The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2013-2014 season

How to get the best of skiing and boarding

PS – it’s an old photo, I don’t have that one-piece any more!

Bunnyhop, have I ever told you I love you?

You and nbt both know the only man for me is Svindal 😀

Glencoe was amazing today, not sure if these pics will show.

Great pic Greybeard! Almost good enough to forgive the abomination you’re riding.

Amazing bigjim – I’ve been following their updates on Facebook and it sounds like conditions are pretty incredible.

(Crop out that thing bottom left on your second pic though!)

Jealous bigjim, was spying on the webcams all day and I missed out on a good one. Looks like there was a bit of a slide in Baillies judging from the SAIS blog. Hopefully after the weekends storms there might be some chance for things to stabilise a little. If it does the conditions should be good all over the west for a while.

yeah flypaper was shut, the sign said it had avalanched and would again. far too steep for me anyway!

Looks ace. Not done flypaper, Mrs NBT didn;t feel right. Got a couple of laps of Spring run in and that was ace. Flypaper’s on the ticklist though…

Just watched the first two episodes of “The Jump”.

It’s really not very good is it? Only just watchable with some judicious use of the fast-forward button.
Why on earth did they bother with the horribly stilted live bit when most of the action is pre-recorded? Should have been all prerecorded and edited down to 30 minutes.

Some more pics from Glencoe here:

http://www.winterhighland.info/pix/pixalbum.php?pix_id=955,1,1

I am off to Val D’isere again on Sunday. Can’t wait 🙂

Ivan the Terrible’s Winter Olympics run-down

😀

Val d’Isere..?
You should head for Scotland. There’s a LOT more snow!!!!
The resorts are busily digging out lifts, looking for buildings that they’ve lost and there is a lot more snow forecast over the next few days. When this finally settles down, the piste and backcountry will be simply epic.
Have a look at the public reports section on Winterhighland for a feel on how the resorts are working to cope with the truly exceptional conditions.

It’s a tough call Bazzer 🙂

Got to get up in 3 hours to get to the airport. Leaving the house at 3am and will be on the ground in Geneva in 12 hours time. Should be in Morzine in around 14 hours. Can’t wait!

Enjoy I_Ache! I’m off to Les Arcs in the morning. Looks like the next week or so is going to be pretty snowy. 😀

Yea it looks like a good week in the Alps.

Enjoy yourself grum.

Just been in that Aldi rifling through the cheapo Crane cycling gear and spotted they have Crane “ski” gear in too.

Full thermals for a fiver? Not exactly brilliant quality or quite up to Canadian temperatures, but probably a good shout for anyone looking for some cheap first-time or backup kit.

Just bought a burton process Flying V…..total impulse buy while killing time as the daughter was at a birthday party.

The 4 weeks till I go to st. Anton can’t go quick enough…..

As this is a ski and snowboard thread here’s one of each from the Chapelle Park in Avoriaz yesterday. Snowing again today, season is starting to pick up. 🙂

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Arrived in courmayeur. View of Mont Blanc from bedroom window. Wifi in room. Beer next…

Enjoy Julian.

Nice pics schnullelieber – that’s an interesting perspective, how did you get it?

Had a great day in Les Arcs today – loads of fresh snow and more to come.

grum – Member
Nice pics schnullelieber – that’s an interesting perspective, how did you get it?

Nothing fancy, just stood on a ridge above the park, about 10 to 15 meters behind the start of the drop in to the first kicker. That gave a nice view over the jumps and used some zoom to compress the perspective. The skier picture was also cropped. Just a compact (Sony HX5). Will take a DSLR up some time.

Well that was probably the best fresh powder day we’ll have this year. Elbows dipping in and out on Elan Alaska rando skis with about the same surface area as a typical slalom ski.

Some may remember me buying some Atomic Redster slalom skis for my son last year. Well they delaminated after a few days so he finished last season on my old Dynastar 64 Omeglass which he finds a bit soft. The replacements arrived in time for this season but before I even got to try them they delaminated. Atomic France having none left our ever helpful local shop came up with some Head FIS i.SL RD which he’s trying to get used to.

Junior is currently leading the U16 Ski-cross coupe de France after winning the first round in Val Tho’ (on Atomic GS skis) but is more motivated by his Telecaster. :-/ Kids eh.

On the ski/board debate I’ve given up boarding for good (till the next time). Rotor cuff and elbow injuries (DIY and falling off my roadie) mean putting a hand down is just too painful.

As for the avalanche risk hyperbole this year. If there’s enough snow on a slope in the range of angles that avalanche then there’s a risk which you can try to assess by digging holes and so on, but never be absolutely sure it won’t go. If it’s steeper the snow won’t accumulate, if it isn’t steep enough then it won’t go. Get to know which slopes aren’t quite steep enough to go and you can get out any day. The slope might not be steep enough for flouncy, bouncy riding but fine for swoopy giant curves.

