Paging Ace - you are now permitted to smile

In article o.uk,
says...
What amused me, five days before we left and the day after we'd
cancelled St Lary and grabbed Val, was the large article in the Sunday
Times about how the peak half-term week was looming and no, you wouldn't
be able to find a spare bed anywhere, never mind a cut-price cheapie.
The writer recommended checking Iglu's website (which was/is way out of
date).

In other words, that hack hadn't even bothered using Google just to
check if there were any late availability offers. That's as sloppy as it
gets. But then, the quality of ski journalism in Britain is lamentable,
so it's no surprise.

See, here's me thinking maybe he was planning to go there instead, and
wanted emptier slopes.

platypus wrote:

I can't understand why people with families to transport don't simply
go out and buy diesel Multiplas.

Most people have taste.

--
John B

John B wrote:
platypus wrote:

I can't understand why people with families to transport don't simply
go out and buy diesel Multiplas.

Most people have taste.

Come off it. Look out the window - they're driving around in Fords and
Vauxhalls.

platypus wrote:

John B wrote:
platypus wrote:

I can't understand why people with families to transport don't
simply go out and buy diesel Multiplas.

Most people have taste.

Come off it. Look out the window - they're driving around in Fords
and Vauxhalls.

Only in the UK. I haven't seen a Vauxhall in fifteen years.
Here people drive German or Japanese cars.
I have only seen Multiplas in pictures.

--
John B

John B wrote:
platypus wrote:

John B wrote:
platypus wrote:

I can't understand why people with families to transport don't
simply go out and buy diesel Multiplas.

Most people have taste.

Come off it. Look out the window - they're driving around in Fords
and Vauxhalls.

Only in the UK. I haven't seen a Vauxhall in fifteen years.
Here people drive German or Japanese cars.

That doesn't mean they have taste, just that they follow the common herd.

I have only seen Multiplas in pictures.

You have my sympathy.

platypus wrote:

John B wrote:
platypus wrote:

John B wrote:
platypus wrote:

I can't understand why people with families to transport don't
simply go out and buy diesel Multiplas.

Most people have taste.

Come off it. Look out the window - they're driving around in
Fords and Vauxhalls.

Only in the UK. I haven't seen a Vauxhall in fifteen years.
Here people drive German or Japanese cars.

That doesn't mean they have taste, just that they follow the common
herd.


ITYM that they have more money than sense, which is true.

--
John B

On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 10:45:50 +0000, in
o.uk,
(The Older Gentleman) wrote:

Ace wrote:

Naah, they'd have to pay me more than that to stay in Val. Full of
noisy English types.

Glad you've finally seen sense though.

Back now. And definitely some splendid skiing. I have a sunburned
hooter. It was amazing how well the snow has stood up to a fortnight of
heavy use and no fresh falls - it's been damned cold, which is why.

Indeed. Even this weekend in Engelberg, 19 days after the last snow,
the snow was in excellent shape. The weather pattern changed last week
though, so it's started getting warmer and some lower or south-facing
pistes are therefore getting nicely slushy towards the end of the day.

The bonus, for us, was finding some areas, off-piste of course, where
there had actually been some fresh snow last week, so we spent quite a
bit of time pushing further afield to find the untracked areas. Nice.

What this last week has made me do is re-think next year. I'm going to
book flights early, as ever, and then sit on my hands and play the
waiting game, going right down to the wire if necessary.

