[Closed] The STW Ski and Snowboard thread - 2011/2 Edition

No from suffolk! But a chamonix/jackson hole veteran...

Ned - have you seen those Edison bindings from Spark - looks like a massive leap forward to me.... 😛

I have been waiting for a split development like this and have held back on bindings - next year could be the year. The massive bonus being you only need 1 set of binders for both boards...

Why, you can't do this on a pair of touring skis

Of course you can, or could. The only real difference is the bindings so you can walk uphill in them, you can use any fat alpine skis and just whack a pair of skins on.

I like the backcountry, slackcountry thing, I just hike up to somewhere from the top of the chair lifts though, don't see the point in starting any lower unless you are in the proper back country with no chair lifts around.

@freeridenick - agreed - those Edison bindings look really promising and I might be tempted to replace my Blaze bindings with them next year.

It's definitely been a interesting couple of years in Splitboard development, what with Spark, Voile & Karakorum all coming out with new/innovative products but the Edison systems looks like a winner if it does away with the Voile 'pucks' and you only need one pair of bindings for both your split & regular board.

Guess it just depends how stiff the Edison binding setup is. I know Spark has addressed some of the early concerns with soft highbacks and heel straps, but an interface setup that restores some torsional stiffness looks like a fantastic idea! 🙂

edit - nice shots btw! 8)

Of course you can, or could. The only real difference is the bindings so you can walk uphill in them, you can use any fat alpine skis and just whack a pair of skins on

I don't think that's quite the point that was being made. From my perspective a splitboard gives you the benefit of ski-touring going up and snowboarding going down. Not saying snowboarding is better than skiing or owt - just different!

But it is better 😉

Just back from Chamonix
Spring conditions across the region meant frozen pistes first thing . As soon as the sun had been on the slopes for an hour or so they started to soften , as early as 10am for the lower SE facing slopes . By midday most had some areas of porridge . No stones or rocks coming through so pretty much all skiable .
There were a few 'home' runs down from Flegere / Brevent that were shut , as was the long red down to the station at Vallicine ( Le Tour ) but these are low level runs C 1500m .
We saw 16'c on a terrace in Courmeyer. The area pass buys you 2 days there , and a free bus transfer . I have never skied in such warm conditions . It was uncomfortable in a helmet , googles , jacket etc .

As it had been freeze / thaw for a while didnt find any powder to play on , so stuck to pistes and did alot of technique work . 1 footed carving , fakie , 1 footed fakie ( very hard, cant get it ) and alot of mogul bashing.

Dont think i will be rushing back to Chamonix . The buses and trains mean faffage of the highest order just to get to the bottom lifts . Be different with a car perhaps . Although as it was so hot we didnt attempt the VB , so thats a possibility.
usual overpriced crap in the mountain restaurants with indifferent service .

and there are many many reports on the interweb about the Grand Aigle, bit late now though

Please don't stay in this hotel, there's a Club Med down the road, its worth the extra cash.

Despite the fact that they haven't had any big snowfalls since early February and it was so warm I skied in a base layer and light fleece all week, the area was still very skiable and I had a great time, particularly on the last 3 days when I decided to get the best off the "off-piste light" and found conditions much better than the piste when you got the timing right. I can imagine that with the right conditions it would be great as a lot of it looked easily accessible from the lifts.

Don't think I would go back though as, (per usual) I felt the French were only interested in fleecing you at every opportunity and the atmosphere was much less welcoming than my last two holidays in Austria. Also, Villeneuve is not the place to go if you want a bit of nightlife!

All in all, I would say its a good resort and probably great given the right conditions and if you know where to go at night, but for my money I think there areas which offer a much more rounded experience. Certainly wouldn't want to put anyone off, as I think the area has a great deal to offer - just don't stay in Villeneuve and definitely avoid the Grande Aigle!

I agree with your experience Woody. We had some of the worse skiing holidays with Equity.

In Austria we had some fantastic food on the hill, prices that were competative and such good,friendly, welcoming staff at mountain restaurants. Same in the hotel really.

We're off to Les Arcs soon, so will be prepared to make sandwiches because of the off putting prices in mountain eateries.
Hope the snow keeps before we can get there, although I heard they'll be more on the way over the next few days.

Like anywhere, there's good and bad, Woody. Not everywhere in my local French resort is trying to fleece people. Most are trying to make a living by providing a good service they hope people will appreciate and come back for again.

Personally I found Austria somewhat expensive and the famous après ski in Ischgyl (rated the best in the world by partisan German rags) amounted to people standing around drinking cold beer in the cold for about an hour before even the locals decided it was too cold to stay out and went back to their (very expensive) hotels or camper vans paying 5e a night on the car park.

Edit: almost forget to say today was ace; fresh snow on/off piste, sunshine and falling snow at the same time.

