Ski Blog | Archive P90/2019

Our new website….

It’s been a long time in coming – there’s been some false starts, a lot of frustration but now a lot of excitement as we launch our new website!

We have what we think is the best tool for organising a group ski or snow boarding holiday.

You know how you’ve had a couple of beers or a glass of wine too many and you stick your hand up and agree to organise that next trip to the mountains!  It’s going to be great fun looking for the right ski accommodation, the perfect resort to suit everyone and then…… John wants to change the date, Jo doesn’t want to go there but Jerry does and Joanne can’t get that week off work and asks can’t we go the week after but that clashes with Jamie’s work do and so it goes on as you get more frustrated as the email threads get longer and longer, the language on the Facebook discussion would embarrass your Mum – good job you’re not friends with her on Facebook.  You are?  Oh!  What’s that all about?  Anyway I digress, you now have access to the best group organising facility on the web with our new group booking tool!

Head over here to check it out and you can watch a short video of how it works as well.

You just pick a shortlist of resorts and dates and your mates vote on their preferred ones and you search our site for the ski accommodation that suits.  Holiday booked!  Easy!

Ski Deals – looking for the perfect deal?  These are all listed on our Ski Deals page, it could be an early booking discount, free transfer, peak week availability, you’ll find something to tempt you onto the snow!

Search by different categories for your holiday whether you are looking for a catered chalet or self catered apartment, a weekend trip, family holiday or want to find a luxury holiday you can find it easily.

Resorts – know which resort you want to go to? Then search by resort and check out all the ski accommodation in that resort, find links to the resorts website, Facebook page or if you have already booked then check out that all important snow report and webcam! We are also continually adding resort services to this so find the best deals for ski hire or snowboard hire, clothing and many other in resort services!

Travel - Booked your holiday but not sure how to get there?  Check out our Travel page for links you need whether you are driving, flying, training it or just need an airport transfer.  How to get to resorts are also listed on each resort page.

We have some great competitions lined up starting with 50 family tickets to the In The Snow Live ski show at the NEC on 25th – 27th October, half price deals on tickets to that if you aren’t one of the lucky ones.

If you find anything on the site that isn’t working then please do let us know (it is all new after all so there maybe a few glitches) or would you like to see something that isn’t on the site?  Again do get in touch!

We hope you love our new site as much as we do – we’re nearly as excited about it as we are that the new season is only four months away….. do we sound a little obsessed?

Sailing on the Longest Day!

Well that’s it - the longest day has been and gone!  That means the days are getting shorter, the nights are drawing in, winter is on the way and we’ll be skiing and  snowboarding before you know it!

So how do you celebrate the coming of winter with no skiing or snowboarding to be found?  How about sailing on The Solent?

I have very little experience of sailing but would love to do more and was fortunate enough to go with www.EscapeYachting.com who are based in Lymington in the New Forest.

It really doesn't get much better than this – at 3.30pm we were welcomed on board with a glass of champagne, issued with life jackets and were soon heading out of the harbour into the Solent! Our crew were Nigel (skipper) & Chris (2nd skipper, deck hand and cook – the important one!!) who looked after us, let us take part in as much of the sailing as we wanted and kept us entertained!

Some of us chose to steer (there’s probably a sailing type technical word for that!) and I managed to turn the steering wheel the right way and didn’t crash or capsize, while others chose to sit back and relax with the wine that had been pre-ordered and was chilling on the boat when we arrived!

We sailed for about two and half hours – which flew by as we enjoyed the views of the Solent, became very efficient at switching sides of the yacht as we tacked and making sure we didn’t spill any of our wine, watched out for and tried to identity all the different bird life, watched the huge variety of different boats (both sailing and motor, large and small) that cruise the Solent and of course chatted about skiing and snowboarding and where we are thinking of going next season (ok we may be a little obsessed!)

Then we anchored up in a sheltered bay off the Isle of Wight and enjoyed a fabulous meal cooked on board by Chris and then sailed back into Lymington and a lovely sunset for around 9.30pm – just in time to get a couple of drinks in before last orders at the bar!  Après yachting doesn’t have the same ring as après ski but it tastes just as good after all that fresh air and fun!

I would definitely recommend Escape Yachting - they even organised the weather, kept it dry and windy enough to have a good sail but not too windy that I was ill or scared!  Then again maybe they organised that just for us! 

You might not have had your summer holiday yet but winter is on its way and this is definitely an excellent way to pass some time before it gets here!

You can find out full details about Escape Yachting’s Solent days on their website. Mention Altitude sent you and you’ll get the day out for £99 per person!

Summer in the Mountains

Did you know that when the lifts close and the snow melts* that the marmottes come out to play, they take down the lifts, try a bit of grass skiing and then start digging the moguls for next season in between a bit of sunbathing in their deck chairs!  Yep you can blame the marmottes for the moguls!

Well ok, that’s not strictly true – the marmottes do do some sunbathing and some playing but I haven’t yet seen them grass ski unfortunately! 

