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@nbt Flying into Kelowna from Calgary (So it will end up as 4 flights in total :0(. )
Well you may as well make good use of any Helicopters while you are there then. 😊
My mountain tracks course in st foy may be cancelled on the 9th of Jan so I'm back to square one.
Anyone else know of any back country/off piste skiing courses running that week?
Army telemark champs are on that week so they've hoovered up all available English speaking instructors so no tellie courses available.
@cobrakai, 2 places to check are UCPA (via their uk partners Action-Outdoors), they are supposed to have a 40 year old age limit but often i hear that can be waived (it's more so that older folks know what they're getting into and don't complain about youngsters getting rowdy), and snowheads: i know that snowheads don't have any trips that week but if you ask on the forum you will quite likely get a useful reply suggesting a course somewhere
Thanks nbt. I'll have a look. Turned 40 this year!
55 age limit I think.
You could try skivolution, I did a weeks course with them as a singleton and it was great fun.
There's always Warren Smith in Verbier too but I dread to think of the cost......
You're too young for the Fresh Tracks ski club GB courses, as am I 🙂
Mountain tracks = SCGB = fresh tracks. All owned by SCGB as far as I know.
Ski Fresh Tracks tour I went on was a bit like being a conscript for a week. Skiing was good though.
55 age limit I think.
Certainly for the off-piste courses they have a raised age limit but in general they say "up to 40". As I said though, normally this is so they don't get complaints, if you ask and say "Yes I know it might be full of young people having a good time" then it will usually be fine.
I was 44 when I did a week's off-piste in Flaine and the centre was not overly noisy - though I'll be honest I was very british in that I had a beer or two after skiing, quyick shower, first in for food when the canteen opened then off for an early night. The young french people were just coming down t oeat as I went to bed...
@cobrakai, if you're after tele, have you looked at the RN/RM champs, normally held in January and combined with the UK tele champs? There's usually some off-piste spin off instruction sessions associated with that and aimed at those skiers who have progressed beyond using the 'Trainer' heels of most DH skiing...
Higlandman, I've spoken to the admin for the exercise and from what he says it's very much a race camp format to prepare for the champs. My racing days are way behind me so after a more informal guiding/off piste holiday.
I've been on a few race camps when I was in so know how they generally work. I know they'll bin off racing if there's good off piste but it's not a guarantee.
Having seen links above to Snowheads, perhaps I should look on there, but does anyone here have any recommendations for travel insurance, ideally that also covers off-piste?
I [b]really[/b] recommend Yellow Jersey for cycle trips, they were exceptional when I crashed in Mallorca, organising extra accommodation for my wife and son, booking new flights and covering a £20K+ hospital bill... but they don't do snow stuff, it seems.
Starting to doubt the half term Italy trip a bit for the first time, given this week’s news on restrictions and variants. Completely accept its 1st world problems but was really hoping to treat the kids after a rough couple of years. ☹️
The lack of second jab and nhs qr certificate for a 14 yr old looks v problematic.
Paying the balance for our ski club trip (5th March) to Italy today.
I won't actually believe it's happening until I'm at the top of a piste with skis on!
Fully prepared and expecting it to be cancelled.
The lack of second jab and nhs qr certificate for a 14 yr old looks v problematic.
*Looks up guidance for Italy* 🙁
@pedlad it appears, and I very well maybe wrong on this, that under 18s are OK as long as they are with a parent that is and they have a negative test to enter.
@pedlad,
It's a blooming minefield and changes by the day it seems. Trying to make sense of it all for a NY trip to Austria.
Under 12 is fine as comes under parent cover (Both double jabs) 12 year old has recovered from Covid BUT have no proof with a barcode that is accepted anywhere in EU so who knows what we can do. In France this would mean testing every 72 hours, not sure about Italy.
Austria is probably a non starter as things stand.
Not prepared to write off the season just yet..keeping positive and motivated.
@TheDTs France changed it this week to testing every 24 hours down from 72 for those not fully vaccinated.
