J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by andymol2

The Italian ski resorts tend to be better value for money than their counterparts in France as a generalisation.

Sauze D'Oulx being one of the larger ones and can be accessed relatively easily from Turin by Train to Oulx and bus up the mountain. However currently the link to the rest of the Milky way is restricted by piste closures leaving only a black run back from Sestriere and Sansicario.

Don't dispute that at all - conditions be that snow, visibility or numbers make a huge difference to the real appreciation of a slope and who can safely ski it.

At least it is called a black - what annoys me is blacks labelled as reds and reds labelled as blues so that resorts can claim route is accessible when it's anything but the sort.

I assume this will be a big problem for those who can't ski the black, effectively meaning that there is no way back to Sauze from Sansicario either as the long drag lift out of Sansicario effectively terminates at the same place as the cabin from Sestriere?

The buses may be busy with those who get caught out.

The black is pretty easy as they go - no hidden horrors. Not for first week skiers however we took my future son-in-law down it on his second week on the snow and he was elated.

The snow was late season pudding, a few steepish bits but relatively wide and would probably be labelled a red in some resorts.

Are you restricted to school holidays? Assuming that you have school age children and the teacher doesn't see skiing as an educational experience then cheap deals may be tricky.

If you can go outside of school holidays some last minute bargains do come up even at some of the more expensive resorts. The flights may be from some of the less accessible airports but bargains are there most years.

I remember doing that one in thick fog going from piste marker to piste marker. The red & blue were closed that day too.

As I recall the red/blues that are currently closed were quite narrow in places with negligible netting with significant drops. The last time I ski'd Sauze I remember Mrs M commenting the last time we went there that the bue wasn't all that safe for inexperienced skiers because of the drop if you got it wrong. That would very sad if that was the reason and no netting had been erected.

If the weather is iffy snow chains would be required.
I remember it as a fun drive when the roads are dry in the Autumn before the snow arrives having done so a couple of time in the past in the TR6 but at this time of year snow chains may well be needed and essential to carry if the road is clear.

Here's a curve ball.
As a fellow cold finger sufferer after a disc problem in my neck I've worn mittens for the past 10 years. Various makes at vastly different prices.

The real surprise one was a pair of Aldi ones I bought as a spare in case I lost one of my good ones. (I normally have 2 pairs - one wearing - the other drying out back at the hotel or chalet)
Perhaps not quite as good as the Hestra's but at least as good as any of the others at a fraction of the price.

Obviously lack the label factor....