UKC

I am lucky enough to be able to get up on a winter morning and choose ski resorts according to the current weather and snow reports. (Inverness.) So I have never bothered with foreign ski holidays. This winter I am thinking about breaking that mould and heading off somewhere.

So, seeking more reliable snow, more and longer runs, change of scene. From the UK, which ski destination provides the best value?

North America tends to have more reliable snow than Europe.

I tend to head for The Rockies rather than the Sierra Nevada. Being nearly 1000 miles inland from the Pacific Coast it stays consistently colder, and the snow in the Rockies tends to be better - good powder. I suggest Aspen or Park City near Salt Lake City.

The Sierra Nevada resorts can get good dumps of snow, but the weather, but the weather can be fickle with sudden temperature rises leading to slushy snow and rain due to the influence of the Pacific. Resorts like those around Lake Tahoe suffer from this, as do the West Coast Canadian resorts.

Flights are more expensive than Europe, and because of the jet lag effect I suggest 10 days to two weeks is better than just a week when you could spend the first couple of days recovering from the flight. Food is cheaper than in Europe, but getting single room accommodation can be difficult and expensive if you can find it. Much cheaper if you share.

Having spent many seasons skiing in Europe since the 1950s I first "discovered" North American skiing about 20 years ago and was delighted to find it much better and less crowded than he Alps. Beautifully  maintained wide open pistes, excellent lift systems well operated to minimise queuing (standing in line) and well patrolled runs resulting in much better piste discipline. Bad or dangerous ski behaviour isn't tolerated, and transgressors have their lift passes confiscated, so generally much more consideration to other skiers/boarders.

Superb off piste skiing with champagne powder, particularly as I say above, in the Rockies.

I've not skied in Eastern America since the 1950s, where I originally learned in Ontario, but friends who have skied in American Eastern resorts tell me that for "Advanced Intermediates/ Experts" the length of the runs is quite limited compared with the West or even the Alps.

I used to be similar to you - Aberdeen-based and always skied Glenshee and the Lecht, but about 5 years ago, a mate invited me along on a group trip to the Alps and I've not looked back since - you'll love it!

Everyone will have their own favourite resorts and ways of getting there.  I've done DIY trips, booking Easyjet flights, arranging airport transfers (often as expensive as the flights!) and local hotel or Airbnb accommodation, and I've also gone a couple of times with Crystal Ski as a package deal.  My preference for a stress-free trip is definitely with the package deal.  Others will recommend driving to the continent, but from the north of Scotland, it's a bit of a thought!

The cheapest resorts seem to be Bulgaria, but they appear to be quite small and limited.  I've developed a preference for huge resorts with lots of choice of runs, ski-in/ski-out accommodation and snow-sure high altitude resorts.  This year, I'm making a second visit with Crystal Ski to La Tania which links into the Three Valleys and ticks all my boxes.  £576 from Glasgow airport for the last week in January.  There's approx £250 on top of that for the lift pass, plus you'll have ski hire or ski carriage, and as it's self-catering, there's food but I ignore the cost of that as I have to eat whether I'm home or away!

You can reduce costs by going late season and picking a high altitude resort to be snow-sure (e.g. Cervinia, Tignes, Val Thorens), and obviously quality of accommodation greatly impacts overall costs - depends how fussy you are! 

Canadian Rockies has most reliable snow and a weaker currency. Good value.

2 out of 3 responses so far suggesting North America? They appear to have neglected your statement about value/title skinflint. From Europe there's nothing particularly good value about NA, it's more expensive to get to and the bigger better resorts are EXPENSIVE, largely due to the fact most yanks only ever take 3-5 day ski holidays due to the fact they're limited fro vacation time, as a result of which they tend to be less price conscious. 

For value i'd suggest either Austria or France (possibly italy but i've not been, yet). Go on a package deal with one of the big tour operators. So long as you avoid Christmas/New years, February/mid terms, and Easter you should be able to get decent value. If you're prepared to stay in a shoe box apt self catering this should be cheap enough. Personally i prefer to book early march as the prices tend to be right, the snow pack is usually good as there's been plenty of time for it to develop and it coincides with my birthday. I also try to book resorts where the majority of the skiing terrain is above 2,500m this means it'll be snow sure.

