probably been a bit guilty of just going up, looking for the best powder line and hooning it
Excellent work my friend ...
Pendantry corner though: It's a backside slash from a drop-in above his head in the photo.
I believe the correct Fernie colloquialism is:
Giv'er!!!!
😆
@nedrapier, cool, let me know on the bindings! Could always do you a part-exchange deal if you fancy a trip!
Sainte Foy would be definitely be up your street. It's quiet - you ride straight on to every lift, no hassles. There is great in-bounds freeriding after a dump and loads of hikeable backcountry stuff where the snow stays fresh & untracked for ages. North face of the Fogliettaz is about a 45-minute hike (enough to put most people off!) and is about 1700m vertical of epic steepness. It faces absolutely dead north, is sheltered from the wind and is huge, so there's always fresh tracks to be found.
On-piste, it's a small area but the pistes are all good (no flat bits/traverses/etc!) and very, very well groomed. Conditions are usually good due to the lack of crowds. A lot of mixed/family groups really like it as you get loads of space to yourself, no watching out for 3 other people every time you make a turn.
More info here:
[url] http://www.whiteroomchalet.com/winhill.htm [/url]
[url] http://www.whiteroomchalet.com/stfoybackcountry.htm [/url]
We also run this: 😉
[url= http://www.whiteroomchalet.com/win_backcountry_weeks.htm ]The White Room backcountry ski and snowboard week[/url]
Has everyone got their Avi protection gear ready?
Anyone interested in a Burton Custom 164.5 (about 2005) Drake Super S bindings (much newer) and a bag? £195 buyer collect?
I got a Rome jibber.
Looking forward to Aviemore in the new year and France/Swissland in March. Hoping for snow in the Peaks sooner rather than later.
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
Can anyone help? Looking for a cheap deal (okay as cheap as it gets) to somewhere in Europe the week before Christmas for around 10 people - preferably chalet, half board, etc etc. Any recommendations of places/companies to try?
What sort of skiing do the group want?
Some of us are beginners, others have a fair bit of experience but don't think many of us are bothered about crazy off-piste stuff...
Les Arcs or Serre Che are both great for all day charging! For cheap, check out Italy. Sauze is pretty good, and te food......!
Andorra's supposed to be ace, but I hate transfers that long!
Companies? Crystal and Neilson are worth a look, IMO. Deals abound at the moment, trying to tempt some early punters.
newgal - do you want to include Christmas day or do you want to be home before that?
Need to be home for Christmas...lots of sentimental family types!
For that week then, I wouldn't go anywhere other than Tignes. Maybe one of the high Austrian resorts (e.g. Hintertux).
cool - ta muchly!
Flash, not sure if it's been answered but I have been using the scott Crusade for a season and think they're great. I'm sure you'd find the Venture to be a good all-mountain ski.
Thanks, 10. Going to be trying them at the Hemel Alp at some point, along withh the Atomics. I really should have bought some Enduros last season, as they were simply awesome.
All-mountain is what I'm after, so intrigued to see how the Ventures stack up. They're pimpy light, which is both good and bad. I'm not the lightest skier, and I like my kit to be burly. Will be interesed in how they stack up to my thighs driving them! 🙂
I know you pro tray boys will turn your nose up at it, but the Mountain Warehouse ski clothing seems pretty cheap and chearful. Is it cheap because it's horrific, or is not too bad?
Anybody been to Steamboat Springs in Colorado ?
After missing last winter due to our first child we are flying him out to meet up with some ozzy family that are staying on a ranch out there.
Home of champagne powder, but don't they all say that..
Can anyone here recomend a resort in Austria for 2 adv skiers . Will ski anything thats pisted ( although bottled the Grand Couliour in 3V ) , and dabble in off piste as long as its not stupid steep .
Went to Kitzbuhl and didnt enjoy the long walk through town , and long queue for the main gondola up .
Also , no ski buses as they suck big time.
Never been to St Anton and do not want to party at all. Having spent £200 on a lift pass i want to use it all day , everyday. StAnt does seem to have some deals already .
Must be pretty big or linked with another resort . We skied pretty much all of La Rosiere in a day , so 150 km + pisted .
Looking at 15 Jan so early season if it makes any difference .
Budget is approx £450 +Lp and normally book 12 days in advance .
Anybody been to Steamboat Springs in Colorado ?
Me, but it was over 15 years ago! And I was still very novice.
What I can remember: wide runs, but heavily pisted. Very easy to navigate compared to Euro resorts.
Blimmin cold at times (I remember frozen snot and defrosting our goggles in the hand dryers).
Nice town with cheap and enormous portions. Remember ID if you go out cos you won't get served without it even if you have a beard and grey hair!
