The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2015-2016 season

Cheers stm, bookmarked

Those foam things have been out for a while. They used to be called j bars.
All they will do is possbly make the heel more snug in the boot, heel lift is easily sorted with a few tweaks in technique.
You should be able to wiggle your toes on a toeside turn. If not your likely “standing up” and gripping with your toes which will give you heel lift.

Not necessarily Russ.

I’m good at keeping my toes relaxed, I never get shin or calf pain, but I find that my old boots have just got a little baggy over the last 15yrs or so, unsurprisingly, and I just want a bit more direct link between my boot the top of my ankle rather than have to wait for it. I’m also on an old board that doesn’t leap from edge to edge. More of a lazy shuffle.

That’s not to say my technique is perfect, but I did learn to stop clinging to the hill side with my toenails a while ago

Stoner, what’s Morzine/Les Gets like? We fly out tomorrow and I will be spending all my time around Morzine and Les Gets as I’m not good enough to warrant a full PdS pass.

Well it appears I’ve managed to acquire a cracked rib on my ski holiday! 😆

So those heel cups…would they make me a few inches taller? 🙂

You need to carry a milk crate around with you like Tom Cruise.

I ache – I didn’t go over to morzine /Les Gets this break. The temperature here is very warm this evening at 100cm, so lower slopes will deteriorate in the day, but it’s OK hardpack higher up.

There’s plenty of base, snow reservoirs and snow canons to keep the runs open even if there’s no fresh for a while. Wear thin layers as you may well get warm on the hill.

Are you staying in Morzine or Les Gets?

Wallop – you’ll get over that in time for your next trip won’t you. What did you run into?

Five weeks til Morzine. Should be reet. Hilariously I didn’t run into anything other than the ground when I was pelting down a blue. I landed on my bazookas and winded myself pretty badly at the time but the rib pain has got steadily worse as the week has gone on. Luckily it didn’t happen til mid week so the worst of the pain hasn’t arrived until today (home time).

5wks you’ll be fine.
Just watch out for a Yeti and a Leprechaun in Morzine that week, ahem….

What!? Is DD out there that week too!?

Edit – who is the yeti? ❓

He is dat, indeed he is.

Staying in Morzine Stoner. About 5 mins walk from the Pleney.

Unfortunately it’s a pity you can’t just get an avoriaz pass as it won’t get you up to super morzine. As you know you’d need a PdS pass.

… Unless… You take the free navette from town to ardent or prodains in which case you can.
Lots of buses to prodains, but go early.

If that something that interests you I’d hold off committing to a week long morzine pass, as you may wish to mix and match the two ski areas.

You can also add PdS to a morz pass at the ticket office on the side of the tourism office.

Nothing like a bit of Phil Spencer spotting at Geneva to liven up a check in queue 😆

Yetis?
Couldn’t say, but…

… there was this one at the hockey match this evening.

Hcmag vs Rouen. Last of the league I think. I love watching the games. We don’t get much ice hockey in Malvern…

I know it’s a bit of a silly question, but…

Considering joining some friends in Val Thorens for the first week of April – obviously it’s altitude will help, but is it a pretty big risk of just riding slush all day? Snow history of last few years looks pretty mixed :/

Depends what you like. I enjoy late season sunshine skiing. Get up early, get up high and stay up high. Rip it until lunch (Time of lunch dependent on snow). Eat lunch. Make it a long one in the sun. Then, simply download on a lift to another bar as the sun fades.

Usually rubbish for tehpow (Not a tribute band!) but great for social skiing with friends.

Pretty much how it’s playing now.

Will head up to the top of avoriaz tomorrow morning as early as I can make it, beery late lunch and a tumble down the hill around 3ish.

Cheers Stoner. I’ll keep an eye out for the ST hat in the village. I’ll probably be too busy telling off the kids to notice you tho.

First week of April in VT? You’ll be grand.

It is what it is. A shit day in the hill is still better than your best day in the office.
If it is Sun and Slush then so be it, just dig in and enjoy. Get your jacket off and mess around.

I know where I’d rather be.

I had probably my worst ski holiday ever in Val Thorens. Icy, rainy, muddy, gritty – can’t remember when in the season jt was. The resort is grim too.

Your usual April day on the slopes….

