Hi all

My trip to Tignes is in tatters Now, in order to team up with my Eastern European inlaws, a crazy idea has sprung up to take a trip w/c 12th Dec.

Long story short, there's a short list of St. Anton or Selva. St Anton is the better snow bet of the two but the Dolomites are better placed for the others travelling by Road (and a lot cheaper). I can't find any decent info about snow in mid December there but know it's a bit erratic at the best of times. Does any bright have any info?

Thanks a mil
Rebecca

[A snowHead]

Hi all

My trip to Tignes is in tatters Now, in order to team up with my Eastern European inlaws, a crazy idea has sprung up to take a trip w/c 12th Dec.

Long story short, there's a short list of St. Anton or Selva. St Anton is the better snow bet of the two but the Dolomites are better placed for the others travelling by Road (and a lot cheaper). I can't find any decent info about snow in mid December there but know it's a bit erratic at the best of times. Does any bright have any info?

Thanks a mil
Rebecca

I know they have very good snow making in the Dolomites and skied there a few years ago at New Year with perfect snow on piste and grass at the sides! Had same experience one New Year in St Anton also. It really depends where the weather comes from. But at that time of year they will be little demand for rooms so maybe wait until you see where the snow falls before you book anything, or pick a central airport where you could cover both options easily, Innsbruck would be a good one as close to both ski areas.

[A snowHead]

I know they have very good snow making in the Dolomites and skied there a few years ago at New Year with perfect snow on piste and grass at the sides! Had same experience one New Year in St Anton also. It really depends where the weather comes from. But at that time of year they will be little demand for rooms so maybe wait until you see where the snow falls before you book anything, or pick a central airport where you could cover both options easily, Innsbruck would be a good one as close to both ski areas.

I know they have very good snow making in the Dolomites and skied there a few years ago at New Year with perfect snow on piste and grass at the sides! Had same experience one New Year in St Anton also. It really depends where the weather comes from. But at that time of year they will be little demand for rooms so maybe wait until you see where the snow falls before you book anything, or pick a central airport where you could cover both options easily, Innsbruck would be a good one as close to both ski areas.

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Selva is at 1500m with the skiing going upto 2300 or tha Marmolada at 3100. I thought St. Anton was lower than that.

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MissRibena, am I remembering correctly that your inlaws were from Romania?

Do they have to drive? Unless there are more than 2 persons involved, flying on a low cost airline such as Blue Air or Wizzair could work out cheaper. I know, I've just booked for my parents who will come from Romania. (Funny, I had a shortlist of three including Selva and St Anton, but ended up booking for Alpe d'Huez).

Statistically I think St Anton has a better chance of good snow but of course it could be different this year.

Marmolada is a glacier so yes there should be some snow, but it takes a LOT of yo-yo-ing on lifts (or almost an hour's drive across a pass) to get there from Selva.

But for 12 Dec, especially if they drive, I'd say book the accommodation at the last moment depending on where the snow comes. I'm sure there will be rooms.

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Mollerski, in case there isn't enough snow to ski it, of course. Since this was the point of the thread...

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Skiing cannon snow in Dec is for losers.

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MissRibena, last season was epic in mid-december across the Dolomites, the best early season snow for decades.

No guarantee of a repeat this winter, but all areas plan to open for business before your dates:

http://www.dolomitisuperski.com/en-US/104EN.html

World Cup Downhill Competition is 16-19th Dec 2009, might be worth a look (and might be a bit busier accommodation-wise that week):

http://www.saslong.org/?pagid=223&newlang=eng

AFAIR never been cancelled due to lack of snow, there is massive snowmaking capability here.

If you can leave the decision as to where to stay till nearer the time, that would be a good idea. If there's poor snow on the Italian side, it'll probably be better on the Austrian side and vice versa.

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Thanks everyone - not a complete white-coat job so. I'll give it more thought.

horizon, yes, you are spot on on the Romanian angle. I'll check about flights but there's a 'gang' of them coming in theory (could be pie in the sky also).

I had a moment where I considered Kaprun as well but if you get good snow, it looks like you're in a restricted area. I suppose I'm looking for a miracle really; somewhere where there's a glacier for emergencies, a good ski area if there's decent snow, a 'reasonable' chance of white stuff in early/mid December and east of Switzerland but still mainstream.

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Thanks everyone - not a complete white-coat job so. I'll give it more thought.

horizon, yes, you are spot on on the Romanian angle. I'll check about flights but there's a 'gang' of them coming in theory (could be pie in the sky also).

I had a moment where I considered Kaprun as well but if you get good snow, it looks like you're in a restricted area. I suppose I'm looking for a miracle really; somewhere where there's a glacier for emergencies, a good ski area if there's decent snow, a 'reasonable' chance of white stuff in early/mid December and east of Switzerland but still mainstream.

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MissRibena, here's a map showing the Austrian glacier resorts, click on the little squares to see more details/piste maps, etc:

http://www.bergfex.com/oesterreich/gletscher/

The 2 largest are the Stubai Glacier and the Hintertux Glacier, they also have plenty of lower altitude skiing in the valleys leading up to the base areas if the snow is good.

The Kitzsteinhorn Glacier near Kaprun is a bit smaller but there's a lot of lower skiing in the vicinity if the snow is good, not just on the Maiskogel, but across the valley at Zell am See and Saalbach-Hinterglemm.

Click on the 'all ski resorts' tab above the map to see the lower resorts

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MissRibena, Go to the Dolomites - great time of season to go...empty mountains and usually great snow that time of year - certainly the last 6 years I've been going!

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http://www.mountainsunltd.com/chalet/albergo-frohsinn : Catered chalet right on the piste above San Cassiano - two lifts to Corvara and on to Sella Ronda circuit, but away from the business of the circuit. Close to Hidden Valley, can be in Arabba 1/2 hour...lovely, lovely, lovely! (Roll on 20th Dec when I'm heading that way myself).

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http://www.mountainsunltd.com/chalet/albergo-frohsinn : Catered chalet right on the piste above San Cassiano - two lifts to Corvara and on to Sella Ronda circuit, but away from the business of the circuit. Close to Hidden Valley, can be in Arabba 1/2 hour...lovely, lovely, lovely! (Roll on 20th Dec when I'm heading that way myself).

http://www.mountainsunltd.com/chalet/albergo-frohsinn : Catered chalet right on the piste above San Cassiano - two lifts to Corvara and on to Sella Ronda circuit, but away from the business of the circuit. Close to Hidden Valley, can be in Arabba 1/2 hour...lovely, lovely, lovely! (Roll on 20th Dec when I'm heading that way myself).

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Looking at the snow record for Selva for the last 7 years I notice that, though there was some natural snow every year on the 2nd week of December there was none on two of the years the week before (or rather, n/a).

High/Low slopes 2nd week Dec 1982-8:

70/5; 92/21; 30/19; 70/50; 25/8; 30/20; 150/90 cm

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Thanks everyone. Looks like we're off to the Dolomites!! woohoo - fingers crossed for some snow. I'm thrilled actually as we had a trip planned before and it fell through due to financial disasters and I've wanted to go there since a snowhead (Roy Hockley, I think) gave it a huge thumbs up a couple of years back.

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The Dolomites have possibly the most spectacular scenery I've seen anywhere. If you were skiing off-piste I'd have said you were much too early, but I bow to others concerning the pistes at that time.

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