[Travel] Anyone been/going skiing this year ?

[Weststander]

You’ll be lucky if there’s any snow left. Absolutely baking in the alps atm. Was in a t-shirt and hoody today even that was too much. Been like that all week too.

One of the highest resorts in Europe, Hochgurgl at 2,000m altitude, skiing up to 3,000m.

I know the sun will be very powerful by then. We’ll ski early until it gets dodgy.

Most people I know prefer March/April skiing for the sun and warmth. I actually prefer much earlier, but for two seasons in a row the pandemic put paid to that …. so many cancelled trips for us.

 

[Munkfish]

One of the highest resorts in Europe, Hochgurgl at 2,000m altitude, skiing up to 3,000m.

I know the sun will be very powerful by then. We’ll ski early until it gets dodgy.

Most people I know prefer March/April skiing for the sun and warmth. I actually prefer much earlier, but for two seasons in a row the pandemic put paid to that …. so many cancelled trips for us.

I hope conditions stay good for you. Only needs a few days of snow and you will be sorted.

I’m with you I prefer the cold weather. The sun is nice but the last 3 days have been super hot.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Booked a week in Austria at the beginning of April. Due to the pandemic, our first skiing since New Year 2019/20.

Excited.

Where you going?

Edit: just seen your earlier post. Have fun!

 

[Weststander]

I hope conditions stay good for you. Only needs a few days of snow and you will be sorted.

I’m with you I prefer the cold weather. The sun is nice but the last 3 days have been super hot.

In Dec/Jan I’m pleased there’s no soft snow and not bothering with sun screen.

What are your favourite resorts in your time skiing or boarding?

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

After the disaster of the last two seasons, has anyone been/going this year ? Has it been busy ? conditions etc ?

(And I guess we'll include those strange people on tea trays )

No, but I'm going to Greece

Regards
DF

 

[WATFORD zero]

You’ll be lucky if there’s any snow left. Absolutely baking in the alps atm. Was in a t-shirt and hoody today even that was too much. Been like that all week too.

Well that's cheered me up. I love a bit of spring skiing in the sunshine. These days I tend to go out early, stop for a late lunch, a couple of glasses of wine, and a gentle afternoon. So if it's slush by then, I'm not overly worried (although the slush getting home can be hard work on your legs). I've ended up at La Rosiere/La Thuile so although it's not one of the highest resorts, it's a reasonable altitude.

I remember a couple of spring trips where I've skied in just salopettes and t-shirt before

Whereabouts in the alps are you ?

*edit* Just seen Avoriaz, so similar altitude

 

[Timbo]

You’ll be lucky if there’s any snow left. Absolutely baking in the alps atm. Was in a t-shirt and hoody today even that was too much. Been like that all week too.

I’m in Val Thorens at the moment and there’s plenty of snow despite it being ridiculously hot early part of this week.

On another note, how do any of you seriously like this shit. I’m here because my wife and her family love it, each to their own and all that but it’s the most overpriced and boring week I’ve spent in my life. The prices are just eye watering. 50 quid for one of our kids to get on one of the lifts for a day, they go to ski school everyday and at the end of every day the instructor says they need something else so you go back to the shop and give them another 100 quid. The apartments are staggeringly shit and the English kids here are just an embarrassment. Some of our friends here (who are fine for cash) have spent 7 grand on their apartment for the week and it’s ok at best. Never ever again.

 

[Munkfish]

I’m in Val Thorens at the moment and there’s plenty of snow despite it being ridiculously hot early part of this week.

On another note, how do any of you seriously like this shit. I’m here because my wife and her family love it, each to their own and all that but it’s the most overpriced and boring week I’ve spent in my life. The prices are just eye watering. 50 quid for one of our kids to get on one of the lifts for a day, they go to ski school everyday and at the end of every day the instructor says they need something else so you go back to the shop and give them another 100 quid. The apartments are staggeringly shit and the English kids here are just an embarrassment. Some of our friends here (who are fine for cash) have spent 7 grand on their apartment for the week and it’s ok at best. Never ever again.

Are you skiing? I’d imagine it’s very boring if you aren’t. If you are and you don’t like it then I guess it’s just not for you.

Where i stayed I think the local area lift pass was £190 for the week. £50 sounds extremely expensive for a local pass days skiing.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I’m in Val Thorens at the moment and there’s plenty of snow despite it being ridiculously hot early part of this week.

On another note, how do any of you seriously like this shit. I’m here because my wife and her family love it, each to their own and all that but it’s the most overpriced and boring week I’ve spent in my life. The prices are just eye watering. 50 quid for one of our kids to get on one of the lifts for a day, they go to ski school everyday and at the end of every day the instructor says they need something else so you go back to the shop and give them another 100 quid. The apartments are staggeringly shit and the English kids here are just an embarrassment. Some of our friends here (who are fine for cash) have spent 7 grand on their apartment for the week and it’s ok at best. Never ever again.

Yes, I seriously like this shit. And I'm sure [MENTION=3791]Westander[/MENTION] will be along shortly to echo my thoughts

In my opinion Val T is not the best looking resort, accomodation is functional and the resort is very English. Skiing is superb though.

Winter sports holidays will never be the cheapest holidays. Accom is a bit more than usual, guess this is a supply and demand thing. Restaurant's and bars will always be pricey as 1) it costs to get goods to the mountains and 2) there is not a lot of competition. If you do not have your own equipment then there's hire costs as well; you can certainly find relative value in the mountains and, for example, Austria is typically cheaper than France.

All this said, I absolutely love the mountains, the snowboarding, the snow, the scenery, the fresh air, the views, the hearty mountain food, the wine etc. To me it is worth every penny I spend.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I’m in Val Thorens at the moment and there’s plenty of snow despite it being ridiculously hot early part of this week.

