Verbier, then where?

**bigtrubs** · 10-30-2006, 05:45 PM

At the end of December through mid-January I'm going to be skiing Verbier, Switzerland for a week, then the second week my dad and I will be travelling to.... [this is where you come in.]

I've been told that La Grave is awesome, smallish but awesome, while my dad has always wanted to visit either Zermatt or Mont Blanc, or we have a family friend that could meet us in Kitsbuhel. Ideally, it would be nice to ski Verbier, Kitsbuhel and somewhere else, or just Verbier and somewhere else.

I'm thinking of taking my backcountry gear, my dad has his too so we could do some touring wherever we go. My dad is getting a bit older so not down to ski hard all day every day, but he is really good, and I'm better.

We can either rent a car or can travel by day or night via rail, so please, suggest away! Where will have the best "off-piste" and best snow in early January, and what's the best way to get from place to place?

Thank you in advance. Trubs.

**IridePow** · 10-30-2006, 05:52 PM

Check this thread out for some info:
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showt...ight=euro+mags

I definitely would recommend to check out Zermatt. It's close by and very scenic.

**Buster Highmen** · 10-30-2006, 05:54 PM

La Grave smallish? Mebbe the town, mebbe the lift system, but the skiing ain't smallish.

Get a car. Better flexibility. I recommend the La Grave-> Serre Chevalier->Milky Way/Montegenevre/Sestriere->Alagna/Champoluc/Gressoney loop.

**IridePow** · 10-30-2006, 07:42 PM

Forgot to mention this thread for links of the snow conditions in Switzerland:
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=61969

**BurnHard** · 10-30-2006, 07:52 PM

I'll gather some information for you and post again soon. The Silvretta area usually gets nuked with snow around christmas time, I've done plenty of tours there. Hit me up when you're over there - I'll be in Italy over Christmas and I might make it for some touring / backcountry for the period after X-mas till January 3rd or so. I would be taking my dad along, too, so the dad's could chill on the easy stuff while we rip some powder up

Edit: I've stayed at the Heidelberger Huette plenty of times, very nice hut and AMAZING ski touring possibilities from there. Avalanches could get icky around there if it snows too much. Check it out for yourself http://www.heidelbergerhuette.at/winter.htm

**2-czech** · 10-30-2006, 07:57 PM

dont know about Kitzbuhel, i was there many times and the snow conditions always sucked...but its a nice, posh village at least

**JoeStrummer** · 10-30-2006, 07:58 PM

I would vote for Saas Fee over Zermatt, although both are good. And I love Chamonix - I know the snow snobs might frown on the scene but compared to Vail it's charming and quiet!

**Toby** · 10-30-2006, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by bigtrubs

... we have a family friend that could meet us in Kitsbuhel. Ideally, it would be nice to ski ... Kitsbuhel ...

If you're around for the Hahnenkamm, that's definitely worth going to. You won't get much skiing in, but it's a good party with inimitable Euro-atmosphere. It might be a nice way to finish your trip. You'd need lodging, which would probably be impossible to organise if you didn't have a hookup. When I went in the early 90s there were 60,000 spectators for the downhill and 30,000 for the slalom. It was pretty fun.

**snowfire** · 10-30-2006, 09:02 PM

I love, love, LOVE La Grave.

The town and the skiing. If it were feasible right now I'd move there. You seem like the type of skier who would really love it too. I'd go there if I were you.

**bigtrubs** · 10-30-2006, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by Toby

You won't get much skiing in...It was pretty fun.

oxymoron!

I think we're going to skip out on Kitsbuhel because it is in completely the other direction. I'm really keen on La Grave for a number of reasons, is it worth staying a whole week or is there another resort near there or Verbier that we'd want to check out in that second week too?

**nesta** · 10-30-2006, 09:25 PM

Since you'll be in Austria anyway, may I suggest the following: St. Anton, Lech, Zurs, Solden/Obergurgl, I should have put this 1st on the list.

**bigtrubs** · 10-30-2006, 09:26 PM

Been to St. Anton and the surrounding resorts before. It was rad! Looking to check out places I've never been.

**nesta** · 10-30-2006, 09:29 PM

oh yeah, forgot about France: Chamonix, Argentiere, Val d'Isere are good starting points. I like Wengen Switzerland, but then that's the only place I've skied in Suisse.

**Idris** · 10-30-2006, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by bigtrubs

At the end of December through mid-January I'm going to be skiing Verbier, Switzerland for a week, then the second week my dad and I will be travelling to.... [this is where you come in.]

I've been told that La Grave is awesome, smallish but awesome, while my dad has always wanted to visit either Zermatt or Mont Blanc, or we have a family friend that could meet us in Kitsbuhel. Ideally, it would be nice to ski Verbier, Kitsbuhel and somewhere else, or just Verbier and somewhere else.

I'm thinking of taking my backcountry gear, my dad has his too so we could do some touring wherever we go. My dad is getting a bit older so not down to ski hard all day every day, but he is really good, and I'm better.

We can either rent a car or can travel by day or night via rail, so please, suggest away! Where will have the best "off-piste" and best snow in early January, and what's the best way to get from place to place?

Thank you in advance. Trubs.

