The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2014-2015 season

Pics were shot mid backflip.

Oh apologies if they are they look fine on my iPad and IPhone. How odd.

@piemonster did you get any advice on Trysil or Åre ? Can give a little if you need …

Not yet, any advice welcome. There are flights to both from my nearest airport. Although I suspect Norway has the better snow record.

We’ll be heading out late January, with that I have half an eye on the Alps or Andorra for longer days.

That skistar outfit seems to operate at both resorts although I’ve not yet looked for feedback as to whether they are any good.

Ok well Åre is brilliant if you get the snow. It is Steep and exposed to high winds , so it can be icy and challenging when those steep slopes get their snow blow away. However there are a lot of tree runs and when it is good it really is fantastic. very quiet and real feeling of being in the middle of nowhere.

Trysil, I must admit, I have not yet been to. I am going at the end of February so can confirm more then, but from speaking to friends the area is fairly large, but it is not particularly steep. The top of the mountain is featureless. It sounds good for a week and I have been to Sälen , the resort in the same area but on the Swedish side pf the border, which was Very family friendly but not challenging. I think Trysil will be more of the same, decent resort, good fun, quiet, good snow, but not a massive steep area where you never do the same thing twice. Also a pint will be 9 quid so bring booze.
Where are you traveling from ?

Pics were shot mid backflip.

Psikk, dood!

Pffft, I was doing front flips on my second day at ski school.

Flying out of either Edinburgh or Aberdeen. So direct routes to Oslo and Stockholm plus a few others.

howsyourdad1
Like your update on Norway.
Really enjoyed my first ski trip there last year, at Oslo Vinterpark and Skiekampen
So much so I will be at Skiekampen for easter.
I will be burdened by all of my parasites(who ski and board better than I do)
I have hired a minibus from Oslo airport, which will allow me to visit other nearby resorts.
Any recommendations on resorts/places around Lillehammer.
And yes £8 for a pint, now you say £9, a sobering price.

@clavboy cool glad you liked it!

The best nearby to Oslo are Hemsedal or Hafjell I think. Hafjell is where they had the DH (and that other discipline) MTB World Championships this year. Quite long runs, quite steep in places, good tree runs, brilliant parks, good lift system (a gondola!) with only a few drags. I went there with work Snowboarding so I have no idea about the price of accommodation but there was a lot about. Most Scandinavians do it self- catering so rent a stuga (chalet) and do your supermarket shopping on the way up if you want to save money (plus bring duty free). If not there are some lovely hotels. There is a decent English Bar their called Woodys. Newcastle Brown was 14 quid for a pint. “Is it my round again already?” cheaper local brews were available ?

http://www.hafjell.no/skipass-and-skiing-in-hafjell-ski-resort/webcams

Hemsedal is really good too, feels like a smaller area, but lots of good tree runs and ‘side country’ availability. Park is good too. Get a little more of a party crowd I think.

That being said, none of these places are huge expanses of 250km plus areas, 90 lifts etc. It’s not the Alps. But that is also what is nice about them….!

Snow cannons

Just a sprinkle of snow in the tyrol but at least its cold enough for the cannons!

Les Gets has snow as well and waiting for more.

Serre Che due to open this weekend. Cannons are cannoning hard, as there’s really only enough snow up above the mid stations if the webcams are to be believed.

Cchris2lou – can you ask them to save some for Easter please.

Awesome.

Celebrity Culling on Ice aka The Jump is back on TV:

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/the-jump-2015-lineup-joey-essex-sally-bercow-and-goggleboxs-dom-parker-join-show-9914484.html

Superb. Car Crash TV at its finest.

I hope someone has warned the local A&E.

If anyone is still looking for a transceiver then ze germans are doing an Mammut Element for £200 with free shipping.

http://www.bergfreunde.co.uk/beacons/

Artificial snow only, ugh i’d rather stay in the bar than risk an icy, draggy death . Fingers crossed the snow dumps down soon .

zOMFG 😯

Free download available via this link (genuinely)

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=114651

@hot-fiat – yes saw that on my feed yesterday, watched it a couple of times. The POV camera looks fairly “normal” then you watch it again and look at the gradient and the vertical drop, ‘kin ‘ell !

