Who’s going skiing and where 2019

[Evolved]

Late decision to go snowboarding, for the first time in real slopes in Jan/Feb. Any recommendations for somewhere suitable?

[Mr E]

gregs656 said:

I have 69mph on Face.

I probably have 35mph on my arse

[4Q]

I haven't used ski tracks for a while but this was 2 years ago in Tignes, I don't remember which piste but it wasn't Face.

[OscarIndia]

Ski Tracks gets a bit dangerous as people constantly try to better their last best.
I am just as guilty, but eventually stopped using it having hit 74.4 Mph on an empty red in Les Gets.
I realised just how on the edage I was and that any mistake would not just hurt me, but could also hurt others.
My 12 Year old also started chasing figures, I have had to keep him off piste as much as possible to curb his speed!

[S100HP]

I don't believe ski tracks data to be accurate, well top speed anyway.

I'm a fairly reasonable boarder, who is on the large side. I'll happily go straight down most runs trying to achieve a top speed. When I went in March I had my Garmin Fenix 5 on, which is fairly accurate when it comes to top speeds etc. My max was 40mph.

My watch pings the GPS every second I believe, so the top speed is there or there abouts. It wouldn't surprise me to see Ski tracks only checking in every 3 seconds or maybe more. . therefore it may mis-interpret the data. Strava on mobile phones has much the same issue.

[Jarcy]

S100HP said:

I don't believe ski tracks data to be accurate, well top speed anyway.

I'm a fairly reasonable boarder, who is on the large side. I'll happily go straight down most runs trying to achieve a top speed. When I went in March I had my Garmin Fenix 5 on, which is fairly accurate when it comes to top speeds etc. My max was 40mph.

My watch pings the GPS every second I believe, so the top speed is there or there abouts. It wouldn't surprise me to see Ski tracks only checking in every 3 seconds or maybe more. . therefore it may mis-interpret the data. Strava on mobile phones has much the same issue.

I've no reason to believe that ski tracks is inaccurate. It always gives consistent readings when skiing the same slope in the same style.
Sure it might be 1 or 2 mph out, but should be reasonably indicative.

....Otherwise you'll want to challenge my vmax 115.8kph (72mph) in Les Arcs..
Always like to hit 70 once a season, and it's not difficult on a nice wide quiet corduroy red.

[CAPP0]

OscarIndia said:

Ski Tracks gets a bit dangerous as people constantly try to better their last best.

A bit like timing yourself at the 'Ring.

I don't strive to achieve or beat any speeds, I'm just curious to know what the numbers are.

[marcosgt]

gregs656 said:

Have any of you skied on the east side of North America?

Many moons ago we had a couple of East Coast skiing trips.

One year we went to Killington - A decent, if not large, sized resort, but fairly low lying and we had torrential rain on our last day which was not a lot of fun!

Another year we based ourselves in Jackson Village, NH and travelled around a number of local resorts (they all seemed to have a half price lift pass day, so we picked the one that had it each day). We skied at Mount Washington, riding the train up, Attitash, Bretton Woods,Shawnee Peak, Wildcat and Cannon. All (except Bretton Woods) were pretty small, but some (Wildcat, for example) had some pretty steep runs. It was VERY cold some days (especially at Bretton Woods, we barely actually skied that day - I think my wife and daughter did 2 runs!) and, again, we had rain some days.

All of the skiing is fairly low lying and reminds me of small Austrian resorts in types of runs, if not mountain charm (It's not strong on that, but little in North America is, in my experience).

It's different, so worth doing, but it's more for people in driving distance for a day or a weekend, imo.

M

[MikeGoodwin]

I quite fancy Scotland next year but its so unpredictable. Last year half way through the day wind blew the snow off the mountain. Week before the mountain wasnt accessible. Ended up at Lecht as a backup which was fun in the end.

Scotland for us is mainly a chance to go see some mates up there and have some laughs for not much money.

[fttm]

Whitefish Montana , we leave at 0700 tomorrow for 5 days . Should be a steady 91/2 hr drive weather permitting .

[young_bairn]

Evolved said:

Late decision to go snowboarding, for the first time in real slopes in Jan/Feb. Any recommendations for somewhere suitable?

