St. Mo The Side Trip

[MakersTeleMark]

Full guch. Way to get it Buster.

[::: :::]

Thx for sharing buster

this is the only way most of us are going to see these places

[Buster Highmen]

^that's a reality gutpunch for me.
I hope to stoke dreams, to encourage people to get to the Alps to ski and see another culture where skiing is so much more integral.

[::: :::]

Not meant to punch at you or anyone who was able to go…totally does stoke dreams!

[easyrdr]

This thread just makes me want to follow Buster for a season. Based on the stoke he posts on this board from Silverton to Europe and everywhere in between the dudes got the global annual ski adventure dialed. Keep on posting the stoke. It is much appreciated.

[bennymac]

agreed ^

keep the stoke coming

[yeahman]

Put me in the "inspired" column. Buster, you and the rest of the BBI Euro crew definitely inspired me to take the plunge and journey to the Alps this winter. Without your travel tips and stoke, I doubt I ever would have planned and executed the trip on my own. Honestly it wasn't even something I had given much thought to, being sort of a complacent Montana homer. But now I have put together a list of 8-10 ski areas in the Alps I want to visit before I'm too old and decrepit. I really appreciate the effort you and others put into educating nOObs like myself. And to the guy who said these were places he would "never visit"...well I suggest you shelve that mentality like I did and start figuring out how to make it happen. It's easier and less expensive than you might think.

[Buster Highmen]

Depending on circumstances, I can understand how all this seemingly entitled bs comes off as unachievable. My sincere apologies if that's what I convey; it's not what I want at all. I want to make it real for everyone.

Yes, it takes planning and saving. Just like lots of goals. It's just that it's so fucking doable and a budget of a little more than $200/day is real. And what you get for that just blows the NAm ski experience out of the water. Sure, there's some special places like W/BC, LCC/BCC, JH that probably get better snow on average. But a pow day at a big place like St. Mo or ASD or the less known spots like Splugen or Airolo or Val Frejus or The Milky Way or Serre Chevalier or Bad Gastein or Silvretta/Montafon it's just a whole different level.

Plus, the thing that always gets me is how we think America is the bastion of small businesses and Yurp is a commie strangled socialist pit. But when you get to the Alps, there are so many more small businesses like hotels, restaurants and the on mountain refugios and huttes serving fantastic local food by the owners, not grumpy emplyees at prices way less than any Alterra or Vail site in NAm. And lift tickets topping out around $100 with so many deals where it's more like $50-60/day. All of that gives perspective.

But god, if you take anything away from my inane rambling, it's that it's just shockingly inexpensive for skiing on a scale you can't imagine. Save that $100 a month and do it.

It's a disease and I'm here to spread it. Glad and honored to have infected some of you folks, yeahman.

Scope these websites for info:

https://www.bergfex.com/lp/winter/ (scroll down for country list and explore each, clicking "map show" button.

https://wepowder.com/en

Rail resource:
https://www.sbb.ch/en

[plugboots]

Yeah, keep ‘em coming, even though my inclination is to say: “sssshhhhhhhh.”
Americans are kinda funny about skiing in Europe. I always get asked if it’s worth it. I also get asked that about BC skiing as well. Well, of course it is.

[skaredshtles]

<snip>

Plus, the thing that always gets me is how we think America is the bastion of small businesses and Yurp is a commie strangled socialist pit. But when you get to the Alps, there are so many more small businesses like hotels, restaurants and the on mountain refugios and huttes serving fantastic local food by the owners, not grumpy emplyees at prices way less than any Alterra or Vail site in NAm. And lift tickets topping out around $100 with so many deals where it's more like $50-60/day. All of that gives perspective.

So much this. It's incredible how people will hang on to a wildly inaccurate view, despite having NEVER experienced that which they are disparaging.

It's a shame we don't do the basic things that would enable such a small-business-friendly environment here in our own country...

[Mr. Mike]

The Arturo hotel is closing this week after decades in the lodging biz. I think they were ready to be done.

Is it for sale? Mag buy? Vendul would probably license us to use Mt. Lodge Celerina. Dj, I see you in the Jack Nicholson role in our little venture.

[raisingarizona13]

^that's a reality gutpunch for me.
I hope to stoke dreams, to encourage people to get to the Alps to ski and see another culture where skiing is so much more integral.

Can I nominate twelve dots for next year? I'm a poor trail builder that can't donate to the cause but it sounds like twelve dots would really appreciate seeing the Swiss Alps. I'm not sure I would have ever if it wasn't for you beautiful kooks on here. It's mind blowing, life changing for the N. American skier and I agree with all points made by Buster that nothing compares. I'd love to get back there and yes, it is attainable but I've got some big dreams I'm chasing after currently. Send twelve dots!

[::: :::]

No, that’s really nice but others deserve it more
send buzz

[Djongo Unchained]

Twelve dots - that's funny.

Missed you in Europe this year RA13. You'da dug it fosho.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

St. Moritz is on the Ikon pass for 24-25 season...

Dag nabbit.

I could spend another 3 or 4 days there. Lots to ski.

[skaredshtles]

<snip>

St. Moritz is on the Ikon pass for 24-25 season...

This is *very* relevant to my interests...

Gotdamn.

[Buster Highmen]

Twelve dots - that's funny.

Missed you in Europe this year RA13. You'da dug it fosho.

Stoke Dreams 25 is queued with 6 colons in sight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

St. Moritz is on the Ikon pass for 24-25 season...

Dag nabbit.

I could spend another 3 or 4 days there. Lots to ski.

La Grave isn't.
;-)

But yeah, dangitall, that might actually bring the folks who never figured out that a hotel stay there gets you half price lift tickets: 47chf.

