ski the HELP AT PLANNING A FIRST-TIME OR RETURN VISIT TO EUROPE STARTS RIGHT HERE. By George Koch R ounding a shoulder beside the highest T-bar brought us atop a little scene from Alaska. A massive crenellated black wall loomed to one side and a spiny ridge spilling multiple flutes rose to the other. The long face below rolled from a gentle 20-degree launch to 35 degrees and then past 40 before benching out far below. This was Leidbachtobel. Astoundingly, we found ourselves opening this face, nobody having touched it since the last storm cycle. With cold, dry, baseless snow blanketing the entire valley, these were easily the best turns of our entire, four-resort Alps trip. It was better than heli-skiing, better than snowcat skiing, a massive private powder-filled valley. Looking back, instead of the tiny, perfect, repetitive turns of yore lay tracks reflecting three distinct styles. Big Boy had devoured the enormous face in about 12 80-kph turns, Little Martin in maybe two dozen and me, reflecting that I d spent 85 per cent of my skiing years on narrow skis, making perhaps 60 but still going four times the speed of the pre-fat-ski era. I could have devoted thousands of words to explaining why every skier should visit the Alps at least once all the dry facts and arguments still not quite convincing you. So instead, the excerpt above. Taken from Ski Canada s exploration several seasons ago of Davos, Switzerland one of the Alps most extensive and interesting resorts it sums up the Alps eternal allure for me. Skiing Europe is beautiful, fun, exciting and intriguing on so many levels. The Alps can provide the skiing holiday of a lifetime for nearly any type and age of skier. There s no better season to go than this one. Our dollar s rise has brought the euro below Cdn$1.40 for the first time in years, making Europe increasingly affordable in both absolute and relative terms. Anyway, the steep multi-day discounts prevalent in the Alps have always made European lift tickets cheaper they re often $40 or even $30 per day even at very large resorts. If you can get the right airfare and hotel package, you re set. But those are just relentlessly practical considerations. If skiing for you is anything beyond a bloodless technical exercise in setting edges or your one bearable form of mid-winter exercise if skiing to you is about beauty, discovery, adventure, joy, mystery and, occasionally, brief shining instances of sheer glory then you simply must go to the Alps. These mountains hold more of all of these things than any other skiing region on Earth. Plus history, culture, splendid architecture, stylish lifestyles and wonderful gastronomy. And no, in a good season the snow isn t somehow less bounteous, or harder, or icier, or heavier even though millions of Euros are adamantly convinced it is. Some of the lightest, deepest snow I ve ever skied has been right off the lifts throughout the Alps, at elevations from 3,500 metres right down to 800 metres and I have the helmet-topping powder photos to prove it. Tourism in the Alps still has its timeless characteristics, like classic hotels and a centuriesold tradition of dedicated innkeeping. But starting in the early 90s resort infrastructure was also modernized substantially. Crappy lifts, ridiculously long waits and nonexistent grooming are a thing of the past nearly everywhere, relegated to a few antediluvian places like Chamonix where these charming cultural artifacts endure defiantly like a living anthropological museum. T-bars are an endangered species at 40 s k i c a n a d a» N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 7
alps most major resorts. English skills have zoomed throughout the tourism sector. But I m veering back to practicalities. What makes the Alps singular is that they create a skiing experience that North American resorts simply can t duplicate. Skiing there is fully integrated with the local geography human as well as physical. Few things can match the sense of wonderment as when you first gaze down some enormous backside descent whether groomed piste or backcountry powder followed by discovery as you let gravity guide you down seemingly never-ending slopes to some cozy village nestled in an isolated side-valley or tucked in the woods halfway up a mountainside. The most basic rule of travel writing is the editor s old admonition, Don t tell me, show me. So herewith another passage, one that encapsulates the feeling of skiing in the Alps: We closed our day with a classic backside descent, Teufi. Hiking above the normal access onto the very peak gave us a few sweet turns in what must have been 60 cm. With numerous people having preceded us down this well-known route, we traversed aggressively out to the sides of each succeeding pitch, then swooped down a massive, untracked gully before ducking through some trees and emerging at the valley restaurant. It was tempting to stop for beers and a snack of cheese and Buendnerfleisch smoked meat, but we were simply trashed, so we hopped the first bus. We rode back to town in silence, grinning like fools, addled with the cumulative impact of the day s fun. It doesn t matter whether you re seeking backcountry adventure that s out on the edge, or just want to cruise blue groomers. The Alps can evoke these feelings in any skier. You just need to get over there and prove it for yourself. s k i c a n a d a» N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 7 41