Supposed to be going in Feb, 3 families each with a 13 year old, so not able to be fully vaccinated in the UK. I think daily testing would be pretty impractical snd take too much time out of the day when we should be skiing so looks like we are going to have to cancel
Omicron could be the final nail for skiing I fear. Just got to hope that it’s spike mutations only benefit ease of transmission and actually reduce disease compared to delta.
Yes, starting to look less and less likely.
A mate is going out for the season this week, not working and has a visa to stay for the whole season. As our family NY trip to anywhere is looking fairly shaky I’m still hopeful of something before Easter. All sorts of trouble for people flying to GVA. Testing daily for U16’s in FR. looking bleak!😟
Off out to Morzine on the 11th December, currently bouncing between excitement at the weather forecast of almost continual snow till then, and fear at if it will be cancelled. If I was going later I think fear would be winning, but hoping to get I have no useful contribution to makedown.
We are going to book a week off in jan and then wait and see.
If possible we will see what we can get last minute, and if not possible then will cancel holiday and work.
Not looking promising, but glad we haven't booked anything yet
I have a week in La Plagne booked at the end of Jan. All adults, all jabbed, I'm 65+ so was pleased to see the booster is now shown on the NHS app. Fingers cross that Omicron (or Macron) doesn't stop us.
We have a booking for Easter but anything could happen by then. Flexible tunnel ticket for NY is refundable or changeable so if NY falls through (which I expect it will) I’m hoping I can use that to go and stay with my mate. That would be sans kids so would be far simpler with a bunch of 40 something triple jabbers.
Just paid the last part of our March trip to cervinia that has been bounced round numerous resorts for the last 2 seasons. Fingers crossed we go but until there is snow under my skis……
4 (late 40s early 50s) of us got the week booked off work 22nd to 29th Jan ... usually we leave it till 2 weeks before to ensure good snow and grab a last minute deal... does the hive mind think that's still the best option in current climate? 🤔
Fingers cross that Omicron (or Macron) doesn’t stop us.
Omicrom might, Macron won't, anti-vaxers are the most likely to stop you by taking up too much hospital capacity.
It's looking impressively white up the hill. Another day and it wil be skiable off piste. 🙂
Whytetrash, 50:50 I would say. Depends on how ill people get with Omicron. If it is less severe it could be ok. If it hits people hard and if it starts to be problematic for people who have had jabs then that will be shit and skiing will be the last thing we should be worrying about.
Got a few days in already. Out on the glacier in Tignes over the last couple of weeks, just getting the legs warmed-up. Then in Val d'Isere for opening day yesterday, running an avalanche safety refresher for some other instructors. Snow has been good up on the glacier, got some decent powder yesterday too - weather and vis were much better than expected.
Can't beat that @stevomcd, but day 1 here, few laps with the kids, bit of messing about and a quick check of the touring kit up the hill. All the white stuff looks like it will be in the sea by Tuesday, but happy enough with that for November.
Last weekend we booked an Xmas deal to Les Orres, self drive from Scotland. The drive and the distance doesn't faze me, but we would normally stop overnight in France, then again at my folks place in Yorkshire on the way back to break up the 1200 mile journey. Now we need to get a PCR test and self isolate, so it looks like we'll have to drive from Dover to Scotland in one go.
Also need to find a convenient place for a PCR once off Eurotunnel. The sooner the better.
TroutWrestler - have you considered the Newcastle-Amsterdam or Hull-Rotterdam ferries instead of dragging yourself all the way to Dover? That's my usual route home to see family. Drive on the European side isn't that much longer than Calais, then a decent sleep and chill-out on the boat, early start in the morning. Just done Glasgow to the Alps solo that way.
@stevomcd - Thanks, not an option this time, have done it before though.
I am going to need to find clarification about the new suite of tests required
Before departure to France - I don't think children under 11 are required to get tests French Gov Website: "From December 4, any person aged 12 and over entering French territory must present a negative PCR or antigen test of less than 24 or 48 hours depending on the country of origin."
Before return to UK - Again, I don't think children under 11 need to get tests - Gov.Uk :"From 4am, Tuesday 7 December all people aged 12 years and over must take a PCR or LFD COVID-19 test before they travel to England from abroad."
