Snow for the Euros.

[HellgateBasement]

You have 1 month and a couple of hours a day to ski. Stay in a ski resort. Staying down the valley will just mean more travel and less ski time

Yeah. Young kid, a couple hours to ski, possibly working late USA hours…I’d be sleeping as close to a lift as I could. Engelberg would be my personal call for that, but I’ve only skied there when it was empty. Mid winter crowds might push me elsewhere too.

Hard to argue with that logic. So then it's 1. where I can find something close to a lift that won't have me dipping into the kid's college fund before it gets started 2. a reasonably safe bet for snow conditions 3. not a clusterfuck of school vacations 4. fun terrain, and 5. not completely isolated (even better if accessible by public transportation)

[skaredshtles]

Hard to argue with that logic. So then it's 1. where I can find something close to a lift that won't have me dipping into the kid's college fund before it gets started 2. a reasonably safe bet for snow conditions 3. not a clusterfuck of school vacations 4. fun terrain, and 5. not completely isolated (even better if accessible by public transportation)

You sure are asking for alot.

Solid work.

[subtle plague]

Yeah. Young kid, a couple hours to ski, possibly working late USA hours…I’d be sleeping as close to a lift as I could. Engelberg would be my personal call for that, but I’ve only skied there when it was empty. Mid winter crowds might push me elsewhere too.

You have not skied empty Engelberg om a powder day. Unless you maybe went there in the 20th century

Empty normal Engelberg is quite easy if it hasn't snowed a while in early January.

And yeah staying in a resort is maybe the best move, hgbm.
I'd still recommend the eberg andermatt airolo axis for versatility of snow patterns. But if you book a tourists appartement, just wait until shortly before to see where the base is.

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

You have not skied empty Engelberg om a powder day.

Unfortunately, you've got that part 100% right

[bobinch]

Hard to argue with that logic. So then it's 1. where I can find something close to a lift that won't have me dipping into the kid's college fund before it gets started 2. a reasonably safe bet for snow conditions 3. not a clusterfuck of school vacations 4. fun terrain, and 5. not completely isolated (even better if accessible by public transportation)

What sort of terrain / experience are you looking for? Full on gnar vs big well connected piste cruiser heaven? Any country preferences? Budget?

[bobinch]

If you’re not bothered about facilities / nightlife and want to max the skiing Siviez is worth a look. You can get an apartment for around 2500chf for the month of March and it has the fastest access to some of the best skiing in the Verbier 4 Valleys area. Example: https://abnb.me/Nd7gAYO9Dpb

[paige.]

Consider using the train to hit the French Alps: les 2 Alps, Alpe d'Huez, les Arcs plus some other smaller resorts are easily accessible (4h tops) by train + shuttle from Paris Gare de Lyon.

Wanted to give you a belated thanks for this recommendation (I got distracted by all the wine and cheese and walking 30km a day on the Rhone Balconies route). Wound up sneaking 3 days in at Les 2 Alps Apr 24 - 26. Got the expected sunny groomer day, then a storm hit and got a nice 20cm of powder - made all the more exciting by my skinny DIN 5 rental skis and cavernous boots. Transport was simple, the resort was simple, my high school French was horrendous but enough to keep me fed.

I may have to sneak back for a longer trip with my 3 months off next winter so I can bring my own gear and explore a bit more.

[JackSkier]

Still going here in the Southern Alps, but the end is in sight unless we get some precipitation below 4000m.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57aJ..._channel=JackF

[DSG_Mantra]

Still going here in the Southern Alps, but the end is in sight unless we get some precipitation below 4000m.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57aJ..._channel=JackF

Attempting to get some info on 3 Vallees but having technical difficulties posting. This is a test.

[DSG_Mantra]

Attempting to get some info on 3 Vallees but having technical difficulties posting. This is a test.

Yay!

I have a milestone birthday in January 2023, and trying to arrange a bucket list ski trip to Europe. FWIW, I am an Epic Pass holder and have so far confined my potential choices to 3 Vallees, Verbier and St Anton. Leaning hard towards 3 Vallees, so much so that I’ve booked an 8 bed chalet in Meribel from Jan 26 to Feb 2.

We have a very diverse group from beginner up to expert with potentially a backcountry guide. People coming from US, Europe and Asia. I’ll need something where the apres is excellent, the slopes offer a wide range, but has enough white-knuckle stuff and hopefully pow, to keep the entire crew happy.

If in 3 Vallees, where to stay? Val Thorens, Meribel or Courchevel? Any tips on finding a qualified backcountry guide? Will we be hitting the France national school holidays or UK holidays during that time?

Any reason to can 3 Vallees and go for St Anton, Verbier or even Andermatt?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Buster Highmen]

Jan 26 to Feb2 is just before the big midwinter holiday.

Trois Vallees is high enough to guarantee decent snow and has all the apres you could want. Courchevel is a great locale for nightlife, but it's expensive and not very endemic. We didn't get down to Meribel. Val Thorens is up in a moonscape and has tres moderne hotels and bars but feels stark and brutal.