The Alps are definitely a great place to head in the summer but are sadly low on the list of summer destinations for us Brits for some reason.  We seem obsessed with sitting on our own patch of sand on an overcrowded beach while our skin burns!   If you fancy somewhere a bit different then I can recommend destination Alps!

They’re usually not crowded at all and most resorts are geared up for at least July and August with all sorts of activities such as hiking, trekking, climbing, white water rafting, tennis, swimming, mountain biking, walking, horse riding, get fit camps, yoga retreats, hot air ballooning, parapenting …. I could go on and on but you probably get the idea! 

The scenery is stunning, some of the ski lifts are open so you don’t even have to walk up to get the views and many are adapted to take your bike so you can just do down hill biking!  The weather tends to be much warmer than the UK, more often sunny than not, warm temperatures and sometimes with spectacular thunder storms but they don’t last very long!

You can explore many mountain lakes – for example Lake Geneva has many interesting little villages around it, Annecy is stunning and well worth a visit and then of course there are lots of ski resorts you can visit and enjoy long leisurely lunches on restaurant terraces and yep, order that extra bottle of wine without having to worry about how you are going to ski down!

One thing that I always find interesting is to walk down (or up) a slope I have skied down in the winter – bet you can’t believe how steep it is!

Check out the ski accommodation that offers summer holidays on our site by clicking here and go on give the Alps a go this summer even if just for a weekend before making it your main holiday next year!  I am pretty sure you’ll be back for more!

*the snow usually melts just after Easter, but after last season’s snow rumour has it that it may not all go!  Skiing in July perhaps?

The Ski Season That Doesn’t Want To End!

Wow what a season that was!  Well when I say was perhaps I should be saying is, as it isn’t really over if you look at the snow that is still around!

Ok it is over in terms of the majority of the resorts now being closed but there is still a load of snow and if you are into your hiking and touring this will be a great touring season – take care of avalanches etc though as when things warm up it can be dangerous out there!

A was very luck to get a lot of skiing in this year and had trips to the Alps in December / January a couple of weeks in February and then again in March/April and each time I was there it snowed!

If you haven’t seen our YouTube channel then head over here and have a look at some of the videos that we put together. You can see snow reports and some skiing videos that we put together.

Everywhere we went there was great snow and tales of great skiing! 

We were lucky to visit Le Grand Massif (Flaine, Les Carroz, Samoens & Morillon), Avoriaz and Morzine, Verbier, Megeve, Chamonix, Courchevel and La Rosiere through the season.

The best skiing we had was probably in February – watch it here and see me nearly ski into a tree!

So now the resorts are all winding up and we have a summer to endure before the winter comes back!  Don’t worry we’ll make the most of it and enjoy the sunshine and maybe get a bit jealous of the powder days in New Zealand and other southern hemisphere resorts!

When Do Ski Resorts Close?

It’s been an amazing season and as we head past the middle of April sadly the season is really coming to an end and there is still loads of snow all across the Alps! In fact we are wondering if it will ever stop snowing this season!

This Sunday 21st April will see a lot of resorts shutting down (what a waste of snow! ☹ ) for the summer and though we are now back in Altitude Towers in the UK and won’t be skiing again this season we wondered where you could ski if you wanted to and here it is….

• Alpes D’Huez – open ‘til 26th April
• Paradiski (La Plagne / Les Arcs) – open ‘til 27th April
• Three Valleys (Courchevel, Meribel, Val Thorens) –27th April
• Flaine – Partial opening from 22nd – 28th April 
• Serre Chevalier – local area open until 28th April
• Les Deux Alpes – open ‘til 28th April
• Verbier – 28th April
• Val D’Isere – 5th May
• La Grave – 5th May
• Tignes – the glacier is open until 12th May
• Argentiere (Chamonix) - open until 12th May and always finishes with a great party on the slopes! 
• Hintertux Glacier – just doesn’t close!! ☺

Let us know if we have missed any.   Enjoy the snow and sun if you’re heading out there for a last stretch of the skiing or boarding muscles!

Please note that this information is taken from Tourist Information Offices and third party sites and we can’t be responsible for the accuracy and / or any changes to these dates!

This may sound very obvious but Altitude did once gatecrash a chalet operators (no names!) end of season staff trip to a resort that was closed!  Yes really!  We only found out when we arrived in Courmayeur to find it all shut up and no lifts open!  Fortunately another half hour drive and we could ski in La Thuile!  So do be careful and check ahead if you are planning a late spring trip!

It Always Snows in April!

Just a few weeks ago we wrote a blog about when is too late too late to ski and once again the snow gods delivered at the end of March and beginning of April!

Spring is always a great time to ski – we love the quiet slopes, spring snow, long lunches on the terrace topping up the tan, après ski beers in the sun, watching the sun set but more than any of that we love skiing in powder!  Powder in March and April?  Really?  Oh yes!

