Best Euro Resort

[Buster Highmen]

At Serre, there's an older blue egg gondola that services one of the sections down valley from Monetier. We'd ski down into the draws to skiers right of it and got great pow on days when the Monetier section was too wind blasted.

I got lots of great runs off the top of the Monetier secteur (Y'ret?) and there's some gnarler lines off a ridge up there I never got to.

In a couple of years, we'll be back, likely for the season.

(edit) I'd recommend staying in Monetier les Bains.

[glademaster]

Well, it certainly seems that Serre Chevalier is my type of place, what with lots of technical tree skiing. Now, how would Serre Che, Stanton and Engelberg compare as far as having enough terrain to keep me interested the whole season, accessibilty to other ski areas and the likelihood of being able to use a 100+mm waisted ski as my almost everyday board?

Someone actually suggested that I rent an RV for the season and just drive around to different resorts, this is appealling, but I'd like a home base with a mountain that I can really get to know well. Thanks for all the input.

-Ben

[comish]

In reality they will all have enough terrain to keep you very occupied for the season. Engleberg probably has the smallest number of lifts / area, but there is still a ton of exploring that will take you a very long time to get bored with.

St. Anton is on a train line which helps. Serre Che isn't and I don't remember about Engleberg. You aren't far from Serre Che to others, but the public transport seemed a bit spotty to me. Buster is right though, the amount of areas and BC within 1hr of Serre Che is amazing and neither of the other 2 can touch that.

Serre Che is probably the most fickle of those in terms of snow. Some years if the pattern is right it gets bombed, some years not, while I think the other two are a little more consistent, if that is possible in the alps?

I still think you fly over and cruise around until you find a place you dig. All three of these have different vibes, cultures, mtns, etc. You will have fun in any of them and it will definitely be an amazing experience either way.

[Mulletizer]

Originally posted by glademaster
Someone actually suggested that I rent an RV for the season and just drive around to different resorts, this is appealling, but I'd like a home base with a mountain that I can really get to know well. Thanks for all the input.

-Ben

Well Telepath uses a >100mm ski all the time. He's really quite manly though

An RV would be a very expensive way to live. I can't comment on the E'berg and St A skiing but Serre and the surrounding area would keep you busy. Easily. After a winter in La Grave I have only scratched the surface f what's there.

In terms of accessability: Trains are great in Switzerland. They rule there. They do not rule in France (unless you want to get from Martigny to Chamonix). Getting around the French Alps by train is about as painful as castration and circumcision without anaesthetic. There are buses but they are geared to tourists not bums. You can get around withou one but in France a car is very useful if you really want to travel. I guess that when you see the scale of a place like SC you will find yourself happy to travel a lot less than you expect though. Just my .02

[Buster Highmen]

There are trains to Briancon, I think, so Serre is on a train line in that sense.

[verbier61]

originally posted by mulletizer Hehe. The rest of you Swiss don't need to apologise for the Bagnards. They are just... Different.

hahaha now I consider myself 33% pizza, 33% cukoo-clock, 33% bagnard, 1% ..... still have to think about

anyway, this rule is right: trains are OK in Switz (but SLOW in the valleys), so-and-so in StA area, miserable in France, simply not exsting in Italy. BTW, it's a pity none here have mentioned yet the striking monte rosa area (Macugnaga, Alagna, Gressoney, Champoluc). Yeah go ahead this way so there still be a lot of immaculate pow there in the next 20 years, it will be good for those lazy italians

[Telepath]

Originally posted by verbier61
BTW, it's a pity none here have mentioned yet the striking monte rosa area (Macugnaga, Alagna, Gressoney, Champoluc).

Hmm, yeah. Initially I thought that if he didn't want to go to France for whatever reasons (if not political) then the same reasons would apply to Italy. Also the Monte Rosa area is at best questionable from the snow-point of view. When it's good it's prolly better than anything else; like 4-5 times La Grave with half the people and cheap as heck; but then again it might just be completely dry.

