Where are people thinking of this year?

xchancellor · 13-10-2015 5:20pm

I was looking myself at the late season flights. Seems the ones I took in April from Belfast (11/04-18/04) won't be available next year. Looked at Dublin dep 09/06 returning 16/04, but the problem is the return flight is early on Saturday dep Geneva at 10.40, which is too for the UCPA transfer from Val Thorens (which I think advises flights no earlier than 11.30 or similar). Hope it doesn't come to indirect flights, albeit the flights could appear from Belfast yet.

Too early to be stressing about April maybe

Timmaay · 13-10-2015 10:27pm

xchancellor wrote: »

I was looking myself at the late season flights. Seems the ones I took in April from Belfast (11/04-18/04) won't be available next year. Looked at Dublin dep 09/06 returning 16/04, but the problem is the return flight is early on Saturday dep Geneva at 10.40, which is too for the UCPA transfer from Val Thorens (which I think advises flights no earlier than 11.30 or similar). Hope it doesn't come to indirect flights, albeit the flights could appear from Belfast yet.

Too early to be stressing about April maybe

If there are afew of ya defo hire a car, Bens Bus is the worst transfer in the world ha.

DoraDelite · 14-10-2015 10:47am

Timmaay wrote: »

Just been annoying myself looking at skyscanner, Still loads of either very early or late season seats with Swissair return to Geneva for as low as 67euros. Could sneak in a very very cheap long ski weekend (or well 5days), the UCPA do a nice few early and late season packages to the higher up resorts like Val Thorens/VDI. Likes of 500e all in would easily cover it. Probably cheaper than a long weekend in some European city which I was thinking off initially!

Do it...you know it makes sense

a148pro · 14-10-2015 10:09pm

cormee wrote: »

Yep, and I'll be there in 109 days

Cormee I've no doubt you've a calendar up on the walls scratching the days off, and you still start each one by whipping open the curtains to see if by some chance its snowed here in the meantime:pac:

cormee · 15-10-2015 10:38am

a148pro wrote: »

Cormee I've no doubt you've a calendar up on the walls scratching the days off, and you still start each one by whipping open the curtains to see if by some chance its snowed here in the meantime:pac:

It's all high-tech nowadays a148pro!

maddness · 15-10-2015 12:20pm

That's cool, what app is it?

cormee · 15-10-2015 2:13pm

maddness wrote: »

That's cool, what app is it?

Just three different widgets I use on the same screen. One is a countdown, one a weather, and the other is a webcam widget.

Only available on Android though!

stevire · 15-10-2015 3:50pm

First trip booked, second still in talks. Saalbach maybe... Anyone been?

DIY is working out quite well this year, cheap flights and AirBnB has exploded in the alps this year. I've never seen as many properties there and I've been looking every year. At this rate a third trip could be affordable, not sure I can afford the time off work though!

Timmaay · 15-10-2015 4:39pm

stevire wrote: »

First trip booked, second still in talks. Saalbach maybe... Anyone been?

DIY is working out quite well this year, cheap flights and AirBnB has exploded in the alps this year. I've never seen as many properties there and I've been looking every year. At this rate a third trip could be affordable, not sure I can afford the time off work though!

How muchy is an all in trip usually for ya? You got much of a group?

stevire · 16-10-2015 9:38am

Timmaay wrote: »

How muchy is an all in trip usually for ya? You got much of a group?

Currently working out around the 700e mark for Flights (exc. baggage), Transfers, 4-bed Apartment and Ski Pass in Saalbach. The apartment looks great, we have a group of about 13 interested so far with more considering. Hopefully book something this weekend and the rest will follow!

AlternateID · 20-10-2015 10:46pm

Just booked the second trip for next year. 2 weeks in Mayrhofen March/April but I'll actually be up at tux all the time. I like the town but have never been impressed with the slopes there. Also happens to be a big birthday for me during that trip so lots of Jager.

Haven't booked the first trip yet. Need to decide where to go end of Jan/start of Feb.

lbj666 · 21-10-2015 10:23am

AlternateID wrote: »

Just booked the second trip for next year. 2 weeks in Mayrhofen March/April but I'll actually be up at tux all the time. I like the town but have never been impressed with the slopes there. Also happens to be a big birthday for me during that trip so lots of Jager.

