Snow for the Euros.

[subtle plague]

Can someone pls explain what a "Ski Route" is?


Also, if you have any other suggestions in Italy other than Monterosa that have good skiing, get dumped on etc , pls advise.

They all have similar snow patterns but for example the via lattea got more snow last week. Especially if there is an Eastern flow.

Courmayeeur gets more snow from the west southwest, but most consider it a Cham extension

[twat]

They all have similar snow patterns but for example the via lattea got more snow last week. Especially if there is an Eastern flow.

Courmayeeur gets more snow from the west southwest, but most consider it a Cham extension

I think a guide helps you to figure out a place quicker.... so why not arrive. Get over the jetleg. Ski - See - poke around - hire a guide for a day.... skitour a couple on your own with all the info you can sqeeze out of the guide over dinner and drinks..... : )
Hire again a guide for a day.... to see something new .....

Here is a great skitour info tool for routes

www.outdooractive.com

[Buster Highmen]

Can someone pls explain what a "Ski Route" is?

Is this like an off piste area that is ungroomed but mitigated, thus a safe place to ski?

Looking to plan a trip for Feb/March to Italy..most likely Monterosa.

I have a decent understanding of "snow science theory" and how to behave in the backcountry (but have not formally completed my Avy 1) and have a decent amount of touring/BC experience.

Is hiring a Guide the best way to ski pow? They look pretty expensiv. So basically if I want to ski Pow, this is pretty much the only option unless I decide to venture "off piste" myself?

Thanks

Also, if you have any other suggestions in Italy other than Monterosa that have good skiing, get dumped on etc , pls advise.

Sergio is da man around Alagna: http://www.montagnadiluce.it/en/serg...ountains-lord/

I've only been there once, but the word from friends that lived in Milan is that Alagna/Monterosa doesn't get all that much snow relative to other spots.

Getting guided the first day or two in an area is worth it, give you a feel for the place and how to ski it.

We had a great time in the Via Lattea Montgenevre/Claviere/San Sicario/Sestriere/Saulze d'Oulx, the latter of which is close to one of the main train lines Paris<->Torino. It doesn't have the big rep of more well known places, but there's a ton of great skiing.

[SirHeady]

Plans have been refined a little bit interesting to hesr yalls thoughts

1. This is effectively a honeymoon for my wife and I . While she loves to ski, shes not 100% there for the skiing and would mainly want to ski interesting groomers and maybe some low angle pow . She wants an idyllic alpine vibe with good skiing , dining and shopping.

2. Based on this criteria the options have expanded to include resorts that are relativelt easy to get to from either Milan or Zurich . Can i get by with a rented front wheel drive car or do i need all wheel drive if we are planning on going to Andermatt, Livigno, Monterosa or St Moritz for example .


3. Freeride guides: Do any guides offer “open” groups so that I’m not spending 1500 on guides for a 5 day trip . If im hiring a guide I want to spend half the time skiing coulouirs and steep shots and the other half trees/nice steep powderfields. but dont want to be skinning more than actual skiing

4. Do any resorts fit that fit my criteria offer abundant “ski routes “ or “freeride zones” (lol at this term) that are avy mitigated?

I appreciate the help and would love to ski with yall if I make it out to one of your home mountains

[Buster Highmen]

Plans have been refined a little bit interesting to hesr yalls thoughts

1. This is effectively a honeymoon for my wife and I . While she loves to ski, shes not 100% there for the skiing and would mainly want to ski interesting groomers and maybe some low angle pow . She wants an idyllic alpine vibe with good skiing , dining and shopping.

Don't go to Monte Rosa.

2. Based on this criteria the options have expanded to include resorts that are relativelt easy to get to from either Milan or Zurich . Can i get by with a rented front wheel drive car or do i need all wheel drive if we are planning on going to Andermatt, Livigno, Monterosa or St Moritz for example .

For Andermatt/Disentis SkiArena or St. Moritz or Davos/Klosters, or Engelberg or St.Anton/Lech/Zurs, just take the train. The train gives you killer options to move between these places and more.

I wouldn't drive in the Alps without awd rented in Switzerland (where they have to give you snow tires).

Livigno/Bormio/Santa Caterina really requires a car. Consider Cortina?

