Verbier recommendations

A colleague is out there now at our apartment in La Tzoumaz and reports that there are huge amounts of snow already with more forecast the rest of this week. Five chalets in Verbier have been evacuated because of avalanche danger! Which I've never heard of before. By the time you go, the conditions should be perfect even if there's no more snow after this weekend.

I'd deffo echo Tony's point about the Medran lifts - huuuuuge queues and not very well controlled....

But once you're off then its a great area - I too loved the red down under the Jumbo cable car (though the bloke who shot past me tele-marking was a real blow to my self esteem)

Only point I'd add is that the home run (back to the Medran station) has a last drop thats steeper and narrower than it needs to be for a home run so if you have any beginners / nervous peeps in youir party then just be aware of this at the end of the day as it can get a little "hairy" - as can the prices in the bar at the bottom!

Enjoy it though - great area!

Verbier is awesome! Off-piste mecca, but if your group is of mixed ability for off-piste you better split. Off-piste skill is better learned with instructor who will take whoever needs lessons to safer places between runs. Verbier itineraries are generally not for learning any skills. All itineraries are marked but they are not easier from it. You shouldn't need a guide if you can ski well, just follow marked trail. Vallon d'Arbi can be avalanche-prone, so take precautions. Get 4 vallees pass as it gives you more options than regular Verbier pass. More interesting pistes than in Verbier are on the 4Vallees side. But allow yourself time as it only looks close on the map, and only linked to Verbier by lifts and ski routes, if you get stuck taxi is a bout 300 Swiss francs. You can also try Bruson, reds are much steeper than on Verbier side. Nice itineraries too especially if the snow is good. But it takes about an hour to get there - lift down to Le Chable and then bus. The plans for the lift from Le Chable to Bruson have been approved, but the lift is not there yet. Will be fantastic when it's built. Generally, the only places you will need a guide is for the back side of Mont-Fort and front side of Mont-Gele. Particularly front side of Mont-Gele, which is a one-fall place and taking wrong turn there can be lethal. The easiest itinerary is Col de Mine, but if you go there after lunch be careful and don't turn towards Vallon d'Arbi - you may not have enough time before Tzoumaz lift closes and it's expensive to get back to the Verbier side.

Cheers, thanks for the recommendations.