Latest posts for the topic "Thinking about skiing....."

Thinking about skiing.....

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:36:21 GMT

Hello people, I've not been on here for a few months (since the snow melted in most of Europe anyway) as I was feeling a bit depressed about the lack of skiing available for the coming months.

So, now the sun is shining (kind of) and the early bird brochures are around I've started to get excited again! Thinking of driving, possibly to Obergurgl or Val Disere, been to Val before and found a bargain EB holiday which we may well book, alternatively, looking at Obergurgl - anyone been? Any good accommodation recommendations?

:D

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:22:52 GMT

Well, nice chatting to you!

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:47:26 GMT

NellyPS wrote:Well, nice chatting to you!

Sorry Nelly, not much happening round here is there!

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:20:10 GMT

Well I suppose it is the middle of June, I see there are still a few die-hards on here. I can't help but think about skiing all the time and am already excited about a trip I a) haven't got the money for yet and b) don't know where it will be to.

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:51:28 GMT

NellyPS wrote:Well I suppose it is the middle of June, I see there are still a few die-hards on here. I can't help but think about skiing all the time and am already excited about a trip I a) haven't got the money for yet and b) don't know where it will be to.

Sorry never been to either.....I have to go to work sometimes :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:01:45 GMT

Ahhhh... PWS rears it's ugly head.

Sorry, I have been to neither of the areas you mention.

Try some ski movies.

Also check out the history of these guys:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10th_Mountain_Division_(United_States)

North American skiing owes a lot to the veterans of this US Army division who have a fascinating history.

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:41:01 GMT

Nelly, the 2 areas are very different in style. What's the skill level and expectations of your group?

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:51:48 GMT

Well we've been to Val before and loved it, plenty of skiing and lots of variety, so would we be bored in Obergurgl? I hear it's a high snow sure resort, but that's about as much as I know.

We are both intermediate heading towards higher intermediate skiers, I'm more advanced on my board but will probably ski most of the week.

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:31:20 GMT

Like you I have been to Val several times, and it's a big, big area. From what I see and read about Obergurgl/Hochgurgl is that it's quite compact with some high end hotels. I guess that it depends on what sort of skiing you want to do. If seeing the same runs, day in day out would be :thumbdown: then it just has to be Val 8)

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:58:42 GMT

Hi Nelly,

we went to Obergurgl this March and really enjoyed it. We are both intermediates and found the resort great for confidence building as the runs are all fairly wide reds with some steeper blacks, but all achievable due to runs being wide. Some fantastic views over into Italian Dolomites and down to the village. A visit to the Nederhutte is a must (just search youtube for some videos of the fun! :D )

The better runs are in Hochgurgl which is easily reached by the Top Express or by bus. Mainly chairs with only a a couple of drags at the far end of hochgurgl, which is worth a visit as not many folk use the drags. Lots of easy off-piste near the runs to build confidence in the fluffy stuff which we found great fun :D :D . Some great wee runs through the trees lower down in Obergurgl(again Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX4btsI3OLM "obergiggle" to see some fun!) Lifts were all quiet with no queues.

There is a Ski Club rep in resort who we skied with most days and was excellent taking us to areas we may not have visited ourselves. One downside is due to altitude it can be windy but we had a fantastic week where it snowed at night and was sunny during the day. Quite a quiet resort at night but you can find entertainment in the resort bars.
Night skiing available twice a week as well as a firework display and instructor ski show on the Tuesday.
Resort looked good for borders although there were not many about (perhaps due to age profile there)and there are no half-pipes etc.
Lift pass can be extended to the Glacier resort of Solden (think this is where the World up starts each year) for a day which is a short bus trip down the valley.
Certainly think there is plenty skiing to do for a week unless you are a true piste basher who doesn't want to ski a run twice.

We came back and booked again for March 2010 !

We went with TO and stayed in the Lohman which is a modern hotel a short walk to the main gondola. Mainly Austrian and Germans staying at this hotel with only one English speaking couple apart from ourselves. Accommodation and food was good and very helpful staff (as much beer and wine with evening meal included in the half board). Hotels in resort do seem a bit more expensive than other Austrian resorts although there is some chalet accommodation where some folk were staying who had made their own way there. (don't know any detail)

Hope this helps a bit.

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 19:23:20 GMT

Cheers for that, loads of useful info - I shall be looking into it more!

