The STW Ski and Snowboard thread – 2011/2 Edition

Thanks for the Scottish snow links – will check em out. Apparently Raise on Helvellyn is open for business at the moment 🙂

How’s Fernie? Still dumping? Saw a vid from the 17th of some insanely deep powder. Overhead turns all the way down, proper snorkel stuff. Amazing.

Got a link to that? Though it will just make me cry.

http://vimeo.com/35246133

Final preps / checklist items are coming to mind now…

… which posed the question in the supermarket at the weekend…

Which hipflask beveridge??? *

Drambuie has always been the choice based on precedent and tradition (group think from late 80s first beginners hols)

ETA – * the author does not “fully” condone skiing whilst pished 😯

A decent Cognac has always been our groups choice, also based on precedent and tradition.

Depends on location, shirley?

For example, in the Southern French resorts, Genepy is the way forward. Have also very much enjoyed having some Calvados on hand on occasions. (I had some rather nice rum in mine for this trip, though, and am not ashamed to admit it!)

Mmmm,

Have tried single malt – and it didn’t really fit the bill. Bit “thin” feeling in the cold. Drambuie works (IMO) because of the warming sweetness

I can see that cognac / armagnac / calvados would have a bity more body to it.

Sloe gin is pretty good.

I always forget my hipflask, even though it was bought for me with skiing in mind.

Did anyone see any of the X Games coverage at the weekend. I caught a bit, spent a couple of hours watching the boarder cross which was good fun. Gillings was unlucky in the final (not sure what happened – one turn she was in 3/4th, the next turn she’s nowhere to be seen).

They had a cool Go Pro plug, a lady skiing the half pipe, Go-pro on her helmet, one on a stabilising frame attached to her, and another attached to a model glider thrown at the same time as she set off!

Possibly of interest to folk planning on doing some backcountry this year, Nevis Range have just opened a new free-to-use Transceiver Park to practise your searches.

Listening to the radio right now has reminded me of another reason to recommend Le Bercail at Serre Che……

Walked on to the sun trapped terrace one day last week to find an ice cold beer perfectly timed as I arrived. Great company for lunch and, at a perfect volume, the strains of La Grange on the stereo. None of your cheezy 80s euro-disco-poop up there. Just some great guitar led blues rawk! 8)

@nedrapier

It’s got an A in it. And a K.

Wow – that sounds fantastic! 8)
Well I hope you find a way to make it happen. Where there’s a will there’s a way I’m sure! Is it expedition style?

How’s Fernie? Still dumping?

First week’s been pretty good thanks, but raining really hard in town last night – 39cm of fresh above the mid station seemingly. Classic ‘Variable Conditions’ on the lower mountain aka ‘slush’! 😯

I just missed out on the ‘blower’ powder featured in the video ^^, but I’m sure there’s loads more good stuff left to come whilst I’m here!

Flash, was that from a friend, or had they seen you coming and knew what you wanted?

If the latter, I’m very impressed!

(Unless you wear a neon green onesie, stop for a beer every time you pass and leave 500% tips!)

The beer or the music? 🙂

Beer was ordered for me, so sadly not as well timed as a bar recognising me from afar….!

As to the neon green onesie – No chance!

digby – yes, yes, and yes. I could go, but I’m getting married later in the year. I’ve got the in-principle blessing of the most important person, but the justification backstory for 3 weeks and ££ is going to be tricky for others, including me!

Used to love the conditions summaries at Fernie: “Spring Conditions all over the mountain” = raining to 2000m!

The best was a note on the whiteboard at the bottom of Timber Chair saying:

“It’s cold, but make sure you get to the top of White Pass. Trust us! 😀 ”

Cloudy day, but there was a spectacular inversion a little way below the top of the lift. We stayed up there for about 45 minutes, snapping photos, gawping, and messing about in the sun. I’ve got a nice warm fuxzzy feeling just thinking about it!

’You let yourself go,’ he said, ‘gliding delightfully over the gentle slopes, flying down the steeper ones, taking an occasional cropper, but getting as near to flying as any earthbound man can. In that glorious air it is a delightful experience’

Keepin’ it steezy, Arthur!

Les gets. The backside of mont cherie was great this afternoon 😉 Fresh snow on top and not many people riding it. The black was a bit choppy but ok. The reds were just lovely.

stevomdc, there’s a couple of friends of mine living in a van in St Foy at the mo, Julia and Warwick. She splits, he skis. I said they should look you up. Hope that’s OK?

No worries!

Hi Captain

Looking to take the girls somewhere boarding at Easter. The only problem is that due to Katies back operation she will struggle with drag lifts.
Been looking where you went. Is the area accesible enough without using drag lifts.

Cheers

Tracey

Is the area accesible enough without using drag lifts.

Lots of it, yes. Not ALL of it, but lots of it.

