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It is what it is. A shit day in the hill is still better than your best day in the office.
If it is Sun and Slush then so be it, just dig in and enjoy. Get your jacket off and mess around.
I know where I'd rather be.
I had probably my worst ski holiday ever in Val Thorens. Icy, rainy, muddy, gritty - can't remember when in the season jt was. The resort is grim too.
Your usual April day on the slopes....
This is a rather vague generalisation for above 2000m, but heatwaves and snow/rain (hey, it's April) would obviously affect your week one way or the other. Whatever happens, you will end the week a better rider, because the snow conditions vary throughout the day.
9-10.30 frozen corduroy, fast n' scary. Like a bad January day, so mind the knees.
10.30-2pm perfect groomers, so get your piste on and have a late lunch.
2-5 slush mountain and sunburn. Nows the best time to learn new tricks, just watch out for friction burns if you fall, wearing a tee or sweatshirt!
We had a couple of days of that in Paradiski this week - that early morning ice is hilariously petrifying! I did a fair bit of sideways sliding... 😆
It's pissing it down at 1000 M now, so get up high tomorrow morning I_ache and you should find some fresh snow. Aim for the ranfoilly or nyon from plenney or if you can get a shift on across plenney and les gets, get over to Mont chery early.
Ps I'm about to walk into morzine in 30mins for my date with a washing machine. I won't be wearing the STW bobble hat as it's too wet I'm afraid, but if your transfer gets you into town before dark, see if you can pm me and we might get a beer.
Just seen a new discovery drive past with the UK numberplate : SK15 NOW
bastard.
Stoner, I_Ache, Webcam showing it snowing in Les Gets village centre at the moment. Might be good on Mont Chery or in the bowls either side of the Chavannes.
(Yes me watching the webcams for 12 weeks before we go drives my wife just about as nuts as you'd expect)
one of the best (surprise) just-off-piste powder days I've had was at nyon, after maybe 4 inches of fresh fall - seems to have a couple of gullies that collect blowing snownyon from plenney
Well, Avoriaz was awesome last week 🙂
Sorry didn't get a chance to meet up stoner - kind of a couple holiday with birthday/anniversary things going on. Looks like you're enjoying it though 🙂
I'm surprised you even made it on to the pistes then 😀
Right...while still very pleased with my Flows, I've encountered a bit of a problem...
As you can see in the photo, the bottom of the heel cup coincides with the top of where the sole of boot wraps around the heel of the boot. 😐
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At some stage during use, when snapping out of them, the heelcup has caught the sole and possibly done it a few times before I noticed it properly. When I finally realised there was a problem was when I couldn't step out because the heel cup was right in behind the sole. Which has led to this: 😡
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In itself, when strapped in, this doesn't pose much of a problem as everything is tight enough, however, getting in and out is a bit of a 'mare as I need to be on my knees and physically pushing the sole in to allow the cup to open out over it. All this arsing around eventially means snow gets in there, and I was getting definite leakage towards the end of the week. They're all dried out now and everywhere I read seems to recommend Shoe Goo to glue them back together. They're still a good pair of boots and fit me just fine. Don't really want to have to go and replace them...might do for next year in the silly April sales, but hopefully I can fix them for short March trip. Any experience?
EDIT: Apologies for MASSIVE pics.
Pleased to say plenty of mileage, stoner 😉
I'd glue them and cut off the flap so that it doesn't catch
Edit which model flows are they? I
I'd glue them and cut off the flap so that it doesn't catch
I'd take the opportunity to ditch the flow bindings.
Sorry, not helpful. The boots look new, can you take them back?
I'd glue them and cut off the flap so that it doesn't catch
That's what I was thinking - thing is, I think this stuff is contact adhesive which is going to be a bugger to get on the boot side...maybe as long as I get it well coated around the edges and hope for the best underneath. ****in' things.
Sorry, not helpful.
Indeed. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, they've been grand this week - certainly better than the previous - but that was probably because they were shite too - just not [i]as[/i] shite. 🙂
The boots look new, can you take them back?
They're around 9 years old. (but have only done 4 holidays)
That flooring looks rubbish.
ok, well i'd cut off the plastic flap, glue them then gaffer tape them. should keep the water out and as you say when all pressed down its not a problem. Then pick up some new [s]bindings[/s] boots in the sales 😆
Thanks for April thoughts.
Any thoughts on Andorra for boarding (earlier than April)? Obviously won't be on the same scale as the Alps, but worth it if its a fair chunk cheaper?
Sadly ditch the flows, incredibly difficult to get back into them if riding off piste
Val d Isere looking good at present, month her should be fun
Not been to Andorra in winter but it wasn't as cheap as I was expecting when I went there for the bike parks in summer. I always bang on about it but Austria is best for value IMO, especially away from the more famous resorts.
It would appear it's absolutely dumping this week in Grimentz - hopefuly still some pow pow for my touring/off piste course in a few weeks.
