J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by iLoveSkiing

Nipper, Some of us are dangling on a thread as it were. Have to decided where to go yet?

Tony_H wrote:and about 3 minutes worth of ski runs....!!!

I believe the phrase is "limited extent"

Tony, They're beginners going as a family. The daughter is 14 so making a a broad brush assumption I'd say the parents are in their 30s. When I started skiing in my 30s I didn't learn anywhere near as fast as a 19yr kid in our group, there with his dad. Statistically 30 somethings don't pick up the technique as fast as teenagers. For beginners it's more than enough.

nipper, For your budget I'd give the Scandinavian resorts in Finland, Sweden serious consideration. Far more likely to be snow sure at Christmas.
Plus they do all the other stuff like tobaganning, husky rides, reindeer rides, etc.

I'm not sure you can reach the midstation of the higher mountain by taxi certainly not a car in the winter, maybe a ski-doo taxi.

I agree with you about it not being that good for total beginners because the nursery slopes are almost flat then there's a big gradient increase to the next easiest slopes. The green pathway on the Rila side doesn't count as proper piste and the Mussala pathway on the higher mountain is marked as a green but parts of it are steepish blue in gradient like that short s-shaped bend. However the Mussala pathway is fun to ski due to it's length and the scenery.

Based on what I've read elsewhere from ski instructors, I gather it's not the done thing to teach on the slopes unless you're a local instructor. Maybe it's skiing law or some sort of code of conduct etiquette agreement in the skiing profession to protect and not encroach on each others place of work.

snowb4ndit wrote:
One mountain was closed for at least 3 out of the 7 days we were there so the the only pistes open were overcrowded with extremely long lift queues (2hrs) I was lucky to be able to get a taxi to midstation where I could get a chair and ski red and blacks but the beginners had to wait in the queu :wink:s. :)

snowb4ndit, Which midstation is accessible via taxi? The mountain infront of the Rila or the one on the righthand side, the higher one?

Thanks edy, a season after I asked the question and been but still thanks anyway. There're decent hire shops there, tends to be the smaller outfits rather than the ones associated with the tour operators.

When are you going and which hotel? Have you been before?

Kabeza, I think there are posters at j2ski who own chalets but for 100 guests you really need to be talking to the hotel owners for a party of your size.

If I was booking for 100 people I'd send an e-mail to the local tourist board office of each ski resort I'm interested in asking them about any promo periods and hotels willing to accept very large groups.