Winter Resort Report thread

NervousNude · 09-03-2009 5:07pm

1. Where and when you went.

Pas de la Casa, Andorra. March 1st - 8th 2009.

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

I boarded but was with 3 skiers.

3. How were the conditions on/off piste.

It hadn't snowed in a while before we arrived but we had light dustings on the first evening. This continued for most of the week which meant visibility wasn't great but slopes stayed in good conditions. A 30cm dump mid week boosted the off piste significantly. There were some great bowls with natural half pipes for powder boarding and loads of easy off piste right near the groomed runs, perfect for beginner off pisters.

The last day was glorious sunshine and great visibilty which we could have done with a bit more of throughout the week.

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.

Intermediate (carve reds, little jumps and tree speckled off piste).

5. What were the bars/restaurants like.

Classy they weren't but definitely cheap and cheerful. Great atmosphere about the place, I think mostly due to the healthy dose of Spaniards. Really good value as well, Happy hour starts at about 5 which means 2 glasses of beer for €2. Free shots in most bars.

It's a bit tacky, but somehow it doesn't matter (possibly due to the free shots!).

Restaurants were significantly more pricey although there are 'offers' galore which can get you a bit of a discount or a few free drinks. Looking at about €15 for a main course, no culinary wizadry included.

6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.

The friendly vibe, really well run ski school and cheap drinks. Skiing is surprisingly good too.

7. Any hidden gems you found nearby.

From the Grau Roig base, take the long drag lift (it's worth it - even for boarders!) up to Pessons. A short hike up the small hill directly on your right from the top of this lift brings you to the top of a little forest with some great (and fairly easy) off piste. This is the best option if visibility is bad. Beware the small river at the end though!!!

Pas 83 (by no means a hidden gem!) is the best place for apres ski straight from the slopes.

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

Mostly Spanish, followed closely by Brits, Portuguese and a dwindling amount of Irish.

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

The accommodation in Pas is all within a 5 minute walk of the main ski centre which means no faffing about with ski buses etc. Plenty of bars right at the bottom of the slopes with lots of activity come 4 o'clock.

Ski school is really well organised and everyone I met was really happy with their instructor. There is only one school and I think that because of this they manage to group people of the same ability really well. I've never been to a resort where they had 6 groups of intermediate snowboarders.

One thing to note is that generally speaking beginners ski/snowboard school is in the morning and intermediates in the afternoon. This seems to be slightly flexible for skiers but not at all for snowboarders, so as it turned out my 3 (skiing) friends had school in the morning whilst I had it in the afternoon, meeting only for lunch.

I'd go back in a flash, mostly due to the friendly people, cheap apres-ski and general good feeling of the place. There's no pretending that Pas is any sort of alpine wonderland but it doesn't try to be and I think that's part of it's charm.

RATM · 10-03-2009 11:24am

1. Where and when you went.

Luchon-Superbagneres, French Pyrennes, 2nd-9th March

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

Boarding

3. How were the conditions on/off piste.

Super, dumps of snow all over the place. On piste was good but one main red run is full of moguls ( dam you skiers ! ). Off piste also had some excellent powder- about 1ft deep, just the way I like it=) Had a few blue sky days too, even got sunburnt !

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.

Intermediate

5. What were the bars/restaurants like.

Stayed in a mates holiday home about an hours drive away so didnt really experience any apres-ski apart from a couple of beers in the town of Luchon on the last day. Wouldnt say it is raging for apres ski in any event. Mountain restaurants were reasonable compared to the Alps- crepes €2.50, full meals €8-10, burger and chips €5, tea/coffee/250ml beer €2.50-3.

6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.

Good variety of runs from beginner to intermediate. Not really for advanced, black runs ( except for one ) aren't that long and are limited. Slopes are very empty given the size, especially Mon-Fri. Bit more busy at weekends but still bearable. Never queued for a lift for more than 3 minutes at the weekend and during the week no queues at all.

7. Any hidden gems you found nearby.

Powder stashes are around for those willing to head off piste. We were lucky and had one to ourselves off a beginners green slope. All the off pisters were over the other side of the mountain so we just shreded it up ourselves before anyone really knew about it:pac:

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

Didnt hear any Irish accents there. A few Brits though. Mainly French- this is not a resort that package operators go to so its mainly locals. Most Brits we spoke to had holiday homes in the Pyrennes and use them for summer time and winter skiing.

