Snow Report Europe 2022/2023 Season -Bookings -TRs etc.

[Kletterer]

Time to start the roll call for who is going to ski Europe next season.
I am booked in for 3 weeks in between the 2 largest resorts of Otztal - Obergurgl and Solden.
Looking forward to the extensive offpiste offerings. This is Gaislachkogl in Solden.

 

[Sbooker]

I’m taking my crew on our last ever dad funded big overseas holiday in January. My daughter finishes school in December. She’s been loving her French studies for the last 6 years so we’ll fly into Paris to check out the sights before heading to the Tarantaise for 3 or 4 weeks. She’ll get to use her French on the locals for a while. I’m thinking we’ll base in Les Arcs 1800 but we may do a week in Tignes to break it up.
I have two groups of friends planning on being there for some of the time and the kids are bringing a mate each. It should be fantastic.
*Myself and my wife went to both areas last month without the kids to scope it out. It’s a great area to ski in. I plan on doing an off piste ski course for at least one of the weeks. Being a dumb Aussie from Brisbane I don’t know the area enough to be confident to ski extensively off piste and I think these ski courses offer better value than hiring a guide.

 

[Zeroz]

We will be Euro skiing for a month starting in January.
Likely to have a larger, mixed group so probably start at a big Italian resort. Then split off to somewhere pointier and more challenging.

Everyone has different ski prefs. Our goal is new experiences, new ski areas, off piste, big snow in the forecast, guide, fun.
Travel flexibility helps, but the Alps aren't that big and getting around by train/car is easy. January is low season, accom easy to get.

Plus 'research'. Who doesn't enjoy checking out spectacular ski areas in France, Austria, Switz, Italy, etc. and making plans to ski there?

 

[LDJ]

2 weeks in early Jan (6th-22nd) meeting with UK family is already locked ideally split between 2 resorts. Ideal would be 1 week France and 1 Austria but likely wherever the snow is when we decide in December where to go. Can’t wait

 

[try hard]

Lech, Austria for a week then Hochzeiger and Pitzal for 5 days end January/ early Feb. There's a group of 7 of us (mainly oldish farts) after skiing we all head our separate ways. Some to Edinburgh and London, Some UK visiting family, 1 off to Iceland for a tour. All booked. Can't wait.

 

[sli1]

Time to start the roll call for who is going to ski Europe next season.
I am booked in for 3 weeks in between the 2 largest resorts of Otztal - Obergurgl and Solden.
Looking forward to the extensive offpiste offerings. This is Gaislachkogl in Solden.

Very, very tasty. I get the impression that over Obergurgl and Solden are busy/crowded. How they compare to the Arlberg ie Lech, St Anton?

 

[sli1]

It feels like months ago but we got back from Austria on March 24 and will go again January of next year. Will hire a car like always. Trying to work out a couple of rough itineraries. The only clear priority we have at the moment is to spend at least five days staying at Schoppernau or Mellau. Ideally the Andlebusch lift will return to service which would enable us to ski at Diedamskopf, Damulls Mellau, Andelsbusch and potentially Warth all close by. I was surprised/disappointed by how busy Warth was (pistes, not lifts) in the first half of March.

The other place I'm pretty keen on hearing about is the Piztal valley (including Hochzeiger) @try hard - Have you been there before?

 

[smitty484]

A very strong likelihood, yes. Desperation is kicking in. Will wait and see how the season pans out and book a week somewhere.

 

[smitty484]

Although my brother has booked his belated wedding for early Feb in Aus, meaning I’ll need to fly back from London for it. Does he not know I’m ski deprived after nothing for 2 years????????????????

 

[Kimski]

Nothing certain booked but will almost definitely be going. The only reason I won’t is because I have a change of heart about location and head to Japan or North America instead but I will be skiing somewhere in the the Northern hemisphere.

Will likely start my trip in London and do a week in Zermatt because I’ve always wanted to go and will probably get to the Dolomites. I have 5 weeks of leave from work booked which leaves lots of options open. Yes my plans mean some longish travel days but I’m cool with that. Considering leaving a week un-booked to see what snow conditions are like closer to the time.

 

[try hard]

It feels like months ago but we got back from Austria on March 24 and will go again January of next year. Will hire a car like always. Trying to work out a couple of rough itineraries. The only clear priority we have at the moment is to spend at least five days staying at Schoppernau or Mellau. Ideally the Andlebusch lift will return to service which would enable us to ski at Diedamskopf, Damulls Mellau, Andelsbusch and potentially Warth all close by. I was surprised/disappointed by how busy Warth was (pistes, not lifts) in the first half of March.

