[Closed] The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2016-2017 season

Ischgl, Lech, St Anton, Solden or Val d'Isère are the choices for a cheeky late season week. Skiied the Espace Killy several times and love it, I'd happily go back there again time after time, but the flight times to Austria are much nicer, and those resorts look good.

Which would you choose and why?

St Anton is fun but bonkers, Lech is its posher, quieter cousin around the corner on the same ski pass. If I could afford it I'd go Lech, but only cos my liver needs a bit of a rest at the moment!

Oh and Oberlech is lovely and sunny, but it may be pretty slushy this late in the season.

If you go to solden £10 buys a day in obergurgl too, 20 mins on the bus, very quiet and nice and high, snow looks good there too at the minute.

We went last week of the season last year and you could ski all day up top but it was slushy at the bottom.

Going back there on Saturday, 2 more sleeps

ooooh cant wait to go again. back in chamonix 1st april 🙂

Thanks for the responses. I'm tempted by the Hovercraft but am concerned it's more of a second board than an only board. I may wait until the start of next season and pick up a Flagship or maybe an Arbor Coda then...
The Flagship was stolen in resort, really bizarre. It was a Saturday in Zermatt, only the trains were running as conditions were terrible and there weren't many people out. Popped into Riffelberg for a Housekaffee before going down on the train, I was only in there for 30 minutes and the board had gone when I came out... Not happy.

@igm, that sounds interesting, is it a 164?

@nbt I can't comment on the other Austrian resorts as of those I have only been to St Anton. I have been there many times and with Val d'Isere its one of my favourites due to the range of skiing, off-piste, town and party scene. What I son't know is how good it is for late season. Given this year has been quite strange I would be tempted to look at resorts with a lot of optioms from 2,000m up to 3,000m or thereabouts. I know Austria has a reputation for good snow lower down but the weather has been all over the place and its got warm quickly again.

back in chamonix 1st april

I'm back in Chamonix this Saturday! It's been spring conditions this week, but hopefully the snowpack should have consolidated a bit.

Looking forward to splitboard touring in the high mountains! 8)

@beanum ... that's very sad - I have to say, I've never really worried about leaving my board outside before. 🙁

An aside, but potentially of interest!

If you find yourself in Hong Kong, there's some seriously bargainous Mammut ski clothing in the shop on Queens Road by the Hopewell Tower.

🙂

Yeah I wouldnt have it as a my only board (hovercraft). It's great in groomers and pow but in the choppy stuff and on ice it's not great. Switch is rubbish too. You can land switch but that's it.

Cheers CFH, I will be in a couple of weeks. Never been grabbed by Mammut stuff before, though.

Beanum - you are PMed.

I've never skied in such hot conditions. Had a whizz to Switzerland yesterday and even Avoriaz is mush by 11. Les Gets and Morz almost unskiabke to resort now. Rain forecast next week which with no bsse will be catastrophic. Had a great week though and the QST92s are nice to ski on.

@jedi you have definitely been bitten by the snow bug 8)

What I imagine a Whistler day is like at Louise yesterday. A bit of fresh powder in the morning but then it warmed up and started raining. Mashed potatoes by mid afternoon almost all the way to the top lift.

What I imagine a Whistler day is like at Louise yesterday. A bit of fresh powder in the morning but then it warmed up and started raining. Mashed potatoes by mid afternoon almost all the way to the top lift.

Haha!

We had the weirdest pow day ever yesterday. 25cm+ of fresh snow and almost no lines on a Saturday. I assume it was because everyone was hung over due to St Paddys day. Snow was good low down until about 3pm where it became very very heavy. Otherwise great snow everywhere.

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Simple little film (in French) about a couple who do Les Arcs ski patrol after getting up at 4 to feed their farm animals, they have a Border Collie to do Avalance rescue 🙂

Nice vid, I wonder why was it mirrored, all the logos and text were reversed?

Usually done on YouTube to avoid their automatic copyright detection.

See also: slightly adjusting the speed or aspect ratio.

Seems like this thread is winding down a little . Thought I'd post that there are some serious sale bargains around at the moment.

http://en.unionfive.fi/product/3277/union-st--bindings-black

For example, half price brilliant union bindings for 85 euros. Anyone else seen anything?

Westbeach have their usual end of season reductions. Jacket and slacks bought 5 holidays ago still going strong.

Great link, howsyourdad1. Trying not to spend any more money on gear this season, I've already picked up a pair of boa deluxe jr boots for pennies (not an Internet bargain however)! Those capita boards are a steal for anyone looking to treat their kids. So tempting...

