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TQA

Putting on skis
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Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Posts
75
If you are restricted to the school holiday dates in Feb then I strongly recommend you look hard at Arabba in the Dolomites. I was a lecturer with the Feb half term week off. I found Arabba to be much less crowded than France or Austria. They get less snow but have extensive snowmaking and manage their snow very well. Getting less snow means more bluebird days. The views are stunning and not spoilt by any French style brutal mountain resorts that look like car parks in the snow.

Staying in Arabba gives you easy access to the Marmolada which has some stunning off piste routes and the long run down to Malga Ciapela,. Now It is a while since I have looked into this but I believe that the italians are very hot on people carrying AVI gear if off piste and in some places a guide is required.

Arabba is also on the Sella Ronda.

If you have a car Cortina is an easy drive.

I skied Arabba several times and always stayed in the hotel Malita which is very close to the lifts. Never had problems with long queues or prolonged bad weather. We always hired a car but there is an Arabba Shuttle Service from Venice and Treviso airport.. See the Arabba tourist office for details.

The only thing the resort lacks is long hairy chest black runs.
 

Swede

Making fresh tracks
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Joined
Jan 29, 2016
Posts
2,390
Location
Sweden
If Sauze d'Oulx and Sestriere are quiet during the school holidays, then I can recommend them as well. I was there back on the first full week of February this year, which was just before the big holiday rush, and the crowds weren't bad. But, I've never been there during the UK, French, and Dutch holiday weeks.

Sauze d'Oulx is more convenient for the whole ski area. But if prices are better in Sestriere, then you can get to Sauze d'Oulx with one lift ride. There's a lot of good off-piste terrain in both sections and in Mont Genevre, but it takes a long time to get to MG. There are a lot of slow lifts on that side of the area, so set off early.

I’ve been a few times and always third/fourth week of February (due to ... school holidays) which are about as busy as it gets. We’ve been able to find untouched — not only off piste — but curdoroy late afternoon. No lift lines in some parts of the system. I mean zero. Just the smoking lift man running his empty chairs. ”Free” speed. There are some bottle necks in some parts that resulted in 2-5 minute lift lines. But could be mitigated by a little planning.
Inme Italy is generally quiter and for the last years I’ve gone there exclusively (in the same period always) for holiday skiing. Only gone to Austria for pre season race camps in Hintertux and Stubai. France and Austria is a lot busier. The only place I’ve found ”crowded”, to the contrary of previous poster, is Arabba and the Sella Ronda in the Dolomites which was reminding me of St Anton, Espace Killy in that respect. I guess everyone wants to ski the most famous ... which is completely understandable. So if you like me are ”forced” to go in a bad period, there are great little less famous resorts that will provide a better skiing experience.
 

Jacob

Out on the slopes
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Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Posts
777
Location
Maui
In that case, @Slim Sauze d'Oulx or Sestriere could be the destination for your group.

If you end up going there, let me know and I can give you a list of lifts to hit for easy-access off-piste terrain.
 

Bolder

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Dec 1, 2017
Posts
486
The advice I give to Americans thinking about the Alps is to go big. Don't bother with 2nd tier ski stations. You want something that will give you the best chance of a memorable trip. In your case, I'd argue for Val Gardena, or another area on the Sella Ronda (As mentioned above, Arabba? Or perhaps San Cassiano/Corvara).

The problem with France (where we live and mostly ski) is that the best big interconnected ski areas (Paradiski, 3V etc) tend to be purpose built, whereas the "quaint" villages tend to have less, and lower, terrain.

Switzerland is very expensive (disclaimer: have only skiied in Zermatt but spend a lot of time in GVA for business...ouch on the wallet); Austria is great, however, I think that the Dolomites offer Americans a truly unusual experience: the scenery is mind-blowing; the food equally so; and the terrain is varied enough that you won't get bored -- and they are experts at grooming and snowmaking, so that there will be something good to ride. We were in Val G in February school break and the crowds were very manageable, at least compared to France.
 

Goran M.

Getting off the lift
Inactive
Joined
Nov 21, 2015
Posts
456
Italy - Aosta

Home of Cervinia, Courmayeur, La Thuile, MonteRosa, Pila ...

Quick trip to: Verbier or Chamonix ...

2 days spent in Geneva were very expensive ... France is cheaper than Switzerland and Italy even cheaper. Now, Euro is much stronger than last two years ("Trump Effect" maybe) but it was still significantly cheaper to ski in Europe this winter. And the snow was plentiful - maybe too much at the time .
 

James

Out There
Instructor
Joined
Dec 2, 2015
Posts
24,449
Just go.
I will say that I think the most efficient skiing is in North America. That is get on lift, ski, repeat. Not a lot of going somewhere, wait, go somewhere else, then ski.
So, if one is obsessed with that efficiency, stay, or be sure to go to the most efficient in Europe. Which others here will have to tell you. I think it's France? But not Cham.

I suspect Europe has better lift accessed off piste. Ride lift, skin say 20min to 1hr, ski, then repeat. I know Verbier is famous for that. Been there a couple times, never done it. Still had great time, but there's more available.

Want to ski to a town? Europe. Want to ski so far away from where you started acab is €300 back or it's a 40 min bus down the valley to the train, to another train, to a gondola or bus home? -Europe. But that's more adventure, travelling on skis and off. That might annoy some.

In Verbier last season I did a guided group. One run we started way up top. A lot of it was in fog. Wecane down into treed areas, and eventually were so far down the snow was only a few inches on grass. We were at a town. (Sarreyer) The wooden buildings were hundreds of years old. We walked to a cafe, had lunch. Then got a van back. At lunch the guide asked me if there was anything in the US like we just did.

Obviously there's no village that old. But, Could you ski to a town? I racked my brain, but couldn't come up with anything here.
 

fatbob

Not responding
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Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,288
Obviously there's no village that old. But, Could you ski to a town? I racked my brain, but couldn't come up with anything here.

Minturn Mile? Skiing off the back of Whitewater down to Salmo? Anywhere that has road laps?
 

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