Ski season 2017/2018

BarryNumber1 · 20-02-2018 9:41pm

-20 once myself and I'll add good gloves or mittens to the mix. +1 on the face mask or neck fleece.

blarney_boy · 20-02-2018 10:02pm

-30! I doubt it, in Kitzbuhel ATM and it's -4 at night +2 in the day, lots of fresh snow dumping down so visibility will be a problem long before the cold will.

More powder forecast for tomorrow with sun for the rest of the week, so skiing conditions are ideal, best winter in a decade imho

masseyno9 · 20-02-2018 10:17pm

Lake Lousie on Monday was -30 in the morning. Absolutely the coldest I've ever boarded in...resort was pretty empty though! Lifts were delayed opening, but nothing crazy.
In terms of warmth, my body was fine with a merino wool ninjasuit, t shirt and hoody under my regular pants and jacket shells. I generally don't layer much when riding anyway - so maybe don't use this as a gauge, and plan to pack extra layers. Got a brain freeze (yes, really!) on my first run, so made sure to fix my face mask/goggles/helmet setup so nothing was exposed. Hands and feet were cold. and I had to stop a few times to warm up. I've never had a proper pair of cold-weather gloves and usually am fine with some neoprene gloves and decently thick liners, occasionally stretching another pair over the top for the very cold days. I'll definitely be getting myself some decent mitts as I've had a few days this year below -20 and my hands have definitely felt it. For my feet, I've heard good things about superfeet redhot insoles. They're not heated, but apparently do a great job so I'm considering these also. For skiers, I've seen a lot of people wearing 'boot gloves' which are neoprene outer layers that strap over ski boots without hindering bindings, so these might be worth thinking about, if they're available.

-20 is cold, but generally fine. If you're getting up any kind of speed, ensure no skin is exposed for too long - the windchill at these temps/speeds can and does do damage. Have friends look out for each other in terms of any exposed skin turning white, do the 'nose test' - push your nose and watch for colour returning quickly. This also applies to any other areas that are exposed/cold. Cheeks, chin, neck, ears mainly. You don't need super tech gear to stay warm, just wear layers. You will warm up when riding and cool down on the lifts, so there's a balance you'll need to find.

My biggest issue in cold weather has been goggles, but I seem to mostly have it solved now. I have an 'airhole' brand facemask that has (surprisingly enough) an air hole at the mouth so when exhaling, the vapour doesn't go up into your goggles and fog/freeze them. Frozen inner lens is a pain in the hole. The only way to really deal with it, without risking damage to the lens, is to get them under the hand drier in a bathroom. If you can manage it, don't lift your goggles off your face, even on a lift. Probably not the end of the world if you do, but it does increase the chances of condensation and thus ice on your goggles. Also, leave your goggles out somewhere dry overnight, i.e. not bundled up in your gear. Any vapour that gets in between your lenses needs to naturally work its way out slowly. I've taken a lens out into the cold after a week bundled up in my jacket and it immediately fogged due to the condensation in between the lenses. Had to change lenses for the day.

prunudo · 25-02-2018 4:28pm

Hope everyone else on this page is keeping a close eye on the weather for the week ahead.
Wonder will we get a repeat of 2010.

cormee · 25-02-2018 4:40pm

jvan wrote: »

Hope everyone else on this page is keeping a close eye on the weather for the week ahead.
Wonder will we get a repeat of 2010.

I'll be shredding on the curragh plains if we do. I even have my line picked out. ðŸ˜Ž

T-b0n3 · 25-02-2018 9:45pm

I'm heading to Tignes on Saturday and very excited.

I got new boots last week from snow and rock, along
with a new Planks jacket that arrived on Friday. Can't wait to try them on the slopes.

However I'm a little concerned looking at the temperatures forecast for next week, as low as -24! I don't know what to expect. I'm not sure what the temps I'm used to skiing in but I'm fairly certain that'll be by far the coldest.

no.8 · 25-02-2018 10:29pm

Living near the alps this long time, and relatives up in the nordics so I'd like to help out. Yes it is very much possible to ski below -25c. One of the best trips in memory I had was a weeks stay in saas fee in January, North facing with massive walls to the south. It was -26c to -28c for 4 days. Beautiful effects and great day time ski conditions. I tend to like it because there are fewer people and no mushy snow.
Word of warning though. Try get a package or 10 of hand warmers. For feet you'll likely need a couple of layers. -13c and windy today at 2250m and it would of been uncomfortable without a proper wind breaker/fleece/scarf going up to my goggles. Good luck at -25c / windy in that. Keep your hands covered as much as possible (guilty of taking a picture or 2 of the selcenery too often and below -20c its tough, getting those digits warm again.
Lip balm is necessary, with uv protection if you can get it.

