Skiers / Ski holidays

[User62651]

Anyone on here got an Alps skiing holiday booked this winter? Worried about snow cover or lack of?
I went to Austria last year and would love to go again this year to the Alps but will wait and see if any snow comes before booking late if I can see a real bargain to justify costs.

USA/Canada are good for snow but too expensive and the travel time/jetlag is too much for just a week trip.

Worried weak pound will make everything expensive when out there too. Mark Warner holidays had to enact a clause recently to charge customers more after already booking/paying due to Brexit effect on exchange rate. Not too popular.

My local Scottish 'resort' option Glencoe has no snow at all.

Anyone been out this season already anywhere in continental Europe and how was it?:mmm:

 

[upsidedown]

Off to 3 Valleys week Saturday and just been looking at webcams , doesn't look too bad up high and the best of the skiing will be over in Val Thorens.
Flights and car hire has come to £400 for the two of us but then our accommodation is my Nephews flat so not too worried re rate as eat at home and just have soup and frites on the hill for lunch. Suspect there could be some good bargains last minute.

Friend from golf club went to Sauze Doulx just before Xmas on a late deal and the snow and hotel was great, hardly anyone on the slopes too.

Nephew and his fiancee have gone to USA and Canada for two months skiing and sightseeing, lucky sods

 

[Old Skier]

Courmayeur Italy on the 22 Jan although off piste its a bit bare lower down, all runs are open. Snow is expected over the Alps in the next week but it's the mountains and nothing guaranteed. Austria is in great nick at the moment.

Trouble with skiers at this time of year is they become 24 hr webcam viewers.

 

[Old Skier]

Friend from golf club went to Sauze Doulx just before Xmas on a late deal and the snow and hotel was great, hardly anyone on the slopes too.

Sauze on the Milky Way in great nick at the moment and brother off there next week.

Some great TO deals for Jan going around and wish I had waited.

 

[pendodave]

It's looking a bit rubbish in quite a lot of the western alps tbh. That being said, snow making and snow management is amazing these days.

No weather for at least a week either.

Austria, particularly eastern end looking best atm. I've just booked a few days 17th -20th Jan in the ski amade area near Salzburg. There is snow there right now, and it looks reasonably promising. Extraordinarily cheap flights - £10 out to linz and £30 back from Salzburg. Can do all transfers on the train.

It's defo a season to wait as long as possible and be prepared to try somewhere different depending on conditions. I appreciate that if you're tied into Feb half term, that's a tough gig to pull off though...

 

[pendodave]

Fwiw, I use the 'expert charts' option on weatheronline dot Co dot UK for looking at euro weather for the next week or so. I'm sure there are many similar options, as it uses standard model outputs.
Currently show a bit of weather next tues/weds, but tending to East rather than western alps.

Lots changes in a week though!

Fingers crossed for everyone heading out for a sport that's a lot easier and more fun than golf!!

 

[Chisteve]

I've just come back from Italy Selva - Val Gardena - hardly any natural snow at all - all man made = good skiing though but alittle strange skiing on nearly all pistes with no snow each side, I'm told they have the best snow making equiptment in the Dolomites

 

[User62651]

I've just come back from Italy Selva - Val Gardena - hardly any natural snow at all - all man made = good skiing though but alittle strange skiing on nearly all pistes with no snow each side, I'm told they have the best snow making equiptment in the Dolomites

Can I ask what level of skier you are?
Is the man made stuff not sugary and slushy.
Pretty sure I wouldn't pay to go and ski on man made snow from my recollection of it, maybe technology has improved? If you've prebooked then you make the best of it.

Poor early seasons in Alps is becoming more frequent in recent times I think.

 

[Old Skier]

Can I ask what level of skier you are?
Is the man made stuff not sugary and slushy.
Pretty sure I wouldn't pay to go and ski on man made snow from my recollection of it, maybe technology has improved? If you've prebooked then you make the best of it.

Poor early seasons in Alps is becoming more frequent in recent times I think.

Skiing on man made is OK most of it is on natural a natural base, a lot of the Alps got a good dump in Nov and it's cold enough for new snow to be made. It's actually dumping down in Austria at the moment and recent predictions are pretty good. Remember it's still early in the season.

 

[User62651]

Skiing on man made is OK most of it is on natural a natural base, a lot of the Alps got a good dump in Nov and it's cold enough for new snow to be made. It's actually dumping down in Austria at the moment and recent predictions are pretty good. Remember it's still early in the season.

Was looking at Skiwelt webcams, even Soll town looks white and its quite low. Austria tends to offer cheaper deals I think too so will keep an eye out.

 

[ColchesterFC]

We had a week in Tignes over Xmas and there was plenty of snow that high up. I know from one of the ski instructors that some of the lower resorts were struggling.

 

[Old Skier]

Italy normally for me as I find it cheaper than Austria and a lot cheaper than France. Do the homework and you'll find the snow.

 

[Chisteve]

Can I ask what level of skier you are?
Is the man made stuff not sugary and slushy.
Pretty sure I wouldn't pay to go and ski on man made snow from my recollection of it, maybe technology has improved? If you've prebooked then you make the best of it.

Poor early seasons in Alps is becoming more frequent in recent times I think.

I have been skiing for over 30 years, it was fairly cold all week so not slushy, the snow was fairly hard packed as they made snow (I'm told they have very good equiptment compaired to other resorts) over night and bashed also - great skiing 1st thing in the morning

Later in the day scraped off with the odd icey patches here and there

I have skied in far worse conditions, also its a massive ski area so plenty of choice where to ski and over all not busy all week = a great week