r/skiing • u/AutoModerator • Feb 24 '23

Megathread [Feb 24, 2023] Weekly Discussion: Ask your gear, travel, conditions and other ski-related questions

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Use this thread for simple questions that aren't necessarily worthy of their own thread -- quick conditions update? Basic gear question? Got some new gear stoke?

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u/pabosaki Feb 28 '23

I just spent 5 days in the French Alps, and all 5 days cost me nearly the same amount as 1 day skiing in the US. Why does it need to be so expensive for a single day lift ticket? Are they pushing people to get season passes, is inflation that insane? I can't wrap my head around why a single day ticket should be over $200 before tax. Who can afford that?

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u/404__LostAngeles Crystal Mountain Feb 28 '23 edited Mar 01 '23

Are they pushing people to get season passes, is inflation that insane?

Yes. By getting people to purchase season passes ahead of time, mountains/corporations are basically guaranteeing profits 8 months in advance. Inflation is also probably a factor/excuse, not to mention that skiing becomes more and more popular every year. Im sure there’s a lot more to it (with profits/greed being a main driver), but I don’t know enough about the industry to say definitively.

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u/displacedpensfan Mar 01 '23

Where in the French Alps were you, and how were the conditions? I've been trying to put something together but have been put off by the reports of dire snowfall levels.

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u/pabosaki Mar 01 '23

Morzine/Avoriaz. Conditions were not great to be honest. There were a few days where it was pretty decent, but the sheer lack of snow overall, and high temps are concerning this year. I haven't checked the weather report since I was there, but I would opt for somewhere higher elevation, or make sure there's snowfall before I would attempt to ski the French Alps.

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u/Churro_Pete Holiday Valley Mar 01 '23

Same question.

skied Chamonix for a week. Thought something was lost in translation when I was trying to figure out lift ticket prices, but no, they are cheep as hell compared to US.

Trails were groomed daily, they made snow when needed, lifties and support crews are equally or better taken care than in US of due to strong French and EU labor laws. Food and beer was no worse or maybe better priced than in the US.

So what the hell?

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u/pabosaki Mar 01 '23

Right?

Unless I go somewhere world class like Whistler, I don't even bother with the lodges in the US anymore. Food/drinks are over priced and the quality is low. At least the slopes are generally nice, and well groomed in the US, but knowing that they do it better elsewhere for 1/2 to 1/3 the cost is frustrating.

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u/displacedpensfan Mar 01 '23 edited Mar 01 '23

Thanks for the info. I think I'm going to go. If there's snow enough, great. If not, well, there's always the wine and cheese, right? I'm betting that the French Alps are just....due for a big dump.

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u/pabosaki Mar 01 '23

Wine and cheese is a good enough reason for sure. Just make sure to look into the conditions because this February/March seems to be pretty rough in comparison to what you can usually expect

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u/displacedpensfan Mar 01 '23

The news report said the worst winter for snowfall in 63 years.

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u/pabosaki Mar 01 '23

I mean.. yeah probably accurate lol. It was still skiiable for sure, but you know.. not the best as well. Higher elevation you can barely notice, but lower is brutal.

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u/JustAnother_Brit Verbier Mar 01 '23

Tignes/Val d’sere has so much snow that a bunch of lifts are closed so that’s probably the best place

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u/LG193 Val Thorens Mar 02 '23

uhh what? Doesn't seem like there is very much snow there.

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u/JustAnother_Brit Verbier Mar 02 '23

Evidently a lot of snow has melted

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u/[deleted] Mar 01 '23

All of those things