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:46:26 GMT

Hi Nelly. Sorry, missed this one.
I've skied both and I wouldn't compare them in any way apart from the good snow. David G has summed it up really well. I think it comes down to what you want from your skiing, a different slope every run - don't go there, if you want a great week of skiing I don't think you could go far wrong.
I've booked to go back at new year (I learnt there) and am counting the days, thinking of it before I drift off to sleep and I'm completely overexcited about the new Star Bar at the top of Hochgurgl looking out over the dolomites... It'll only be the second time in my life that I have voluntarily revisited a resort, summer or winter.
If you go I'd also highly recommend the Nederhutte, especially on a thursday night when you're taken up and down by a piste basher (take a t-shirt, it gets very hot!).
It ain't cheap though :shock:

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:04:33 GMT

Thanks Caron, I'm excited about skiing already and not even booked yet. We're swaying towards Val at the moment purely because I'm limited on time off from work (booo!) and the snowtrain means 8 days skiing and 5 days off work.

Will still look into Obergugrl though, not heard a bad thing about it!

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 06:20:02 GMT

I'm still around but like you not been on here much lately...works very busy at the moment. I haven't been to either but fancy Obergurgl one day.

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:03:43 GMT

NellyPS,
I've been to Obergurgl,
And I think what's most striking about it is that it's a very 'civilized' sort of place, if you know what I mean. There are no snow boarders knocking you flat every second, or hordes of skiers blocking up all the lifts.

We were in the Crystal hotel, and they had a silver dinner service with waiters hanging about behind you ready to whip away the irrelevant cutlery before you accidentally used the wrong knife because you'd missed out the fish course, or whatever.

I overheard a very amusing conversation in the street between a man and his tour rep. The poor man said he was in one of these posh hotels, with his elderly father, and his father was sick to death of these elegant meals, where they have lots of courses each consisting of about a tablespoon of food, and his father was desperate for a plateful of 'real' food - like ham and eggs and chips etc. and where could he get a meal like that in Obergurgl.

We met some advanced skiers, and they seemed happy enough with the ski area, although they did go off to Solden for one day. We weren't very good at the time, so we didn't nearly ski the whole resort of Obergurgl, and we only skied a bit of Hochgurgl. We did go in the new circular cafe above Hochgurgl, though, and it does have an amazing view. But I found it rather difficult ski-ing back down from there. As far as I remember it had a black run and a blue run down, and the blue was obviously the road in summer, and it was very narrow and I couldn't turn on it so I had to snowplough down it and my kids laughed at me for being so pathetic.

It's the sort of place designed for those who like to be comfortable. I remember the chair lifts had those windscreen things, so that when it's windy going up you don't get cold. And lots of the hotels are spas, with saunas and jacuzzis.

Ally

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:28:27 GMT

Would Obergurgl be a good place for me to consider seeing as I want to ski Solden?

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:54:09 GMT

Tony,
Obergurgl is very expensive, and it's only a comparatively small ski area for an advanced skier. I don't think it's much good for shopping and things like that either. I don't know what the night life is like because I'm always too whacked out after ski-ing to bother with anything like that.

My impression of the place was that it was designed for people with plenty of money who like to be comfortable. It's not meant for the sort of people who want to clock up piste miles, or have a cheap holiday and party all night.

For example, our hotel had an evening of wine tasting, where everyone dresses up in evening dress, and the host and hostess welcome you, and you get to taste all sorts of wine free. They were rather stumped with me, because I'm tea-total. But I had specially brought some fancy clothes with me, so at least I could join everyone else even though I was drinking orange juice with the kids.

You could do it the other way around - stay in Solden and visit Obergurgl. If you started early and skied flat out all day with only a short break for lunch I should think you could ski most of the ski area in one day, because there are hardly any queues.

Ally

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:56:09 GMT

Just what I thought. Obergurgl isnt a place on my radar, but I know its close to Solden. I want to go to Solden. However, I think Obergurgl would be full of people who would get right under my skin, so I havent bothered.
Solden has a much better ski area, and a great apres scene. But its expensive too, so I was thinking stop in Obergurgl and bus to Solden every day.

Maybe not.

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 09:32:17 GMT

I don't remember it being especially expensive last year, at least compared to St Anton. I think the big difference is it's more difficult to find cheaper accommodation.

I liked the place a great deal. I even think Obergurgl would suit your skiing style Tony. Solden got a bad wrap from some of the locals but then I suppose it would do.

P.S. I think it was 10 euros to upgrade the Obergurgle lift pass to cover Solden for the day (just one day though).

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 10:10:51 GMT

Tony,
All the people I met were very nice and helpful. As I said before, my daughter's ski instructor was great. She was very young, and a fantastic skier, and really kind. My younger daughter and I were going up a chair lift to her lesson, and we made a mess of getting off the chair, and ended up rolling down a small slope and through the lift man's tape (the year we went there was very little snow anywhere, so they'd had to make snow ramps). And her teacher came along to help me as well as her. Of course it was rather embarassing for her, her whole class seeing her rolling down a slope all tangled up with her mother. But the teacher just laughed about it.

And my older daughter, the one who's not well, also collapsed on a slope somewhere with numb legs, when she was ski-ing with me, and we had several offers of help from people ski-ing past.

