Skiing / Snowboarding this year...?

[acrossthepond]

From your resident correspondent...

The snow is really poor in the French alps this year, either really icy (great f***ing sheets of the stuff) or slushy. Go high if you're here, and if you were in chamonix this week I'd suggest going across to Courmayeur in italy because conditions are a bit better. Snow in Austria apparently a bit better, but if it were me, and I could afford it, I'd be getting myself to Utah. We may not get another decent dump of snow here now, in which case it's going to be a poor season. Shame, as everything opened early this year as there was so much early snow!!

 

[johnhammond]

Off to Stevens Pass (about an hour from Seattle) at the start of next month; should be good.

 

[Noldi]

I was in Val Thorens at the weekend they have enough snow and the piste are good, You have got to go above 2000m because of the unseasonally warm weather in the Alps. More snow forcast this week so have fun.

Noldi

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I've never been skiing or snowboarding before but I'm off to New Zealand next year and was planning to give it a go. I'm going to be getting a beginners package which consists off full day hire of boots and skiis/snowboard, and also a begginers lesson. Just wondering, is it recommended to do skiing first or doesn't it really matter whether you start with snowboarding? I think I like the idea of snowboarding more, but if it means i'll be spending most of the day on my arse I think i'll just do skking.

If I were you I'd choose one and stick with it. I have never skied but I've been snowboarding for a long time. From what my buddies tell me the two disciplines are different and one does not lend much to the other so you do not need to learn skiing to move onto snowboarding.

In a nut-shell snowboarding has a much steeper but shorter learning curve than skiing. You will spend more time on your arse in the first few days of boarding but you should get the hang of it a lot quicker than skiing...there's less to learn apparently.

Good luck, and I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Was gonna go late jan but now delayed until march so I can save more cash and go somewhere decent, fancy chamonix myself or avoriaz

 

[Capricorn]

If I were you I'd choose one and stick with it. I have never skied but I've been snowboarding for a long time. From what my buddies tell me the two disciplines are different and one does not lend much to the other so you do not need to learn skiing to move onto snowboarding.

In a nut-shell snowboarding has a much steeper but shorter learning curve than skiing. You will spend more time on your arse in the first few days of boarding but you should get the hang of it a lot quicker than skiing...there's less to learn apparently.

Good luck, and I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun.

Cheers for the response, much appreciated. I think I will stick with snowboarding in that case, and hope that I'm not too bad at it (after the initial falling) because I would like to make some sort of hobby of it. Looking forward to getting there now!

 

[Return of the Rev]

Cheers for the response, much appreciated. I think I will stick with snowboarding in that case, and hope that I'm not too bad at it (after the initial falling) because I would like to make some sort of hobby of it. Looking forward to getting there now!

skiing superior if you want all the mountain has to offer

 

[Capricorn]

skiing superior if you want all the mountain has to offer

Haha, don't confuse me any more it's already hard enough deciding whether to do one or the other!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Cheers for the response, much appreciated. I think I will stick with snowboarding in that case, and hope that I'm not too bad at it (after the initial falling) because I would like to make some sort of hobby of it. Looking forward to getting there now!

It is a wonderful hobby, being up in the mountains in good snow is most enjoyable. It is one of the highlights of my year.

You will probably ache a little after the first few days, and spend a lot of time on your bum, hands and knees but this is normal. Don't be put off. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Was gonna go late jan but now delayed until march so I can save more cash and go somewhere decent, fancy chamonix myself or avoriaz

why not wait till may it will be alot cheaper and not so slippery

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Cheers for the response, much appreciated. I think I will stick with snowboarding in that case, and hope that I'm not too bad at it (after the initial falling) because I would like to make some sort of hobby of it. Looking forward to getting there now!

..and one last thing...you will get some skiers trying to convince you skiing is better.

 

[Capricorn]

It is a wonderful hobby, being up in the mountains in good snow is most enjoyable. It is one of the highlights of my year.

You will probably ache a little after the first few days, and spend a lot of time on your bum, hands and knees but this is normal. Don't be put off. Let us know how you get on.

I may have to re-think the trip in that case. I was going to be travelling around New Zealand staying in hostels, seeing sights and going to National Parks. I had only left one day for the snowboarding though (thinking that might be enough to just give me an idea of what to do, and then in future holidays actually go solely for the snowboarding). Would you recommend spending maybe a couple more days doing that then? I will definitly let you know how I get on!

 

[Munkfish]

I may have to re-think the trip in that case. I was going to be travelling around New Zealand staying in hostels, seeing sights and going to National Parks. I had only left one day for the snowboarding though (thinking that might be enough to just give me an idea of what to do, and then in future holidays actually go solely for the snowboarding). Would you recommend spending maybe a couple more days doing that then? I will definitly let you know how I get on!

YES!!! deff more than one day. if you can afford it do a week, it took me about a day and a half when i learnt to board, and then it just clicked, it feels like you are getting knowhere and then boom!

Skiers always try to make out, how much better skiing is, but dont listen. for a start snowboard boots are about a billion times more comftable. its a huge plus after spending 7 hours on the slopes. what i found was, speed is your friend, its easier to make the turns and i much prefered red runs rather than blue, you end up barley moving and on occasions having to walk when you first start... not fun.

Gutted about the snow in the Alps, although they are predicting some snow late this week, so fingers crossed.

 

[PHCgull]

Still no sign of snow in the alps

anyone been out recently, and what reports are there? I am going out in half term, and it looks as if at this rate the resort may even be closed

 

[wehatepalace]

I've just come back from Zell am see and there was snow aplenty ! Did some wicked off piste in fresh powder !
A load of mates were in France last week and said it's not been great.
I bloody love skiing I do !

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Still no sign of snow in the alps

Looks like some of the best conditions are out west at the minute. Some resorts in Colorado like Steamboat and Snowmass have had 10” in the last 24 hours and there’s more on the way in the next few days. Hope it lasts – I’m headed to Steamboat first week in March

 

[Lord Bamber]

Just got back from Morzine/Avoriaz in the Alps. They are experiencing the worst winter since 1974 with only 1 day of snow this year so far....however, most of the runs are still open so we were able to crack on for 4 days and......snow is due this week. Depends on how good the dump is though for the long term.

 

[JonathanLivingstonSeagull]

i was in chamonix a month ago
higher up it was fine, though some of the runs were a bit icy... they hadn't had snow for a few weeks then. any word on more recent snowfall?
chamonix, in general, is f***ing ACE!!! have a good one!

 

[CT.BHA]

Come on out here to the US East Coast, been living in Connecticut for 5 years and this is by far the best skiing Winter we've experienced. The local resorts have had a bumper season with 7 major snow storms already, made everyday life a bit tougher but worth it for the excellent conditions. Have skied in Vermont and Mass every weekend since Christmas. Have celebrated many an Albion goal this season, checking scores on the mobile while sitting on the chairlift.

 

[Noldi]

Yesterday skied at Flims - Laax (Switzerland) was OK at the top, no chance to ski back down to the car park. No more snow forcast this week :-(. pluss anywhere that does have snow is very busy 20min wait on some lifts.

Noldi