Who’s going skiing and where 2019
Discussion
chandrew said:
housen said:
just booked wknd in zermatt in 2 weeks never been but im goin for that 3500m ski !!!!!!!!
can i have restaurant picks pls ? village and piste if possible ?
thank you guys :-)
Congrats, you should enjoy it.can i have restaurant picks pls ? village and piste if possible ?
thank you guys :-)
My favourite restaurant on the slopes is Chez Vrony. Not cheap but lovely terrace and decent food (note it's a few years since I last went so hopefully nothing has changed).
I've eaten well at 1818 in the village (again not cheap). The Snowboat looked after us well when we turned up with 4 tired, rowdy children on Valentine's Day a few years ago.
nothing is cheap here in swiss ...nothing! ....oh apart from apple products for some reason
Depthhoar said:
Don't really do 'resort' skiing holidays anymore and so for Feb 2019 the family are going to be staying in (and have exclusive use of) this hut at 2000m for a week in the Mount Robson Provincial Park in Canada:-
The plan is to have a week finding our powder legs and shaking down our 'fat' ski gear doing a bit of 'side-country' touring/skiing around Revelstoke. After that onto Valemount to gather together a week's worth of victuals before flying in to the hut.
For those unfamiliar with this sort of holiday, you definitely earn your turns! Although a helicopter will be flying us in to the hut, from there onwards you use your own legs 'skinning' up hill to gain altitude for untracked descents. Will be doing day tours and returning to the hut each evening.
(Above) Skinning up on ski-mountaineering gear. Like Alpine gear but with bindings that have selectable heel lift + attachments for the base of the ski.
No piste machines or chairlift. No mobile phone coverage, no wifi and definitely no people!. That's the upside. Downside is that you are your own avalanche forecasting, avalanche control and Search & Rescue service. It's going to be a bit of a busman's holiday for me.
A little taster of the scenery and skiing:-
Can't wait!
(All photos taken on location in Jan 2017 by another group who stayed there).
Edit: for typo
Thought I'd bring this posting up to date after our trip.The plan is to have a week finding our powder legs and shaking down our 'fat' ski gear doing a bit of 'side-country' touring/skiing around Revelstoke. After that onto Valemount to gather together a week's worth of victuals before flying in to the hut.
For those unfamiliar with this sort of holiday, you definitely earn your turns! Although a helicopter will be flying us in to the hut, from there onwards you use your own legs 'skinning' up hill to gain altitude for untracked descents. Will be doing day tours and returning to the hut each evening.
(Above) Skinning up on ski-mountaineering gear. Like Alpine gear but with bindings that have selectable heel lift + attachments for the base of the ski.
No piste machines or chairlift. No mobile phone coverage, no wifi and definitely no people!. That's the upside. Downside is that you are your own avalanche forecasting, avalanche control and Search & Rescue service. It's going to be a bit of a busman's holiday for me.
A little taster of the scenery and skiing:-
Can't wait!
(All photos taken on location in Jan 2017 by another group who stayed there).
Edit: for typo
Edited by Depthhoar on Friday 27th April 16:34
(Above) Our cabin at nearly 2000m. 40cm of snowfall on the first night landed on top of a pre-existing nasty layer in the snowpack meant skiing of the squeaky bum variety for pretty much the whole week. The cabin was very basic indeed inside. Yep, that's the bog nearest the camera.
(Above) Earning our turns. Skinning up easy angled terrain as near as possible to the trees to reduce our exposure to the big white bogeyman in the snowpack.
(Above) Didn't venture on to anything steeper than 25 degrees above the treeline. Nice snow here though! Glade skiing on the other hand was epic.
(Above) Our cabin's location: just in the trees at the foot of the steep dark crag on the skyline centre right of the photo.
(Above) Our transport to/from the cabin above Valemount. Breathtakingly expensive. 8 minute flight was $200Can per person each way. There were 7 in our group. Do the maths. It's the only way in and out though.
Would I do it again?
In a heartbeat.
Edited by Depthhoar on Tuesday 26th March 15:26
Depthhoar said:
Thought I'd bring this posting up to date after our trip.
(Above) Our cabin at nearly 2000m. 40cm of snowfall on the first night landed on top of a pre-existing nasty layer in the snowpack meant skiing of the squeaky bum variety for pretty much the whole week. The cabin was very basic indeed inside. Yep, that's the bog nearest the camera.
(Above) Earning our turns. Skinning up easy angled terrain as near as possible to the trees to reduce our exposure to the big white bogeyman in the snowpack.
(Above) Didn't venture on to anything steeper than 25 degrees above the treeline. Nice snow here though! Glade skiing on the other hand was epic.
