Single American Expert Looking for Advice on Where to HookUp

Hi all,

So I fell totally in love with real European skiing at La Grave a few
years ago. Having skied pretty much every run here in the Western US
I'm craving to go back to ski the kinds of couloirs and big descents
that you can only get in Europe.

As I am now single I have the following goals:

- Find a way to split hiring a guide. This means that I need to find a
group or something as I can't afford the full price by myself. The
other issue is that I'm looking to ski very solid off-piste expert
terrain and need to find a group that is of the same mindset.

- Meeting people and enjoying the apres-ski life. Especially women.

My thought was whether there might be a hotel in Chamonix or Verbier or
some other off-piste oriented area that has a reputation for singles.

Does anyone know of a hotel or hostel or something where you can meet a
lot of other single skiers and maybe find some people to ski with? I'd
prefer something a step up from a true hostel as I'm in my 30's and can
afford a real bed.

Another question is what is the chance of going to the central guiding
service and being able to slide into a group of the type of skiers
described above? Is this likely? Would any area be better for this
than any others?

Any other ideas would be welcome.

Ciao,

Jeffrey

On 12 Jan 2005 17:33:02 -0800, wrote:

Hi all,

So I fell totally in love with real European skiing at La Grave a few
years ago. Having skied pretty much every run here in the Western US
I'm craving to go back to ski the kinds of couloirs and big descents
that you can only get in Europe.

As I am now single I have the following goals:

- Find a way to split hiring a guide.

snip

Can I suggest you have a look at the Ski Club of Great Britain website
(see my sig) and what is offered? Amongst other things, we have a rep
in 44 resorts around the world, who runs a 'guiding'[1] program each
day - this is a great way of meeting fellow-skiers, who you may decide
to hook up with separately if the day's program doesn't suit. In many
resorts, the rep will encourage members to book a proper mountain
guide for a day for a more adventurous experience (although we do
normally go off-piste anyway).

- Meeting people and enjoying the apres-ski life. Especially women.

I can't promise that you'll meet loads of single women, although there
are, amongst the holidays we run, quite a few aimed at the singles
market that might suit. But most reps enjoy a beer or six after skiing
and have a standard place for their 'social hour' each night.

My thought was whether there might be a hotel in Chamonix or Verbier or
some other off-piste oriented area that has a reputation for singles.

Don't think you'll find that sort of thing, no.

Does anyone know of a hotel or hostel or something where you can meet a
lot of other single skiers and maybe find some people to ski with?

There are Youth Hostels in many French and Swiss resorts, which may or
may not be appropriate.

I'd
prefer something a step up from a true hostel as I'm in my 30's and can
afford a real bed.

Ahh. Probably not, then.

Another question is what is the chance of going to the central guiding
service and being able to slide into a group of the type of skiers
described above? Is this likely? Would any area be better for this
than any others?

Any of the well-known off-piste resorts' guiding services will put
together groups in this way, although you won't be able to guarantee a
certain level of skiing ability. In some places, e.g. Val d'Isere,
there are several guiding organisations, so you may want to shop
around. The local Ski Club rep will be able to advise on this.

Any other ideas would be welcome.

Join the Ski Club - it sounds ideal to help you get what you want.


[1] I'm using the term deliberately to be clear to the American OP.
Europeans will be aware that we are not guides in the UIAGM sense and
normally strenuously avoid using this term in ref. to ourselves.

--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi all,

So I fell totally in love with real European skiing at La Grave a few
years ago. Having skied pretty much every run here in the Western US
I'm craving to go back to ski the kinds of couloirs and big descents
that you can only get in Europe.

Great but don't come this season - it would appear that you have got all our
snow!

Jeffrey
glad you appreciate Europe! Haven't been to La Grave yet but have
heard good things - I assume you used a guide there?

There are several companies that run steeps courses (easy to find on
the web) - where they guide and instruct and they will put together a
group of similar experience (in theory). This is probably the most
expensive option but it's as guaranteed as it can be that you'll ski
the terrain you're after.

As far as Chamonix is concerned, you can hook up with fellow experts
relatively easily and informally as long as you go about it in the
right way: one that establishes you as a competent and humble mountain
man. Going up to a someone in a bar and asking "So, where you skiing
tomorrow?" for example, does not always get the desired response!
This approach takes time - how much do you have?

For a short trip, stay in one of the central hotels and you'll have
plenty of options to meet people. The Gustavia Hotel in Chamonix
springs to mind as fitting the bill - 3 star, central and handy for the
boisterous apres-ski at Chambre Neuf and other bars.