Edukator
I realise that not all French are like that and I generally like most I've met, especially in smaller resorts but there are a few who's attitude leaves a sour taste eg. I had lunch in the same mountain restaurant all week and initially the waitress had a face like a spanked arse which instantly transformed after the first tip into a friendly person who couldn't have been nicer for the remainder of the week. In fairness that may be due to the way that many Brits/English behave, however, on the last day a young couple wandered in and asked to see a menu. This was treated with what can only be described as contempt and two waiters then called over the manager who then waved his hand dismissively towards the blackboard menu. I can only assume they were treated like that as the staff initially (wrongly) assumed they had only gone in to use the toilet.

BTW the staff in Grande Aigle were all English.

Woody, sorry you had a bad time with the hotel. Serre Che's a top spot, though. Try Chantemerle and the Plein Sud another time.

Now, Didier Cuche - bowing out in style!

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=87921&highlight=

Love it! 🙂

Lordy - Cuche has pinched my skiing technique, style and gear.

'Whispers' no helmet!

Brave chap to ski down that icy, steep race course, could have come a cropper. Very entertaining.

Those skis appear to be wooden ones without edges. I've got some 60s Rossignol Médaille de Bronze with screwed on edges and they work quite well.

I'm going on my first ever ski trip on April 8th and I'm really excited. I just hope the conditions will be ok - I'm crossing my fingers for a big dump of snow the week before I leave.

Woody - £129 if you want to go back to your favourite hotel next week! £170 to L2A. http://www.rocketski.com/ski-resorts/france/serrechevalier/clubhotel-le-grand-aigle/?airport=MAN&date=24/03/2012

You know what hammerite, at that price I could be tempted 😆

If I wasn't going the week after to Kitz I'd be tempted too. I can generally put up with a dump, I can also put up with poor quality, although I'd kick off if there wasn't much food like you had!

So I'm back at boring old work now after my Slovakia trip - trying not to think about snow, beer and sunshine (this thread doesn't help!)

Great holiday!

Weather was typically springlike: some snow (and hail), fogbound, cold and windy for the first 4 days, then blazing sunshine, blue skies, temperatures in the 20s and a little slushy for the next 4.

Some things:

• the travel out sounded like a total faff on paper, but actually went incredibly smoothly (car, train, train, bus, flight, taxi, train, van!)

• Slovakia has nice high-speed trains that are better than any I've been on in the UK (restaurant car with big menu, wine and table service for the price of a GNER sandwich!) and much cheaper (26eur for a 3 hour journey in 1st class, without booking ahead!)

• [url= http://www.chaletslovakia.com/ ]our chalet was great[/url]. Good friendly hosts and a nice relaxed vibe, probably helped that we were the only guests for the week.

• Dan, our chalet host and well seasoned guide, smashed into a tree while taking us through the forest on our second day 😯 and had to take several days off with a sprained back.

• the official Freeride Zones on the piste map turned out to be fairly [i]intimidating[/i] for normal people, especially when the snow was bulletproof:

[img] [/img] (please excuse the cameraphone photo)

• but there was a crapload of excellent tree skiing that was easily accessible without any major hikes, and there was soft snow to be found in there even on the worst days.

• the Slovaks and Polish have some [i]interesting[/i] ski outfits. 1980 flouro-Nevica onesies are still remarkably popular.

• there is apparently no Slovak translation for "Health and Safety"

• despite everything being ludicrously cheap, I still spent a decent whack.

• turns out that riding hard for 8 days is considerably more exhausting than pootling about with the usual family group. Who knew?

Anyways, Slovakia: highly recommended for anyone who wants cheapness, decent off-piste and something a bit different from the Alps.

In sadder news, I see a 22yo British rep has been killed in Val d'Isère after hitting a snow cannon. 🙁
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17455429

Be careful out there folks!

Yes very sad about the young Crystal rep.

On this....

• despite everything being ludicrously cheap, I still spent a decent whack.

Did you make up for it being cheap by pushing the boat out and eating/drinking/doing things that you wouldn't usually do (and in greater volume?)?

Did you make up for it being cheap by pushing the boat out and eating/drinking/doing things that you wouldn't usually do (and in greater volume?)?

In short, Yep.

[i]"Why not go for prime steak with blue cheese sauce, it's only 8 EUR?"
"I'll get these drinks, it's only 10 EUR?"
"Go-karting night? 5 EUR? Why not?"
"Aquapark night? Might as well for 5 EUR eh?"
[/i]
etc etc etc

It adds up eventually, but does make for a better holiday 😀

Tonight: drive
Tomorrow: Arcs
Friday: Rosiere
Saturday: Tignes
Sunday: tba
Monday: home
8)

Nice itinerary shifter.
Pack the sunscreen it's hot in the Alps at the mo!

Yeah just packed that, plus black Iridiums ; )

Sounds great Graham.

