Ski Season 2018/2019

mulbot · 23-11-2018 8:24pm

cormee wrote: »

I've never stayed in Argentiere, but I absolutely love Chamonix, I've been there about 7 or 8 times. I don't like that the different ski areas are spread so far apart, but when you do get to them they're amazing, and worth the trip.

I think what separates Chamonix from a lot of other ski resorts is it's not so much a package holiday destination - most people are there to ski/board, with some partying thrown in, not vice versa. It's also a gorgeous town, with great restaurants and pubs. The architecture is traditional French, no the brutalist style of some of the purpose-built resorts like Les Arcs, Val Thorens, Flaine, etc.

Good to hear this,some of the group aren't hardcore so will be nice to have the town to explore.Thanks for the info people.

cormee · 25-11-2018 2:02am

mulbot wrote: »

Good to hear this,some of the group aren't hardcore so will be nice to have the town to explore.Thanks for the info people.

Definitely wouldn't describe myself as hardcore, but I do enjoy the odd spot of snowboarding

Anyway, the whole ski area around Chamonix is amazing, Le Tour would be best for intermediates, and Grand Montet for the more advanced. Take the bus to Les Houches for a fun day out for everyone.

Redial · 25-11-2018 3:59am

Centre Hit wrote: »

Looks like I'm gonna be doing more drinking than skiing from all the recommendations, but sure how bad! Great to hear that the apres is good though. Any thoughts on ski rental, or all pretty much the same?

Used Hanson ski hire by Bobby’s pub. Schnapps while you wait. Good price. No complaints. Saalbach is superb. Ticks all the boxes.

maddness · 25-11-2018 3:10pm

a148pro wrote: »

Lots of snow in the southern alps this weekend, some places in italy opening early!

Some great snow falls in Italy so far, I’ll be three in three weeks too!

big mce · 25-11-2018 5:20pm

Big Pussy Bonpensiero wrote: »

There's a decent sale on Oakley.com for Black Friday. Picked up a pair of Airbrake XL goggles for €130. Much cheaper than anywhere I've been looking online and the cheapest they've ever been on Amazon is 180 pounds. Handy pair to get as they come with a spare lens included.

How did you get them to Ireland? Seems to be US only?

Some12 · 25-11-2018 7:18pm

https://addresspal.anpost.ie/

Part of Anpost which gives you a mailing address in the US and UK.

I've got my first order on the way so I don't know how duty & taxes work.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero · 25-11-2018 8:35pm

big mce wrote: »

How did you get them to Ireland? Seems to be US only?

There's an Irish site.
https://www.oakley.com/en-ie

Just fyi the pair of airbrake xl's I got aren't there anymore. Assuming they sold out. Delivery was very quick (and free). Arrived from Italy in 2 days.

Some12 · 26-11-2018 3:07pm

big mce wrote: »

How did you get them to Ireland? Seems to be US only?

Forgot to say - I bought from the website evo.com.

Smith optics goggles down from $240 to $123 (£230 sterling locally!!)

DoraDelite · 27-11-2018 7:28pm

Is it snowing yet? time to get on the forecasts and webcams

kal7 · 28-11-2018 10:12am

The webcams always on my favourites, check everyday, no even going until end january. So addicted!

light snow in resort, last couple days.

Hulk Hands · 28-11-2018 6:29pm

Where do the most Irish tend to go in Austria, out of interest? Will likely be going with Saalbach anyway, but was just wondering the most frequented from here?

cormee · 28-11-2018 9:06pm

DoraDelite wrote: »

Is it snowing yet? time to get on the forecasts and webcams

Snowing in Flaine, flight and AirBnB booked for 17 Jan . 49 days, 20 hours and 59 minutes to go. ðŸ˜

cormee · 28-11-2018 9:08pm

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Where do the most Irish tend to go in Austria, out of interest? Will likely be going with Saalbach anyway, but was just wondering the most frequented from here?

A lot of people from this forum seem to go to St. Anton, but maybe that's just confirmation bias on my part, having visited the myself.

Lech seems popular too.

am i bovvered · 28-11-2018 10:30pm

cormee wrote: »

A lot of people from this forum seem to go to St. Anton, but maybe that's just confirmation bias on my part, having visited the myself.