FIVE ABSOLUTE MUST-DO LIFETIME DESCENTS OR RESORT CIRCUITS STRONG INTERMEDIATES» Chamonix, France Vallée Blanche*» Pitztal, Austria Taschachferner Glacier*» Davos/Klosters, Switzerland Madrisa-Gargellen-St. Antoenien tour*» Saalbach, Austria Ski Circus» Val d Isère/Tignes, France Espace Killy: start at Le Fornet and traverse the combined resorts via Solaise, Bellevarde, Col de Fresse, Val Claret, the Grande Motte, Col de Palet, l Aiguille Perce, and finish with a long descent to Tignes les Brevieres. *Long descent but relatively gentle off-piste; guide mandatory. SIX ABSOLUTE MUST-DO LIFETIME DESCENTS EXPERTS*» North face of Monte Rosa (access by helicopter from Zermatt, Switzerland, or Alagna, Italy)» Courmayeur, Italy Toula Glacier or (for true experts) Marbret Couloir» Badgastein, Austria Backside of Moelltaler Glacier or (for true experts) the couloirs just to the north» La Plagne, France Couloir Canadien» Disentis, Switzerland Val Strem to village of Sedrun or, for those with climbing skins and a fondness for scaling ladders, the 2,500-vertical-metre, north-facing Staldenfirn» Verbier, Switzerland Båka Kåka couloir *Serious backcountry terrain; guide or competent local mandatory. FIVE GREAT RAIL OR CAR TOURS» Ride Switzerland s Glacier Express from Zermatt, over the Gotthard Pass, via Chur and Davos, to St. Moritz all at once or as part of a multi-stage, multi-resort holiday.» Traverse Italy s Dolomites from Bozen via Passo Rolle, Passo San Pellegrino, Corvara and Cortina to Toblach as an excursion or as part of a multi-resort road trip.» Circumnavigate Slovenia s Julian Alps by car, driving tiny winding roads from Kranjska Gora, via Bovec, Kobarid and Kranj, around to lovely lake Bled and finally into the mountains at even lovelier Lake Bohinj.» Take the TGV from Paris to your skiing doorstep in several of France s major skiing valleys.» Explore the Austrian Alps by car from Innsbruck to Landeck, then take #188 to the beautiful Valley of Paznaun. A lift pass here accesses not only the resorts of Ischgl, Galtür, Kappl and See but also the Swiss resort of Samnaun. Bring your passport. Should have checked STAGG Chili Ski Watch. Get up to the minute, independent reports on ski conditions and winter activities throughout Canada. The STAGG Chili Ski Watch can be heard every day on radio stations throughout Canada or by logging on to www.staggchiliskiwatch.ca. STAGG Chili The Chili Chili-Lovers Love! TM 42 s k i c a n a d a» N O V E M B ENow R 2 0available 0 7 in EZ-open can and microwavable bowl
FIVE TOP LARGE RESORTS (in no particular order) SIX MUST-DO NON-SKIING DIVERSIONS» Ride the high-speed train to Vienna and go to the opera.» Spend a day or weekend in Venice.» Stroll the ancient peasant villages of Switzerland s Val d Anniviers, the medieval alleyways of Annecy, France, or visit the lovely Renaissance-era old cities of Innsbruck, Austria, or Ljubljana, Slovenia.» Drive along Lake Geneva and tour the vineyards.» Shop in Milan for clothes that ll appear in Canada next year.» Go see Oetzi the Iceman at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bozen (Bolzano), Italy, and learn what a really bad day in the Alps can be like.» St. Anton (plus St. Christoph, Stuben, Lech and Zuers), Austria» Val d Isère/Tignes, France» Verbier, Switzerland» St. Moritz, Switzerland» Trois Vallées, France 10 HIDDEN GEMS» Andermatt, Switzerland» Alagna, Italy» Pitztal, Austria» Val d Anniviers, Switzerland» Mittenwald, Germany» Serre Chevalier, France» Ladis/Serfaus/Nauders, Austria» Engadine Valley, Switzerland» La Grave, France» Slovenia, in its entirety 2007
THE COUNTRIES Austria Phenomenal lift systems and grooming Universally high hotel/b&b standards Ski areas in every valley Friendly people and nice ambience Some undiscovered gems Moderate prices Reliable snow and snowmaking English spoken nearly everywhere Generally less vertical Lower elevation Off-piste areas can be heavily skied Late-season visitors should avoid lower-lying resorts France Immense terrain Massive vertical Phenomenal scenery Gnarly off-piste and great cruising side-by-side Classic gastronomy on and off the mountain Substantially improved lifts Huge snowfalls when it snows Uneven grooming At times aloof locals Inconsistent pricing Uneven hotel standards More English spoken than before, but still uneven Thin snow years can be very thin Italy Diverse scenery Lower prices History and culture in many skiing valleys Interesting and varied skiing Better-than-you d-expect lifts and grooming Some excellent hotels Often wonderful gastronomy Friendly locals