Skiing update

I LOVED skiing when I went. Breathtaking views and the skiing is excellent fun. I was only 15 but I appreciated it so much.

I am looking to take my GF skiing soon. Am I right in thinking Feb and March are generally good times of the year to go?

Skiing is one thing that once I have been in my job a few years and have upped my salary a bit, I want to put osme aside to go skiing at least once a year.
 
I have cousins in Norway who have skiied for the national team on several occassions.

I try to avoid going with them as they literally draw circles around me!

I'm not bad.. but a basic weaving motion and turning is my limit :)
 
Spie said:
Hardcore :eek:
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Ive done a fair bit of skiing and still wouldnt do that.. it doesnt tickle my fancy.. disappearing down a crevasse.. never to be seen again!

+ I like being able to ski in and out of trees.. which is why i prefer Canada. Havnt been to many French resorts but those i have all of the skiing was above the treeline.
 
Lessons?!?! First time skiing in France got out the lift, turned right instead of left straight onto a red run. Mate was shouting instructions on keeping weight on edges etc. and crashed my way down. Was really lucky not to injure myself but by the end of the first day tackled a short black run back to the resort.

Having said that I am a pretty confident inline skater so once i'd sussed the edges and the fact that the skis are way longer and heavier than skates I was off. Will take a few lessons next time though, my technique is pretty ghetto :D
 
Spie said:
Yep, I did. I hadn't realised jusy how important boot fit is. Had them heat moulded with some insoles and they are fit superbly. Got them from Lockwoods in Leamington Spa. These are the boots. Their boot man really knows his stuff.
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I live just down the road from them and I was quite dissapointed in them. I went in asking for a good all round boot for my instructer course and they claimed that a pair in their sale would do fine. Turns out they were racing boots and were stiffer round the ankle which prevented me from bending properly.

I'm hopefully going out to Whistler myself this year, seeing as I'll be living in vancouver I'd better try and get there at least. Shame I won't be teaching but I might try for my Level 2.
 
The snow dome is better than a dry slope for learning, and I'd reccomend having a bit of experience before you go on your first holiday to anyone.

However, once you're intermediate/advanced, the snow dome experience can be summed up as:

Yay I'm at the top, here goes.
SWISH
Oh, I'm at the bottom already, aw well, back to the queue for the escalator thingy.

Can't beat the real thing. Oh, and on a snowboard too! :p

PK!
 
That's some pretty hardcore skiing D.P.!
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My two top tips for anyone starting out skiing is quite simply;
- Lean forward. As soon as you panic and lean back, you lose all control.
- Keep your upper body still and preferably facing straight down the slope. Dont try to turn with your upper body it'll only make you more unbalanced.
 
Scam said:
That's some pretty hardcore skiing D.P.!
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My two top tips for anyone starting out skiing is quite simply;
- Lean forward. As soon as you panic and lean back, you lose all control.
- Keep your upper body still and preferably facing straight down the slope. Dont try to turn with your upper body it'll only make you more unbalanced.
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Totally agree on the lean forward thing, but it is easier to say than do..

I only figured out the leaning bit when I started Snowboarding though :confused: the instructor got us to stand on it with no bindings done up and see what happens when you shift body weight, only then did I twig out that leaning back is bad...:D
 
gord said:
D.P you had a local guide right for that?
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No, just a few friends with experience.

IF you know how to ski on glaciers nad basic winter alpine techniques (crampons, ice-axe etc.), then you don't need a quide.

If you just want to ski the usual vallee Blanche route in mid-winter then you don't need anything much more than the skis on your feet, but I would still go harnessed up and have rope in your team in case you need to do a crevasse extraction. Avy danger is low, apart from in one or 2 areas, but you should have full avy gear anyway when doing off-piste.


The more interesting routes certainly require a lot more skill, and a guide is highly reccomended.
 
Spie, are you learning on Snow or dry slope?

I learnt on a dry slope and realised when i got onto the snow how much easier and faster it is :D

As you've already found out, getting your own boots is most definatly they way forward and i'm glad that i did that. The number of people i saw in the bars on holiday complaining about ill fitting boots spoiling their holiday was amazing!

Are you still going to Courcheval (sp?)? Am off to Meribel in Feb and have the valley pass so will be interested to see what you think of the slopes there
 
Wardie said:
By the end of your skiing trip you'll be parallel turning (depends if you are getting some tuition I can't remember). Most people do learn quite quickly and you look to be on track.
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It's the end of a very memorable holiday in Whistler today. Just got back from Blackcomb Mountain and today, with a superb instructor, we skied from Horstman Hut at 2,284m and -11C all the way down to base at 685m.

The really great news is that we are both way past just parallel skiing. Our descent was 70% blue runs and I'm absolutely over the moon. Actually I prefer blues to the more gentle greens, even though at this stage of my experience they are more taxing.

It really is all about smoothness and developing a natural flowing style. But at 45 years of age, first skiing holiday, on blues I'm very happy :D
 
It's great isn't it. There are no reds here though. Just greens, blues, blacks (either one or two diamond).

We'll definitely be skiing again before the end of the season.
 
Awesome. :cool:

I can't wait until I go again at the end of February. When I went for the first time (about two years ago), I managed to get down a (French) black run after a week with no prior experience. But I really didn't enjoy anything more than a red, and even that was a bit much. The thing I loved about the blue runs was that there was enough space for you to build up speed if you wanted to, but you didn't have to. This allowed time for you to take in the truly magnificent scenery and it was such an enjoyable, breathtaking experience. Being in-cased in trees for a few minutes, then being confronted by a series of mountains in the distance. Fantastic. :cool:

We were at the three valleys, in case anyone is interested.

Ahhh.. You've got me all excited now Spie. :D I'm glad to hear you enjoyed your holiday as well. :)

EDIT: DP, those pictures have made my palms sweat. :eek: :(
 
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im going to canada in october, up banf and jasper etc, did not think of doing skiing going to have to get me some lessons now thanks to your post spie.

Is snowboarding easier ? and are their any decent places up here in fife. (sorry for slight hijack)
 
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