Haven't booked the first trip yet. Need to decide where to go end of Jan/start of Feb.

You talking just about the slopes by tux /hintertux or the zittertal area in general.

Thinking about going to mayrhofen this year.

AlternateID · 21-10-2015 10:53am

lbj666 wrote: »

You talking just about the slopes by tux /hintertux or the zittertal area in general.

Thinking about going to mayrhofen this year.

I enjoy the slopes at Hintertux very much. 4 weeks there this year (2015) and 2 last year I think. In Mayrhofen I just don't enoy the slopes. Many many many other people do. In Hintertux the slopes a wide and long if you are into piste bashed runs but I can go way off piste there.

Anytime I've gone up the mountain in Mayrhofen I've cut across to Rastkogel.

If you're into the park you have the choice of Maryhofen, Hintertux and there's another down the road at Zell am Ziller. I liked the runs there too.

There's different ski passes that cover the areas. Usually I get one that covers the valley but I don't think Zell am Ziller is included. This year I had a snowcard which gave me access to all of Tirol for the season.

stevire · 21-10-2015 3:02pm

Going to Mayrhofen for the second trip at end of Feb. Penkenbahn was replaced too which will hopefully improve queues, particularly for getting back down. Wonder if they will have a promo for the new lift?

Will spend more time at the Tux this time around too, only spent a day there on the last trip and it was great.

Is the early bird for SnowCard over? When and how much is it?

hullabulloo · 24-10-2015 1:32pm

Hi All,

Booking a group trip for 6 usually go with directski or crystal but doing diy for the first time. Quick question, can st. anton lift passes be bought online anywhere? Would be a pain to have to queue at the lift pass office on the first day of boarding!

AlternateID · 25-10-2015 10:24am

hullabulloo wrote: »

Hi All,

Booking a group trip for 6 usually go with directski or crystal but doing diy for the first time. Quick question, can st. anton lift passes be bought online anywhere? Would be a pain to have to queue at the lift pass office on the first day of boarding!

If bought online you'd still have to collect no?

hullabulloo · 25-10-2015 6:16pm

You would (unless they'd post them) but it might get you ahead if there was a queue on the Sunday morning at the lift pass office. With the travel companies they have them for you on the Sat evening when you get there.

trashcan · 26-10-2015 8:43pm

Just booked Westendorf (as usual) February 20th all systems go ! Snow on the Talkaser already. Yee ha.

cormee · 27-10-2015 10:32am

A lot of the resorts in the USA seem to have opened already. The American snowboarding Twitter accounts are depressing me - people buying their season tickets and heading for their first weekend on the slopes in October.

a148pro · 29-10-2015 10:52pm

AlternateID wrote: »

I enjoy the slopes at Hintertux very much. 4 weeks there this year (2015) and 2 last year I think. In Mayrhofen I just don't enoy the slopes. Many many many other people do. In Hintertux the slopes a wide and long if you are into piste bashed runs but I can go way off piste there.

Anytime I've gone up the mountain in Mayrhofen I've cut across to Rastkogel.

If you're into the park you have the choice of Maryhofen, Hintertux and there's another down the road at Zell am Ziller. I liked the runs there too.

There's different ski passes that cover the areas. Usually I get one that covers the valley but I don't think Zell am Ziller is included. This year I had a snowcard which gave me access to all of Tirol for the season.

I liked the slopes at Mayr, nice and steep, didn't get the impression there was a huge amount of off piste though but was only there for one day. never made it to tux or zillertal arena, kaltenbach and hochfugen worth a day or two though and reasonable off piste in the latter (and great on slope food by Austrian standards).

arleitiss · 29-10-2015 10:56pm

Going first time snowboarding to Val Thorens in December.
Can't wait, it's through UCPA, nervous as hell as I am going alone and wont know anybody

cormee · 30-10-2015 1:44pm

arleitiss wrote: »

Going first time snowboarding to Val Thorens in December.
Can't wait, it's through UCPA, nervous as hell as I am going alone and wont know anybody

Prepare to become addicted

arleitiss · 30-10-2015 1:49pm

cormee wrote: »

Prepare to become addicted

I hope so

Timmaay · 30-10-2015 2:55pm

Being nervous as hell beforehand should only add to the buzz ha. Zero expectations

.

