J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by andymol2

Some natural hazards?
Would that be the turf poking through?

8 of us going to Passo Tonale in the 9th Feb. Whilst I've been there before on a last minute deal and it seemed a decent resort for beginners none of us needed hire or took lessons at the time.

One of the party is a beginner (done a ski in a day course at Swadlingcote thus far) and looking for a recommendations for a ski school in Passo if anyone can help with the advice.

3 of the party will need hire too and are there any recommendations for the hire shops.
We are Staying at the Sport Vitoria so pretty central.

Andy.

By and large most of the reds in the area don't have any hidden horrors providing the snow is OK.

Lots of nice blues for beginners and others to gain confidence.

Generally the Granvalira is pretty consistent about how it grades its runs.

What's it like for beginners?
It will be the first time for my daughter's partner and I don't want to get it in the neck if it's not suitable or the ski school is no good.

Not decided yet. Contemplating a few options but now got to consider a beginner in the party as it will be my eldest daughter's partners first time on skis.

Can't wait having missed out last year with a ruptured achille's.

Clearly employment law cannot be ignored just because it is a ski resort and their is a ready supply of youngsters wanting to do a season or two.

Prices fluctuate. Tour operators charge us as much as they think they can and if they overcharge the bookings fall.

Chalet owners and tour ops presumably do the same. Charge too much and the operators don't book. Pay too little and there is no point renting out or running a chalet.

The impact of fewer catered days is simply going to make half board hotels seem more attractive.

Tourism is business and Brexit is unlikely to impede travel for tourism.

Big effect on workers perhaps but unlikely to be any different to skiing in non EU countries like Canada when it comes to the average holiday.

If it affects the Pound then that could be a different matter.

Just found this one.

Some may have objections to snow making there is the consideration that skiing as most of us know it has a large man made element. Unless you hike up and ski in the back country the likelihood is that you will be skiing on bashed pistes having been hoisted up by a ski lift. Even then your ski's, boots and clothing are unlikely to be "green" so let's not pretend skiing is squeaky clean from an environmental point. However it provides jobs and recreation in a mountain environment that might be less well protected if it didn't need to be kept nice for wintersports. Intensive forestry, mining and the like spring to mind.

Ski resorts often have the benefit of being in mountainous regions with relatively clean hydro-electric energy to power the lifts and snow cannons. Making snow is not in itself a bad thing if it helps to keep the pistes open with water storage and energy that has limited impact on the environment. Properly treated water from sewage management should be safe. If it's not been treated then clearly none of us would want to be exposed to it any more than we would like to take a bath in a septic tank!