Happy Skiing Thread Part 3!!

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Is it too early to start ??

Not through summer yet but cant stop thinking about March 17 !!!

Anyone else :)

DD is working as a chalet host in her gap year. The hours are brutal, as are the living arrangements, and the pay is awful, but she is having a ball. The work hard play hard will be good training for University in September.

A few thoughts.

1. If you want to leave the host a present, give cash. The lovely guests in the first week gave her chocs, booze and bikkies, all lovely, but the Alps are expensive.
2. If you don't need your room cleaned every day, tell the host. They will love you. Especially at the start of the season when they have not got bedmaking into a slick routine. Ditto, changeover day is fraught so anything you can do to help like leaving the sheets/towels/duvet cases folded on the bed is great. And I suspect she is hoping that almost empty shampoo bottles, etc, will be left behind. She is paid in sterling, so prices in the local shop seem to rise by the day.
3. A package holiday is just that. A package. DD is well prepped on medical or religious dietary requirements, but otherwise you might consider taking a break from a radical diet. Deliciously Ella has a lot to answer for.
4. And when there is a plea for, say, children to avoid touching nuts for the week, there is a reason, as well as reasons behind the various rules in the briefing or brochure. Its tough for 18 year olds to have to then remind adults to comply.

Most guests have been brilliant, and she is quite high up so the snow is good and skiing brilliant. Friends of mine seem to remember their chalet girl days with real affection, and I think the same is going to be true for her. After years of ski holidays, its interesting hearing the other side. The management and organisation is really impressive.

Interesting NMS - helpful advice!
Not skiing this year as new job, first year for many have not been after Xmas, but the webcams looks terrible for lack of snow.
DS is going on school ski trip next week to Solden, so hoping for decent conditions there...

I was hoping to be super excited about my ski trip by now but I'm just depressed because of the conditions. Yes, lots can change between now and when I go but so far pretty much every weather system forecast has fizzled out

This is obviously a first world problem but I have sacrificed and saved hard or this trip. I'm far from loaded.

Here's to a snowier 2017 for us all.

DD has chicken pox (first spots yesterday). We're supposed to leave a week today. She'll be fine (though we'll need a fit to fly letter, which is annoying). But DS hasn't had it and has no spots at all. We'll be nervously watching him all week now!

Does anyone know if Aldi is likely to bring out ski wear again before Feb? I know they did a month ago but my local was sold out before I got a chance to buy anything!!

Just had a fab week skiing in the 4 valleys in Switzerland. there was plenty of snow up high, gorgeous blue skies every day. Off piste skiing not so good as there was not enough snow away from the groomed pistes. Weather much colder today and clouds coming in so there might be some snow on its way now. Sadly leaving in the morning

We go on 14th Jan to Avoriaz. It needs to snow!

Looks like the snow is coming over the next few weeks. I just managed to get my ski boots on - which was pleasing as my surgeon said it might be February but I could ski as soon as I can get them on - so we're hoping a cheeky week next week is on the cards. It seems likely to snow a lot over the next few days and then some more next week. Excellent timing! If it weren't for the post Christmas bulge and my very snug salopettes.

Yourface I doubt they'll do it again - it's normally once a season. You're best off looking at Decathlon or Mountain Warehouse in my opinion for reasonable price/quality.

Apparently it snowed to below 1000m yesterday.

Aldi magazine says ski stuff comes again on 12th- it sold out within hours in our store do get there for opening

Oh really? I'll have to do a next sale and sleep outside Aldi, in my sleeping bag.

How many pairs of salopettes do people take for 1 week. Do you take any more for children? (Ages 11 and 13).

One set each. They will dry overnight.

NO SNOW in Les Gets. Going to take DD to the GP tomorrow to see if she's fit to fly.

The webcams look hopeful for Austria and a big dump is forecast tonight, so that along with the price of the chalet we were looking at coming down by £350 per head means we're off to St Anton on Sunday! Hurrah! ignores dodgy foot and DH redundancy

Hi Skiing people
We booked Val Thorens last night for the first week of the Easter hols. Hoping it's high enough for the late season snow!
DH is a good skier, I have been 4x1 weeks before ds arrived and a few days in the Cairngorms since. DS is 8 and has never skied but is waaay excited (as are we).
Can I join the pre ski excitement and hopefully cadge some tips from the more experienced amongst you

Just got back from a week in the Portes du Soleil area. We went with very low expectations as it hasn't snowed since early November but it was actually ok! We skied in Chatel/Avoriaz/Crosets and there was enough open. They are very clever at making snow and moving it around, and although some bits were icy overall it wasn't bad and the weather was glorious! Couple of pictures attached..

Val Thorens is a banker! The only risk is that when there is no snow lower down bus-loads come into VT.
Re Austria, my DC is on Solden since Monday. It has been snowing today, and they have had a good coupla days skiing.

I just got DD spyder salopettes and a spyder jacket in tkmaxx for £20 each! Going to trawl the other 3 near me tomorrow to see if they have anything for DS.

I have just had a failed Uniqlo order arrive - wanted really thick fleecy leggings as I wear these on their own for x-country, and under a shell type pair of trousers for downhill. Nothing is warm enough to wear under the shell trousers. Will have to go to TK Maxx but in any case am off to the GP shortly to find out of DD can fly!

Just spent 20 mins on hold to Esprit to find out whether they also need a "fit to travel" note but have given up now.

Right, DD is fit to fly so now only packing, warm leggings, and DS not catching chicken pox while we're away!
Oh yeah, and snow.

Good luck with ds and the pox drspouse and the snow!
We got all our gear out of the loft last night, planning to get skis serviced etc. Bloody Hell I was thinner back in the day! TKMaxx here I come

I wish I hadn't looked at this thread. DH, 2DSs and DGS are off to Arc 2000 in the morning and I'm not. The first time for 26 years with no skiing. I'm 72 and starting to feel my age a bit, but what put the cap on it was that this season Les Arcs changed their eligibilty for a free lift pass from 72 to 74.
So I thought 'sod it' . I just hope the sons will keep an eye on 65 year old DH.

Tricky may I humbly recommend cross country? My 70-something parents are still going strong. I felt really young when skiing in Austria!

Austria looking promising snow wise so I'm officially excited [grin{

Amazingly I actually managed to lose weight over Christmas. This is actually a cunning plan so I can eat more Austrian food while I'm on holiday in the snow.