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

Deposits paid for Meribel and Dolomites 8)

Trying very hard not to press buttons on Sport Conrad. They don’t sell Stöckli anyway. But it’s tempting to just hit submit on something else.

Have €100 voucher to spend by 31/12, so might have to take a trip in to Frankfurt, cos I think SportScheck accept them. New jacket perhaps?

Alaska in March

Oooh! y’bugger! Whereabouts? You going to be heli-ing it up some?

And what split did you go for?

Oooh! y’bugger! Whereabouts? You going to be heli-ing it up some?

And what split did you go for?

Just trying to work that out with a friend at the moment. I’d like to do a week in one of the resorts close to Anchorage, then do a week of heli somewhere. A couple of our friends are pro (not coming with us though), and have done a few video/promo shoots in Alaska, so they are sending us some details of where they’ve been. Will need to balance against the cost though obviously! 3 of us are definite, but hoping another 2 of our friends will come too which will really help with costs.

A friend has helpfully donated a 2014 K2 Panoramic 🙂

Really, really excited about this season.

Alaska in March

I’ve wanted to go there for years. I’m green with envy!

I’ve wanted to go there for years. I’m green with envy!

Me too. I’ve always put it off because I thought it would be prohibitively expensive. After comparing the costs against last time I was in BC over Xmas/NY, it actually seems like a good deal (was paying $100 per day for lift pass). Depends on how many drops you fancy though I suppose, since I would have thought that it’s a bit pointless to go there and sit on lifts all day admiring those immense ranges around you!

Think the going rate is about $1,000 a day per person, but you can get individual drops for about $150. So a bit of careful planning is required 🙂

You can pick up deals which include accomm, meals, transport and 7 full days of heli drops for about $5000-6000

peterfile I’ll be interested hear who you use in the end and how you get on. I definitely have to go there once before I’m too old (and/or scared) to do the riding justice.

Does anyone know if there is EVER ANY powder days in Andorra? I might be able to get work there. 😕

From what I know of it, powder’s rare in Andorra. Not to say it doesn’t happen, but inconsistent, I believe.

By the way does anyone know of any ski schools anywhere in Europe hiring ski instructors for this season? I’m a BASI level 2.

It certainly looks like the snow is coming in early this year anyway!

^^WEBCAM WIN!^^

drove past aviemore today but didn’t even look left to see if there was anything up cairngorm – doubt there would have been as wasn’t too wet and 11C on car thermometer.

It’ll melt off, sure enough! However, the plethora of berries in the hedgerows presages a hard winter……..

Hard winter I can take or leave, but a late late spring in the Alps would be good as we’re booked for Easter (last week of the season where were going).
Last year that would have been fine – some years not so much.

Edit: actually snow is better than grey rain so on balance go with the harder winter.

Back to Les Arcs for us!

Back to Les Arcs for us!

Nice! Went to 2000 for my first ever ski trip. Clad head to toe in a green C&A onesie, I was teh shizznizzle on the slopes!

Remember a lovely cruisy blue (Cascades?) and also that fateful third day when a few of us (school trip) felt we could ski. Yeah, we’ve got this nailed. So, let’s go to the top of the mountain up there and ski down. 😳

Remember a lovely cruisy blue (Cascades?) and also that fateful third day when a few of us (school trip) felt we could ski. Yeah, we’ve got this nailed. So, let’s go to the top of the mountain up there and ski down. [/i]

Sounds familiar Captain….we’d have made a great pair with me in my C&A Red one piece!

I actually decided to go to the top of the big hill on my first venture out rather that dabble with the boring looking nursery slopes…..made it down a few times, but sadly not much of it on my skis! 😳

Had a C+A “ski” jacket and “ski” gloves when I was 14.

Fortunately I wasn’t skiing in those days, cos I know for a fact that I’d have found the limits of the jacket probably before even stepping on the piste, and would probably have been put off for life.

Actually use those gloves now when scraping the ice off the car.

Arcs 2000 was my second ever trip – it wasn’t that long ago really so there was probably less C&A!

We’ve booked into a lovely chalet in Courbaton. Just trying to organise travel now and wondering whether to fly into Geneva or Lyon. Flight and car from Lyon would be £100 per person cheaper, but means an early flight on the return leg (leaving LA at 5.00am and definitely losing any chance of an 8th day on the slopes).

Are there any other pros or cons to consider between the two?

Val Cenis for us again at half term 🙂 Driving from Cheshire on the Friday, stopover in a Premiere Classe cheapie hotel near Lyon and in resort before 9am to hit the slopes.

Val Cenis? Tell us more… Which of the villages would you prefer if you had a 5 year old to drop off to ski school and some seventysomethings in tow who don’t like too much of a walk to the lifts, but plenty of vin chaud?

We usually go to mega resorts in April, but unfortunately the school holidays aren’t going to allow us to do that next year so we’re opting for a slightly smaller area (although I appreciate that Val Cenis is a good size for a week) during the last week of half-term in March.

We have a shortlist of Val Cenis, Valloire or Valmorel. Val Doonican didn’t make the cut, too many cardigans if you get my drift.

Hmmm. We have only stayed in Lanslevillard, both summer and winter, with 3 kids under 11.

Lanslebourg probably has the most concentrated collection of restaurants and bars but these extend along the main valley road. The accommodation is mostly located along this and the streets behind. The ski lifts are all located on the opposite side of the river so you would have to walk to the bridge. It is all flat however. There is a modern complex slightly further up the valley on the same side as the lifts which you can ski into but it is more remote from the main centre.

Lanslevillard is more hilly but is perhaps more centred around 3 main areas with further shops and bars along the main road.

