2022/2023 winter season thread

maddness

So it’s that time of year again when the nights are getting longer and it’s getting colder which is always a bit depressing, apart from the fact that skiing is getting nearer!

So what are everyone’s plans for the winter ahead? Where are you going? What new gear have you bought? Will there be good snow this season?

I’ve a couple of short trips booked and have new skis on the way so am getting excited already.

olaola

AH, am flipping and flopping from Zell to a chalet in France to Fiss to Kronplatz... I'm bamboozled. But I need to get my arse in gear and get it sorted. I've spent DAYS researching resorts. I'm humped over and goggle-eyed! We're a quite late booking this year - usually we're boxed off by May or so. I'm sure I'll find something 🤪.

maddness

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119675935#Comment_119675935

Need any advice?

olaola

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119678180#Comment_119678180

Sure! I'm open to any suggestions!

a148pro

Nothing booked yet but hope to get a few last minute trips in. Perhaps even to Maddness' favourite secret resorts if snow conditions are right ;)

a148pro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119675935#Comment_119675935

I used to torture myself each year like this. But then I realised there's always next year (or later this year if you spoil yourself). So just find one resort that works and book it and you can try the other ones in future years. You'll get there in the end, if global warming doesn't get us all first. Don't be worried about the perfect trip this year.

olaola

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119727035#Comment_119727035

We are going to book Zell in the end. It's always the first place I look at that I end up going back to. Smaller group this year, but should be fun!

Haven't been in years. Is package still the way to go?

maddness

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119678180#Comment_119678180

Sorry, I haven’t been on here in a while so was of no help…

maddness

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119727020#Comment_119727020

I’ll be there in December for a few days myself. Also heading to Cortina for four days in March.

I'm hoping to get a short two night break at some stage too depending on conditions and available funds?

prunudo

Last few trips have all been Diy 3-4 day stints, I'm contemplating going back to package or at minimum Sat-Sat diy. The idea of arriving in Dublin, and not worrying about car hire, making sure everything lines up, finding route, finding hotel etc is getting quite appealing again.

timsey tiger

Going to Zell am See in mid January and Val Thorens in 8th April. Not sure what conditions will be like in April, I've never been that late in the season before. Anybody been there that late and was it ok?

maddness

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119755151#Comment_119755151

Val thorens will be great in early April. The rest of the of the 3 Valleys may not be as good but you never know.

DoraDelite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119757325#Comment_119757325

The reality the last few years is this has become a bit more unpredictable. I wouldn't say it's guaranteed, there definitely will be snow but the condition it will be in can depend. You take your chances and just deal with the conditions when you get there, fingers crossed it's a bumper powder year 😊

timsey tiger

Yes fingers crossed, changed it to 1st of April. A weeks less melting. Got the area lift passes, so will give a look at the other two areas while we are there too.

maddness

So is anyone checking the webcams daily yet?

I'm going to Champoluc Friday week and am hoping the forecast for a good few dumps of snow stays that way. Checking the weather and webcams far too many times each day!

prunudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119946162#Comment_119946162

Was actually in Champoluc earlier this year, lovely little resort with nice slopes. Snow quantity wasn't great when we were there but the pistes held up well.

Regarding 2023, still nothing booked yet but the groups numbers are dwindling so diy will probably be the way we go.

Curiousness99

One diy drip for the family booked, diy normally much cheaper than package in my experience especially if flying to Menningen

i found accommodation very expensive in Austria this year, used it to justify going to lech as prices were not that much more expensive than other resorts

cant wait

maddness

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119947387#Comment_119947387

Accommodation seems to be a lot more expensive everywhere since Covid unfortunately. I’d a few days in Les Deux Alpes in March and everything from the transfer to the hotel was far more expensive than a few years ago.

Count Dracula

Anyone ever skied in the German Bavarian Alps, any good?

I am a middle aged leisure skier who likes to party and meet new people. Think Alberto Tomba with blue eyes and a belly, not into snow boarding.

3-4 hours daily ski with a nice evening meal and refreshments and an outdoor hot tub on the roof stargazing kind of thing.

Hoping to meet a soul mate who looks a little bit like Gretta Scacchi, say when she was in her 30's anyway, although I will stretch to late 20's if you are mature enough and belch in my ear for fun coz it tickles.

prunudo

Has anyone heard of or had any experience of we ski?

kal7

Decent dump of snow in most of the alps last two days, thankfully, early snow low down was washed away with rain.

Heading to grand massif in early feb, can't wait.i

Checking weather and webcams daily now.

Enjoy any time you get on the slopes.

Dial Hard

Current view from our apartment in Trysil.

Can't figure out how to rotate, sorry!

a148pro

I heard Norway got record breaking snow. Love the idea of skiing in unusual places, enjoy. Is it crazy money?

Rew

Sample sample sized but friend went, skiing was quite limited, it was more of a skihill as opposed to the French/Austrian expansive areas, booze was very, very expensive and there was no apres. They enjoyed the week but doubt they would hurry back.