I would say that people were generally much more considerate than in other resorts I've been to. Yes, some of them clearly had far more money than me, but that didn't seem to bother them, or me.

Ally

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:13:40 GMT

Hmm, think the last couple of posts have helped my decision. Lack of piste mileage would be a problem for me, I like to do something different every day if I can, if you can ski it in a day then I might leave it til I'm not such a speed freak.

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:13:51 GMT

Well I cant find a holiday to Obergurgl for 2 adults for much under GBP2000 inc lift passes. I really want to ski Solden though and I now dont see Obergurgl as a sensible option.
I am sure I'd enjoy the skiing like Ellistine says, but its just not good value as far as I am concerned.

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:56:09 GMT

Tony,
If you were thinking of driving, you could stay in a B&B pension, for less than that. There is one advertised on the Obergurgl.com website for 2nd Jan (I can't remember when you said you wanted to go) for 441 Euros for 7 nights for 2 adults. It's called Pension Landhaus Scheiber, and I have no idea what it's like but the picture looks very nice. I think it's outside Obergurgl somewhere, but still in the Obergurgl area. And they say they speak English.

One of the reasons one can ski most of Obergurgl in a day, if you're a good skier, is because it has long runs and a very efficient lift system, which is fast and you don't have to queue. It's not that it's a very small place, it's just that you can get about really fast.

Ally

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:51:02 GMT

Tony,
I've just done some more research.

You can get return flights to Innsbruck for GBP100 each, or less if you don't go on Saturday. A week's car hire from Innsbruck is 250 euros. 6 days ski pass is 220 euros. And that pension is 441 euros for 2 people, or the pension Rosengarten is 700 euros for 2 people. It seems you can arrive on a day other than Saturday at a pension.

Total cost (less fuel) per person is around GBP665 in the cheaper pension, or 795 in the more expensive one. But you do have to buy your own dinner, unlike staying half board in a fancy hotel. And costs assume one euro = one pound, and it's much better than that at the moment.

Ally

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:51:47 GMT

Thanks Ally, but thats what I call drastically over priced. I dont expect to pay more than GBP500 fully catered inc flights.

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:39:41 GMT

Tony,
I'm sorry that wasn't cheap enough for you. It was, however, cheaper than the GBP1000- per person you were looking at, although it was DIY and B&B.

Ally

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:49:33 GMT

Yeah, appreciate the thought.
I am now booked up for 2 trips next season, and in the current climate I think that will be my lot.
Roll on Jan 2010.

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:48:40 GMT

Tony,
We're only going on the one ski trip next year, the same as this year. Apart from anything else, the French language school trip my daughter's just been on to Nice cost GBP1000 for 2 weeks. And what with her school, and my cleaning job we haven't really got time for another trip.

Ally

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:11:42 GMT

Blimey. Thats expensive. My son goes to America next month on a football scholarship, and its costing $9000 a year for 4 years. But its what you do for your kids, isnt it.

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:44:02 GMT

Tony_H wrote:Blimey. Thats expensive. My son goes to America next month on a football scholarship, and its costing $9000 a year for 4 years. But its what you do for your kids, isnt it.

That's true. :cry:

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:27:15 GMT

Tony,
If he's on a scholarship, why's it so expensive? Is this a university scholarship? America is a very long way away. Are you going to go and visit him? University in this country now costs GBP9000 per year, what with GBP3000 tuition fees and GBP6000- accommodation etc.

The reason I sent my daughter to the French language school in Nice was because she's just finished her GCSE's and she wanted a holiday in France, but I couldn't go because I'm too busy with all the cleaning etc. and she's too young to go on her own. A friend suggested a French language school as a sort of half way house between going on her own, and going with family.

Included in the price was accommodation with a French family, French lessons all morning on weekdays, and guided excursions including diving, and windsurfing. But I had to pay the airfares on top, which were about GBP120 return with Easyjet.

It worked out pretty well, so I see it as an investment towards her gaining successful independence from me, rather than money 'wasted' on a holiday.

Ally

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:07:29 GMT

AllyG wrote:Tony,
If he's on a scholarship, why's it so expensive? Is this a university scholarship? America is a very long way away. Are you going to go and visit him? University in this country now costs GBP9000 per year, what with GBP3000 tuition fees and GBP6000- accommodation etc.

A couple of years ago he would have got a higher scholarship based on his GPA (academic attainment) and his football ability. However, with the recession on and with an increasing number of international students literally not having turned up to take up the places at Uni in the US in recent years, the colleges and uni's are not offering such higher scholarships for year 1.

Yes, its a Uni scholarship. Uni in America is horribly expensive, especially for the better establishments. His Uni works out to $28,000 a year, which includes accommodation, tuition, food, books and everything. Due to his GPA and his football ability, he is getting $19,000 funded for him by the Uni, and we have to find the rest. However, if he improves on his grades in year 1, and maintains a regular place in the football team (soccer) his scholarship will increase for subsequent years.