Still unsure about my sneaky late Nov long weekend to Val Thorens with the UCPA ha, I know it's high up and the glacier etc, but from reading up on snowheads etc aside from a freak nice dump in early Oct there isn't any sign of any fresh snow in the alpes yet at all. I'll probably risk leaving it a last minute trip 2bh, I can't see flights going up or it booking out anytime soon.

cormee · 30-10-2015 3:26pm

Timmaay wrote: »

Being nervous as hell beforehand should only add to the buzz ha. Zero expectations .

Still unsure about my sneaky late Nov long weekend to Val Thorens with the UCPA ha, I know it's high up and the glacier etc, but from reading up on snowheads etc aside from a freak nice dump in early Oct there isn't any sign of any fresh snow in the alpes yet at all. I'll probably risk leaving it a last minute trip 2bh, I can't see flights going up or it booking out anytime soon.

Would there be enough snow in the next few weeks? This is how VT is looking right now:

Timmaay · 30-10-2015 4:57pm

Ouch! Yeh will definitely be a last minute trip if I bother.

granty1987 · 03-11-2015 4:34pm

Japan.

3 weeks of JaPOW for 5 of us, heading to the north island Hakkaido, Probably going to stay around Niseko but am open to trips to other areas.

Anyone been?

give me ALL of the powder please

cormee · 04-11-2015 1:25pm

granty1987 wrote: »

Japan.

3 weeks of JaPOW for 5 of us, heading to the north island Hakkaido, Probably going to stay around Niseko but am open to trips to other areas.

Anyone been?

give me ALL of the powder please

Very nice! Always wanted to go there, but it's so expensive! Might wait another 4 years and head there for the next rugby world cup (if I win the lotto in the meantime). How much is it looking like costing you, if you don't mind me asking?

lbj666 · 04-11-2015 1:43pm

cormee wrote: »

Very nice! Always wanted to go there, but it's so expensive! Might wait another 4 years and head there for the next rugby world cup (if I win the lotto in the meantime). How much is it looking like costing you, if you don't mind me asking?

I was thinking the same but to be honest if i was doing 3 weeks in Japan , i'd go for the pow and not the world cup.

They are unlikely to overlap.

cormee · 04-11-2015 1:52pm

lbj666 wrote: »

I was thinking the same but to be honest if i was doing 3 weeks in Japan , i'd go for the pow and not the world cup.

They are unlikely to overlap.

I think I'd be using the RWC as an excuse. I know which of the two I'd rather be doing.

The powder looks incredible quality, and their snowboarders are big into buttering, which I love to watch, the only negative I can see is the trees that grow in the resorts, they're kind of ugly. But I wouldn't let that get in the way of me enjoying myself!

granty1987 · 04-11-2015 2:24pm

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!

lbj666 · 04-11-2015 3:13pm

cormee wrote: »

I think I'd be using the RWC as an excuse. I know which of the two I'd rather be doing.

The powder looks incredible quality, and their snowboarders are big into buttering, which I love to watch, the only negative I can see is the trees that grow in the resorts, they're kind of ugly. But I wouldn't let that get in the way of me enjoying myself!

But what i am saying is the world cup will more than likely be september/ october again and isn;t Japan season the same time as europe ?

cormee · 04-11-2015 10:14pm

lbj666 wrote: »

But what i am saying is the world cup will more than likely be september/ october again and isn;t Japan season the same time as europe ?

Excellent point... so long as my wife doesn't hear it. But yeah, true, I suppose I hadn't thought it through fully. Thanks for ruining my night!

Overflow · 05-11-2015 10:01am

This beautiful place in west Norway, Strandafjellet.
It was recently voted one of Norways best ski resorts.

http://www.strandafjellet.no

evil_seed · 06-11-2015 1:33pm

Heading for Chamonix for a week, 1st week in Feb I think. 1st time in 4 years I think. Gonna be rusty but can't wait. Literally getting butterflies as I type this

cormee · 06-11-2015 5:38pm

evil_seed wrote: »

Heading for Chamonix for a week, 1st week in Feb I think. 1st time in 4 years I think. Gonna be rusty but can't wait. Literally getting butterflies as I type this

Ah, it's like learning to ride a bike (you'll fall a lot)

cocker5 · 09-11-2015 4:52pm

St Anton from 26th December.... for 7 nights...