On another note, how do any of you seriously like this shit. I’m here because my wife and her family love it, each to their own and all that but it’s the most overpriced and boring week I’ve spent in my life. The prices are just eye watering. 50 quid for one of our kids to get on one of the lifts for a day, they go to ski school everyday and at the end of every day the instructor says they need something else so you go back to the shop and give them another 100 quid. The apartments are staggeringly shit and the English kids here are just an embarrassment. Some of our friends here (who are fine for cash) have spent 7 grand on their apartment for the week and it’s ok at best. Never ever again.

Ski holidays are not cheap but a little planning can save a lot of money. IIRC the three valleys have one of the (if not the) most expensive ski passes in Europe, which is good value if you are an experienced skier and ski all 600Kms in the three valleys over the course of the week. However, it can be little over the top if you're not experienced skiers (and kids at ski school generally aren't). Sounds like your kid had a local pass and the instructor wanted to take them outside of the Val Thorens local area for a day.

If you haven't bought and taken the proper ski equipment with you, don't be surprised if you have to pay through the nose at the most expensive ski area in Europe for top quality gear, rather than stuff that'll last a few weeks from Sports Direct, Decathalon, Trespass etc.

Go on some sort of catered basis and go down into the towns for a lunchtime burger rather than sitting in mountain restaurants enjoying three course lunches. The most expensive ski restaurant I have ever been in was just down from Val Thorens overlooking the airport on the mountain at Courchevel about 5 years ago, bowl of pasta for one person - 50 odd Euros. We had four drinks for about the same price and made them last half an hour watching private planes coming in and people being skidoo'd to their private chalets a few hundred yards away. Then went for a Burger for lunch at stall in Courchevel town 8 Euros



If you are beginners there are some fantastic all in deals in Bulgaria but, at the end of the day, if you don't like skiing, maybe it's not the holiday for you

 

[Weststander]

Yes, I seriously like this shit. And I'm sure [MENTION=3791]Westander[/MENTION] will be along shortly to echo my thoughts

In my opinion Val T is not the best looking resort, accomodation is functional and the resort is very English. Skiing is superb though.

Winter sports holidays will never be the cheapest holidays. Accom is a bit more than usual, guess this is a supply and demand thing. Restaurant's and bars will always be pricey as 1) it costs to get goods to the mountains and 2) there is not a lot of competition. If you do not have your own equipment then there's hire costs as well; you can certainly find relative value in the mountains and, for example, Austria is typically cheaper than France.

All this said, I absolutely love the mountains, the snowboarding, the snow, the scenery, the fresh air, the views, the hearty mountain food, the wine etc. To me it is worth every penny I spend.

Remember that you’re ‘lucky’, without the cost of a family skiing/boarding too and you can swerve European school holidays. So whatever you’re total tab is, multiply it many fold for a family.

Skiing in the Alps has become incredibly expensive. Exponential increases in the cost of accommodation, lift passes, tuition/guiding, transfers to resort or car hire. Many businesses and resorts have openly (they admitted this to us) upped their prices massively to recoup the cost of 1.5 lost seasons due to the pandemic.

They can do this because for every skier that bails out of going due to cost, there are literally millions of wealthy Germans, Brits, Dutch, Belgiums and Swedes who are skiing/boarding fanatics who’ll still go anyway. Inelastic demand.

An Austrian hotel I got a quote from had upped it prices by a lot for this season. I then asked about Easter 2022/23 … they bluntly quoted €8,000 up from €7,000. For two twin rooms half board.

It’s very easy to spend £10,000 all in.

Package holidays look better value, but there’s no way of beating the monumental lift pass and tuition/guiding costs.

But I too wouldn’t miss it for the world. A love of skiing, the Alps, snow, the scenery, the people, the vibe.

I know other folk who spend equally large sums on holidays in lovely hotels in Thailand, the Maldives, the Caribbean or on cruises. Horses for courses.

Skiing/boarding alternatives for families? Bulgaria, Andorra.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Remember that you’re ‘lucky’, without the cost of a family skiing/boarding too and you can swerve European school holidays. So whatever you’re total tab is, multiply it many fold for a family.

Skiing in the Alps has become incredibly expensive. Exponential increases in the cost of accommodation, lift passes, tuition/guiding, transfers to resort or car hire. Many businesses and resorts have openly (they admitted this to us) upped their prices massively to recoup the cost of 1.5 lost seasons due to the pandemic.

They can do this because for every skier that bails out of going due to cost, there are literally millions of wealthy Germans, Brits, Dutch, Belgiums and Swedes who are skiing/boarding fanatics who’ll still go anyway. Inelastic demand.

An Austrian hotel I got a quote from had upped it prices by a lot for this season. I then asked about Easter 2022/23 … they bluntly quoted €8,000 up from €7,000. For two twin rooms half board.

It’s very easy to spend £10,000 all in.

Package holidays look better value, but there’s no way of beating the monumental lift pass and tuition/guiding costs.

But I too wouldn’t miss it for the world. A love of skiing, the Alps, snow, the scenery, the people, the vibe.

I know other folk who spend equally large sums on holidays in lovely hotels in Thailand, the Maldives, the Caribbean or on cruises. Horses for courses.

Skiing/boarding alternatives for families? Bulgaria, Andorra.

Very fair point; it’s just me I pay for. I also don’t have any tuition or equipment to hire.

 

[Weststander]

Very fair point; it’s just me I pay for. I also don’t have any tuition or equipment to hire.

I forgot about hire costs, add that as well

A board isn’t too bad an item to take by plane.

I used to take my own skis, but tired of the airport malarkey and hire costs were lower then.