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

Good resort, possibly too small for a full week if you are intermediate. Wouldn't go again as I like to hop around different places. However I would recommend it. Lift pass was €26 per day, €23 with a student card, cheaper again if you bought a 6 days pass ( photo needed ).

mcgratheoin · 16-03-2009 12:40pm

1. Where and when you went.
Morzine, 4th to 12th of March

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

3. How were the conditions on/off piste.
Awesome - 20cm snow on the 5th & 6th and glorious sunshine the 7th and 8th - then some more snow. Off-piste was incredible - huge areas of untracked powder and great tree-skiing

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.
Advanced

5. What were the bars/restaurants like.
Typical French food and expensive bars. If in Morzine, then try to find a little bar called Cafe Chaud - it's the seasonaire's pub and is a great spot - particularly during the 4 to 7 happy hour. Not a bad restaurant either. In Avoriaz, there's a diner and hire shop called Changabang that is probably the best value in the Portes du Soleil - great burgers and curly fries, and if you want to rent high end equipment it's a good place to go.

6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.
Large area of the Portes du Soleil - plenty of terrain to keep you interested.

7. Any hidden gems you found nearby.
The far side of Les Gets (Mont Chéry) has some nice powder after a fresh dump - some great little off-piste runs through a forest that all end at an access road. this means it doesn't matter where you come out, you can still follow the road back to the base of the lift - did about 6 runs one after the other there one day and got untracked powder on all of them!
Also hit "The Stash" near Avoriaz - great natural park - lots of wooden boxes and rails and a picnic table drop-off that is some of the most fun I've ever had in a park. (www.thestash.com)
For food/drink, it has to be Changabang in Avoriaz and Cafe Chaud in Morzine.

8. Was the population when you were there mostly Irish/Brits or mainland Europeans.
Lots of Brits - was mostly hanging out with seasonaires, so I'm not sure what the more touristy places are like. Mostly locals on Saturdays (transfer day) so nice and quiet.

9. Any other relevant comments, and whether you would go again.
Good resort, huge area - if the snow isn't that good then Avoriaz is probably a better place to stay as it's higher up. Morzine can feel a little disconnected, but if you were in Avoriaz, then you may not feel like heading down to Morzine or Les Gets and they're definitely worth skiing in good conditions. Also keep an eye out for the pig in Morzine around the Nyon area - I'm not joking, there's a pig that someone owns up there and it wanders around the pistes - quite surreal when you ski around a corner and see it standing there on the side of the slope!

bobtjustice · 18-03-2009 5:54pm

sineadgalway wrote: »

1. Where and when you went.
St Johann in Tirol, Austrian. January 24th to 31st

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

3. How were the conditions on/off piste.
Lots of fresh snow, c90cm on top, lots of powder off piste (but off piste limited)

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.
Intermediate

5. What were the bars/restaurants like.
We were half board at Goldener Lowe, rooms were only ok and food was ok except for Knoodlefest, local dumpling festival. Lets just say there is no need for liver dumplings....Most of apres ski was in Max's bar at bottom of slope. Hopping from 5-8 then everyone leaves. Quiet around town after that. Sports bar on square and bar on the balcony pretty good. It was still off season so slopes were empty which was good but it meant that apres ski wasn't as lively as usual....

6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.
Freindly and small. Easy access to Kitzbuhel by train for €5 return so you can ski there without expense of staying there (but not included on local lift pass, its €36 for day)

7. Any hidden gems you found nearby.
Stienplatte worth a day trip for the views alone and you can ski into germany

8. Was the population when you were there mostly Irish/Brits or mainland Europeans.
Mostly Irish, Dutch and Germans

9. Any other relevant comments, and whether you would go again.
Ski school Wilder Kaiser was really good...

My first trip snowboarding was here. 7th-14th of March. Great place. Except for the hotel ... Goldener Lowe.. Don't stay there.!

Steak and Wein across the road from the hotel, has some of the best eating ever.!