Thinking Ischgl for mid March!!

Bring it on.....

prunudo · 09-11-2015 4:56pm

cocker5 wrote: »

St Anton from 26th December.... for 7 nights...

Thinking Ischgl for mid March!!

Bring it on.....

2 Austrian resorts I'd like to visit someday. Have you been to either before?

cocker5 · 09-11-2015 5:01pm

jvan wrote: »

2 Austrian resorts I'd like to visit someday. Have you been to either before?

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!

Rew · 09-11-2015 5:18pm

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

cocker5 · 09-11-2015 5:31pm

Rew wrote: »

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

How long you going for??

You looking to book it not as a package?

Ive stayed in both of these!! good value and a good location...

http://www.wolf-ischgl.at/

http://www.gradiva.at/

We always book directly via their own tourism site.

http://www.ischgl.com/en/booking/online-booking

Bit of a hint... i always email them in german... use google translate, most places arent too keen on english speaking people

works like a charm

Rew · 09-11-2015 5:37pm

cocker5 wrote: »

How long you going for??

You looking to book it not as a package?

Ive stayed in both of these!! good value and a good location...

http://www.wolf-ischgl.at/

http://www.gradiva.at/

We always book directly via their own tourism site.

http://www.ischgl.com/en/booking/online-booking

A week and completely flexible on the package or not we have been plenty of times do DIY is not scary.

Bit of a hint... i always email them in german... use google translate, most places arent too keen on english speaking people

Ha! I did read that its the preferred resort for Germans.

When shopping around one of the tour operators gave me a much better deal on St Anton which I was surprised at as it is reputably much more expensive.

cocker5 · 09-11-2015 5:42pm

Rew wrote: »

A week and completely flexible on the package or not we have been plenty of times do DIY is not scary.

Ha! I did read that its the preferred resort for Germans.

When shopping around one of the tour operators gave me a much better deal on St Anton which I was surprised at as it is reputably much more expensive.

To be honest with you.. we normally do 10/11 nights once per year and book it all ourselves - end up not much more that a 7 days package. But my knees are knackered so breaking it up this year with two one week trips.

For one week id say a package is your better option ..

The thing is yes they are both more expensive resorts but what i will say is the ski areas are better, the lift systems are better so all in all for us we'd rather spend more and get more i suppose.

To be honest I prefer the higher resorts not just for the lift system, ski area but the apres ski is wicked and not too many lager lout singing "wonderwall" at the top of their lungs.

Now the apres in ischgl is mental.. but st Anton is apres central... IMO.

Edited to say price wise when your in the resorts St Anton and Ischgl are one in the same

AlternateID · 09-11-2015 5:58pm

Looking at Ischgl for our first trip now too. Might stay somewhere between Ischgl and Serfaus-fiss-ladis. Haven't been but the piste maps look impressive.

Rew · 09-11-2015 6:57pm

cocker5 wrote: »

To be honest with you.. we normally do 10/11 nights once per year and book it all ourselves - end up not much more that a 7 days package.

If I could convince my wife to ditch the kids for that long Id do it, so until they are coming with us I can only dream!

CardinalJ · 09-11-2015 11:46pm

Mayrhofen, 7 of us, 9th Jan.

Webcam watch commences.

cormee · 10-11-2015 10:50am

Rew wrote: »

If I could convince my wife to ditch the kids for that long Id do it, so until they are coming with us I can only dream!

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.

cormee · 10-11-2015 10:52am

CardinalJ wrote: »

Mayrhofen, 7 of us, 9th Jan.

Webcam watch commences.

European webcams are depressing at the moment. No snow anywhere, then look at all the North Amercan resorts, already open, or opening soon. Whistler Blackcomb got 12cm two nights ago.

fannymagee · 10-11-2015 10:53am

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.

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 ;-)

fannymagee · 10-11-2015 10:54am

cormee wrote: »

European webcams are depressing at the moment. No snow anywhere, then look at all the North Amercan resorts, already open, or opening soon. Whistler Blackcomb got 12cm two nights ago.

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

Where are people thinking of this year?

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