Suggested Itinerary - From Milan

[K2ski]

So I was able to book a relatively cheap flight to Milan in mid-March. Geneva is more convenient for a 10 day trip but the price difference made it worth it to fly into Milan. My plan is to wait to book anything until we get much closer and see where the snow is falling.

Option 1:
Milan to Cham to Verbier to Alagna to Milan. I have skied La Grave, Alp Duez, Montgenvre, Serre the last 3 trips so I am looking for something different.

Option 2:
Austria - My knowledge of the Austrian Alps is limited compared to Switz and France. Obviously I know Lech/St Anton. I am looking for the more off the beaten path (like La Grave or Alagna)


Can anyone provide a suggested itinerary for an Austrian trip from Milan if the snow is falling there instead of the Western Alps?

Much appreciated

[Buster Highmen]

Milan->Andermatt->Engleberg->Disentis->Davos/Klosters->Scuol Motta Naluns->Samnaun/Ischgl->Nauders->Dolomiti->Milan.

(Not that you'd really be able to ski all those places in 10 days...)

If the snow is any good, you could easily spend a week around Alagna/Gressoney/Champoluc without getting bored.

To drive yourself nuts, use this as a reference: http://www.bergfex.com/oesterreich/

[Benny Profane]

Jezuz, Buster, have you been to all of those places? And what qualifies a mountain to be not so boring over there? Maybe compare them to American places. If that's possible.

[Hugh Conway]

not been but Krippenstein had the reputation/hype of Alagna/La Grave. It'd be a bit of a haul from Milan (like 7-8 hrs in a car).

If you've a rental car - Milan to St Moritz to Serfaus/ischgl to innsbruck (number of places to chose) cross over the brenner pass several days in the dolomites back to milan (or alternately continue down from Innsbruck east to Kripp or something like that, then swing south and back). Or go Milan to Andermatt/Eberg/Davos and east.

[Scottish_Skier]

Milan -> Aosta -> Chamonix -> Verbier / Valais -> Grand St Bernard -> Aosta

Milan is actually very handy airport for western alps *if* you have a car.
There is loads of good resorts on the loop above - the obvious ones (cham + verb), the medium ones (pila, courmayeur, G3000), the known small ones (bruson, les marecottes) and then then the uber-small secret spots that shouldnt ever be mentioned on the interweb (vicheres, crevacol, champex-lac etc).

FWIW : I dont mind mentioning the super cool small secret spots becasue they probably need the free advert or will go bankrupt Then no one can ski there anymore....

[Buster Highmen]

Jezuz, Buster, have you been to all of those places?

No. Been to Andermatt, Engleberg and Disentis as well as some dinky famers lifts around there. I'd love to go to Davos/Klosters, Ischgl and Nauders. Some day I'll tour with Klar.

Have been to a ridiculous number of places around the S. French Alps from Vars/Risoul, Puy St. Vincent, Serre Chevalier, La Grave, most of the Milky Way, Val Frejus, Mont Cenis up into les Trois Vallees. Never been to Tignes/Val d'Isere, but did get into La Thuile/La Rosiere and over to St. Foy.

And what qualifies a mountain to be not so boring over there? Maybe compare them to American places. If that's possible.

For me it's a lack of discos, access to bigger vert, some steeps, touring and soft snow, a lack of over the top social climbing people using snobs.

Some elbow room.

I can't speak for others objectives. I've had people tell me that the Milky Way/Via Lattea is boring because they couldn't find the steeps. I didn't have that problem there.

One of the best days of my life was a failed attempt at a big tour because of a storm at a farmers lift in CH where the lift's vert was only around 2500 feet/750 meters. We got stuck riding the lift and skiing thigh deep snow down to cow fields. It was awesome: no people, absolutely nowhere name drop wise, but lots of good snow and tasty cake and coffee at the hutte.

[Benny Profane]

That sounds nice.

[K2ski]

Thanks guys. I am renting a car so that isnt an issue. I definitely have to do my research with all these suggestions.

Im more into the quiet/small towns as opposed to the apres scene. I could care less about that. One pub is enough for me

[old goat]

On the Italian side of Mt Blanc the town of Entreves just above Courmayeur is quiet (but we were there in September so who knows.) A short walk to the lift to Heillbronner Point (sp?) and the south facing Toule Glacier run if it's in condition and the Mer de Glace if you can catch a bus back through the tunnel. But as I recall you have to pretty much drive back to Milan to go anywhere else, except Cervinia (the Italian side of the Matterhorn). In Entreves we liked the hotel la grange.