HTH

Action outdoors/UCPA is cheap (well as cheap as a snow sports trip can be) as long as you fit their age criteria. It's a French non profit ski youth hostel type of organisation. Up to 55 years on occasion but not always.  

I went snowboarding with them last year.  Food was fine, shared a room with 3 others, lessons were included.  All good.  

another recomendation for UCPA, We went on a week to La Plagne with a double en suite room rather than a dormitory & it was very good value for money.

Sshhh!

The reason is that 

"So, seeking more reliable snow, more and longer runs, change of scene." unfortunately doesn't sit comfortably with "Skinflint"

If the OP wants the goodies he'll have to pay for them, if not, then Europe generally comes as a poor second choice these days, particularly on consistently more reliable snow, which for a skier is surely the most important criteria?

Of course it's a gamble, but I prefer to take my chances where there is a consistently better record.

However, remember the OP notes that he's only ever skied in Scotland.  Compared to relatively tiny runs on heather, rocks and slush at Cairngorm and Glenshee, a trip to the Alps away from potentially lean early/late season conditions is going to be on another level entirely, without the expense of crossing the Atlantic.

I've skied a few times in California and certainly wouldn't consider it any better than the skiing I've encountered in the Alps.  Happy to accept that Colorado might be another matter entirely though!

2nd week of Jan is a good week for cheap skiing as everyone else has gone back to school or work. 

Self catering is probably the best value, take packed sandwiches for lunch.

in terms of resorts chamonix is good because there’s nearly always one part of it which is in good condition, close to geneva airport and relatively cheap airport transfer. Major drawback is you have to get the bus to the skiing as it’s all quite far apart. There’s a good hostel with bunk bed accommodation which you can do cheaply. 

Also Morzine. More convenient access to the slopes but as with chamonix cheap airport transfer, I stayed in a b&b there which was reasonable priced.

other options - I’ve had good cheap skiing in Andorra and Spain. A friend had a good trip in the French Pyrenees. Generally a bit less reliable than the alps but I’ve never been disappointed in Spain or Andorra.

In Feb this year I drove to Formigal resort in the Spanish Pyrenees. The ski pass gets you access to 4 valleys. I slept in my car and in a cheap hostel a 10 minute drive past the resort. Had the hostel to myself and you get a decent breakfast. I reckon you won't find better value than that. 

Astonished by suggestions for North America for a skinflint wanting best value. So jetlag, air fares, lift passes, insurance, ski hire are not to be taken into account?

Here's a couple of links for some ideas hopefully nearer the mark:

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/oct/20/20-affordable-skiing-holiday...

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/oct/20/10-best-small-affordable-ski...

Go in mid January or March, look for discounts from Crystal and other UK operators and think East Europe or Austria, Italy; all French resorts seem a bit pricey IMHO. Accommodation in chalets probably bit cheaper. But really no such thing as a cheap skiing holiday, just some are less expensive than others.

Had a friend who took his girlfriend to alpine resort skiing. Apparently reduced rail fares as he worked for British Rail. They camped near top of ski lift. Very cheap all round. Girlfriend learnt to ski in valley while he used main slopes. She strained knee and no relaxing baths possible but at least she was able to get last lift up each day with food from shop!
Seriously if you do want a really skinflint holiday you might be able to do something similar, possibly using a refuge or shepherd's hut within easy walking distance. Have to be very discreet if using a tent.
 

Jim

I went on my first ever ski-package holiday in March (Mrs B is a veteran of ski holidays however). We went with Crystal Ski to a wee place in Austria called Niederau. The lift ticket covered a few other nearby resorts, easy free buses to get you there. The skiing was good, apparently pretty steep compared to most other areas, plenty off-piste too (not that I did any of it, I was learning to ski with my heels fixed down, very odd) and a nice village which didn't feel like a resort. Very remarkable local hooch too, schnapps made from white turnips. Key is timing the holidays, it was full of Irish and Dutch when we were there so all was good.

