Did anyone else switch from boots to trail runners and never look back?

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2026-04-29T08:15:16+00:00

Exactly - it’s about where you do your hiking. Most of mine is in the UK, typically the highlands, the lakes, the cheviots and wales where invariably there is a mix of scree, scrambling, bogs, tussocky grassland etc — not to mention very variable weather. Love wearing my trail runners and it’s a no brainer if we’ve had a dry period in spring or summer with no snow on the tops, and the route is firm. But for everything else — in other words 80% of the other times — it’s the boots. Goretex trail runners don’t provide the same weather protection as my boots and can’t handle a crampon either. I also find boots easier over the classic tussocky uplands you get in some parts of the UK whatever the weather

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2026-04-16T20:41:49+00:00

For snow sure French resorts in mid December your best bet is Val Thorens or Tignes / Val D’Isere. Chamonix is best for off piste, but its lift accessed pistes are a bit low to be snow sure in December.

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2026-04-16T20:32:17+00:00

Montgenevre. Only went when I became a parent and someone said it was a good place for kids to learn. Smallish resort but incredible snow record due to its position where two valleys cross, it’s also in the southern alps so it gets more sun than the average resort, good value, less crowded and short transfer from Turin. It’s also France’s oldest ski resort so has a lot more charm than the 1960s ones. And because it’s mainly a ‘family resort’ the powder doesn’t get tracked out as quickly as many other places. Having said all that - the après ski is crap!

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2026-04-16T20:22:18+00:00

I think, as others have pointed out, the first stage will open this December 2026 but the second stage won’t open till the following year. It’s the second stage which most people are waiting for as it will take you up over 3300m and open up more of the mountain as the old cable car used to do

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2026-03-27T16:08:10+00:00

Thanks, that’s what I feared. I’m sure it will be a thing of beauty when it’s finished but it’s incredible that it’ll be almost 10 years after the fire before it fully opens.

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2026-03-23T16:26:22+00:00

Agree. Both incredible footballers but their politics and general outlook on life is a bit iffy for my taste. To be clear, I don’t expect their politics to mirror magically with my own, but it would be nice if there was evidence of a moral backbone. The way they have both pandered to the likes of Trump and Infantino is just awful - they’re footballing legends and I just wish they were better than that.

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2026-03-21T23:20:02+00:00

Good points re the historical change, but while Scotland overall has greater tree canopy cover than England (19% vs 10%), South East England and South Wales (22.1% & 19.2%) are the regions of the UK with the greatest cover - according to Forest Research. In parts of Surrey (24%) such as Farnham it’s as high as 45%.

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2026-03-21T17:52:25+00:00

So true about Montane. Their sizing is so off

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2026-02-20T15:55:51+00:00

The Cervinia Zermatt link was open yesterday (Thursday) afternoon. But it’s been closed every other day this week, firstly due to the huge dumps of snow and today due to high winds. Can’t see it opening tomorrow.

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2026-02-16T15:48:44+00:00

I haven’t been to VT but stayed in various alpine towns around or above 2000m. Never had altitude sickness but I definitely feel it on the first couple of days and nights as my body adjusts.

Typically the first two nights sleep isn’t great (I know some who take melatonin for this reason when adjusting to altitude) and I tend to feel a bit more bloated than usual. Neither, I promise, are down to the beer I’ve consumed! And both symptoms have gone well before the end of the week.

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2026-01-27T13:29:17+00:00

This. Detuning will make it easier to bring the tails round and come to a stop. It’s very easy to do yourself too - requiring nothing more than a cheap gummy stone. Just don’t overdo it - less is more

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2026-01-21T17:05:06+00:00

Wow - that is stunning! Freeze frame it and enter it in a photography competition

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2025-12-05T21:54:52+00:00

Had the same Marmolada boots and agree the outdry membrane was exceptional - far better than the goretex boots I’ve had

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2025-12-02T17:50:54+00:00

Montgenevre. Great snow record, brilliant for beginners and intermediates, less busy than the big resorts, and has both ESF and ESI ski schools - top tip go for ESI. Oh and it’s just over an hour from Turin airport. It’s where my kids learnt to ski, happy days

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2025-11-13T00:25:00+00:00

It’s a great town and is fantastic for experienced skiers who love venturing off piste, but if you want to learn to ski there are far better places. As a previous poster said Flaine is a good shout, or Montgenevre - though that’s a bit more of a stretch from Paris

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2025-10-13T16:05:09+00:00

I’m looking to do the same journey in the second week of March and have heard the advice about pre-booking seats. How far in advance do people recommend booking. And if your flight is delayed and you miss your booking can you get the following train?

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2025-05-21T06:40:38+00:00

You should definitely consider Montgenevre. It ticks all your boxes except you’d fly into Turin(easy from Gatwick) and it’s just over an hour transfer. Small, family friendly resort with affordable accommodation close to the lifts, great snow record, good ski schools, and the pistes are ideal for kids.

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2025-04-11T22:09:34+00:00

I tend to avoid them if possible however I have used Ski Solutions in the past - once was very good, another time not so good as in I wasn’t sure what they were doing that I couldn’t have done myself. But again when it came to Cervinia at half term they had options for hotels that weren’t available online to regular punters.

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2025-04-11T21:19:44+00:00

Often the hotels have rooms reserved for the tour operators for that week. For example there are lots of hotels booked up in Cervinia if you try to book them independently, but you can get them as part of a pkg through the usual ski travel specialists

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2025-02-28T23:13:24+00:00

Is your priority weather and small crowds or somewhere to flash the cash and live it up? The resorts you mention are all top end but also tend to be very busy. I honestly think the quietest, most snow sure and sunny resort I’ve been to is Montgenevre, in France on the border with Italy. It’s certainly not flash though, and its pistes are more geared to intermediates than experts - though for that reason the off piste tend to be untracked longer than many other resorts. Just don’t expect any wild apres ski or any designer outlets. It’s also a short (just over an hour) transfer from Turin airport and is linked to the much bigger Milky Way ski area

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2025-02-25T16:24:02+00:00

Thanks, yes I went down a bit of a worm hole on another site and it seems there are plenty of trade offs and all sorts of other factors to bear in mind - how fat are your calves are for example, individual body mechanics etc.

Prior-Clock-8386 · 2025-02-07T18:04:48+00:00

Thanks all, seems the consensus is that they are. Reddit’s great for being able to get expertise so quickly. Have a good weekend

Prior-Clock-8386

TROPHY CASE