Duane - where in Andorra were you thinking? Not been to Arinsal, it always comes up on TO searches as pretty cheap to get to and stay. The area is quite small if you like to travel about.
I have skied Grandvalira though. We had a good time there. The area is reasonably big, so you can get about. Not a huge amount of really challenging runs. Agree with Grum about the cost of things while there, we didn't notice it being particularly cheap to eat and drink. Certainly cheaper than France though. Food on the mountain wasn't great quality.
40cm of powder on Friday afternoon/evening, so Saturday was a mega day. Super busy with all the new snow and being a long weekend too, but it was a great day regardless. Huge queues for the lifts meant only 1 alpine lap but the tree skiing lower down the mountain was all time.
Sadly ditch the flows, incredibly difficult to get back into them if riding off piste
Modern Flows have ratchets as well as the drop back, so you can use the just like a ratchet strap binding. And the back clicks into position before anyone asks about that.
Let me just have a read back through the thread...I'm surprised that's not been mentioned already igm? 😀
(Or in other words, you could be sayin' it all day...)
Indeed
deadlydarcy - I can vouch for Freesole as a good alternative to Shoe Goo. It's not a contact adhesive, it's a PU mix that you just squirt in and around, spread it all over then strap it up to bring the surfaces together and allow it to cure.
Cheers JT. Sounds much easier given the profile of the sole. Will check it out.
I know that the technology is controversial and it's already injured one skier, but this is a pretty awesome way to film yourself and, if doing awesome stuff, better than shaky headcam footage.
DD, same thing happened to my Vans Aura using Flows. I can confirm that Bostic doesn't work.
As said above, new flows work both ways, loving my NX2s.
Regarding Austria, yep in Arinsal, and I'd be staying at a friend's place, so accommodation and food would be cheap!
[url= http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3rajdd_d-ci-tv-dylan-florit-s-eclate-a-ski-dans-les-rues-de-la-grave_news ]Another vid from La Grave. [/url]
If it's cheap staying at a mate's then go for it. Even though the area is relatively small it's supposed to be a lovely place.
Willard - nicely filmed but I couldn't bear to watch it as the skiing was so awful!! I guess that's the danger - everyone thinks they're a pro and youtube will be awash with crap drone clips (to go with the crap gopro clips!) 😉
Quite excited - off to Japan in the morning!! Yay!
nicely filmed but I couldn't bear to watch it as the skiing was so awful!! I guess that's the danger - everyone thinks they're a pro and youtube will be awash with crap drone
DC-rainmaker is a triathlete, what do you expect 😉
You git!
Enjoy 😀
I don't think there's any danger in going skiing again this season. I appear to have just sold a house and have a rather urgent need to buy a new one.
I'm getting excited now, heading out to Sauze on Sunday morning. Board is freshly waxed and I've got some new boots since last year, just a day and a half of work left to endure!
Sauze should be good now - there was a little dump when we left and lots more forecast.
Conditions on Raise and in the back corries on Aonach Mor looking really good at the moment. Might try and get up to Scotland next week if it's still there.
Can't bloody wait for Grimentz in March though - 125cm predicted for the next 9 days including about 80cm in two days at the top of the mountain, let's hope it keeps coming!!
nicely filmed but I couldn't bear to watch it as the skiing was so awful!! I guess that's the danger - everyone thinks they're a pro and youtube will be awash with crap drone
I'm no expert, but overuse of upper body and skis too far apart, any other massive flaws from that - genuine question, I still have a LOT of technique to learn and improve personally and critiquing others can be quite helpful!
Skis are doing random things, weight is often on the wrong ski, sitting back, bum out, initiating turns by throwing shoulders around, jumping skis around to turn, hands flailing around - take your pick, it's all there. Pretty much the opposite of quiet upper body and smooth skiing - all meant in a helpful, critique-y way 😉
In all honesty though, some of that powder looked pretty heavy and windblown.
And I'd hate to see drone footage of me skiing!!
Loads of snow in Peisey at the moment. It's been great this week.
New skis, NRGY100 are brilliant.
Kids (4 & 6) both skied blue from above Peisey. French all seemed to stay in today, so none of the queues we have had all week were a problem. Not great light but the snow is lovely.
NRGY100 are brilliant.
This is correct.
Thanks for the recommendation on those CFH. They really are a master of most conditions.
Powder, piste, crud, bumps are ok too..
Nearly went for the narrower version but having had as much snow as we have this week, I'm glad I had the fatter ones.
Watch out for tree wells..
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[i]Overview
Thoroughly consistent, yet average in its overall scoring, this is a decent choice as an all-mountain ski. For the price there are definitely better choices in our review, but it is at least consistent across the board. We prefer versatile skis in general but when a ski stands out in some way, it deserves special attention. The Nordica NRGy 100 was not a stand out ski for most of our testers, like the Volkl Mantra as an example.[/i]
So what do you lot know eh? 😉
