Snow Sports Thread 2018-19

Jokester

Jokester

Jokester

Don
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Been a couple of posts in last years thread recently, so might as well put a new one up for the coming winter.

Personally not sure what I'm going to do this year, probably try and ski a bit more at Coe and Nevis if the conditions are good this year.

Abroad? Not sure yet.
 
I was just about to post about skiing so good timing. Anyone recommend some decent quick change goggles for someone trading up from some basic beginner goggles? The hugely changing weather conditions often made it very difficult to see any changes at all in the snow level during the last trip. Happy to invest in a pair that will last and will most likely need two sets of lenses to cover most circumstances.

At the moment I've seen the Anon M3 but out of stock in most places. Don't really want to pay more than £150 for them + both lenses. Thought I might bag some out of season bargins but might be a little late for that.
 
Jokester said:
Personally I just rely on a photochromatic lens now a days, covers all bases with a single lens.
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I tried looking for a decent set of those and reddit users kept telling me that quick changers are the way the manufacturers are going. Would much prefer not having to change lense. Have you had any success/recommendations on the photochromatic?
 
Kemik said:
I tried looking for a decent set of those and reddit users kept telling me that quick changers are the way the manufacturers are going. Would much prefer not having to change lense. Have you had any success/recommendations on the photochromatic?
Click to expand...
I’ve got a pair of Solomon goggles that are quick change, but I just use the chromatic lens in it (£200 though I think). I’ve got low light and also extreme bright lenses for them, only the extreme (Cat 4 I think, the chromatic is Cat 1 to 3) might come in handy as on blue sky days in bright sunshine the chromatic can be a fraction too bright.
 
Jokester said:
I’ve got a pair of Solomon goggles that are quick change, but I just use the chromatic lens in it (£200 though I think). I’ve got low light and also extreme bright lenses for them, only the extreme (Cat 4 I think, the chromatic is Cat 1 to 3) might come in handy as on blue sky days in bright sunshine the chromatic can be a fraction too bright.
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but Solomon don't do a magnetic quick change lens system? (well, last time I checked). The Anon M3 (and M2) goggles are magnetic and amazingly good. I've used Smith IO goggles for the last 6 or so years, but despite having gone through about 6 lenses the frames has died, so moved on. I already had a backup pair of Dragon APX goggles, so used them last season and they're ok. Well, they were good, until I had a look at a mate's Anon goggles and they're truly next level. The magnetic hold is great (I was fearing the lenses would pop off easily in a bail, etc.) but the frame wraps around the side of the lenses keeping them protected and the magnets are amazingly strong. Since then, I've been secretly wanting a pair... I get 40% off with Solomon, so would love them to have a magnetic set, but I don't think they do.
 
I'm booked for a week in St Anton in Jan and doing a long weekend in Courchevel in March. Counting the days tbh.

Taking 3 novices to Austria which will be interesting.
 
Got a set of Anon m2s a couple of years ago. Love them and the quick change is so handy. Previously had an old pair of Anons that were a nightmare to change.

Posted this in the old thread, booked up for Cervinia next March. 6 of us self catering, can't wait.
 
Some absolutely awful news from the snowboarding world.

Team GB snowboarder Ellie Soutter has died on her 18th birthday. She won bronze at the 2017 youth winter festival and had just been selected for the seniors for the snowboard cross Europa Cup circuit. She was tipped for a place at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Devastating news. No cause of death been released yet. RIP Ellie.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-sports/44971634
 
Apparently she missed her flight to join her team for training and that was all it was that tipped her over the edge. Something totally irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

Just felt she had let everyone down apparently. :(
 
richyfingers said:
Many folk here been to any of the Canadian or American resorts? Going to Cervinia next year but also getting married next year and are thinking of doing a trip to Canada or America.
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Did Whistler last Christmas for 10 days with the wife and kids. Quite easily the holiday of my life.
 