From your description, I'd opt for St. Moritz or Davos/Klosters. They have the glitz, some dining, lots of shopping and hectare upon hectare of great skiing. Engelberg is slightly smaller, but worthy. My biggest surprise of skiing in the Alps is probably St. Moritz where there's so much good steep and little used "freeride zones".
Klosters/Davos is also killer, huDge and has one of the best little hotels in Klosters, the Wynegg.

3. Freeride guides: Do any guides offer “open” groups so that I’m not spending 1500 on guides for a 5 day trip . If im hiring a guide I want to spend half the time skiing coulouirs and steep shots and the other half trees/nice steep powderfields. but dont want to be skinning more than actual skiing

Yes and yes. Andermatt-Guides has groups, as do most places. You tell the guides what you want. If they don't promise that, don't pay. You will only skin if they let you know beforehand.

4. Do any resorts fit that fit my criteria offer abundant “ski routes “ or “freeride zones” (lol at this term) that are avy mitigated?

I appreciate the help and would love to ski with yall if I make it out to one of your home mountains

Yes. Davos/Klosters (Madrisa, Parsenn, Pischa, Jakobshorn, Rinerhorn)

and St. Moritz (Corvatsch, Corviglia, LaGalb and Diavolezza)

each have excellent freeride zones which get skied some, but are generally not avalanche controlled.
Same with St. Anton/Lech/Zurs.
These "zones" are generally not controlled, but see some traffic. People ski them, it's just that one wants to be able to read terrain, check avie reports and so on. We've been doing it for years, normally without a guide.

Note: none of these are my 'home' mountains.

[twat]

Agree with buster. Go by train. Italy in winter, when it snows is crazy to drive. Their plowing is shit.

I stayed at the wynegg and it has it all!

[Tri-Ungulate]

Buster, didn't you mention somewhere that the Wynegg changed hands?

[Rossymcg]

So what are the odds of the season starting on time? Will we be able to ride lifts in December?

riding lifts in tignes already, just don't forget your face mask

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[Buster Highmen]

Buster, didn't you mention somewhere that the Wynegg changed hands?

It didn't change hands.

I did read that one of the owners, Cedric, who managed the bar and hotel, seems to have gone back to school. But the 2 remaining partners are still there and it's still the best deal in Klosters with an incredible restaurant.

[bw_wp_hedonism]

Buster, didn't you mention somewhere that the Wynegg changed hands?

Last it changed hands was maybe 5 years ago. One of the three owners left last year to go back to school I think. Everything is still the same.

[bw_wp_hedonism]

Plans have been refined a little bit interesting to hesr yalls thoughts

1. This is effectively a honeymoon for my wife and I . While she loves to ski, shes not 100% there for the skiing and would mainly want to ski interesting groomers and maybe some low angle pow . She wants an idyllic alpine vibe with good skiing , dining and shopping.

2. Based on this criteria the options have expanded to include resorts that are relativelt easy to get to from either Milan or Zurich . Can i get by with a rented front wheel drive car or do i need all wheel drive if we are planning on going to Andermatt, Livigno, Monterosa or St Moritz for example .


3. Freeride guides: Do any guides offer “open” groups so that I’m not spending 1500 on guides for a 5 day trip . If im hiring a guide I want to spend half the time skiing coulouirs and steep shots and the other half trees/nice steep powderfields. but dont want to be skinning more than actual skiing

4. Do any resorts fit that fit my criteria offer abundant “ski routes “ or “freeride zones” (lol at this term) that are avy mitigated?

I appreciate the help and would love to ski with yall if I make it out to one of your home mountains

Klosters is effectively my winter home, I should be able to show you around if you decide on it. If for some reason I am not around, I can still point you in the right direction.

[Mr. Mike]

Plans have been refined a little bit interesting to hesr yalls thoughts

1. This is effectively a honeymoon for my wife and I . While she loves to ski, shes not 100% there for the skiing and would mainly want to ski interesting groomers and maybe some low angle pow . She wants an idyllic alpine vibe with good skiing , dining and shopping.

2. Based on this criteria the options have expanded to include resorts that are relativelt easy to get to from either Milan or Zurich . Can i get by with a rented front wheel drive car or do i need all wheel drive if we are planning on going to Andermatt, Livigno, Monterosa or St Moritz for example .


