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Anyone know of a big ski/snowboard tech workshop in Surrey, Hampshire, Sussex?
I'm thinking S&R in Chertsey, anywhere else?
I need some snowboard strap binding spares, but the bindings are a little old and a little franken strapped already, so I really need a sift through a box of bits with the chap(pette) and make sure what looks good is good. Off next week, so I don't have time to get a special order wrong. Despite having had 10 months to think about it!
Well, 4 days in at Chamonix and the conditions are mediocre. The promised snow at the beginning of the week never materialised. Le Tour has the best conditions due to the height
Le Tour isnt high though. Where exactly have you been trying to ski where the conditions are not great? Having said that the Grand Montets can be very icey where Le Tour can be nicer conditions as it gets the sun more.
We've been all over, off to Coumeayer tomorrow. Le Tour definitely had the best conditions the other daY. My MAAtes whome I'm out here with have just got back from Les Houches (I'm laid up with man flu), conditions there are ok, but still from brilliant. Were boarders so like some powder! The pistes are in good condition where they've not iced, so if you like piste runs then it's all good.
Edit, I'm probably sounding doom and gloom, but used to boarding with fresh snow off-piste, the pistes don't really do it for me..
Anybody in Andorra/been very recently and can give feedback on conditions? Off there on Sunday for a week, first time there...
Sui - Flaine is only about 1hr away.... I have no idea what he conditions are like there though.
I am sure the Grand Montets will still have nice powder if you look in the right places!
davetrave - over on snowheads.com they have a weather reports thread on all the resorts, with reliable info coming in everyday from all the snowheads.
Ta
Anyone know of a big ski/snowboard tech workshop in Surrey, Hampshire, Sussex?
[url= http://www.skibarn.co.uk/en/ ]Try this[/url]
I've finally got the go ahead for a weeks boarding from February 28th, so, tell me experts of STW, where should I be considering? Preferably Europe, reasonably priced and with half decent après. I'd also like the moon to go with my selfie-stick 😉 Thanks in advance.
Anyway, I think for GrahamS' sake, we must have no more mention of Whistler in this thread.
You are all simply beastly 😛
Hell at least I know what to expect. Anyone got any thoughts on how to handle it? Holiday is already booked and paid for so that's done I guess but I was wondering whether I should look to claim on ski insurance under the "insufficient pistes open" clause?
Of course I haven't actually bought insurance for this trip yet so I'll be reading the terms around piste closure very carefully!
Anyone got any thoughts on how to handle it?
Go ... enjoy yourself - you will have a fantastic trip. I'm sure there will be still be plenty of stuff to ride up high - despite the poor conditions in Fernie I still rode loads and had tired legs at the end of every day ... you just have to adapt to the conditions.
Like surfing, if you had to wait for perfect conditions you would never get in the water. You might just have to be creative - forget about ticking off loads of runs, just find a good spot and do laps; hitting all the features, lips, drops, rollers and jumps on the way down!
Day tickets are sometimes refunded if 'you don't like the conditions' after an hour. Check the small print when buying/signing the waiver - have you bought tickets in advance?
Insurance for 'piste closure' normally means that the entire resort is closed down (i.e. no lifts at all running) - this is unlikely in Whistler/Blackcomb
Well, I hate to say it, but it looks like there's fresh due in just before I arrive in Montana!
This is super cool;
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The hotel on Main Street has a blue light that comes on when there's fresh snow up the hill!
Also, has anyone skied with a Garmin? Am pondering taking mine with me to track the days fun and games. Fun way to see just how much shreddage I've got through, or pointless frippery?
Great snow early today in the Pyrenees. Avalanche risk still high, five walkers two of whom we know took a ride in an avalanche yesterday walking up the closed road. All survived.
Graham S - In 2000 we went to Lake Tahoe. In the fortnight not a flake of snow fell. It was positively bare at the base of some pistes.
2003 we went to Fernie. Again in the fortnight not a flake.
