So who's going skiing 2011 and where?

[maser_spyder]

gingerpaul said:

Val d'Isere in the 3rd week of January for my group of regulars this year. Never been there before so I'm looking forward to it.

Anyone got any Val d'Isere tips?

Dicks T bar, but take plenty of cash!

It's a large area, some of the nicer runs are in the opposite direction to Tignes, through the trees, etc. Tignes way is higher, so a bit bare, but snow is more reliable. You'll work it all out anyway!

[gingerpaul]

We're actually on the next town up from (Le Fornet?) right next a cable car so we're about as far from Tignes as you can get I think. Sounds like we may have stumbled on a useful location then!

[Teebs]

Were looking to book a week in Niederau from the 8th January. Will hopefully have my new boots and ski's by then...

[Nth]

I've got nothing planned yet I hope to go with uni again as it's much cheaper, but there is talk of them not going until Easter! If they don't go, a few of us are going to contact the student holiday companies and see if they can get us a cheap deal and then drive down somewhere for a week or two.

I quite fancy going back to Portes du Soleil too at some point - hopefully around Easter I'll be able to get back out there.

Other than that, nothing planned - except I've got my lift pass ready for Yad Moss so will be up there most weekends

[gingerpaul]

While we're on the subject of skiing could someone explain the numerical system for boot stiffness please. Google doesn't appear to be my friend today. If I want to do mainly piste skiing but with 25% of my time off pisting just how stiff a boot do I need? If I get a very stiff boot does that hamper your ability in powder? I got fed up of hire boots last time I was out so I'm looking at getting my first pair. Need to pop over to Solutions 4 Feet in Bicester I think...

[maser_spyder]

gingerpaul said:

While we're on the subject of skiing could someone explain the numerical system for boot stiffness please. Google doesn't appear to be my friend today. If I want to do mainly piste skiing but with 25% of my time off pisting just how stiff a boot do I need? If I get a very stiff boot does that hamper your ability in powder? I got fed up of hire boots last time I was out so I'm looking at getting my first pair. Need to pop over to Solutions 4 Feet in Bicester I think...

It's as much an ability as what you want to do with it. You'll probably find there aren't great websites in English, if they are, they'll likely be US based.

Snow and Rock do a good boot fitting service, mrs maser bought hers there last year, took over 2 hours, and very helpful. It's worth paying the extra. They're not the cheapest, but the service is generally good.

I wouldn't buy skis from them though, a poor range consisting of pretty much all freestyle and powder. No exciting race skis or anything for the 'serious'. Also quite expensive for skis.

Unless you're a serious skier, in to fast racing turns, don't go for anything too stiff, it'll be too much hard work for holidays. The stiffer boots are really aimed at serious, full season racers, not holidaymakers. You'll have much more fun in a more flexible boot.

Basically, unless that turn has to be inch-perfect (I.e. Racing), a stiff boot will just be harder work, and less fun.

HTH!

[gingerpaul]

Thanks for the comprehensive reply.

I did happen to be in the Snow and Rock at the Hemel snow dome and the guys there did seem to have all the equipment. I'm just aware that one of my friends didn't have a great experience with another branch of theirs. I have heard nothing but good things about Solutions 4 Feet but they are appointment only and haven't been open on the two occasions I've just popped by on the way through.

I have no plans on buying skis. If I was doing a season I can see it making sense but it costs so much money to fly them out and maintain them that it costs just as much to hire as far as I can see. Also it makes me cringe when I scrape over hidden rocks as it is! We go to Ski Republic and they're happy for us to swap skis every day if we want.

I don't have the skill to do proper racing turns but I do get a fair bit of pace up. The slight feeling of my feet rattling around in the boots and the boots themselves is a bit disconcerting though when I'm going flat out. I have tended to go for all mountain skis recently rather than piste biased so perhaps some of that is down to the skis to being stiff enough for harder packed surfaces but any extra control would be gratefully received.

Actually that's an interesting point. What choice of ski would you think I should aim at using for the type of skiing I described above? Last year I started off on a relatively soft pair that were great on powder but we were covering so much distance that my legs were destroyed after two days meaning I had to switch to something stiffer to allow me to keep up. Is it of a handicap using stiffer skis on powder or softer skis on the piste? I found the softer skis were completely useless on ice whereas at least I could get by in the powder on stiffer skis even though I no longer hand the control of the softer ones.

That's a bit of an essay, sorry about that!

[maser_spyder]

gingerpaul said:

Thanks for the comprehensive reply.

I did happen to be in the Snow and Rock at the Hemel snow dome and the guys there did seem to have all the equipment. I'm just aware that one of my friends didn't have a great experience with another branch of theirs. I have heard nothing but good things about Solutions 4 Feet but they are appointment only and haven't been open on the two occasions I've just popped by on the way through.

