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#1
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Chamonix v. Val D'Isere v. Verbier v. St. Anton
Hello.
I am going out with a group of friends to do some Alps skiing in March '04. We are in desperate need of some help from people who have been there. We are deciding between Chamonix, Val D'Isere, Verbier, and St. Anton, and because we are all American and because none of us have ever been to Europe, we are very clueless as to how to pursue...we do know that all these are very different, but it's hard to get an idea of the differentiation from books and websites. We are all expert skiers and have chosen these resorts principally on terrain and reputation, but in differentiating them we want to look at character, scenery, food, drink, nightlife, etc. Any advice from anyone who has been there would be much, much appreciated! |
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#2
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Chamonix v. Val D'Isere v. Verbier v. St. Anton
"Saroff" wrote in message om... Hello. I am going out with a group of friends to do some Alps skiing in March '04. We are in desperate need of some help from people who have been there. We are deciding between Chamonix, Val D'Isere, Verbier, and St. Anton, and because we are all American and because none of us have ever been to Europe, we are very clueless as to how to pursue...we do know that all these are very different, but it's hard to get an idea of the differentiation from books and websites. We are all expert skiers and have chosen these resorts principally on terrain and reputation, but in differentiating them we want to look at character, scenery, food, drink, nightlife, etc. Any advice from anyone who has been there would be much, much appreciated! SkiSolutions resort reviews give you some idea http://www.skisolutions.com/resorts/resorts.cfm |
#3
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Chamonix v. Val D'Isere v. Verbier v. St. Anton
Una volta, Saroff ha provato a di
Hello. I am going out with a group of friends to do some Alps skiing in March '04. We are in desperate need of some help from people who have been there. We are deciding between Chamonix, Val D'Isere, Verbier, and St. Anton, ....CUT... Hi, I'm a newby of this ng, but i write a lot on it.sport.sci and i'm very fond of telemark freeriding. My experience and what I know by my friends... Verbier: very trendy in the night, a lot of "alternative" young boyz, a lot of skibums... Very EXTREME skiing, if you like, with traces in many areas were it's really increadible... St.Anton: the preferred skiing station of the man that take mt to Verbier, a very hard man. He says it's a very wonderful place Cham: Obviously the the place with the most increadible panorama in the alps... npothing to say about it! Beautiful, but i don't think it's so extreme... Consider that You can stay in Verbier and reach Chaminix in less than 2 hours... if you stay for more than 1 week you can consider to sit in Verbier, take a car and then move to Chamonix for a couple of days and Gressoney for 1, 2. Gressoney (close to Aosta) belong to Monterosa ski area, it's very fast connected with Alagna, personally my preferred one, but i don't look to extreme conditions (even if you can find a lot!!!!!!!!). Look a t a map, it's all very close (with the Monte Bianco Tunnel) Val D'Isere sorry, nothing to say... -- Kiki MSN Y! telemark_p "Free your heel, your mind will follow" |
#4
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Chamonix v. Val D'Isere v. Verbier v. St. Anton
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#5
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Chamonix v. Val D'Isere v. Verbier v. St. Anton
Hi,
I've been to Chamonix (mostly Argentiere up the velley a bit) 4 times now for several weeks or more at a time. I absolutely love the place. I'm an extremely good skier (highly qualified instructor). I've also skied Verbier (only one day) and St. Anton a few times (maybe 6-7 days in all). If night life is your highest priority then I'd pick St. Anton or Verbier. But is skiing is: * if you're a very advanced skier, I'd go to Chamonix * if your advanced, but want some pisted runs, then Verbier Chamonix doesn't have much piste. It's mostly off piste. Much of the skiing on the Mt. Blanc side of the vally is glacier skiing. The whole valley is high avalanche risk after a big dump. Either because of avalanches or crevasses there is a very real chance of dying in Chamonix. About 100 people die in the valley each year from rock climbing, ice climbing and skiing related accidents. Another poster said don't ski the Vallee Blanche if you're not an advanced skier. I agree that from a skiing point of view the VB isn't great. But what an experience. The 2 lifts getting 2 the top are amzing. The second one rises 1600 (5250ft) vertical meters without a single pylon - just one long cable flapping in the breeze. In total the lift gain 2800m. Then when you arive (almost vertically) at the top (3860m), you have to walk through a 15m rock tunnel, followed by a steel bridge over a large gap in the rock (amazing views almost straight down to Chamonix at 1000m) then a rock and ice tunnel before emergin on to the top of a glacier. Then you have to navigate a 150m arete which has a 1000m drop on one side and a 300m drop on the