Chamonix is just the other side of the mountain from Verbier. Actually the other side of the mountains you wil be looking at the whole time you are in Verbier. Early january is quiet time in Chamonix.

There is normaly a little more snow in Cham then Verbier. If Verbier is ok or better head west to Cham. I'll show you around for a few days.

If the snow in Verbier sucks the head far east to Kitsbuhel - A fairly long days drive east (like Whistler to Banff type distance)

Cham is and hour by road or 2 by gondola/bus and train.

La Grave is one lift and a huge area but you need somone there to show you around. Verbier you just go out and play - like Whistler only twice the size in every direction!

**rotorhead** · 10-30-2006, 11:36 PM

Engelberg or Andermatt, They're sort of on the way into Austria. If you head to Solden I'd reccomend keep going to Obergurgl, That is unless your dad likes to rage. Solden has a bit of a rep. Obergurgl is a small village with a mellow vibe. Skiing is about the same at both areas. Super scenic area.

**Arno** · 10-31-2006, 01:18 AM

Originally Posted by bigtrubs

I'm really keen on La Grave for a number of reasons, is it worth staying a whole week or is there another resort near there or Verbier that we'd want to check out in that second week too?

You have Alpe d'Huez (do a search on "d'Huez" and you'll turn up some nice TRs from Roo and... er... me), Serre Chevalier, Les Deux Alpes and lots of smaller places within one hour of La Grave. That said, if conditions are right you could ski for several weeks at La Grave and there would still be loads to do. There is also plenty of touring in the area. You do need someone to show you around. Maybe a Maggot would step up, or you could get a guide. La Grave should be really quiet in Jan

It would make a lot of sense to do Chamonix on the way over to La Grave

After all that, how far do you need to plan ahead? There's a lot to be said for following the snow. Finding accommodation at short notice in early Jan won't be hard once New Year week is over

**Ripzalot** · 10-31-2006, 01:32 AM

follow the snow. whereever the snow falls, there will be a resort.

lotsa choices. LOTSA choices.

**verbier61** · 10-31-2006, 03:19 AM

I'll be in verb from Xmas to Jan 8. PM if you need any info on the place. you can rent AT stuff really easily, BTW. That time, though, is at high risk for poor snow almost everywher in the alps, so (as ripz just said) go where the snow is. There are nice spots you can get by car from verb: cham (1 hour), marecottes (40 min), leysin (1 h), PDS (1.15 h), zermatt-saas feee (1.3 h), gran san B - crevacol (40 min), pila (1h), courmayeur (1.20 h), gressoney (1.3 h). La grave and particularly engelberg and st anton are a much longer drive, not less than 3 h. Anyway, just go where the snow is.... sometimes is south (gressoney-south face of monte rosa), sometimes is west (cham-verb), much more frequently is east (engelberg st anton).

**ulty_guy** · 10-31-2006, 03:39 AM

lots of good ideas in here, but i think ripz is right when he says to follow the snow. parts of the alps can get hammered while other parts are dry. you're not going to have a hard time getting hotels, etc in jan.

**0BernhardFranz** · 10-31-2006, 06:50 AM

ZEEERRMOTT ISTSCSHSS´S !!!

**klar** · 10-31-2006, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by Idris

If the snow in Verbier sucks the head far east to Kitsbuhel - A fairly long days drive east (like Whistler to Banff type distance)

[ typical pseudo cryptic subtle_plague comment] there are places farther east than kitzbühel. hehe...[/tspc]

i'll add another vote for follow the snow. if you're in the innsbruck area, say hello.

**Wobbly Pirate** · 10-31-2006, 08:01 AM

Going all the way to Kitzbuhel from Verbier is much like driving from Jackson Hole to go skiing at Brian Head. You would need to be addled to do this. Note that.

Go to La Grave. If you ski Whister, you'll be used to the funky snow conditions. When your old man is utterly fucked, then take him to Serre Chevalier or Alpe d'Huez. Make him eat crepes. I guarantee he will like this.

Go to Chamonix as well. You will remember the experience and your friends will think you are a skiing goddess when you regale them with stories about how you killed a Frenchman and threw his corpse into a crevasse.

Following the snow is overrated. You can ski decent fluffy snow often in the US/Canada. Go for the terrain. That's what differentiates European skiing.

**bigtrubs** · 10-31-2006, 02:48 PM

Thanks for all the suggestions! My dad is more of a make reservations for accom. way early kinda guy, so we're going to play for Verbier ---> Cham/Mont Blanc then a long drive to La Grave. Can't decide if I should take my touring gear or not. My dad doesn't want to take his.

**philfort** · 10-31-2006, 03:08 PM

If you're looking for accomodations in La Grave, I highly recommend where we stayed last April - it was called the Edelweiss I think. The owner is a nice British guy, the food was fantastic, it was inexpensive (everything in La Grave is, I guess - it was around ~50E per night for breakfast/lodging/4 course dinner).

**gamma** · 10-31-2006, 03:10 PM

take your AT gear.. stay in verbier.. eets.. the teets.. for real. ski mont fort. ski the back of mont fort, ski the tortin, ski the stairway to heaven, try a heli trip, get a guide.. verbier is just an awesome resort all together, its just huge.. i like it much more than chamonix.

Make sure u go to the farm club and take down some russian girls for me.. best party in europe i think..