[Muenchener]

You can get the train from Munich to Zillertal - albeit complicatedly with multiple changes.

There are direct trains to Innsbruck.

[El Mocho]

Anybody on here got (and willing to lend me) Polvere Rosa the freeride guide to Monte Rosa? Looks like we are going here for Feb half term...

[SA Chris]

Anyone know what the current situation is with car hire at Geneva Airport? There were some issues with hiring from Swiss side and driving in France but not sure if it was resolved..

[ben]

Innsbruck has its own resort reachable by suburban tram, plus you're within easy bus ride of Axamer Lizums or - as a last resort, Stubai Glacier if there's no snow anywhere else.

Thanks for the beta Muencher, have booked an airbnb apartmento in Innsbruck for 4 nights.  Guess we'll be best getting a hire car to make the most of the spots round there

[lagerstarfish]

the mighty Plattsy has agreed to come to Slovakia with me

staying in one of Propaganda Snowboards' chalets in Jasna

currently burning this into my memory

http://chaletjasna.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Jasna-Freeride-Zone-Guide.pdf

along with the contour map from

https://www.freemap.sk/?map=14/48.941022/19.598150&layers=T

the basic E-W ridge with gentle southern slopes and north facing corries in a Scottish style makes it nice and simple...

well psyched

[lagerstarfish]

what's the current knowledge on insurance?

main concern is medical stuff and off piste rescue

http://snowforecast.skicover.com quoted £35.99 for everything for a single week including pre-existing medical shizzle

[sxrxg]

For insurance I have previously used sportscoverdirect.com, have been very useful on the phone and very good with pre existing medical conditions. Also the office staff seem to have a good grasp of what the sports they cover involve such as bouldering or park skiing.

This year however I noticed that defaqto only give them a 3 star rating so have been looking at other providers such as the BMC and insure and go whose winter sports cover both get 5 star ratings. Not decided which provider to go with yet though so any thoughts from others would be welcome.

Finally have fun in Jasna. If the snow conditions are good it will be brilliant with the off piste being easily accessible with only a short walk along the ridge line required. We went in 2012 with only slushy spring snow about and it was still fun however not really in condition for dropping cliffs or straight-lining the chutes!

[chris05]

Your trip looks great Lagers. For insurance be sure that it covers you off piste without a guide. Very few of the cheap ones do. The cheapest option that I have come across that does include it is the Austrian Alpine Club.

[SA Chris]

Look at snowcard, you can tailor cover to suit what you want to do, plus drop it with voluntary excess. I compare each time I buy and usually end up with them.

[sxrxg]

For insurance I have decided to go with Insure and Go for my trip. Have actually ended up with an annual policy as they explicitly cover bouldering (upto 4m) with a crashpad as one of their standard sports so will mean i am covered for the summer and on UK weekend trips as well. (Climbing is not covered unless the additional sports pack is taken out for about £50 on an annual policy to cover all family members - cheaper if just the policy holder is covered).

They cover off piste with or without a guide provided that the area is not specifically closed by resort management. They also cover park skiing (with an increased £250 excess and no personal liability or accident cover) - this is still better than most though (BMC don't cover at all, some cover however when reading the policy jumps >1m are excluded...). All of this is easily confirmed in the policy wording as well unlike some wordings which are ambiguous or not in there even though they say they are covered on the website.

Finally they are 5* Defaqto rated and have a good Trustpilot rating. Obviously this may mean nothing and they could be terrible if you need to use them, initial contact during quotation stage has been very efficient though and all questions answered promptly with written confirmation.  Overall I can't see a better deal for a family of three (approx £120).

[lagerstarfish]

Thanks guys

as sxrxg, I have ended up with an annual family policy with Insure and Go (2 weeks in Font with the family later in the year as well as my boarding holiday)

[lagerstarfish]

leaving the rope, screws, harness and other assorted crevasse rescue shizzle in their box makes me feel like I've made the transition to leisure-boarder

thanks to Bigtuboflard, I will also be wearing a helmet

(still taking avalanche gear and a small axe)

[SA Chris]

Small axe for a big oak...

All good conditions in Scotland at the moment, high pressure in place right now, then more snow coming next week. get here...

[chris05]

Small axe for a big oak...

All good conditions in Scotland at the moment, high pressure in place right now, then more snow coming next week. get here...

Heading up to Glencoe this eve for two days, just got to get work out of the way 

[lagerstarfish]

other commitments getting in my way

[SA Chris]

Heading up to Glencoe this eve for two days, just got to get work out of the way 

Enjoy. You got the Guidebook?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scottish-Offpiste-Skiing-Snowboarding-Glencoe/dp/0992606519

Taking day off tomorrow, probably heading for Glen Feshie for some touring.

[nai]

Thanks guys

2 weeks in Font with the family later in the year

When you going? Thinking about taking the kids for a week in the summer holidays.

[lagerstarfish]

Easter

[lagerstarfish]

I managed 6 days sliding without injuring myself (and didn't injure Plattsy either)

Psyche was high enough for us not to need a rest day

I am amazed at how well my body has coped!

[tomtom]

Waddage sir.

Bet you ache for a week!

Btw, while you were away, Dolly artfully assumes the mantle of master rock hustler...

[SA Chris]

Score much fresh?

I managed post work boarding at Cairn o Mount on Friday night. It was shit, but it's the principle!

[lagerstarfish]

Score much fresh?

we did have a few sprinkles of snow

due to the high winds, this drifted in a spectacular way - both on and off the piste

we found good off piste stuff every day with little effort - some of it was amazing, but we got very little media to show for it due to high winds and low cloud (this weather helped keep lift queues low or non-existent)

luckily Plattsy is a highly trained athlete, so he was able to keep up with me at times despite his youth and inexperience

I don't think I hustled or sandbagged him once

we had some of the best on piste riding I have ever come across - quite a bit of grin-stretching carving was cranked out

I'm keen to go back

[lagerstarfish]

the piste side barbecue grill was the main lunchtime attraction

[SA Chris]

we had some of the best on piste riding I have ever come across - quite a bit of grin-stretching carving was cranked out

I'm keen to go back

Intrigued I am. Big 50 next year so keen to go somewhere a bit different, and Revelstoke looks unlikely...

[lagerstarfish]

this is what you need to see - blue and red on the off-piste guide do not mean the equivalent of pistes graded the same colour!

https://www.jasna.sk/fileadmin/sandbox2/Freeride_prirucka_2017_nahlad.pdf

then there is all the stuff below the scrub/tree line

we barely scratched the surface