Inconsistency in hotels, grooming, lifts, meals Alps biggest language barrier many Italians have no second language Bizarre road signage and some insane drivers Milan and Turin airports world centres of lost luggage Some horrible bathrooms Alps least reliable snow Awful cops Switzerland Monumental scenery Huge vertical Great variety of ski areas from world s most famous to totally undiscovered AND DON T FORGET ABOUT: The Alps best road and rail system Alps most reliable overall snow Best major airport access (Zurich and Geneva) to the largest number of ski areas in four countries High hotel standards Safety and honesty lowest chance of stolen skis English spoken everywhere Alps highest prices At times frosty locals, including hired guides Often boring mountaintop food Totalitarian traffic cops Germany (pluses: pretty scenery, great access from Munich, surprisingly good skiing if you look, good hotels; minuses: smaller ski areas, less reliable snow, higher prices, inconsistent attitude) Slovenia (pluses: very low prices, beautiful scenery, very friendly people, close to Venice and the Adriatic, surprisingly good food and hotels; minuses: smaller ski areas, less well-developed lift systems, inconsistent snow) 44 s k i c a n a d a» N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 7
ACCESS POINTS WHAT TIME OF SEASON? WHAT RESORT? WHAT COUNTRY? Zurich The Alps number-one airport. Numerous international connections (including from Canada), strategic location, superb rail and freeway links, transfer buses to several major resorts. Best for: northern and eastern Switzerland and western Austria (including St. Anton). Non-stop flights from Montreal with Swiss. Geneva Best for western Switzerland, entire French Alps (transfer buses leave for many major French resorts) and, arguably, northwest Italy via major road tunnels. Munich The unknown sleeper. This recently expanded airport includes nonstop Lufthansa flights from Toronto. Poor rail connections, but good road connections to all of Austria plus German ski resorts. Innsbruck Great location for all Austrian resorts you can spot ski lifts on your final approach plus Italian Dolomites and Germany. Restricted number of inbound flights, unfortunately, so getting a good connection can be hard. (Non-stop flights from Toronto to Vienna.) Milan Best for most of Italy, especially central and northeast resorts, plus southeast Switzerland (including St. Moritz and Engadine Valley). Bad reputation for theft. Beyond a few general principles, there are few right or wrong answers here. Bigger resorts mean more variety of every kind but also much bigger crowds, though not necessarily longer lift lines. Smaller resorts or hidden gems like Switzerland s Val d Anniviers will delight you with almost hourly charms and surprises while sacrificing seamless convenience, still riding a few Pomas and experiencing nightlife that can consist of almost spookily shuttered villages. Still, I know Canadian skiers who insist on going only to the most obscure, out-of-the-way mountains and others who think Davos/ Klosters is the best thing there is. The best groomed runs I ve ever skied have been in Switzerland s absolutely unknown Valsertal and also in world-famous St. Moritz. Many famous resorts will see easily accessible offpiste quickly trashed after a snowfall but their more hidden terrain can last for days or weeks. Nor is there a right or wrong, best or worst Alpine country. Yes, Austria is lower, but the eastern Alps are cooler, so the snowline in Austria is also much lower. In some winters, local village ski hills with one T-bar at 600 metres have had deeper pow than 3,000- metre cable car-served glaciers in France or Switzerland. In other years, it s reversed because there s no average or typical season any longer. Austria, with its greater amount of below-treeline skiing, offers shelter and milder temps in midwinter. But the season ends earlier at the lower elevations don t book Kitzbühel for April or even late March. France and Switzerland have the lion s share of monumental terrain and huge vertical and sometimes powder into early May. Italy offers huge variety in skiing terrain and mountain character but its tourism offerings are the most inconsistent in almost every category. So some homework is necessary blind booking s a formula for grief. When to go? One pretty good rule: don t visit the Alps before Christmas, because good early-season snow is rare. The Christmas/ New Year s holidays are very busy regardless of snow. January can be a great time the crowds are at their lowest, the snow can come in waves of multi-day storms, the winter days are already a little longer than in Canada, and the sun can be warm. February tends to offer a well-established base and even more sunshine but also lots more European skiers enjoying civic school holidays. If I had to pick the greatest month to ski the Alps, it would be March almost always a good base, very good chance of major snowfalls, and the first delightful days