Where are people thinking of this year?

Mayrhofen booked for the 3rd week in January

AlternateID wrote: »

6 day lift ticket for Whistler for November is $720 at the ticket office. Cheaper to buy online but still expensive compared to Europe.

Was in Whistler last February, the cheapest we could find was $98 per day, that was through a ski club in one of the Universities in Vancouver.

Largely abandoned my long weekend to the UCPA opening in VT end of Nov by now ha, still got chamonix 2nd of Jan to look forward to (there will be loads of snow, I keep telling myself!), aside from that I suppose I could go later in Jan again, but Feb Mar definitely out, very very late season to VT might be on the cards if the weather is kind!

Haven't dipped in in a while so better make it a bumper

granty1987 wrote: »

We havn't booked much yet apart from flights. They're costing €550-590 return from Dublin to Tokyo (via Charles De Gaul). Internal flights are like €50 return up to Sapporo.

Accommodation is going to range widely, not sure what route we'll take for that yet. Probably a hostel / lodge / whatever we can find. Just noticed that Australia Day and Chinese New Year are both taking place whilst we will be in the mountains so it will probably be a bit busier than normal during those dates.

We are purely going for the powder, we all live in the park when abroad but that isnt happening this time. New Powder board is in the post for me, n i know a few of the others are getting some Prior boards sent over from Whistler. Cannot wait!

We will actually be in Tokyo for the final of their rugby league so i am tempted to go to it! G'wan the Brave Blossoms!

Love this ****. Just love reading about lads living the dream and following their passion. Would love to ski Japan some day but the thought of sitting a plane for that long and leaving family etc behind just puts into some kind of taboo for me, but delighted to hear you're doing it! Let us know how it goes!

cocker5 wrote: »

Do they are excellent - for skiing and apres -cant be beaten in my eyes...

Yip this is my 3rd Trip to ST Anton and if i make the second trip in march it will be my 3rd to ischgl too...

Was just in Ischgl in Feb... haven't been to St Anton for 3 years now.... cannot wait!!

Been to Saalbach, Lech and Mayerfoen also... but IMO St Anton and Ischgl just cannot be beaten... although my knees aren't the best at the mo.. so they'll probably beat me this time!

World class apres ski in both, think Ischgl edges it for me - incredible lift system, really nice resort (even nice jacks on piste ), great food and a quaint compact town, and didn't hear a word spoken in English while I was there! Also higher and better snow, and a couple of steep blacks in a ring. Watch out for the 25k bottles of bubbley though, and if you're after off piste St Anton significantly better.

Rew wrote: »

Was looking at Ischgl for Feb but accommodation looks either expensive or non-existent

In my experience next to impossible to get a room for less than the full week. You could try Galtur up the road and get the bus in, crazy cheap up there (or another one - Kappl is it - down the road).

cormee wrote: »

My wife hasn't been snowboarding with me since our son was born, six years ago. Her office x-mas party is in Chamonix most years, so she gets her fill then. I head off with a group a few weeks after. We also have a two year old girl now, so it will be at least five years before we all head off together.

I am with three year old now and his life ambution is to go skiing with me. Genuinely! You ask him what he wants to do when he grows up and he says he wants to go skiing with daddy! All because I fecked off last year and he's old enough to remember.

Any views on the optimum time to start him?

fannymagee wrote: »

Could you bear to see your little one on skis?! You could bring her much earlier if yes, and it'd give her a taste for snow. My boy hasn't asked to switch to a board yet, but I'm sure he will eventually and I reckon he'll be much more motivated to stick with the learning curve because he's already mastered the skis so he know's what's ahead ;-)

Your views on the above welcome too!

fannymagee wrote: »

It'll be a good season. I can feel it in me waaaarthers ;-)

Did you see that report about the Austrian equivalent of that Donegal postman who predicts the entire winter on the basis of the way the fox's fur is turned on its paw etc etc? Predicting a really snowy season, can't wait!

it's coming... http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Chamonix/6day/mid

Hopefully that's the start of some serious snow over the next few weeks, good news for your brother if so. I'll be there in 5 weeks so need it to dump down!

Anyone here been to St Johann in Tirol?


I've been going to Tignes for the last 5 years but won't be heading this year. A mate of mine is going to St Johann and has asked me along.


I realise it's not on the same scale as the Espace Killy but how does it compare?


I'm kinda worried I'll be bored after a few days having been used to boarding in one of the best areas in the world.

St Johann is quite small. The conical shape means if lower slopes poor there is very little to ski. Alot of the area is at the same steepness level. You do have option to go to nearby resort for variety.

Found we had skied whole resort, all that was skiable in day, or day and half. Still enjoyed it.

Excellent apres ski though

need to get bus, but the day we did it was well worth, the bus hassle, think ski pass covers the buses, if I remember correctly.

Seifer wrote: »

Looking at Val di Fassa, Italy for first trip this year. It's part of the Dolomite SuperSki area so looks like it has exactly what we're looking for. Mix of second time skiers and more seasoned members in the group.

Anyone have any knowledge / recommendations for the area?

Not that resort specifically but Dolomites are stunningly beautiful but not particularly well linked, in my (limited) experience (Cortina). Want to head back and do more of them so can't be that bad.

Seems to be plenty reports of snow over on snowheads anyways. Quick look on Skyscanner there, still can get return flights to Geneva for as low as 70e in December, God I'm tempted ha.

Grandvalira got some, not enough but it least it's setting me nerves to look at the webcam & it not look like a scene from a low budget remake of the Sound of Music!

But there should be a nice few cm falling over the next week ✌ðŸ»️

Looking like a better start to the season than last year. Mayrhofen getting a bit at the moment and more forecast later in the week.
Had a look at Morzine too, more snow there now than the was last Christmas!

Such a good days snow today in Andorra, but Snow Forecast says the temperature is supposed to rocket to (lows of!) 7degrees next Monday 😞 hope it changes in the meantime!

cormee wrote: »

No, I enjoy watching their headlights, from a distance, going up and down the slopes above me, while I sit, glass of wine in hand, on the balcony of my hotel. VERY particular set of conditions, as you can see.

So sitting in a noisy, freezing cab with some surly French dude, who thinks I'm a simpleton for wanting to be there, really doesn't replicate what I have in mind.

Like these two simpletons?! I laughed, bless them ;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdHyYEX4MXM

fannymagee wrote: »

Like these two simpletons?! I laughed, bless them ;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdHyYEX4MXM

That was difficult to watch. I had to stop.