Lech seems popular too.

St Anton is great for intermediate - good skiers, brilliantly for s party too.
It’s a beautiful ski up to Lech (although required a small bus ride when I was there)

a148pro · 29-11-2018 10:46pm

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Where do the most Irish tend to go in Austria, out of interest? Will likely be going with Saalbach anyway, but was just wondering the most frequented from here?

Anton very popular. Mayrhofen and soll also.

There's a good suggested rule - if you've heard of the resort before you're in the wrong place. It makes sense. You go to anton or chamonix and you will encounter loads of english and americans. Lift queues and prices to match. And if chasing powder every ski bum for 200 miles comes out of the woodwork.

Presumably it will be the same if you go to whistler, vail, aspen?

If, however, you go to a resort you've never heard of you may be pleasantly surprised, lesser queues and prices, no english first language speakers, and less powder competition.

Assuming of course you don't go somewhere with only 6 slopes.

I think its a good idea but I've barely practiced it myself. We're all drawn to what we've heard of.

maddness · 30-11-2018 9:59pm

a148pro wrote: »

Anton very popular. Mayrhofen and soll also.

There's a good suggested rule - if you've heard of the resort before you're in the wrong place. It makes sense. You go to anton or chamonix and you will encounter loads of english and americans. Lift queues and prices to match. And if chasing powder every ski bum for 200 miles comes out of the woodwork.

Presumably it will be the same if you go to whistler, vail, aspen?

If, however, you go to a resort you've never heard of you may be pleasantly surprised, lesser queues and prices, no english first language speakers, and less powder competition.

Assuming of course you don't go somewhere with only 6 slopes.

I think its a good idea but I've barely practiced it myself. We're all drawn to what we've heard of.

My best ski trips have usually been the ones to the less well know spots. I’ve been to the huge resorts which I love but there is something deeply satisfying about being in a smaller resort and having no queues and paying a lot less for it.

a148pro · 01-12-2018 10:46am

And kind of feeling like you're in on a little secret!

Those smaller resorts can have a great atmosphere too. People who live and work there because they want to, not the kind of "mine them for whatever they've got" attitude of some of the bigger (french) resorts

Having said that if I was forced to pick one resort for the rest of my life it would probably be 3v s

maddness · 02-12-2018 12:55pm

a148pro wrote: »

And kind of feeling like you're in on a little secret!

Those smaller resorts can have a great atmosphere too. People who live and work there because they want to, not the kind of "mine them for whatever they've got" attitude of some of the bigger (french) resorts

Having said that if I was forced to pick one resort for the rest of my life it would probably be 3v s

I love Italy for so many reasons but I’d happily ski the 3 valleys every year. I’m going again for the sixth time in January and I’m sure I haven’t skied it all yet.

cocker5 · 03-12-2018 4:48pm

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Where do the most Irish tend to go in Austria, out of interest? Will likely be going with Saalbach anyway, but was just wondering the most frequented from here?

Is it that you want to meet up with lots of Irish when you go away?

Hulk Hands · 03-12-2018 4:58pm

cocker5 wrote: »

Is it that you want to meet up with lots of Irish when you go away?

Nah just a random wondering really. I'll be with the other half and we'll be happy in our own company. A mostly English speaking ski school would help though

03-12-2018 5:59pm

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Where do the most Irish tend to go in Austria, out of interest? Will likely be going with Saalbach anyway, but was just wondering the most frequented from here?

from my experience you're most likely to bump into irish on some of the Topflight resorts. Westendorf, Soll, St.Johann would have been very popular a few years ago, not sure so much over the last few years,
having said that, if you go outside of peak season you might meet no other irish person for the week. Went to Bad Hofgastein last March myself and only met 1 other guy from the North.

a148pro · 03-12-2018 11:12pm

I hate encountering anyone irish or even english speaking on holidays. Appreciate that's wholly snobby but I just prefer the immersion when you don't hear familiar voices. And the inevitable "do you know x" chat!

Albeit first time I was ever in the moose was on paddy's day, getting my face painted with shamrocks by some randomers who did us proud so maybe I should revise my views!

prunudo · 03-12-2018 11:58pm

a148pro wrote: »

I hate encountering anyone irish or even english speaking on holidays. Appreciate that's wholly snobby but I just prefer the immersion when you don't hear familiar voices. And the inevitable "do you know x" chat!

