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

Edukator – yes, snowboardcross.

Regarding angle of slopes for avalanche danger, there is a risk of avalanche on any slope steeper than 25°, with the risk increasing to a maximum at around 38° then starting to drop off as slopes become too steep for snow to accumulate. Below 25°, they are virtually unheard-of (occasional very slow moving wet snow avalanches occur down to 20°).

Avalanche accidents in the European Alps at slope angles less than 30° are incredibly rare. All of the accidents which have occured so far this winter have been on slopes steeper than 30°.

See here for more detailed stats: http://www.slf.ch/schneeinfo/zusatzinfos/interpretationshilfe/info_gefahrenstellen/index_EN

In terms of skiing/snowboarding, 30° is about the angle of a steep piste, i.e. a Black run or a steep section of a Red. In soft snow off-piste, we tend to ride steeper slopes. 30° is still steep enough to be fun though.

Funkydunc – angle of slope is EVERYTHING. Get the slope angle right and nothing else is important (unless there are steeper slopes above you).

It is a fundamental principle of safe travel in the winter mountains that, when the snowpack and/or weather are not in your favour, you stay out of avalanche terrain. This means staying off steep slopes. The “magic” angle is generally considered to be 30° but, as mentioned above, below 25° to be absolutely sure.

Prefecture of haute savoie has issued a statement. Don’t ski off piste.

Just remember about this really useful resource for backcountry planning:

http://www.skitrack.fr/?zoom=15&lat=45.57986&lon=6.94268&layers=IGN%20Carte|Pente%3E30%20%28IGN%2075%29|

The site allows you to view French IGN maps, then overlay areas where the slope is >30° (red blocks). Keeping it local to me, the link above takes you to Sainte Foy. For interest, the much-discussed recent avalanche happened just below the col at spot height 2881. I rode that line on Tuesday, just before the snow arrived. It was great!

mugsys_m8 – yes, of course they have. Doesn’t mean it’s impossible to do it safely though. I’ve spent the last week riding off-piste every day and I’m still here to talk about it. We just stuck to trees and mellow slopes. Awesome powder!

piemonster – Member
I’m also interested in any feedback on Big Sky, is there owt nearby that would be workable as a two week trip in different resorts?

POSTED 1 DAY AGO # REPORT-POST

Will try and do some proper feedback on Bridger for you. Looks like I may even be getting some time at Big Sky on the same trip!

Sometimes I love my job! 🙂

2891 I think

I’ve checked my local area and the red areas correspond quite well to the avalanche prone slopes. Some white areas are notorious for avalanches though to the point avalanche barriers have been built and trees planted to protect the road and buildings.

It’s also easy to underestimate how far avalanches will continue over very moderate slopes once started. An avalanche reached the car park in Barège a few years back having crossed the river and started up the other side.

Defo 2881. I was chatting to the guide involved the other day.

OK 2881 it is then.

Yeah, the red blocks on the map are a bit of a blunt instrument, not sure what the algorithm they use to generate them is. Average slope angle per 100m square? Highest angle per square? No idea! This does mean that some steeper areas end-up coloured white.

Still really useful for an at-a-glance idea of the terrain though.

Having looked at the map a bit longer the slopes at less than 30° that regularly avalanche have long grass that flattens in the Autumn and provides a nice low friction surface for the snow to slide on. The whole snow pack slides off when the weather warms. Or they are smooth limestone.

That would do it!

Anyone had a ski trip in the £500-600pp range before?

Super keen to book a last minute trip in March but the mate I’d be going with is insistent he can’t afford any more than that.

Just finalised accommodation for my stay in Chamonix over half term. Ferry + driving! I’m hoping all the dumps over the last two weeks keep going, though I know it’s eased of for this coming week.. Anyone done valle blanche on a board and know any guides not charging an arm and leg?

Harry,my trip is going to cost approx 380 before food and lift pass. 3 in a car and go on some rental apartments websites! Lift pass for us will be another 240, but some resorts are far cheaper..

Sui – I’ve done Vallée Blanche on a snowboard many times. Nice trip, quite easy riding. Don’t let anyone tell you that you need **** poles.

harryjan – I could do you catered chalet + lift pass for £550 per person in March. If you’ve got your own kit and get a cheap flight, that’s not far off your budget…

I haven’t skied the Vallée Blanche but I’ve spent enough time on glaciers to know conditions vary with the seasons and amount of snow cover.

A British boarder was killed in 2008 because he didn’t have poles. He took his board off on the flat bit and fell through a snow bridge into a crevasse. With the board still on he wouldn’t have fallen through. It’s not much of a hardship to have some telescopic poles in the bag and a lot safer punting than walking.

Harry Jan – we’re off to northern Norway for 10 days for £529 each. Airbnb place between 8, hire cars and flights.

