Scary Steep #2

actually just did some research.. only $700 for a round trip ticket from boston to zurich for 3 weeks. eat pb&j and ramon noodles and you could have a $1000 trip for 3 weeks!

drail are you for real?

this is probably one of the better articles posted in a while. It wasn't trying to sell anything but merely giving advice on how to do it right in Europe and he was pretty on point. I'd take a season in europe over north america any day, not just for the skiing but the complete love for skiing over there is unreal, not to mention europeans on the hill are very polite respectful and reaaaally friendly. I can't wait to go back...

funny thing is that most people in europe are talking with the same awe when it comes to northern america. especially park, ok, but also big mountain

so funny for us swiss guys to see that skiing in europe, especially switzerland, is something like a myth in the states. I can only agree, if you wanna ski some big mountain get your asses over here =) btw I'gonna check out skiing BC next year, super stoked to see how it's different to the alps...

nice article! going to be in the french alpes until february from saturday!

damn looks so fun

Eurotrip anyone?

Eurotrip anyone?

My mom is a travel agent and i just had her find a roundtrip ticket from chicago to zurich for $531 in january. i could fly to tahoe for that much. this is an awesome article it really opens my eyes to whats possible on a low budget

BOOM! Europe!!!

I've always wanted to go there. But honestly how is the snow quality? Seems like Europe has such variable snow.

Since it's so damn big I'm sure you can find some good snow but do you have to be a mountaineer to find it?

^^^

europe has the best off the lift access terrain in the world. Of coure places like la grave are exceptions because its a hill for only gnarrrly big mountain skiers but any other french or swiss resort more or less has the same concept. Take a nice 40 minute gondola up and the direction is downward datts it.

Sorry, but it is irresponsible to write an article like this, to a North American audience, without specifically talking about the difference in terrain control/boundaries between skiing at North American and European resorts. Are you really going to tell kids on NS to just go and ski whatever they can see from the lifts in France and Switzerland? You should add a paragraph defining what off-piste means in Europe, talking about how the terrain is (mostly) uncontrolled from an avalanche and terrain hazard perspective, chutes that end in massive cliffs, glacier travel, drainages going nowhere (or to another valley). If you are going off piste for the first time, a guide should be hired for at least the first few days in a new area. It's not like North America where you are "safe" as long as you stay in bounds.

So, grambo, let me get this straight. Going to Jackson Hole and dropping into Granite Canyon is totally different than skiing off-piste in Europe? Or heading out a backcountry gate in Aspen is totally safe, unlike Europe? Or hiking into Wolverine Cirque is completely OK, just because I'm in Utah? Huh? Really? I think you need to give the community here some credit. Most here understand that going out of bounds - in Europe or North America - means that you need to bring the appropriate gear, know how to use it and check local avalanche forecasts, tap into locals to get info, etc. Give us some credit, dude. Many of us do have some common sense, and it's irresponsible of you to assume that we're all clueless just because we're part of Newschoolers, and "kids" as you put it.

My point is that at all the resorts you mentioned, you must pass through a clearly marked BC gate or resort boundary line to access those areas.

In Europe, you can simply ski off the groomed piste (usually marked on each side with bamboo/orange, but no fencelines) and get yourself into heavy shit immediately. Resorts in North America have perm closures, temp avy closures, boundaries etc. in a way that European resorts do not, it is an entirely different system. There is a huge difference and you can get yourself into shit more easily in Europe, which is why I suggested hiring a guide if you want to go exploring (which is pretty commonly recommended advice).

Grambo, it's just an article showing the goods to be had in Europe. The same shit you see in magazines and ski movies. I would hope people on here are not such retards that they wouldn't understand that there are crazy hazards to be had when you go off piste. You don't see TGR, Matchstick, Level 1, etc let people know that there is real danger when you go out of bounds, out a backcountry gate, or off-piste in Europe. I do see your point, but I don't think this is an irresponsible article.

Actually, in many TGR (and some MSP) movies, the athletes talk about the dangers of avalanches and terrain, show the guides digging pits (TGR is good at this).

I agree it's the users responsibility to gain the knowledge required, but education is an important part, and the more the word is spread, the less accidents are going to happen.

^^ although you raise a valid point grambo, like the heavy winter said, you gotta give us some credit.

Im from the ice coast of canada and spent last year rippin france and switzerland and like any east coaster would be i was be completely amazed at how different european terrain is. People have common sense when it comes to backcountry skiing, no one in their right mind would head out mindlessly traversing chutes and hiking unknown territory without the right equip or at least with locals. There i was thinking bombing into a 70 foot booter was scary but as soon as i laid eyes on a legit chute and did some traversing on top of 100 foot cliffs i realized that backcountry skiing is no joke.

anyway i guess thats just me but i never went into dangerous places alone or unequipped. Even coming from Quebec i knew about avalanche signs and respected them and i would assume i'm not the only one who would take such precautions.

Awesome article by awesome person about awesome places and better people. Way to go.

60th!!!!