Base for the Season

• 

  Beginner
  alice8217 op 4 October 2019 · 19:54

  Hi there! I'm taking a sabbatical from work this winter to ski full time 😀
  I'm trying to decide on a base. My goals are to become a more independent backcountry & freeride skier & tourer. I have lots of experience with skiing out-of-resort with guides, but never had to rely on my own navigation and avalanche safety skills. I want to get better at this, oh and of course ski lots of steeps and powder. I'll do an avi course and maybe a little guiding but mostly want to consolidate my own skills.
  I also need to meet like minded people to become ski buddies with.
  Suggestions on where to base myself? I'll have a car to chase powder a bit, but will still need a base and a season pass.
  Chamonix, Verbier, La Grave, Arlberg, Aosta Valley ... ?
  *message edited by alice8217 op 4 Oct 2019 19:54 (1% bewerkt)
• 

  Expert
  meteomorris op 4 October 2019 · 21:05

  Nice, this will be the best winter of your live @alice8217
  
  To start, it isno winter yet, so you could already start with one of the courses of the mountain academy (https://wepowder.com/en/academy).
  Start learning now and reflect on it during the season. For sure this will help you.
  
  Regarding your base for the season. From when to when do you want to stay in the mountains? Would you prefer ski in -ski out or are you willing to drive a bit? Regarding the season pass and the fact that you want to chase powder: do you want a season pass for a particular area and buy day passes once the chase is on? Or do you want a season pass like the Tirol Snow Card that covers a huge territory?
  

  May the powder be with you.
• 

  Beginner
  alice8217 op 5 October 2019 · 19:20

  Thanks for the reply! I'll take a look at the mountain academy, it looks like a good way to get started early.
  
  I'll be staying in the mountains from the start of January til the end of April I think (or at least end of March).
  I'm willing to drive a bit, I'll have my car.
  I guess regarding a season pass, I want to have one particular area to base myself in, especially to try to meet ski buddies and get to consolidate my skills on local terrain that I can get to know well. So I'd like a season pass for that.
  On top of that, I am willing to chase powder a bit if there are big storms coming to somewhere else where I am not. I can buy day passes for that, or if I have a conglomerate pass, for example the magic pass.
  
  The big thing that I think will be challenging is finding and getting to know people of similar or better ability and knowledge than me that I can learn from and practice avalanche terrain reading & route finding with. This is why maybe some of the bigger towns would be best - I'm sure I could meet lots of like minded skiers in Chamonix or Verbier etc, but it might be harder if I lived somewhere like Zinal.
  
  I'm also a lot less familiar with the eastern alps than the west. I've skied a few times in the Arlberg, Zillertal, Otztal and Kitzbueheler, but know these regions a lot less well than the French and Swiss French side.
  
  Thanks for any suggestions! Especially for any clubs, facebook groups or communities to meet people!
• 

  Expert
  meteomorris op 6 October 2019 · 20:42

  Engelberg: saisonniers and locals gather at the Yucatan and the Skilodge
  Andermatt: contact the team at basecamp Andermatt
  Disentis: Nagijala hostel and bar
  La Grave: Catillan and Skierslodge

  May the powder be with you.
• 

  Expert
  Chester_Tartsnatcher op 12 October 2019 · 15:33

  La Grave: Castillan and Robin at the Auberge Edelweiss.is an affable sort.
  Sedrun (Andermatt-Disentis SkiArena) : https://www.mt-lodge.com/ .
  I met some great folks associated with https://www.das-elisabeth-arlberg.at/en/home/ in St. Anton.
  Also, further East, Henrikka at https://www.hotelechobadgastein.com/home has lived there a while and is super nice.
  
• 

  Expert
  Chester_Tartsnatcher op 12 October 2019 · 15:40

  Further East, in Bad Gastein, Henrikka at https://www.hotelechobadgastein.com/home has lived there for years. Lots of skiing around there, easy access to Mallnitz and Mölltaler Gletscher.
  Around the Andermatt-Disentis SkiArena, Michele knows a bunch of people nd what's happenning: https://www.mt-lodge.com/
  In La Grave, it's the Castillan and Robin at Auberge Edelweiss is an affable sort.

Reply