(Above) Our cabin's location: just in the trees at the foot of the steep dark crag on the skyline centre right of the photo.
(Above) Our transport to/from the cabin above Valemount. Breathtakingly expensive. 8 minute flight was $200Can per person each way. There were 7 in our group. Do the maths. It's the only way in and out though.
Would I do it again?
In a heartbeat.
Great pictures. (Above) Our cabin at nearly 2000m. 40cm of snowfall on the first night landed on top of a pre-existing nasty layer in the snowpack meant skiing of the squeaky bum variety for pretty much the whole week. The cabin was very basic indeed inside. Yep, that's the bog nearest the camera.
(Above) Earning our turns. Skinning up easy angled terrain as near as possible to the trees to reduce our exposure to the big white bogeyman in the snowpack.
(Above) Didn't venture on to anything steeper than 25 degrees above the treeline. Nice snow here though! Glade skiing on the other hand was epic.
(Above) Our cabin's location: just in the trees at the foot of the steep dark crag on the skyline centre right of the photo.
(Above) Our transport to/from the cabin above Valemount. Breathtakingly expensive. 8 minute flight was $200Can per person each way. There were 7 in our group. Do the maths. It's the only way in and out though.
Would I do it again?
In a heartbeat.
OK - I admit it. I'm very jealous!
Very nice. Shame about the avalanche conditions limiting your choices but looks like you still had some excellent runs. There’s something magical about being the only people around and gently trudging up a slope.
Yeah heli access is always expensive and especially in Canada. A day heliskiing in whistler with 4 flights was something like 1200 dollars and then a couple of hundred per extra flight.
Much cheaper in Italy.
Yeah heli access is always expensive and especially in Canada. A day heliskiing in whistler with 4 flights was something like 1200 dollars and then a couple of hundred per extra flight.
Much cheaper in Italy.
I had a completely different skiing experience yesterday - skiing with an ex-Olympic downhiller (who had won & podiumed World Cup events in her day).
We got up on the first lift to find almost completely empty pistes, hard packed with some ice and a few small places of powder drift. For most of the time I tried to follow her tracks. What was fascinating is that whatever the speed or surface I saw zero slip, with perfect edge tramlines. Also all turns were pronounced 'C's whereas if I had previously been skiing on my own I'd have probably had more crescent shaped turns.
On the reds I was probably 90% there. When it moved to doing giant slalom turns down icy blacks that fell. Obviously she was a lot further from her limits than I was, though we were both skiing at speeds that we'd normally do when not racing.
I'm now at > 50 days skiing this season and although the snow conditions weren't like those above this was probably my season highlight. I also learnt so much just by watching and trying to copy a real expert - mostly lots of small changes in body position to adapt to the terrain.
We got up on the first lift to find almost completely empty pistes, hard packed with some ice and a few small places of powder drift. For most of the time I tried to follow her tracks. What was fascinating is that whatever the speed or surface I saw zero slip, with perfect edge tramlines. Also all turns were pronounced 'C's whereas if I had previously been skiing on my own I'd have probably had more crescent shaped turns.
On the reds I was probably 90% there. When it moved to doing giant slalom turns down icy blacks that fell. Obviously she was a lot further from her limits than I was, though we were both skiing at speeds that we'd normally do when not racing.
I'm now at > 50 days skiing this season and although the snow conditions weren't like those above this was probably my season highlight. I also learnt so much just by watching and trying to copy a real expert - mostly lots of small changes in body position to adapt to the terrain.
Just back from the annual trip to Heavenly, South Lake Tahoe - I think this is maybe the 11th year I've been as an 'end of season' trip for what has always been a couple of weeks spring skiing and sun. But this year there was an astonishing amount of snow, and fresh snowfalls overnight and not a patch of granules or heavy-stuff in sight. It certainly made up for a a p!ss poor season in Scotland!
In Vanc earlier in the week and Whistler now - astonishing weather. Blazing sunshine, shadey glades around the Capilona rainforest in the morning, local girls in bikinis off English bay by lunchtime - in March!
Glorious weather on the drive up to Whistler this morning. Howe Sound looked picture perfect peaceful. Whistler just looked epic all day.
Are you earning your turns? Of course not, but Whistler has been on my bucket list for 30yrs.
Made even better by bringing the ski room full of chalet rats to confused silence and gaining local respect by handing across my classic Olins
The Olins are like my 4C...cold dead hands.
Glorious weather on the drive up to Whistler this morning. Howe Sound looked picture perfect peaceful. Whistler just looked epic all day.
Are you earning your turns? Of course not, but Whistler has been on my bucket list for 30yrs.
