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

Tell me about Tignes….what’s it going to be like half term week?
I’ll be having instruction, 50% of which I’d guess will be off piste.

Tigne / Val are superb IMO especially for better skiers and off piste. Not been at half term but the uplift is excellent and modern so I can’t imagine queues are much of a problem. The off piste is brilliant and accessable, an english guidebook is available to give you some ideas.

Tignes is ace. Great pistes, great off-piste without taking stupid risks (though it soon resembles ungroomed piste in busy periods), a pleasant X-C loop, a good swimming pool, high enough to have good snow most of the season.

I’ll whet some appetites later with a couple of piccies, now we’ve managed to get some skiing in this season…

If anyone is in the market for new skis this season, look at this,

3…..2…..1…..PRE-SALE ENDING SOON!

On special offer at present, well made and very good skis.

Not 100% sorted yet but there’s a fair chance I’ll be in Whistler for the winter season. In light of this I looked at how much the season passes are and nearly choked on my cornflakes – £1100 at full price 😯
Not cheap then!

Not cheap, however they have the advantage of getting considerable discounts in many shops,eating places on and off the hill, ski hire, list goes on 🙂

Booked up with the same group I went with Last year, same place too.

Montgenevre in Feb

Mrs Dom thinks the kids are still too young (will be 3 in April and 5 in May) I disagree, but as a result I get a pass out for a weeks Boarding with a load of mates, so not all bad

I need to get some new boots sorted though, as the last couple of days last season, really hurt.
They have done really well though, and id get the same boots again (Salomon F24 from memory)

Not cheap, however they have the advantage of getting considerable discounts in many shops,eating places on and off the hill, ski hire, list goes on

Aha! I hadn’t really clocked that fact. Will make things a little bit cheaper then, that’s always a good thing.

If everything does come through I’ll be looking to buy either a set of skis and boots or a board, bindings and boots. Any advice on what to look for, where’s a good place to start? Thinking 2nd hand gear might be cheaper until I really know what I’m after…

£1100 at full price Not cheap then!

They’re not cheap by European standards but there is so much there to ride and they really do take great care of the mountains. Plus you get discounts in shops/cafes/etc with a season pass.

whatnobeer

Down the road from Whistler in Squamish there’s an outlet shop that will have loads of last season’s gear, worth checking out although you will need to be lucky with sizes, etc. There is always loads of second hand gear for sale around the village on the notice boards. Also ex rental stuff is usually on sale in the village. There’s another good shop downtown in Vancouver on 4th that sells lots of past seasons gear if you’re spending any time down there before you head up.

wallop – with us? Not much space left for Christmas, drop me an email ASAP!

I noticed that – I see you have been busy updating your website! Stu has declared that we should wait until last minute to book our Christmas trip, as we are likely to be moving house sometime soon. Looks like we will have to wait until next year to do winter with you! 🙁

Not 100% sorted yet but there’s a fair chance I’ll be in Whistler for the winter season. In light of this I looked at how much the season passes are and nearly choked on my cornflakes – £1100 at full price
Not cheap then!

Considering I was paying £60 a day over xmas/NY 2 years ago, £1100 for the season is great value!

Just back from the rolling trip to the Alps and I can’t wait for the sliding one…

Off biking in Austria soon so we’re taking our boards and taking a looksee at the hintertux glacier. La plagne again in march and Scotland in April.

I can’t remember who was thinking of going to Whistler for the season but their season lift pass is reduced by C$330 until 13 Oct.

No skiing for me.
We’ve booked a whole chalet early to get a cheap deal, all our friends will be there in January.
To say I’m fend up is an understatement (no mtbing or cycling of any description either) 🙁

I can’t remember who was thinking of going to Whistler for the season but their season lift pass is reduced by C$330 until 13 Oct.

Me! Hopefully anyway. Not arriving until after the blackcomb jobs fair so missing out on that, but have had discussions with a private company about doing some work for them. Don’t want to buy a pass until I’ve definitely got a job! Hopefully I’ll know one way or the other by the 13th though.

Bunnyhop – Member
No skiing for me.
We’ve booked a whole chalet early to get a cheap deal, all our friends will be there in January.
To say I’m fend up is an understatement (no mtbing or cycling of any description either)

Good news or bad? Clearly the lack of skiing/biking is bad, but the reason?

Good news or bad? Clearly the lack of skiing/biking is bad, but the reason?

I broke my hip 8 weeks ago. Doctor says I need to walk with a stick and stay off bikes and most certainly no skiing for at least 6 months. My physio doesn’t want me to ski for at least a year and stay off mtbs altogether for good.

I know there are far worse things in the world but when your an active person and suddenly even easy things like going for a hill walk are off the agenda it’s hard to accept.

