J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Grizwald

How about a resort in the Dolomites? Loads of intermediate crusing on the Sella Ronda.

Pila is great I've taught there for many years it has about 70km worth of piste and if you stay in Aosta itself rather than Pila or not you can reach other resorts by bus pretty easily. Depends where you've been before and if you're bothered about covering the same runs.

Cervinia is to me the definition of Italian intermediate skiing with long and wide cruisy pistes.

If you've not tried Italy you'll love it if your looking for something more low key, the food and skiing are great and the apres very low key generally compared to Austria.

My experience of Norwegian ski resorts is that they're small, flat, expensive and very cold! However my overall experience of skiing in Norway is that it has some of the best touring and off piste I've ever experienced. Skiing off piste and down to sea level- in some cases and actual piste is something to be experienced.

Just have him take plenty of layers and good quality gear and he'll be fine.

Hello there,
If you'd have already booked and I'd said chill and just enjoy it, but if you haven't there are probably better places, OK there are defiantly better places if you're worried about the costs. Zermatt isn't expensive per se it's just the relative strength of the CHF against pretty much every currency going. Allot of tour operators are trying to offset this by offering 2 for 1 or half price lift passes (no good for you on the 2 for 1 though obviously). In fact I was tempted to 2 deals in Zermatt and Verbier with Crystal in catered chalet including lift passes was coming out to under £700pp which I think is the way to go if you're concerned about in resort prices.

Zermatt is awesome for the advanced Skier or boarder, the off piste is simply amazing and the resort is also good for a strong intermediate-what level are you? As an overall package including Après Zermatt is awesome. The link over to Cervinia can be a bit tedious and unreliable so I'd not stay in Cervinia if I wanted to spend most of my time in Zermatt but Cervinia is a very good resort and is the definition of intermediate crusing IMO!

It really depends on your level as to what I'd suggest as viable alternatives. Let's rule out France because the schools will still be holidaying the first week of March, and although some resorts have good après the prices are generally punitive. This leave Austria, If you're more of an Intermediate and spend more time on than off piste look at Ischgl, if you want more off piste than on and are advanced it has to be St. Anton. If you really want to save on costs for extra beer tokens and are more of an intermediate standard consider Soll or Mayrhofen or slightly more expensive but better sliding Kitzbuhel or maybe Saalbach.

Though the resort is a fair size, most of the areas are of very similar character so you lose the variety you would get in say Les Arcs, Le Plagne (other great intermediate resorts IMO). It is more of the same rather than a large varied ski area. The runs are largely cruising reds and blues and though there are a few short genuine black sections on the black runs these are typically only a few hundred metres long and with good run out areas, so manageable by almost every skier. There is not much vertical drop in the resort so it is not uncommon to do almost every run top to bottom non stop. The various resorts also have the rep of getting bad weekend crowds these days but can't confirm these myself but naturally resorts are busier and weekends with local traffic.

Piste grading was flattering. Blues would be green in France, reds would be French blues, and blacks would be French reds, except the Avet, which was a true black run of proper steepness.

Americans/Canadians like to give ability levels numbers more so than the europeans so this may be a useful guide (not in my words but help to quantify a little better):

Level One: "Never-Ever"
Level One skiers are first time skiers who have never skied before.

Level Two
Level Two skiers are cautious novices who are able to do a " snow plow" (wedge) turn both ways and are able to stop, but linking turns smoothly may be difficult. Level Two skiers may have skied once or twice before.

Level Three
Level Three skiers are confident novices who are able to stop and make round snow plow turns on easy beginner trails.

Level Four
Level Four skiers are cautious intermediate skiers who can link turns but still moderate speed. Level Four skiers ski in a small wedge and their skis may even be parallel at the end of the turn on green or easy blue trails. Level Four is a transition level in which skiers will begin to ski more blue intermediate runs.

Level Five
Level Five skiers are intermediates who are confident on easy blue runs and ski mostly parallel but may at times use the wedge to begin a turn or to stop. Level Five skiers may be cautious on intermediate trails that are slightly steep or icy.

Level Six
Level Six skiers confidently make parallel turns on blue runs but do not ski many advanced trails. Level Six skiers use their poles to time turns. A Level Six skier is interested in learning to ski better on more challenging terrain.

Level Seven
Level Seven skiers ski controlled parallel turns and can ski very well on blue trails. Level Seven skiers can control their speed and rhythm on black diamond trails, but they are looking to ski on challenging trails with better style. Level Seven skiers can adjust the size and length of their turns and are learning to ski on a variety of different types of snow and terrain.

Level Eight
Level Eight skiers ski with good technique on all terrain and snow conditions. Level Eight skiers can ski moguls and are able to ski black diamond trails with confidence using carved turns.

