Snow for the Euros.

[Buster Highmen]

Yeah...I had made plans to go East this time, to Bad Gastein. Ullr is encouraging me back towards my defaults...

[phatty]

It was dumping all day in Montafon down to around 1000m. Visibility was OK. They have hardly any snow lower (almost none in Schruns) and it's raining hard in the valley. So basically not much tree skiing, plus they have much of it closed off for conservation. Looks like it's a state thing. So far ~10-15cm snow has fallen and it is still going. Unfortunately the whole mountain has been getting cooked for 2 weeks, so the crust was rough underneath the powder. Pistes should be in great shape tomorrow and hopefully visibility in the alpine should improve for going off piste. Ceiling is supposed to rise to 9000m.

Bad vis + unfamiliar area + can't speak language = huge gaper. I was well out of my comfort zone today.

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

Appreciate the answers to my JONG questions guys. Pulled the trigger on St. Anton.

Anyone know if Andy Thurners guidebooks to the Arlberg are worth buying? They seem great but the only place I can find them are in the UK so they ain’t cheap

[bobinch]

Appreciate the answers to my JONG questions guys. Pulled the trigger on St. Anton.

Anyone know if Andy Thurners guidebooks to the Arlberg are worth buying? They seem great but the only place I can find them are in the UK so they ain’t cheap

We used them for a trip a few years back and found them useful. We emailed him and he dropped them off at our chalet. More info here:

https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/view...9eb9f024052190

https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/view...=74877#1747277

[powderfanatic]

seems like every forecast is getting worse with less and less snow coming....frustrating.

Return of the pow in the West. Woot woot!

[Puderjagarn]

Enjoying a dec of fresh powder i Andermatt


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[peterbmoorman]

Would anybody know if April 16-19th at Monterosa Ski Area in Italy is worth it for some spring skiing?

That's really the only time frame that fits with my calendar. I visited the area in the summer and it looks great.

Wondered if anybody has recommendation on where to stay. Thanks!

[powderfanatic]

from what i have gathered they have had a terrible snow year thus far. keep an eye on that

Would anybody know if April 16-19th at Monterosa Ski Area in Italy is worth it for some spring skiing?

That's really the only time frame that fits with my calendar. I visited the area in the summer and it looks great.

Wondered if anybody has recommendation on where to stay. Thanks!

[peterbmoorman]

from what i have gathered they have had a terrible snow year thus far. keep an eye on that

Thanks for the info.

I was looking at snow report totals for a bunch of European Resorts for the past 10 years. Looks like the majority of them get considerably less snow than places in the states like Jackson Hole, Alta/Snowbird, Montana ski areas.


Is that normal or just what to expect in Europe?

[Buster Highmen]

Thanks for the info.

I was looking at snow report totals for a bunch of European Resorts for the past 10 years. Looks like the majority of them get considerably less snow than places in the states like Jackson Hole, Alta/Snowbird, Montana ski areas.


Is that normal or just what to expect in Europe?

I wouldn't go to the Monterosa unless there a lot of snow in March. It's an amazing place with a ton of big descents and awesome coffee.

Regarding snowfall, it depends on where one goes. Places like Les Marecottes, Bosco Gurin, the Arlberg and others get a lot of snow.

One difference to be aware of is who maintains the records of snowfall.

[peterbmoorman]

Regarding snowfall, it depends on where one goes. Places like Les Marecottes, Bosco Gurin, the Arlberg and others get a lot of snow.

Thanks, we're staying close to Milan, so would like to do some spring skiiing close by, not set on Monterosa, but it just seemed like a good place. Open to other suggestions.

Guess I'll have to keep an eye on the snowfall totals.

[Buster Highmen]

Thanks, we're staying close to Milan, so would like to do some spring skiiing close by, not set on Monterosa, but it just seemed like a good place. Open to other suggestions.

Guess I'll have to keep an eye on the snowfall totals.

Andermatt/Disentis SkiArena is about 3 to 4 hours by train from Milan. One of the TGR community owns a hotel there: https://www.mt-lodge.com/

They get a lot of snow.

St, Moritz is 4 to 5 hours and they're high and hold snow well into late season.

Further, but from Turin, one can get to St. Michel du Maurienne near a tram at Orelle that goes up to Val Thorens/Trois Vallees.

[peterbmoorman]

Thanks, we visited St. Moritz in the summer, seemed super pricey and the food not so great. I'll check out Andermatt.

[Buster Highmen]

Thanks, we visited St. Moritz in the summer, seemed super pricey and the food not so great. I'll check out Andermatt.

Andermatt is not a gourmet destination; good skiing, lots of rosti.

While St Moritz is pricey, the skiing there is really good, belies its poshy rep. I didn't go gourmandosizing there, but I'm surprised one can't find decent food.

Another option is Davos/Klosters, more like a 6 hour train.

[rod9301]

I wouldn't go to the Monterosa unless there a lot of snow in March. It's an amazing place with a ton of big descents and awesome coffee.

Regarding snowfall, it depends on where one goes. Places like Les Marecottes, Bosco Gurin, the Arlberg and others get a lot of snow.