If I can get some sort of fitness back before the season finishes I may be able to go sliding somewhere late March early April, so all hope isn’t lost.

Thalys put their cheap ski train tickets up for sale last week and they normally all go within 10ns of being released but I actually managed to get some this year. 69 eur first class each way down to France is waaaaaay better than driving. Now lets see if I can not injure myself this year. Only managed 3 days in the last two years before it has all gone wrong

Bunnyhop – I’d say that qualifies as not good.

Your physio, do they ski/snowboard/MTB? I had one that did and I noticed they were a lot more open to the idea that such things were a good idea (with sciatica not a bust hip to be fair). I think some of them can sometimes think “extreme sports = likely injuries” without necessarily understanding the risks.

Heal well, come back stronger.

igm – thanks for your kind words.
First Doctor (in A&E) was a skier and thought I may be able to go before the end of the season.
Others not so.
My physio is not a sporty person at all and sees many bad skiing and mtb injuries, so I sort of understand why she is cautious about me.
To add to the problems I broke my humerus bone at the cuff a year ago (so 2 major breaks in under a year) and ignored her advice then and went skiing. At the time though the conditions were perfect (deep powder snow, even on piste) and I’m an experienced skier, so I just took things easy. This time it’s a little more serious and I may have to have further surgery in the future 🙁

However, I still want to hear all about everybody’s plans and see their holiday snaps.

Ooh nasty Bunnyhop….sorry to hear that! Looks like our Boys trip in Feb will be to Hinterglemm…anyone been there? (I haven’t)

Hi Rockape, I used to organise a school ski trip to Saalbach/Hinterglemm.

It’s one of my favourite areas to board and I’ve been to a fair few.

Nice and spread out and in Feb you should get the best of the snow. Used to take the kids in April and it can get a bit patchy by then (Easter).

Which is the better place to stay – Saalbach or Hinterglemm?

Hinterglemm is smaller and quieter, but most hotels have nice little bars and good beer. Saalbach has a bit more in the way of nightlife/apres ski. Both are convenient for the lifts, although check where your hotel is as they spread along the valley quite a long way and hinterglemm hotels are more likely to be convenient for the lifts.

Dear Winter

Hurry the **** up.

Thank You.

Great advice, thanks!

Piemonster – amen to that.

Thanks EW.

Not sure I’m looking forward to this lovely weather ending, but at least we have something to look forward to!

This just popped up on the SnowSafe FB feed: Black Diamond have upped the game a bit on airbag backpacks.

Black Diamond JetForce uses a Li-ion battery and electric pump instead of compressed air, so you can easily travel with it, use it multiple times, and it continuously refills itself when deployed before deflating to try and give you an air pocket.

Seems like a pretty big step forward.

just booked accomodation with 5 friends from finland and uk in Zell Am See, for february. I cannot wait!

There’ll be a mix of skiers and snowboarders. Has anyone been there?

Did visit Zell Am See for a days boarding when I was on a recce trip. Was nice, little bit lower than Salbach-Hinterglemm and a smaller piste area but still nice and the snow should be good in Feb.

A bonus being that you are close to Kaprun which is well worth a visit, I had one of my better days boarding up there but if the weather is bad it’s worth avoiding.

Dear Winter

Hurry the **** up.

Thank You.

I’m off to the States in a couple of weeks. To Montana. Apparently they’re already getting snow! Might be a bit too early to think about taking a weekend over there, but one for the next trip!

3 days boarding on the hintertux glacier, Zillertal Valley, Osrterreich last week . After some cloudy snow days the blue skies opened and we headed up.

Full of Russian, USA, French and Norge Olympic ski teams training plus a couple of snowboard peeps. Was that Bodie Miller? Hmm, not so sure…..

3 days boarding on the hintertux glacier

Fun Fact: that’s where I proposed to my missus. 😀

Booked already. 19 people filling a catered ski-in / ski-out chalet in Les Manures (Reberty) with Sauna and Hot Tub. Manchester flights, ski carriage all round, full 3Valleys lift pass, all for under £800 a head.

nbt – can I ask where you got this? Looking for something similar

Neilson, several months ago. Booked in early may I think and filled the chalet to get the best deal. Doubt you;ll get prices like that now sadly, though you might strike lucky if you wait till the last minute

Cheers.

Might do the ol’ Crystal Ski to Les Deux Alps. Pretty basic, but the snow’s just as cold as everywhere else!

Just booked accommodation for skiekampen http://www.skeikampen.no/
It is near Lillehammer
Going at Easter
Looking forward to it
Now have to rationalise as to why I need new gear/skis/goggles/jacket/sallopettes/boots/baselayers/more stuff.
Any tips on skiekampen ?