The Snowsports Thread 2015-16

Guest2 said:
This looks pretty epic

fall-line-skiing-and-snowboarding-magazine.jpg


Old School Corbet’s Couloir. photo: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
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Yep:D
Although being early season I don't know if Corbet's will be open.
its been a long time dream to ski at Jackson but I was always put off by price. We were checking for cheap deals to Colorado, we live in Virginia so just internal flights to Denver and rental car. But all the Denver flights were like $600 return and had really long or really short layovers, and the only return flights were overnight leaving midnight. Got pretty bummed and then check Jackson, &only another $100 and a perfect 2 hour layover.

Whats more accommodation in Colorado seems horrendous, despite so many resorts and regular towns even a dump of a motel in the middle of a strip mall in Silverthorne was $150 a night and anything reasonable in a resort started at $220. In Jackson there was decent stuff from $70 a night in town, we splashed out a bit more but overall it will be hardly any more expensive than staying in a dump in the middle of no-where colorado.


Weird that the hotel pricing was some much cheaper.
 
Ive always wanted to ski in US. I did Canada (Whister & Blackcomb) when i was 21 with my dad but thats it outside of europe. I looked into catskiing in Fernie, lake island lodge for my 30th but it would have cost at least £6000 per person (flights, accom, food, catskiing for a week and normal skiing for a week)
Im all about a good holiday but at maybe £7k its a bit steep! Maybe when im rich ill do it
 
TBH, I would never bother flying to the US for a ski holiday if you live in Europe. Even the biggest resorts in N. America are smaller than an average alpine resort, most resorts have minimal vertical, and lift prices are ridiculous, there is way more competition for powder, the resorts are much more risk adverse and close down half the mountain for avalanches or terrain outside their boundary

There is some nice aspect, in general in the Rockies you get a lot of powder but absolute snow quantities are little different to Europe. The west coast resorts get a load of snow but typically heavy and wet., east coast is highly variable and not too dissimilar to Scotland (freezing cold dry powder 1 day, raining the next, then an ice sheet until the next snow or thaw comes).

Powder tree skiing is in general second only to Japan. In Europe most stuff in the tree line doesn't get the snow consistently and the trees are often very dense. there are a few exceptions but I rarely skied good powder trees. In The Us it is the opposite, almost everything is below tree line, the trees are typically nicely spread and get deep snow. You then get the opposite problem that there is rarely much alpine terrain sch as open bowls and steep faces.
Some resorts like Jackson Hole are fairly a typical and offer a more European experience of size, steepness, terrain choices with the best of the US snow.
 
Thanks D.P as well. I might look into Japan, I have heard it is fantastic and is one of the places on my travel list. I think it will be quite expensive though (2k plus inc flights)
 
US gets so cold as well. When my mum was living over there this year they went to about 4 places and they had -30c temps which made it just bitter.

We're aiming to go Feb and March next year. We will prob squeeze in more for weekends etc. nice thing about having a place you can go whenever, it's just finding the time.
Cheap rental place an hour and a half from Geneva, sleeps 4 easy, 6 at a push... drop me a trust :p

Oh and I want new skis, but I don't know what I want. I have some Salomon 2012s which I've skied the arse out of, which have also been fantastic skis. I love them as they're great all rounders. I also have some Line Sick Days, which are amazing powder skis. So I'm kind of looking for an all round big mountain freeski, about 95 across the middle, decent rigidity for piste skiing without flapping but playful enough to pop off things.

Talk to me...
 
I don't mind the cold - Just make sure you wear the right gear. -25c in Canada was the coldest I have been, with wind chill it was -35c one day. My dads mustache and eyebrows froze :) Luckily I had a balaclava so just the tip of my nose was freezing.

I have rented Rossignol Experience TPX for the past 6 or 7 years.

Currently these - http://www.rossignol.com/DK/DK/experience-88-bslt-tpx--2014--RADED01--product--alpine-men-skis.html

Great all mountain ski's and pretty good off piste too. I can't justify buying some as much as I would like as I only go skiing for 1 week a year :(
 
I've had plenty of cold days in the alps as well, -30 with a strong wind.
US west coast is much milder than the rockies.

I just don't think it is worth the money, time, jet lag etc to go to the US when the alps offers better terrain, infinitely more choices at far lower costs. A big resort in the US might have 10-15 lifts, which by alpine standard is tiny. a lot fo US resorts are also really flat and boring to ski.