Other than that you should be grand. It'll be an adventure. Careful near moguls though

no.8 · 25-02-2018 10:43pm

masseyno9 wrote:

Lake Lousie on Monday was -30 in the morning. Absolutely the coldest I've ever boarded in...resort was pretty empty though! Lifts were delayed opening, but nothing crazy. In terms of warmth, my body was fine with a merino wool ninjasuit, t shirt and hoody under my regular pants and jacket shells. I generally don't layer much when riding anyway - so maybe don't use this as a gauge, and plan to pack extra layers. Got a brain freeze (yes, really!) on my first run, so made sure to fix my face mask/goggles/helmet setup so nothing was exposed. Hands and feet were cold. and I had to stop a few times to warm up. I've never had a proper pair of cold-weather gloves and usually am fine with some neoprene gloves and decently thick liners, occasionally stretching another pair over the top for the very cold days. I'll definitely be getting myself some decent mitts as I've had a few days this year below -20 and my hands have definitely felt it. For my feet, I've heard good things about superfeet redhot insoles. They're not heated, but apparently do a great job so I'm considering these also. For skiers, I've seen a lot of people wearing 'boot gloves' which are neoprene outer layers that strap over ski boots without hindering bindings, so these might be worth thinking about, if they're available.

Top advice!

trashcan · 28-02-2018 3:49pm

Due to fly to Salzburg on Saturday( second trip this year, yay). Just praying that the flight, and travel to the airport are ok.

blue note · 28-02-2018 4:13pm

trashcan wrote:

Due to fly to Salzburg on Saturday( second trip this year, yay). Just praying that the flight, and travel to the airport are ok.

It would be ironic if you couldn't go skiing because of a snowfall here. Not the funny kind of irony though.

trashcan · 28-02-2018 8:23pm

blue note wrote: »

It would be ironic if you couldn't go skiing because of a snowfall here. Not the funny kind of irony though.

Just what I've been thinking. Now that's irony, Alanis Morrissette.

Rew · 28-02-2018 10:51pm

trashcan wrote: »

Due to fly to Salzburg on Saturday( second trip this year, yay). Just praying that the flight, and travel to the airport are ok.

In the same boat here, due to fly to Munich at 9am sat...

trashcan · 28-02-2018 10:54pm

Rew wrote: »

In the same boat here, due to fly to Munich at 9am sat...

I feel your pain. My flight isn't until early afternoon, so not as bad as you. Have everything crossed that it works out ok. Best of luck:o

Rew · 01-03-2018 2:39pm

Latest info

Dublin Airport has been operational from 5.20 this morning following snow and ice clearance.

However there were significant cancellations due to the impact of adverse weather here and also at a number of airports in Britain and continental Europe.

Aer Lingus has indicated that it will to suspend its flight operations at Dublin Airport from 15.00 today due to the bad weather. It plans to resume flight operations on Saturday morning.

Ryanair has said it will suspend flight operations to and from Dublin Airport by 16.00 today. It plans to resume operations on Saturday morning.

All other airlines are suspending operations from about 15.00 today.

Given the Red Weather Alert for later today and tomorrow, it is unlikely that other airlines will operate to or from Dublin Airport on Friday and they are likely to resume operations on Saturday morning.

We will have snow crews working today and tomorrow to continue to clear the runway, taxiways, aircraft parking stands and apron areas for our airline customers’ planned resumption of services on Saturday morning.

Please contact your airline for the latest information in relation to the status of you flight.

We will continue to update passengers via Facebook, Twitter and our website.

We apologise for the inconvenience that the adverse weather has caused to passengers.

Mountain_Surfer · 01-03-2018 7:15pm

trashcan wrote: »

Due to fly to Salzburg on Saturday( second trip this year, yay). Just praying that the flight, and travel to the airport are ok.

Same boat! Pretty confident that everything will be fine, but hard not to be a little nervous!

trashcan · 02-03-2018 6:28pm

Getting more nervous by the minute here. Hasn't stoped snowing all day, and now I see the red weather warning is extended until 9am tomorrow. Yikes :eek:

T-b0n3 · 02-03-2018 6:41pm

trashcan wrote: »

Getting more nervous by the minute here. Hasn't stoped snowing all day, and now I see the red weather warning is extended until 9am tomorrow. Yikes :eek:

Yes very frustrating.

Even getting to the airport at the point is going to be stressful!

Fingers and toes crossed!

blue note · 03-03-2018 3:13pm

I'm hoping people not posting here is because they're on flights / transfers / collecting their gear / guzzling gluwein!