Mountain_Surfer · 11-04-2009 11:18pm

1. Where and when you went.
Val Thorens, 21st - 28th March

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

3. How were the conditions on/off piste.
The first 2 days were absolute blue-bird days and there had not been an awful lot of snow in the week before we went. Those afternoons the lower runs especially were quite slushy but the higher runs were fine. It then snowed non stop for 2 and a half days. Thankfully the vis was ok too so it meant despite the new snow you could still ski. Then the last day and a half were some of the best days skiing that I've ever had. Blue skies and maybe 2 feet of fresh powder off piste and perfectly groomed pistes

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.
Advanced, but the group was a total mix of everything

5. What were the bars/restaurants like.
We organized our trip (16 of us) to be there at the same time as the Snowsports crowd from our University so as students we didn't eat out all that much! When we did though we kept it simple with nice pizzas in a few different places that were not too expensive and huge so ok value for money! We all drank in our apartments before going out as most people were doing the holiday on a budget but the drink was not too expensive out anyway.

6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.
We went to a bar called Viking on the Sunday night where they had this game all night that you order a round and then roll a dice against the bar person, you get higher than them and you get the round for free, you get the same or less and you pay for whatever you have ordered. A lot of the group didn't spend a cent and were drinking all night! Another great place to go is Dick's Tea Bar where we we ended up most nights. Nice staff, good music & relatively inexpensive drink.

7. Any hidden gems you found nearby.
I got the cable car up to 3200m with another one of the group and we decided to take the black down from there to Orelle. The first 1km was flat and sheet ice and we were wondering what we had let ourselves into but then you turn a corner, the wind drops and we had more powder than you could shake a stick at. We were one of the only people on it all day so it was so fresh and my favorite run of the trip hands down. Unbelievable! The snow park and bordercross were also brilliant and well worth a look. While we were there they had a Snowboard festival with live music all day on the mountain and competitions in the park etc etc but one of the cool things was a big jump that they had built by the main mountain restaurant which had a massive inflatable landing mat over the landing area so you could pull whatever tricks you wanted in the knowledge you would be safe regardless of how the jump went. Even people who started skiing that week did it and loved it!

8. Was the population when you were there mostly Irish/Brits or mainland Europeans.
A lot of Dutch and loads of English students. It was obviously mid-term so there were 3 groups of hundreds and then a few more smaller groups also. Not many Irish at all

9. Any other relevant comments, and whether you would go again.
Great resort, we got a brilliant deal from www.valthorens.com of liftpass and accommodation for the week for 215e. The accommodation was basic but we were only there to sleep really so didn't mind. It was very central so no complaints. Half the group hired cars at the airport in Grenoble, the other half bussed and trained their way to the resort and they worked out almost the same price but the car was much less stressful and I would recommend it. One of the nights we were in one of the resort's clubs Malaysia, and a few of the group were throwing snowballs around outside (as you do) and the bouncers went mental and pepper sprayed 5 of us badly. Really put a huge downer on the night so if you are headed there watch the messing!
Finally, yes I would definitely go to Val Thorens again.

LeoD · 02-06-2009 2:02pm

1. Where and when you went.
Sauze d-Oulx, Dec 27 - Jan 3

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

3. How were the conditions on/off piste.
As with every other resort in Europe this year, snow conditions were perfect although I think this may have given those in charge of the pistes to sit back and take it easy. It looked like only some of the pistes were groomed at night so pistes, while in pretty good shape, could have been better.

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.
Intermediate

5. What were the bars/restaurants like.
When one of the main bars in the town is called Paddy McGinty's you would be worried but there were a few other decent spots. Plenty of nice mountain top restaurants for lunch breaks but the queues were frustrating - we were there at probably the busiest time of year so possibly a similar scenario in all resorts.

6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.
It's proximity to Turin airport. You can be on the slopes nearly an hour after landing so suitable for short breaks.

7. Any hidden gems you found nearby.
Not really but we didn't go looking for any either. Plenty to keep us occupied where we were.

8. Was the population when you were there mostly Irish/Brits or mainland Europeans.
Mainly Italians I would say. Not too many Irish or Brits and no Dutch which probably wasn't so good as it made for a relatively quite aprés ski scene.

