International (Europe/Japan/Southern Hemisphere) 2021-2022 Europe Resorts/Conditions/Meetups

[Crank]

We have Ikon and it was a nice surprise that Dolomiti Superski is included. We will be there for 6 ski days! Hopefully.

I tried emailing them and never heard back. I called Ikon they had no clue and were looking at the Superski website while I was on the phone with them. I will eventually try calling Dolomiti Superski.

Things are changing so fast with Covid it's not worth getting too worked up about anything and our attitude is we will go if we can and everything will work out.

 

[Cheizz]

Once you have a QR code and a ski pass, the validation process in the app is a breeze by the way. You have to upload the QR code once, and the ski pass too (just read the ski pass out with NFC functionality or put in the number manually). Every next day, you just hit the button 'validate ski pass for today' and you're done.

 

[Ice2Pow]

I would not travel to/from the US right now. The risk is that you'll test positive at some point and be stuck for 7-10 days. And you wouldn't find that out until you were on the way to an airport, so it's not like you'd be confined to, say, Val Gardena. More likely some suburb of Milan.

The US accepts rapid antigen tests now, so can check yourself the afternoon before your morning flight. So if we turn positive, we'll stay in Zermatt. Alternatively, we are looking at Covac Global for air ambulance extraction in the event we turn positive. Requires symptoms to trigger, but these can be mild. $745 per person and must order before your trip. I don't think we'll pull the trigger on this but it's nice to have the option.

COVAC GLOBAL - The Premiere Medical Evacuation Membership

COVAC GLOBAL The first indemnified medical evacuation & repatriation membership program designed for Covid-19. Get Sick. Get Home.

covacglobal.com

 

[Bolder]

The US accepts rapid antigen tests now, so can check yourself the afternoon before your morning flight. So if we turn positive, we'll stay in Zermatt. Alternatively, we are looking at Covac Global for air ambulance extraction in the event we turn positive. Requires symptoms to trigger, but these can be mild. $745 per person and must order before your trip. I don't think we'll pull the trigger on this but it's nice to have the option.

COVAC GLOBAL - The Premiere Medical Evacuation Membership

COVAC GLOBAL The first indemnified medical evacuation & repatriation membership program designed for Covid-19. Get Sick. Get Home.

covacglobal.com

Well, yes, if you can afford potentially several thousand $s for an ambulance, although not sure how you'd get out of car-free Zermatt (chopper...?) and have the ability to extend your vacation and stay in Zermatt...assuming there's space for you...then nbd...anyway, here's hoping the wave is cresting soon.

 

[fatbob]

The US accepts rapid antigen tests now, so can check yourself the afternoon before your morning flight. So if we turn positive, we'll stay in Zermatt. Alternatively, we are looking at Covac Global for air ambulance extraction in the event we turn positive. Requires symptoms to trigger, but these can be mild. $745 per person and must order before your trip. I don't think we'll pull the trigger on this but it's nice to have the option.

COVAC GLOBAL - The Premiere Medical Evacuation Membership

COVAC GLOBAL The first indemnified medical evacuation & repatriation membership program designed for Covid-19. Get Sick. Get Home.

covacglobal.com

Can't help but think that tourists going skiing are not really the purpose of such policies and that rather they are for individuals going to places where healthcare is not that great. Just isolate in a nice hotel with food brought to you if necessary.

 

[James]

Where can you get tested in France or Switzerland to count for a plane trip?

 

[Cheizz]

Where can you get tested in France or Switzerland to count for a plane trip?

Most ski areas / tourism agencies have locations on their websites where you can get tested.

 

[Crank]

Can't help but think that tourists going skiing are not really the purpose of such policies and that rather they are for individuals going to places where healthcare is not that great. Just isolate in a nice hotel with food brought to you if necessary.

We purchased insurance for that - to cover cost of hotel and food in case of quarantining due to positive covid test - It cost a little over $100 for 2 of us.

 

[Rod9301]

Where can you get tested in France or Switzerland to count for a plane trip?

Any pharmacy

 

[Ice2Pow]

Well, yes, if you can afford potentially several thousand $s for an ambulance, although not sure how you'd get out of car-free Zermatt (chopper...?) and have the ability to extend your vacation and stay in Zermatt...assuming there's space for you...then nbd...anyway, here's hoping the wave is cresting soon.

It's insurance for that transport cost. You pay the $675 upfront, but you likely won't need it. So it's a gamble. But if you do need it, they come pick you up in Europe and fly you home. No additional cost.