Unfortunately, there is no financial assistance from the US government for international students going in, and there is none from the UK government for students going abroad to study.

We will no doubt go and visit him at some point but it won't be this year.We have not been to the States before so going to visit him will be a big adventure, but not half as big as it will be for him.

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:18:43 GMT

Thanks Tony.
I had a look on a currency converter site, and it says $9000 is GBP5,500 so it looks as though your son isn't having a bad deal at all, because his schooling is costing you less than if he stayed in this country for it. And I would think he'll have a great time over there on a football scholarship.

But, it must be awkward for you to finance him, because as you said he can't borrow from the U.K. student loan finance scheme. I can see now why you reckon you can't afford Obergurgl next year.

Our elder daughter is at Uni in the U.K, which is how I know it costs GBP9000 per year. But she is borrowing under the scheme, and I don't think she has to pay it back until she starts earning over GBP15,000 p.a. and even then it's only a reasonable amount per week, and there's no interest on the loan - it just increases in line with inflation.

Ally

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:45:20 GMT

AllyG wrote:Thanks Tony.
I had a look on a currency converter site, and it says $9000 is GBP5,500 so it looks as though your son isn't having a bad deal at all, because his schooling is costing you less than if he stayed in this country for it. And I would think he'll have a great time over there on a football scholarship.

But, it must be awkward for you to finance him, because as you said he can't borrow from the U.K. student loan finance scheme. I can see now why you reckon you can't afford Obergurgl next year.

Our elder daughter is at Uni in the U.K, which is how I know it costs GBP9000 per year. But she is borrowing under the scheme, and I don't think she has to pay it back until she starts earning over GBP15,000 p.a. and even then it's only a reasonable amount per week, and there's no interest on the loan - it just increases in line with inflation.

Ally

My daughter has just finished year 3 at uni. She has something like GBP18,000 worth of debt through student loans and overdrafts. Not sure about the actual cost being GBP9000 a year, but it wouldnt surprise me.
The big difference with my kids is that my daughter cost us NOTHING as she was able to borrow money to fund her education. My son cant take loans out for it, so we are the ones who are funding it: no help from grants or loans at all. Good job he is a good footballer, as that part alone was worth $10,000 a year!

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:58:57 GMT

Tony,
I forgot to say congratulations on your son doing so well with his footballing.

And congratulations to your daughter as well, for finishing at Uni. Has she managed to find herself a job yet? Jobs are in rather short supply at the moment.

I know it's GBP9000- per year because I've just had the statement from our local council about it. My daughter gets 2 small grants as well, from the council and from the university, depending on how much money we've made.

Ally

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:37:10 GMT

AllyG wrote:Tony,
I forgot to say congratulations on your son doing so well with his footballing.

And congratulations to your daughter as well, for finishing at Uni. Has she managed to find herself a job yet? Jobs are in rather short supply at the moment.

I know it's GBP9000- per year because I've just had the statement from our local council about it. My daughter gets 2 small grants as well, from the council and from the university, depending on how much money we've made.

Ally

Thanks. Both have done well, we are proud. Neither me or Mrs H went to Uni as we were married with a baby at 18, so we wanted to give our kids every opportunity.
My daughter cant get any work at all. There is literally no work available at all. She earns some money part time in a local pub but she needs to get a "proper" job. She wants to join the RAF as a PE Instructor, but they have no vacancies at the moment.

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:29:35 GMT

Tony,
I hope your daughter finds a 'proper' job, after going to all the trouble of getting a degree. It must have been tough on you and your wife, having a baby at 18.

What you said about Uni's made me think a bit. I went to Uni, so did my mother before me, and her mother (must have been one of the first women - she was at Glasgow Uni in about 1910), and her father before that - he was a Doctor and a Minister and he worked with Lister in Glasgow Royal Infirmary. But I don't know if his father went.

So, we have a long family history of going to Uni.

Ally

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:58:49 GMT

Are you the first to become a tree hugger?????

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:01:58 GMT

No,
My family have been very strange for generations.

Ally

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 23:04:00 GMT

AllyG wrote:No,
My family have been very strange for generations.

Ally

:shock: :mrgreen:

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:28:16 GMT

I have a wood axe and a Bow Saw :D

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:31:51 GMT

:shock:

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:02:51 GMT

bandit wrote:I have a wood axe and a Bow Saw :D

You sound like a perfectly regular guy!

Re:Thinking about skiing.....

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:35:26 GMT

Bandit,
So do I - but only for cutting up the wood I've pruned from our trees, and for our wood stoves during the winter.

What are yours for - the land sharks?

Ally