Hard to know what to recommend not knowing more specifics but any of the major resorts is going to amaze you if all out have done is dry slopes/snow zones.

I've been to Morzine, Chamonix and Mayrhofen previously and had a great time at all of them.

Edit: off to Chamonix for the 3rd time mid January.

[hyphen]

Who do you all book with? Whats the best site(s) to look for accommodation? For a skiing trip in Western Europe

[popeyewhite]

4Q said:

I haven't used ski tracks for a while but this was 2 years ago in Tignes, I don't remember which piste but it wasn't Face.

And this is why I now avoid the major French resorts. That and the boarders.

[Leithen]

Another 11cm overnight here in Silver Star B.C

[lemmingjames]

popeyewhite said:

And this is why I now avoid the major French resorts. That and the boarders.

You avoid resorts because people ski fast? People have been skiing recklessly before the invention of the apps.

Regarding the apps, have used them (not past few years as been doing off-piste stuff) but in a trial i did with people skiing, we all set off at the same time, all stayed together in the tuck etc, there was +5 and a -2 (of we tooks the middle reading between 3 skiers as 0)

Anyway, purchased some ResQski tabs and trackers for my trip to japan, have used ribbons in the past but became a faff and one slid off when skiing so thought id give these a try. Im aware that you can get other cheaper key tracking tabs but was reading a review between them all from 2015? and these sounded the best.

[popeyewhite]

lemmingjames said:

You avoid resorts because people ski fast?

I'd say 106 kmh is a little more than 'fast'. And yes, I'd stay way from what you call 'fast'. Don't know what it is about big French resorts that attract this kind of person but speed skiers, beginners and boarders with a paucity of survival instinct and manners seem to throng there.

[Welshbeef]

popeyewhite said:

lemmingjames said:

You avoid resorts because people ski fast?

I'd say 106 kmh is a little more than 'fast'. And yes, I'd stay way from what you call 'fast'. Don't know what it is about big French resorts that attract this kind of person but speed skiers, beginners and boarders with a paucity of survival instinct and manners seem to throng there.

I cannot imagine most normal holiday skiers will be regularly doing 66odd mph more like 25-45mph. I used to love fast and kept pushing but then realised if I come off at the speed I was doing on one run I was borderline out of control/not comfortable (Piste was empty and I don’t go crazy fast unless that is the case if I catch up I back right off and go with the flow.) so chilled out and instead of no skill but billy big balls going straight down runs I enjoyed trying to get better at technique plus skiing with others usually means there are always those hugely better and also some who are total novices/just onto the runs. So a blend of style is required.

[popeyewhite]

Welshbeef said:

I cannot imagine most normal holiday skiers will be regularly doing 66odd mph more like 25-45mph.

I quite agree, my point was there seem to be more speed merchants at big French resorts nowadays though, so I and my friends avoid them.

Welshbeef said:

I used to love fast and kept pushing but then realised if I come off at the speed I was doing on one run I was borderline out of control/not comfortable (Piste was empty and I don’t go crazy fast unless that is the case if I catch up I back right off and go with the flow.) so chilled out and instead of no skill but billy big balls going straight down runs I enjoyed trying to get better at technique plus skiing with others usually means there are always those hugely better and also some who are total novices/just onto the runs. So a blend of style is required.

You're right, age, wisdom and self-preservation all win in the end. I used to ski fast ( it appears not THAT fast) but now just enjoy easy cruising and a bit of O/P with friends of varying abilities.

[Mr E]

popeyewhite said:

That and the boarders.

I apologise unreservedly for enjoying the mountain in a very slightly different way to you.

[troc]

As I’ve got older, I’ve also slowed down somewhat - but I’ve also found myself increasingly away from the pistes. There are simply far more people skiing than 30 years ago and they are equipment which is vastly easier to use. Thus more people are skiing fast in the same space.

I stay off piste or out of bounds now wherever possible and get my kicks jumping of cornices, skiing ‘impossible’ lines and playing in the pow, all out of sight of the masses.

Anyway, I’m off for a week in Japan in the new year and then a family week in obertauern during the half-term. And we are considering whistler for Christmas but I’ve only ever been later in the season so not sure what it’s like tht early in.