3. Freeride guides: Do any guides offer “open” groups so that I’m not spending 1500 on guides for a 5 day trip . If im hiring a guide I want to spend half the time skiing coulouirs and steep shots and the other half trees/nice steep powderfields. but dont want to be skinning more than actual skiing

4. Do any resorts fit that fit my criteria offer abundant “ski routes “ or “freeride zones” (lol at this term) that are avy mitigated?

I appreciate the help and would love to ski with yall if I make it out to one of your home mountains

The specifics on your timing could make a difference. You said "February or March" somewhere above. February can be pretty busy in the Alps because a one to two week winter school break for all European countries occurs sometime in February (occasionally some countries will drip over into early March). So, if you are going in March, in most case you will be safe to leave some of the details other than just plane tickets to late in the game to take into account conditions. In February, you may not have that flexibility. If you have plane tickets to Zurich, you are 4 hours or less by train/bus to a ton of viable options, some of which could have very different conditions than others. In addition to those listed above, I wouldn't overlook Lech for a spousal trip. Pretty charming village with some posh hotels and spectacular terrain.

[rod9301]

Id love to give the pyrenees some time and effort but as a rule of thumb would I be correct to say the place is dry compared to the majority of the the Alps?

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1.5 meters expected in the next two weeks, starting now. In bareges.

Sent from my moto g 5G using Tapatalk

[Choucas]

+1 on St. Moritz area (look at Pontresina and Sils Maria to stay instead St. Moritz). That valley (Upper Engadine) has a special charm to it. Tons of off piste and less competition for it than the Arlberg. Same with Klosters/Davos. All accessible by train from Zurich airport. Get a guide to get to the goods. These guys can hook you up: https://bergsteiger-pontresina.ch/winter/. They can add you to a group. Only unknown is the ability of the rest of the group.

[Charlie Don't Surf]

Finally got around to opening up my season today at Saas Fee.

Fingers crossed this week's system will put down a good base.

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[subtle plague]

Finally got around to opening up my season today at Saas Fee.

Fingers crossed this week's System Puts diwn a good base

Hmm it basically misses the alps. We'll see some base but not like the pyrenees, although the real snow Hits Asturias and picos del Europa. The pyrenees might get a meter of base in the interesting areas. But they have as little as the alps. The only area with base is the piemont. And I don't see a Italian low in the future.

Btw. Looking at snow forecast past the 5-7 day Mark is not the way to go it's highly likely to be dry again. It looked better for the alps later next week, but the new models let fizzle out more and more.

[twat]

Ohhh .... le tits now ....

[subtle plague]

Things are jumping back and forth. New model runs could make a ski weekend of the 3rd /4th possible. Wait and see. We'll have some clarity by the weekend.

[twat]

Makes me happy seeing you uncertain about the wheather! Thats always a good sign!

Luckily klar explaines something on her weather blog. I always love reading her indeapth explenation of what is going on outside of the window. Hope you read that klar! Missing your contribution to this thread!!!!

[Rossymcg]

where will one find Klar's blog?

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[Buster Highmen]

where will one find Klar's blog?

Link to Klar's blogs as well as other EuroMeteo luminaries

https://www.powderguide.com/wetter/wetterlage.html

[Tectonically_Neglected]

4. Do any resorts fit that fit my criteria offer abundant “ski routes “ or “freeride zones” (lol at this term) that are avy mitigated?

I think the yellow routes are all avy controlled. Most of the time they are just left alone by piste bullies/ grooming machines.
Freeride zones allow freeriding but are generally not avy controlled. Essentially, everything outside of the actual groomers isn't avy controlled here. Inbounds/ outbounds does not exist.

[twat]

I think the yellow routes are all avy controlled. Most of the time they are just left alone by piste bullies/ grooming machines.
Freeride zones allow freeriding but are generally not avy controlled. Essentially, everything outside of the actual groomers isn't avy controlled here. Inbounds/ outbounds does not exist.

Holy moly. Is this you morris!

[Buster Highmen]

#flakenews

[Charlie Don't Surf]

Are we going to have a good old fashion TGR forecast off?