[verbier61]

Originally posted by telepath:
Also the Monte Rosa area is at best questionable from the snow-point of view. When it's good it's prolly better than anything else; like 4-5 times La Grave with half the people and cheap as heck; but then again it might just be completely dry.

yeah it's actually unbelievable. two years ago they just cought flowers in alagna up to february, this year my friends in gressoney were simply not able to get out of home cuz of too much snow......
to be honest, though, they are beginning to see the light. this is the second year they have a freeride contest in gressoney in late aprile were people from LG etc is making a huge impression on increasing numbers of locals. Again, that's way is better to think about monte rosa before it will be too much crowded

[hop]

Originally posted by Telepath
Nice atmosphere, decent chance of getting laid (ask hop...)

I plead the fizzith! Fif! FIIIIIIFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!

Serre Che is rad. See you there!

[Hicks]

Well, we can add some more suggestions here like Port du Solei, La Clusaz, Auron, Bardonneccia to complete confusion.

GM, if you really like to stick to some sort of base but also to get around, follow good snow conditions'n stuff with reasonable effort you will likely end up in need of a vehicle, no matter what else you 're told. There are probably enough people aroud to assist you in looking for a used one and resell it upon the time you leave.
Basewise I would look in a spot either in the western or eastern Alps, not somewhere in the mid of Switzerland, since you won't get it done anyways to ski all the great places within one single season.

[glademaster]

The main reason we want to avoid buying a car at all costs is that we don't want to have to go through the trouble of registering it and getting liscenses as foreign citizens. We have some time to figure out where we want to go, but I'm still torn between places. Nevertheless, this has been very helpful and thanks to all of you. Any more info would be great too.

Thanks,
Ben

[Mulletizer]

Yeah, you're right, all that paperwork is a total bitch. Avoid if at all possible.

[glademaster]

back to the first page with ye!

[ulty_guy]

well, when i do a season, it's probably going to be monte rosa (most likely sesia valley, stay a bit down from alagna). it's definitely iffy, but there's still tons to do if the snow isn't great....and if it is good....

http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic17436.jpg

btw, anyone skied macuagna?

edit- pic taken at 2:00 pm on a 3 ft. powder day.

[EPSkis]

What's up with having to PAY to take a piss in Paris?

Buddy just came back from London & Paris ~ He described to me how he needed a fistful of what he called "tinkle tokens".....

Sheesh. He claimed he had a brie sandwich. (Block of brie on a butter-soaked baguette) Said it was the most delicious thing he'd ever eaten. Washed it down with some nice wine, and marched down the Champs Elysees like a solo German.

(He ate like a cow the entire 10 days & lost 8lbs. Go figure.)

He says he's now a beret and a few thousand Euros away from becoming a member of the EU.

Funny stuff.

[verbier61]

btw, anyone skied macuagna?

macugnaga used to have three lifts... now one is dead, another one is seriously at risk because of a sliding glacier (which actually generated a novel and quite dangerous lake last summer....they were close to evacuate the valley!),so only the monte moro lift is still apparently safe
said that, if you are really hardcore and do not care of having a single lift serving a very small spot, macugnaga may still be your cup of tea: the marinelli couloir is still there, and still pretty pretty scary. I have seen the gervasutti few weeks ago, and the marinelli looks..... prolly more demanding

[ulty_guy]

yeah, i'd love to do a sort of zermatt-cervinia-monte rosa-macunaga-saas fee traverse. there are a lot of very extremo lines in there, and a lot less people than the haute route. the macunaga face (marinelli couloir) of monte rosa is just beyond sickness. i'd need a few years of building before i went for that stuff.

[bad_roo]

http://www.bergdias.de/rosa/vwma14.jpg

http://www.bergdias.de/rosa/vwma09.jpg

Marinelli Couloir? Yeah, I fukt it.