Level Nine
Level Nine skiers enjoy the challenge of difficult ski trails and ski moguls, steeps, and other black diamond terrain.

Been a few times now. Couple of previous reviews cut together. Lots of upmarket hotels but many of these are a long way from the main lifts so it pays to note location before booking. However you can store boots and skis at top of Silvrettabahn for a few euros per day.

We were extremely impressed by the lift system, far more efficient and luxurious than anywhere else we've been.

Pistes are numbered which made recognition difficult for us as on the map the lifts also have codes, C3 etc. but when you arrive at the lift the buildings show names not codes so you need to constantly consult the piste plan.

The skiing itself from Idalp is above the tree line in vast bowls. Quoting Kms. of piste here is irrelevant as almost all the area is skiable. Most of the off piste lines can be picked from chairlifts and most don't contain cliffs etc. and are usually bordered by pistes so you have bail out options.

Favourite runs: anything from top of Palinkopf down to Boden Alp or Gampenalp which gives 900 m vertical, especially the off piste bowl served by lift E2. Run from top of Greitspitze down to Ischgl is 11.5 Km and if skied before the homeward bound crowds is excellent. There is a free speed test by piste 8. The best of the skiing for those like me if there isn't good enough snow for off piste is over on the Greitsptitz and Palinkopf areas where Blacks 20 & 21, 34 & 35 and especially 13 & 14 have challenge and character. Also don't leave the home runs of 1, 1a & 5 for home time - they're brilliant descents through the trees to resort, all with steep pitches, but at 4.00pm the choked with punters.


Our favourite eateries were at the Bodenalp and Alpenhaus.

If you have your car you're not far from St aAnton and sevveral other resorts but you'll not get bored.

LOTA has given you some sound advice already. The main issue with Scotland is booking ahead is a game of Russian roulette. You're best off (if flexible) to wait and see what conditions are like then go for it/hold off. It makes less sense IMO for those in the South and even more so for yourself as you're within easy reach of an airport (how I'd kill for that!) You'd be better off heading to the Alps for the weekend. In my experience flights are cheap to Geneva which opens up a world of skiing possibilities. Chamonix is very good for offering <a week accommodation which is the main issue elsewhere I've found.

I've never flew into Inverness so have no idea on the transfers but you'll most likely need a car, or at best bus/train. Adding the costs/time involved and it doesn't really stack up? I live in the Lakes and my OH has family 30 mins from Nevis Range and Glencoe ski areas. It's about 4.5 hours door to door for me in the car and I've had some excellent weekends sliding up there over the years! If the conditions are right it's as good as anywhere just about if not large enough to keep you entertained for a full week. For the 2 above areas Glasgow is the most convenient option but it's a good 2.5 hours to get to Glencoe or Fort William by car. The train is very scenic but slllllloooooowww.

See your post is a month or so old so not sure if you've booked yet, but I'll give my 2p anyhow. When folk who have never skied before start looking into it most don't realise the sheer amount of resorts on offer in a variety of different countries. People who have skied before will naturally recommend places they've been to and to some extent to re-validate the choices they made. My first ski holiday many moons ago was to Soll in Austria, I had the time of my life and would say that it's a good resort for beginners. Generally as a beginner you don't need a huge or linked resort, you need something with good nursery slopes, and for later in the week some confidence building runs, and a good ski school. You certainly don't want to spend the money on an area pass for a large area that you won't use, but you do normally have the choice of a local or area pass.

These days with several indoor slopes around the country it's easy enough to head to one and get a half day or full days beginners session in. This will teach you the basics and by the end of a full day (some people half) you will probably be able to negotiate the main indoor slope using plough turns. From then on a few more hours indoors can really put you at a standard that will put you on to most if not all blues in the majority of resorts. We all learn at different speeds of course but I've went to the indoor slopes with complete beginners who were trying to get ready for their first holiday and it's surprising what you can do prior to your fist trip. If nothing else doing this equips you to make the most of your expensive holiday. The indoor slopes are a bit flattering though i.e. regardless of how many hours you spend it won't make you an off piste god, or equip you to tackle steeps and challenging conditions.

I went with a group of beginners to Le Rosiere in France about 3 years ago. It was chosen with some of the above considerations in mind. It was in my opinion a good beginner resort, due to it being quiet and having easily accessible nursery slopes. Everyone got some indoor time in before the holiday and by the end of the 3rd days skiing nearly all of the group were getting all over the mountain and over into the linked Italian resort of Le Thuille.

Totally depends on what you want, I like Austria as an overall experience but ski at least once a season in France.

Cheers DaveMac. Booked Kitz tonight. My OT likes to have a half or full day off the slopes and liked the look of Kitz more as a town. Dolomites will def be on the hit list for another year, so many resorts so little time......