J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by admin

This just in, fresh from the French Alps...


[Picture courtesy of VT]

Val Thorens wrote:Val Thorens is opening on Saturday!

Thanks to recent heavy snowfalls, Val Thorens will offer excellent skiing conditions from 22nd November. There is 40cm of snow at 2,300m and 60cm at 3,200m. 15 runs and 12 lifts will open – maybe more if it carries on snowing.

For more info... www.valthorens.com

The big event for J2Ski's favorite charity - Snow Camp - is now open for entries...



The Snow-Camp Alpine Challenge is back and this year promises to be bigger & better than ever!

The Snow-Camp Alpine Challenge is a unique 2 day charity snowsports endurance event designed to give your team a skiing and snowboarding experience you will never forget! If you and your colleagues, friends or family love skiing or boarding, need an excuse to hit the slopes for an extra few days this winter and like the idea of supporting Snow-Camp's work with inner-city young people then read on.

Dates: 12th – 15th March 2015
Venue: Morzine, Portes du Soleil, France



Here's the movie from last year's challenge which we hope gets the juices flowing!



The Alpine Challenge is all about strategy, stamina, teamwork and fun! Your team of 4 must clock up 150km of GPS tracked skiing or boarding over 2 non-stop days across the 15 resorts of the massive Portes du Soleil ski area, navigating to more than 20 checkpoints spread across the 660kms of the 12 ski resorts. The team that successfully visits the most checkpoints and clocks up the most kms will win the Snow-Camp Alpine Challenge 2015! With prizes also available for the top fundraisers, there's plenty to get your hands on!

Snow Camp wrote:As you may be aware, we have partnered with Ski Weekends for this year's Challenge meaning we have been able to reduce the entry fee to just £200pp which includes your flights, transfers, 3 nights h/b accommodation, lift pass, GPS tracking, parties, medals, certificates and more… which we hope you feel if a fantastic deal.

The new partnership enables us to offer you a range of flights, hotels and transfers to suit everyone – making it as easy as possible for you to join in. And for those based in and around Morzine, there is also the Challenge only option available.

So are you coming? We hope so! Sign up today for just £200pp, or £250pp if you prefer premium accommodation!

After you have registered, the Snow-Camp team will be in touch to help set up a Team Fundraising page which you can easily send round to friends, family and colleagues letting them know what you are doing and telling them about the charity. Each team of 4 has a minimum fundraising target of £3,000 (£750pp) and this will be managed through your page.

It's easy to register, just fill out the short form here or call the Snow-Camp office on 01273 241383, or email dan.k@snow-camp.org.uk and the team will look forward to welcoming you on to the challenge.

Team spaces are filling up fast and the deadline for registration is Monday the 8th December, in just 3 weeks time.

The 2014 Challenge broke record distances and raised over £40,000 for Snow-Camps work. Check out the full news story here. If you have always thought you would like to enter a team in the Challenge then now is the time to get involved!

Dave Mac wrote:Too early for panic stations yet, Doug.

Absolutely this.

It's only 2 years ago (or is it 3?) that it didn't snow until 1st December ... and by Xmas there were 6 metre depths being reported from Austria and resorts being snowed in.

It does look like the mild weather is out-staying its welcome but plenty of time for that to change.

I'm sure just the threat of your mankini has got the weather Gods worried...

snowcrazy2005 wrote:In fact when you add the 'Off Piste' that the SCGB do without qualified Instructors

I thought, officially at least, they stopped that a few years ago - following the Verbier tragedy and subsequent proceedings? Still, doesn't sound like they'll be On the piste in many places either from now on...

That's a good price - and presumably the (very reasonable) Swiss Transfer tickets can be bought to get from Geneva to the Swiss hubs at least?

The timings are not ideal for onward travel, so you're probably looking at overnight in Geneva if relying on public transport for the rest of the journey. Hire car picked up from Geneva station would work well though. Might look at that...

peteward15 wrote:Am I correct in thinking that snow should be pretty much nailed on?

You'd have to be pretty unlucky for Flaine to have poor snow early April. The last two seasons have panned out like this...

catford wrote:Anyone done a weekend trip who could give me some advice or help?

First off, I'm surprised the hotels aren't a little more flexible, although you'd almost certainly find them more accommodating nearer the time (mid-Jan they're unlikely to be full).

However, your best bet for flexibility will probably be one of the independent chalet operators; most of whom should be quite happy with a weekend booking and can probably help out with arranging (or providing) transfers if you need it.

Les Carroz's perfect for a weekend trip (in fact, my profile pic was taken on a weekender to Les Carroz).

For accommodation, I can highly recommend Ian and Gill at http://www.lescarrozchalets.com/
(disclosure: we have worked with them in the past, although don't at present).

Otherwise, you've plenty of other weekend options in the PdS, Grand Massif and Aravis and, again, if you luck out with the hotels then check the smaller operators.

Been there a few times, including once in the last week of March.

50:50 whether you can ski all the way back to town then, but you can always get the gondola down and the snow should still be good on the majority of the mountain. As said, you can get to Flaine easy enough.

If Spring has arrived, then Les Carroz's a super place to chill out in the sunshine after a session; nice little town, not busy and friendly vibe to the place. If you do get lucky with the snow then there are some great runs down (from the top) into Morillon (often almost deserted compared to Flaine, but loses the snow much earlier) and toward Samoens (likewise, but has a few North facing slopes that keep the snow ok).

Enjoy.