Search results

Our Mt. Whitney report from 1999 is here.

With regard to James' link, Barcelona is a popular starting or ending point for Mediterranean cruises. That's a good idea so you can spend a few days before or after. We do not like this kind of place as a one day port call, so no loss IMHO if they get rid of those. And yes ChrisC is correct...

Mammoth has these same issues with big storms and I think most skiers there understand delayed openings. One interesting criticism I’ve heard is that Mammoth is a bit too aggressive blasting in early season, and often an entire face will slide down to the rocks. Some say better to keep closed...

No Alagna is the far eastern base with the most tedious mountain road. Base in Grosseney, more central and just as close to the Indren tram.

Only ChrisC has actually heeded the logical advice of taking South America ski trips on short notice. Mine were with notice of an adequate snowpack but still at least 6 weeks in advance so no real read on conditions. All of my NZ trips were scheduled well before the ski season began.

Barcelona to Grandvilara is 2.5 hours drive but to Baquiera it’s 4 hours. Today was our first of three in Barcelona. Yes it’s busy but no more than all of the other places we have been during this peak Euro vacation season. Barcelona metro population is 5.7 million and Toulouse’s is 1.5. So...

That ordeal belongs in the ski air travel thread.

Primary exposures are west at Baquiera and north at Grandvilara. Tourmalet exposures are all over the map. Grand Tourmalet is 2.5 hours drive and 150km from Baquiera and just over 2 hours from Toulouse.

Combination of dry enough snow to go waist deep and and enough quantity to avoid bottoming out on the old surface is rare. Japan most likely, then the best Intermountain microclimates in Wasatch, Tetons, Selkirk, Monashees. The ankle deep in Portillo is mostly about wind like Mammoth IMHO.

Mt. Whitney is hiking from 2,600-4,400 meters and about 19km round trip. I am not sure Sbooker has any high altitude hiking experience. He could try something in the Alps in September. You need excellent fitness AND above average altitude adaptation plus sleeping in someplace like Mammoth for...

Patrick’s birthday is June 11 I think. He first skied Mammoth on his 40th birthday.

I knew there was a significant French area Grand Tourmalet which would easily fit on a Toulouse gateway but we did not see it. I’m surprised James did not consider Grandvilara. As for La Molina that’s farther east, smaller and mellower with very slow driving, so I would probably pass on that...

IIRC Kylie isn’t any darker than the average Spaniard or Italian and she has an Aussie passport.

Our trip started in Bilbao, Biarritz and Lourdes. We then spent two nights in Andorra. The drive from Lourdes to Andorra via scenic mountain roads took about 5 hours with a few sightseeing stops. This route took us by Baquiera-Beret ski area, first view approaching it from the west. There is...

Odds on Mammoth are about 30%. But they won’t announce July 4 operation until they have full confidence. But most years I will have a strong idea in March/April. And in many years we will know in February that chances are nil. Yes Timberline is guaranteed to be open. This year was bad and it...

As a baseline, consider that I have skied 516 days in the US Rockies, with 11% of that being in powder by my criteria. How do the Alps trips stack up? My first trips, Feb. 2004 NASJA 6 days Chamonix and Mar. 2008 Extremely Canadian 5 days La Grave had essentially no powder. Jan. 2013 was...

Yes

Sbooker complains that flights to NZ are surprisingly expensive for him. So despite the distances price might not be as different as logic would suggest. Everyone here knows that I hate Facebook as a source of info. I resent that many skiers use FB/Instagram to post ski reports (hello...

TISA. And remember, Chile is the more competently governed country of the South American ski scene.

Considering what we have seen over the past 15 years, people should really make their way to Santiago or Las Lenas this season.