After return to UK (Day 2 PCR) - Unsure as to whether the kids need them. The Scot.Gov website says:
"Children under 18
All children under 18 are counted as ‘fully vaccinated’ when they arrive in Scotland. This applies:
- even if they haven’t had a COVID-19 vaccine
- no matter which country or territory they normally live in
Children aged 11 to 17 need to take a day 2 PCR test. Children aged under 11 do not need to need to take this test." But the information on the GOV.UK website says all over 5 need to take a PCR.
So at the moment I would need:
PCR test before flying to France - inconvenient, some cost, cancel trip if positive (insurance should cover)
PCR/LFT before flying back to UK - inconvenient, hope there's sufficient testing resource in resort, some cost - major problem if positive
PCR within 2 days of return - inconvenient, some cost, self isolation until result.
but so far, don't need a test or isolation on arrival in France. Isolation would be a major problem, not just because of missed skiing but would be unable to buy food.
And the costs of all that ^^^^^^^^ ?
And if your pre-departure test is positive? Isolate in country, how do you do that?
Starting to get prohibitive I feel!
Edit - typing while GB replied, similar points.
I’ve binned the trip with miss OTS over New Year. She can’t get double jabbed in time and the test prior to returning just adds another complication.
Accommodation is refundable, flights will be moved forward, so shouldn’t cost anything.
Just got to keep fingers crossed for February; I’m not hopeful though.
The Scottish resort situation is looking promising though. Might get some days at glenshee over Christmas and new year if the current weather sticks around 🤞
The worst case scenario is test positive via LFT while in France waiting to return. LFT is only likely to show as +ve for at most a couple of days if asymptomatic. Give that we can take home test LFTs with us, we should "know" if the pharmacy supervised LFT will be positive, by doing one just before trotting off to the pharmacy.
A few suggestions which some of our guests have used and which might be helpful:
1. The test to enter France can be lateral flow, PCR not essential, but it has to include the particular protein which identifies the new variant. Aoparently most LFT's do, but I haven't looked into this myself in any way.
2. For the pre-return test, it may be easier to bring a self-test LFT kit from the UK. This needs to be a certified travel one, not an NHS one. These generally require you to submit a video of you doing the test. Most of our summer guests this year used this system. It may be more practical than arranging a test in France.
3. If you are getting tested in France, it's generally cheaper than in the UK at least.
4. You don't actually need to use the French app ("TousAntiCovid") while in France. I know a lot of people have struggled to get their documents on it. All you need is a valid QR code. Your NHS one is fine. Don't fanny around opening up the app and finding the right section every time either. Load it once and screenshot it for quick access.
5. If your teenagers are vaccinated (I know most aren't, but some are), but don't have / can't get the NHS app (because why?), there are a couple of systems apparently available to get a French-recognised QR code. I have no experience of either, but have seen mention of them in reasonably official places. A government email address apparently exists to which you can send scans of your documents. These will be manually approved and a QR code provided. Again, no experience of this and I would recommend doing it a very long time in advance. Don't ask me what the address is, I saw it months ago and haven't looked since. Alternatively, and again I have no experience, if you take the relevant documents to a French pharmacy, they can apparently generate a QR code for you.
Thanks, stevomcd, that's useful info.
Load it once and screenshot it for quick access
I was wondering if you could print the QR, laminate it and maybe even strap it on your arm like we used to do before electronic skipasses. Also if the resorts might set up a scheme so that you could show your QR to the pass office and have 'QR checked' built into your pass.
Also if the resorts might set up a scheme so that you could show your QR to the pass office and have ‘QR checked’ built into your pass.
Presumably they won’t sell you a pass unless you can prove eligibility?
It is sadly looking like yet again getting to the mountains is going to be too much of a pain in the arse this winter again.
Such a shame
Downhill woman's is in lake Louise this weekend if you need a fix Eurosport.
Exactly 25 years ago I was on a jumbo to Calgary simple times
Board-beer-repeat.
I'm assuming that Fort William is the best option for Feb half term, based on the fact that Shitsville has a broken train and the masses always flock there...
