UKC

I have been coerced into a family skiing holiday in Morzine over the Xmas week. I am a poor skier, and don't enjoy it, whereas my grown up family do.
I plan to take some winter gear and hopefully sneak off into the hills and maybe go snowshoeing, or maybe even a small solo F or something like that, but I am unfamiliar with the area.

Obviously I am going to do some research, but any of you guys got any suggestions that may start me off?

I have plenty of experience, am a WML, so no need to tell me about avalanche risk etc, I'm very careful.....

Cheers in advance

In reply to JohnnyW:

Take skiing lessons... You might actually enjoy it...

In reply to JohnnyW:

try snowboarding

In reply to captain paranoia:

Believe me, I have. Three times. I don't.

In reply to tim000:

See the previous reply. Equally bad, equally unpleasant.....

In reply to JohnnyW:

at the risk of being cliche'd, talk to the tourist information people when you get there. They know the area, and you won't be the first person to ask!

In reply to JohnnyW:

Christmas week is very early for stuff to be in condition, and ice to have formed... Snowshoe - theres some great areas that are pretty accessible, Vallee de la Manche and up to the Col de Cou or Col de la Golese. Or the Foron valley from Col de L'Encrenaz as starters. The morzine IGN map is on sale in the local supermarkets so is easy to pick up. Theres lots going on in town too esp for xmas week. you can also do winter tandem parapente flights which are really cool! Ali

In reply to aligibb:

Brilliant, thanks Ali, that's the kind of stuff I am after.............

In reply to JohnnyW:

3 lessons or 3 seasons?

If the former the first few lessons can be hard and very demoralising as you keep falling over, then if you persevere suddenly it will click and you enter a whole new world of sheer fun.

If the latter it sounds as though you have had crap instructors....

In reply to your request do try snow shoeing. It'll get you up out of the village and you can enjoy being in the hills. It's hard work though!

In reply to Trangia:


Ah, one of those 'unable to accept that some people just don't like skiing' people. They're like Jehovah's Witnesses...

In reply to planetmarshall:

You are probably right because I'm passionate about it (skiing, not JWs). However I was a poor starter, forced into skiing by my father. Initially I hated it, I kept falling over, I got cold and miserable, and...just hated it. Terrible co-ordination, terrible balance etc

Then after being dragged along for several seasons I joined a class with a Swiss instructor who spoke excellent English and really managed to get it across to me. From that season onward I never looked back and found a whole new joy in the sport.

In reply to JohnnyW:

If you have transport ( there are buses I think ) about 20 minutes away is Les Gets. The Mt Cheri (sp?) side has beautiful snow shoeing and walking areas with awesome views. You can walk up from valley or get lift part of the way. Slightly further on is Praz de Lys with awesome lake walks, possible ice routes and the resort further up the road also has some beautiful snow showing / walking areas that are often very quiet.

In reply to JohnnyW:
pas de problemne! I live here in morzine so get in touch again nearer the time for more specifics if you like.

In reply to JohnnyW:

re lessons - if your bad experience is fro group lessons, especially with a French ESF instructor, treat yourself to a 1:1 lesson with a good independent, ideally British instructor - but need to book sharpish being over Christmas

In reply to JohnnyW:
What Ali Gibb said, plenty good walks nearby...probably worth taking crampons though, because the forestry paths get icy. Micro spikes might do but obviously you can make that decision when you go. Re the higher peaks, probably not a good idea without skis, snow shoes are not good on steeper slopes.
There's a bus up to the Col de Cou. The valley Manche can be prone to avalanche, especially the sunny side.

In reply to aligibb:

Will do, thanks a lot

In reply to Trangia:


Three separate blocks of lessons, spread over 3 occasions, over approximately 20 years. And snowboarding. I have tried, I really have. Oh, and Cross Country..........


I don't think so


They can't have all been crap - I am just very inflexible after years of cycling and mountaineering (and poor stretching I suppose), and I just don't move that way it seems


I have snow shows, I have done it many times. I love it.

In reply to planetmarshall:


Indeed - I want alternatives in the locality....I have been through all the 'you're wrong, it's great, really' so many bl**dy times (and know I will at Xams too, dreading it!)

In reply to JohnnyW:

Apparently the mountain bike trails in Les Gets are still open for business.....

In reply to peebles boy:

They're gonna need to be. After all my worrying, turns out there's bu**er all snow!