There ar plenty of exceptions, and the exceptions are, well, exceptional,, and there are also some hidden gems scattered everywhere. When I lived in Oregon I skied a place called Willamette pass, would get tons of snow but was closed Monday to Friday so you get up there early Saturday for thigh deep powder in the trees. Useless as a ski holiday but awesome for locals. Places like Whitefish, Kirkwood, Arapaho basin are fantastic if small but there are way less o these than in the alps. I could name 2 dozen within 2 hour drive form Geneva (places like ovronaz, leysin, Champex, evolene, arrola, nendaz).
 
Just bought some Salomon Q105's for half price from EpicTV, ski is the same as this years version other than the colour, might have some of last years Q95 on a similar deal.

Was going to get a pair of Rossignol Soul 7 skis but the price was too good to pass on. Just need to get some decent bindings for them now.

Whitefish is long gone now, had one of my best ski days there before they commercialised it, been back since and it's good but I hear they've stalled investment in it now.

A basin has to be one of my favourite places along with Loveland as well. Proper local ski hills that most tourists pass by (eww slow chairs why would we go there!).
 
Slowly turning cold here in Sapporo, and there was the first dustings of snow last week. Can't wait to get up on the hill again. Hopefully going to get to a few more resorts this winter, but all depends how busy work is I suppose.
 
Noble-Kebab said:
What's the best website for ski gear? (Best for price)
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I used glisshop for my last lot of equipment. I am a member at ski club Great Britain and get 10% off everything form their site. Depending how much you spend you can get a great deal from them. Also their prices are pretty low anyway.

I got standard delivery from them and they fixed the bindings + shipped to me from France within 3 days. Couldn't fault them.
 
EBay best bet for a cheap used snowboard? I got one for myself for a good price (haven't actually used it yet :o) and planning on getting one for the Mrs.

(were both fairly Novice but can link turns and Di blue/red runs in Bulgaria earlier this year). All I'll be looking at is a bog standard all mountain board for the Mrs in a good size for her weight range (for Xmas :p) .
 
Just booked in for the second week in March to Meribel. Bloody love the 3 valleys and can't wait after last season was cancelled due to injury! Still need to go further afield again at some stage, but beggars can't be choosers!
 
What the best resort to go to? (thinking france/italy/austria)

I want:
To have lots of snow (probably want to go March time)
To go with the Mrs (2 people and stay in a nice hotel)
To get value for money (if possible), and not spend hours trekking from flight to hotel
To fly from Stansted (30 min train from my house)

Last year I went to Bulgaria and it was good but would like more snow and more gondolas rather than chair lifts (seem to spend a long time on the lifts!
 
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What about Three Vallees in France?

Does anyone have any comments on the lessons offered by the snowdome? Which dome is best? I can travel to MK, Hemel or Tamworth from where I am based so if there is am optimum one, that would be good.

I need to get some lessons for my GF preferably the all in one day sessions.
 
lucky13 said:
What about Three Vallees in France?

Does anyone have any comments on the lessons offered by the snowdome? Which dome is best? I can travel to MK, Hemel or Tamworth from where I am based so if there is am optimum one, that would be good.

I need to get some lessons for my GF preferably the all in one day sessions.
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I haven't had an all day session myself but one of my mates had one at Milton keynes whilst we were free skiing. From what he was saying they were slowing him down where he thought he could pick it up quicker (This I guess depends on how quickly you pick it up). I would definitely recommend taking your own helmet if you go to Milton Keynes as they had old and extremely smelly ones. If you go to Hemel Hempstead then they had some good quality helmets.

I wouldn't advise going on Friday as they put up some jumps in the middle of the slopes so you end up just having to avoid everything (This is evening on the learners slope).

Let me know what you think as personally I preferred Hemel as it was a lot cheaper, the bar/restaurant was nicer and it was easier to get to. Only about 10 meters difference between the two slopes in length.
 
lucky13 said:
What about Three Vallees in France?

Does anyone have any comments on the lessons offered by the snowdome? Which dome is best? I can travel to MK, Hemel or Tamworth from where I am based so if there is am optimum one, that would be good.

I need to get some lessons for my GF preferably the all in one day sessions.
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Hi mate, I've been meaning to reply to this for a while.

I did my boarding lessons at the Snowdome (3 x 2 hour lessons) and loved it!

I'd go early in the day or afternoon if you can the group sizes tend to be smaller. I went to one class at 11am and there was me and one other on the course and basically have private tutoring.

Regarding the all in one day courses, just bear in mind it is quite a steep learning curve and if you struggle with something and you head goes you may want a break... but obviously weight that up against travelling time.

I'm off to The Three Valees (Meribel) in January and excitement is level 10, I've enjoyed the experience so much i've bought all my own kit :D.
 
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