J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by SnowBeard

Thumbs up for the advice re easy-peel stickers and/or a bit of bright coloured insulation tape.
Another good idea is to mix & match your skis with a mate and then leave one 'pair' a bit away from the other - that way you have 2 miss-matched pairs, which means someone else is less likely to confuse them with their own (or nick them!).

My pleasure Rob

Arinsal's isn't ideal for experienced skiers; you'll probably ski it out in about 3 hours, but like I said, keep tweeking the sweet spots and do a bit of exploring in the other 2 stations. It's one of the friendliest resorts on the planet too - so you're bound to have a laugh in the evenings.
If the uppermost slopes on Pic Alt de la Capa at the top of Arinsal are open, then have a go at skiing from the top & linking all the way down to the base of the mountain at 1550m next to the new 6-seater 'Arinsal' chairlift - that's well over 3000ft of (fairly tame, but thigh-burning) vertical!

I'd recommend ResortHoppa(SkiHoppa) for that route; try Holiday Taxis too

tino_11 Yup! A couple of the main online resort transfer companies offer them.

Hi Rob

You've picked the right resort for apres & atmosphere. The ski area at Arinsal though is fairly limited, but fine for experienced skiers for the first day's warm up. Pal (linked with Arinsal's ski area by cable car) has more varied terrain and more mileage, and between these 2 linked areas there's plenty to keep you occupied if you're average intermediate standard. It's all about finding the sweet spots and riding a few different lines there before moving on to the next.

[link spam removed due to lack of manners - Admin]

Enjoy!

Hi Dave

Sorry to hear about your lost kit.
Claim from your travel insurance company. They'll ask for an official report, called a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) which [hopefully] you were given when you reported the loss at GVA. If you haven't got a PIR, did you get a written report from a rep/operator? That may be ok instead.
:idea: Second the advice about making bags look unique: a bright pink one - who's gonna nick that?
Good luck.

Hi William

The direct route is a lovely drive, when it's open!
NB: Snowchains are obligatory on this route; you must have them in the car, even if you don't need to use them:

From Turin, take the A32 (E70) motorway along the Susa Valley in the direction of Bardonecchia & the Tunnel du Frejus, turning off on to the N24 towards Claviere & Montgenevre; across the French border at Montgenevre, the road becomes the N94 down to Briancon; from there turn to the west on to the N91, past the villages of Serre Chevalier towards the Col du Lauteret (CHECK THAT THIS COL IS OPEN BEFORE YOU SET OFF), then drive through La Grave to the dam on the Lac du Chambon (just below Les 2 Alpes), turn right there and go down the gorge road (still the N91) to Bourg-d'Oisans.

When the Col du Lauteret is closed, you have to go through the Frejus Tunnel (toll = about £35 one-way!) and all the way along the Maurienne Valley towards Chambery, then to Grenoble for the onward route you've done before.

Driving time for the first ('direct') route is about 3 hours in dry (open) conditions; the second route takes about 6 months :-o
You should be fine in April, but then you will be wanting a dump of fresh snow while you're there of course :roll:

Best wishes for a great trip.

Hey Chris

The Freestyle park at El Tarter is one of the best in the Pyrenees and well worth the trip, but there are another couple of terrain parks on the Pas-Grau side of Grandvalira, closer to where you'll be staying:
The Isards park is just above the beginners' slopes on the looker's left above Pas de la Casa town itself;
+ the Xavi park is just off the lower Bosc blue piste, on the skier's left heading towards the lift terminals on the valley floor at Grau Roig.
Plenty to keep you entertained :thumbup:

The quickest I've ever ridden from Pas to El Tarter's Riba Escorxada area (where the El Tarter park is) is 1 hour & 20 minutes, but then I'm brilliant (and modest) :P