9. Any other relevant comments, and whether you would go again.
Not sure if I'd go back. The lift system is a bit antiquated which resulted in long queues at all the key lifts. The lift operators could do with a bit of a kick up the backside as they made no effort of making sure all lifts were full despite the massive queues :mad:. They only clean the snow off the returning chairs also if there happens to be a girl waiting to get on

. The town itself is picturesque and has some nice places to eat but the lack of aprés ski options was a bit dissappointing. The ski hire service was a bit like the ski lift operators - half arsed.

rn · 16-06-2009 3:49pm

1. Where and when you went.

Meribel, 3 Valleys. Sat 4th April - Sat 11th

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

Ski.

3. How were the conditions on/off piste.

On piste only. Plenty of snow at the start of the week, but very very icy in the morning. Towards the end of the week most of lower slops were getting bare and the snow was melting fast.

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.

Beginner

5. What were the bars/restaurants like.

Very quiet it seamed to us. It seamed to be all families and school kids when we were there. Restaruants were expensive, but we had our own self catering and there was a few good little food shops.

6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.

Meribel or Moterat are very well located re the slopes. No transit time. Don't stay in Les Allures or Brides de Bains - its a false economy saving €200 on accomodation over the course of the week for and hour in a Gondola. There are plenty of pistes for all levels.

7. Any hidden gems you found nearby.

Well not hidden, but courceheval is very accessible and its got great long, wide runs for beginners. So is Val thoren, but we never made it up there.

If you are staying in central meribel you can ski down to ski school every morning and get the bus back up.

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

Mainly Brits. Rich kids from boarding school! Very, very few Irish.

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

Definitely we arrived for the last decent skiing for beginners. The lower slopes were grand for the first 3 days, but it got very hot then and the last 2 days were very poor. However the higher up slopes which were more suited to intermediates seamed grand. It was interesting skiing in a t-shirt through! Will definitely go earlier next year.

I would also recommend getting private lessons instead of skischool. Ski school can be hit and miss on whether you get a good instructor or not.

I would definitely go again to these resorts. The lifts and pistes were very very well maintained.

readthecontract · 21-06-2009 11:52am

Went to Font Romue in Pyrenees last year:

FLy to Gerona with Ryanair
Hired a car
Booked apartment over the net, owner kindly arranged lift passes, ski hire, lessons

5 people for 1 week, €2,000.

jm99 · 23-10-2009 11:19pm

1. Where and when you went.
Bansko last feb
2. What you did there ski/board/blade.
skied
3. How were the conditions on/off piste.
Fantastic on and off, there was a big dump the day we landed and a few more during the week(lucky lucky lucky). a friend was there the week before and it wasn't great. alot of ice
4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.
intermediate i reckon but i havent peaked yet
5. What were the bars/restaurants like.
very quiet but there was 12 of us so we had plenty of craic. food was grand. noting to fancy but tasty
6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.
cheap, excellant resort for beginners

7. Any hidden gems you found nearby.
8. Was the population when you were there mostly Irish/Brits or
mainland Europeans.
mainly europeans but a few brits n irish
9. Any other relevant comments, and whether you would go again.
i thought it was excellant but i wouldn't go back, got kinda bored of the same slopes by thursday

erinn · 01-11-2009 12:49am

I've just booked my ski hol to Mayrhofen in Austria for the 19th to 26th Dec!!! cant wait to go now!!! got a good deal on crystals website!!! and looked up the Harakiri slope....78degrees and in english means "ritual suicide" i'm so looking forward to doing that!!!

am i bovvered · 04-11-2009 9:02pm

erinn wrote: »

looked up the Harakiri slope....78degrees and in english means "ritual suicide" i'm so looking forward to doing that!!!

:eek: some great youtube clips of that run

a147pro · 07-12-2009 9:16pm

not likely to be anywhere near 78 degrees lads, very few slopes are steeper than 40 degrees, even though they may feel 80 at times

I_luv_2_ski! · 07-12-2009 11:56pm

a147pro wrote: »

not likely to be anywhere near 78 degrees lads, very few slopes are steeper than 40 degrees, even though they may feel 80 at times

the following is a quote from the website:

http://winter.mayrhofner-bergbahnen.com/en/100304/100252/harakiri-piste.html

"Sportive skiers and snowboarders can prove their skills on Austria's steepest ski slope here in Mayrhofen. This steep slope has an average incline of unbelievable 78 per cent(!) making a jack and special groomers indispensable for grooming. There are also special Harakiri souvenirs for "Harakiri survivors" - available at the merchandising shop at the Ahornbahn and at all ticket counters. "

And the fact that it is AVERAGE incline is 78 degrees means that even if there is less steep parts then 78 degrees there is also steeper parts!!!

in this video the 1st person is me and the second is my boyfriend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4_6vhxRSe0&feature=related

haha fingers crossed anyway!!!

