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Anyone know if Alpine Elements are any good for holidays?
Looking at booking for eight and they have good offers in Tignes! 🙂
Nothing wrong with sitting about.
I'm normally doing such rad stuff a few minutes later, that I [i]need[/i] to have a moment of sitting about to consider my next sequence.
In reality, I have the same attitude as Gee-to-the-power-of-S though. 🙂
Y'knowzit doubleD 😀
Digby, Who are you staying with? What made you go with them? Self guided or guided? I'm assuming 100% touring? Breathtakingly expensive? 🙂
I really appreciate some pointers if you don't mind. I'm definitely going in the year or 3. email in profile if you'd prefer. Thanks!
SteezyDarcy. 8)
I will mostly be putting in the 45 min drive to Glenshee with Eldest, of maybe the 1.5hrs to Cairngorm 😀 . Lots of snow days would be handy again. I mostly boarded last year in Glenshee as my eldest was learning to ski, and the powder in Glenshee was as good as anything I had experienced in Italy or France. (Never thought I would say that)
I also tend to board with skiers hence why flows are an advantage, I can be strapped in and ready while they're still banging the snow off their bindings.
the powder in Glenshee was as good as anything I had experienced in Italy or France. (Never thought I would say that)
Glenshee can be amazing, particularly when Glas Maol is fully open and all the noobs are sticking to Sunnyside.
I also tend to board with skiers hence why flows are an advantage, I can be strapped in and ready while they're still banging the snow off their bindings.
So no problems in deep pow or on steep ice as me an rizla suggested?
It's been a few years since I looked at Flows seriously. I actually used to have Switch step-ins back in the day and I loved them - but I wouldn't go back now.
@ raymond are they flows? or are they cinch or something similar I only knew they were rear entry binders because of teh high back clip and the wire...
in the last few years flows have gone from strength to strength with materials and weight but they're still awkward for the riding i do.
But if that wire fails (which i have experienced in the past)you are screwed... If a strap fails you can still ride home.
Any opinions on Alpine Elements?
More than happy to share info.
You are right - it's absolutely eye-wateringly expensive! Staying at Lyngen Lodge, but doing the trip as part of a 'McNab Expedition' with Neil McNab ([url= http://www.mcnabsnowboarding.com ]http://www.mcnabsnowboarding.com[/url]
I've done quite a few backcountry trips with McNab in the past and can highly recommended them if snowboarding is your thing.
It's all guided touring either directly from the Lodge or using a boat to navigate the Fjords.
I doubt I'll get an opportunity to do anything like this again, so I'm looking at it as a 'once in a lifetime' trip.
Happy to provide more info if you want and let you know what it was like when I've been!
@ digby... that sounds unreal!
Digby: that looks awesome! What sort of boarding level and fitness do you need to do that kind of thing?
Awesome! Nearly went to Greenland with him last year, but found another way. Don't know if I would have had a better time on his trip or not, but the report looked amazing.
Just read the "once in a lifetime" bit. I'm finding that opportunities to go on once in a lifetime trips come up quite often! It's a slippery slope: once you've bought all the kit, it gets cheaper every time!
I would avoid Alpine Elements and Crystal/Thomson, they can be good, but they can also be absolutely woeful.
On step-ins for snowboarding, I've never liked them, it takes 10 or 15 seconds to strap in at the top of a lift, not a big deal really.
My advice would be don't skimp on the fitness. Do everything you can! loads of biking. You might be able to get by with less, but I reckon it's a totally open ended relationship: more fitness = more comfortable skinning, less sweat, more time at the top waiting for the last in the group, more scenery gazing and more photos, less deterioration of technique, more fun on the downs, more runs, less pain in the morning...
And from what I've heard and read, if someone's fit for another run, Neil will go! May as well be you!
And I want to see the photos!
Quoting from the McNab website:
"Technical ability levels are scored on a scale of 1 to 6 where 1 is a beginner with little or no experience (up to 3 days) and 6 is someone very experienced and able to perform at the highest level, anywhere on the mountain.
Fitness is also graded on a scale of 1 to 6 where 1 is a person with a very basic fitness level and 6 represents someone with a very high level of fitness"
The Norway trip is graded 5 in terms of both technical ability and fitness ... hence the need to do some work on my fitness particularly CV fitness!
I've only been riding for 9 years but I did learn to ride [properly] with Neil McNab as I had some shocking bad habits at first - then did a season four years ago and have spent a month riding in Canada every year for the past few years as well as a few backcountry trips in the Alps, so I'm really hoping I can make the most of the experience!
Yeah ... I know what you mean about the 'once in a lifetime' recurring theme - I said that when I was about to do a season a few years ago! just one more hit! 🙂
Thanks for the fitness tips. Greatly appreciated! 🙂
What was your Greenland trip like? Would like to hear about it. I know a couple of guys who went with Neil last year on his Greenland trip and they said it was an amazing experience!
Circuit training is pretty good for ski-touring type fitness. If you cycle a fair amount your endurance should be decent, circuits will increase your core strength and balance and get you used to breathing out of your rear end and recovering quickly.
