Recent content by snowbird surfer

Nice conditions! Is a guide necessary for these lines? Looks line 500 vert ft at 30-45 degrees with reasonable line of site and then skiers left run out back to lift. Hidden hazards?

Yes, I stayed in Staffal last January and agree it’s perhaps the best base for Monterosa. But I would like to overnight in Alagna, and do a bit of house shopping, if only to kill a dream once and for all. Regarding Andermatt, would you recommend round tripping from either Milan or Zurich? If...

Same here. I cannot secure a bed, regardless of room type, at Portillo. ChrisC has encourage day tripping from Los Andes, but also indicated that it would amount to daily LCC shit show😩. What’s a powder hound to do???!

Under your advisement, we’ll be there in February. I am presently holding flights in and out of Zurich, but I’m considering a change to Milano which would an allow a stop over in Alagna. More driving but more optionality. Does this make sense?

Tony, is TISA a variant of this is Africa?

For reference, these monterosa chutes reminded me of the rarely opened Chamonix chutes/livin the dream chute entry on the back side of baldy. These are accessed about a 1/3 of the way up the baldy hike from the snowbird side heading back into mineral basin. Great fun at monterosa and snowbird.

Thank you for posting. I skied these, some with first tracks. Skinned up to the base of Punta Vitoria 2x for extended balma runs. Made many runs through the Olen zone. Did not get to ski la malfatta. I love monterosa. The place even has steep trees (larch forest beneath punta jolanta lift)...

https://alpinepassion.blogspot.com/2014/04/alagna-and-monte-rosa-freeski-paradise.html?m=1 This might tide you over.

Just attempted to purchase. Unfortunately they don’t ship to the US.

Holy smokes powder chase effort:reward is terrible. Seems that the only way to do Portillo is to be prepared to make the call a day out and be prepared to commute to Los Andes with the hope of picking up a mini week cancellation. And the only way to do las lenas is to allocate 2 weeks for...

To the Portillo experts in this forum, are these ratios relatively “blower” powder for Portillo? Tony, can you infer ratios at elevations of 9/10/11k based on this forecasting? How about density? Thanks.

This makes sense. Sadly, I lack the temperance required to bypass an untracked milk run. I see powder on 30+ degree slopes and I start frothing.

I get it and totally agree. Was just trying to make the case that much vert CAN be skied off Gant. Your 2 cable car route no doubt produced better lines and more variety.

Moment wildcat 108 with atomic shift binding handles most everything. Rent head super shape titans or stockli laser if you get skunked on fresh snow. Booking.com as mentioned earlier or indie camper and follow the snow (I talk big about this but have yet to try it with the family of 5😳) If you...

I’ve been looking. Looks like 23 hrs of travel from NYC. Seriously difficult over a 7 days ski week😩. i have a flight into Santiago, but no lodging at Portillo. Not sure I could rally to make the drive to and from Los Andes daily. Looking into a driver. Given that Portillo hasn’t opened...