Rev. Kitchen · 21-12-2009 1:43pm

1. Where and when you went.
Verbier switzerland / chamonix (grand mountain) France (sat 19th/sun 20th)

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

3. How were the conditions on/off piste.
Very good conditions (snow just arrived in time) but very cold -18 in Verbier,-23 in chamonix. Steeper slopes where quite icy. But for the most part it was just right.

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.
beginner/ intermediate.

5. What were the bars/restaurants like.
Didnt stay at the resorts i was based in Gland near geneva

6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.
Both slopes with 1 1/2 to 2 hours of geneva airport along with a host of other resorts nearby. geneva is quite cheap to fly to from cork.

7. Any hidden gems you found nearby.
Not really

8. Was the population when you were there mostly Irish/Brits or mainland Europeans.
Mainly french with the odd english person.

9. Any other relevant comments, and whether you would go again.
verbier : Very impressive resort good lift systems ( chair lifts with a pull down screen to shield you from the snow and wind on the way up.) But slopes are not great for snowboarders. Slopes went from very steep to uphill quite often. Ok on skis but if you dont have the speed on a snow board it involves a lot of clipping in and out of the board.

For me it was just too steep for my skill level, ended up doing falling leaf in way too many locations that where too steep/icy for me. 1 Blue was too narrow and flat for snow boards. Ended up taking a few really bad falls and by the end of the day i was in bits.

Chamonix : the next day was much better. Reds where much better but i stuck to the blues for most of the day. Good lift system and plenty of choice. I wouldnt go again as the slopes had a cross fall rather than a straight down slope so it made it difficult to get from the left side back across to the right. Again some of the "Blues" where way too steep. I had a friend with me who has 20 years experience and regulary uses black slopes as well as off piste and he could nt beleave one of the blues wasnt a black it was so dangerous.

It was good to get back on the slopes but i would only recomend to intermediates to advanced skiers.

Ill be heading back to Andorra in feb

redzerdrog · 21-12-2009 3:23pm

erinn wrote: »

I've just booked my ski hol to Mayrhofen in Austria for the 19th to 26th Dec!!! cant wait to go now!!! got a good deal on crystals website!!! and looked up the Harakiri slope....78degrees and in english means "ritual suicide" i'm so looking forward to doing that!!!

that slope looks amazing

Mmmm_Lemony · 31-12-2009 10:25am

2009 Holiday report: Oberstdorf

1. Where and when you went.

26-29 Dec, Oberstdorf, German Algau Fellhorn and Sollereck
Only got in 2 days skiing though

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

Ski

3. How were the conditions on/off piste.

On - Not great, very icy, both resorts had alot of snow machines in action though.

Off - Not bad from what I tried but not alot of info available in resort.

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.

Intermediate. Went with 2 beginners, looking to improve parallel skiing technique. I wouldn't recommend either resort for this.

5. What were the bars/restaurants like.

German beer is the bogs dollix! But found it a little dead at night. Restaurants had really good food and some great prices.

6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.

Views are stunning, German beer is great. Not a bad spot for a few intermediate skiers to go for a few cheap days skiing, but not around this time of year, later in the season would be better. Definitely not for beginners!

7. Any hidden gems you found nearby.

The greatest Beer hall in the world is in Munich, and if your flying in to MUC its a must on the tour.

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

Germans. It helps to know a few words too.

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

Germans can be a little sharp in general but some really nice friendly people amongst them. The german transport system is the best I've ever seen in all my travels, so moving around its never an issue. The beer is great and the food is too. For this reason I probably would go again, as I want to check out Nebelhorn, but I won't be taking any beginners with me.

Not for beginners, very narrow for snowboarders. There is a blue run on Felhorn, number 10, and it aint blue! Brought 2 inexperienced girls up there and it was about as wide as a country road at the start, and had a practically vertical drop each side. Wayyyyy too steep for a pizza fries approach. Also, both resort were poorly sign posted. Went for a spin down number 5 on sollereck which is to the right of the main run and ended up on some off-piste forest runs. Nice with a bunch of mates who know what they are doing, not so nice when you are on your own, and its getting dark...

