Where should I do my Europe camp?

[str8line]

Choose a place from the vast pickins of the Alps to spend a week and experience all that the Old World has to offer.

I already have a top 3, but I'm interested in what the collective thinks.

Some parameters that have formed my top 3:

-Terrain, snowfall, crowds, European ambience, accessability, proximity to other resorts(daytrip), proximity to cool apres sightseeing and dining options(e.g. Alagna to Milan and back for dinner), mountain dining, strength of U.S. dollar.

[shirk]

To do list:

1) Rob a 7-11 or Kwiki Mart
2) Sign up for Euro Straightline Camp

[Dexter Rutecki]

I don't see how you can go wrong with La Grave. The place has more crazy terrain than just about anyplace, Les Deux Alpes is next door if you want the opposite experience (in terms of development) and is huge, Serre Chevalier is down the road and has some of world's best tree skiing, there's at least one other good place within an easy drive, and the ski down to St. Christophe is a great first day warm-up that you can use to segregate groups and weed out guys who might kill themselves (or others). And the one time I skied La Grave we got five feet of snow in a week, but I guess that part is a bad bet anywhere in Europe.

[Tippster]

What was the name of the LaGrave-esque place in Austria? That lodge was interesting looking. and it might be kinda cool to have it in a quieter setting...

[ulty_guy]

fwiw alagna to milan and back for dinner ain't easy, the road varallo->alagna is slow and windy.

[Hicks]

Tough question.

It depends a lot at which dates you intend to hold it to beat the crowds, but since I assume terrain, verticals and snowfall still counts most for you here's just my personal hitlist:

for most reliable snowfall (well, we actually don't have that here as you know) - at least on an average basis:
eastern Suisse or western Austria (Andermatt, Engelberg, Disentis, Lenzerheide, Arlberg region - affordable lodging everywhere around if not directly on the slopes and booked well in advance)

more suggestions for kick-ass bc terrain (you prolly know already):
4 Vallees (Verbier), Val d'Annivers (not crowded most of the time), Vars/Risoul

I'm deliberately not mentioning places like Cham, La Grave ect. since similar local operations/camps are already established there.
Monte Rosa south side can be gorgous too but snow is less dependable.

Definitely avoid peak holiday seasons in February or late March/early April.

[Mrs Roo]

What was the name of the LaGrave-esque place in Austria? That lodge was interesting looking. and it might be kinda cool to have it in a quieter setting...

The La Grave slopes are quiet with a capital Q. Zero crowds, no gapers (except for me). Plenty of rustic charm, cheap accomodation, TWO pubs. Can't think of a better place.

Gordy, when are you planning to do this (I feel myself getting wife of the year award when I bag Roo a place for his birthday).
Don't forget to bring your driving gloves

[edg]

La Grave!

edg

[Hicks]

What was the name of the LaGrave-esque place in Austria?

You mean the Krippenstein?

[powder11]

my pick would be Verbier. great terrain and fairly consistant snow. good location for day trips and touring. an overall solid european experience sans attitude.

[ulty_guy]

yeah, please add me to a list of very interested parties as long as the dates work out.

don't do it in feb, all the school have holidays. january you can probably get good deals on, but the only reliable snow in that time is eastern suisse (engleberg, andermatt) and arlberg in austria. andermatt lacks a bit of charm, but it is quiet and has TONS of quasi o.b. that doesn't get tracked out.

[schindlerpiste]

Arlberg/Voralberg: Lech...Zuers...St. Christoph...St. Anton. Best snow in Europe. Plenty of BC terrain. Austrian charm. From Februay thru April, this place can't be beat (unless you are in Utah!)

[Tippster]

You mean the Krippenstein?

DingDingDing. http://www.krippenstein.at/html_dat/...t/galerie.html Too bad the pix in SubtlePlague's TR don't work anymore.

Frau Roo: I was NOT referring to LaGrave, since (as has been pointed out) there are already camps run by Gordy's acquaintances there. It would certainly be quieter than St. Anton/Cham./Verbier/etc.

Engelberg would be my second choice.

[str8line]

fwiw alagna to milan and back for dinner ain't easy, the road varallo->alagna is slow and windy.

Yup, I know. But it's doable.

[Mrs Roo]

DingDingDing. http://www.krippenstein.at/html_dat/...t/galerie.html Too bad the pix in SubtlePlague's TR don't work anymore.

Frau Roo: I was NOT referring to LaGrave, since (as has been pointed out) there are already camps run by Gordy's acquaintances there. It would certainly be quieter than St. Anton/Cham./Verbier/etc.

Engelberg would be my second choice.