Really good interactive piste map here – http://plandespistes.serre-chevalier.com/ The drags are all those without a chair or bubble icon. If you’re a confident boarder, you can ride almost all day without a drag. Only problem area might be the area around Barres (above Villeneuve) as that’s the most most drag-heavy area. If there’s plenty of snow, you can shuttle down to the village and back up the Casse du Boeuf chair, then over Cote Chevalier back to the other areas. Worth going up to the Barres valley, though, for the nicest cruisy greens and blues there! (Up Clot Gauthier, right off the top) Pretty much everything else can easily be linked without drags, but it’s a little snow dependent. I went in March last year and stayed above the tree line all day, downloading on a chair at the end.

Thanks for that, was looking at Villeneuve with Crystal as we have used them every time and always had a great time.

They are still gutted that they arnt comming at the weekend so need to sort something out for them

Serre Che is a lovely, friendly resort, Tracey, am sure they’d love it!

Plenty of slack-country stuff between the pistes if they like that sort of thing!

Villeneuve is nice, with much accomodation in the old village on the other side of the main road (Well, main as in major, but hardly that busy!). Can be a little walk, but not much to worry about in board boots.

Try Le Break, just across le parking from La Grotte for a great, cheapish lunch! If you see the chaps from Ski Connections ski school there having lunch, they’re great, great people! (Especially Paul, Christian and the utterly lovely, yet mad, Davina!)

Also, the Crystal rep for Serre Che, Sarah, is utterly brilliant. Top girl, deserves a little public praise!

stevo, I’ve sent a couple of emails to your mail@whiteroom address. Don’t know whether you check it or someone else, so I thought I’d drop an note on here too.

Been skiing knee deep super light powder all day in Menuires and Val Thorens, it been ridiculously good. Another 10cm forecast for overnight too. Hopefully the visibility will improve tomorrow so we can get some proper off piste done.

Have a wee read of this….

I’ve met Anna a couple of times now, and she’s just awesome, both as a person and as an athlete. I made the mistake of trying to keep up with her once. 😳

I’m currently trying to introduce her to a few bike/ski type people in the industry to see if there’s any sponsorship to be had out there. If you know of anyone who could and should sponsor/support an amazing sportswoman, please show ’em this!

Oooh! Oooh! Exciting! Just had an email from one of my bike industry contacts, who make something that could be of use to Anna….

“Amazing girl! Let me get in touch with her directly, I’ll see what we can do!”

🙂

*Feels a warm glow inside for helping out*

On another note, a quick report on my skis…Movement Zips.

described as an all rounder by Movement, I was on 165s (127-80-108 and a radius of 14). Basically, chuffing awesome as all rounder piste blasters and for the lovely slack country between pistes. Great at long, groovy carving turns and in the choppy stuff. Only real failing? Short turns on the steeps and bumps. If it had snowed heavier earlier in the week, I’d have been back in to try something a little phatter, but for what most people do on a week of piste bashing, these were great skis! Up there with Sally Enduros, my fave ski of last year for that sort of thing.

I’m off to Utah in the morning. There’s not much snow but I’m bringing beer, the Fil and hopefully a storm from Colorado. Unfortunately I have to go round the in-laws and tune his skis first.

Sadly my possible trip to San Francisco now won’t be happening until later in the year, so no trip to Tahoe to ski for me. 🙁

Still, it’s likely to be in early summer instead….! 🙂

Off to Meribel early doors saturday morning to ride all the best of the 3 valleys for a week 8) Just got a call from Skiworld chalet rep asking for any personnal requirements for me or Ms Stumpy.Thats service for you and the first company to bother in several years of staying in chalets. Well done that company.

This has cheered me up for the day, was in flaine this time last year. Not going this year as jam bo junior arrived a couple of months ago.

jam_bo, that is most oar sum! 🙂

Lovely smiling happy mini person!

That diddy kiddy is indeed very cute, with low centre of gravity, no harm should come to her on a fall. However I do wish they gave her some shades 8)

Please don’t try this yourselves though, as a child up until the age of 3 hasn’t fully developed their pelvis area. Best after that.

This morning at 9:30am, Les Gets – at the top of Ranfoilly:

As cold as hell, but superb.

Only here until Saturday but then in St Christoph for a week on the 18th Feb 🙂

Les gets: Visibility improved then!

Proutster, I hate you. No, really, I hate you!

😉

Looks awesome!

-17 at the top of la rosiere today and a biting wind to make it worse. -29 with windchill allegedly tomorrow. Some brilliant skiing and its only starting to crust today after 5 days.

About to head off to Sella Ronda. Doesn’t look like they’ve had mega dumps like elsewhere, but looks chilly 🙂

Can’t remember if this has been posted on this or another thread but the ‘onesie’, a snip at €1,200 is hot on the slopes according to Ski-Buzz[/url]

Snowing hard so just booked a hotel at airport for tonight, just going to drop the girls off and then were off. Flying at 6.00am tomorrow

The mrs is flying out to Innsbruck tomorrow for a few days. She’s trying to decide where to go skiing still. She’d better make up her mind in the next couple of hours and book somewhere to stay!

my nse literately froze today in avoriaz. proper frost nip, 20 mins after first lift. other thread has a photo 🙂