Poorly chicken

[Ms Marple]

I am hoping that there are a few Omleteers perhaps who have or who can give some advice anyway. YS has skied once - last year. OH and I, 52 and 40 alot years young have never actually taken the plunge. We intended to and were all booked- twice - 6 years ago but then ES stated having his knee troubles that turned out to be rather major.

 

ANYWAY... we were thinking about going this Easter and were looking at Colorado/USA initially but very unsure and then thought perhaps a company like Mark Warner, where a lot is included(food anyway)might be the answer. We did a couple of summer holidays when the boys were early teens with this company and whilst perhaps expensive - they were really enjoyed by all four of us.

 

Has anyone been with them? Where to go resort-wise as we are truely ignorant on this score? In fact, any advice at all would be most welcome.

 

Hopefully

[Rhapsody]

My family have used the MW St Anton resort quite a few times- if you've done MW summer before its ythe same basic formula, and I think they have a couple of couples-only resorts. The instructors are friendly and English-speaking and the food is good. If you can stand the flight I personally would go to an American or Canadian resort though- the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, the pistes are HUGE and there are never any queues at the lifts!

[debbier]

I've never been on a Mark Warner holiday.

 

I do enjoy skiing holidays with my children (not so young these days: 15+17), as it's such a great family thing to do. My two register in ski school with other manic kids of their age, and go off down forest trails that I'd shudder at the thought of navigating!

 

We did do Tremblant a few times, in Canada, but flying into Montreal, so closer than Whistler (which we've also done), and I'd rate that very highly for a mixed party. The nursery slopes are very accessible, and the village is smack bang at the bottom of the slopes, with a damn fine coffee shop within easy staggering distance. Their ski school was also very good.

 

Edit: forgot to say, my first ever ski instructor, on a dry slope in the UK didn't start to ski until in his fifties, so don't let age put you off.

[clootie]

A good friend of mine won't go with anyone other than Mark Warner, has done for years and has nothing but praise for the organisation. It can be a bit pricey but well worth it I've been told.

[MadMitch]

Haven't used Mark Warner but just wanted to say we were 40 and 49 when we learnt to ski, more because we could never really afford to go when we were younger. Were both ski addicts now.

Edited January 14, 2010 by Guest

[docsquid]

We haven't been with Mark Warner, although have been with a lot of other companies, of which we would rate Ski Olympic as the best.

 

DH is an extremely good skier, and has done ski racing at which he has done quite well. You don't need to worry about age, however. I didn't learn to ski (other than a couple of lessons at the Snowdome) until I was 42, and since then I have improved, done some racing and qualified as an instructor (at the lowest level!).

 

The key is get some really good lessons from the word Go. The British, Canadian, US and Australian systems of ski teaching are very similar, but if you go to Europe and go to the local ski school you will get all kinds of teaching - some very good, some outdated. This is mainly because until fairly recently, all you had to do to become a ski teacher in some European countries was ski a giant slalom race quite fast. This has changed, but there are a lot of old-school instructors left and you don't know what you will get.

 

So, if you go to North America you have a better chance of getting instruction that is compatible with the British system. This is important because there are a lot of BASI (British Association of Ski Instructor) instructors based in Europe, and at dry/indoor slopes in the UK should you wish to progress. This way you get a proper system of teaching rather than random tips and hints passed on to a long queue of pupils.

 

I wouldn't go for "all inclusive" packages, as you will want to have lunch on the slopes once you have got the hang of skiing. Go for a chalet or hotel offering breakfast, afternoon tea and evening meal rather than all inclusive.

 

One more thing - make sure you do some fitness training before you go. You should be able to do at least 100 squats to 90 degrees knee bend without a rest. You should also do some weight training for your leg muscles including a leg press that should build up until you can press 150% of your body weight (so if you weigh 70kg, you should build up until you can press 115kg). Other good exercises are cycling and step aerobics, plus exercises to strengthen your core, such as pilates. Without this you will struggle with the physical demands of skiing, particularly since you will be at altitude, where there is less oxygen available. Build up over the course of 6-12 weeks.

 

You will love it!

