Latest posts for the topic "Late Skiing?"

Late Skiing?

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:55:17 GMT

Due to circumstances we can't get away to ski until April 11th this year, which is right on the edge of the season for a lot of places. We have been going to Verbier for the last 3 years, and the snow has been slushy and tough to ski (on my 2 dodgy knees!) and that was the week earlier.

Is there anywhere in Europe that will still be cold enough for good skiing at that time?

Thanks for the help

Re:Late Skiing?

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:56:57 GMT

Choose somehwere with a nearby glacier to be on the safe side.
Kaprun, Mayrhofen etc .....

G

Re:Late Skiing?

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:13:06 GMT

We are heading for Val d'Isere the week after that, we did the same week last year and conditions were good - little bit slushy at bottom later in the day, but you could avoid that by taking the funicular or gondola down.

Dave

Re:Late Skiing?

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:25:02 GMT

gdbn wrote:Choose somehwere with a nearby glacier to be on the safe side.
Kaprun, Mayrhofen etc .....

G

I am not 100% definate, but I think in the past Mayrhofen closes down to a great extent after Snowbombimg which this year is March 29th thro' April 6th. This is earlier than usual and a quick check of the lift operator shows a final date of 19th of April.

http://www.mayrhofner-bergbahnen.com/en/100301/100234/view/403/prices_opening_hours_ski_resort_mayrhofen.html

The Hintertux Glacier is open 365 days a year.

Re:Late Skiing?

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:05:00 GMT

Mayrhofen will not be open that time in April.

Zermatt, Verbier, Val d'Isere, Alpe d'Huez, Val Thorens

all good shouts

Re:Late Skiing?

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:14:08 GMT

There are some Scandinavian resorts open well into May :lol:

Re:Late Skiing?

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:40:24 GMT

I was in Verbier the first week in April last year and I thought the snow was pretty good. Sure it was slushy at the bottom but I think that will be the same everywhere in April. Up top the snow was great.
I should be in Tignes this April and I'll be happy if the conditions are as good.

I think the only way to avoid slush in April is to just ski the upper runs and get a lift back down at the end of the day - easier in some resorts than others. :D

Re:Late Skiing?

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:05:33 GMT

well I bloomin well hope that Tignes is ok because that's when we're going! especially since i've figured out today that my knees are ok :mrgreen:

Re:Late Skiing?

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:06:44 GMT

Scotland...

Re:Late Skiing?

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:08:26 GMT

In France, Les Menuires, Courchevel 1850 or Val Thorens. We tend to stay in Les Menuires in April (CHEAP!!) but it is still slushy going down so VT is in that case a better option. The good thing is that you still have most of the 3V open until around the 24th of April. But take lots of sun block.

We also did an Easter trip to Chatel and although lower I don't remember it being as bad as Les Menuires for slush. Avoriaz too may be an option.

Re:Late Skiing?

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:12:48 GMT

Neiltoo wrote:I was in Verbier the first week in April last year and I thought the snow was pretty good. Sure it was slushy at the bottom but I think that will be the same everywhere in April. Up top the snow was great.

The problem with Verbier is that a lot of people in our family are still inexperienced, and neither of my sisters enjoy skiing up the Medran because they arn't comfortable with the number of people on it. Savolyres was fine at the start of the week but towards the end it started slushing up.

The year before at the same time was a total nightmare, as you can see:

Re:Late Skiing?

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:12:48 GMT

Sorry, double post.

Re:Late Skiing?

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:16:19 GMT

m0t wrote:

Neiltoo wrote:I was in Verbier the first week in April last year and I thought the snow was pretty good. Sure it was slushy at the bottom but I think that will be the same everywhere in April. Up top the snow was great.

The problem with Verbier is that a lot of people in our family are still inexperienced, and neither of my sisters enjoy skiing up the Medran because they arn't comfortable with the number of people on it. Savolyres was fine at the start of the week but towards the end it started slushing up.

The year before at the same time was a total nightmare, as you can see:

But you need to get up Medran and higher still up to Attelas to get the best snow. Mont Fort and the long red back down to La Chaux is high, so I dont think you'd find that slushy in April.
I never found it busy in April, except last run off of the day, but we used to stay until the Carlsberg bar shut, and ski off with the mountain to ourselves )

Late Skiing?

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:26:14 GMT

Skied loads of places in April over the years; been caught in many a blizzard at that time of the year too!

Perhaps it would be best to hold your nerve and book late after consulting snow reports, weather forecasts etc.

I think this year with the credit crunch etc there will be plenty of late deals kicking around, especially with specialist operators - or do what I'm planning to do and travel independently.

Re:Late Skiing?

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:16:12 GMT

I always go to Tignes for my late season. Went 2nd week in April last year just before it closed had three dumps of fresh powder and empty slopes.
However if your worried about knees stick to the glacier and come down on the lift.
It gets slushy near the bottom wherever you go.
My tip would be get a pair of twin tips make skiing slush much easier on the legs.