Snowchains needed to get up to Pas De La Casa earlier this morning, it's not over yet 🙂

Winding down? Everything is white again and we're looking forward to a few days up to our knees in it.

The end of season shopping was done a couple of weeks back on the last weekend of the Winter holidays. Prices drop and all the sizes are still in stock.

just the thread perhaps! Not winding down for me either edukator, went today and 15cms predicted Friday night so will be out again Saturday. shred on and so forth!

One more day left for me here in obergurgl, trying to snow and forecast for blue skies tomorrow - missus has had flu all week, started feeling better today and then faceplanted in a patch of windblown powder on the first run and bruised a rib

Still looking forward to a week in Tignes at Easter.
Driving down with the MiniDTS and MrsDTS, plus sister and her three kids and partner. SeniorDTS are taking easyjet.
Checking the snow reports already but that has even less point than it does at any other time of the year.
Wouldn't mind being out there next week, from what I've seen.

it's not over yet

It certainly isn't!! I've just had some of my best runs ever off the Grand Montets in Chamonix yesterday and today

We go to Cervinia on 3 April. Looks like it's getting a dumping between now and then 😀

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Booking flights for work tomorrow but looks like I've managed to arrange things so I've got next Friday free for somewhere within an hour of Geneva. Finish work in Dijon on Thursday evening, Will be flying back from Geneva Friday evening.

Current plan on suggestion of a mate is to drive to Prodain and get the cable car to Avoriaz.

Any other suggestions welcome.

20+cm in the Whistler alpine today. Heavy around 1400m so everything else sweet.

Right then, 2 weeks gardening leave is currently being undertaken, debating a 2 or 3 days somewhere, requirements are:
Close to an airport, ideally Geneva or Innsbruck but others are possible
Good chance of snow
No mega expensive.

Talk to me!

2 or 3 days? You can get a week catered with Silver ski for 249 if you can go on Sunday , La Plagne and La Tania - I'm sure other tour ops will have other places on offer

Coming to the end of a very varied week in Les Deux Alpes, with Rob (singletrackmind). He's out now for the morning before our journey home, but my knees are shot from fighting the slush, so I'm resting my old, weary bones!
We arrived in drizzle and woke the next day to bright sunshine and disappearing snow cover. Some gorgeous scenery, of course :
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Snow was ok up on the glacier, but turning to shit everywhere lower down. Wednesday morning we went up the less busy side for a few runs, but it wasn't great, so I kept chanting "Fat bikes fat bikes fat bike" in Rob's ear. He was persuaded, so we went into town and hired a couple of electric (yes, Ebikes!) fat bikes.
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Fun way to spend an afternoon, seeking out singletrack round the mountains. There are plenty of bike tracks, but they seem to collect snow, so were mostly unrideable. We ended up low on a track, below the road we needed to be on and there was too much snow on it, so we had to push the bikes up a few switchbacks. Oh, lord, those things are heavy! Exhausted, we switch to 100% power mode and whizzed back to the hire shop. Decent fun for an afternoon but neither of us will be spending our hard earned on that type of thing any time soon!
Thursday, weather changed completely. Rain in town, but up top, blizzard! We hit the "family fun park", literally in my case. accelerating down the boardercross track, zero visibilty and I face planted into the solid bank. Ouch. Whiplash and bruised nose. That was my day done. Rob went off on his own to explore a powder stash some skiiers had come down just before. He caught up with them and I waited by a restaurant- as they disappeared up the lift, the conditions worsened and I couldnt see the run they'd gone up to find. How do you call the rescue team again?? All was ok though, the group emerged from the murk and Rob appeared saying it was great. Pretty glad I stayed below though.
More varied conditions on Fri, some nice powder was found to make the week worthwhile.
Mixed bag then. I reckon we'll stick to that first week in March rule in future, it may be pricier, but the snow tends to be more reliable.

sounds like a right mixed bag DezB! Any pics of the bruised nose?

splitboarding for me today near the Norwegian border. poor vis so we took the chance to have the morning avalanche training. Was hectic with multiple burials, but all good fun!

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Bloody marvelous day in flaine today, scorching sunshine but cold up at 2500m. Windy as though.

Soft snow has made some fairly impressive moguls lower down.

Leffe rituel 9 is probably the cause of short sentences.

Scaled - were you snowboarding or skiing? Never knew you were a snowsports person 🙂

Excellent three days in the Pyrenees though with a wind strong enough to cancel the Red Bull fill-the-local-hospital tout schuss thing. It also blew a guy's helmet off on the chair - don't forget the chin strap guys if you feel the need for a lid.

I foolishly volunteered to be a judge on a proper competition and stood on a ledge in spindrift for five hours, thank you Schôffel, Rab and E2KO for some excellent kit - still not bad enough to trade sunnies for goggles though, 31 ski days this year and I still haven't needed the goggles.

Spring is here an you get every type of snow in a single day. Powder to start, swept down to ice within an hour and the whole lot turns to soup by 16:00.

Beautiful sunny day here in Flaine with the balcony temperature at 6 degrees already.

We're going touring properly for the first time, wish us luck! Be gentle with us Serge.

@sprootlet - enjoy and post us a photo or two. I love getting away from the crowds and the lift infrastructure 🙂

Regarding the weather Verbier Bike Park / Bike Verbier and Alpine Roots have all been posting photos of dry trails and trail hunting expeditions. Bottom lift open to bikes from 11am each day after most skiers have gone up.

splitboarding for me today near the Norwegian border

What skins are those HYD1? the tail-clip straps look massive - are they G3s?

so I've got next Friday free for somewhere within an hour of Geneva

You can get to Le Grand Bornand and La Clusaz just inside an hour, but they are not very high so check conditions carefully. Worth driving another half an hour to gain more height in these Spring conditions, I reckon.

Digby yes G3s but for a 164 board. the Jones in the picture was a 161. I managed to cobble together some kit from friends as I have yet to purchase my own stuff , other than avalanche kit.

You can get to Le Grand Bornand and La Clusaz just inside an hour, but they are not very high so check conditions carefully. Worth driving another half an hour to gain more height in these Spring conditions, I reckon.

current plan is avoriaz or argentiere

You do want to go high !

Verbier (bottom lift in valley at Le Chable - big car park) is 80-90 mins from airport which is on the "Verbier side" of Geneva. Pleasant drive long the lake - motorway almost all of it

Pleasant drive long the lake - motorway almost all of it

Been there done that. Yes all of those DT they also catch-up with you in your UK registered vehicle 😳 something the French don't do

Well something a bit different for us this last weekend. Sweamrs, Sweajnr and I along with another family headed into one of the more accessible Alpine Club of Canada huts in Waterton Lakes. A "historic" avalanche cycle meant plans to get in some short laps on nearby slopes didn't happen so it was sledging, building snow forts and hiking in the valley instead.

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Sweajnr looking a bit grumpy that not every backcountry trip starts with a helicopter....

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and that his parents brought a sled while his mate rode in a luxury chariot...

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But there is method in our madness

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The US border from Cameron lake...

Well the ski touring was AMAZING, something really special about heading off under the ropes.
I suspect another one will be happening on Wednesday or Thursday. The photos will be shared later, overall it doesn't get much better for our last Monday in the mountains.
I have loved doing a season, I should have done it years ago!

Verbier (bottom lift in valley at Le Chable - big car park) is 80-90 mins from airport which is on the "Verbier side" of Geneva. Pleasant drive long the lake - motorway almost all of it

I finish in Dijon Thursday hopefully late afternoon, I was planning on driving back past Geneva and finding a hotel off the motorway west of geneva. Get up early and decide where to go. I fancy the grand montets as I kinda know my way around which will make life easier. Not flying until 9pm so I figure if I'm out of wherever by early afternoon when everything gets slushy I should be good.

Quick question oh wise ones. I have torn my snowboard trousers at the seam on my left hip. whattapeormaterialtofixthemtrackworld?

duct tape is grey an makes me look like an impoverished student so that's out.

ta!

15s in...

ok looks interesting.... was thinking some sort of clear tape but perhaps i'll give the sugru a go

makes me look like an impoverished student

The 'Dirtbag Snowboarder' look never seems to go out of fasion in British Columbia ...

Whereas in the Alps it often seems to be style over substance. 8)

McNett repair patches and Seamgrip are pretty good - and also the Tenacious repair kit. But as I mentioned earlier in this thread to GrahamS, there are a number of places that repair GoreTex etc that might be worth considering:

[url= https://www.scottishmountaingear.com/ ]https://www.scottishmountaingear.com/[/url]

well I haven't been to BC for 6 years and the Alps are but a distant dream. I might well try the clear tenacious tape.

hotel in sallanches for tomorrow night, board hire booked with sanglard at the base of grand montet.

sunblock packed. bring on the slush...

im off to chamonix saturday

I think there is some fresh snow forecast for the weekend. If I wasn't working away next week as well I'd have stayed for the weekend.

[quote=jam bo ]I think there is some fresh snow forecast for the weekend. If I wasn't working away next week as well I'd have stayed for the weekend.

the forecast snow has very much reduced in quantity. We were looking at 10-5 cm, we're now looking at 5-10cm, and then only at the top of the mountain - freezing level's over 2000m

im off to chamonix saturday

Don't forget to take your shorts & sandles for next week! 🙂

Some light snow showers forecast for this weekend - If you're lucky there should be some snow left at the top of Grande Montets ... The 'Glacier des Rognons' was pretty amazing last week

Still fun to be had messing around in the Spring conditions on-piste getting 'Side Hits' etc ...

Went ski touring again today, I enjoyed it even more than Monday. Stood on top of a cliff and looking over to Les Houches and Megeve then turned our backs and walked to a refuge then back up onto a different piste to the one we set of from. I had a face plant moment when I skied down a short section with the skins on, i came to an almighty stop and went over the front of the skis! Luckily my other half didn't see it.
Last day tomorrow - it has been immense

Hey folks
Off to France for Easter. I've got 2 boards in my quiver- a med flex traditional camber and a softish hybrid camber.

I've only got room for for one.

Whats better for spring conditions?

Well that was fun. Killing time in Geneva airport waiting for the flight home.

My legs hurt. After nearly 6 years without boarding I think they are in shock...

21 degrees at argentiere when I left!!

Earl, Both Take the bindings off the bigger board, take them as hand luggage if you can't manage with one set.
Pack shorts "21 degrees at argentiere when I left!!"

yep. the red run back to the base lift was slushy at the top and dodging puddles at the bottom...

Ah the problem is I'm also packing my daughters board and 2 sets of skis all in the same coffin bag so 2 boards for myself no going to happen.

Ahh. Yes already trying it on then.

An interesting 1st day in the 3 Valleys. Proper icy piste in the early morning. Getting nice by 11.00. Just before lunch a bit soft, after lunch a soupy porridge. Also very busy on piste due to Easter holidays, however the queues were non exsistant.
As the saying goes " a bad day skiing is better than a good day at the office."
We ended up finding some pretty decent snow high up.
I've changed skis from some really waisted fat things that I wasn't used to, back to something a bit wider at the waist.

No snow forecast, but it was a chance we took.
Even though many pistes are really bare, there is still alot of snow to be had. 🙂

Thanks for the conditions report Bunnyhop.
Driving out to Tignes on Friday/Saturday so hoping things don't get too warm..

@bunnyhop
Mont Vallon, cote brun, Peclet/Polset, cime de Caron and repeat...
Wide waisted skis are great for slush skipping in the afternoon!

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Cervinia rush hour - pre Aperol

Monday was perfect after a weekend of heavy snow. The locals made the most of it with more skiers off piste than on up at the top. By 11:00 every bit of powder within reach of a lift was tracked out.

Today it was all hard lumps so I had what may be my last X-C skate of the season. Rain is forecast up to X-C level over the next couple of days.

Booked for 2018. Message ends.

TheDTs - I think you'll be fine in the Tignes area. There was a dump the other day.

We stayed very high today, mostly above val Thorens, where the snow was good, not so good were a few of the lift queues.

Snow is running out fast in Merubel. Very warm, however tonight it's clouded over, hopefully meaning the pistes won't be as icy in the morning.

Slush today was really bad and the last run back into Meribel was busy with children who were skiing far better than myself.
New rental skis were good. 🙂

Another 20cm of snow at Whistler last night. Good in the high alpine apparently. I didnt get to experience iy after falling near the top of the chute to lookers left of Hawaii 5-0 and ending up somewhere underneath the bottom cliff and giving my knee a good twerk. It definitely could of been worse, but a probably a couple of weeks recovery time.

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Here is Reine Barkered's winning run from FWT in Verbier. A local dude from my nearest resort. He is also decent on a bike and has a really cool wife. #mancrush

He wants to slow down a bit, take in the scenery a bit. What if an instructor was in asking a group of beginners under that first drop. There is now way he could have stopped. 😀
Great skiing

Pleney closing date set for Sunday

No indication how long the Avoriaz sector will stay open, but we fly out for easter hols on thursday next week and were hoping to catch a couple of mornings through to the weekend with the kids. Tennis rackets and swimming trunks packed as well though...

We're back in Les Gets for MTB at the end of summer.

It'll probably snow then.

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Snow in tignes and val is still great up high. Snowed a fair bit overnight Saturday and Sunday morning

Proper face shots in the trees early Sunday morning in la daille. Couldn't see much but didn't matter!

Anyone ridden a salomon super 8?. Been obsessing over Dirksens heel side carves! Looks like a good one board fir resort based #middleagedshred