Agree with the sunscreen thing. Jnr has one of these sunscreen sticks, last year he put some on his face in a haphazard manner while we were in Les Arcs... he spent the rest of the week looking like he'd sunburnt the Union Jack onto his face!

shifter - Member
Yeah just packed that, plus black Iridiums ; )

Snow or bike variant?

the former is on a positive contrast base and is far better at depth perception in bright, monochromatic situations such as snow.

Crikey. I need to get out more. 🙂

Oh, and Black Iridium (In either variant) is perfect for admiring the views. Ahem. 8)

Snow variant, yes you do & I'm hoping for nice views... : )

Yup, be careful out there folks, that could be you standing on the edge of the piste taking a photograph rather than a snow canon. "le jeune homme skiait "très vite" quand il a heurté la base du canon à neige".

I'm guessing he might have been going for a jump next to the snow cannon and misjudged it?
(he says having just spent a week watching people do exactly that).

Nasty one anyway. 🙁

Sounds pretty bad. Here's a couple things that spring to mind. It looks like thats a run leading back to the village he was on. In Whistler BC where I am, all the runs leading back to village are either blue or green runs, and are all slow zone areas. Big red fencing blocking the piste you have to slow down to get round, and men there looking like they'll nab you if you're going too fast, their main job is to slow people down and take of the signs i think.
Also those speeds on a big open run is a bit stupid. If he didn't lose control and hit the cannon, I bet he would have hit something or someone else. All for the sake of some lame bragging rights in a pub later that night I'm sure!
I think things are a bit too safety concious here in whistler, but some of the euro resorts could take one or two leafs out of the book here.

Solaise is a great run. Open at the top then a wide run through the trees back down to Val. "Les bosses de Solaise" were a notorious mogul field when I worked there in the 80s before cable anchors allowed bashing of steep pistes, it's perfectly prepared these days. There's netting; the usual pads on the snow cannons; the pisteurs are out there doing their job asking the over enthusiastic to slow down; there are safety posters to read on the pylons as you ride the chairs up.

I don't want European resorts to do any more for safety because I like the hors piste that would get me arrested in Whistler.

I don't want European resorts to do any more for safety because I like the hors piste that would get me arrested in Whistler

Really?

You might get a caution/pass revoked for excessive speed in a beginner/family area in Whistler (although most Canadians observe the signs) and no doubt a repeat offender or someone endangering others might be arrested, but you won't get arrested for heading out into the Garibaldi Provincial Park for example.

Contravening some of the resort area 'avalanche gates' that are opened [conditions permitting] when you are wearing a beacon or ignoring a closed sign may also result in pass revoked.

Italy however (I think it was Livigno since Dec 2010] did make it a criminal offence to go off-piste unless accompanied by a qualified mountain guide.

Sorry, Whistler as you correctly point out is not in the USA. I thought in Italy you just need a shovel, arva and probe rather than a guide.

Whilst not 100% clear and the link to the info on the APT Livigno website appears to be broken:

[url= http://www.worldsnowboardguide.com/resorts/italy/livigno/resort_riding.cfm ]Livigno[/url]

"Officially ALL off-piste has been banned since December 2010 and you risk a fine from between 50-500 euros if you get caught, and possible jail if you accidentally set off an avalanche. You can only now go off-piste if you are accompanied by an official guide, but the resort is still a bit hazy as to what exactly constitutes off-piste"

Edit - has anyone from STW been recently and can verify the situation?

I don't want European resorts to do any more for safety because I like the hors piste that would get me arrested in Whistler.

Thing is we have a huge amount of off piste here that is within the ski area boundary and avalanche controlled. You could have your pass revoked for skiing in the permanently closed areas. Not sure about the temporary boundrys, I think skiing in those is just at your own risk.

the pisteurs are out there doing their job asking the over enthusiastic to slow down; there are safety posters to read on the pylons as you ride the chairs up.

Good to hear, it's been a while since I've been skiing in France.

If anyone is still interested in Slovakia, I just wrote up a more detailed review of my trip over on SCUK:
http://www.snowboardclub.co.uk/PNphpBB2-viewtopic-t-50725.html

Are there any pics of you bustin' out some phattt air or cruzin' da' POW?

😉

Sadly not. I didn't bother taking the SLR this time, so just a few snaps from cameraphones.

I did shoot some video though. I'll hack that together at some point and cunningly edit it to make me look like I know what I'm doing. 🙂

My air is distinctly phinn tho.

Italy did put in place a ban on off-piste skiing/snowboarding without a guide/instructor, however this only lasted for 1 season (2008/09 I think, maybe the year before or after). It is now a legal requirement to have a transceiver, shovel & probe (and, I think, a partner).

First law was massive overkill, can't really argue with the second one.

Solaise is a great run.

Anyone just come back from a week/weekend in the snow? How was it? Conditions? 5 days to go for me 🙂

Nice in the morning, somewhat soggy in the afternoon in the Pyrénées.