Also on several Alps holidays and one in Spain, bare patches and wrecked bases from lack of snow.
In all of these we still had a brilliant time.
You'll be fine.
Also, has anyone skied with a Garmin? Am pondering taking mine with me to track the days fun and games. Fun way to see just how much shreddage I've got through, or pointless frippery?
Yes I have.
Yes it is.
And yes again.
Yes I have.Yes it is.
And yes again.
😆
*Packs Garmin*
Also, has anyone skied with a Garmin? Am pondering taking mine with me to track the days fun and games. Fun way to see just how much shreddage I've got through, or pointless frippery?
I will be next time.
BUT you might want to have a look at this too - [url= https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/ski-tracks-gps-track-recorder/id365724094?mt=8 ]SKI TRACKS - GPS TRACK RECORDER[/url]
I just want a system that gives me these kinds of stats / maps from a track I upload that I've recorded on my Garmin.
@GrahamS - there was loads of powder out in Slovakia last week 😀
Dan says hi btw.
Harreydan
Feb28 is still French kids ski holiday week. So France might be busy in the big resorts.
Pyrennes have had some good snofalls so far this year.
I would be looking at Austria or Italy for that week myself.
SKier not boarder so no idea on wheres good or not .
Feb28 is still French kids ski holiday week. So France might be busy in the big resorts.
Serre Che has been reporting some good snow recently, so might be worth a look across the border in Italy in the Via Lattea resorts.
Anybody in Andorra/been very recently and can give feedback on conditions? Off there on Sunday for a week, first time there...
I'm in arinsal at the minute been here since the 16th. Snow on piste is in pretty good shape considering there hasn't been much snow this season. Nothing off piste.
Thanks for the tips guys, hadn't realised that was still holiday time in France so will check out Austria and Italy, and will bear the Pyrenees in mind too. Got a new board to try out so pretty keen to go somewhere 🙂
Despite the fact that I went riding in Squamish today, it's not all the bad. The stuff lower than red and green chair is slushy but the pistes are all fine. It's just the ungroomed bowls and tree runs that are suffering a bit, but the higher up stuff isn't as bad. You'll still have a great time. And if you realy get fed up head to squamish and hire bikes for the day. I met two skiers who'd done that and they were having a great time.
Looks like there is a big big dump coming to the Alps next week !
Ooh the forecast I'm choosing to believe for Dienten reckons 40cm tue/wed! Might have to swap my skis for a snowboard!! 😀
Might have to swap my skis for a snowboard!!
Wash your mouth out with soap!
WTF were you doing with skis in the first place?
Hareydan - it's the last week of the French holidays, so won't be a big deal. Paris is back to school...
Double post! Might as well use the edit to suggest to sui that there is loads of good snow to be had in Cham if you know where to look - maybe check out my friend Paul at horsemouthsnowboarding.com if you're in need of someone to help you find the goods!
* looks at Cairngorm forecast AGAIN 🙁
* looks at flights to MUC or GVA from Scotland 😀
Hareydan - Member
Thanks for the tips guys, hadn't realised that was still holiday time in France so will check out Austria and Italy, and will bear the Pyrenees in mind too. Got a new board to try out so pretty keen to go somewhere
I was in St Anton last week. Loads of snow and sunny too. It's still looking good
Bergfex.com is a useful website for checking snow depths, webcam & forecasts etc
* looks at flights to MUC or GVA from Scotland
😆
That reminds me, I was chatting to some folk about the whole 'travel from south east England to ski in Scotland' thing.
Turns out there's quite a few Dundonians that don't even bother and just Ski overseas.
Too much waiting for the stars to align where there is decent snow, winds below 60mph, and an access road that isn't rammed and stationary seemed to be the general reason.