[klar]

Some day I'll tour with Klar.

blablabla

lack of discos.

Some day I will show you the Austrian Aprés Ski discos!


Only go to Krippenstein if you are very sure about conditions. The bigger places are usually still kinda ok in a not so great year, Krippenstein is pretty low altitude and needs a lot of snow.

[Buster Highmen]

Some day I will show you the Austrian Aprés Ski discos! .

OK. ....

[K2ski]

Ok if I did a Davos/St Anton/Andermatt loop, do you think I can wait to book lodging until the last minute to see if they are getting the snow. Similarly, if I did the Cham/Verb/Alagna loop? I am not looking for anything fancy - just a place to sleep in a cheap hotel is fine with me. If you guys have any specific suggestions, that would be awesome. Thanks

[Buster Highmen]

That's probably date/holiday dependent.
The only weak link there is Andermatt since it's the smallest; other places have lots of options as long as you are will to pay.

[Arno]

On accommodation, if you have a car and don't mind staying a little bit out of town, you should be fine if you leave it late

[userA]

from milan i would board a plane bound for the USA.
B

[Buster Highmen]

In Andermatt, the hotel Aurora is right across from the Gemstock tram and has the best package deals I found. It's newer and has a gas station/garage attached. Herr Mattli, you owe me.
The Hotel Sonne in Andermatt is a little further away but loaded with character. You'll have to have a drink at the Apothecare.

In Alagna, the Cristallo and the Mirella are both really nice and close to the main tram. The guide to get there, Sergio Gabbio, has his own hotel, Hotel Montagna di Luce, but it's a little ways up the valley, like a half mile, from the main tram base with great packages. Sergio is da man. If the snow is stable, ask him for the tour around the Monte Rosa.

[userA]

be sure and sample the italian sausage
b

[BerettaRacer]

For the past two seasons I've taken my vacation around Feb/March in all of the above mentioned area's without prebooking hotels. As long as you've got a car and pretty flexible it's usually not an issue, you may not be "right in" the resort, or at "the cool" hotel, but there's virtually always something available within a short drive, and sometimes you get really good stuff. I use Kayak and Expiedia, with occasional Venere. Expiedia gives a better description of the hotels, but Kayak gives a bigger database and better price. Ten days should be easy. Last year I did the entire month of Feb., left north Italy, into St Anton/Ishgil, Kitzbhuel/Westendorf, crossed over to the Dolomites, then Bormio/Livigno, over to Aosta for a week at Cour/Pila/La Thuille then Cham for a week, finished up at Sauze/Montrgenevre/Sierre Chevalier. Year before was similar but crossed CH, so did St Moritz/Engleberg/Lauterbruten. All with no prebooking, just be flexible, consider it part of the adventure, lol.
Make sure your rental has four snow tires, a pair of chains, (mandatory in Aust and Ch) winter fuel or that diesel will turn to jelly. I also use a TomTom and Google maps/translator on the phone.

[Incompetent Boob]

I find the local tourist offices are good for finding beds. Call/go in on the day and they almost always have something, even in peak times, as they have access to the small pensions which don't normally show up on Kayak etc.

[subtle plague]

not been but Krippenstein had the reputation/hype of Alagna/La Grave. It'd be a bit of a haul from Milan (like 7-8 hrs in a car).
.

Krippenstein is barely reachable from Milan and it has been crowded since 2006 when the firts norwegians showed up (believe me I was one of the hypers ), and it is really low. So anything semiwarm fucks up your skiing.

@ original Poster: If the Engadin has snow it is absolutely perfect. No big towns around, expensive --> relatively relaxed freeriding. The northern alpine resorts have already been mentioned.
And I'm with Incompetent Boob especially in Austria and Switz you can rely on the local offices.
Italy. not so much.

[K2ski]

With less than 2 weeks to go for my trip, I am starting to plan out the route. While I am going to wait until the long term forecast becomes a bit more of a reality, Euro Mags, based on the current conditions, am I better off with a Aosta/Cham/Verb/Andermatt route or a Andermatt/St Anton/St Moritz route?

[K2ski]

bump bump

[Buster Highmen]

Am@, and St. Moritz have had a ton of snow, so coverage is great there and I've heard and read that Courmayeur does too.

Basically the south (Ecrins, Southern Switz & Italy) has gotten a ton of snow and it seems that the trend continues.

As for tuning the route on the moment, you can try pulsing http://wepowder.com/ and tracking their powder alerts.

[K2ski]

Awesome. Thanks for the info.