The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2012-2013 season

http://www.serrechevalier.org/serre-chevalier/this-could-be-you/

Another lift faller!

How many times do you think the lifty said, “Oh, putain!”

😆

Never that bad on a captive T-bar, but I remember my first go on a flick and go old school poma; after getting fired up the slope on my posterior 3 times I got the piste map out and looked for a chair I could go down to.

Yes I was on a snowboard (knackered knees mean no skiing for a long time).

He needs a chum to go up with.

‘T’ bars aarrgghh, not a fan here. It’s also one of the reasons I ski.

Back in the day when bumbags were the ‘must have item’, my friend got the ‘t’ bar caught on it and was lifted up to quite a height at the exit point. Her boyfriend had to run up a steep bank of snow and unhook her, she was wailing and legs flailing around, t’was very funny at the time.
Also seen quite few people end up flying backwards down steep lift tracks after getting off too early.

Edit: At least the poor chap wasn’t on the ‘pingy, boingy’ poma in Serre Che.

Brilliant video! Lots of laughs here. Poor sod – I hate, hate, hate drag lifts! Luckily there weren’t any in Les Arcs this year but lots in Kreischberg.

Oh, and I guess that’s another reason the tray boys have reinforced trouser bottoms 😆

Lol at wallop – yes, he’ll definitely be needing a cushion at dinner.

Edit: At least the poor chap wasn’t on the ‘pingy, boingy’ poma in Serre Che.

Mickey used to go off at a rate of knots, but has been calmed down in recent years.
Pre du Bois is still awful (And I avoid it whenever possible!)

Or did you mean one of the ones up above Frejus? Barres, Cretes or Clote/Mea?

Hammerite – it will cost you ALOT!

Don’t get me wrong if jnr enjoys it they will get a lot out and become a fantastic skier! I raced for a few years and my skiing went up that step from advanced skier to the next level. All my friends thy I used to race with were alot better though as they had been doing it from a younger age.

It is very expensive though. As they progress you’ll be looking at multiple pairs of skis per season, lots of money on training, training camps, races etc.

I wish I had done it earlier though!

Flashy – It’s a good few years since I was last in Serre Che, so can’t recall the location.
Just remember 2 really bad pomas, that whisked you high in the air the moment the light went green. Very amusing for people in the queue, not so good for the poor newbies. As you’ll know it’s wearing after several attempts.

Brilliant videos, the first time I came across a t-bar I was terrified, only just down the road from the first video (Soll) we were in Ellmau.

Thanks Crispo. The thoughts of the training sessions being £21.50 is bad enough! Although that’s pretty good for 2hrs at MK with coaching. If Jnr is dedicated though I think we can manage it even with kit and away training weeks, it’s needing a load of kit to start with that bothers me just in case he decides it’s not for him.

Can’t quite figure out how that guy on the board gets it so wrong but then keeps trying exactly the same thing. Again and again.

I found myself shouting “Why are you leaning forward AGAIN you muppet?!?” 🙂

If your starting off at Xscape then I would have thought you can use rental stuff to begin with. Depending on his age though he should soon progress onto seeing a big improvement with his own gear!

Bunny, I think those may have been Clotes/Mea, a parallel pair of lifts up by the awesome cruisy greens and blues. Seem to remember that they had quite the kick when I first went to Serre Che.

Thanks Crispo

the first time I came across a t-bar I was terrified, only just down the road from the first video (Soll) we were in Ellmau.

I learnt to ride in Scotland. Sproingy pomas and carrier-launch-catapult t-bars were second nature by the time I was holidaying in Soll and Ellmau 😀

I remember the missus sobbing after a dozen failed attempts to get up the Butcharts poma on a board (after mincing about the Beginner Area all morning).

In the end I told her that the only cafe was up there so if she wanted to eat she had to get up it. A barefaced lie – but it worked like a charm (luckily she can’t read piste maps!)

Graham – I showed Jnr the T-bar video and it’s put him off wanting to try boarding for a bit!

In the end I told her that the only cafe was up there so if she wanted to eat she had to get up it. A barefaced lie – but it worked like a charm (luckily she can’t read piste maps!)

*Applauds!*

it’s put him off wanting to try boarding for a bit!

*Applauds again!* 😉

Lol. Show hime the “On The Piste” video and you can put him off skiing too.
Think of the money you’ll save 😀

😆

AND he’ll never want to grow a mullet or get his hair permed!

He’s seen the On the Piste too, but he knows how to use drags and chairs with his skis! In fact we went on an identical chair to the Soll one in Reith near Kitzbuhel at Easter. Fast little evil thing that gives you a nasty chop to the back of your leg as it collects you up.

I’m not too fussed about him trying boarding really, but don’t fancy all the hanging about we’d have to do while he learns. Although we’ve said we could do the Austrian all day boarding school thing and just leave him with an instructor all week (every cloud….).