Albeit first time I was ever in the moose was on paddy's day, getting my face painted with shamrocks by some randomers who did us proud so maybe I should revise my views!

Just on this, agree its nice to get away and experience something different. First year our group went to Mayrhofen we went to the apres places that the tour op suggested, the likes of Scotland yard, or Scotty's as all the cool English and Irish seasonaires called it, it was very meh tbh and totally overrated.
Second time we went back we found the likes of Bruck n Stadl where the other Europeans go with real apres ski, euro pop music is found. Much better laugh and nice to get a flavour of Austrian apres.

Donie75 · 05-12-2018 11:02am

We go to Mayrhofen most years and really like it. The last few years we have started doing a day in Kaltenback and Zell Am Ziller/Gerlos and it is great to cover three resorts in a few days. There's a good gang of us so we do Apres Ski there at the end of the day and get a minibus home. It's great to experience other resorts. We had great fun in Gerlos last year when we found a little log cabin/bar in the centre of town with very attractive bar barmaids and a good DJ.

kal7 · 05-12-2018 12:18pm

Not liking the unseasonably mild weather this week in Alps, hopefully some colder weather and precipitation to come saturday.

Billy Mays · 05-12-2018 12:39pm

Big dumps forecast this weekend for the Arlberg

CardinalJ · 05-12-2018 9:03pm

kal7 wrote: »

Not liking the unseasonably mild weather this week in Alps, hopefully some colder weather and precipitation to come saturday.

Parts of the Swiss alps looking at massive dumps this weekend. It's always the beginning of December the panic sets in!

06-12-2018 10:55am

kal7 wrote: »

Not liking the unseasonably mild weather this week in Alps, hopefully some colder weather and precipitation to come saturday.

as well as the usual snowforecast, bergfex, wetter sites i find this site good

https://www.weathertoski.co.uk/

instead of it just being charts, they give a brief description of whats going on.

aconnor · 10-12-2018 1:23am

on the question of where people tend to go, by nature people will use the travel agents when they are newbies. It makes sense when you haven't a clue. Then when you learn a bit and want to do it yourself, you will be more inclined to go to the resorts you know because its easier to organise.
I think resorts that are real villages do tend to be nicer to you, and they do have pride in their villages and their reputation, whether they all tend to speak to you in German, French or English is irrelevant.

am i bovvered · 18-12-2018 12:23am

First day skiing of this season tomorrow !!! A new resort for me too, Avoriaz.
I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.

Rew · 18-12-2018 2:01pm

Going back to Soll fire the first time in a few years mid Jan

Timmaay · 18-12-2018 2:36pm

Any recommendations for a mid/late Jan solo week? I've gone with the ucpa to the French alps several times so would like to branch out somewhere else now.

The Big Gig · 18-12-2018 8:18pm

May or may not suit but maybe the Today FM trip if you are going solo.

CardinalJ · 19-12-2018 12:29am

Has anyone flown Swiss where you get free Ski carriage? Do you have to let them know you're bringing them? Their website isn't clear.

hawkwind23 · 19-12-2018 11:17am

am i bovvered wrote: »

First day skiing of this season tomorrow !!! A new resort for me too, Avoriaz.
I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.

Bluebird for your first day , nice

lulut · 19-12-2018 3:18pm

CardinalJ wrote: »

Has anyone flown Swiss where you get free Ski carriage? Do you have to let them know you're bringing them? Their website isn't clear.

Yes I just emailed them when i flew with them to book the snowboard on. They should reply with confirmation that it is booked on

DoraDelite · 19-12-2018 3:52pm

CardinalJ wrote: »

Has anyone flown Swiss where you get free Ski carriage? Do you have to let them know you're bringing them? Their website isn't clear.

The answer is yes. I've flown with them a few times with a ski bag free. Pretty sure you can't have another checked bag though, so basically your ski bag is your checked bag. I normally pack the ski bag with skis, boots and all my gear so I don't bother with additional checked luggage anyway.