I can't recall what it cost but we are tighter than a <insert mix unPC stereotypes of your choice> so it must have been pretty inexpensive.

S

Disclaimer alert - I am biased as I have accomodation which I'll try to sell to you

The Dolomites. Cheap flights to Venice Marco Polo with either Cryanair (if you can cope with it) or Easyjet. Cheapish car hire for the 2 hour transfer. Accomodation that starts around 70 quid a night for 2 people in January or late season. Ski pass (solomiti Superski) is a card which gives you access to 1200km+ of slopes, one of the largest ski areas in the world all on one card and is better value than just about every other combined card. Not wanting to ski all the areas all the time? You can get a single area card with Dolomiti superski access on a couple of days which is cheaper, or you can just do one area. Also food and drink on the slopes is cheaper than France by a country mile, better quality and authentic local food, rather than a punnet of chips for over a fiver. Snow? Well it depends on the year for sure. Watch the NAOS - nevative points indicates a warmer wetter (i.e. snowier season) but the Dolomites really has the best snow making system anywhere should the snow fail.

I go into more detail here:

http://www.casa-alfredino.co.uk/uncategorized/ski-the-dolomites/

Depends on what you want I suppose. Bansko in Bulgaria is cheap and reliable, but not huge and if you are an experienced skier then you may exhaust it in a week as there aren't a huge number of runs. Generally what they have is pretty good and the infrastructure is all modern and reliable. Bulgaria is not the best place to go if you are vegetarian or lactose intolerant

If you want to spend more money but get technically cheaper per kilometre of my skiing then the 3 valleys can work out well. It is ruinously expensive if you try to book a big chalet in peak season but there are definitely good deals to be had and the skiing is great. If it was my money I'd probably book something in Meribel as corcheval and val thorens means you can have a long way to ski back when exploring the edges of the resort. I have heard good things about Austria but have never been myself. 

Fair point!

Yes, I had overlooked the fact that the OP's experience had been limited to Scottish skiing, so the Alps, so long as there is snow, should be fine, and as a general rule the higher the better eg Val Thorens or go east where there is usually a better chance of snow Salbach/Hinterglem or Kitzbuhl spring to mind. Great atmosphere in Austria.

Re California v Colorado I recommend you give the latter a try!  Apres ski is uninspiring and dull, but the skiing is superb

BTW I have only skied in Scotland twice, one of which was about 5 years ago in the Cairngorms when I hit gold for one day with about 50cm to 100cm of fresh champagne powder over a base of 1 m to 5m , minus 15 degrees and bright crisp sunshine. Mid week so not too crowded. The best conditions I'd experienced in 55 years of skiing! Better even than Colorado.The locals were saying it was the best they had ever experienced. What a pity it's so rare.

Sounds great...except for the part about minus 15. Is that good conditions for skiing? Seems flipping cold to me.

I've skied & snowboarded in the French Alps, Pyrenees & Canada. All were very good but, obviously, conditions will make or break any ski trip. Proximity to oceanic weather fronts may have a big effect as people have said. Fortunately on the trip to Andorra it absolutely dumped it with 3 feet of snow overnight the night of our arrival, breaking a long spell of sheet ice/ Scottish- type conditions! (And it was was duty free too so mega cheap). 

One thing that struck me about boarding at Banff was that on the really cold days (-30 deg c) my Scottish climbing type clothing layers were not really warm enough for the job. Freezed my ass off on the long ski lifts. A decent duvet jacket and neoprene face mask would be on my packing list if I was to go back. Might be relevant if you decide to go for something over there?

If you ski tour then you can cut out the lift pass cost and also get out of the resorts which are a bit of a tourist trap. Loads of places to go then but I would consider Austria and Italy. I am off to Georgia this January and that is really cheap by all accounts. 

One other thing to consider if going to north america is the insurance tends to be expensive.