Don’t let anyone convince you that it is too late to ski after February – it is quieter, there are no queues, the snow is good and…..er….. actually scrap that don’t bother!  Stay away and leave it all for us to play in!!

Here’s a little video that we put together of us having some fun, in a bit of sun on the snow at the end of March.

When is too late too late to take a ski holiday?

‘Isn’t that too late?’ I am often asked when I suggest looking at a March or April ski holiday. For some reason most people seem to think that the ski season finishes at the end of March and that is it for another winter. And some people seem to think that all the snow melts in February!

Most resorts this season do not shut up shop until around April 21st and some even later than that!  I have seen many a season end with the lifts closing while there is still some great skiing to be had.  Seems such a waste! I've had several powder days in March and even April! 

March can be a great time to ski as can April!  You have got the snow base down already so there is plenty of snow to ski on and the days are longer and often warmer, it is the perfect time to enjoy a bit of sunshine and longer days.  You may not know but a lot of resorts put the closing times of their lifts back half an hour or an hour as the season progresses so you literally do have more time to ski!

That said why not make the most of it and have a long leisurely lunch in the sun or an après ski beer on the terrace of a bar and soak up the rays?  Can’t do that because it’s snowing? Oh well more snow to play in – definitely not too late to ski then!  

There can be some great deals around at this time of year as well for March and April holidays.   Check out our Ski Deals page for all the latest bargains – you won’t regret it!

14th February - Snow Report from Le Grand Massif

Wow! The snow has been amazing!

I have been lucky enough to be staying in Les Carroz for the last couple of weeks and it has barely stopped snowing!

Half Term is next week and there are still some February Half Term deals available - take a look at our Ski Deals page to find out more and click here for specific half term ski deals.

There is 4.5 meters of snow at the top of Flaine and this is pretty much the same across the Alps.  I have been to visit chalet owners in Morzine and Verbier in the last week or so and they are all reporting exactly the same!

We made a video of us having some fun in the powder last week - if you haven't seen it then do take a look at it here and you can see how much snow there has been!

It really is turning into an epic season!  The snow keeps falling and whenever you have booked a holiday you should be up for some great skiing!  If you haven't booked yet then keep an eye on our ski deals page for some great offers!

Watch a video of our latet snow report here...

SNOW, SNOW, SNOW - Amazing powder days!

It has been an epic season and it is only the beginning of February! 

Some are saying it's the best for 10 years, others the best for 14 and there are reports of record snow falls! 

If you are a good skier and enjoy skiing off piste and in the powder then the last couple of weeks you will have loved it!

If you are an intermediate it is a great time to learn as the powder is so light and fluffy and of course it is deep so when and that is when and not if you fall it won't hurt!  I really do subscribe to the 'if you don't fall you aren't trying' school! 

Your best bet is to have a lesson to learn the basics and not to develop bad habits - unless your friend who is offering to teach you is qualified then chances are they don't know what they are doing!!  For example - you do NOT lean back in powder so if anyone tells you that then tell them where to go and get some qualified advice!! 

Once you have mastered the basics then there really is nothing like floating through the powder! It is hard to put into words what it is like if you haven't experienced it! 

Go on get off piste and try it!  Of course if you do venture off piste you should make sure you have all the necessary safety equipment - transceiver, shovel and probe, and know how to use it!  Be safe and don't take risks!

We had some amazing days playing in the powder and have put this little video together....

Snow Report from & Luxury Chalets in Verbier!

I was lucky enough to go on a little road trip to Verbier yesterday where I met Nathasha from CK Verbier and she showed me round their luxury chalets.

Wow!  They really are luxurious with swimming pools, saunas, 24 hour on call drivers! Really impressive and lovely places ranging in size from 6 beds up to 31 so they can accommodate small families and large corporate groups as well.

Each chalet comes with a dedicated staff team of four:

• 24-hour in-resort chalet chauffeur with brand new top of the range Volkswagen Caravelles or a Range Rover Vogue. Just ask and you'll be driven.
• A professional chef trained to Michelin star standards to prepare breakfast, teatime treats and gourmet dinners. We offer four course fine dining with an emphasis on high quality, locally sourced ingredients. We can also offer rustic sharing platters, one of our culinary concepts designed by top chef Jamie Oliver's team. All of this served with our ample selection of delicious house wines. We are also happy to prepare children's tea or simple suppers. Just let us know what you like.
• The chalet hosts, attentive when you need it invisible when you don't. They'll be there to ensure that your boots are warmed, your glass is filled and that you always come home to a roaring fire.

I worked in Verbier a couple of years ago and it's a great resort with some superb skiing and fabulous apres ski bars, restaurants and clubs - I'd love to be able to go back and stay in one of CK's chalets and enjoy the luxury, I don't think I'll be doing that for a while unless I win the lottery!

I do know that their staff are 100% discreet and all bookings are taken in 100% confidence so if you are looking to escape the hassle and want to stay somewhere incognito then this is defintiely the place to go! 

Watch Natasha's snow report....