[TeleAl]

Tough one to say for sure, but I offer my 2 cents:

First: Be aware, Europe has tree line at 1800m, whereas N. America has tree line
at 3000m+. Someone can correct me, but I am close enough. During the dumps, at altitude is next to worthless as visibility = pea soup. Need trees to
see. North Americans are usually surprised by 1800m tree line.

My suggestion:
Glacier3000 is under rated, plain and simple. It's huge, it has altitude,
and all the lifts are new. I sat in lift lines once this year there. Once. Otherwise, I broke trail more than once, like 4 times in a 10 day period (plus more). Off piste options abundant, including 2000m vertical run. Your Alps Vaudoise pass will allow you to other places, smaller and still excellent. G3 is included on this pass. Pass price depends on where you live, but it is 500-900 CHF/season. I pay 500 because I live here. It ain't much.

Others:
Verbier is excellent, expensive, and packed. Beautiful women, great night
life, excellent skiing. Me, I save it for the right days (weekday after fresh
dump) to avoid the numerous and respectable riders; it can get tracked out in a day. The train gets me there and back, on first and last lifts. Vaudoise coupon makes it 1/2 price, only 30 CHF/day there.

There are options nearby Verbier that deserve a look. There is a regional
pass for Super St. Bernard, Bruson, and Champex. In order: 2 BIG bowls,
all around good, and STEEP with trees. I have been to the first and last,
both are excellent. Vaudoise 1/2 price coupon applies. I would not live in Le Chable, and I cannot recommend a place to live in that valley.

Cham is just over the ridge. See everyone else's notes on that. Love going there, wouldn't live there.

Me, I live in a small cheap town called Leysin. I skied G3 everytime I could,
and stayed local or used the other nearby resorts on other days; transport
is free with pass to nearby included resorts, train goes to other 1/2 price places. I do not own a car. English is spoken as there is an American school in town, plus 4 other schools, all speaking English. For Nightlife, we got The Yeti plus a couple others. We have fun.

Summary: G3.

Bring your climbing gear too.

[Lostinthetrees]

Originally posted by glademaster
The main reason we want to avoid buying a car at all costs is that we don't want to have to go through the trouble of registering it and getting liscenses as foreign citizens. We have some time to figure out where we want to go, but I'm still torn between places. Nevertheless, this has been very helpful and thanks to all of you. Any more info would be great too.

Thanks,
Ben

Don't buy! And never, ever rent a car if you will be in Europe for more than 17 days (the break-even point).

You can lease a new peugot or renault from the states, pick it up at CDG or Lyon or other intnl airport in France and drive it almost anywhere in Europe, unlimited mileage, for 180 days. All property and liability insurances included, EU network of dealers for service, and registration and plates come with. Both auto companies offer their entire line from econo to vans to sports. No penalties for early returns (after 15 days, i think). Plus, if you are in an accident, they will exchange for a like vehicle within 24 hours (weekdays). I have seen some written testimony on this.

I leased thru peugot a couple years ago for 6 weeks. Paid a bit under $24 US per day for 4 dr station wagon. The longer I held the car the cheaper it got. Figured that if I held it for 3 months it could be down to $17 US per day.

Search on the web. (or Guide books). Both automakers have their operations for this deal based in the US. I picked out vehicle on-line, got the paperwork in 5 days and sent it back with documentation needed and I had the vehicle reserved in 3 weeks.

May have to be over 21 to do this...not sure.

LITT

[Lostinthetrees]

Be Flexible: As teleAl says there are an abundance of riches over here. It would be sad to put all your time and money on 1 area and find it had a bad winter and half-way across CH it was getting pounded! I live in Geneve. This year until Dec 22 there was hardly anything to ski in Western CH and the Northern French Alpes (PDS, La Flaine). Also, we warmed up after New Year's Day and by mid Jan we were badly hurting again...NO off-piste until the end of Jan.

Trees: I saw it posted, but forget it. There is very, very little tree skiing like the US Rockies, Wasatch or Sierra. Zip!