[MadMitch]

I wouldn't go for "all inclusive" packages, as you will want to have lunch on the slopes once you have got the hang of skiing. Go for a chalet or hotel offering breakfast, afternoon tea and evening meal rather than all inclusive.

 

One more thing - make sure you do some fitness training before you go. You should be able to do at least 100 squats to 90 degrees knee bend without a rest. You should also do some weight training for your leg muscles including a leg press that should build up until you can press 150% of your body weight (so if you weigh 70kg, you should build up until you can press 115kg). Other good exercises are cycling and step aerobics, plus exercises to strengthen your core, such as pilates. Without this you will struggle with the physical demands of skiing, particularly since you will be at altitude, where there is less oxygen available. Build up over the course of 6-12 weeks.

 

You will love it!

 

 

 

I agree, you won't want to leave the slopes once you get going, plus its a pain if your way up having to come down and de-gear just to go and have lunch.

 

You can always tell those who haven't really thought about fitness, they are the ones climbing slowly down the hotel stairs holding on to the hand rail because of the muscle pain................I know, I've been there . I now own a "skiers edge big mountain" and start a good 3 months before I go.

[jlo]

We did a MW ski holiday in Val d'Isere a few years ago. We booked at the last minute and took the kids out of school so it was quite a lot cheaper than it usually is.

 

It was very good and we made a point of eating with different people most nights but you could just go on your own if you preferred. I had lessons with a local school as I am a numpty at skiing. MW put on ski guides at different levels which suited OH.

 

Lunch was not included but afternoon tea was and that tended to be at the right time for coming back from the slopes and collapsing with a hot chocolate.

 

I haven't been skiing to Canada or USA but would love to as I have heard only good things about it. OH is not so keen sadly!

 

Enjoy it. I love it even though I am so pants. There is something about the mountain air that makes you feel glad to be alive!

[debbier]

You can always tell those who haven't really thought about fitness, they are the ones climbing slowly down the hotel stairs holding on to the hand rail because of the muscle pain.

 

I do that every time I go, even though I go to the gym regularly.

It's just starting to get comfy a day or two before the holiday is over

[sadietoo]

I'm not sure about skiing in the states, but you can certainly ski in Europe for much less than the cost of most packaged ski deals. My OH and DS have become addicts and have been going for the last four years but they have always booked the hotel/flights/ and transfers separately. The second time they went to Arrabba (Italy) they got chatting to a UK couple who had booked a package (don't know which company) and were paying about £400 more for their trip for basically the same deal!. Ski school is essential, but in both Italy and France they had English speaking instructors.

[Ms Marple]

Many thanks for all the excellent advice folks. Lots to think about especially fitness. Going to have a hunt around the web over the weekend.

[rosie]

My daughter is currently working a ski season with Mark Warner holidays. She is at Les Deux Alpes, high in the French Alpes. They have a hotel there rather than chalets. Breakfast, afternoon tea (cakes etc) and a waitress served evening meal are included for guests. She says that they are well organised, especially for youngsters. There is plenty to do in the resort, bars, bowling, cinema and the hotel has a pool, gym and there are spa treatments available. Ski school seems good, different levels on different days each week, and even some of the other workers who are experienced skiers say so. Most of the younger people want to snow board and there are great parks for that as well. All these are extras on top of your basic holiday costs. However it does seem expensive, but you pay for the company organising it for you.

She tells me that you can get last minute bargains if you wait until the last minute to book and ring the company direct rather than book through their site. The post Xmas week which was over £700 a week was available for around £200, so quite a saving.

[Chickendoodle]

Haven't been "proper" skiing but I am addicted to cross country skiing - did a learn to ski week with a brilliant firm called Inntravel in Switzerland and then spent a week the following year skiing in Austria.

 

The beauty of cross country is that it is very easy to learn, you don't have to queue for ski lifts and it is so peaceful gliding along in the countryside hardly seeing a soul. There are tracks carved out in the snow which you place your skis in and off you go!

 

It is reasonably strenuous (mostly on the upper arms - good for those bingo wings!) but anyone of any age can learn - there was a couple in their 70s on the same course as us. You can go along at your own pace and make it as hard work as you want. Upward slopes are quite hard but you can always walk up!

 

Never fancied hurtling myself down a hill just to queue to get up again - cross country is brilliant!!!!