I've got some other hotels queued up for about 130chf/night.

My total cost for the St. Mo stay was less than 250chf/day ($277 US)

I'll be going back anyway for those 10 minute 800m tram laps.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5WX6ksJ5KS/

[subtle plague]

Brilliant TR.

And don't spread the vibes, i want to have more ikonless weekends in Moritz.

Btw. Northon: On the prices in St. Mo: if you don't have a hotel, it's fucking expensive by European Standards. 100chf lift Tickets and dynamic pricing have effectiveliy raised prices by 50% in 5 years. Not only there....

And all the big Areas make a solid profit. You have to worry about the small ones like Splügen or the ones in the magic pass (season pass for 400chf that's 1 1/2 half vail day tickets ).
Or Argentera with it's top 3 treesking I've ever had. RIP. ( well day Tickets were 20 euros on the weekend and 15 midweek in 2018.... so there is that )
Those which don't turn a profit are usually owned and cross financed by the hotel owners and the communitues. And yes some of the smaller ones vanish. Positive example: Bernhardino has reappeared.

You can buy crissolo in piemont for a few bucks because it doesn't turn a profit. ( a really symbolic price). Same area where argentera Was. The small remote places are in serious trouble. Hell, I skied arolla this year on a blue bird easter holiday day with 20 people. Granted it was midweek, not a powder day and they only have pomas ( 3000 vertical feet of them. Takes 25 minutes of leg squeezing to get to the top) to maintain but still 20 people is like 900 chf they earned that day. Probably less because half probably had the magic pass.

Another big difference: the revenue stays local and doesn't go to vail corp, so you don't have to have an absurd profit margin. All areas which are not owned by the community are usually more expensive than similar sized resorts.

[garyfromterrace]

Correct me if I'm wrong subtle, but isn't Arolla heavily subsidized by the CH Gov't? Did'ya run into my DE buddies there this year?

[subtle plague]

I have no idea. Local county, I'd say yes. Kanton or the whole country: I don't think that's allowed in Switzerland.

[Buster Highmen]

Brilliant TR.

Thanks.

Fried Pork Skins Anonymous is offering discount admission rates.

And don't spread the vibes, i want to have more ikonless weekends in Moritz.

Btw. Northon: On the prices in St. Mo: if you don't have a hotel, it's fucking expensive by European Standards. 100chf lift Tickets and dynamic pricing have effectiveliy raised prices by 50% in 5 years. Not only there....

And all the big Areas make a solid profit. You have to worry about the small ones like Splügen or the ones in the magic pass (season pass for 400chf that's 1 1/2 half vail day tickets ).
Or Argentera with it's top 3 treesking I've ever had. RIP. ( well day Tickets were 20 euros on the weekend and 15 midweek in 2018.... so there is that )
Those which don't turn a profit are usually owned and cross financed by the hotel owners and the communitues. And yes some of the smaller ones vanish. Positive example: Bernhardino has reappeared.

You can buy crissolo in piemont for a few bucks because it doesn't turn a profit. ( a really symbolic price). Same area where argentera Was. The small remote places are in serious trouble. Hell, I skied arolla this year on a blue bird easter holiday day with 20 people. Granted it was midweek, not a powder day and they only have pomas ( 3000 vertical feet of them. Takes 25 minutes of leg squeezing to get to the top) to maintain but still 20 people is like 900 chf they earned that day. Probably less because half probably had the magic pass.

Another big difference: the revenue stays local and doesn't go to vail corp, so you don't have to have an absurd profit margin. All areas which are not owned by the community are usually more expensive than similar sized resorts.

I have lists of the "smaller" places I'd like to visit, lots of them with relatively easy access, returning to some.
Kids are out the door, wife is getting her knee fixed (hopefully), so maybe next year, we'll do a tour similar to what we did in 1996, but this time including Rueras, Klosters and St. Mo.

[skaredshtles]

Looks like the hotel you stayed at has gone out of business.

What in the HELL did you blokes do while you were at that hotel?!?

[Buster Highmen]

Looks like the hotel you stayed at has gone out of business.

What in the HELL did you blokes do while you were at that hotel?!?

Yes, after 35 years, they've sold the building, supposedly to be a private residence. It was a really sweet spot, but I know others for about the same cost.

We did a little drinking, not really encouraged by the staff, ate excellent dinners with wine 3 nights, slept and got our 47chf per day lift tickets. 4 days: 990chf for me.
No where I know of in the North America can I begin to approach that all inclusive cost within 6 blocks of a ski lift.

I used to love Aspen, especially the few days I got to ski with Shredhead. And we had incredible times at Telluride in the oughties when we scored Camel Garden rooms for a family for $250. JH was a favorite in the 80s and 90s before the Hostel got sold. Sun Valley was a gas too. But I'm priced out of all those places.

Reply with quote works!

[subtle plague]

Happened to many places in St. Mo area... Maloja had a very affordable hotel sporting in 2014 ( like 60chf with breakfast).
2024 Owner retired ...no takers..empty building since 202?. Affordable Pizza place: gone turned into souvenir shop. A lot more: 5 star Palace hotel reopened and literally 5 New luxury holiday real estate bunkers pretending "to blend in with classic alpine architecture.".

[dunfree]

Huh, I think I stayed there. Quirky, but cheap, is the affordable bottom falling out of CH skiing?

[Beder]

Huh, I think I stayed there. Quirky, but cheap, is the affordable bottom falling out of CH skiing?

I was in Engelberg this year. Paid less than $200/night w breakfast and dinner included. One block from the train station and exactly where you would want to be. Ski pass purchased ahead of time was $50?/day.