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

Anyone know of a big ski/snowboard tech workshop in Surrey, Hampshire, Sussex?

I’m thinking S&R in Chertsey, anywhere else?

I need some snowboard strap binding spares, but the bindings are a little old and a little franken strapped already, so I really need a sift through a box of bits with the chap(pette) and make sure what looks good is good. Off next week, so I don’t have time to get a special order wrong. Despite having had 10 months to think about it!

Well, 4 days in at Chamonix and the conditions are mediocre. The promised snow at the beginning of the week never materialised. Le Tour has the best conditions due to the height

Le Tour isnt high though. Where exactly have you been trying to ski where the conditions are not great? Having said that the Grand Montets can be very icey where Le Tour can be nicer conditions as it gets the sun more.

We’ve been all over, off to Coumeayer tomorrow. Le Tour definitely had the best conditions the other daY. My MAAtes whome I’m out here with have just got back from Les Houches (I’m laid up with man flu), conditions there are ok, but still from brilliant. Were boarders so like some powder! The pistes are in good condition where they’ve not iced, so if you like piste runs then it’s all good.

Edit, I’m probably sounding doom and gloom, but used to boarding with fresh snow off-piste, the pistes don’t really do it for me..

Anybody in Andorra/been very recently and can give feedback on conditions? Off there on Sunday for a week, first time there…

Sui – Flaine is only about 1hr away…. I have no idea what he conditions are like there though.

I am sure the Grand Montets will still have nice powder if you look in the right places!

davetrave – over on snowheads.com they have a weather reports thread on all the resorts, with reliable info coming in everyday from all the snowheads.

Ta

Anyone know of a big ski/snowboard tech workshop in Surrey, Hampshire, Sussex?

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I’ve finally got the go ahead for a weeks boarding from February 28th, so, tell me experts of STW, where should I be considering? Preferably Europe, reasonably priced and with half decent après. I’d also like the moon to go with my selfie-stick 😉 Thanks in advance.

Anyway, I think for GrahamS’ sake, we must have no more mention of Whistler in this thread.

You are all simply beastly 😛

Hell at least I know what to expect. Anyone got any thoughts on how to handle it? Holiday is already booked and paid for so that’s done I guess but I was wondering whether I should look to claim on ski insurance under the “insufficient pistes open” clause?

Of course I haven’t actually bought insurance for this trip yet so I’ll be reading the terms around piste closure very carefully!

Anyone got any thoughts on how to handle it?

Go … enjoy yourself – you will have a fantastic trip. I’m sure there will be still be plenty of stuff to ride up high – despite the poor conditions in Fernie I still rode loads and had tired legs at the end of every day … you just have to adapt to the conditions.

Like surfing, if you had to wait for perfect conditions you would never get in the water. You might just have to be creative – forget about ticking off loads of runs, just find a good spot and do laps; hitting all the features, lips, drops, rollers and jumps on the way down!

Day tickets are sometimes refunded if ‘you don’t like the conditions’ after an hour. Check the small print when buying/signing the waiver – have you bought tickets in advance?

Insurance for ‘piste closure’ normally means that the entire resort is closed down (i.e. no lifts at all running) – this is unlikely in Whistler/Blackcomb

Well, I hate to say it, but it looks like there’s fresh due in just before I arrive in Montana!

This is super cool;

The hotel on Main Street has a blue light that comes on when there’s fresh snow up the hill!

Also, has anyone skied with a Garmin? Am pondering taking mine with me to track the days fun and games. Fun way to see just how much shreddage I’ve got through, or pointless frippery?

Great snow early today in the Pyrenees. Avalanche risk still high, five walkers two of whom we know took a ride in an avalanche yesterday walking up the closed road. All survived.

Graham S – In 2000 we went to Lake Tahoe. In the fortnight not a flake of snow fell. It was positively bare at the base of some pistes.
2003 we went to Fernie. Again in the fortnight not a flake.
Also on several Alps holidays and one in Spain, bare patches and wrecked bases from lack of snow.
In all of these we still had a brilliant time.

You’ll be fine.

Also, has anyone skied with a Garmin? Am pondering taking mine with me to track the days fun and games. Fun way to see just how much shreddage I’ve got through, or pointless frippery?

Yes I have.

Yes it is.

And yes again.

Yes I have.

Yes it is.

And yes again.

😆

*Packs Garmin*

Also, has anyone skied with a Garmin? Am pondering taking mine with me to track the days fun and games. Fun way to see just how much shreddage I’ve got through, or pointless frippery?