CardinalJ · 19-12-2018 9:34pm

DoraDelite wrote: »

The answer is yes. I've flown with them a few times with a ski bag free. Pretty sure you can't have another checked bag though, so basically your ski bag is your checked bag. I normally pack the ski bag with skis, boots and all my gear so I don't bother with additional checked luggage anyway.

My ski bag is enormous so if I've to put all my gear in it that will be fine, but I hadn't heard it was one or the other! Crap.

EDIT - Swiss have told me the skis are in addition to my normal 23KG bag. Fare is Economy Classic.

fulldnod · 21-12-2018 10:26pm

CardinalJ wrote: »

Has anyone flown Swiss where you get free Ski carriage? Do you have to let them know you're bringing them? Their website isn't clear.

i flew to geneva last year with them, its free whatever way u bring them. you can bring luggage bag + ski bag + boot bag if you want but it has to be the ticket including the luggage, i'm flying to zurich with them again, i'm only after realising ryanair are now flying to innsbruck, but i there are €100 dearer than flying to zurich, i didn't notify them

CardinalJ · 22-12-2018 1:31am

fulldnod wrote: »

i flew to geneva last year with them, its free whatever way u bring them. you can bring luggage bag + ski bag + boot bag if you want but it has to be the ticket including the luggage, i'm flying to zurich with them again, i'm only after realising ryanair are now flying to innsbruck, but i there are €100 dearer than flying to zurich, i didn't notify them

I looked at RYR to Innsbruck but the cost of a flight with them incl skis and a bag each way looks like the same price as a Crystal Ski B&B for a week in Mayrhofen, incl flights/transfers/B&B!

fulldnod · 24-12-2018 9:52pm

CardinalJ wrote: »

I looked at RYR to Innsbruck but the cost of a flight with them incl skis and a bag each way looks like the same price as a Crystal Ski B&B for a week in Mayrhofen, incl flights/transfers/B&B!

ya its ski carraige that kills it,i wonder do they let you bring your luggage in your ski bag, we done mayrhofen with crystal at last minute afew years ago, it was probaly the best ski hol i was on out 9 trips

am i bovvered · 25-12-2018 8:22pm

hawkwind23 wrote: »

Bluebird for your first day , nice

It was an epic day, unfortunately the temp has gone a couple of degré too high and it’s lashed rain since then.
Looks like a while until the next dump.

Steve · 26-12-2018 6:09pm

Great snow and stunning weather in Obertauern, Austria. Lots of snow fell last 2 days, reports of rain in neighboring resorts but altitude here means it's rare.

mollser · 30-12-2018 6:34pm

Just arrived in Ellmau in Austria, one village up from Soll. Conditions are unreal, so much snow has come down the last 24 hours with plenty more due this week. Great start to the season!

Dial Hard · 30-12-2018 6:37pm

I'm off to Zell am See on Wednesday. Nearly afraid to check the weather!

Steve · 30-12-2018 9:48pm

Dial Hard wrote: »

I'm off to Zell am See on Wednesday. Nearly afraid to check the weather!

Looks like a bit of snow on the way, not so much sun unfortunately.

https://www.yr.no/place/Austria/Salzburg/Zell_am_See/long.html

a148pro · 30-12-2018 10:51pm

Dial Hard wrote: »

I'm off to Zell am See on Wednesday. Nearly afraid to check the weather!

Talk of a lot of snow in that neck of woods over the next week, I'm hoping to get out but can't just yet. Very frustrating.

anthony500_1 · 31-12-2018 12:26pm

mollser wrote:

Just arrived in Ellmau in Austria, one village up from Soll. Conditions are unreal, so much snow has come down the last 24 hours with plenty more due this week. Great start to the season!

Just looking at the live cameras, looks like savage ski conditions but not great visibility. Looks to be plenty of snow on the way too for the rest of the week.

Rew · 31-12-2018 1:17pm

mollser wrote: »

Just arrived in Ellmau in Austria, one village up from Soll. Conditions are unreal, so much snow has come down the last 24 hours with plenty more due this week. Great start to the season!

there in 2.5 weeks so hopefully the conditions hold

Timmaay · 01-01-2019 1:33am

I was gonna go with the ucpa to France on the 13th Jan, but snow looking a hell of alot better in Austria at the min. Any suggestions for a solo trip to Austria?

Ski Season 2018/2019

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