Anyone been skiing in late March?

Northern Monkey

Hey,

I've really got the bug this year and want to try and go away for another week before the season finishes. Because of my job, the next week I can get off is the last week in March.

I know it very much depends on the current conditions, but has anyone been at this time before? What is it like?

I would love to go again, but reckon I wouldn't enjoy it if it turned out to be icy in the morning and slushy in the afternoon.

We wouldn't be booking until the week before, so should be able to decide based on current conditions, but I guess the best option would be to aim high?

Cheers

EileenG

Depends where you go, and the conditions, but in a high resort, late March can be a fabulous time to ski. You've got long days, great light, and lots of snow.

Yes, at this time of year, there is more of a art to reading a piste map so you can ski on the best snow, but it's not a big deal. It is definitely possible to ski on really good spring snow all day.

Pick a resort where there are lifts down from mid-station, just in case the lower runs are patchy and nasty.

Denalihighway

the last 2 times i was boarding it was late March and it was amazing.

quiet slopes on the Stubai Glacier, decent snow and my accommodation was down in the valley in Neustift where it was hot enough to sit out in - incredible really.

boarding/skiing on nice snow in clear weather/sunshine is something else.

Fattes

Skied right to the village in Saas Fee at easter last year 20th of April or there abouts.

There was only one run down for the last 300 meters or so and it was all man made but good. From mid Station Morine about 2,000 up to 3,900 at the top conditions were super.

Most of the Glacial and high resorts will be great at that time of the year and nice and quiet. Especially with the good snow this year unless the Temps shoot through the roof conditions will remain good well into late April.

Look at

Saas Fee
Obergurgal
Hintertux
Stubai
Tignes
Zermatt
Chamonix (Maybe)
Deux Alps.

Chief of

Looking to go to Chamonix can anyone recommend any accommodation

Thanks

Fattes

Hermtiage hotel, Sunday nights Ski Sunday fireside chat was filmed there! While I was watching from the bar:D

Its a 3 minute walk from the Place du Mount Blanc and 1 min form the MBC bar. Best cheap food and beer in Chaomonix.

http://www.hermitage-paccard.com/en/

Other options would the hotel D'larve right beside place du mount blanc.

Rentals, try Ravenel and there will be plenty of skiing in Cham then

TrapperChamonix

Chief, if you are going to the Chamonix Valley for the skiing, you really want to be skiing Grandes Montet. Stay in Argentiere.
http://www.hotel-grands-montets.com/ Expensive but very nice (and 30 yards from the cable)
http://www.hotelcouronne.com/ Cheap and in the middle of Argentiere town.
If you are going for long weekend, then both hotels will take bookings for less than a week. In fact the great thing about Chamonix is that you fly into Geneva Airport at 10am and if you arrange ChamVan correctly you can be checked into hotel and be suited and booted at the ski hire and on the chair lift by 12:30 and get a good 5 hours skiing the day you arrive.


Fattes, Skiing available into May IIRC. At GM you can ski to the bottom certainly in late March as they have snow cannoned the run the the village about 7 or 8 years ago. Can be a bit slushy by the end of the day and it can challenge tired legs, but beats the hell out of getting a cable back down the hill. Not sure about it being quieter (obviously avoid French, Italian and English School holidays).

Eileen, I agree, if you pay a little attention to where the sun hits the mountain then you can plot your way around good corn snow all day. Don't plan it at all and you can spend all day on a mixture of Ice and Slush