One difference to be aware of is who maintains the records of snowfall.

Also, the Pyrenees get a ton of snow, just like California.

And steep terrain and low avie danger.

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[bobinch]

Would anybody know if April 16-19th at Monterosa Ski Area in Italy is worth it for some spring skiing?

That's really the only time frame that fits with my calendar. I visited the area in the summer and it looks great.

Wondered if anybody has recommendation on where to stay. Thanks!

Alagna is a fabulous little village. We stayed at the upmarket (4* ?) hotel a few years back which was great. There are also a couple of refuges up in the mountain which would be fun. As per Buster, they are not having the best season so would need a snowy April. Alternatively look at Zermatt or Verbier which both have excellent north facing terrain and can be outstanding in April. There should be lots of accommodation options last minute as that’s late season

[bobinch]

Fresh up bringing back the stoke. March looks promising...

[Rossymcg]

Also, the Pyrenees get a ton of snow, just like California.

And steep terrain and low avie danger.

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is this a fact or your own experience?
ive only skied in Andorra the once and vowed never to go back(however it was in the 90's i didnt get a shag, it rained all week with the week prior i was in Meribel skiing powder) and have stuck to the Alps ever since(still didnt get that much shagging done there either to be honest)

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[rod9301]

is this a fact or your own experience?
ive only skied in Andorra the once and vowed never to go back(however it was in the 90's i didnt get a shag, it rained all week with the week prior i was in Meribel skiing powder) and have stuck to the Alps ever since(still didnt get that much shagging done there either to be honest)

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I lived near bareges for two years and, if you like couloirs, it was incredible. Steep and untracked for a week after a storm.

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[subtle plague]

That is not ecactly an answer to the snowfall question. The pyrenees get less precip than the alps and the alps less than Norway . Period. That is the way of the westerlies. (or used to be. We'll see how climate change affects this) And they are much more variable.

And there are resorts getting your 400 (usa usa usa!!!) inches of snow fall, but usually it's less. On the other hand there ist about 3 times as much terrain and twice as much vertical zhan the big us resorts in a medium sized euro resort which makes the powdertime longer.

And im not sure whether snowfall is the way to go to compare coverage. The base is usually similar except in the pnw ( im always astouned by baker et al) and California super years like this year. I sometimes get the feeling that euro resorts get the same base as snowbird out of half the snowfall. Maybe more moisture content ?


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[rod9301]

That is not ecactly an answer to the snowfall question. The pyrenees get less precip than the alps and the alps less than Norway . Period. That is the way of the westerlies. (or used to be. We'll see how climate change affects this) And they are much more variable.

And there are resorts getting your 400 (usa usa usa!!!) inches of snow fall, but usually it's less. On the other hand there ist about 3 times as much terrain and twice as much vertical zhan the big us resorts in a medium sized euro resort which makes the powdertime longer.

And im not sure whether snowfall is the way to go to compare coverage. The base is usually similar except in the pnw ( im always astouned by baker et al) and California super years like this year. I sometimes get the feeling that euro resorts get the same base as snowbird out of half the snowfall. Maybe more moisture content ?


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But the Pyrenees snow has more moisture, so it covers better.

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[peterbmoorman]

One more question about the Euro scene....

Watching videos of people skiing St. Moritz and a few other Euro resorts, looks like basically skiing on cat tracks....

I see little polls marking the runs, and just on the other side of these polls, untracked powder that nobody is touching....

Why is nobody in this powder? Do you have to have a guide to go "off piste"? Are the unmarked parts of the mountain not controlled for avalanche?

These might be dumb questions, but I can't figure the skiing out. Not looking to be on groomers all day, but not looking to get into some uncontrolled avalanche terrain.

Thanks!

[phatty]

Why is nobody in this powder? Do you have to have a guide to go "off piste"? Are the unmarked parts of the mountain not controlled for avalanche?

No, you don't need a guide to go off piste. No, they don't control the off piste areas for avalanche. Most people are on super skinny, short skis and prefer to stay on piste. I just spent 2 days mostly off piste with no issues, but did kick off major sluff on anything steepish. If you are on a glacier, there are additional dangers which won't be marked. It's basically up to you to watch out for yourself. Many resort have marked "ski routes" which are off piste runs. The ones I skied were pretty good and generally safer.

If you see off piste that people aren't skiing, it may be flat or lead somewhere they can't get back from. There were plenty of tracks in the off piste areas at Montafon yesterday, not all from me.

[JackSkier]

Anyone around Briancon/ La Grave between 30th March-28th April? I'm about for the whole period, would be cool to find some people to ski with

[Rossymcg]

That is not ecactly an answer to the snowfall question. The pyrenees get less precip than the alps and the alps less than Norway . Period. That is the way of the westerlies. (or used to be. We'll see how climate change affects this)

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does that mean id have had more chance of a shag in Norway then?

How does the tatra mountains feature in all this are they generally dry or get their fill of snow?
Ive just got back from Zakopane. Some great terrain but mostly not skiable as they wish to preserve the natural habitat of the wild life.

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