I realise I was mega lucky with conditions but I had a fantastic day up at Cairngorm the other week. Think really you need a part-time/flexible/self-employed job to take advantage.
steveomcd - I've had one snowboard trip this year and I'm going with my family this time who are all skiers so I thought I'd join in. If I'm sticking to the piste I'm quite happy on skiis.
Snow-forecast now claiming 70-odd cm on Tuesday, another 30cm on Wednesday, then the sun to come out at the end of the week! Not sure I quite believe that but it's looking good. Will definitely have to get back on a board if there's loads of powder.
Flying in to Sea-Tac over the Cascades, there was plenty of snow up high. Lower down look sparse. Pretty mild in Seattle as well, for the time of year.
Off to check Montana webcams now!
Pyrennes looking like getting a very good covering over the next 5 days .
Really want to go away 8th March , but being billy no mates have no one to go with . Time to advertise on snowheads again .
Have a great trip CFH! 😉
Thanks! Sadly it's mainly a work trip with a couple of days skiing tagged on, but today is Saturday, I've just woken up and there's a light dusting outside! Hopefully more up the hill.
Big Sky was reporting 3-5" and well below zero c
Looking like that here in town.
Ah, Big Sky, spent a day boarding there about 15 years ago, fantastic memories 😀
Well, this time next week I'll be sitting in Alpe d'Huez, hopefully watching the snow fall as I prepare for a week on my new board, can't wait 🙂
Quite
Envious
Just done 2 days on cairngorm. Kids (10 & 8 ) gone from very slow pizza & chips to route 1 down the Ciste Fairway with mrsj unable to keep up 😆
Plenty of exuberents on t-trays keeping things interesting as I cajoled mini me 1 down the Gun Barrel and comedy falling in the fresh powder by one of the snow cannons before a bit of Après Ski in La Taverna. Marvellous. I may have to bore you with a video once I've pulled the clips together!
And [i]Have a great trip CFH![/i] +1
Mind if I leave this here?
About 5” or so fell overnight, and it was still snowing hard on the way up Bridger Canyon. Traffic was busy-ish, but pretty chilled pace.
Some pretty big queues, sorry “lines” forming up first thing! Was fairly quick to clear, thankfully.
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Spent much of the morning cruising through glorious Cold Smoke in the treeline over on the Alpine Lift side of the hill. Had originally thought I’d just go and find some easy pistes to get my legs back together, but the treeline was just too appealing! Cold Smoke is the local name for their stunningly fluffy powder.
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Then over towards the other side for a play on Pierre’s Knob (Stop that at the back! It’s the name of a lift you filthy depraved, etc)
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Up at the top there is The Ridge. In bounds, extreme terrain. Some of the gullies, chutes and drops looked astonishing. Accessed by the Bridger Lift and then a bootpack up to the top. Off to the left of the photo were some ace blues (More like European reds, IMHO) that were fluffy, wind blown snow and great fun.
Nooskool skis on oldskool chairlift!
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Salomon Q98 with Marker Griffons. Boots are model’s own 😉 Skis have stupidly light tips (You might even be able to make out the honeycomb in this pic) and fat enough for floatiness. There weren’t really any groomers to speak of, bar a few road-like sections, so not sure on that.
It was REALLY crowded in the afternoon.
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Back to the hotel via Five Guys (Excellent fast food!)
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And stopped off at the Bozeman Coop to pick up some recovery fluids.
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See that boxed bottle of Guinness at the bottom there? $33. Yes, thirty three whole dollars! Or £21.50ish in real money. Needless to say, it stayed on the shelf! Sam Smiths seems very popular over here, which I suppose is a good thing!
Finally, in case you’re wondering what sort of town Bozeman is, not only do people have “Ted Nugent for President” bumper stickers, but there’s this;
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And, I’m going back for more tomorrow! Which is nice.
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a little edit of a road trip I did at the end of January 😛
Nick - where was that then? Were you using a chest mount or head mount? I can't decide which to use yet?
Nice, Nick! Although leaving the windlip unslashed at 1:40, how could you!? 🙂
Really like seeing where other people are going , good stuff all.