This is a rather vague generalisation for above 2000m, but heatwaves and snow/rain (hey, it’s April) would obviously affect your week one way or the other. Whatever happens, you will end the week a better rider, because the snow conditions vary throughout the day.

9-10.30 frozen corduroy, fast n’ scary. Like a bad January day, so mind the knees.
10.30-2pm perfect groomers, so get your piste on and have a late lunch.
2-5 slush mountain and sunburn. Nows the best time to learn new tricks, just watch out for friction burns if you fall, wearing a tee or sweatshirt!

We had a couple of days of that in Paradiski this week – that early morning ice is hilariously petrifying! I did a fair bit of sideways sliding… 😆

It’s pissing it down at 1000 M now, so get up high tomorrow morning I_ache and you should find some fresh snow. Aim for the ranfoilly or nyon from plenney or if you can get a shift on across plenney and les gets, get over to Mont chery early.

Ps I’m about to walk into morzine in 30mins for my date with a washing machine. I won’t be wearing the STW bobble hat as it’s too wet I’m afraid, but if your transfer gets you into town before dark, see if you can pm me and we might get a beer.

Just seen a new discovery drive past with the UK numberplate : SK15 NOW

bastard.

Stoner, I_Ache, Webcam showing it snowing in Les Gets village centre at the moment. Might be good on Mont Chery or in the bowls either side of the Chavannes.

(Yes me watching the webcams for 12 weeks before we go drives my wife just about as nuts as you’d expect)

nyon from plenney

one of the best (surprise) just-off-piste powder days I’ve had was at nyon, after maybe 4 inches of fresh fall – seems to have a couple of gullies that collect blowing snow

Well, Avoriaz was awesome last week 🙂

Sorry didn’t get a chance to meet up stoner – kind of a couple holiday with birthday/anniversary things going on. Looks like you’re enjoying it though 🙂

I’m surprised you even made it on to the pistes then 😀

Right…while still very pleased with my Flows, I’ve encountered a bit of a problem…

As you can see in the photo, the bottom of the heel cup coincides with the top of where the sole of boot wraps around the heel of the boot. 😐

At some stage during use, when snapping out of them, the heelcup has caught the sole and possibly done it a few times before I noticed it properly. When I finally realised there was a problem was when I couldn’t step out because the heel cup was right in behind the sole. Which has led to this: 😡

In itself, when strapped in, this doesn’t pose much of a problem as everything is tight enough, however, getting in and out is a bit of a ‘mare as I need to be on my knees and physically pushing the sole in to allow the cup to open out over it. All this arsing around eventially means snow gets in there, and I was getting definite leakage towards the end of the week. They’re all dried out now and everywhere I read seems to recommend Shoe Goo to glue them back together. They’re still a good pair of boots and fit me just fine. Don’t really want to have to go and replace them…might do for next year in the silly April sales, but hopefully I can fix them for short March trip. Any experience?

EDIT: Apologies for MASSIVE pics.

Pleased to say plenty of mileage, stoner 😉

I’d glue them and cut off the flap so that it doesn’t catch

Edit which model flows are they? I

I’d glue them and cut off the flap so that it doesn’t catch

I’d take the opportunity to ditch the flow bindings.

Sorry, not helpful. The boots look new, can you take them back?

I’d glue them and cut off the flap so that it doesn’t catch

That’s what I was thinking – thing is, I think this stuff is contact adhesive which is going to be a bugger to get on the boot side…maybe as long as I get it well coated around the edges and hope for the best underneath. ****’ things.

Sorry, not helpful.

Indeed. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, they’ve been grand this week – certainly better than the previous – but that was probably because they were shite too – just not as shite. 🙂

The boots look new, can you take them back?

They’re around 9 years old. (but have only done 4 holidays)

That flooring looks rubbish.

ok, well i’d cut off the plastic flap, glue them then gaffer tape them. should keep the water out and as you say when all pressed down its not a problem. Then pick up some new bindings boots in the sales 😆

Thanks for April thoughts.

Any thoughts on Andorra for boarding (earlier than April)? Obviously won’t be on the same scale as the Alps, but worth it if its a fair chunk cheaper?

Sadly ditch the flows, incredibly difficult to get back into them if riding off piste

Val d Isere looking good at present, month her should be fun