The Skiers & Snowboarders Thread

[Stealthflyer]

wow - I have been watching the weather forecasts and Tassie seems to have been taking a beating at times, but getting snow was a bonus.

Yeah it’s been crazy down here. But September usually is. This time last year I remember sliding down Mt Ossa in the snow (mid-Overland Track).

 

[draper]

Have been a regular at Whistler since 1990 and now in retirement base myself there each winter season start December through to Easter. Unfortunately this may be my last Whistler season: Vail has torn the heart out of Whistler - basically too crowded and very dangerous on piste. My local friends are selling up and moving to inland areas such as Sun Peaks , Red and Whitewater. I too avoid Whistler during the busy periods and decamp to Sun Peaks. Whistler is a fantastic Hill with great runs but the out of control busy areas are frightening.

 

[lovestotravel]

Like the Oz ski season, this thread died rather prematurely.
In the last post I feared "precipitation" ... well at Hotham it certainly came with a tropical downpour, and with the base gone the snow that came later didn't last long, and the season closed 4 September.

Anyway, I thought we may keep this thread going with what may be planned for the northern winter.
There were some very interesting posts earlier about Japanese properties.

Personally, I am going to Italy and France in Feb / March for a bit of a road trip / resort sampler.
Starting with a return to the Dolomiti Superski area for 4 days, based in Alta Badia, then exploiting our Epic passes we have a week in Dolomiti Skirama in Madonna di Campiglio, and a week in Trois Vallées.
After that, a few days in Val d'Isere, and back to Italy for a couple days in Courmayeur.
Desperately praying for a reasonable European winter ...

Yes sadly, but had a feeling late July/early August, that it was going to die fast and early.

We cancelled our trip just outside of the 30 day free cancellation window, sadly yet to see the refund despite many follow up emails. Will end up being a credit card chargeback sadly and probably means we can't return to the same accommodation as I'll probably be blacklisted

I have sent 10 emails, 2 SMS and 2 calls and 2 responses saying I will get a refund but it's been 3 months... I feel so bad as we love the accommodation and have been going for years. Not sure what the issue is

Total of 0 days skiing in Australia this year..

We’ve snapped a deep discount deal for Niseko in early December.

There’s significant risk that early in the season that there will be insufficient snow.

We did this last year and endured what locals said was “the worst start to a season in living memory”.

Can’t be that unlucky two years in a row, surely?

Even so, three weeks off work, a fire place, a good book and a glass of red… It almost doesn’t matter.

2 in a row - No...........

Have been a regular at Whistler since 1990 and now in retirement base myself there each winter season start December through to Easter. Unfortunately this may be my last Whistler season: Vail has torn the heart out of Whistler - basically too crowded and very dangerous on piste. My local friends are selling up and moving to inland areas such as Sun Peaks , Red and Whitewater. I too avoid Whistler during the busy periods and decamp to Sun Peaks. Whistler is a fantastic Hill with great runs but the out of control busy areas are frightening.

Ah yes, EPIC VAIL. Have been wanting to go for years, having visited many US and Canadian resorts it's been on the list. I should have gone a decade ago before Vail and the crowds ruined it.

Sad

There are a few diehards that still think Whistler is amazing, no crowds and not much has changed but yeah..... they just think the Epic pass which gives them free skiing is great value

I'd rather ski in Europe and pay for a pass


Anyways this year is 2 weeks in Val Thorens, we stick to the mega resorts but really need to start looking at the others in Italy

 

[Seat0B]

Well of course I’ll be at my apartment, Yuzawa. Can’t wait, first ski time with the kids. God I hope they enjoy either the snow, the board sports or Japan. Otherwise it’s trips by myself…

How old are your kids @Cynicor? Having generated 2 crazy keen skiers (now aged 37 and 32) and about to initiate Seat granddaughter (aged 4) into the fold, I have a couple of tips for getting them started if that's any help. let me know and I will post what worked (and what didn't) for us.

 

[Seat0B]

Have been a regular at Whistler since 1990 and now in retirement base myself there each winter season start December through to Easter. Unfortunately this may be my last Whistler season: Vail has torn the heart out of Whistler - basically too crowded and very dangerous on piste. My local friends are selling up and moving to inland areas such as Sun Peaks , Red and Whitewater. I too avoid Whistler during the busy periods and decamp to Sun Peaks. Whistler is a fantastic Hill with great runs but the out of control busy areas are frightening.

I feel that this is exactly the case with Perisher too now that it has been thoroughly Vailed.

they just think the Epic pass which gives them free skiing is great value

I'd rather ski in Europe and pay for a pass

I agree. And I would rather ski in Japan at a non-Epic resort as the ones covered by Epic are also getting overrun.

 

[Seat0B]

Anyway, I thought we may keep this thread going with what may be planned for the northern winter.

We will be flying to Sapporo and heading to Furano for 2 weeks skiing at the end of January/early February. On the way home, we will have a couple of days in Sapporo for the snow and ice festival, which I have always wanted to see, but somehow never managed to get to. It will also be our first time to Furano. We have skiied at Niseko once before, but suffered bad weather after 3 days. It became really warm, snow melted everywhere, and then a polar blast hit and the temperatures dropped by 15 degrees. Yes, all that slush turned to extremely hard ice that was unskiable. You couldn't even walk in the town, even with cat tracks on. Spotted many people with broken arms, and most said it was from slipping on ice. After that it has taken us 15 years to venture back to Hokkaido to ski.

