The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2016-2017 season

still snowing, or dry since the rain?

Bit of both. Snowed a little last night then dried up. More snow in the forecast for the next week too. The cold drew a fair bit of the moisture out so some legit laps were had higher up today.

where’s that, wnb? spent a season there, but don’t recognise it? Might have something to do with it being many, many years ago now! 😀

where’s that, wnb? spent a season there, but don’t recognise it? Might have something to do with it being many, many years ago now!

That’s the top of Sapphire Bowl, looking in from the top of the main entrance chute.

Final event of the alpine skiing world championship is now on, first leg of the men’s slalom featuring Dave “The Rocket” Ryding

Available on Eurosport and on BBC red button

Good run from Dave

@whatnobeer – stunning photo, the sort of view we spend the summer dreaming about.

Come on Dave.
Second run on telly ay 11.50

still snowing, or dry since the rain?

Looks like a pretty decent amount of snow in Whistler to me 😀

Limited fresh snow at Kimberly but with sweajnr in day care sweamrs and I caught the first lift to grab some prime corduroy. You can tell where the rain line from the pineapple express is though as it gets icy awful fast near the base.

nice sweaman2 … looks like ‘Rush Hour’ in Kimberley! 😉

Gotta love the Kootenays in the spring!

Are you hiding out in Kimberley to avoid ‘Family Week’ in Fernie?

snowshoes and snowboard boots….
are these any good?

http://www.outnorth.se/msr/revo-explore-w22#Blue

snowshoes and snowboard boots….

Not familiar with that exact model, but they do look like updated version of the MSR Denali … which was a very good snowshoe – no problem with snowboard boot fit at all as the fastening is pretty adjustable.

Since buying a splitboard I have a pair of Denalis gathering dust in my shed, but I’m loath to part with them, as I’m convinced I will find a use for them again at some point …

Can anyone recommend skiers shorts with hip protection please?

Are you falling over THAT MUCH?

😉

Forcefield has always looked excellent. Not cheap, though!

Haha. More worried about crowded pistes and ‘some’ idiots who think its ok to knock into a slow person like me, because ‘I’m in their way’.
Its happened 3 times and is not pleasant. Such a shock when you’re suddenly on the floor and not from your own doing.

Edit: forcefield looks good flashy. However I couldn’t find hip protection for ladies.

Edit again. Just found some hip inserts. Not sure where to insert though, ha ha.

cheers thanks, snowshoes are great for that 20- 30 min hike from the lifts I think . splibboards are rad but a faff for that especially if you are with skiers IMHO

a (relatively) recent hip replacement (due to injury) might have something to do with this request, so I’m happy to spend for good stuff. You have no idea how much it means to me that we’re going skiing though 🙂

@Digby. Yep. Although we’re driving back today via Fernie as the whole family has a taste for Bean pod chocolates so I’m not looking forward to the traffic.

the whole family has a taste for Bean pod chocolates

It is good chocolate isn’t?

And in other news …

nice couloir line from Seb Montaz in Chamonix:

http://www.tetongravity.com/video/ski/seb-montaz-skis-another-insane-couloir

[can’t link the video as it’s a Facebook video rather than YouTube]

Well rest day today on my splitboarding week with UCPA in Argentiere. Not great snow, but skiing up for a few hours means that we’re hitting the best stuff that there is. I’m the only one in the group that has done zero skiing, so found that aspect of it pretty tough to get to grips with, really enjoying it though. It’s such an amazing area!

Looking like I may have struck lucky again, as our group of ten arrive in Serre Chev on Thursday night (2nd) and if the forecast is accurate, it will be straight after a 30cm dump. Can’t recall Eds weather forecast station, but would be interested in what that says if you’re around Ed?

He likes La Chaine Meteo. 30 cm at SC would be good for me too.

Week commencing March 4th looks good 🙁
So yeah, good for you Ape. Typically for me, it snows after I leave!

Since junior “borrowed” my Omeglass 64s (165 R12 116/64/100) to work with I’ve had trouble finding anything in the cupboard I really like for a day mostly on piste. Then three hours ago Madame found a 10-year-old pair on leboncoin.fr for 90e. They’re now purchased, holes filled, tuned to 0.5°/88° and waxed. I’m looking forward to skiing in circles again.

Spring snow in Winter here, hard in the morning, nice for and hour around 10:00 then turning to slurry.

Just spotted your question, Rockape. A mate was in Serre Chevalier last week and regretted having made the trip from the Pyrenees – the Southern Alps haven’t had much snow this year. Will have a look at the météo and make a guess for next week.

Guess: the temperature range next Tuesday in Brainçon is 3 to 8°C. That means it will definitely rain in the valley and snow will fall from just above the valley base in Serre Chevalier at the coldest with rain right to the summit if the rain is falling in the afternoon. On Wednesday the snowline will drop to valley level. Not ideal but there’s a good chance of some nice fresh around 2000m.

Thanks Ed….ski club has updated and saying 64 cm to fall tues/ weds / Thursday so hope that close to reality seeing as we arrive Thursday evening.

64 cm to fall tues/ weds / Thursday

Head up to L’Eychauda for first tracks. Then to the trees!

64cm would be epic. Bonne chance.

Have we done the 6-year old Italian kid snowboarding yet? (That doesn’t sound right)

Nice vid, tunes not suitable for six year olds to hear.

DJ Shadow + Run The Jewels. Sweariness abounds

im off to val desere saturday 🙂

Good stuff jedi. Take it you sorted out travel options in the end? What are your plans?

Whats the general outlook for snow over next few weeks. Have some flexibility re timing but have been put off so far by average reports.

Mid/late season dumps expected?

60cm forecast for Passo Tonale before our arrival next weekend. Looking better and better

Looks like there’s a fair amount due to drop onto the alps over the next week, which is nice.

gunna be chilling on blues with my girlfriend mostly 🙂

Big drop due in Le Clusaz next week THM, a great spot only an hour from Geneva. Loads of flights to Geneva too.

Le Grand Bornand next door is great too.

54cm on Tuesday night next week. 116cm in total over the next 9 days.

Tomorrow is our last day on the slopes. 😥

Cheers, getting tempted… 😉

PS – Stoner was right, Les Marmottes was excellent.

And if anyone’s missed me on that other thread ( you know the one), it may be another week before I’ll be back on that one.

xc skier first time in snow after training only on wheels. Good lad!