of spring corn snow. April s a month of extremes: hot sun and diminishing snowpacks, but also great corn snow skiing and a good chance of that epic late-winter storm. Some of my biggest Alps powder days have been in mid- and even late April. Lift systems usually shut down between April 15 and May 1 often well before the snow has gone. Turin Best for northwest Italy (Courmayeur, Valle d Aosta, Sestriere) plus some French resorts via major road tunnels. Ditto on the theft. Paris Sounds bizarre, but taking a direct flight to Paris, then being whisked by TGV directly to resorts like La Plagne or Les Arcs, can be faster than waiting for a connecting flight in London or Frankfurt to a closer airport like Geneva, and then still having to take a transfer bus. Venice Best for Cortina and the Dolomites and side-trips to the sinking city. PLANNING TIPS Money Okay, we all need more of it. But how to get at it in the Alps? Easy amazingly so. There are banks all over the place, down to the dinkiest village, almost all with 24-hour instant tellers that accept Canadian bank cards. The fees are usually bearable less than for cashing traveller s cheques and the exchange rate spread is often less than if you charge purchases to credit cards. I go with a credit card and a bank card and withdraw cash in fairly large lots to minimize service charges no more traveller s cheques. Credit cards are accepted in most establishments in most Alpine countries. Phoning Hotels continue to gouge shamelessly for outgoing calls $3-$5 per minute is standard but incoming calls are free, so one easy out is just to phone home, give your hotel number and hang up. Long-distance phone cards are available at kiosks and long-distance charges from phone booths are reasonable to dirt cheap cheapest in otherwise pricey Switzerland. Those miracle go-anywhere cell phones are great but very expensive. 46 s k i c a n a d a» N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 7
Rent skis/boots/poles or bring my own gear? Although many tour operators and resorts continue to recommend renting gear, to me this one answers itself. If it was worth buying skis and boots to cruise Mount St. Louis-Moonstone, then why in the world rent equipment for a holiday of a lifetime where you ll descend some of the best terrain you ll ever see? Not to mention why stick your foot in some smelly thing following its abuse by a succession of British soccer hooligans? As for skis, tuning in the Alps runs the spectrum from World Cup perfection to disgusting. In sum: if you own good skiing equipment and know what a good flex and a supportive boot fit feel like, then bring your own gear. If you re going to ski maybe three out of 10 days and spend the rest shopping or day-tripping to Venice, then by all means rent. Ride the train or rent a car? Many quiver in fear at the mere idea of driving in Europe. Relax, Alpine roads may be windy, but they re generally good and the Alps are full of excellent high-speed freeways and road tunnels beneath major passes. That said, you may not need a car if you re planning to remain at a single, easily-accessed resort. Zurich to St. Anton by train or transfer bus is easier than by car, and far cheaper if you re travelling solo. If you fly into Switzerland on Swiss airlines, you can also take advantage of an amazing luggage delivery system that brings your bags right to the hotel and, on your way home, enables you to do your airline baggage check-in at the ski resort s local railway station. On the other hand, a car s important if you re planning non-skiing side-trips and don t want to ride a tour bus, and handy if you re visiting a strungout valley with several smaller ski areas and only intermittent bus service. A rental car or minivan is also usually cheaper for parties of three or more if your resort is any real distance from the airport, or if you re on a multi-resort itinerary. {{NORM: These next two items could be included with Planning Tips or could just run as individual sidebars if you need them.}} SOME HANDY WEBSITES www.skiclub.co.uk Some consider the Ski Club of Great Britain s website to be without peer for objectivity and thoroughness, especially when it comes to current snow conditions and historical trends. The club s 1/3 sq Ad resort-based reps generate reliable snow and weather information. Visitors must register (free) and paid members have access to additional content. www.ultimate-ski.com A fantastic array of country and resort reports, on- and offpiste, plus snow reports and travel information. www.avalanches.org A handy portal to the main national avalanche bulletins of the Alpine countries, along with links to a lot of knowledge-building background information. Note: not all national bulletins are available in English. www.bergfex.com A comprehensive and allegedly multilingual travel planner, its only downside being that much of its content is still in German. 1/6 Ad 1/8 Ad 1/8 Ad s k i c a n a d a» N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 7 47