You should definitely consider flying into Basel or Zurich and perhaps
sking some of the smaller, or at least less-known, Swiss resorts, e.g.
(copied from a post by 'Johannes' from several years ago)

Central Switzerland:
Engelberg: www.titlis.ch 1.5h from Basel
Soerenberg www.soerenberg.ch 1.5 h.
Andermatt www.andermatt.ch 1.75 h from Basel. You can also go from
Andermatt to the Oberalp Pass. (The resort is Sedrun
www.sedrunbergbahnen.ch) ; It give Daytickets, Railway included.
Melchsee Frutt http://www.melchsee-frutt.ch/ 1.5H
Klewenalp www.klewenalp.ch 1h 20m
Lungern-Schönbühl http://www.panoramawelt.ch/ 1.75h

East Switzerland:
Flumserberg www.flumserberg.com 2 h
Bad Ragaz/Wengs www.pizol.com 2 h

Berner Oberland:
Adelboden www.adelboden.ch 1.75 h or Lenk www.lenk.ch 2.25 h; partial
the same aera.
Zweisimmen www.zweisimmen.ch 2 h or http://www.skigstaad.ch/
Meiringen/Hasliberg http://www.alpenregion.ch/frame_wint.html 2h
Grindelwald www.grindelwald.ch 2-2.25h
Wiriehorn-Diemtigtal http://www.wiriehornbahnen.ch/ 1.75h

It's usually possible to find budget hotel accomodation in most of
these areas at quite late notice, and even if you can't get into the
resort of first choice, the distances between them allow easy access
for a couple of day's skiing in each.

I might also join the SCGB, having chatted to one of their Val reps in
our chalet (Peter someone-or-other: knows you, or knows of you,
apparently).

Checks website Would this have been the Tignes rep, Peter Burwood? I
think I've met him a couple of times, but don't know him very well.

However, apart from having someone to ski with, I see
little practical beenfit in the much-touted benefits they offer.

Well, it's not for everyone, I guess, but for many people the repping
service is reason enough in itself.

As we left all our (old, geriatric, even) kit in the Pyrenees, I bought
myself brand new skis and boots. My, these new-fangled Nordicas are
different from the old pair of rear-entry Salomon SX61s I've been using
for the last 21 years.... And the Atomic carving skis are a revelation,
as well.

"They all do that Sir".

But honestly, as well as being well out-of-date, the SX61s were a
beginner's boot even when new, so I can't imagine just how bad they
must have been after twenty years of plastic degredation. And
presumably you were on old planks as well. How long did it take you to
get used to the feel of the 'carvers' then?

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com)
\`\ | /`/ DS#8 BOTAFOT#3 SbS#2 UKRMMA#13 DFV#8 SKA#2 IBB#10
`\\ | //'
`\|/`
`

"Ace" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 10:45:50 +0000, in
snip should definitely consider flying into Basel or Zurich and perhaps
sking some of the smaller, or at least less-known, Swiss resorts, e.g.
(copied from a post by 'Johannes' from several years ago)

Central Switzerland:
Engelberg: www.titlis.ch 1.5h from Basel
Soerenberg www.soerenberg.ch 1.5 h.
Andermatt www.andermatt.ch 1.75 h from Basel. You can also go from
Andermatt to the Oberalp Pass. (The resort is Sedrun
www.sedrunbergbahnen.ch) ; It give Daytickets, Railway included.
Melchsee Frutt http://www.melchsee-frutt.ch/ 1.5H
Klewenalp www.klewenalp.ch 1h 20m
Lungern-Schönbühl http://www.panoramawelt.ch/ 1.75h

East Switzerland:
Flumserberg www.flumserberg.com 2 h
Bad Ragaz/Wengs www.pizol.com 2 h

Berner Oberland:
Adelboden www.adelboden.ch 1.75 h or Lenk www.lenk.ch 2.25 h; partial
the same aera.
Zweisimmen www.zweisimmen.ch 2 h or http://www.skigstaad.ch/
Meiringen/Hasliberg http://www.alpenregion.ch/frame_wint.html 2h
Grindelwald www.grindelwald.ch 2-2.25h
Wiriehorn-Diemtigtal http://www.wiriehornbahnen.ch/ 1.75h

It's usually possible to find budget hotel accomodation in most of
these areas at quite late notice, and even if you can't get into the
resort of first choice, the distances between them allow easy access
for a couple of day's skiing in each.