Cheers Digby. I read the site, but I wondered how that compared to the actual courses.
I've been boarding since the late 90's ( 😯 ) but typically only a week or two a year. I've never had any lessons, so I probably have shocking technique, but I can get down most runs and like messing about on (not very far) off-piste pow.
I guess I'm probably a 4 on Technical Ability and a 2 on fitness 😀
Hmmmmm...
On step-ins for snowboarding, I've never liked them, it takes 10 or 15 seconds to strap in at the top of a lift, not a big deal really.
Back when I had Switch step-ins I'd click-in while still on the drag then just ride away when I got to the top.
Yeah didn't save much time, but it was just less faff and it was nice to breeze past everyone sat in the snow. Plus you always had the same tension/feel rather than starting a run and then realising your strap isn't quite as tight/loose as last time.
But yeah, now I've gone to softer boots and Autos I wouldn't go back.
The McNab courses are pretty demanding for sure - I did the splitboard touring course last year and although I was riding & hiking in Fernie for a month before I went to Chamonix, the hikes at altitude still hurt as nothing can prepare you for altitude like altitude and Fernie is pretty low in comparison.
However this shouldn't be a problem in Norway! 🙂
I can definitely recommend the McNab tech-clinics if you fancy working on your off-piste technique etc.
Digby: sounds like I'm probably a step or two away from that. Especially in fitness 😳 I should probably take some intermediate lessons on holiday some time, but it always seems like such a waste of chill out time with my friends.
Digby: it was frickin ay-mayzing! Amazing snow, a few of the runs are collectively up there in my top 3 powder days ever. The trip had pretty much everything you'd want/expect from a polar trip: Terrible weather, delayed flights (great couple of days in Iceland!) skidoo rides, arctic hares, fox prints, polar bear approach (flares, rifle, track following to make sure it had gone), tent bound storm days, low viz gps tours, sunset whisky and powder turns at 11pm. First ascents, first descents, incredible pow, nadgery couloirs, windlip hucking, heart in mouth blind rolls, sluff (thankfully very stable generally, just 2" of slow moving corn over crust, on the very last run of the trip!)
Still haven't got round to whittling the photo's down to something manageable - we started at over 2000 bewtween the 4 of us!
Val d'Isere for a week in early January with a large group. Should be fun if I can get some work in to pay for it.
Wow ... that does indeed sound like a absolutely fantastic trip!
Loving the comma separated synopsis! Trips like that aren't just about the riding are they - it's the whole experience!
And whilst I'd love to see a Polar bear, I'd be soiling myself if one came anywhere near camp! 😳
Would be good to see some of the photos if you ever get round to sorting through them!
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?
either way, ping me an email, I'll let you know [s]if[/s] when(!) I put a trip report up on splitboard.com Be good to hear about Fernie too, I've got few friends out there.
On the subject of Fernie, if anyone is looking for accommodation then I HIGHLY recommend giving Susan at http://www.canadianpowdertours.com/thechalet.html a go. Best catered chalet we've ever stayed in. Great atmosphere and amazing food.
I'm ok for [splitboard] bindings at the moment, but thanks anyway - greatly appreciated. I've got a pair of Spark Blaze & Mr Chomps, but I ended up cannabalising a pair of Salomon 'Code' bindings for the highback & ankle strap as I found the Spark Blaze highback far too soft & flexy.
I actually lent my Salomon Code highbacks to one of the guys who went to Greenland so my highbacks have seen first descents whereas I haven't! 😯
Look forward to reading your trip report!
Edit - btw, what splitboard did you use for Greenland and how did you get on with it?
I'm feeling slightly extravagant this winter.
Can anyone recommend some Heliboarding operators in the alps for 1 day.
Ive done seasons in NZ, weeks and weeks in europe and loads of scottish stuff, I'm getting old (I'm 41 ye know) so want to have a final 'big push' before my body gives up on me.
Oh yeah, needs to be cheap.......
Heli + Cheap = Bad Thing, I would say.
Not sure I'd trust a cheap outfit for heli stuff.
Where in the Alps would you be heading?
Depends where the Heli's are I guess. I've never been to Cham so quite fancy that, but thought that the French dont like doing helidrops.
Heli skiing is a no-no in France afaik. But from Cham you should be able to head through the tunnel to Courmayer in Italy to go heli boarding I think.
Started with straps back in the day, but went to K2 Clickers when I first saw them in California. Rue the demise, would go back tomorrow !
Have a couple of sets of Flows, but mostly sraps again. 8 boards.
Try Last Frontier for heliskiing (in BC) Excellent experience, but not cheap.
Got a place in the PdS, so go there a lot, but Tahoe still my favourite for sentimental reasons (OH is from Cali.)
CF - Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows remain my favourites, although the Skyline Trail at Heavenly does offer those superb Mountain/Lake/Desert views over the full 10000ft as mentioned.