I will be next time.

BUT you might want to have a look at this too – SKI TRACKS – GPS TRACK RECORDER

I just want a system that gives me these kinds of stats / maps from a track I upload that I’ve recorded on my Garmin.

@GrahamS – there was loads of powder out in Slovakia last week 😀
Dan says hi btw.

Harreydan
Feb28 is still French kids ski holiday week. So France might be busy in the big resorts.
Pyrennes have had some good snofalls so far this year.
I would be looking at Austria or Italy for that week myself.
SKier not boarder so no idea on wheres good or not .

Feb28 is still French kids ski holiday week. So France might be busy in the big resorts.

Serre Che has been reporting some good snow recently, so might be worth a look across the border in Italy in the Via Lattea resorts.

Anybody in Andorra/been very recently and can give feedback on conditions? Off there on Sunday for a week, first time there…

I’m in arinsal at the minute been here since the 16th. Snow on piste is in pretty good shape considering there hasn’t been much snow this season. Nothing off piste.

Thanks for the tips guys, hadn’t realised that was still holiday time in France so will check out Austria and Italy, and will bear the Pyrenees in mind too. Got a new board to try out so pretty keen to go somewhere 🙂

Despite the fact that I went riding in Squamish today, it’s not all the bad. The stuff lower than red and green chair is slushy but the pistes are all fine. It’s just the ungroomed bowls and tree runs that are suffering a bit, but the higher up stuff isn’t as bad. You’ll still have a great time. And if you realy get fed up head to squamish and hire bikes for the day. I met two skiers who’d done that and they were having a great time.

Looks like there is a big big dump coming to the Alps next week !

Ooh the forecast I’m choosing to believe for Dienten reckons 40cm tue/wed! Might have to swap my skis for a snowboard!! 😀

Might have to swap my skis for a snowboard!!

Wash your mouth out with soap!

WTF were you doing with skis in the first place?

Hareydan – it’s the last week of the French holidays, so won’t be a big deal. Paris is back to school…

Double post! Might as well use the edit to suggest to sui that there is loads of good snow to be had in Cham if you know where to look – maybe check out my friend Paul at horsemouthsnowboarding.com if you’re in need of someone to help you find the goods!

* looks at Cairngorm forecast AGAIN 🙁

* looks at flights to MUC or GVA from Scotland 😀

Hareydan – Member 
Thanks for the tips guys, hadn’t realised that was still holiday time in France so will check out Austria and Italy, and will bear the Pyrenees in mind too. Got a new board to try out so pretty keen to go somewhere

I was in St Anton last week. Loads of snow and sunny too. It’s still looking good
Bergfex.com is a useful website for checking snow depths, webcam & forecasts etc

* looks at flights to MUC or GVA from Scotland

😆

That reminds me, I was chatting to some folk about the whole ‘travel from south east England to ski in Scotland’ thing.

Turns out there’s quite a few Dundonians that don’t even bother and just Ski overseas.

Too much waiting for the stars to align where there is decent snow, winds below 60mph, and an access road that isn’t rammed and stationary seemed to be the general reason.

I realise I was mega lucky with conditions but I had a fantastic day up at Cairngorm the other week. Think really you need a part-time/flexible/self-employed job to take advantage.

steveomcd – I’ve had one snowboard trip this year and I’m going with my family this time who are all skiers so I thought I’d join in. If I’m sticking to the piste I’m quite happy on skiis.

Snow-forecast now claiming 70-odd cm on Tuesday, another 30cm on Wednesday, then the sun to come out at the end of the week! Not sure I quite believe that but it’s looking good. Will definitely have to get back on a board if there’s loads of powder.

Flying in to Sea-Tac over the Cascades, there was plenty of snow up high. Lower down look sparse. Pretty mild in Seattle as well, for the time of year.

Off to check Montana webcams now!

Pyrennes looking like getting a very good covering over the next 5 days .

Really want to go away 8th March , but being billy no mates have no one to go with . Time to advertise on snowheads again .

Have a great trip CFH! 😉

Thanks! Sadly it’s mainly a work trip with a couple of days skiing tagged on, but today is Saturday, I’ve just woken up and there’s a light dusting outside! Hopefully more up the hill.

Big Sky was reporting 3-5″ and well below zero c

Looking like that here in town.

Ah, Big Sky, spent a day boarding there about 15 years ago, fantastic memories 😀

Well, this time next week I’ll be sitting in Alpe d’Huez, hopefully watching the snow fall as I prepare for a week on my new board, can’t wait 🙂