Ace, thanks for posting this list - I've been thinking of doing a multi
resort 2 weeker when our kids don't want to ski with us and don't have to go
at school hols - we been to a few of them, but the smaller resorts look
worth checking out. Presumably possible to turn up (we'd drive from UK) and
book a few days or even book ahead if well organised (+ outside main busy
times)? Perhaps should start a new thread - any similar list for Austria?
Basically picturesque resorts, with enough skiing for a day or two, then
move on... Mike

Ace wrote:

I might also join the SCGB, having chatted to one of their Val reps in
our chalet (Peter someone-or-other: knows you, or knows of you,
apparently).

Checks website Would this have been the Tignes rep, Peter Burwood? I
think I've met him a couple of times, but don't know him very well.

That's the man, yes.


However, apart from having someone to ski with, I see
little practical beenfit in the much-touted benefits they offer.

Well, it's not for everyone, I guess, but for many people the repping
service is reason enough in itself.

Troo.

As we left all our (old, geriatric, even) kit in the Pyrenees, I bought
myself brand new skis and boots. My, these new-fangled Nordicas are
different from the old pair of rear-entry Salomon SX61s I've been using
for the last 21 years.... And the Atomic carving skis are a revelation,
as well.

"They all do that Sir".

But honestly, as well as being well out-of-date, the SX61s were a
beginner's boot even when new, so I can't imagine just how bad they
must have been after twenty years of plastic degredation. And
presumably you were on old planks as well. How long did it take you to
get used to the feel of the 'carvers' then?

The skis themselves were only about 7 years old, but not carvers and
195mm long. The Atomics (about 178mm, IIRC) were interesting in that I
could do much, much tighter turns with them, easier. Nice.


--
BMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Honda CB400F & SL125
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06 YTC#3
BOF#30 WUSS#5 The bells, the bells.....
chateau dot murray at idnet dot com

In message , Mike
writes

"Ace" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 10:45:50 +0000, in
snip should definitely consider flying into Basel or Zurich and perhaps
sking some of the smaller, or at least less-known, Swiss resorts, e.g.
(copied from a post by 'Johannes' from several years ago)

Central Switzerland:
Engelberg: www.titlis.ch 1.5h from Basel
Soerenberg www.soerenberg.ch 1.5 h.
Andermatt www.andermatt.ch 1.75 h from Basel. You can also go from
Andermatt to the Oberalp Pass. (The resort is Sedrun
www.sedrunbergbahnen.ch) ; It give Daytickets, Railway included.
Melchsee Frutt http://www.melchsee-frutt.ch/ 1.5H
Klewenalp www.klewenalp.ch 1h 20m
Lungern-Schönbühl http://www.panoramawelt.ch/ 1.75h

East Switzerland:
Flumserberg www.flumserberg.com 2 h
Bad Ragaz/Wengs www.pizol.com 2 h

Berner Oberland:
Adelboden www.adelboden.ch 1.75 h or Lenk www.lenk.ch 2.25 h; partial
the same aera.
Zweisimmen www.zweisimmen.ch 2 h or http://www.skigstaad.ch/
Meiringen/Hasliberg http://www.alpenregion.ch/frame_wint.html 2h
Grindelwald www.grindelwald.ch 2-2.25h
Wiriehorn-Diemtigtal http://www.wiriehornbahnen.ch/ 1.75h

It's usually possible to find budget hotel accomodation in most of
these areas at quite late notice, and even if you can't get into the
resort of first choice, the distances between them allow easy access
for a couple of day's skiing in each.

Ace, thanks for posting this list - I've been thinking of doing a multi
resort 2 weeker when our kids don't want to ski with us and don't have to go
at school hols - we been to a few of them, but the smaller resorts look
worth checking out. Presumably possible to turn up (we'd drive from UK) and
book a few days or even book ahead if well organised (+ outside main busy
times)? Perhaps should start a new thread - any similar list for Austria?
Basically picturesque resorts, with enough skiing for a day or two, then
move on... Mike

There used to be the ADAC Ski Atlas which listed all the Alpine resorts,
runs, and facilities


--
geoff