J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Gaz C

Wanderer wrote:

I have been to the Skiwelt for 4 or 5 years now - its a great option for a long weekend flying into Munich. We have had all sorts of conditions but the skiing has always been good if not great. Yes, it is very low down but they know that and work very hard at preparing and maintaining the snow using very sophisticated snow-making equipment. I've skied down perfect pistes while the grass had already started to grow just a few feet off the piste :lol:

Dead right. The entire local economy revolves around ski tourism in winter, so the pisteurs use every trick in the book to augment and make the best of the existing snow.

Apologies for not getting round to answering your 2nd p.m. re Moena and the Dolomites yet :oops: . Been a bit busy with work, Christmas and holidays :D, although I have also been spending too much time on this site since we returned. Not long till Feb. now -) . Have a good one.

The red (80a?) that runs under the funicular down to Ellmau is a pussycat -) . It does have a couple of steeper pitches but it is lovely and wide there, so you have all the time in the world to commit to making your turn. Moreover, it criss-crosses with the blue (80?) several times so you have quite a few opportunities to bale out if you're not feeling too confident.

There is a long red off the top of the Hohe Salve above Soll that ends up under the red gondola (can't remember the number ) that was noticeably steeper and faster than the rest, but again, it was nice and wide. The reds at Westendorf are lovely for cruising. That's a good day out and not as far as it appears on the map. The reds between Scheffau and Brixen aren't too demanding either. On the whole, I would say the reds have some steeper sections but they are nice and wide so are often no more difficult than the blues. Nothing to worry about :) .

P.S. Just checked on the map. I think the steep red above Soll is numbered 43 and 44 on the map. Hope this helps.

Ah, my friend flat light :lol: . Apart from my Superman impression last week and a little bit of (unintentional) backwards skiing in a whiteout on the Rendl, I've never had any major problems with it. Get some good, flat light specific goggles (orange/persimmon lenses work for me), slow down and concentrate on technique. I know that can be easier said than done on a crowded slope where 70% of the people on there are having a nightmare, but that's how I try to deal with it.

The visibility in Tignes in December was the worst I've ever experienced. A couple of times I could have sworn that I was stationary and the whole mountain and everybody on it was moving backwards. I simply stopped, got my head together and then continued even more slowly, focusing all the while on my technique. It got me feeling really centred on my skis and feeling that I was anticipating the next hazard, be it a change of surface, a mogul or a wayward skier, rather than reacting to the last one. The light in Skiwelt last week was miles better and the faceplant was as much down to showing off (I prefer exuberance -) ) as it was to the conditions.

This topic reminds me of Pavelski's words of wisdom (except he's miles better than I am) on the subject of spring skiing. Yes, we all love bluebird days (coz they make us look good), but it's the flat light days and the slush days and the ice-to-powder-and-back-to-ice-again-in-the-blink-of-an-eye days where have the most opportunity to really improve our technique. Here endeth the sermon :lol: .

Really like the look of Ellmau. Lovely village, bigger than Scheffau with more going on. Not as lively as Soll. The long red under the funicular was in great shape last week. Temperatures are dropping; it should stay good for you. Enjoy:-)

Sharky. Bear in mind that the prices on the web-site include lift pass and ski hire. Transport is not included in the headline price but they will sort you out with BA flights (Gatwick-Verona) for about £100 per person return. The only other stuff you need to budget for would be ski-school, lunch on the mountain and evening drinks. I thought it was great value considering the quality of the ski area, the hotels and the instruction. You could 'scrat' around for ages looking for a late deal. You'd probably find something a little cheaper but it could be a whole lot nastier too. For a first-time family group this lot certainly take out the stress and uncertainty. Good luck :thumbup:.

Not been to any of the others but can certainly vouch for Morzine. Don't think lack of snow will be an issue first week in Feb.

broom wrote:Hi and thanks for the all the advice

I went last week to Les Menuires and took a very good teacher and we skied for 4 days got all the technic and the confidence back, the weather was perfect, and cant wait for the next trip, hopefully in feb

Nice one. :thumbup: Not seen this thread before. I do like a happy ending. Don't think tiddlywinks or draughts would have done it for you quite like skiing -) .

http://www.folgarida.co.uk/index.html

Check out these guys. We've been with them twice. We liked Folgarida but it might not tick all your boxes re stuff going on other than skiing. There is the option to go ice- skating in the afternoon (mums and kids might be glad of the rest) and I think all the 4* hotels have swimming pools (Caminetto certainly has). If you feel the need for a little more action/distraction, they also do holidays in neighbouring, upmarket Madonna di Campiglio (but be prepared to pay a 25-30% premium to stay in a similar hotel :shock: .

There,I've started the ball rolling. Prepare yourselves for loads of advice on this one :D .