Also , no ski buses as they suck big time.
THat'll be a sticking point, Mrs NBT's made me avoid Austria for years becasue she hates Ski buses. We're off to Bad Gastein over Christmas, I reckon a day at each of the smaller areas will negate the need for buses during the day, just one each way either end of the day wil be enough
THat'll be a sticking point, Mrs NBT's made me avoid Austria for years becasue she hates Ski buses.
There are plenty of Austrian resorts where the lift is within walking distance, even when they lay on buses. We're off to Schladming this season. The hotel is about as far as you can get from the lift, but it's still an easy walk, especially of you leave your boots and board/skis in a locker 🙂
And taxis are always an option if you're in a group and can't face mingling with the hoi polloi
GrahamS, I think the idea was to avoid in resort buses, rather than transfer buses. I agree re transfer buses, can't stand a long transfer!
In resort? Well, if they work well and it's a quiet period, they're no bad thing. Unless you're a friend of mine who, on the first day of her skiing trip, got clouted round the head by the wing mirror of a bus! Concussion, in bed for three or four days. Nasty.
Just as well she was wearing her helmet at the time, though....! Can open, worms everywhere!
I saw a lady on a ski bus get badly cut after a pair of skis in the overhead racking fell onto her head .
Its just another level of faffage which would be nice to avoid if possible.
Looking at Zermatt , Verbier , St Anton + Schladming at the moment .
I have a 10% off Skiworld voucher from last year , after we had a super-sub chalet girl who couldnt cook , not even spaghetti or scrambled eggs .
Cheers Graham S
Looks like they groom some stuff daily but leave the fun stuff ungroomed 🙂
Never been to St Anton and do not want to party at all. Having spent £200 on a lift pass i want to use it all day , everyday
One of the advantages of StAnton is that you can ride hard all day and finish with a run down the Steissbachtal at dusk when the slopeside bars really start rocking - get smashed on huge beers while dancing with buxom girls to stupid music for two hours before sliding the last km back to town on the hunt for a pizza. I'm a surprisingly good snowboarder when drunk! I love StAnton, esp. when it snows like b******.
digby, how are you set for bindings? I've got a spare set of Spark Ignition IIs with Mr Chomp crampons if you're interested?
Nedrapier; Do you still have those Spark Bindings for sale? I'll take em off your hands!
Mrs nbt here - being small I was always crushed, pushed, sworn at on the Austrian ski buses. As anyone who travels to many European resorts know, they don't have a queuing system and I've been left behind before now, with the rush to get the last bus back.
GrahamS - my worst experience was in Saalbach Hinterglemm, as our hotel was a good few miles out of the village, so walking wasn't an option. Anyway I'm always too knackered at the end of any skiing day to walk anywhere.
digby, how are you set for bindings? I've got a spare set of Spark Ignition IIs with Mr Chomp crampons if you're interested?Nedrapier; Do you still have those Spark Bindings for sale? I'll take em off your hands!
Woah there cowboy! 😉
I'm hoping to get up to Aviemore over the Chrimbo holidays and I've got a week in Bansko booked at the start of February. Apartment is 240 euros shared between four of us. Six day lift pass is about 130 euros, beer about £1 a pint (£2.50 on the slopes), and you can get a three course meal and a bottle of wine for way less than £20. Winner!
If you're over there, you shouldn't be able to miss me. I'll be the overweight Scotsman slowly sliding down the hill on his newest pride and joy.
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
With new bindings to match!
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
Truly, I intend to hide my poor technique behind a veil of burnt out retinas! 😈
Beagy
Booked .
Verbier .- 14th Jan , Catered Chalet with Inghams . Got a BOGOF on the lift passes which makes it a tiny bit less expensive .
There will be buses involved as its a 15 min walk to the main lifts :(.
Better do some training on the SS i guess.
Pondering a three day weekend at the start of December....anywhere in Europe likely to have good snow?
There will be buses involved as its a 15 min walk to the main lifts :(.
???
Dont know if we will be going this year. Finally got the news yesterday that my shoulder is going to be reconstructed after four years of pain. Will be in a sling for six weeks. Hope they do it in January so that Ive a chance of a late holiday
Yes yes yessss!
Sudden unexpected wife-approval for a week (SOLO!) of backcountry action at la Plagne in January with my mates who live there. All I need now is for my stupid collarbone to heal more. Get in!
Pondering a three day weekend at the start of December....anywhere in Europe likely to have good snow?
You'd surely be looking at Tignes for early Dec, no?
Sudden unexpected wife-approval for a week (SOLO!) of backcountry action
Must. Not. Make. Obvious. Joke....