I have no plans on buying skis. If I was doing a season I can see it making sense but it costs so much money to fly them out and maintain them that it costs just as much to hire as far as I can see. Also it makes me cringe when I scrape over hidden rocks as it is! We go to Ski Republic and they're happy for us to swap skis every day if we want.

I don't have the skill to do proper racing turns but I do get a fair bit of pace up. The slight feeling of my feet rattling around in the boots and the boots themselves is a bit disconcerting though when I'm going flat out. I have tended to go for all mountain skis recently rather than piste biased so perhaps some of that is down to the skis to being stiff enough for harder packed surfaces but any extra control would be gratefully received.

Actually that's an interesting point. What choice of ski would you think I should aim at using for the type of skiing I described above? Last year I started off on a relatively soft pair that were great on powder but we were covering so much distance that my legs were destroyed after two days meaning I had to switch to something stiffer to allow me to keep up. Is it of a handicap using stiffer skis on powder or softer skis on the piste? I found the softer skis were completely useless on ice whereas at least I could get by in the powder on stiffer skis even though I no longer hand the control of the softer ones.

That's a bit of an essay, sorry about that!

Please don't take this the wrong way, but it sounds like you're using equipment to excuse a lack of talent and experience, and are going too fast for your ability.

Skiing should never be about how fast you can go. There's too many accidents caused by this sort of behaviour. I honestly don't mean to brow beat, but a couple of things you mentioned above are nothing to do with the kit you're using, rather technique that needs tightening.

As for skis, a lot of it is personal preference and ability. I used to race, so personally, i like a really stiff pair of skis. My absolute favourites are my Atomic SL FIS Race skis. Short, very stiff, very fast, and accelerate out of a turn pushing you in to the next. You have to be at the top of your game though, or they'll eat you alive!

Unless you're in deep powder, you should be able to work a stiff ski in almost any conditions, but again, it comes to experience and ability.

I would honestly recommend a good coach, rather than a good ski, for your next trip. You'll get so much more out of your holidays in the future with more tuition before you get too far in to bad habits.

I'm one of the lucky ones. Started skiing at 3 years old in 1983, started racing at 6 or 7, and had coaching up until I was about 16. This season, I have a race coach lined up to fine tune my technique, even after 27 years, I still have a lot to learn!

Having said all that, you won't regret a decent pair of boots, which properly fitted, will transform your trip and will help to improve your ability. A good fitting boot is much more important than having the correct ski for the conditions. A good skier should be able to work any ski, but only with good boots.

The other way of looking at it, is that the boot is the defining link between what you're telling the ski to do, and the angle of the ski itself. If it's a bad link, control is lost. If it's a good link, every movement you make is transferred to the ski as intended. Only with a good fitting boot will the type of ski make much difference at all!

Hope that helps, and honestly, coaching is worth it....

[brickwall]

Val Thorens in 2nd week of December with the Varsity Trip (if you're not part of this trip, avoid the area at all costs. 2500 students will be there).

Morgins for Christmas and New Year, and again in 3rd week of March.

All in should manage 20 days on snow.

[gingerpaul]

I'm very much a late starter so you're absolutely right that I have nowhere near as much talent skill as a lot of people out there. Seeing 8 year olds ski by with amazing technique is particularly annoying. It's just interesting to understand what effects of the different elements have on the overall picture, even if I'm not able to use them to their fullest. I am well aware the limiting factor is and always will be me though.

I'm quite lucky that one of the guys in our group used to be a ski instructor so I do get put right when I'm going wrong but unfortunately I don't get and probably never will get enough practice to become really good. I'm aware of my limits though and won't get into a situation where I'm way out of my comfort zone. Last year the guys were going down one of those taped off speed runs but I gave it a miss as I wouldn't want to be going at those sorts of speeds without having the space to do a couple of turns to knock speed off if I wasn't comfortable half way down.

It's interesting that you think a stiff ski should be ok in most conditions. Probably the thing to do then is to go this route and perhaps get my friend to give me some drills to practice to try and get my technique better. Perhaps I'll take some time out this year to get a couple of lessons with a current teacher too. It's probably something I wouldn't have even considered until you mentioned it so thanks for that.

Looks like boots are a good idea at least. I'll have to get an appointment booked.

Thanks for taking the time to write such great replies Maser.

[gingerpaul]

brickwall said:

Val Thorens in 2nd week of December with the Varsity Trip (if you're not part of this trip, avoid the area at all costs. 2500 students will be there).

I can't find it on youtube right now but there are a few videos up on there of the last trip where one day everyone went out dressed as Santa. Chair after chair after chair of Father Christmases being dropped off up the top of the lift.