T-b0n3 · 03-03-2018 3:23pm

I've landed in Grenoble

I hope everyone else got where they were going.

Happy skiing.

Rew · 03-03-2018 11:34pm

Getting to the airport was a nightmare but after a 3h delay we made it to Munich!!

stecleary · 05-03-2018 8:59am

I see the coppers ski trip was cancelled with a good few in Dublin airport!!!

Booked a week in Arinsal for myself and the wife, Fly out the 18th, It cant come quick enough

Vegeta · 05-03-2018 1:44pm

Hey folks, where would people recommend for late March in Europe? Am not an expert by any means so if it's on a high flat'ish glacier I don't mind one bit.

Timmaay · 05-03-2018 2:11pm

Completely against the odds made it to val thorens this week! For anyone who thinks it's horribly expensive, 11e for a 70cl bottle of rum in the supermarket there, I certainly won't be breaking the bank keeping the booze flowing the week! What a ski resort also, perfect conditions!

irlirishkev · 05-03-2018 2:43pm

Had a great few days, and a few not so great days in Sauze D'oulx last week.
Flight home from Milan on Friday was cancelled, managed to secure one from Geneva for Saturday. It would have been tomorrow by the time we'd gotten one home from Milan.

Stressful couple of days.. Excellent ski location though - I'd highly recommend it. Endless wide open pistes. Mostly reds, but Italian reds are a lot easier than other reds. Even the blacks seemed easier.

prunudo · 06-03-2018 11:45am

Rew wrote: »

In the same boat here, due to fly to Munich at 9am sat...

Was on the thursday morning Ryanair flight to munich. Had a 3 hour delay also but was just thankful to get off the ground. Was touch and go for a while.

Stayed in Zell am See for a few days, really enjoyed the resort, nice picturesque town and decent sized mountain to keep you entertained for 3 days. Not as wild as Mayrhofen but still decent apres to be found.

cocker5 · 06-03-2018 11:24pm

Ischgl tomorrow 10 nights.. woooo hooooooo

evil_seed · 08-03-2018 1:19pm

cocker5 wrote: »

Ischgl tomorrow 10 nights.. woooo hooooooo

If you've not been, go to the Schatzi bar for apres ski

a148pro · 08-03-2018 10:29pm

Vegeta wrote: »

Hey folks, where would people recommend for late March in Europe? Am not an expert by any means so if it's on a high flat'ish glacier I don't mind one bit.

Ischgl, 3 valleys, tignes, amongst others

cormee · 09-03-2018 9:24am

irlirishkev wrote: »

Endless wide open pistes. Mostly reds, but Italian reds are a lot easier than other reds. Even the blacks seemed easier.

I wonder if that's standard for all Italian resorts, I took a day trip from Chamonix to Courmayeur (sp?) once, and the difference between the blacks in both resorts couldn't have been more remarkable.

A Courmayeur black was more like a medium Chamonix red.

The only other Italian resort I've been to was Cervinia, but that was a long time ago, and I wouldn't have been on blacks.

a148pro · 09-03-2018 12:42pm

I think in general resorts like to have a few blacks on their maps, irrespective of whether terrain really warrants it. It gives the impression of availability of some hard terrain which meets the demand of a certain demographic (me!).

I agree that courmayeur didn't have much by way of steeps. Cervinia also. But I think that's reflective of the resorts rather than the country. Arrabba (or something) in the dolomites has superb steep blacks for instance.

cormee · 09-03-2018 1:48pm

a148pro wrote: »

I think in general resorts like to have a few blacks on their maps, irrespective of whether terrain really warrants it.

Same with a green/blue that leads back to the town.

a148pro · 09-03-2018 9:26pm

cormee wrote: »

Same with a green/blue that leads back to the town.

Yeah, appeals to the wife's demographic!

cormee · 10-03-2018 4:00am

a148pro wrote: »

Yeah, appeals to the wife's demographic!

I hear ya!

a148pro · 10-03-2018 9:54am

you been out yet this year cormee? More than once I suspect?

Timmaay · 10-03-2018 5:52pm

Definitely the best week of skiing I've ever had in the 3V, decent bit of fresh snow over the week, but thankfully only 2 half days off poor visibility, huge huge huge area to ski in, you would need 3 wks to explore it all (I made a reasonable attempt in a week, clocking up 100km most days on the strava). I never tend to go on holidays to the same location more than once but I can certainly see myself going back to the 3V.

a148pro · 10-03-2018 9:47pm

One of my best days on skis involved headphones (mylo's 2006 essential mix) and getting off the leash of my two beginner mates in the 3vs. If you're into mainlining piste after piste after piste there is nothing like it.

cormee · 11-03-2018 3:52am

a148pro wrote: »

you been out yet this year cormee? More than once I suspect?