The alpages (high mtn pastures that you will be skiing on) are maintained to be summer grazing land. Trees are detested. We have EXCELLENT terrain, but it is open bowls, chutes, cliffs and an abundance of inter-connected resorts offering days of ski touring. "Open" is key word here as it is exposed and can be very windblown, icy or turn to slush quickly.

Treeski'n... no. If you get trees they are the sapin (spruce) with very long and low branches for smacking your face. Densely packed, much more so than US tree skiing areas. I was skiing w/ Idris and a buddy at Morzine PDS on a great pow day (+50cms and falling). They decided to see if they could find a gap through the trees. I hesistated knowing what you could be in for and I took the piste. They arrived faces beaten, a ski w/ minor damage and tree bark still attached, and I think a rip'd jacket. Both swearing never to attempt that again.

2nd-Tier: Personally, I avoid all the big name resorts and find great skiing in what I call the 2nd-tier ski areas. Super St. Bernard, Leysin, Champoussin-Les Crosets-Morzine(all PDS), and G3. At each of these 2nd-tier stations I have had some of my BEST days ever skiing. Great pow, great terrain, and NO lines!

Go stand in line at Verb, Cham, Sass Fee or Zermat, or, ski more kilometres elsewhere. 2nd-tier = No crowds, lower ticket prices, just as good food at the same or lower prices, and less gapers and more true skiers/boarders per square kilometre!

btw. La Clusaz? What the... It is so filled with ski chalets and condos that they crowd the ski runs and fill the entire valley. Got stuck in a 1h plus traffic jam trying to get out of there... on a weekday, too! It is for Geneve day-trippers! Never, again.

Megeve... perhaps. Idris reco'd it to me for its abundance of great terrain but for me it would be a day trip... Way too expensive lodging.

Flaine = skating. if you are a boarder you will be walking alot. Great terrain widely scattered. Skied out quickly. Never again on a weekend for me!

Cham/Agentiere - weekdays only.

whew! perhaps a bit ranty, but my experience here this season.

[ulty_guy]

wow, thanks for that car info l.i.t.t. could prove useful for me.

[bad_roo]

LITT - I think Flaine is massively underrated and there are a lot of

fun shots to take if you know where they are. The huge amount

of gapers there means they often stay untracked for some time.

Hike fifty yards along a ridge at Flaine and you'll often find

untracked chutes. The Combe de Gers is usually quiet and you

can take a number of steep entries in. For a modern resort, the

lift system does seem very badly planned though. I queued for

nearly an hour just to ride that stupid telebenne thing between

the two resorts. It would have been quicker and easier to walk.

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...0319/combe.jpg
Combe de Gers - pick your line

[Hicks]

Yes Flaine. Experienced long lift lines, crappy snow there and the village is as charming as a defect fridge.

LITT's car option sounds interesting, since having one on hand is the only way which makes sense whatever.

[subtle plague]

i'll vote for engelberg if you want to ski a 100mm ski everyday.
It has:
- Vertical of la la grave (IF everything in la grave is open)
- technical terrain (ok im not sure if it is as super extremo as xcham and la grave)
- a 30-35° 1200m vert super snowfield(ok tracked out fast but if you get there early.....)

-lazy locals/bums (bums in switzerland ?? naah theyre all rich ) you can get untracked snow if you hike for a few minutes.

- THE dumpage zone in the Alps, getting snow from west to north(it is the first higher mountain if moisture arrives)
- trees (ok on the other side of the valley..... but hey NO ONE skis there.)
- Nightlife (not a point id consider... but hey im from a city where i can go to concerts and REAL clubs every day )

id vote against any other of the major ones because EVERYONE goes there (cham) and St. Anton is way overrated if you do not hit the extremo stuff and hidden BC Stuff.

if you want some sort of a real big Resort go to the Trois Valleés they have (apparently...i've never been there) good offpiste possibilities too and some sort of night life too.

For real GemÜtlichkeit follow roos instructions.(hrr hrr i bet he's jealous i can do Umlauts ....