Similarly, St. Anton is also snow sure and has lots of Teutonic apres drinking and carousing. Again, not very reflective of a local culture, is crowded and expensive. But lots of guide services and available sidecountry. I've only passed through St. Christophe and Zurs, but they seem more "genuine". Again, expensive, exclusive if that's your jam.

Verbier is also a great place, huDge variety and scope. A good friend who is quite well to do claims it is better than Chamonix for skiing. But it's also expensive, crowded on piste and in town and lacks a local vibe. The sidecountry there is amazing. Let bobinch chime in.

Andermatt SkiArena is snow sure and has a variety of skiing from the steeps of the Gemsstock through the easy slope of Natchen, Oberalp and Dieni as well as the easier Disentis pistes. Not sure if it has enough variety for apres, but there's a little more local color there. The Chedi is the big snazzywad. Lots of guide options there too and amazing sidecountry. The SkiArena one of my favorite places in part because it's not as gaudy as others mentioned, but I'm not too inclined for the apres scene and go for the skiing. The EuroTGR connection there is https://www.mt-lodge.com/

I don't know what you're really looking for.

A couple other good places that I've liked are Davos/Klosters and St. Moritz. They both have warranted reps for snootiness and posh, and the apres in those places is as over the top as anywhere but there's a lot of great skiing and all the vacation resources imaginable. Ice skating on the lakes, caviar and champagne in a horse drawn sleigh? There's even hot springs in the St. Moritz area *(Samedan).

We liked Briancon a lot (Serre Chevalier and the Milky Way) too. Genuine, local French flavor, great skiing.

The Jungfrau (Murren, Wengen, Grindlewald) also blew me away. Lots of local flavor, good nightlife access, history and culture. Murren with the Schilthorn is amazing for steeps and sidecountry. Wengen is posh with cool old hotels.

[NWFlow]

Heading to Davos for work in late November through mid January. Any recommendations for passes? Or do day tickets/tour and explore more?

Never spent much time in the Alps in winter, so looking forward to checking it out!

[beer30]

You don’t have to leave that valley, it’s got more then enough to offer.

[Buster Highmen]

Heading to Davos for work in late November through mid January. Any recommendations for passes? Or do day tickets/tour and explore more?

Never spent much time in the Alps in winter, so looking forward to checking it out!

I think our man in Klosters recommends this one: https://www.topcard.info/en/ . It's $1500, so maybe just day tickets will be a better deal for you?
Davos/Klosters is awesome.

[NWFlow]

You don’t have to leave that valley, it’s got more then enough to offer.

Yeah, it looks almost like an almost unmanageable amount of terrain.

Thanks, I'd found the top card. I might just splurge and do that anyway, hoping to have lots of mornings And afternoons free to ski, but we'll see.

[DSG_Mantra]

Jan 26 to Feb2 is just before the big midwinter holiday.

Trois Vallees is high enough to guarantee decent snow and has all the apres you could want. Courchevel is a great locale for nightlife, but it's expensive and not very endemic. We didn't get down to Meribel. Val Thorens is up in a moonscape and has tres moderne hotels and bars but feels stark and brutal.

Similarly, St. Anton is also snow sure and has lots of Teutonic apres drinking and carousing. Again, not very reflective of a local culture, is crowded and expensive. But lots of guide services and available sidecountry. I've only passed through St. Christophe and Zurs, but they seem more "genuine". Again, expensive, exclusive if that's your jam.

Verbier is also a great place, huDge variety and scope. A good friend who is quite well to do claims it is better than Chamonix for skiing. But it's also expensive, crowded on piste and in town and lacks a local vibe. The sidecountry there is amazing. Let bobinch chime in.

Andermatt SkiArena is snow sure and has a variety of skiing from the steeps of the Gemsstock through the easy slope of Natchen, Oberalp and Dieni as well as the easier Disentis pistes. Not sure if it has enough variety for apres, but there's a little more local color there. The Chedi is the big snazzywad. Lots of guide options there too and amazing sidecountry. The SkiArena one of my favorite places in part because it's not as gaudy as others mentioned, but I'm not too inclined for the apres scene and go for the skiing. The EuroTGR connection there is https://www.mt-lodge.com/

I don't know what you're really looking for.

A couple other good places that I've liked are Davos/Klosters and St. Moritz. They both have warranted reps for snootiness and posh, and the apres in those places is as over the top as anywhere but there's a lot of great skiing and all the vacation resources imaginable. Ice skating on the lakes, caviar and champagne in a horse drawn sleigh? There's even hot springs in the St. Moritz area *(Samedan).

We liked Briancon a lot (Serre Chevalier and the Milky Way) too. Genuine, local French flavor, great skiing.

The Jungfrau (Murren, Wengen, Grindlewald) also blew me away. Lots of local flavor, good nightlife access, history and culture. Murren with the Schilthorn is amazing for steeps and sidecountry. Wengen is posh with cool old hotels.

Thanks so much for the comprehensive run down. I’m going to look into St. Anton and Verbier as well as St. Moritz. Proximity to airports is also a consideration. Glad to see I’m going to miss the national vacation in France if I decide on 3 Vallees. If it was just me, My priorities would be plenty of pow and steeps, then apres, shopping, etc. But most of those joining will be on groomers and more into the food/culture/ apres.