Imposter · 31-12-2009 12:22pm

Mmmm_Lemony wrote: »

2009 Holiday report: Oberstdorf
On - Not great, very icy, both resorts had alot of snow machines in action though.

Snow machines are used as early in the season as possible to ensure that a resort has as much 'snow' as possible. Almost every resort will have the snow machines in more or less full use for the first few weeks of the season.

irishdub14 · 05-01-2010 3:27pm

Has anyone been to Bregendzerwald, Austria?? Whats it like??

a147pro · 05-01-2010 9:53pm

I_luv_2_ski! wrote: »

the following is a quote from the website:

http://winter.mayrhofner-bergbahnen.com/en/100304/100252/harakiri-piste.html

"Sportive skiers and snowboarders can prove their skills on Austria's steepest ski slope here in Mayrhofen. This steep slope has an average incline of unbelievable 78 per cent(!) making a jack and special groomers indispensable for grooming. There are also special Harakiri souvenirs for "Harakiri survivors" - available at the merchandising shop at the Ahornbahn and at all ticket counters. "

And the fact that it is AVERAGE incline is 78 degrees means that even if there is less steep parts then 78 degrees there is also steeper parts!!!

in this video the 1st person is me and the second is my boyfriend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4_6vhxRSe0&feature=related

haha fingers crossed anyway!!!

undoubtedly very steep, as apparent from how far and quickly your boyfriend fell, but the description is of an average incline of 78 per cent. what ever a per cent incline is (?), trust me its not 78 degrees, if it was your boyfriend would be dead and you'd have a sponsorship deal!

Shane_O · 08-01-2010 5:46pm

2009 Holiday report: Söll,Austria

1. Where and when you went.

Söll,Austria,30th Dec'09-6th Jan'10

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

Board

3. How were the conditions on/off piste.

On-Good,lot of snow machines which provided good snow,some days lots of ice on some runs.Very good snow making facilities as there was no snowfall for a few days.Conditions very good after 1 nights snowfall.
Off-Nice powder after snowfall but due to lack of snowfall some not great.

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.

Beginner/Intermediate-Got lessons which were very helpful,would recommend this resort for beginners as the facilities were very good and also lots of learning/lesson facilities and good instructors.

5. What were the bars/restaurants like.

Restaurants are very nice,found to spend €25 for 3 courses with drinks for dinner.Food was very good in all the restaurants.
Bars were very god both on the mountian and in the town.Best bars were definitely the Salven Stadt and Whisky Muhle Sportsbar/Club,drinks were cheap and there was always a good crowd in them.Salven Stadt for Apres Ski and Whisky Muhle for late night.

6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.

Views are stunning, German beer is great. Good Food/Bars .Good Ski/Boarding, Town is small but has all thats needed and is very close to slopes with ski bus allowing easy access to the slopes and gondolas.

7. Any hidden gems you found nearby.

The greatest Beer hall in the world is in Munich, and if your flying in to MUC its a must on the tour.

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

Lots of Austrians,Irish and English/Scottish

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

Slopes are well documented and signed all over, town is pleasant and close. Flew to Munich and got train to Kufstein then bus to Soll,very easy.
Soll also has a Night Ski facility from Wednesday to Saturday incl. which i found very good, nice atmosphere.
The Austrians were on holidays until the 6th of January. Which is probably the reason that the place was quite busy but it was not packed by any measn.I was told later in January after this date was a better time to come.
I will definitely go again as soon as possible and recommend it to anybody i see.

EileenG · 08-01-2010 11:43pm

1. Where and when you went.
Just back from Valfrejus, skied there from January 2 to January 5.

2. What you did there ski/board/blade.
Skied there, along with whole family.

3. How were the conditions on/off piste.
Weird! It snowed while we were there, and they didn't piste for the first day, so we skied fresh snow on piste. Off piste was great.

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.
I thought I was advanced until I was totally out-skied by my nine year old daughter.

5. What were the bars/restaurants like.
Nice Italian restaurant in village, the French restaurant there wasn't much to write home about. Mountain restaurant was self service, but food was good (huge spag bol for €7, and wine for two for €2.50) and the hot chocolate was a meal in itself.