The other place I'm pretty keen on hearing about is the Piztal valley (including Hochzeiger) @try hard - Have you been there before?

No we haven't but wanted to give it a try after reading a few reviews and it's not far from Lech so worth adding on.

 

[Kletterer]

Hochzeiger is excellent. Good tree skiing off piste when its crap weather.

 

[LDJ]

Anyone been skiing in Arosa/lenzerheide? It ticks most of the boxes that I look for skiing with my parents/brother Which is minimum 200km linked pistes focus on reds/intermediate skiing. Under 2hrs from international airport (Zurich). Doesn’t look crazy busy. Nice scenery and options for mum if she decides not to ski everyday. We could also transfer easily to Austria probably lech for second week.

 

[Zeroz]

Your search skills need work. I was there in January, with pics

https://www.ski.com.au/xf/threads/e...short-trs-travel-and-covid.90243/post-4951706

 

[Boodwah]

White Chrissy CCV/3V, then a week exploring Les Alpes Maritimes

 

[Kletterer]

Anyone been skiing in Arosa/lenzerheide? It ticks most of the boxes that I look for skiing with my parents/brother Which is minimum 200km linked pistes focus on reds/intermediate skiing. Under 2hrs from international airport (Zurich). Doesn’t look crazy busy. Nice scenery and options for mum if she decides not to ski everyday. We could also transfer easily to Austria probably lech for second week.

I spent some time skiing with the world skiing guru , author of Skiing Around The World- Jimmy Petterson. He had a place there and was guiding there as well. He rated it as his 2nd favourite ski area after the Skicircus . We did his 2 favourite runs ( among others) in Saalbach on a waist deep day and risked getting our season passes revoked . I was severely scolded by my mate who owns a ski school there.

 

[LDJ]

Your search skills need work. I was there in January, with pics

https://www.ski.com.au/xf/threads/e...short-trs-travel-and-covid.90243/post-4951706

I reckon that’s where I heard about it from then .I was trying to work out where it had come up.

 

[LDJ]

Your search skills need work. I was there in January, with pics

https://www.ski.com.au/xf/threads/e...short-trs-travel-and-covid.90243/post-4951706

Looks awesome. Although my wife would kill me if she had to do that run out on her snowboard. I got us into a poor run out in Furano and still keep hearing about it.

 

[Schnaxxy Schnaxxlburger]

next year I might be volunteering at the alpine world championships in Courchevel-Meribel
I'll be in Japan before that, so looking in to flights Tokyo-wherever
can anyone suggest the best route?
I was surprised that JAL don't seem to fly to Geneva, and Milan seems closer anyway
or would Paris have better connections?

 

[Hyst]

next year I might be volunteering at the alpine world championships in Courchevel-Meribel
I'll be in Japan before that, so looking in to flights Tokyo-wherever
can anyone suggest the best route?
I was surprised that JAL don't seem to fly to Geneva, and Milan seems closer anyway
or would Paris have better connections?

Things are not back to normal, I would look at Geneva and Altibus or Paris and TGV to Moutiers.

 

[LDJ]

next year I might be volunteering at the alpine world championships in Courchevel-Meribel
I'll be in Japan before that, so looking in to flights Tokyo-wherever
can anyone suggest the best route?
I was surprised that JAL don't seem to fly to Geneva, and Milan seems closer anyway
or would Paris have better connections?

if it doesn’t have to be JAL then look at emirates. I know the way they fly Tokyo to dubai and easy connections to Lyon or Geneva which are easy for 3V from dubai.

 

[rdk]

I have flights booked to Zurich early Jan and accommodation booked for a week in St Anton followed by a week in Zermatt, then flying out of Zurich again. All transfers by train, which will be fun. No buses. One long-ish travel day between St Anton and Zermatt of about 6.5 hours.

 

[Schnaxxy Schnaxxlburger]

if it doesn’t have to be JAL then look at emirates. I know the way they fly Tokyo to dubai and easy connections to Lyon or Geneva which are easy for 3V from dubai.

I’d prefer JAL because I’ve bought a JAL ticket from Haneda to Sydney and I’d rather turn that into a Tokyo-Europe ticket
that way I have easier options about the return trip to Sydney from Europe

 

[Incider]

I have flights booked to Zurich early Jan and accommodation booked for a week in St Anton followed by a week in Zermatt, then flying out of Zurich again. All transfers by train, which will be fun. No buses. One long-ish travel day between St Anton and Zermatt of about 6.5 hours.