Also I'm liking those conditions Nick looks rad.
I'm sitting on a bus on my way to Norway for a week, just cruising past the old Saab Headquarters. Wet and grey here but soon should be up in the Scandinavian Alps 🙂
Have a good week @howsyourdad
Good day today at Dienten-am-Hochkonig - not amazing viz higher up but great snow pretty much everywhere. No off-piste fun to be had just yet.
Lots of sun forecast for tomorrow so planning to do the 'konigstour' across the whole lift pass area.
Skiing is coming on pretty well - still have to remind myself that you can turn these skis with much less effort than the ones I learned to ski on!
What's all this @bollocks?
enter The White Room!!
You called? 😉
Anyone get caught in the hellish traffic chaos around chambery yesterday?
Combination of French holidays starting, huge dump of snow, and several closed motorways between chambery and Lyon meant it took us 25 hours to drive back to Calais from val thorens. we were saying it needed a dump of snow but they could have waited until wed got out of the valley! 👿
Thanks Ned! not me in front, I was filming - also difficult to slash those things backside unless your Terje!
All done with a helmet mount.
My legs ache. Blistering sunshine all day. First lift to last call.
Those Salomons were rubbish on groomers. Changed for some Nordica Wildfires, which were much better.
I have pizza and beer.
La vie est belle.
Dear CaptainFlashHeart
Just sod off 😉
Kind Regards
Just back from Pas De La Casa, great snow and blue skies for most of the week
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8564/16622584832_76a716cbfd_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8564/16622584832_76a716cbfd_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/rjT6md ]P1030451[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/58512391@N00/ ]le_grande_momo[/url], on Flickr
funky, thanks for the suggestion the other day, though i didn't take up on it. I'd been struggling since Wednesday with what turned out to be a blood splitting chest infection. We popped over to Verbier as well, that was terrible down below 1800 didn't help that it felt like i had AMS.. Then proceeded to drive the wrong way back to Cham through 2 effing tunnels (idiot). The snow came down quite hard on Saturday, and i believe it's not really stopped that much since so it should all be happy days in the 4 valleys!
Be careful though folks, a boarder fell through a Crevasse on the Valley Blanche on Tuesday and he was with a guide. He was OK, just a little shaken after having to be winched out!
Oh, i'll also state, that although M+S tyres are proper good in ice - in 3 inches of snow and a steep hill, the [fully loaded] car would not climb! (it was fun trying)
Great day today doing the Königstour - 32km and 6700m of vertical. Blue skies, good snow, incredible views, big wide pistes and no queues. Perfect.
Skied the fastest I've ever been down a black run before - slightly scared myself but great fun.
Now hopefully this dump will materialise tonight/tomorrow/wednesday and I'll get myself a snowboard! 🙂
Great day today doing the Königstour - 32km and 6700m of vertical. Blue skies, good snow, incredible views, big wide pistes and no queues. Perfect.
Pfft call yourself a photographer? Lets see some snaps then 😛
Was mostly too busy skiing for pics but if you insist.... 🙂
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Cracking images as always grum.
Are you hauling about an SLR with you or something a bit smaller?
I tried riding with an SLR in a Slingshot bag for a couple of years, but it was a bit annoying.
Back from Engelberg last week. It was pricey, but as the title of a magazine article on the place "worth every Franc". And you gets what you pays for.
Great off-piste, worth the £100 each per day guide (at least one of them was), still finding powder stashes 4 days later...
Cracking images as always grum.
+1
Cheers folks.
Graham I borrowed my brother's LX7 today and just had it in my jacket pocket. I Normally take my GF1 with the 20mm pancake in a lens case attached to the chest strap on my rucksack but didn't bother bringing it this time. The LX7 is a nice little camera.
I was also a bit too busy for a lot of photos yesterday.