Top of the Vallons/Cucumelle lift at Serre Che taken yesteday, I think
[img] 
[/img]
Nice!
Fairly new skier here - this'll be my fourth winter skiing, will be heading out on my 6th and hopefully 7th weeks away.
We're in Cervinia for Christmas, first time skiing in Italy (and Switzerland with the link to Zermatt). Snow up high is already looking good as they had a dump last weekend. Only 6 weeks to go.
Not booked the other week yet, but we'll aim to go away end of March/Early April (OH is a teacher and Jnr is at school too so have to do school hol trips), I want to go back to Italy and stay somewhere like Selva, La Villa or Arraba on the Sella Ronda. We'll see how we enjoy Cervinia first though.
I finally got my own boots last week after being warned off getting beginner boots which wouldn't fit my narrow feet. [img] 
[/img]
Off to Morzine for the season in 5 weeks 😀 Can't wait to try out my new 32 Lashed FTs, but still can't decide what to buy as my third board. Snow cannons on....... temperature dropping, fingers crossed the snow is coming
Hammerite - Choice boots! I'm just about to order some of the RX130's after getting a new resort job and having received wife approval!
[img] 
[/img]
Just put in my first turns this season at Loveland, CO. It was crowded, but fun! Breckenridge opens today and I'm off up there this week.
Edit - Just found out there's space for me on a trip to Park City, UT in feb too. Good day!
Just to be annoying:
I went snowboarding yesterday at Tignes. It was pretty good up-top.
Muhahahahaha! 😈
Lange....yum! Almost as yum as their models...! 🙂
Don't fit my paddle shaped feet, though. I have these;
[img] 
[/img]
Custom footbeds and a heat mould shell. Super comfy....
Pondered getting a Booster, but not 100% sure if they're really worth it.
10 - I'd like to say that I have a good taste in boots, but I literally went to the boot fitter (Solutions 4 Feet in Bicester), he measured me up and got them out the store room and sorted everything else out.
I'm now expecting that having my own lovely boots will transform me into a superskier (who can now feel his toes!).
[url= http://blogs.denverpost.com/sports/2011/11/14/jamie-pierre-dead-utah-avalanche/20458/ ]Jamie Pierre R.I.P.[/url]
Sad news.
[img] 
[/img]
Palmer P04- 132/96/123 of twin tip goodness. Received today.
Oh, and a winter season in Vancouver 😀
off to Lake Tahoe [eventually] for 3 weeks through February... Let it snow............
Strolled in to ZeroG in Chamonix for a "look" yesterday. You know that last set of last year's Spark bindings? They don't have them any more.
****! The wife is going to kill me. 😳
Yessss 😀
Booked to go to Courmayeur this year. Back to where I learnt to ski.
Driving down, hopefully should be a reasonable "budget" ish option
(in as much as any ski holiday is going to be costly 😥 )
So then, seeing as I'm driving - taking extra skis isn't going to cost any more...
Very, very keen to try my retro K2 skinny skis (although I dont doubt they'll be crap compared to my fat ones) trouble is - how much risk to take with an old pair of bindings 😕
On the other hand, been looking at some second hand skis on ebay...
Choice is surprisingly limited, especially for UK sellers.
Anyone skiied on Volkl Tigersharks? Fancy a go on a pair of these. had Volkls "back in the day" and they had the best edge grip of anything I've ever used... Modern fat skis don't seem to be as grippy
Had a nice days skitouring with Mrs Mugsy from the Col du Lauteret last week. Managed to ski from the car. Well ok we had to cross the road first.
CFH - How do you find the Impact 10s??
I've been impressed - apart from a snapped buckle, which looked very much like metal fatigue...
Had two days skiing in Val D'Isere at the weekend.
Could not ski back into resort but still a lot of fun and the quality of the snow up the top of the mountain was surprisingly good.
RKK, they're slipper like comfy, but really good and stiff to drive the skis. Work perfectly for me.
Right then - need some encouragement to be silly 😕
Really, really want to try my old skinny skis this year, even if it is only to accept that they are crap and consign them to a wall.
Anyhow, I'd taken the view that I wouldn't want to risk skiing on the old bindings that are mounted on them...
Until a quick look at Snow + Rock's brochure shows me that the classic Look turntable binding was re-launched a couple of years ago - branded as the most relaible Alpine binding ever...
They look (excuse pun) almost identical to the Look Forza Pro turntables that are mounted on my K2s. I see Rossi are also doing the same bindings as well.
Does this mean there might be someone around who'd service them???
Still rollerblading in the Pyrenees.
Reports reach me of turbo-puke conditions in the Alps! Muchos, muchos snow coming down!
