Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

Winter Resort Report thread

123457»

Comments

  • #182
    a148pro
    Registered Users Posts: 2,204 ✭✭✭a148pro


    iroced wrote: »
    Also, I actually did a couple of closed black trails in "off-piste conditions" after seeing they had enough snow cover (e.g. Grande Rosière in Méribel, Léo Lacroix in Les Ménuires - was actually surprised they were closed since they were great to ski and they only needed a little work in some parts to be open to the masses, maybe the off-season effect?).

    Just be careful of this - I've skipped the rope and skied blacks a good few times on the assumption that they're closed due to icy moguls or lack of snow, which I feel I can handle but the hordes can't, on the basis that I get to ski some effective off piste. I don't do this any more and in reality its a bad idea. Pistes are closed for a variety of reasons and one is avalanche danger, either above the piste or on the piste itself. You won't go too long without reading about people being killed skiing closed pistes (there was an incident in France last year I think involving a teacher and school children and multiple deaths).

    Basically, its a bad idea and disrespectful to the pisteurs. The reality is the likes of us haven't an F-ing clue what is safe and what not on the mountain and we should respect the pisteurs and their knowledge and just do what they say. From their perspective must really piss them off when we do it. Bear in mind they may also have closed the piste to work on it.

    Not giving out to you - as I say, I've done it before, just didn't want other people coming and reading it and getting the idea its ok.

    PS if in 3vs for the skiing I recommend Mottaret as its right on the junction between the two lifts into the other valley - great place for first tracks and easy access.


  • #183
    iroced
    Registered Users Posts: 6,262 ✭✭✭iroced


    a148pro wrote: »
    Just be careful of this - I've skipped the rope and skied blacks a good few times on the assumption that they're closed due to icy moguls or lack of snow, which I feel I can handle but the hordes can't, on the basis that I get to ski some effective off piste. I don't do this any more and in reality its a bad idea. Pistes are closed for a variety of reasons and one is avalanche danger, either above the piste or on the piste itself. You won't go too long without reading about people being killed skiing closed pistes (there was an incident in France last year I think involving a teacher and school children and multiple deaths).

    Basically, its a bad idea and disrespectful to the pisteurs. The reality is the likes of us haven't an F-ing clue what is safe and what not on the mountain and we should respect the pisteurs and their knowledge and just do what they say. From their perspective must really piss them off when we do it. Bear in mind they may also have closed the piste to work on it.

    Not giving out to you - as I say, I've done it before, just didn't want other people coming and reading it and getting the idea its ok.

    PS if in 3vs for the skiing I recommend Mottaret as its right on the junction between the two lifts into the other valley - great place for first tracks and easy access.
    Yeah I agree with you but in a way it's like going for an off-piste run. Once you leave the pistes you know you're under your own responsibility and insurance (it's actually written on the ski area map and on some signs on the top of some pistes).

    Now, coming back to my own example, I can assure you there was a very limited risk. The only real risk was myself falling and hitting a rock. But that was up to me to be careful.
    The peak of the season had already passed and they were not making huge efforts to open some black pistes with thin snow cover. I can understand it. But in the meantime you pay the same amount for the skipass (which is expensive enough) so there should not be any difference between the on and off season. There were several red pistes with "be careful - thin snow cover" signs. They could have done the same on the 2 black pistes I cited.

    And the avalanche risk was pretty low. At 2/5 for most of the week (3/5 towards the end because of the snowfall in the upper parts). But in the lower parts of the ski area, it was more a question of gathering up the most snow they could to open the pistes.


    - edit -
    I agree with you about Mottaret. But it was too expensive for us this year so we chose Meribel Centre instead ;).


  • #184
    olaola
    Registered Users Posts: 4,139 ✭✭✭olaola


    1. Where and when you went.

    Schladming, 27/01 - 03/02

    2. What you did there ski/board/blade.

    Ski.

    3. How were the conditions on/off piste.

    Sensational, the pistes were in excellent condition and after a dump of snow on Thursday night, lots of fresh stuff!
    Endless supply of cracking runs, I don't think I've ever been to a resort that had such a wealth of really great pistes. It's not really a spot for beginners, but intermediates to advanced are very well catered for. The mountain we stayed on had some 'best in the wurlt' 3 gold thingies for best pistes or something.

    The lift equipment was a bit lacking in some areas, everything that hasn't been replaced recently is old and slow. I'm sure they're going through a program of replacement. You can avoid most of the crappier lifts with a bit of planning (20 min 2 man chair lift!!)

    4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.

    Intermediate

    5. What were the bars/restaurants like.

    Can't really say! We stayed up the mountain in a spot called Almdorf Reiteralm. Ski in/ski out, chalets on site and we did half board in the hotel next door. The main town on Schladming is a fair distance down the mountain. The town itself isn't that attractive, so you're not missing a wild lot not heading down. Some of the rest of the gang headed down one evening, said it was pretty dead. Prob hopping around the World Cup though!

    Loads of great mountain huts, no new canteen like places. Reasonable prices too.

    7. Any hidden gems you found near nearby.

    3 of the 4 connected mountains (Planai, Hochwurzen & Reiteralm) had too many amazing runs to count. Felt like a kid on Christmas morning, opening more and more presents!!

    8. Was the population when you were there mostly Irish/Brits or mainland Europeans.

    Mainland Europeans, heard one English accent while we were there.

    9. Any other relevant comments, and whether you would go again.

    Definitely, I thought it was the best resort I've visited. And only an hour from Salzburg, with a train station in the main village. The only downside is that the 4 mountains are in a line, and not a circuit. So there's a bit of schlepping to get to the furthest connected area. There's a good few other discrete mountains, but we never bothered going near them. The accommodation we stayed in was really well set up for kids, we didn't pay a cent for our two (1 & 3, incl HB). Lots of things to keep them occupied, but while a skidoo took the wee man to school, they couldn't take him home until 3 (he finished ski school at 12) so we had to get the gondola down & taxi back up the mountain. Prob wouldn't take him back until he was confident doing a blue. There's a handy enough forest track back to the place from the beginners area.


Advertisement