other. Usually there is a rope to hang on to but not always. The path is solid ice and your wearing ski boots. The smart people are wearing crampons, and a climbing harness and carying an ice axe. You leave the climbing harnes on for the skiing so that if you fall down a creevasse, they have somewhere to attach a rescue rope (assuming they can reach you). The run is then 22km. Yes its easy skiing, but the scenery is some of the best in the world. So if you go to Chamonix, whatever you do DON"T MISS the VALLEE BLANCHE (assuming you get a sunny day). Probably take a guide. They'll have all the gear and will rope you up at the top - much safer. Have fun. David. Saroff wrote: Hello. I am going out with a group of friends to do some Alps skiing in March '04. We are in desperate need of some help from people who have been there. We are deciding between Chamonix, Val D'Isere, Verbier, and St. Anton, and because we are all American and because none of us have ever been to Europe, we are very clueless as to how to pursue...we do know that all these are very different, but it's hard to get an idea of the differentiation from books and websites. We are all expert skiers and have chosen these resorts principally on terrain and reputation, but in differentiating them we want to look at character, scenery, food, drink, nightlife, etc. Any advice from anyone who has been there would be much, much appreciated! |
#6
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Chamonix v. Val D'Isere v. Verbier v. St. Anton
"David Mills" wrote in message ... Hi, ....clip... * if you're a very advanced skier, I'd go to Chamonix *** Note the "very" ... if you go off the back, advanced is not enough. * if your advanced, but want some pisted runs, then Verbier Chamonix doesn't have much piste. It's mostly off piste. Much of the skiing on the Mt. Blanc side of the vally is glacier skiing. The whole valley is high avalanche risk after a big dump. Either because of avalanches or crevasses there is a very real chance of dying in Chamonix. About 100 people die in the valley each year from rock climbing, ice climbing and skiing related accidents. Another poster said don't ski the Vallee Blanche if you're not an advanced skier. I agree that from a skiing point of view the VB isn't great. But what an experience. The 2 lifts getting 2 the top are amzing. The second one rises 1600 (5250ft) vertical meters without a single pylon - just one long cable flapping in the breeze. In total the lift gain 2800m. Then when you arive (almost vertically) at the top (3860m), you have to walk through a 15m rock tunnel, followed by a steel bridge over a large gap in the rock (amazing views almost straight down to Chamonix at 1000m) then a rock and ice tunnel before emergin on to the top of a glacier. Then you have to navigate a 150m arete which has a 1000m drop on one side and a 300m drop on the other. Usually there is a rope to hang on to but not always. The path is solid ice and your wearing ski boots. The smart people are wearing crampons, and a climbing harness and carying an ice axe. You leave the climbing harnes on for the skiing so that if you fall down a creevasse, they have somewhere to attach a rescue rope (assuming they can reach you). The run is then 22km. Yes its easy skiing, but the scenery is some of the best in the world. So if you go to Chamonix, whatever you do DON"T MISS the VALLEE BLANCHE (assuming you get a sunny day). *** I agree with this ... the skiing is not tough, but the experience is not to be missed. Two highlights for me: 1) the climb down the Arete and 2) Skiing thru the seracs. Probably take a guide. They'll have all the gear and will rope you up at the top - much safer. *** The guide is worth it. The price, as I remember it, was really inexpensive and included the lift. You will feel much better going down the Arete because they rope you together and carry your poles ... you just side-step down with your skis hanging onto the rope (which was there) with your other hand. Also, they handle rescue. One of our party flopped in the powder at the top about 3 times and, because he had a heart condition, started to have palpitations after digging himself out. The guide called-in a helicopter to take him out ... no-charge. The only bummer about Valee Blanche is the hike out at the end ... about 10 minutes uphill. If you're a "Vail type" and used to being pampered, Chamonix is probably not for you. I've been to about 6 European areas and, logistically, Chamonix is the most difficult. The ski areas are scattered up/down the valley and you have to take shuttles (crowded) from place to place. If you're "very" advanced, this might be the place for you. |
#7
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Chamonix v. Val D'Isere v. Verbier v. St. Anton
S. Gione wrote:
*** Note the "very" ... if you go off the back, advanced is not enough. There's a lot of hype, and a lot of runs do live up to the hype, but there is so much skiing in Chamonix there is a lot to suit "advanced" as well as "very advanced". skiers. The run is then 22km. Yes its easy skiing, but the scenery is some of the best in the world. So if you go to Chamonix, whatever you do DON"T MISS the VALLEE BLANCHE (assuming you get a sunny day). *** I agree with this ... the skiing is not tough, but the experience is not to be missed. Two highlights for me: 1) the climb down the Arete and 2) Skiing thru the seracs. Sorry, but I have to say that it is overrated. By all means head up there, but get the guide to take you to Envers du Plan or the Vrai Vallee Blanche. There is good skiing there, if you are paying for a guide don't be fobbed off with the trade route, it is tedious. *** The guide is worth it. The price, as I remember it, was really inexpensive and included the lift. You will feel much better going down the Arete because they rope you together and carry your poles ... you just side-step down with your skis hanging onto the rope (which was there) with your other hand. Yep, a guide probably is worth it, especially if they show you the real stuff:-) The telepherique is included on the multiday pass (at least it was a few years ago). Also, they handle rescue. One of our party flopped in the powder at the top about 3 times and, because he had a heart condition, started to have palpitations after digging himself out. The guide called-in a helicopter to take him out ... no-charge. Rescue in the high mountains is not handled by guides it is handled by the Gendarmarie, and you don't need to be with a guide to be rescued. I have never heard of anyone being charged for a helicopter rescue in the high mountains, but assuming you have insurance the authorities will probably reclaim their costs from the insurance company. If you are dumb enough to head up there without insurance you *may* be hit with a bill afterward. You will not be left on the mountain, that would be illegal in France, quite apart from the moral issue. The only bummer about Valee Blanche is the hike out at the end ... about 10 minutes uphill. The usual descent now ends at the small telecabine which takes you up from the Mer de Glace to Montenvers, where you can either ski down if snow cover is good or take the train. There is no need to hike anymore unless it is not possible to reach the telecabine, but if the cover is that thin then I doubt the route would be skiable at all. If you skied the route in the off-season or for some reason the telecabin was closed then you would have a hike out. If you're a "Vail type" and used to being pampered, Chamonix is probably not for you. I've been to about 6 European areas and, logistically, Chamonix is the most difficult. The ski areas are scattered up/down the valley and you have to take shuttles (crowded) from place to place. If you're "very" advanced, this might be the place for you. Yep, there are better places for non-experts, but don't be frightened off, it is a good place for intermediates just not the best. |
#8
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Chamonix v. Val D'Isere v. Verbier v. St. Anton
"S. Gione" wrote:
[...] If you're a "Vail type" and used to being pampered, Chamonix is probably not for you. Agreed The Pas de Chevre descent from Argentiere which exits opposite Montenvers ideally requires a driver to pick you up in at the station in Chamonix. This way, someone has the Champagne in the cooler for a decent length of time, and can also organise a group of heavies to meet you off the train and bludgeon lots of irritating tourists out of the way, etc. Failing that: Use two cars and park one in Chamonix and the other in Argentiere. (There are a number of descents in the Alps I would like to use this recovery method for but they keep building ski lifts on them and connecting them up before I get around to doing them) Failing that: A pair of plimsols in the day sack will save a lot of wear on your ski boots and your lower legs. I've been to about 6 European areas and, logistically, Chamonix is the most difficult. The ski areas are scattered up/down the valley and you have to take shuttles (crowded) from place to place. If you're "very" advanced, this might be the place for you. Agreed. I think competition for top place in the league of logistical hell-holes is between Zermatt, Chamonix and Les Arcs. The ranking in the second-division below this super-league depends on whether one is driving or walking to the foot of the Seilbahn. |
#9
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Chamonix v. Val D'Isere v. Verbier v. St. Anton
All four places are good and are places I frequent. Since I'm only advanced
and not "very advanced" I cannot utilize Chamonix to its full potential, and it's bad logistics and powder-snow hunting wolfpacks make it not the best for me. However, it's a real town, so there are things to do at night. Val d'Isère is a nice place, but it's more intermediate skiing there than in the other places. Less ugly and more interesting than many other french ski resorts. Verbier is a favourite mostly because of the very easily found offpiste. The 4 valleys look nice on paper, but a lot of it are bad, slow lifts. Apart from around Verbier the better piste skiing is at the other far end, which means a lot of transport runs. But the easily reachable offpiste is a big plus. Nightlife is just plain bad. S:t Anton is a nice place, and by going by bus for half an hour you can include some very good runs in Lech/Zürs. The skiing is also good, and last year I also got some very good powder days and discovered that the offpiste isn't bad either (I've always had more scarce with powder snow in S:t Anton earlier). Afterski beats all the other places easily, nightlife isn't as good as one would expect, though. |
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