But do you reckon everyone will have realised this by now and thus head to The Fort instead, thus leaving Cairngorm blissfully empty with ski on ski lifts all across the mountain.... 🙂
Yeah OK, I realise they don't even have lifts right across the mountain any more, let alone empty ones....
But seriously, seems like a no brainer to go with Fort William, especially given the biking options there and at Laggan.
(This will be my third booked ski week to Scotland. Since long before my first one I swore I would never do it. After my first, and indeed second one that view was reinforced mightily. But the pain fades over time and once again Scotland feels like the best option)
Fool that I am 🙂
Glencoe has had good conditions for the past couple of years. Not sure about fort William.
Cairngorms without the train is doable, but some of the drag lifts are brutal. No good for beginners and hard work on a board.
As always with Scotland, you have to go where the snow is. If it’s in the west, Fort William and Glencoe will be great.
Stay central - Perthish, and accept that you will have to drive to wherever conditions are best on each day.
We've got the van booked into Grantown on Spey for the Feb half term. Will go to Lecht if snow is in and do some biking and walking.
Presumably they won’t sell you a pass unless you can prove eligibility?
As I've understood it you're expected to show your QR code to get on the lifts. You can buy passes in advance, so your covid status at purchase won't mean anything. I actually took a gamble and bought my pass pre-season at a discount; that may have been a bad decision!
qr codes are randomly checked at the ticket office, in lift queues and at the ski school here in Gourette.
I've done a bit of rando an x-c but most sectors are shut due to the wild conditions
Blizzard Black Pearl are my new rando skis for this season. The women specifique design seems to suit my weight and style perfectly.
Three lines is about all I can type before the site redirect to some nasty charity site with stinking rich directors.
Or is it the post length or??? I should have learned no to post on STW fr my phone by now
FWIW, I've been out riding the past two days (since the rule came in on Saturday) and I haven't had my covid pass checked on the lifts yet, or seen it happen. Getting checked about 50% of the time in cafes/bars. Just got checked in the Marmot Arms!
Ressorts in Massif Central opening next week-end. And it is still snowing.
Ressorts in Massif Central opening next week-end. And it is still snowing.
The one time I can't get out to the Lioran and conditions look the best I've seen in 10 years. 😵
OK, let's all pretend that we will manage to get skiing in 2022.
I want to treat myself to some nice salopettes this year. Can anyone recommend any?
I also need some new low-light goggles, any suggestions?
Cheers,
Mick
@Mick have a look on SportPursuit They have a good range of trews and googles are decent prices.
Tkmaxx is also worth a look. Decathlon for the good VFM but less expensive end of things.
Re low light goggles, I'm a big fan of Smith ChromaPop.
I just got some Dare2B ski troursers cheap in the regatta offer that was on here last week. They seem ok on delivery, not used in anger yet though obviously
For Smith Chromapops, check over on snowheads where someone has a few for sale
The season started at my local resort in the Austrian Alps this weekend. I had a lot of fun in the powder. I have a season ticket for Carinthia and had to prove I had been vaccinated but it was quite easy at this site:
https://safe2ski.services.skidata.com/portal/
Masks have to be worn on all lifts. I ended up keeping mine on down the slopes too due to interaction difficulties with my normal mouth and nose covering. As it was still snowing the mask quickly stopped functioning because airflow was restricted by the moisture. I need to figure out a good system to prevent this.
As it was still snowing the mask quickly stopped functioning because airflow was restricted by the moisture. I need to figure out a good system to prevent this.
I was thingking about his recently and wondered about an 80's style BMX clip on for goggles
I need to figure out a good system to prevent this.
I've been thinking about this too. It's quite usually for my beard to become a sheet of ice, so I'm expecting the mask to do the same. Maybe wear a buff over the mask and shake the ice off it? A full vizor, not just over the eyes, might work well (edit, thinking about that, it won't as the damp air will still go onto the mask and freeze).
Already had a couple of days splitting up Weardale and Teesdale, decent conditions and filled gulleys / depressions for the better runs.
Will concentrate on local and Scotland rather than plan anything for this season.