Apologies, my good sir

[Mrs Roo]

Engelberg would be my second choice.

Are you coming then?

[Brewski2]

-Terrain, snowfall, crowds, European ambience, accessability, proximity to other resorts(daytrip), proximity to cool apre sightseeing and dining options(e.g. Alagna to Milan and back for dinner), mountain dining, strength of U.S. dollar.[/QUOTE]

I agree that in the Arlberg you would get pretty much everything you mentioned. You could zip up to Munich in about 2 hours or be in Davos. Actually I really like Davos. Spent 3 days there and it was nuking the whole time. Saw lots of hardcores on the lifts with avalungs, those packs with the ripcord balloon thingys, and harnesses. Heck, the swiss national avy research center is there so they must get some snow eh? On second thought look into Davos. There are like 5 or 6 mini areas around the town. Pretty cool town, more of a modern feel then some but with cool little mountain huts for sure! Anyway, just my .02.

[Tippster]

Engelberg would be my second choice.

...if I had the money and Time to go. Damn job/house/kids.

[Mikey]

A bit left field but Les Arcs is a top resort - not too many people either. Aguille Rouge is about 3200m and you've got the longest decent in Europe down to Villaroger. Lots of varied terrain: trees, large open faces etc. There's also the paradiski link to La Plagne opening up the North Face de Bellecotte.

Ok so it's not perhaps as sexy as Alagna/La Grave, but there are no other such camps running there and as a result i think they'd be only too happy to help you out. Also doesn't get tracked as fast as most places.

What's more alot of the local les arcs/bourg guys are top skiers as well if you needed further help with the camps: the 3 troubat brothers, Enak Gavaggio, Romain Raison, Romain Maitre, Laurant Niol?

[altagirl]

I agree that in the Arlberg you would get pretty much everything you mentioned.

I love Arlberg too (well, and Austria in general). But there are so many cool places all over Europe, I can't see how you'd go wrong.

I need to go sell some more houses so I can afford this.

[Buster Highmen]

Monetier Les Bains (Briancon) - La Grave, Serre Chevalier, Vars-Risoul, Puy St. Vincent, tour and snaque le Queyras, the larches of Montgenevre to Claviere, Trois Vallees', Val Frejus, Mont Cenis, other Maurienne Valley spots, all within 1.5 hours drive.
or
Alagna (not so consistent on snow, but orgasmic terrain, relatively cheap and incredible ambience). Contact Sergio Gabbio for guiding and hotel deal ( http://www.montagnadiluce.it/eng.htm )
or
Andermatt or Verbier or (big, exposed skiing, consistent snow, but spendy Swiss)
or
St. Anton/Lech/Zurs.
or
Bourg St. Maurice - Funicular to Les Arcs, easy drives to Val d'Isere/Tignes, St. Foy, La Rosiere-La Thuile. Check out l'Auberge Sur La Montagne ( http://www.auberge-montagne.co.uk/ ) near St. Foy as a base. Good peeps, nice place and they have a van and chalets.

[Hicks]

What's more alot of the local les arcs/bourg guys are top skiers as well if you needed further help with the camps?

In that case you also can hit Verbier and ask guys like Phil Maier or the Falquet Bros to guest coach......

[mista]

The espace Killy has fantastic off piste and has the highest resorts in France. There are hardly ever queues for the lifts and there is a varied terrain (although not a lot of tree runs)

The place has a reputation for high level skiing/boarding and there aren't endless queues of learners going from one side of the piste to the other.

Day trips are possible to paradiski (les arcs/la plagne), La rosiere, St Foy and the 3 valleys (meribel/courchevel/la tania).

If you want a lively nightlife then Val D'Isere is good and if you want a quieter place with more of a serious skiing approach then Tignes is fantastic. The lift system is constantly getting upgraded and is very efficient. There are excellent bus services within both Tignes and Val D.

I would say that the main weakness is that a lot of the off-piste gets cut up fast and as a result you need to know your way around a bit to find nice powder sometimes. If you can be bothered to hike then there are some truly spectacular runs possible. Also the park is limited compared to what you will be used to in Northern America. This is true of most European resorts. If you are looking for a decent park I have heard that the Portes du Soleil (arvoriaz/morzine) is the place to go

I think I should work for their tourist board!

[Mrs Roo]

If you want a lively nightlife then Val D'Isere is good

If you don't mind hoards of excruciating toffs. I know you've done 2 seasons there and all but the bizillions of braying British gapers put me right off when I went.

I was to be a Brit

[Tippster]

You were Blowjobface to be a Brit? Wow, lemme buy you a drink! Garcon.....