J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by tino_11

That should be some trip, as Bandit says two of the best resorts in Europe.

If I was you I would do the following. Fly to Geneva if possible, rent a car and do Chamonix first, having a car there is definitely worth it. After a week return the car to Geneva airport and hop on the train to Visp where you connect direct into Zermatt. Don't bother with a car, they are not allowed in the village and parking is expensive. All hotels in Zermatt wil pick you up a the station, the range of accommodation is huge. I live in Zermatt, but have used a good number of hotels before I moved here. They range from hostels at 34 CHF a night to 5* hotels at 1000 CHF a night. There is just about everything in between. If you wanna drop me a PM with approx. budget I will be more than happy to give you some recommendations.

I am sure there are folk a little more experienced with Cham than me, so I will limit my advice to Zermatt. A few do's and dont's: don't save 8 CHF a day by getting the Zermatt only ski pass, but the international pass which allows you over the top into Italy. Certainly worth it, and if the sun is out it's where all the locals head for some pasta and red wine. If you decide on the day you would like to extend the Zermatt pass, they will relieve you of 30 CHF for the privilege. Do get up onto the yellow itineraries at the Rote Nase and Stockhorn, they only open in Feb, but it's the best skiing in the resort. Do go to Grampis to see Marco play his piano, it's unique. Don't believe that everything is expensive, with a little inside knowledge there is good value eating and drinking to be done. Do eat at Chez Vrony on the mountain, a little pricey but the best burger in the world. Don't expect skiing to your door, unless you are a local and know which gardens to ski through there isn't any. Do be careful with the off piste, contrary to some opinion there is quite a bit, but it can turn from fun in the powder to glacier or cliffs very quickly. Don't miss the red 7, 7.0 & 7.00 from Plateau Rosa down into Italy, it's an intermediate run and quite wide, but it is continuously graded and about 18km long, a great work out for the legs!!! Don't get stuck on the Italian side, it's about 400CHF in a taxi back.

Let me know if you have any other questions. You'll have a blast.

I have only ever been on one full package deal, worst trip I ever had but that was nothing to do with the rep or operator. Booking DIY has certain advantages, price is one but you kind of got to know where you are t regarding deals on transport within a particular country. It's not difficult but requires patience and lots of online research. Accommodation on a ski trip is paramount. With a bunch of lads for a weekend, then a barn will do, with the missus for Christmas? You might want a goat with that too. Well I don't know, it's never happened yet :(

Seriously though, when I go on a snow trip I spend weeks procrastinating about the accommodation, and about 1/5 of my time in it, 80% of that with my eyes closed. I've done all standards in Austria and it has not once been bad. I've done 4* in France and I felt like a hamster.

DIY can be cheaper, and more expensive, sometimes that's what you want. Personally I go that way and love it, it's a lot harder to justify shouting at yourself for a week than a poor young rep who just wants to ski :)

Filzmoos.

Never say never, ever.

Off to Chile (Valle Nevado) :) glacier was last weekend!

Tight boots and an 87deg side edge is the key. That, and as boring as it sounds, do some out of season glacier skiing.

I felt it was a poor season in general, but with some epic moments. Big snow abover Cervina in November, empty slopes and 60cm of powder on Christmas Day in Zermatt, waterskiing in Mayrhofen in April, out of bounds in heavy snow in Engelberg in Feb, rock hard moguls on le Grand Montet in Chamonix in April and picking rock down from the Rote Nase in May here in my back yard. I even learnt how to ride grass and mud as a means to an end. Bought a new board in Feb and killed it by May. I get upset when people complain about conditions, a little adversity teaches a huge amount, improvisation is the name of the game.

31 days and counting :) Snowboarding on my birthday too, who'd a thunk it.