Been using Sungod goggles the last few years and can't complain. Very customisable.
Ok - Scottish resorts - Someone talk to me and tell me whats good and bad.
I'm down by Peterborough so roughly 7hrs drive from Glenshee, and work (and family) are flexible enough that I could take a few days midweek and get some riding in this winter.
Wheres good to look? Any pointers apart from going where the snow is best? I've never been up there before, but anything has to be better than nothing right?
Given the mess that euro travel is in, I reckon this might be my only shot apart from the domes for this season.
I'm a fan of the picture ones I got last year, comfy, the waist band works well with the same brand jacket. Not too hot importantly either as I run warm (ok, I'm chubby). Not cheap, but they should last and Picture at least sell themselves as vaguely ethical/sustainable.
As for goggles I have some Yellow persimmon lenses for oakley goggles and they work well in flat light, but there is a point at which this fades and everything goes very flat, but only when it's really flat dim light.
@bombjack it really is a case of going where the snow is, but if you base yourself central, like Pitlochry, all resorts are accessible for the day.
Glenshee - 1hr
Cairngorm - 1 hr
Glencoe - 2 hrs ish
Fort William - 1hr 40
Lecht - 2 hrs ish
But, if you want to hedge your bets, Glenshee is Scotland's 3 valleys and so has more options if the weather isn't great.
In Scotland I ski at Glenshee and Cairngorm - I much prefer Glenshee.
I've skiied all 5. All are fine on their day, though the Lecht is the smallest and not as varied as the others, and Cairngorm always suffered from queues even before the funicular stopped running.
My personal favourite is Glencoe - staying in Fort William mean you can get there in about 45 minutes, or get up to Nevis Range in about 20 minutes. Ballachulish or Glencoe village is small but nore central
Cheers @oldtennisshoes - I'd kind of earmarked Pitlochry or Perth as a possible base, with Glenshee being the closest of the resorts if conditions allow. I reckon a stop at Tebay then finish off with a 2nd leg up to the resort would be possible over night (2 X 3hr legs). Hell, I'd even crash in the car if needed to break the drive up.
I take it wind is the biggest limiting factor rather than snow line?
I take it wind is the biggest limiting factor rather than snow line?
It certainly plays a part. Another frustration can be if there's been a dump and it takes a wee while for the cooncil to clear the road, so the snow gates can stay closed late into the morning, when conditions are amazeballs.
Like OTS I'd prefer Glenshee over the others.
Never skied at the Lecht but have driven through a couple of times and it doesn't look great.
Learned to ski at Cairngorm 30+ years ago, last time I skied there (2017) the funicular was working and it was alright.
Glencoe been a couple of times and have never actually seen what it's like due to low cloud and snow.
Nevis range is good but nowhere near as much piste as Glenshee.
There are a couple of Travelodges in Perth for comfortable jail cell style accommodation.
That'd be where I'd base myself.
If you do come up DM me as I have a few days leave left to take, luckily my boss is a skier and is very understanding!
Best Scottish destination varies hugely from day to day and also of course, on your expectations/skill level. They're all tough in bad weather, but that's what makes Scottish skiers & boarders so adaptable, able to extract maximum enjoyment from minimal conditions overseas.
Beginners and early intermediates are best at the Lecht, lots of short, mellow runs and very few rocks.
Mile munchers: Glenshee. Also has some surprisingly steep terrain on the fringes.
Touring, you're well served at Glenshee as well as Cairngorm. In good conditions, long runs out to the roads well to north and south of Glenshee can be tremendous fun, especially if taken via a nearby peak as well. Cairngorm has excellent backcountry and serious steeps as well as more mellow stuff.
I only tour at Cairngorm these days, like many others now I refuse to give them my ££s in protest at years of utter incompetence at management level.
Nevis in good snow and visibility is the best site for strong skiers and off-pisters looking for a wild feeling but close to lifts. Views are spectacular and the back corries are simply epic on the right day. Nevis has arguably the greatest vertical from summit to the top gondola station. And you get to have a wee look at the MTB tracks on your access lift too. Piste patrol actively encourage conversations on snow conditions and safety over in the back bowls, rather than being aloof.