To be honest I’d probably send him down your local snowdome for a few boarding lessons before trying it abroad.

He’ll get better one-on-one teaching probably at a cheaper price and you can sit in a comfy warm bar to watch without feeling that you are missing your holiday. 😀

That was another idea. The OH was going to waste some money on a Segway driving experience thing for him as a Christmas present, but a couple of hours snowboarding lesson at MK would cost the same and be more useful.

Definitely. I’ve watched them do lessons at Xscape (Braehead) and they do seem very good. Slope is small enough that the instructor can see all of it but big enough that you can get a few good turns in. Just make sure you go on a very quiet day if possible so he gets a small group and no idiots flying past.

(I suspect this time of year the lessons are fairly busy)

Yep, mid-summer is (oddly!) the best time to go for lessons in a fridge. Often get some great instructors there as well (as they’re often out in resort during the season!)

I think I had my lessons at MK in Nov/Dec ready for a first trip away over New Year.

Last day’s photos from the Dolomites:

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Elephant on the pistes[/url] by brf[/url], on Flickr

Get up early and its empty:

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Empty Pistes[/url] by brf[/url], on Flickr

Thought about re-enacting ‘Where Eagles Dare’, but fiancee wasn’t so keen…
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Lagazuoi Gondola (2762 m)[/url] by brf[/url], on Flickr

[/url]
View from Lagazuoi (2762 m.)[/url] by brf[/url], on Flickr

I have a thing for wooden huts:
[/url]
Alpine Hut[/url] by brf[/url], on Flickr

Oooh nice photos.

Don’t ever get on a ‘T’ bar with a newbie sbowboarder (unless you’re very experienced), it’s not going to end well.

That Gondola gets you up some altitude at a rate of knots. Unless my eyes are playing tricks and thats not a road a thousand feet below?

Great pictures , but looking at your photos I will never visit the Sella Ronda, far too flat.

Yep, Dolomites is 95% flatish Blue runs 🙁

Yep, Dolomites is 95% flatish Blue runs

Very pretty ones, though.

Get to Serre Che next time, eh? 😉

Bunnyhop – Member
Oooh nice photos.
Don’t ever get on a ‘T’ bar with a newbie sbowboarder (unless you’re very experienced), it’s not going to end well.

Nah. T-bars are far easier than buttons. Except the one at Cairngorm (Day Lodge?) that goes downhill for a bit.

I don’t mind buttons too much, you just whip it out from between your legs. What I hate about T bars is that you have to kind of push off to one side – that always unbalances me and I end up falling over!

We didn’t find anything really scarily steep when we were in the Dolomites, but didn’t find it predominantly flat. The sella Ronda circuit is overhyped, but get away from it we found it great fun. Certainly recommend it to anyone.

Wallop – are you just hooking one side of the T behind your front leg? If so don’t you just get off pretty much the same way as a button? Except that you’ve had the vertical of the T nicely across your body for the trip up.

Not sure what you mean – I ski, so sit on a T bar then push it away to free myself. Is there a better way? 😥

We didn’t find anything really scarily steep when we were in the Dolomites, but didn’t find it predominantly flat. The sella Ronda circuit is overhyped, but get away from it we found it great fun. Certainly recommend it to anyone.

Personally it’s the least interesting resort either of us have been to, I’d recommend it to a beginner, but if you like a good variety of Reds and Blacks, this isn’t the resort to go to.

Sorry Wallop misunderstanding. I skied a long time ago, but knees that don’t like twisting mean I’m on a board these days. So what I said will make no sense.

As igm is talking about bad knees and boarding I thought I would ask a quick question.

As I have mentioned once or twice I broke my leg at the ankle last year skiing and am still suffering with it. I am going skiing in February and think I will be ok with it. I did learn to board at Tamworth snowdome years ago so could get down the mountain on a tray if need be.

What I’m wondering is, if skiing hurt my ankle too much. Would boarding be easier on it meaning I could still get out? I did board with my current good foot leading so I guess that the bad foot would just follow.

Thanks.

Why is it always the way that it snows just as you leave resort!?

Murphy’s law!!

Pet peeve when skiing, skiers that move off from the side of the piste, or whatever part of it, without looking up the hill first!!!!! 😡

I nearly got wiped out a few times, and saw a wipe out where a lady moved off totally oblivious to who and what was around her, when me and another guy who were fairly close to her went shooting past and she was forced off the slope and crashed herself lol! Served her right I was thinking. I’m just back from a cracking week in Champagny, snow could have been better but the sun was cracking!

OK, my mum has finally admitted she needs to get herself some custom fitted ski boots, she can’t imagine not skiing in pain which has to change! Sooo what boot fitters in London would the STW crew recommend? I had a really good experience with ProFeet, and I would highly recommend them, but wanted to see what the vast majority here think!