This time yesterday, you could see the roof in this shot:
http://www.lesarcsnet.com/webcams/a-view-over-the-centre-of-arc-1950.html
As I post today, it's under about 30cm with another 20-30 forecast.
Hopefully there will still be some left when I'm there in a month!
Oh yes! This is the best news I've had all year!!
Snow in the Alps for Christmas??!
You know, I think I might just cry with joy. 😥 + 😀
don't think I've been so excited to check out the resort webcams and not be able to see a damn thing because it's snowing so much 🙂
Went to Xscape MK last night to try the new boots out. Can't get out of the habit of having my feet welded into my boots so even though I thought I'd done them up loosely I still suffered with frozen toes. Need to get into the habit of having my boots a bit looser.
[url= http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/578510/168c53a7c4/ARCHIVE ]Glencoe to open this Friday...[/url]
If they manage to open it will only be the 2nd time in 11 years they have opened before xmas. "Global warming" eh? 😉
121cm at 2200m St Anton.
[url] http://lawine.tirol.gv.at/schnee-und-lawineninfo/messstationen/r1-arlberg-ausserfern/ulmerhuette/ [/url]
2 days ago it was under 20cms!!!
Whoopeeee.
freeridenick - Member
121cm at 2200m St Anton.
http://lawine.tirol.gv.at/schnee-und-lawineninfo/messstationen/r1-arlberg-ausserfern/ulmerhuette/2 days ago it was under 20cms!!!
POSTED 2 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST
Excellent should last the week till I get there. Was getting a bit worried I might look a bit stupid in the airport with my skis and snowboard and no snow to head to...
Iain
currently being puked on in morzine... avoriaz opens on saturday and morzine the following saturday. not enough on the pleny at all, yet, but i've heard of waist-deep powder in avoriaz today.
gonna be an epic season, can feel it in my bones 8)
I bloomin' hope it's an epic season after the major drought last year!
hmm, having said that, the dry autumn means that the reservoirs, round here at least, are pretty empty, so the resorts are worried about how much snow they can make this winter.
snow has turned to rain in morzine, but the freeze level is not too far above us. absolutely pissing down in morzine, so a good sign for the snow this weekend 🙂
sorry for hijack: what gloves for skiing & boarding, preferably around the £30 mark? any good deals around at the moment?
Have a look in TK max or a decathlon store.
rkk01 - MemberAnyone skiied on Volkl Tigersharks? Fancy a go on a pair of these. had Volkls "back in the day" and they had the best edge grip of anything I've ever used... Modern fat skis don't seem to be as grippy
I ski Volkl Tigershark 10ft in a 175 and I love them, super responsive and amazing edge hold. They're also wide enough that in the chopped up snow they're ok too. All round top ski if you can get them for a good price!!
I like the cheaper Dakine gloves - I seem to like the pole grip better than more expensive, bulkier, gloves.
Take some thin glove liners in case it turns very cold.
will check them out thanks
greggparker9 - MemberI ski Volkl Tigershark 10ft in a 175 and I love them, super responsive and amazing edge hold. They're also wide enough that in the chopped up snow they're ok too. All round top ski if you can get them for a good price!!
Thanks...
I ski on 184 Apache Crossfires at the moment. Lovely ski for fast piste cruising and long stable turns, but they get very hard work for fast short turns and in off piste / edge of piste deep crud / crust... very difficult to turn.
Also, I don't have as much confidence in them on ice as with my old long skinny, skis - seem to be more prone to letting go.
I have a very old pair of Volkl's and the edges on those were phenomenal - one of the reasons I started to think about the newer Volkls. Tigershark 8' and 10' seemed like a good fit for what I was looking for. Not liking the price, though 🙁
Great prices for DaKine gloves from Boardridersguide on Ebay at the moment: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Boardriders-Guide/SNOW-/_i.html?_nkw=gloves&submit=Search&_fsub=1162673018&_sid=142360078
I got some of the Scouts. Come with a liner glove thats good on the road bike too!
Off to Zermatt on Christmas Eve, back on New Years Day with the board, should be fun 🙂
Cheers, Rich
Off to Kaprun in 9 days, i've been watching the weather religiously. It's not snowing enough!
Our paths may cross turboferret - I'm the otherside of the Matterhorn and go out on 23rd Dec.
80% of avoriaz open for this weekend, only £16 for a day ticket too! (not got season pass sorted yet...)
my ski tech guy is doing a pre-season tune, says he's made his own super fast wax, from 3 different ones. gonna be slippy 😀
Ski Park Pow in morzine, btw - awesome guys. their [url= http://www.skiparkpow.com ]site [/url]is down until sunday though for a re-build i think