[subtle plague]

I think our man in Klosters recommends this one: https://www.topcard.info/en/ . It's $1500, so maybe just day tickets will be a better deal for you?
Davos/Klosters is awesome.

Or invest 500 francs more and have free public Transport in the whole state , St. Moritz, disentis/ andermatt, Samnaun /ischgl and the Rest of Graubünden included. That should Set you up for most snow patterns, ski touring and getting to all places.

More skiing than you can do in one lifetime

https://www.graubuenden.ch/de/graubuendencard


Sorry I didn't find an English version....

[Buster Highmen]

Thanks so much for the comprehensive run down. I’m going to look into St. Anton and Verbier as well as St. Moritz. Proximity to airports is also a consideration. Glad to see I’m going to miss the national vacation in France if I decide on 3 Vallees. If it was just me, My priorities would be plenty of pow and steeps, then apres, shopping, etc. But most of those joining will be on groomers and more into the food/culture/ apres.

Don't overlook Swiss trains, they're amazing. There's lots of connections from either Zurich or Geneva to Verbier, St. Anton, St. Moritz, Andermatt/Disentis SkiArena.
https://www.sbb.ch/en/timetable.html
Trois Vallees and Val d'Isere/Tignes each require a bus, taxi or car connection as do Lech/Zurs.

St. Anton doesn't have the cosmopolitan vibe that either Davos/Klosters or St. Moritz has. In order of snow surety I'd rank St. Anton first, then Davos/Klosters then St. Moritz. Don't overlook Davos/Klosters for a good balance for you and your group.

[bw_wp_hedonism]

Heading to Davos for work in late November through mid January. Any recommendations for passes? Or do day tickets/tour and explore more?

Never spent much time in the Alps in winter, so looking forward to checking it out!

I typically spend 90% of time in winter in Klosters, around the corner from Davos, so reach out when you’re there or if you want to chat about anything in the lead up.

I have a topcard which requires about 20 days skiing to break even. They aren’t very generous when it comes to discounts for half day (you save something like 15chf), so having sunk the cost gives peace of mind when you go up even for a quick run.

The past few years, the mountain has partially opened on weekends from November, with full opening from earlyish December. With a bit of luck you can get some pretty amazing snow days in December (especially mid week) with no one else on the hill before everyone really gets into ski mode.

[NWFlow]

Thanks for the info -- i will definitely reach out when I get the dates and lodging confirmed. I'm leaning towards the top card for both of us, but will be a bit date-dependent.

Is it possible to do quick pre or post work fitness laps from town? We're coming down from the far north to escape the dark, but will be bringing headlamps as well.

[subtle plague]

November December will be difficult with a 9 to 5 Job.
As long as you're not from B.C. or AK, we're pretty far north here same as the pnw.
So in December it's 7:30 zo 8 sunrise and 4:30 to 4 sunset.


Each area has a skin up policy..depending on preparation and depending on spinning lifts. I don't know about davos, but usually it's ok Unless they are preparing the slopes.

[bw_wp_hedonism]

Thanks for the info -- i will definitely reach out when I get the dates and lodging confirmed. I'm leaning towards the top card for both of us, but will be a bit date-dependent.

Is it possible to do quick pre or post work fitness laps from town? We're coming down from the far north to escape the dark, but will be bringing headlamps as well.

Yes, it’s easy to do pre- or post-work fitness laps, with headlamps for the moonless times. Issue could be snow cover that time of year.

[NWFlow]

Perfect, thanks! Luckily, it won't be a nine to five (research) and I'm coming down from Svalbard so literally any light will be fine ...

[subtle plague]

Uuh. So you're working in snow science. Nice.
Ok since you're coming from the depth of night light should be ok.

If you do research, I'd just ski the lifts for two hours and head to work. Season starts at Nov 18th. Snowcover can be iffy though. Pray for a repeat of 17/18.

[bobinch]

Yay!

I have a milestone birthday in January 2023, and trying to arrange a bucket list ski trip to Europe. FWIW, I am an Epic Pass holder and have so far confined my potential choices to 3 Vallees, Verbier and St Anton. Leaning hard towards 3 Vallees, so much so that I’ve booked an 8 bed chalet in Meribel from Jan 26 to Feb 2.

We have a very diverse group from beginner up to expert with potentially a backcountry guide. People coming from US, Europe and Asia. I’ll need something where the apres is excellent, the slopes offer a wide range, but has enough white-knuckle stuff and hopefully pow, to keep the entire crew happy.

If in 3 Vallees, where to stay? Val Thorens, Meribel or Courchevel? Any tips on finding a qualified backcountry guide? Will we be hitting the France national school holidays or UK holidays during that time?

Any reason to can 3 Vallees and go for St Anton, Verbier or even Andermatt?

Thanks in advance for your help.

For white knuckle Verbier blows away St Anton and 3V IMO. For piste mileage 3V is the clear winner. For snow depths St Anton.

They all have good après, restaurants etc if you’ve got plenty of dosh.