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I got back from a week in Tignes with UCPA on Sunday....awesome week! I rode hard and partied just as hard tbh.....I'll sort some pics out when I've got rid of my hangover/slept for about a month!
Sooo tempted to just **** off and do a season next year.
This is making me want to book a weekend in March, I packed my gear away after Val Tho at the start of Feb, but I'm itching for more! Currently sat in San Francisco though, blazing sun and yesterday was warm, but today isn't so much, still no sign of snow in SoCal!
Graham I borrowed my brother's LX7 today and just had it in my jacket pocket. I Normally take my GF1 with the 20mm pancake...
Cheers! I know "it's not the equipment" by the way 😉 but I'm coming round to the idea that nice though my old Nikon D80 is to use, it is a pain in the Harris to carry about (not just on snow but generally and more so with kids in tow) so I might be better with something smaller that I can carry more.
Sooo tempted to just **** off and do a season next year.
If you can then I say do it. Otherwise you'll be a few years down the line wishing you'd done it when you had the chance (I speak from experience!)
You've probably seen me bang on about them before but a Micro Four Thirds or other CSC is a great compromise camera IMO. DSLRs are too big unless you're going out specially to do photography. Plus I feel a bit of a nob using one sometimes - and I'm a photographer!
There's some cool compact zoom lenses for M4/3 now too that give you flexibility without being bulky.
PS - it's snowing! Get in. 🙂
Hey Grum,
Just got back last night from Maria Alm.
Conditions were fantastic hey?
If it dumps enough snow, do the Griesbach Hutte run off Aberg and get some bacon & eggs in the Hutte, best around.
Sorry for this Facebook video but this is worth a watch.
Bloke attempting to ride one of the chutes in the freeride zones at Jasna:
Includes the Slovak for "I'm not quite dead yet!" 😀
Hi colp - yeah it's been great. Lovely area too.
I learned to ski here when I was 3 and now my brother's kids are in the ski school here at a similar age!
Some nice fresh stuff today (maybe 10-15cm) but I don't think the big dump is going to materialise sadly. Might check out that skiroute anyway - could be more snow up there.
Graham - 😀
Skiing again on Thursday. Snow is forecast all day on Wednesday.
Woop woop woop!
I splashed out on the live viewfinder for my LX7 - really handy for skiing in very bright light - if you can't see the screen properly you sometimes don't have an option but point and hope, spray and pray.
And I've found it can help you concentrate a bit more on composition, too, even when you don't need it to see what you're shooting. You're more involved in the shot, blocking out the scene except for the shot in the viewfinder, rather than taking photo's at arms' length, literally and metaphorically!
And well done CFH. delighted for you! Where are you off to this time?
Thanks, Ned! It has been great so far. Felt a little odd starting this thread the last couple of years, as I've not got away due to my lovely children!
Next trip is still TBC, but definitely on Thursday. We're monitoring the snow forecasts between Bridger and Big Sky. The former is looking like getting some fresh all day Wednesday and through the night though, so might be back in those glorious tree lines on the cold smoke!
I'll do a fuller write up once I'm home, but it looks to me that you could make an epic ski/board road trip over here!
Grum, don't know how I missed it before, but that black and white landscape is a stunner!
Just booked a cheeky weekend in Sauze D’Oulx.
Any must do runs, off piste areas (snow dependent) or places to eat recommendations?
Thanks
Any good sales on yet?
I see Snow+Rock have an "up to 50%" clothing sale on.
And there is a bunch of new Westbeach stuff on SportPursuit.
I see Snow+Rock have an "up to 50%" clothing sale on.
😆
Yeah, only looking at around £250 for a jacket then.
I bought all my stuff for this year's holiday in the Westbeach sale last year as discussed on [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/psa-westbeach-snowboard-clothing-60-off-everything ]this thread by bravohotel8er[/url]. Slacks, jacket and a bunch of socks for £150. I'll be a bit last season and all that, but if I can handle my 7 year old boots, I can handle that. 🙂