Glencoe is working on new intermediate terrain this winter with a new chair lift- not heard if it's definitely ready yet though. The Mighty Coe has it's diehard fans, yet is also surprisingly good for beginners too. Again, a spectacular setting on a clear day and if you've the guts, the Flypaper is the steepest in bounds 'piste' in Europe. Coe also argues that it has that greatest vertical prize in Scotland, although in reality skiing to the base station, on which the claim is based, doesn't happen every winter.
It's dumping again at the moment, the snow gates are shut tonight again and reports from the ski tourers this week have already been of excellent early season cover at Glenshee, Lecht & Cairngorm. The West resorts usually take longer to fill in their rougher, rockier terrain. There have also been a couple of early avalanches in the off-piste, one collecting a climber along the way, so as always in Scotland, extra care is required when travelling in the backcountry.
I've got to say, I don't buy this Perth central base gubbins. Yep, it's good for Glenshee and in theory OK for CG. But as outlined above years of mismanaged at CG means that no right minded person would go there unless they had no choice or were local ( in which case they wouldn't be staying in perth)
It's over 2 hours from Perth to Nevis or the Mighty One,which is a helluva long time to spend driving twice a day in a ski holiday.
Anyway, my viewpoint:
Lecht. Really well managed resort which tries really hard to maximise what they can get from a pretty small, low, limited resort. I've only ridden there once.
Glenshee: huge mileage and some great off piste to swallow the huge crowds.
Cairngorm: if someone would open a crowdfunding to do a private prosecution against the previous management I would gladly contribute. The last 20 years have been a shocking illustration of " a compromise is a situation that suits precisely nobody" mantra
Nevis: if the back corries are open and in condition then it's utterly mind bendingly good.
Glencoe: if you can find one of those rare days with good conditions and few people then it is amazing. I was lucky enough to be one of the 100 or so people vancamped in the carpark a few years back. A few of the lifties managed to get in early Saturday morning and then some tumschies blocked the access road by getting stuck in the snow. They had just enough staff to open the access chair and not much else.
For the lucky few lapping the dark side repeatedly and skiing down the midway waterfall it was the best ski day of their lives. For the hundreds of skiers and boarders stuck on the access road and A82 it was sheer torture.
I reckon 5 of my 20 best ever ski days were in Scotland.
I'm absolutely sure that 30 of my worst 30 ski days were in Scotland. But still I go.
France have closed borders to non essential travel now plus min 48hrs quarentine, so that looks to have well and truly kyboshed things for christmas and January trips at the very least :-<
Yep gutted trip to avoriaz is off😪
Yup it's looking a tad grim.
Avoriaz here too at half term ☹️
Should get full refund but not until 2 weeks pre departure if advice doesn’t change…
I've got a few contacts pulled departures forward and going tonight/tomorrow. The buried part of this is that it's to buy time to get more Boosters out so HOPEFULLY its temp for 2-3 weeks. Bit of a melter for places like Val, Meribel etc that have large British traffic, decimates businesses with no support, much like our hospitality sector here.
Hadn't booked anything for half term, but def wanted to go.
Hoping* the petri dish that is the UK will bear out that it's not that bad and things open up again.
* wishing?
We've pulled ours forward and are now leaving tomorrow at 3:30pm. Spoke to the resort today and it sounds like they are having a really tough time, it seemed to be fairly easy to get an apartment on the slopes for the Christmas week. The big deal is the additional cost to families with a couple of kids as they will need to be tested everyday which will cost about £500. Will also need to get children tested on the way down at a local chemist so they can ski on the first day. Good luck everyone
My desire to ski is less than my desire to be a part of the spreading problem. I was hoping late January would pan out, that looks unlikely so I'm hopeful that maybe March will be viable, either way a very late booking is the most likely option.
I miss the mountains, I miss the snow, I miss skis and I miss Tartiflette (this is a dish that only exists in the mountains for me, were it to exist at home I'd never get out of the ChubClub threads).
Good luck to anyone travelling, hope it goes well.