6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.
Steep and deep. Most resorts try to make out they have more blacks then they really do. This one was trying to pretend that blacks were really reds or blues. Even some of the greens were challenging. Very handy for Modane so good for weekend skiers.

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

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

This resort is not for beginners.

It's small (65km) and great for a good intermediate or advanced skier who wants to get at accessible off-piste or mega-steep on-piste but it would terrify a beginner. The blue run back to the resort has a big sign saying "Very difficult, beginners should take the telecabine down". They are not joking. It involves a sharp turn right over a cliff, then an icy gunbarrell. The alternative is a 10km blue out into the back of beyound where you often have to ski over avalanche rubble.

We stayed in Chalet Thabor, basic and cheap, but they tried to load up the extras. They expected me to pay rental for sheets! But as long as you are not a beginner who has to take the telecabine down, it really is ski-in, ski-out.

a147pro · 09-01-2010 2:01pm

EileenG wrote: »

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.
I thought I was advanced until I was totally out-skied by my nine year old daughter.

brilliant!

where is this place Eileen and how far from what airport?

EileenG · 09-01-2010 2:12pm

It's Valfrujus, which is about 20 minutes straight up from Modane train station. It's accessible by trains from Paris (TGV or night train) or Turin. You can also fly to Grenoble or Lyon, but Paris and Turin have the most seamless connections.

It's in France, but it's close enough to Italy that you occasionally get texts saying "Welcome to Italy" as you ski.

I_luv_2_ski! · 10-01-2010 2:15am

1. Where and when you went.
Went to Mayrhofen for Christmas so the 19th to 26th Dec

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

3. How were the conditions on/off piste.
On piste snow was OK but not great...it hadnt snowed and because it was -15 on the sunday it was icy but it was good enough to ski on happily!!! Off piste the snow was mainly very soft (believe me I know all too well!!! fell in to it twice!!!)

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.
Intermediate to advanced

5. What were the bars/restaurants like.
most places were really good but one place we went at the top of the penken at blue 2 and blue 12 wast great!!! and was really squashed!!!

6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.
when we went the slopes were really empty which was great, the town is fairly compact...apres ski was good as were the restaurants in the town for dinner!!! other then that it wasnt great!!!

7. Any hidden gems you found nearby.
La Coup *and more* to the left as your coming off the Penken did great food!!! Service Centre Hurbet Krole at the top of the Penken was a great place to get skies and storage for skies and boots on heated racks for the night!!! it costs €20 for skies and boots if you dont rent from there but its free if you rent either boots or skies!!! it was lovely to get out of the ski boots into snow boots before the walk back to the hotel!!! and hot ski boots every morning!!! also we swapped for twin tips on our 3rd day and there was no problem to keep them for the rest of the week!!! i would really recommend these guys!!!

8. Was the population when you were there mostly Irish/Brits or mainland Europeans.
Mainland europeans...there was a few Irish and English but not a huge amount!!!

9. Any other relevant comments, and whether you would go again.
No I wouldnt go there again....only one run got you back down into the town and it was from the Ahorn not the Penken which was the main ski lift!!! Ski bus only ran every half an hour and seen as most streets were one way it took ages 2get away!!! To get to the glacier you had to get a bus from the train station which we never found!!! I wasnt overly happy with the Resort it was my 4th time skiing and its the one place I would never go again!!! Having to get a lift to the bottom of the slopes was a bit of a pain and queues for the Penkenbahn were always big!!!

Cake Fiend · 12-01-2010 2:03pm

1. Where and when you went.
Currently living in Niseko, northern Japan

2. What you did there ski/board/blade.
I'm a boarder.

3. How were the conditions on/off piste.
The snow here is unbelievable, I've never seen anything like it. As it snows almost every day, early risers will get fresh powder tracks even on-piste. There are also plenty of great backcountry runs here for the more adventurous.

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.
Intermediate

5. What were the bars/restaurants like.
A very wide selection, ranging from quiet izakayas to busy bars with DJs. I tend to stick to the more Japanese-style places (izakayas etc), but as the area gets tons of foreign visitors, there is no shortage of Western-style bars and restaurants.

6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.
If you're a fan of powder, this is your mecca.