I can remember when they didn't allow snowboards at Alpine ! (I learned to board at Northstar, just along the road ...... )
If I get to hook up with my BiL this winter, we'll maybe head to Utah as he's got mates there.
G.
@ Yellow Belly - you are right in thinking that the French (Govt) aren't keen on Heliski etc however there's a few Organisations in the Chamonix area that organise Heli trips mainly in the Valle D'Aosta area:
try the likes of [url= http://www.chamonix-aventure.com ]http://www.chamonix-aventure.com[/url] or [url= http://www.chamex.com/ ]http://www.chamex.com/[/url]
btw ... you're never too old! I'm 44 next year and I've still got the hunger for progression!
Hopefully heading back to Red Mountain BC around March - small but awesome.
I'd like a change from a doing a week here and there at the big Alpine resorts - a couple of years ago I did a road trip in Norway taking in about 4 different hills and I'd like to do something similar again, off the beaten track a little (but still in Europe) - anyone got any bright ideas or recommendations?
unfortunately my office is based [url= http://www.valleedaulps.com/tourism_vallee_d_aulps_hiver_anglais.html ]here[/url], so i'll be on the slopes all winter...
any ideas on the best place to get some skins for my skis?
Digby, I took a Voile Mojo 166 (the old one, non rockered) I'm on the light side for it, 65-70kgs, so I need to be going some for it to start feeling fun.
Laurent had a Mojo RX 161
Rob had a rockered Prior Backcountry 165
Martin had a Jones 164 (hard boots, counting on there being some climbing, there wasn't)
We all had a bit of a winge about our boards, usually at the bottom of runs where we'd fallen! Except Rob. Possibly because he's stubborn, possibly because he falls less, possibly because he was dead chuffed with no complaints.
Obviously though, no-one was talking equipment at the bottom of the primo lines with perfect powder!
If I was living in north america with access to demos, I'd be really keen to try a whole bunch: Burton Freebird, Jones Hovercraft & Flagship, most of the Priors, Ventures, Never Summers...
If I was on a budget, Voile are hard to beat. Great warranty too. And the boards ride pretty well.
If money wasn't tight and I had to buy without testing, I'd probably go for a rockered Prior Backcountry. clear topcoat, green logo and black base, please!
And if I knew [i]exactly[/i] what I wanted from a splitboard, I'd definitely speak to Donek.
On the Fernie front, have you ever used nonstop?
Anyone had any good experiences of transfer companies from Turin airport? Might be in need of someone to get me from the aiport to Serre Che.
Am planning on using Neilson for everything apart from the flights, as they use Thomas Cook who are utterly, utterly, utterly sh1te. In fact, beyond that. Thomas Cook flights are some sort of punishment for bad behaviour in a past life. They're utterly awful. So, will be on BA instead. 🙂 This, of course, means that my flight is likley to land on time, which is never the case for Thomas Cook (3hrs late is a [i]good[/i] time for them!) and would mean we probably won't be able to use the Neilson coach transfer.
Quick summary - Neilson are ace, Thomas Cook flights are awful.
My snow plans are now officially over...
Last years trip to Alpe D'Huez ended suddenly (literally) with 5 broken vertebrae...
Looks like my days on the snow are over, however, if anyone wants a cheap set of Ride MIG bindings let me know 🙂
Steelsreal, I ruptured / snapped both Cruciate Ligaments on 2 separate occassions skiing and have skied a good few times since. Both times they happened I thought it was the end of my skiing for good only to find that with the right physio and strenghtening I have been able to go back.
I have needed to ease off a bit though 😯
@nedrapier - Thanks for the splitboard mini review. Like bikes I guess it's good to try as many as you can before you buy, but at some point you just have to bite the bullet, stop procrastinating and buy one!
Seems like there's more choice every year. Even in Zero G in a Cham they had about a half dozen different splitboards whereas previously there'd be only one stuck in a corner.
I'd only ridden a Voile Mojo before this year and found the nose a tad too soft and once the board I had was a bit short for me anyway (with backcounty kit I'm about 185Kg - more if I've drawn the short straw and carrying ropes)
Bought a Jones Solution 168W earlier this year from TSA (with 15% McNab discount). Really impressed with it across a real mix of conditions. As I previously mentioned I ended up modifying the bindings quite a bit but really appreciated the lower height of the Spark Bindings when compared to normal bindings sat ontop of a Voile slider rack etc.
One of the guys (a 6ft 6" Californian) I rode with in the Alps in March was using a Prior (a 176 I think). Looked like a lovely setup!
Re: Fernie & NONSTOP - yep small world eh? ... I did a NONSTOP course a couple of years ago and had an amazing time. The course included a Hut trip and that's where I got into splitboarding.
Have you done a NONSTOP course? You mentioned you had friends in Fernie.
Just had a phone call from MrsDezB -
She's booking us to Val d’Isère for Christmas! Woo!
Did a few days in Val d’Isère earlier this year and loved it. With actual winter snow, it'll be... ohh
Staying Here - http://www.espritski.com/chalets/ducs-de-savoie/
Any experiences?