I'm not so worried about the isolation period. I could enjoy myself in a European hotel just as much as I could at home. It's the fact that there was going to be a work event that I couldn't miss one week after my trip. And the US isolation policy - 5 days, is shorter than an open-ended, can't-fly-until-you-test-negative, US air re-entry policy. But my work event was postponed, so now I am good.

 

[Ice2Pow]

Any pharmacy

Or you can do what United Airlines is recommending - a home (hotel) testing kit that you perform live on video. Available at emed.com. Here is United's FAQ page for international travel. We ordered these.

 

[Ice2Pow]

Switzerland eases entry requirements. Covid testing no longer necessary for the vaccinated:

Switzerland eases Covid entry rules | Travel Weekly

Boost for skiers who have been vaccinated

travelweekly.co.uk

I'm uncertain if United will still make us test for the flight over though. And I doubt the US will waive the requirement for return. We'll see.
Also, Covac Global which I mentioned above has changed their policy for repatriation. They now require hospitalization. So not as useful.

 

[James]

Switzerland eases entry requirements. Covid testing no longer necessary for the vaccinated:

Switzerland eases Covid entry rules | Travel Weekly

Boost for skiers who have been vaccinated

travelweekly.co.uk

I'm uncertain if United will still make us test for the flight over though. And I doubt the US will waive the requirement for return. We'll see.
Also, Covac Global which I mentioned above has changed their policy for repatriation. They now require hospitalization. So not as useful.

When/where are you going?
Good chance I’m going last week of Feb.

 

[Ice2Pow]

When/where are you going?
Good chance I’m going last week of Feb.

We are going the first week of February. We may have better eating than skiing though. They could really use few storms to freshen the mountains up and get some more slopes/itineraries open. Looking forward to our trip, regardless.

 

[James]

Curious what people think of trips like this lift - skin - ski - hut trip in Italy.

Mostly low angle terrain? Though doesn’t look it.
Is there enough snow this year so far for this? I guess if there’s not snow, you do pistes?

This is from 2014-
Description:
———————
Ski Tour Italy Dolomites! We went off piste skiing with our friend and IFMGA Guide, Paul Held. Paul did an awesome job guiding! Extreme Off Piste Skiing and Ski Tour in powder snow at the Dolomiti in Italy. We skied Marmolada, Arabba, Cortina d'Ampezzo, and more ski areas. The best way to experience this area is with the "Dolomiti Superski" Pass which accesses all the ski slopes and the 20 Snowparks that are spread across the Dolomites Superski network…
——————-

 

[Cheizz]

Over Cortina, on top of the Sella Massif, and over San Martino Castrozza there are nice couloirs and big mountain lines that require a bit of a hike (although not all). But most is only doable in spring (you need a huge base for most of these lines). Most other terrain is either quite mellow or unskiable (better for base jumping).

I do believe there can be very nice ski safari's though, including some gnarly off-piste stuff if you have the right conditions and guide.

 

[fatbob]

As I understand it there are some world class couloirs in the dolomites but you definitely need snowpack in your favour and a guide. Not unrelated to the snowpack issue is why the Sella Ronda probably has the best snowmaking in the world.

 

[Snowflake2420]

Any advice for best the ways to check snow conditions in Europe? I potentially have the opportunity to jump on a last minute hut trip in the Dolomites in March and I'm trying to figure out how this winter is going. Specifically, I'm looking into the area between Santa Caterina and Sulden.

 

[Cheizz]

It's not going great in the Dolomites. No fresh snow since early January I believe. That said, in the Dolomites they still have about 100% of the runs open. I checked.

I usually check the ski area website: https://www.dolomitisuperski.com/en/home
Then of course there are all kinds of snow height websites. I google them.

 

[Bolder]

Any advice for best the ways to check snow conditions in Europe? I potentially have the opportunity to jump on a last minute hut trip in the Dolomites in March and I'm trying to figure out how this winter is going. Specifically, I'm looking into the area between Santa Caterina and Sulden.

Bergfex. Lots of data there.

BERGFEX-Mountain weather Sulden am Ortler - Weather report

bergfex Bergwetter: bergfex - Mountain weather - Sulden am Ortler - Weather report

www.bergfex.com

We're off to Val G in two weeks so hoping for just a little bit more (well, a lot more) fresh snow. Hills are looking pret-ty bare...