[maser_spyder]

gingerpaul said:

I'm very much a late starter so you're absolutely right that I have nowhere near as much talent skill as a lot of people out there. Seeing 8 year olds ski by with amazing technique is particularly annoying. It's just interesting to understand what effects of the different elements have on the overall picture, even if I'm not able to use them to their fullest. I am well aware the limiting factor is and always will be me though.

I'm quite lucky that one of the guys in our group used to be a ski instructor so I do get put right when I'm going wrong but unfortunately I don't get and probably never will get enough practice to become really good. I'm aware of my limits though and won't get into a situation where I'm way out of my comfort zone. Last year the guys were going down one of those taped off speed runs but I gave it a miss as I wouldn't want to be going at those sorts of speeds without having the space to do a couple of turns to knock speed off if I wasn't comfortable half way down.

It's interesting that you think a stiff ski should be ok in most conditions. Probably the thing to do then is to go this route and perhaps get my friend to give me some drills to practice to try and get my technique better. Perhaps I'll take some time out this year to get a couple of lessons with a current teacher too. It's probably something I wouldn't have even considered until you mentioned it so thanks for that.

Looks like boots are a good idea at least. I'll have to get an appointment booked.

Thanks for taking the time to write such great replies Maser.

No worries!

As for being a late starter, my old man started the year I was born, he was 28 or 29 ish. 10 years of lessons made him an excellent skier, and he still has the odd few days of coaching every couple of years to brush up on technique.

I skied with him last year, now 58 years old, and although the legs are getting old and the speed is not what it was, his technique is still pretty awesome (for an old git).

Age should be no boundary at all, the skills can be learned at any age. Appreciate it's easier for the young, but it's not impossible for the older too if you persevere.

Actually, the more skill you acquire, the easier it gets. Skiing is not necessarily about pushing and pulling your body around to make turns, it's about positioning your body above the ski to make it work efficiently. The more you have the technique drummed in to you, and your bad habits drummed out, the easier, and more graceful you will become.

The satisfaction of a really nice, gently, easy carve with almost no effort is simply sublime....

[Silver993tt]

CerbitonFlyer said:

Whoozit said:

We're off to Whistler for two weeks on Boxing Day. In addition, I turn 40 in mid Feb so I'm seriously thinking about telling work to frack off and disappearing somewhere interesting for a week - Japan maybe?

But it will summer in Japan in Feb. Won't it?

Edited by CerbitonFlyer on Friday 1st October 23:42

Eh? Feb is mid winter in Japan.

[Silver993tt]

R TOY said:

Not all runs open but that worked to our advantage, once youve ducked under the tape a nice long red run with 2ft of untouched powder to ski and no rocks or tree stumps to dodge.
The down side was that the lift at the bottom was shut

That's the cause of many a disater often for innocent people further down the valley. Pistes are cordoned off/closed for a very good reason and should be avoided at all costs.

[gingerpaul]

maser_spyder said:

The satisfaction of a really nice, gently, easy carve with almost no effort is simply sublime....

I have had a few runs like that but unfortunately they can be counted on one hand. I remember the first time I managed I struggling to comprehend how I'd managed it.

[Dudd]

I'll be in St. Anton Austria from Mid Nov until May time. I'll be working in MooserWirt

[Whoozit]

maser_spyder said:

Actually, the more skill you acquire, the easier it gets. Skiing is not necessarily about pushing and pulling your body around to make turns, it's about positioning your body above the ski to make it work efficiently.

The satisfaction of a really nice, gently, easy carve with almost no effort is simply sublime....

I agree entirely - the only way I have found to describe in one sentence how you can tell when you are skiing correctly is - it's easier than walking! The fundamental technique of moving the feet side to side (and back and forth) under you the absolute minimum necessary to balance out the forces acting on your body is as relevant to a cruise on a green run as it is a double black, big mountain slope. It's taken me 10 years after coming back to skiing to finally grasp this over the last couple of seasons.

[bint]

Flaine for the first time with our group, looking forward to trying a new area. Any tips or comments would be most welcome, we're a group of mixed ability of ski and boarders.

[5potTurbo]

Not sure where we're going yet

2010 was Verbier, plus a few weekend trips to Grindelwald, Engelberg, etc.
Previous years have been in Val d'Isere.

My wife's looking into holidays for Feb half-term and we could end up in Verbier again, although Laax and Flaine have been thrown into the mix.

Fortunately for us though, living in Luxembourg means we can leave in the very early hours, drive, and be in most resorts for Sat lunchtime.

[theboymoon]

Dudd said:

I'll be in St. Anton Austria from Mid Nov until May time. I'll be working in MooserWirt

ummm.

have you worked there before?

do you have ANY idea of the carnage ahead of you!!!!!!


my god man. have fun