Planning for 2016/17 already

I'm sure there are plenty of you, like myself, who have had their trip/trips for the season already, and are looking ahead to next season in terms of planning possible trips.

Some of you will, no doubt, be returning to the same old haunts for the umpteenth time......certain places (mentioning no N N N N Names) seem to attract a cult crowd for some reason......but I'm already scouring the pages of WTSS for somewhere I would like to see for the first time, or a return to a place I haven't been to in some time.

This morning I sat in bed and drew up a spreadsheet (Yes, I have too much time on my hands) of results based on every single resort in the guide, rating them as either Visited, Keen, would go, wouldn't go based on my own research, experience or the experience of others.

Everyone has their own criteria when considering somewhere to ski, be it a certain amount of KM of marked piste, altitude, off slope activities, ease of driving to, short transfers, etc. I like to look at a combination of some of these, mainly extent and altitude, although I do appreciate there are some lower lying resorts that I really MUST consider, but need to think about when to go or book it late.

So, needless to say I surprised myself when I came up with a shortlist of 20 yes twenty resorts on my potential hit list for next season: some I have looked at time and time again and then never bothered following up, others that in the past I may have dismissed, and a few that I never really looked at at all before. Some I know absolutely nothing about, only what I have read or based on someone I know who has been there, others I could tell you everything about the area without having ever visited it!

So, I am left with the following:

AUSTRIA
Ischgl
Saalbach (concerns over lack of snow a sa friend has experienced several times)
Schladming
Hochkönig (Maria Alm)

ITALY
Arabba
Corvara
La Villa
Selva

SPAIN
Baqueira-Beret
Formigal

FRANCE
Megeve (altitude could again be a concern here)
Les Arcs/La Plagne
Val d'sere/Tignes

SWITZERLAND
Arosa
Verbier (been once, 8 years ago, Mrs H hasn't been)
Crans Montana

I also have another list of 15 or so resorts I'd also consider, places I have been to and really enjoyed and would happily return, and other new places I like the sound of, but they don't jump out at me.

Any ideas, other than be more ruthless????

Tony I thought saalbach had great snow making now

Probably. As does most of the Dolomites. But that's not the point.....I want to go somewhere with natural snow, and lots of it.....don't we all?
I can't face going somewhere with brown strips through green fields.

I'm siding towards Ischgl.

Mate, get yourself to Baquiera. They've had a load of snow again this season and I've read that they've replaced some of the older lifts.

I'm gutted I didn't get away this season after all (knee injury in Dec, op in Feb didn't go well) so massively looking forward to next season. Trying to convince the Mrs that 3 trips will be allowable, as I've now missed 5 seasons!

My one criticism of Megeve would be that it is overpriced. Especially when you consider how low it is. I do like the ski area though.

Jimbobilini wrote:My one criticism of Megeve would be that it is overpriced. Especially when you consider how low it is. I do like the ski area though.

I have a client who absolutely swears by the place.....what I read is that you can do it on a budget as well as particularly high brow, and believe me my client is proper high brow! And yes, altitude is a big concern, but I like the sound of the resort and the ambience people talk of, and allegedly quiet slopes as well.

Just did a quick search for a holiday to Megeve and you're right - horrendous prices!!!

Ischgl is on my list as is Lech. We're really keen to try Austria having skied 5 countries so far.

I have a business friend who skied Ischgl in January and was very impressed.

Lech is pretentious and tacky. Have you considered Andorra at all?