7. Any hidden gems you found nearby.
If you speak Japanese, there are some nice little bars and cafés in the neighbouring town, Kutchan (I was living there for a month before I moved the the ski resort proper).

8. Was the population when you were there mostly Irish/Brits or mainland Europeans.
There's a huge number of Australians and Hong Kongese. Met a few Brits and Canadians as well (no other Irish so far). There are lots of Japanese skiers and boarders on the mountains during the day, but most of them seem to stay outside of the main Hirafu area at night (probably sick of the noisy Aussies...)

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

I don't think I'll come back to Niseko specifically (at least not for a full season) as I didn't come to Japan to be surrounded by rowdy Australian pissheads. I'll definitely be back to northern Japan though (maybe Rusutsu) for the snow.

nuts86 · 12-01-2010 9:58pm

Booked mayrhofen today for this saturday... So happy because we originally had it cancelled... the recent snow fall though urged me and the other half to act... got a sweet deal!!!!!

Cant wait.... Il report back when home.....

Calibos · 12-01-2010 11:06pm

Yeah, I think our recent Irish snowfall and some of the vids of the lads up on Luggula have many of us who had no plans to go anywhere this year either trying to get the cash together and organise something or put us in terrible form because we can't!

kermitdfrog · 13-01-2010 9:51pm

1. Where and when you went.
Spent a weekend in The Wicklow Mountains, above Firhouse/Woodstown

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

3. How were the conditions on/off piste.
It was all off piste (the piste groomers must have been on strike). Fresh snow everywhere, very little in the way of crowds so plenty of powder that had yet to be tracked out.

4. Are you beginner/intermed/advanced.
Intermediate

5. What were the bars/restaurants like.
Sitting on the doorstep of Dublin city, there is a huge variety of bars to suit every taste, and plenty of alternative options for those who'd prefer something else.

6. Anything in particular to recommend about this resort.
Close to home

7. Any hidden gems you found nearby.
Someone else had already built a sweet kicker and let us join them - head directly up the hills from the back of Hunter's Wood and Oldcourt

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

9. Any other relevant comments, and whether you would go again.
A lack of lifts or drags severly inhibits the potential for this resort. As a result the variety or lack thereof is hard to really judge. Staying in one small field, all day, and walking up and down should be poor, but it's great! And getting home in 20 mins, including the 15 minute walk down the hill, is fantastic. The trek up is tough though, and the view was nice but I couldn't see the other towering peaks. I'd defintely go again though!

Outsidethebox · 13-01-2010 10:32pm

Haha. I was wondering when one of these was going to appear! I brought the board up myself Monday in the 4wd. I had no idea where to go though so threw the Sally Gap into the Sat Nav and off I went. While I was climbing in the jeep near the top I met two students from Dublin sliding over and back the road in their Fiat Seicento!! I had to laugh, they were short on equipment but full of enthusiasm. They also knew (roughly!) whereabouts to go so it came in handy, I gave them a lift and we found a nice spot where you could board down to the road and walk back 80% of the way on the road.

It was near a cottage pretty close to the gap.

Had a good couple of hours up there. Mighty stuff.

anymore · 19-01-2010 8:44pm

Where & When
Lanersbach, ( between Mayrhofen and Hintertux) Jan 2, '10 to jan 6, '10
Hintertux Nov ( 24 to 30 2009 )
What you did there ski/board/blade.
Skied
Type
Intermediate
Conditions
Skied Hintertux for first two days :On top extremely cold with temps -15 to -22 in parts going was sluggish and parts tend to be quite icy. Lower sections were good and crowds small. Ski park was closed for two days - presumably because of conditions.
In November snow was good, temperatures around -7 to -2 and ski park ws open.
For rest of christmas holiday, we skied from Lanersbach into Eggalm/ Mayrhofen ski areas. Great runs, mainly good snow and will be going back.
Was the population when you were there mostly Irish/Brits or mainland Europeans
In Hintertux, mainly German, austrian and east europeans - very few Uk or Irish
In Lanersbach, again mainly continentals and in Mayrhofen mix of Uk, some Irish, Australians russians and easter europeans
Comments
I have used Mayrhofen as an accomodation for travelling to Hintertux in Nov and Oct on 3 occassions. Glacier skiing off season is well worth considering: no shortage of accomodation at cheap rates.