Balcons (villages and le haut) are the furthest up the valley and are both modern purpose built accommodation. Both are within an easy walk of the new Le Haut gondola and the swimming pool, a supermarket and a few bars and restaurants. ESF and ESI ski schools both meet there.

There is the old town where we stay. It is a steep walk uphill from the shops and bars on the main road but has one restaurant and the essential food and gear shops. The accommodation is mostly traditional houses with a few purpose built apartment blocks. We stay on rue des Essarts and have a 50 foot walk to the piste and an easy slide down to the colomba chair lift where ESF also meet. There is lots of accommodation on the snow front in this area.

Finally there is purpose built accommodation around the old Vieux Moulin gondola. This also has some shops and restaurants but is some distance from the main shopping area, including the excellent boucherie and fromagerie. There is a free bus though. I think ESF meet there.

Personally we like the old town, we don’t mind the steep walk down to the valley road and Essarts suits us with its rapid piste access and proximity to a boulangerie for breakfast. We tend to eat in at night.

Be aware that there are some modern accommodation complexes between the two villages which are luxurious but are a long way from all of the services and you would need to rely on the ski bus or a car.

S&R have updated with many 2013-14 skis here.

And EB here. [/url]

Line have lost it this year…
Base of the Sick Day skis..

Just too childish.

Even the Sir Franks look a bit rubbish, IMO. Not 100% sure why, but I’m not keen.

Thanks for the info on Val Cenis, the snowfront at Lanslevillard sounds pretty close to what we like.

I guess if I was 19 and had parents with money those sick day bases would appeal to me. Obviously I’m not their target market 😆

Any advice for a beginner looking for a first set of non-hire boots? I’ve seen a set of Head Next Edge 80 in the local shop for 100 quid. I tried them on and they feel good but don’t have experience to know if its a good deal. I’m a beginner looking to progress off the starting slopes this year. Thanks in advance.
Cheers
Matt

Any advice for a beginner looking for a first set of non-hire boots?

There will be much, I suspect!

From me – Find a good boot fitter. Cheap boots might be tempting, but if they don’t fit and/or work for your skiing? Pointless.

80 is a pretty soft boot, and Head are, IIRC, quite wide. If you’re a big/strong skier, an 80 flex boot will be like skiing in a pair of boots made of overcooked spaghetti!

Whereabouts are you? Am sure we collectively can point you towards a good fitter.

Cheers CFH,
I’m in Stavanger(Norway) so there are plenty of fitters about but they cost a pretty penny!I’m trying to avoid too much outlay as a new baby is getting through the funds fast and at £100 these are best value I’ve seen.
EDIT: should add I’m 11 stone and would say I’m more of a graceful skier than powerful.
Matt

Cascades?

I had my first ski trip from Flaine (le Hameau de Flaine) and had picked up the basics in a fridge in the UK. So after a day blasting around some blues decided to hit up the Cascades and go over to Salvagny, Sixt and work our way back.

Fine at the top, lots of poling all good. Then at the end was an apparent lifetime of narrow forest track icy death.

Anyone know anything about Saalbach Hinterglem? My mate is suggesting our annual Boys trip there.

I’ll just leave this here:

Hand Crocheted Nose Warmers for Skiers

😆

Just booked New Year week in Val Thorens with Crystal 🙂

Anyone know anything about Saalbach Hinterglem? My mate is suggesting our annual Boys trip there.

i’ve been a few times. the skiing is not at high altitude so hopefully you will get snow higher up, don’t worry if there’s nothing in the village. the town is rather nice with plenty of apres ski.
there are several areas, so typically for an austrian resort, there will be some busing around.
i’d say a good resort for beginners to advanced, maybe not enough for the mad off piste ‘expert’ brigade.

Graham, I’ve had an electric blue one of those for years now, the best bit of kit I’ve got since getting my nose frost nipped in Vail at minus 25. The looks the French give you are priceless.

Val Cenis – The link to Termingnon from Lanslebourg is ace for fresh snow fun or low cloud days.

They look silly. But then I guess frostbitten nose probably does too.
Tend to wear a buff thingy (mainly cos I get handed a new free one on every ski trip these days), but they do have a habit of freezing up a bit when yo breathe out when it’s -29C. Although after a few runs in that we’ll all be in the restaurant sitting round the fireplace.

Graham, I’ve had an electric blue one of those for years now, the best bit of kit I’ve got since getting my nose frost nipped in Vail at minus 25

Aye I’ve been in similar conditions, but I find a Buff round my face is usually warm enough, Merino buff if I feel cold, jacket zipped up over my face if the wind is really biting. (My jacket also has an emergency balaclava built into the neck, but never needed that yet).

It’d have to be pretty dire before I considered a nose warmer 😀

Even Emily Sarsfield struggles to pull that look off:

I was about to sat how she makes that look good!!!

So, anyone know of any ski schools hiring BASI level 2 ski instructors for this season around Europe???? 😐 … I really want to find something.

Michaelmc, you’re much more likely to find something on google!!

Check out the Natives website too, that has info on working. Really though you need to work out where you want to go and then find out the ski schools that operate and contact them directly.

On the nose muff flex, I made one a few years ago out of a mini bobble hat that I got on a bottle of juice. I only ever really wore it to wind my sister up and would take great pleasure in giving her a big hug whenever we walked past any boys!

Thanks yeah I’ve been on google loads, just hoping to make direct contact with someone here. It is a bit depressing that there seems to be far more ski instructor courses than there are jobs! 👿

Ahoy. Considering driving for one of our trips this year, anyone have a rough idea how much the tolls would be from Calais to the Alps?