 

[Cynicor]

Nearly 5 and 2.5. Happy for any tips, though my older one is not very adventurous so I am not expecting much.

On the Sapporo snow festival- get cleats for everyone, if it’s cold the ground is packed and slick ice from all the people. It also gets cold. Worse than when skiing- I think it’s all the tall buildings and the wind tunnel effect plus the lack of activity. I suggest ski gear for walking around the sites.

The snow sculptures are awesome, have been to 3 snow festivals there now. Or more, possibly.

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

We’ve snapped a deep discount deal for Niseko in early December.
There’s significant risk that early in the season that there will be insufficient snow.
We did this last year and endured what locals said was “the worst start to a season in living memory”.
Can’t be that unlucky two years in a row, surely?
Even so, three weeks off work, a fire place, a good book and a glass of red… It almost doesn’t matter.

Ohhhhh I pray you're lucky but I wouldn't be banking on knee deep turns.
Do you have a car by any chance? It's a fair drive but Kiroro is also a good bet for early season coverage, as is Sapporo Kokusai. I would have also suggested Nakayama Toge but it looks like they're only opening in Spring now...

 

[Quickstatus]

Do you have a car by any chance

No cars in japan for me

 

[LadyC]

We are headed to Val Thorens next year also - first time in Trois Vallées. Any tips/info on this location much appreciated!

 

[jgm]

I'm going back to Panorama in Jan. As an old fart I ski free. At present I'm flying MEL-DEL-YVR in J with AI and YVR-YYC in J with AC, and the same in reverse coming back. These are Aeroplan awards, but I also have a stack of Lifemiles points. I'm waiting for saver awards to open up & will change if I can find something better.

 

[Quickstatus]

Val Thorens

Party capital
Lots of fashionable "skiers"
Kebabs were Ok when I was there around 2000.
Groomed red runs everywhere - depending on your type of skiing can get boring.

 

[Blacksheep]

Well of course I’ll be at my apartment, Yuzawa. Can’t wait, first ski time with the kids. God I hope they enjoy either the snow, the board sports or Japan. Otherwise it’s trips by myself…

Been trying to book cheaper hotels near the station in Yuzawa for Jan 25, are they normally booked out early or do they only open bookings after october? been keeping an eye on for a few months and cheapest is over $300 per night

 

[Cynicor]

Weekends book out as soon as they open (often earlier due to personal relationships), for Yuzawa in the winter. It’s the closest simple skiing to Tokyo (single Shinkansen) so every weekend there is crazy. $300 is probably a good deal.

 

[Seat0B]

Nearly 5 and 2.5. Happy for any tips, though my older one is not very adventurous so I am not expecting much.

Have a couple of busy days of medical appointments so will post my tips in a day or 2!

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

Finally locked in a trip I booked flights for in August. Took advantage of the North America sale and got return business class to Vancouver for a solid price. Return is via LA, so a chance to sample another QF first lounge.

Starting in Vancouver for a couple of days then Whistler for 3 nights, Revelstoke for 4, Banff and Calgary a night each, on to Red Mountain for a couple of nights then 3 nights in Penticton before a final night at the Fairmont YVR.

Very excited to return to Whistler and Revelstoke as I both called them home for a year each, and quite keen to check out Red as I never made it there while living in Canada. The itinerary is a bit all over the shop, particularly the Calgary stop but it gives me a chance to watch my Colorado Avalanche play, and I think I'm making it up to my fiance by staying in some beautiful hotels!

Have already purchased passes for the anticipated days in Whis and Revy at 50% of what window price would likely be. Will also ski Red and likely Apex but they seem far more affordable to pay closer to the fact. After a stinker of an Australian season where I didn't even bother thinking about snowboarding it's nice to have this to look forward to!

 

[k_sheep]

Starting to look at next year. Getting a little bored of Niseko and NZ. Considering some of the 'cheaper' european resorts like Andorra and Bulgaria. Can't swing the budget for USA or Canada with my travel mates.

I just wish there were more southern hemisphere options! Don't like taking leave in Dec/Jan due to school holiday prices.

 

[Cynicor]

Starting to look at next year. Getting a little bored of Niseko and NZ. Considering some of the 'cheaper' european resorts like Andorra and Bulgaria. Can't swing the budget for USA or Canada with my travel mates.

I just wish there were more southern hemisphere options! Don't like taking leave in Dec/Jan due to school holiday prices.

There’s a lot more to Japan, and Feb is viable (unless it’s not for some other reason, ?kids?)

Also Aus BC ski is pretty excellent fun, it’s like spring skiing in real snow countries…

 

[k_sheep]

Yeah looking at Shiga or similar for February. But now covid restrictions are over I'm looking at ticking off more countries on my list.

Have a fanciful thought of a week skiing at Shiga or something then a week at Palau diving on the way home, but the cost is a bit prohibitive there.

 

[Stealthflyer]

Starting to look at next year. Getting a little bored of Niseko and NZ. Considering some of the 'cheaper' european resorts like Andorra and Bulgaria. Can't swing the budget for USA or Canada with my travel mates.

I just wish there were more southern hemisphere options! Don't like taking leave in Dec/Jan due to school holiday prices.

December can be a bit marginal snow-wise too. I’ve always had good luck with snow mid-February in Italy. I always head off in Feb once the school holidays end. There’s a sweet spot between Australian school holidays and the English half-term week in late Feb.