and the competition reduces fast! Plus of course, boarders find trees a bit tougher.
Anyway, if you like tree skiing - I'd add Sestriere or Sauze D'Oulx to your list of options.
Interestingly, we thought that the average level of skier was pretty good but nearly everyone seemed focused on racing - rather few people on off-piste skis.
cheers,
J
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yes, I agree. I particularly like the trees in the Montgenevre (smaller) half of the skiing, from La Montanina towards the river and road. Lots of big open off piste descents too, particularly the Montgenevre end - so so far I have based that end..
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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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I think snow has been so good this year, and so good down at low levels, even below 1000m, that it has meant fantastic tree skiing everywhere. I am just back from Chamonix and because of white out on all my off-piste days we spent them in the trees also and they were fantastic!
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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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Yeah, I'd second snowball. The Montgenevre and Claviere end of the Milky way has some great tree skiing. And some excellent off piste above the treeline too. I spent a couple of seasons working there a few years back. There'd be untouched lines to be had days after the last snowfall.
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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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jedster, thanks for the heads up. Will look into it. I agree about the competition for tracks.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Totally agree on Montgenevre. Some of the best offpiste I have done in my life. I think your point is very valid when it comes to the classic offpiste destination. In Chamonix etc the competition for fresh tracks is just too big. I would recommend St Moritz as another option for you. Almost no competition as the uberrich like to cruise in the slopes and take long lunches leaving the mountain open for the few who like more adventourous skiing.
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| Quote: |
boarders find trees a bit tougher
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Eh? 
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You don't agree? I very rarely have seen boarders thrive in evenly reasonably tight trees
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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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snowball, MagSeven, we're off to Montgenevre in 9 hours 
Any advice for (easy) off-piste for a group of keen skiers with limited off-piste experience?
(and yes we will be getting a guide, but any other ideas welcome)
Thanks.
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I use to think Monêtier (Serre Chevaier) was some of the best tree skiing, as well as down through the trees in La Grave, plus Claviere & Montgenevre, but I'm just back from a week in the Pyrenees and it was superb, which I think was helped by the huge volume of powder !
This was yesterday (Friday)
And two days before (Wednesday)
Bareges tree skiing in The Pyrenees from Weathercam http://vimeo.com/59298434
Just an average day in the Pyrenees, considering it never really snows that much from Weathercam http://vimeo.com/59165967
And jedster, you are so wrong - check these old vids out back when I was boarding Babylon - La Grave 2001 - Simon Bedford from Weathercam http://vimeo.com/37009823 & 2002 La Grave Heroes - short trailer by Simon Bedford from Weathercam http://vimeo.com/37019538
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I did a week in Montgenevre in February and this was my first time proper of piste skiing. I signed up for the Grande Tourisme sessions with ESF and had a fantastic week! Heavy snow on the day we arrived set it up for the week and 5 days later our instructor was still finding us untracked routes. Montgenevre is a great little resort and ideal for the family as there are good runs for beginners and intermediates from the top of the mountain so the whole family was kept happy.
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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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jedster, IMV it does --- but DON'T TELL ANYONE !!!! 
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| Woosh wrote: |
| I would recommend St Moritz as another option for you. Almost no competition as the uberrich like to cruise in the slopes and take long lunches leaving the mountain open for the few who like more adventourous skiing. |
I'm not sure that's true. When I was there, I saw a lot of tracks in the open off-piste next to the piste. Talking with the locals, I was told one of the ski manufacturers have a testing center there with a bunch of guys (and gals) testing the latest skis on all sort of surfaces...
Comparatively speaking, I found the Jongfrau area have less traffic on the off-piste visible from the pistes.
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You know it makes sense.
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Hey Weathercam,
thanks for the vids - really enjoyed them. Terrible to watch all that when you know "for you ze season is over..."
But have to make a few points:
a) I never said no boarders could thrive in tight trees just that I hardly ever see any (implication - there aren't many!)
b) Lots of great stuff in the vids on skis and boards but I didnt see a single stretch of a boarder really flowing in tight trees - not to say that you or your mates can't /couldn't but it wasn't in those vids! There actually wasn't much footage of tight trees at all and where it was you only caught a couple of turns in sequence
But to say it again, some boarders can flow in tight trees. Years ago I worked a season and one of the local guys you board a black mogul field down the zip line faster than I could on skis. the good guys can do pretty much anything. But it's tricky and few can do it.
Cheers,
J
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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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sabreboy, sorry, didn't see your question till now, 2 1/2 months too late. (I was away skiing at the time)
How did it go?
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