Zermatt is the only option in CH this early. I am heading there in two weekends.

The mont Jura is closed unfortunately...pity cause it's just after Gex :p

Val Thorens is the highest one in France... unfortunately they show 0 cm of snow currently even at 3200m.

Bahrain in the sand dunes !!

Try Saas Fee.

I thought both Verbier and GStaad opened in early November?  I think those are closer than 3 hours but haven't driven it.  Waiting for them to get dumped on and I am there!

Glacier 3000 opens on Oct 30 http://www.glacier3000.ch/en/Winter/ About 1h45 from Geneva...

well, i did saas fee yesterday, not a lot open but it was great to get back on the snow!  going to head to glacier 3000 in a couple of weeks when i get back from the uk, didn't go there last season but did the season before.... then only a few more weekends and the real fun begins!! :o)  doing a snow dance as i type!!

I hear that!  I live at the base of the Jura the top is starting to get covered with snow..  I guess it is time to wax my board and put the old roof rack on the car.  This is largely the reason I moved here..

Snowing at home (Villars) since yesterday... I hear rumors that Verbier could open some slopes already this week end. It's getting close guys!

Lucky bunny!

Whose up in Verbier for Premier Niege, first weekend in december.

I have a whole gang arriving from UK powder hungry.

All this talk is tortuous for me. Recovering from ACL and shattered knee cap after boarder left me for dead last year. But hey Powder day is end of February, so i'll focus on partying and fitness now.

I was wondering, since I haven't gone Snowboarding in like 10 years, I think I need a serious update. Would any of the Snowboard freaks in Glocals be interested in giving maybe a quick update on basics? Maybe we could set a group or something? Would that be a good idea?

Have a good day!

I would be happy to give you some tips.  I am always looking for people to ski/snowboard with.  This is my first winter here and I am looking forward to snowboarding a lot!  A group outing sounds like a great idea.

Of course for learning again you might need to wait until early December when some of the easier stuff opens up (I could be wrong)

yeah, me also... i board pretty much every weekend from december till april except for xmas/new year... its one of the main reasons i moved here!! :o)

i've usually got a spare space in the car, depending on how many people are around at the time!  i agree with joshua though, might be worth hanging on till places like les gets etc are open, big open spaces and all that make learning a lot easier!!.... but lexi, setup a group, its a good idea!... the more the merrier in my opinion!!.... 

Yeah you're both right! Sounds really good.

I set up a group, we'll see who's interested! :) It's being reviewed right now. 

I would be happy to join a beginner group...I never snowboard before but I am a good skier maybe that helps!?;) Can´t wait to hit the slopes!!:)

Anne I don't think the idea was to make a beginner group but more to just create a group of people that would be interested in going skiing/snowboarding.  I don't think the group has materialized yet, but if so you are more then welcome to ski if you want.  The more the merrier skiing or snowboarding.

Nothing changed all timer :D Just go out there and kick ass!

Ummm no actually it makes no difference. You're gona sufffffffer! :D

Group is finally set up , it's called Geneva snowboarding Group!

Feel free to join :)

Oh yeah everything changed. I'm short-sighted. Trees scare the sh** outta me! :)

joined!!.... ok, now to start planning the season! :o)

Less talking, more doing guys! I was in Zermatt two weekend ago

Hey,

I just joined the your snowboarding group, am an downhill skier who likes off piste and since there's no skiing group I look forward to join you guys :) Have a car that has gotten it's winter tires on already, that's how eager I am ;)

See ya around !

My kinda discussion...

Zermatt is definately amazing if you have the more than a few days.  I've been going there for a week or two every Xmas over the last 8 years and although you need to save all year to pay for it, its definately a winner.

Loads of other cool day trips, including in France just past the border in La Cure - via Nyon, St.Cergue.

Like Elisabeth I also already have the snow tyres all sorted...

Hello, I just joined the group too. I certainly cannot keep up with the super quick boys and girls for my brazilian background does not help, but ready for some good fun this season. So where and when ?

When and where? good question! Let's debate on the group.

Is anything open yet?

Unless you go to somewhere like Zermatt where you can ski on the Glacier I dont believe there are any other possible or decent options.  I think we just need to wait a bit. 

Not to worry, snow and freezing weather is just around the corner

Alright, let's do things the Swiss way : Slowly and patiently.