An absolutely brilliant days skiing.
It’s started snowing just before lunch. The pistes were almost empty so no queuing at the lifts. Delicious lunch of pizza in one of Courmyeur’s many mountain restaurants.
A little foggy in the afternoon, so having to feel our way down the hill.

Mainly pisted reds today with some superb under ski conditions. May try a black tomorrow.

All this is extra special because I broke my arm back in August and my physio said I wasn’t to go skiing. Luckily she got another 2 opinions from higher up, who agreed if I was cautious I could go. Poor nbt has turned into a camel having to carry gear. Also I’m finding it tricky getting on and off lifts.

The snow is getting heavy as night falls and the temps drop. Tomorrow should be as good.

Grum – hope you’re having fun.

Can you stop posting about how much fun you’re all having….i’m in the bloody office and have approx 18 days and 20 hrs before I shall hit the slopes! 🙁

Sorry Rockape but two days into my holiday and I am loving snowboarding. I’m not quite up to the same level that I am at skiing but I am having more fun and am not in pain from my ankle. Looking forward to getting better.

Sorry Rockape but had a bloody amazing day today, one of my best ever on a snowboard really. 😛

Lovely sunshine and still lots of fresh powder to go at. Did some amazing tree runs, and mustered up the balls to do a little cliff drop which felt great (even though I stacked it just after landing).

All this is extra special because I broke my arm back in August and my physio said I wasn’t to go skiing.

Hooray!! Really glad you’re having a great time. 😀

It’s Shaky time!

or to translate for those of you with a less comprehensive knowledge of 80s christmas pop songs “snow is falling, all around us”

it’s coming straight down as there’s no wind, and the flakes are getting heavier and heavier. I cannot *wait* till tomorrow. Except for the four course meal downstairs. That comes first.

Nothing fancy, just stood on a ridge above the park, about 10 to 15 meters behind the start of the drop in to the first kicker. That gave a nice view over the jumps and used some zoom to compress the perspective. The skier picture was also cropped. Just a compact (Sony HX5). Will take a DSLR up some time.

Cheers – looks cool. I wondered if maybe you’d stuck a camera on a pole or something to get the high angle.

nbt, can you send some of that new snow over to Les Arcs, not that it’s at all bad here but some fresh powder for tomorrow would be very nice.

You’re only about 15 miles away as the crow flies crewlie. i can get a bus to La thuile and ski over to la rosiere – You can actually see people skiing down the aiguille rouge from Les Eucherts

Hey crewlie I’m in Les Arcs too. There’s more fresh snow coming soon I think but not tomorrow.

@stevocmd posted on fb they’ve had 20cm fresh in Ste Foy, get the bus from Bourg.

Oh really? 🙂

Julian, if you do go to La Thuile the Lo Riondet refuge on the number 7 piste is well worth a visit.. Less than 2 weeks now until we go to Val Cenis. Bags already half packed!!!!! (Only cos we have builders in and the house is a tip), ski carriers on the car. Can’t wait. Paul

@stevocmd posted on fb they’ve had 20cm fresh in Ste Foy, get the bus from Bourg.

Just had a look – the post is from yesterday morning. We had fresh snow then too but not as much as 20cm.

Still snowing. it’s been falling all night. the snowploughs were out around 5am 😀 😀 😀

What’s the score with cheap ski/snowboard gear ❓

The sort of stuff you’d wear if you are guaranteed to spend most of the week sliding down the hill on your face! Then, once you’ve got the hang of staying upright you get some decent kit.

Decathlon by any chance? Trespass?

“Still snowing. it’s been falling all night”

nothing here, still always surprises me how localised mountain weather can be. Anyway maybe our turn tonight.

@grum I’ll wave at any snowboarders I see dropping off cliffs 🙂

What’s the score with cheap ski/snowboard gear

I’d certainly have a look at TKMaxx. Look for high numbers of both breathabilty and waterproofing.
(Usually pretty clear on the label)

I wouldn’t, however, skimp on your gloves. If you’re a total noob, you’re going to spend time in the snow, and your hands will be in there! Cold hands ruin many a first ski/board holiday. Keep your core warm, and your hands warm too. For a first trip, you can reuse quite a bit of your bike gear (Assuming you have it) such as;
Buffs – You will thank me for recommending you take them!
Base layers – Bike base layers work fine for skiing
Gloves – If you have a really good pair of winter cycling gloves, there’s no reason you can’t use them. I’ve skiied in my Sealskins on warmer trips, still love my super-toasty TNF gauntlets, though! (Thanks to the nice people at TNF!)