My two favourite resorts!

If possible perhaps swap them around? Zermatt with the Glacier may be better early in January in a low snow year.

I've done 2 x Xmas trips to St Anton, one was awesome cover, the next was noticeably less.

 

[Kimski]

I’ve only just found out that travelling to Europe in 2023 will mean applying for a visa waiver in the same way you would to travel to the US. Annoying.

Wonder how many people will be caught out by this at the airport?

 

[LDJ]

[/QUOTE] l

I’ve only just found out that travelling to Europe in 2023 will mean applying for a visa waiver in the same way you would to travel to the US. Annoying.

Wonder how many people will be caught out by this at the airport?

looks like I’m travelling on my UK passport again.

 

[Zeroz]

l looks like I’m travelling on my UK passport again.

Won't work. Brexit means Brexit.

From the end of 2022, UK travellers will need an ETIAS visa waiver to enter EU countries. The authorization will be valid for 3-year periods and allow an unlimited amount of entries. There will be a small ETIAS fee for British travellers to cover the cost of processing the application.

British will Pay a Fee to Visit Europe after Brexit | ETIAS info

UK citizens will need to pay for an ETIAS visa waiver before going to any EU country from 2022. Find out more about traveling to Europe after Brexit.

www.etias.info

 

[Hyst]

However the exit system will not be ready in time - so you will all get stuck in Schengen.

 

[Hyst]

I’ve only just found out that travelling to Europe in 2023 will mean applying for a visa waiver in the same way you would to travel to the US. Annoying.

Wonder how many people will be caught out by this at the airport?

Thank you for putting my attention to that - I had no idea and not heard about it.

Residents in the EU without citizenship do not need this new thing.

ETIAS

ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorization System. The ETIAS visa waiver will be available to all visa-exempt visitors.

www.etiasvisa.com

 

[Hyst]

I’ve only just found out that travelling to Europe in 2023 will mean applying for a visa waiver in the same way you would to travel to the US. Annoying.

Wonder how many people will be caught out by this at the airport?

The system may not be ready by that time:

Will you need ETIAS or a Schengen Visa to travel to Europe, starting from 2023?

ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorization System. It is a completely electronic system that allows and keeps track of visitors from countries who do not need a visa to enter the Schengen Zone. The legal procedures to pass the ETIAS have started in 2016, and the system is...

www.schengenvisainfo.com

They talk mandatory from may 2023.

 

[Schnaxxy Schnaxxlburger]

I’ve only just found out that travelling to Europe in 2023 will mean applying for a visa waiver in the same way you would to travel to the US. Annoying.

Wonder how many people will be caught out by this at the airport?

the not-a-visa that you have to apply for, like a visa

 

[LDJ]

Won't work. Brexit means Brexit.

frustrating. It also means my wife will be winding me up again as she uses her Irish one.

 

[DidSurfNowSki]

To turn is to admit defeat

 

[LDJ]

To turn is to admit defeat

Awesome. It’s so harsh making them climb up the final bit as they finish. Just what you need when you are knackered

 

[Zeroz]

^^ Good example of the gigantic size and long runs of Euro ski areas, even at the end of April.

 

[blueandwhite]

I desperately want to go back to Europe again but thinking we might not make it next season. We essentially didn't queue at any lifts for six full weeks of skiing including Christmas and New Year the season just gone and I'm not sure I want to tarnish that amazing European experience by going back in a normal 'busy' year!

God I miss it though.

 

[Kletterer]

I desperately want to go back to Europe again but thinking we might not make it next season. We essentially didn't queue at any lifts for six full weeks of skiing including Christmas and New Year the season just gone and I'm not sure I want to tarnish that amazing European experience by going back in a normal 'busy' year!

God I miss it though.

I will be going where its never busy enough to worry about- Obergurgl. There are other places that are fine in a normal season. Just go

 

[rdk]

My two favourite resorts!

If possible perhaps swap them around? Zermatt with the Glacier may be better early in January in a low snow year.

I've done 2 x Xmas trips to St Anton, one was awesome cover, the next was noticeably less.

I'm hoping second half of Jan more of the yelllow itineraire runs are open. I was there the same week 2020 and had a great time. The St Anton week I'll have some lessons, find my legs and hopefully be skiing better second week in Zermatt.

 

[Rabid K9]

To turn is to admit defeat

Geez that looks gruelling, snow like glue most of the way.

 

[Kletterer]

Nice guide.

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[Boomerang on Snow]

I will be in Romania and Spain in Europe, then a quick trip to Turkey and Morocco.