Supermarket food, duty free booze and petrol will be on top of that. No lifts mean no lift pass but more food!

Think your best bet for cheap in Europe would be to be as flexible as possible and get something last minute. Last couple of places in a chalet, all inclusive.

@HarryJan – Have a look at SnowTrex. They did a good job for us this year. They regularly have deals on Groupon to Chamrousse in Isere, France.

Hope to check out Stevoncd’s place in the next couple of years. Looks very nice.

Anyone had a ski trip in the £500-600pp range before?

Slovakia.

If you are in London then it is a budget WhizzAir flight from Luton to Poprad and a short transfer. Accommodation is cheap and food/booze out there is ridiculously cheap (e.g. beer for a euro, 2 course sit-down lunch on the mountain for 5 euros).

Go here http://chaletslovakia.com/ or here http://www.snowboardslovakia.co.uk/
(the first one suits me better).

Oh and they’ve had some snow recently:

😯

ooooh, that looks good. I cant get my mates to consider Bulgaria or Slovakia for boarding, it doesn’t have the “reputation” yet..

It’s not always like that – but it is always a good laugh! 😀

If you wait for it to have a reputation then it won’t be cheap and will just be a mini-Alps.

Anyone got any recommendation for luggage? We don’t have skis, but our own boots. Of course, these days boot bags cost you extra, so looking for a wheelie bag that can house a pair of boots in their own compartment and big enough for the rest of the skiing paraphernalia. Being able to cinch it down to size depending on how much is packed into it would be ideal.

Obvious one is the Dakine split roller, available in tragic colours for accessorising with your Beats headphones I guess.

Anything else that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg?

Anything else that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg?

Take them as your carry-on luggage?

Or wear them! (note: that’s a bit more practical with snowboard boots)

Or wear them!

Also, even with snowboard boots, going to be a bit of a pain when security-bot tells you to remove them for the x-ray machine. 🙂

I’m not sure about the luggage question…can’t you just pack them into a normal roller case and stuff them with socks, underwear, buffs 😯 , goggles etc so they don’t take up too much room?

That’s what I do. In a big Animal split roller, stuff boots with socks etc.

Take them as your carry-on luggage?

No.

can’t you just pack them into a normal roller case

Yes. But our normal roller case has exploded after being lugged around with 5kg plastic shoes in it. Before I buy something else that will be dead in three trips, thought I would see how people have got on with something that is more purpose built.

I have an, erm, actually, two (one for me, one for mrs DD) 😯 DaKine split rollers. Both of which have been excellent to be fair. And, they’re in non-tragic Black. 😛

Having done winter holidays with crap luggage, the convenience of sturdy purpose built stuff was refreshing.

I recently got a Dakine double ski bag with rollers. You can also fits two pairs of boots in it. Great I thought, until I weighed it and realised it was over the 20kg EasyJet sports equipment limit. DOH!

Can’t speak for skis but yeah, I’ve used a Dakine Low Roller board bag for a good few years and it has lasted very well.

I generally find Dakine stuff is relatively well made so I’d expect the ski stuff to be similar.

Yeah, we have that problem with our upcoming EJ flights – but as we have a toddler with us, with his own seat, we could book a bag for him which gives us 60 kg over two bags rather than 2 x 20kg. 20kg doesn’t go far if you’re taking ski/snowboard boots with you.

Low Roller here too. Very good i think. Make sure you differentiate it somehow from the others on the flight with colourful tape on the handles or something, or be prepared to go to your resort with someone elses board. (which could be a good thing)

Ski Boots. Usually inside check-in suitcase, have carried them as hand luggage before. I have once in 30 years been challenged with ski boots as hand luggage and I said I would wear them if necessary and the fuss was over.

I have a 90L North face duffle, which is as tough as old boots, no compartments or wheels though. It is light in itself though. You can carry it on your back which is convenient.
My mum got a cheap wheeled bag from somewhere, it weighed a massive amount on its own with no luggage in it. Not great depending on how you are traveling.

Boot bag as hand lugagge

”CHeap” bag that will take ski boots. Boots go in the end compartments, I’ve not got one myself bu I hearthey’re ok

personally I use take ski bag, boot bag and suitcase. Never had any issues (I’ve flown easyjet with that setup and they didn’t charge extra)

IME, cheap ski luggage comes in two guises: cheap heavy materials which means it’s at luggage allowance as soon as I put a pair of my lacy knickers and basque in there, or cheap light materials which don’t stand up to the rigours of baggage handlers in winter. The DaKine split rollers are a bit clichéd for sure, but ours have taken a hell of a few beatings and are as good as the day they were bought.

+1 for Dakine rollers – mine has seen many an outing

Cheers folks.