richyfingers said:
Many folk here been to any of the Canadian or American resorts? Going to Cervinia next year but also getting married next year and are thinking of doing a trip to Canada or America.
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Done a few, but IMO not worth the flight and jet lag. US ski resorts are very expensive and most place have pretty boring terrain. People have a misconception about snow quantities, but your popular resorts in Colorado are very dry compared to the alps for example, and when there is powder there is far more competition for it, and much less terrain available. Resorts are smaller, more crowded and have more beginner terrain. The higher snow volumes are mostly on the west coast, but you get a lot of heavy snow and rain. In California you go weeks without any fresh, then within a few hours it is all skied out. Whistler does better but it rains a lot of the time up to mid-mountain. I prefer Utah resorts over Colorado, feels more alpine the terrain and much more snow, but the resorts are lifeless. Well Colorado resorts are also rpetty dull designer clothing malls really.

If you earn your own turns then things a very different, lots of good ski touring and powder. But again, you do better in Europe.


For skiing alone it seems pointless, but if you combine it with other things it can be worth it. I l love going to Jackson Hole, good terrain, good snow volume and frequent powder etc, but thew old town is really nice and there is great wildlife opportunities. Plus you can combine it with a trip to Yellowstone.
 
Thanks for the feedback. Canada for some reason appeals more to me than most of the American resorts, no particular reason mind you. We'd like to incopincinc it into our honeymoon and would definitely include other activities in our trip so wouldn't just be 2 weeks of boarding.
 
About 5 years ago I did 10 days in Fernie over New Year and it was cool, but so so expensive (once there we heard they actual pride themselves on the most expensive lift pass in the US, at the time) - no joke, there's no weekly pass, just a day and season rate, so it was over £50/day EVERY day... This kept the resort v v quiet (even over xmas/new year holidays)... The topography of Fernie makes it a snow trap, to a degree, so it gets more snow than most on average, but D.P. is correct in the respect that easily accessible runs get tracked out quickly and the prime snow is a slog to get to (especially on a board) as it's a LOT of traversing.

I was recommended and stayed with Canadian Powder Tours and the host (Susan) is one of the only locally qualified touring guides, and touring each morning was included with the accommodation price. There were only 2 groups of people in the chalet, so we all left in a group and got shown about on and off piste until about 10am when the other group went to a cafe for warmth/drinks and I got my own guide for the rest of the morning, resulting is some epic and memorable off piste. Yeah, it was crazy expensive, but I'd happily go back again and stay in the same place.

Saying all this... if you're after a "once in a lifetime" trip and are happy to spend enough to get to Canada, then the other obvious option is Japan... And, tbh, it's WAY more memorable... Last year I did Hakuba (with tours of snow monkeys, local shrines and a fire festival) and a few nights in Tokyo afterwards. Truly amazing... So much, I'm back to Japan in Jan, but this time Hokkaido to tour the area for 10 days and possibly snow-shoe up and ride in a volcano crater... only live once... Then more fun in Tokyo afterwards...
 
^^^ I agree with that, for a memorable honeymoon lifetime ski trip, Japan rules. And on the skiing side the chances of getting good untracked powder is massively highly. They get much more snow, the locals are way less liekly to ski it and there are far less tourists. Plus Japan itself would be fascinating.


Canada is not really any different to the US resorts. The Rockies resorts around banff are cold and very dry, more limited terrain. Whistler is marketed as very bug, but it is relative to the tiny resorts of the US, it would be classed as distinctly average in Europe. It gets a lot of snow but a lot of rain and everything gets tracked quickly. Revelstoke is famed, but it is fairly limited, lots of competition and good snow is not that frequent either. Places like Big White do a bit better for snow/competition/terrain.


Not that there isn't good skiing, good resorts, and some truth to good snow, but the reality is it is a long way, very expensive and the terrain is way more mellow, resorts smaller and the snow is very dependent on location and by 11am is skiied out. The alps offers about so much more for less money and more convenience, and you can ski fresh tracks a week after the last snowfall if you know where yo look and choose smaller resorts.
 
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