...boring!!... thats why i started this thread in the first place, i don't want to do things the swiss way!!.. now now now!!.. (ok, apart from the fact that i'm currently in manchester in the uk... but thats only till the weekend!!).... catalin, i did saas fee last weekend so its not all talk!! :o)

i reckon, if the temp drops, which it looks like it will be by saturday this week, places like glacier 3000 etc will open up??  guess it all depends on the snow... top of chamonix also??  avoriaz looks pretty bleak at the moment, just checked their webcam!!... 

however, this season i'm trying to break my record of number of different resorts boarded at in one season!!... i want to hit at least 30-35 so whoever's keen to come along, let me know!! :o)

I was just being ironic!

I am pretty sure there will be snow within 2 weeks or so.

This is going to be fun and I see that some are impatient, which I totally understand ;)

I'm going to the non ski resort Paris the upcoming weekend but def up for skiing already next weekend if the weather allows hehe !

Gonna check www.skiinfo.com regularly...

Have a nice evening all!

hahah, i was just being/am still being impatient!! :o)

.....i reckon snow by sunday.... well i hope so anyway!... oh to go back to 2 seasons ago... waist deep powder at the end of november.... if only that would happen again!! 

...worth keeping an eye on:

http://www.onthesnow.co.uk/open_resorts_all_eu

Just joined... Am a downhill and x-country skier, and live close to Glacier 3000 so will be happy to join you guys if you come here

zermat forecast for sunday, freezing level dropping to 1050 and 23cm of snow!?!? things are looking up!!.... :o)

 This is good news!

maybe my snow dance is working!!? hahahah 

gonna be 18 degrees in Gva on Fri...dance some more guys...or the board and ski wax will melt

thankfully i wasn't planning on boarding in geneva, the trams are great but the chair access is limited! ;o)

....progressing to the moonwalk as i type! hahahah

well the zero degree level will climb way above 3000m.... so slush or grass, unless you go higher onto a glacier.

I reckon that last week in Nov will show white tips and the snow level will drop to 1800m or 1500m by dec 5th...with christmas skiing starting around the 15th...

LOL !

....at least someone appreciates my crap sense of humour! hahahah :o)

From my window I can see snow on the Jura mountains...not saying there is much snow, but its starting

I am also so looking forward to go skiing...am a skier and love off piste! Chamonix is great for that and close but we need to wait a bit more...Any skier group or can we mix?

I think there is more snow on the Jura than what you might think...  Yes it is time to start waxing the board!

Zebulon, there is some other skiers that have already joined the group and I say that a mix is fine, the more the merrier.

yeah i reckon more the merrier!.... looks like its gonna dump thursday/friday!! :o)

Just saw this thread, so apologies for lateness.

You can ski at Les Deux Alpes and Tignes pretty much all year round. When I was full time racing we did all our summer training at these 2 resorts. Deux Alpes was THE snowboarding resort in France for a long time. Maybe Avoriaz is better now..?

I think they alternate month by month as they have to x ray the lift cables before the season starts proper.

Just for info the best off piste in France (IMHO) is in La Grave. Its off the back of Les Deux Alpes on the road to Serre Chevalier. You must have a guide, if you google it you'll see how many people die there without... there are no pistes and just 3 lifts one after the other straight up.

I haven't been for quite a while but the mountain doesn't change. Its waayy better than Argentiere and much, much less busy after a big dump as you don't have to race all the Chamonix ski bums for first tracks...

Hi, just whent through this thread... great news finally a group has been created:D and not only board riders... good news! I'm a skier and will love to join you... i'm going to saas fe this weekend...

...by the way Zermatt is not that far for a long weekend, take a train on friday night and come back on Sunday night, beside is a great trip... 

Hi! Can't wait to get started either. And thinking of going snowboarding for a (long) weekend end of Nov. (either weekend of 20th or the one after) Anyone interested to go as well!?? Open still where to go, as long as there is snow... prob Zermatt or so!

I booked the weekend 10-12 December in Verbier (big opening weekend). If anyone else wants to come there that weekend we can possibly hang out on and off the slopes ;) Cheers.

I was a week in Les Deux Alpes some years ago, really great place ! La Grave is for "pro's" in my opinion, not really a place you go to if you're a big group that wants to hang together...

It's however nice to go places that's closer to Geneva for the weekends as I prefer skiing instead of driving ;)

I'll go for a day skiing trip the same weekend, the 11 or 12th, don't know where yet, will check the weather forecast ;)

Let me know.

I will be in Saas Fee the weekend of the 11th :)

Would be up for a day trip on the 4th though if anyone is interested!?

I would love to go up somewhere on the weekend of the 11th. As a lot of other people, I am new to the area and haven't gone to snowboard anywhere yet. Are you (or anyone) driving to Saas Fee that weekend? Or is it easiest to take the train there from Geneva?

i'd be up for a day trip on the 11th or 12th... might be heading over to chur for some boarding but a day in verbier could be cool! :o)