Dial Hard

We love it, this is our second year in a row there. It was plenty big enough for us, 81km of runs spread over 69 slopes and 32 lifts. Not sure I'd call that a "ski hill".

Food and drink is eye-wateringly expensive alright and they don't do aprés but that doesn't bother me in the least as I've absolutely zero interest in it anyway.

Cost is the biggest downside imo, but the pros are that it's unbelievably well-run, there are virtually no queues for the lifts (depending on when you go), the whole resort is pretty much ski in/ski out and it seems to attract a uniformly polite type of skier.

Oh, and it's a nice short flight too - an hour and 45 minutes from Dublin to Oslo.

a148pro

Will definitely look it up sometime. Surprised they don't do the apres, I thought they were serious drinkers, like the only ones in Europe worse than us.

In Aosta valley at the moment, ice cold and **** loads of snow....

Dial Hard

There's one bar (Laaven) that does (tame, by Alpine standards) aprés and is also the only nightclub in town.

The other good thing about Norway is that you can get duty free both in Dublin and when you land. If you pick up a few boxes of wine/bottles of spirits and are happy to do most of your drinking in your apartment, it makes the trip significantly cheaper than going out every night.

laurach

Heading to Val Tournenche in the Aosta valley, mid February for the first time. Has anyone some tips/ advice on do’s and don’ts. Have always gone to Austria before so not sure what to expect?

maddness

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120130899#Comment_120130899

Where are you? Lucky devil

prunudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120133436#Comment_120133436

Can't comment on that particular resort, but I've yet to find anywhere else that matches the Austrian apres, everywhere else is very tame by comparison.

a148pro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120133436#Comment_120133436

Skied Cervinia above it a few times. One of the longest piste desents in Europe is said to be from the top of Cervinia / Zermatt down to the bottom of Valtourneche, though from recollection there is one short button lift over a hump that interrupts it

A great thing to do in Cervinia is to get the last lift up to the top of the ridge, wait about half an hour then ski down with the Alpenglow on the Matterhorn (Mont Cervino in Italian). Majestic wide pistes and views, totally empty at that time, and its a really long run, superb. Could probably do similar to Valtourneche or get a bus from Cervinia.

Good eating on the pistes in Cervinia, Chalet Etoile for some Greta pleasing seafood at 2000m 🙄

The only tip I would have is be wary of the international pass - it gets you in to Zermatt but if you get a week long one you don't get the free days in the other Aosta valley resorts, which can be necessary as wind can sometimes close the entire Cervina / Valtourneche area. If that's a risk maybe upgrade your Aosta pass for the day that you want to go over to visit Zermatt. Definitely worth one trip for the Toblerone view of Matterhorn, the remarkable lift system and Europe's highest ski lift

If going turn off your phone as they will try and do you for 70 euro for sending a whats app

a148pro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120135360#Comment_120135360

La Thuile. Unfortunately the way the weather came in it was getting loads of snow (I'd say 60 - 80cm) and much less for the elusive Monte Rosa resorts so they'll just have to wait!

laurach

That’s great appreciate the info.

maddness

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120135795#Comment_120135795

I skied La Thuile when it didn’t stop snowing for three days, it’s was fantastic. If you can get the bus to Courmayer for the day, it’s brilliant with fresh powder.

a148pro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120136641#Comment_120136641

Only here for a short break and have done Courmayeur before so staying put. We were in the linked French resort (La Rosiere) today and the off piste was everywhere. Totally tracked out but the snow is so cold that it was still lovely and soft. They have this freeride zone thing which is just fantastic.

Aosta has so much to offer and I still haven't managed those three other valleys.

itisnotgrand

Can anyone recommend to a complete newbie some resorts where we can learn to ski? Or is there anywhere where we can get lessons

kal7

There are beginner slopes in almost all resorts and schools too.

Your choice would probably be dependent on the costs.

A small ski area would do for first week or weekend of skiing as you won't be travelling as far.

Some places even have couple of free lifts in beginner areas.

IAmTitleist

Just back from my first ever ski trip to St Johann in Austria.

Great time away and already looking at booking again for next year probably somewhere in France. Ideally somewhere that has plenty of nice easy blue runs that i can gently meander down. Anyone got any suggestions for such a resort with plenty of blue run options? As a first timer i don't see myself ever progressing further than a red slope and even then they are tough work so would prefer to stick to the blues.

Definitely wasn't prepared for how steep some of the runs would be...i suppose you are coming down a mountain after all! Wish i'd started it when i was a teenager or younger rather than waiting until i was 32.

maddness

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120270356#Comment_120270356

Don’t rule out Italy if you want nice easy slopes. Somewhere like Cervinia would be good, wide open and noting too challenging at all.

IAmTitleist

Thanks for the suggestion, will look into Cervinia for 2024!

booboo9

Been a few years since I've been able to go with covid and work etc. In the last couple of days i've got an awful pain to go and saw there's a Lyon flight out Cork.

Does anyone know the best/fastest transfer to Chamonix from Lyon and any good websites for accomodation?

TIA