Gopros flatten everything which is a shame. I did taunt one of my fundamentalist Skier buddies by suggesting that you can see the tracks of a boarder who’d gone down first @56 seconds. 😈

Anyone know what speed he was doing through there? I saw one comment estimating it at 96mph 😯 but he didn’t show his working.

Wow, that is one committed line!

I’d do that, but my shoulders are too broad so I wouldn’t be able to squeeze through.

No other reason. Just that one.

😯

I’m amazed he managed to squeeze his enormous testicles through!

Oh, yes, that reason too.

I’d imagine he strapped them down to prevent flapping in the wind!

Amazon rage!! I ordered a jacket on the 2nd, selected 2-5 day delivery, there was no sign of it being dispatched yet two days ago on the Monday, so changed to 2-4 day. Still no sign of it today and noticed when I go in to view my orders that – “this item will be delivered after Christmas”.. 🙁 – (going away on the 29th), so changed to 1-2 day delivery today, hopefully with a bit more joy now. But what are the chances of them suddenly sending me a refund when they realise they don’t have any more stock of that particular jacket, leaving it too late to order a different one 👿 .

Yeah that line is pretty insane alright. Definitely worth some gnar points.

G…n…aaaaarrrrrrr

That sucks michael, best bet is to drop them an email or phone them up (if you can find a number). I’ve found Amazon are usually pretty decent at sorting stuff out.

I’m currently sitting in an office listening to the approximately 70mm of rain falling hoping that the freezing level drops significantly before the end of the day 🙁

That sucks michael,

Thanks.. somewhat sorted. Hadn’t actually realised it was possible to ring up and speak to a person, but I did, and was told they don’t have any more in stock. To be fair the woman on the phone was trying hard to find another suitable one for me, but I’m taking the refund.

What jacket were you after Michael?

Anyone used LGS in Les Gets for kids ski school – they have a ‘Freeride’ set of lessons for the week with smaller groups (<6) that looks good for my two boys in their second season? Any other good experiences of ski schools in Les Gets I’ve missed – there in late Jan. Cheers.

Snowing heavily at Cairngorm.

Granted they also have 80mph winds but hey, that’s skiing in Scotland for you.

https://www.facebook.com/CairnGormMtn

What jacket were you after Michael?

Was after the Powderhorn Corbet jacket in a size medium, to go with the pants I got in sale off Sportpursuit. Just want a good Gore tex outer shell. Can’t seem to find it anywhere, so been looking at others now. Suggestions welcome, I like the look of the Armada ones. Might be better off seeing what I can get out in resort though.

Its not Scotland unless its also blowing stink, from what I’ve heard! 😛

Scotland. Horizontal precipitation; it’s what we do.

I’d be interested so see if anyone has experience with these guys:
http://www.thesportsoutlet.co.uk[/url%5D
Are they reputable?
Are they like Sport Pursuit, and order in bulk, or do they hold stock and dispatch straight away?

They have Armada jackets as michaelmcc mentioned at 40% off.

99%chimp

We’ve used 360 in Les Gets and our elder one loved it. Out all over the hill on blues in the first year, easy reds the second and any reds the third. Parallel turns coming but not quite neat enough for them to be happy yet (weight too far back, turning on the inside ski – if as a broader I got that right). Our younger one did a couple of private lessons last year (he’s three) the second of which included disappearing off up a chair and coming down a (carefully chosen) blue – 1-2-1 close supervision by the instructor and daddy following at a discrete distance. He also loved it.

We also used ESF one year and that didn’t go well. The instructors were probably great technically but didn’t seem to be able to relate to the kids as well.

Not used LGS but they’ve been around for quite a bit.

I posted the vid of Cody Whatisname riding that chute on fb. A mate pointed out that Travis Rice had scoped it out, prepped the drop-in and ridden it shortly before on a snowboard.

Cody’s crew saw his track, waited for fresh snow and repeated it. Travis Rice’s footage is part of a longer term project so it’s not been released yet. Be interesting to see it though!