Sammy

Jeffrey

Glad you found LG awsome - this year will be my 7th trip - have you tried
the Lodge at http://www.skierslodge.com or contact the Hotel Edelweiis and
they will be able to give you good, solid and accurate advise as they are
used by all the guides and are well up to speed with your type of
situation - a few of the operations I know in LG all cater for singles, as
there are not that many couples that are profficient in LG terrain, simple
as that - don't even think, as ACE points out, that a Ski Club GB "guide"
can offer you any where near the sort of skill sets you would expect from a
Haute Montagne Guide - I think ACE was having a humour moment......
Marlon at Auberge Edelweiss

05320 La Grave France

tel: 33 (0)4 76 79 90 93

fax:33 (0)4 76 79 92 64

www.hotel-edelweiss.com





Regards

WC

"WeatherCam" wrote in message
...
Jeffrey

Glad you found LG awsome - this year will be my 7th trip - have you tried
the Lodge at http://www.skierslodge.com or contact the Hotel Edelweiis
and
they will be able to give you good, solid and accurate advise as they are
used by all the guides and are well up to speed with your type of
situation - a few of the operations I know in LG all cater for singles, as
there are not that many couples that are profficient in LG terrain, simple
as that - don't even think, as ACE points out, that a Ski Club GB "guide"
can offer you any where near the sort of skill sets you would expect from
a
Haute Montagne Guide - I think ACE was having a humour moment......
Marlon at Auberge Edelweiss

05320 La Grave France

tel: 33 (0)4 76 79 90 93

fax:33 (0)4 76 79 92 64

www.hotel-edelweiss.com



Regards

WC

And here's the original place we first stayed in, the link above was a bit
of a break away from them, but Pelle more or less ran the Lodge anyway - but
on this link http://www.theskierslodge.com/ you'll see that on their website
they give pricing for the week including guiding as they make up the group
from their guests anyway - for others reading this, it's a great place to
become aquainted to the serious side of the sport - and not a ski club of GB
rep in sight!!

wrote:

As I am now single I have the following goals:


snip

I was expecting "get laid" to be in the list somewhere.....


--
Trophy 1200 (Doctored) 750SS CB400F CD200 ST70 DT50MX
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06 YTC#3
BOF#30 WUSS#5 The bells, the bells.....

wrote:

[...]
- Find a way to split hiring a guide. This means that I need to find a
group or something as I can't afford the full price by myself. The
other issue is that I'm looking to ski very solid off-piste expert
terrain and need to find a group that is of the same mindset.


'Mindset - It's not easy to judge the other skier's ability without
skiing with them. Even then you find people who are good in powder,
but of no use in couloirs, et cetera. Although the most important
criteria is that they can able to navigate whatever terrain you have
aimed at, in some manner or other.

[...]
Another question is what is the chance of going to the central guiding
service and being able to slide into a group of the type of skiers
described above? Is this likely? Would any area be better for this
than any others?


Putting together a group in advance is always uphill.

Highest likelihood would be a big resort in mid-season and hope to
join other groups going out guided.

As far as wimmin go, ski resorts are thick with them. Scoring does not
require much in the way of effort. La Grave is very quiet and only
attracts those interested in off-piste.

Wow, brings back memories of 4 years ago when the first (and last) public
service web-site I built was inspired by the exact same motives as you have.
You don't want to ski off-piste alone, but equally aren't inclined to bed
down with crusties to meet compatible skiers. I still remember the old-skool
hook line 'last night a snow-buddy saved my life' that I used to promote the
site - happy daze - (BTW anyone interested in helping this time round get in
touch). Quite rightly, I was discouraged by lurkers on this group because it
was unlikely to hit critical mass. Ironically, a year or so later we all
watched, and indulged in, the massive success of
http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk (IMHO presaged in the States by the college
buddies site).

Having said all that, going to (or phoning) the local Bureau des Guides or
equivalent, will put you in the company of like minded individuals at a
reasonable cost

Alas, this season, it looks like that side of the Pond will be more
fulfilling on the snow - off it of course, there is no contest ;-)

"funkraum" wrote in message
news
wrote:

[...]
- Find a way to split hiring a guide. This means that I need to find a
group or something as I can't afford the full price by myself. The
other issue is that I'm looking to ski very solid off-piste expert
terrain and need to find a group that is of the same mindset.


'Mindset - It's not easy to judge the other skier's ability without
skiing with them. Even then you find people who are good in powder,
but of no use in couloirs, et cetera. Although the most important
criteria is that they can able to navigate whatever terrain you have
aimed at, in some manner or other.

[...]
Another question is what is the chance of going to the central guiding
service and being able to slide into a group of the type of skiers
described above? Is this likely? Would any area be better for this
than any others?


Putting together a group in advance is always uphill.

Highest likelihood would be a big resort in mid-season and hope to
join other groups going out guided.

As far as wimmin go, ski resorts are thick with them. Scoring does not
require much in the way of effort. La Grave is very quiet and only
attracts those interested in off-piste.

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 18:56:30 +0000,
(The Older Gentleman) wrote:

wrote:

As I am now single I have the following goals:


snip

I was expecting "get laid" to be in the list somewhere.....

It's in the sub-text. The merkin 'singles' concept, which just doesn't
seem to exist in Europe, assumes that both males and females will
happily go to bars, hotels, resotrts, whatever, where the sole
objective is getting laid.

Would that life here was so simple, eh?
--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.