Indeed I have. Went to Chamonix in January, but the conditions were awful, the only place open was Les Houches, which was fine, but not what I was expecting.

Going to Engelberg in early April, so the excitement is starting to build up!

trashcan · 11-03-2018 12:46pm

blue note wrote: »

I'm hoping people not posting here is because they're on flights / transfers / collecting their gear / guzzling gluwein!

Managed to get out, albeit with a 5 hour delay, didn't reach the resort until 12.30am. However, I'd have bitten your hand off for that last Friday !

fmlarnapairce · 12-03-2018 12:24pm

cormee wrote: »

Indeed I have. Went to Chamonix in January, but the conditions were awful, the only place open was Les Houches, which was fine, but not what I was expecting.

Going to Engelberg in early April, so the excitement is starting to build up!

class spot, you'll love it. has it all

maddness · 12-03-2018 9:47pm

cormee wrote: »

I wonder if that's standard for all Italian resorts, I took a day trip from Chamonix to Courmayeur (sp?) once, and the difference between the blacks in both resorts couldn't have been more remarkable.

A Courmayeur black was more like a medium Chamonix red.

The only other Italian resort I've been to was Cervinia, but that was a long time ago, and I wouldn't have been on blacks.

Try Champoluc, some seriously tough slopes. Plenty of steep and rolling red runs.

fannymagee · 16-03-2018 7:41pm

Maybe avoid Georgia?! (Warning- Link contains embedded footage of a nightmarish lift accident).

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5828924/ski-lift-sends-passengers-flying-georgia-video/

Ki ki · 16-03-2018 11:18pm

fannymagee wrote: »

Maybe avoid Georgia?! ðŸ™ˆ

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5828924/ski-lift-sends-passengers-flying-georgia-video/

You should really warn people that this contains footage of a horrible accident in Georgia. It is quite upsetting and scary.

fannymagee · 17-03-2018 12:26am

Ki ki wrote: »

You should really warn people that this contains footage of a horrible accident in Georgia. It is quite upsetting and scary.

You are right, thank you. Done.

a148pro · 17-03-2018 11:13am

Does anyone know why they were all coming down?

Edit I see the lift is actually going backwards

prunudo · 17-03-2018 11:31am

a148pro wrote: »

Does anyone know why they were all coming down?

Edit I see the lift is actually going backwards

Power failure and then brake wouldnt engage.
Scary situation.

cormee · 17-03-2018 9:10pm

Timmaay wrote: »

Definitely the best week of skiing I've ever had in the 3V, decent bit of fresh snow over the week, but thankfully only 2 half days off poor visibility, huge huge huge area to ski in, you would need 3 wks to explore it all (I made a reasonable attempt in a week, clocking up 100km most days on the strava). I never tend to go on holidays to the same location more than once but I can certainly see myself going back to the 3V.

The three valleys are definitely my favourite destination. Such a massive ski area!

Fintc · 19-03-2018 7:07pm

Hi ,
Going skiing next week in mayrhofen with a few friends. Just wondering does anyone have a contact for private lessons? Only have 3 days of skiing so would like to get a full day of private lessons first. The ski schools charge a fortune and most doesn't go to the instructor.
Thanks

stecleary · 26-03-2018 7:11pm

Just home from a week in Arinsal, Arinsal closed for two days due to high winds and snowfall, Thankfully the area pass includes Pal so still got to ski.
Now if only they could do something about the 4 hour bus journey to andorra

cormee · 28-03-2018 4:26pm

What a crazy season this has been, I'm heading to Engelberg in 9 days, 15 hours, 16 minutes, and 3 seconds... and they got 20 cm of snow two days ago, there is snow forecast all week, and the snow base there is expected to be at 7m over Easter!

What the holy hell is going on!

a148pro · 28-03-2018 9:34pm

cormee wrote: »

What a crazy season this has been, I'm heading to Engelberg in 9 days, 15 hours, 16 minutes, and 3 seconds... and they got 20 cm of snow two days ago, there is snow forecast all week, and the snow base there is expected to be at 7m over Easter!

What the holy hell is going on!

Its great, great season to be going skiing late, read somewhere it was deepest snow in 40 years.

Had 3 days in ischgl over weekend, it really is a fantastic resort. Would be gone chasing powder again in Chamonix today if I didn't have multiple kids hanging out of my neck.

Ski season 2017/2018

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