Made even better by bringing the ski room full of chalet rats to confused silence and gaining local respect by handing across my classic Olins
The Olins are like my 4C...cold dead hands.
malks222 said:
last minute long weekend to Garmisch leaving on thursday! finally getting to the snow this winter, so very excited. not expecting amazing powder conditions. but cannot wait to get back on the snow for a few days.
Anyone been to Garmisch and got any tips or pointers for good places/ runs? friends have organised everything and I've literally just said- yep i'll go and gone and booked my own flights!
You’re there now! Blistering sunshine so presume your at the very top (Zugspitze) and very early to avoid the post-lunch slush?Anyone been to Garmisch and got any tips or pointers for good places/ runs? friends have organised everything and I've literally just said- yep i'll go and gone and booked my own flights!
We do Garmisch every year (was there in early February) due to the ease of getting there, great skiing and fantastic food and beer. Great atmosphere all round. Enjoy!
DeejRC said:
Are you earning your turns? Of course not, but Whistler has been on my bucket list for 30yrs.
Made even better by bringing the ski room full of chalet rats to confused silence and gaining local respect by handing across my classic Olins
I’m in Whistler until Monday. Will keep an eye out for Olins. I might just be skiing 200cm Dynastar Verticals tomorrow...Made even better by bringing the ski room full of chalet rats to confused silence and gaining local respect by handing across my classic Olins
Black and yellow Olins is me
Stunning stunning weather today, this morning I think is some of the best ski experience I’ve had. You just can’t beat the combination of weather,2300m and long runs.
Legs are absolutely fragged though, esp trying to get through that awful slushy horrible s
te down the yellow brick road to the bottom.
200cm Dynos are seriously old school! Respect if you hit the moguls in those!
Stunning stunning weather today, this morning I think is some of the best ski experience I’ve had. You just can’t beat the combination of weather,2300m and long runs.
Legs are absolutely fragged though, esp trying to get through that awful slushy horrible s
te down the yellow brick road to the bottom.200cm Dynos are seriously old school! Respect if you hit the moguls in those!
dirty boy said:
As my first ski trip gets nearer, i'm a little worried, with all these high temperatures people talk of, that there will be any snow left by the 6 April? Anyone have any thoughts?
Off to Passo del Tonale...
We'll make the most of it whatever, but snow would be nice
have you been yet dirty boy.Off to Passo del Tonale...
We'll make the most of it whatever, but snow would be nice
just got back from a week there , some good ,some not so good,
DeejRC said:
Black and yellow Olins is me
...
Legs are absolutely fragged though, esp trying to get through that awful slushy horrible ste down the yellow brick road to the bottom.
200cm Dynos are seriously old school! Respect if you hit the moguls in those!
Impressive old school skis though I'm not sure I'd want to go back for more than a few runs just to see what they were like. From memory they seem like a modern FIS GS ski (which almost nobody sells retail as few could cope with them safely on busy pistes) 65mm max under foot and 45m min turning radius....
Legs are absolutely fragged though, esp trying to get through that awful slushy horrible s
te down the yellow brick road to the bottom.200cm Dynos are seriously old school! Respect if you hit the moguls in those!
Also, as far as I can think of as the ideal ski for spring snow. This sort of snow is the sort of condition where a good all-mountain ski comes into it's own. Slush skis in some way similar to powder, but where you can hold more edge for carving. Move the weight slightly back from your normal position, float over the top and carve as tight as possible to control the speed.
Try forcing a turn and it becomes as the ski-instructors here call it - 'break a leg snow'.
Get it right and it can be a hoot, especially as the pistes are probably empty. Just make sure your ski clothes are waterproof.
- Really slushy with pools of standing water and mud is no fun, unless you try and jump the water and / or try and do a ski-cross race with your teenage son ;-)
.......
Talk about standing water, yesterday was this year's edition of this annual event at our ski-club hut
https://youtu.be/6-gtEGJKfj0
Edited by chandrew on Sunday 31st March 21:52
Too true Andrew! Hoi by the way, things still good?
Post 1pm over here with this weather the lower slopes of Blackcomb and Whistler are just mush, awful stuff. My Olins are horrible in and yes it’s like powder - at which I’m crap! The newer wider stuff floats across it, almost like a waterski will try and do.
And Welshbeef, you know that’s not Scotland as A) sun and B) 4G signal...👌
Post 1pm over here with this weather the lower slopes of Blackcomb and Whistler are just mush, awful stuff. My Olins are horrible in and yes it’s like powder - at which I’m crap! The newer wider stuff floats across it, almost like a waterski will try and do.
And Welshbeef, you know that’s not Scotland as A) sun and B) 4G signal...👌
troc said:
2300m high? Unlikely
Au contraire, Blackadder https://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/the-mountain/mor...Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff