The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2017-2018 season

Skiweb.co.uk? Are you sure about that?

That site looks like it was built before netscape died. Can you post a link to the site you’ve been looking at? If prices are that good I might use them for my march trip. However there’s that old maxim, if it looks too good to be true…

and if you want to get better, get lessons. They’re included in the price with UCPA, remember…

Just need boots now. Do people still size up? I remember getting a half size bigger for thick socks before

Depends on the brand but generally either shoe size or half to one size down rather than up since the boot will pack down over time.

Personally I prefer thin-ish socks to thick socks as they rub less and double socks is a big no-no/recipe for sweaty feet & blisters.

If/when the liners pack down you can pop another insole in to take up some of the volume.

nbt – sorry, http://www.sun.skiweb.co.uk ! Heads-up – accommodation is fairly basic!

I did look at UCPA, and yep instruction would be great, but it doesn’t look like you can get transport included with their packages, so they get expensive quickly!

Thanks,
Duane.

Just got a quote from NUCO which was pretty similar too.

did you mean https://ski.sunweb.co.uk/ ?

If you;re looking at UCPA, their UK partner is Action Outdoors

http://www.action-outdoors.co.uk/

You need to arrange your own flights, but they can sort out airport transfers (they can even do coach from London if that’s your thing). I went to Flaine with them in march 2015, looking at going again with them this season

nbt – Haha sorry yes, that’s the one!

Yeah, been looking on Action Outdoors – can’t seem to find any mention of coach or transfers?

Edit: sorry, figured out you can add coach or transfer when looking at specific trips.

So I have 3 pretty similarly priced trips, and need to figure out which one to go for.

1. Flaine, Le Grand Massif (town at 1600m, max area height 2480m)
2. Les Arcs 1800, Paradiski (town at 1800m, max area height 3250m)
3. Bella Plagne, Paradiski (town at 2050m, max area height 3250m)

Thoughts on which would be best? I am a fairly confident snowboarder (minimal flat connecting runs please!), my gf is a confident skier, keen to try out some off-piste and tree skiing. Don’t need super fun town-atmosphere, but need to be able to buy food (to cook) as will be self catering. Main priority is good snow (for mid-Jan) and good slopes.

Thanks,
Duane.

Sounds like La Plagne would be good for you dude. I’ve done 7 UCPA trips now, and going again with a mate (that I met at UCPA) for xmas to VT. I’ve stayed at the La Plagne UCPA and at the time it was the nicest centre that they had.

I hated La Plange on a board- too many flat bits. But it may have changed – plate tectonics and all.

Glencoe opening some lifts tomorrow, hopefully an early start and not a false one. Forecast looks promising too.

If you’re going UCPA with your girlfriend, I’d say Flaine – there are lots of twin rooms with en-suite facilities for a small extra cost (about £40 per head) rather than having to bunk in with others. The off piste course there is great too, I really enjoyed it. If you’re going there self catering, check out where the apartment is – there’s not much in Flaine itself, and there is a large “village” that’s a couple of KM up the hill

Of the other suggestions, I much prefer Les Arcs to La Plagne personally, and 1800 is a very mice village, much nicer than LP or Flaine

Thanks all.

Not looking to go with UCPA – prices aren’t as good as other options (although no instruction will be a shame).

Flaine is through sunweb, and Les Arcs and Bella Plagne is through NUCO.

Hi folks, just posted this in the Cairngorm thread but thought I would share it here too for information/discussion.

What’s happening? See here linky and here linky2 post from 27th November.
In summary resort people/owners entered SSC hut which they do not own and physically removed webcam belonging to Winterhighland because they don’t like Winterhighland and they want exclusive ownership of webcam views of the hill! Pretty shocking behavior and I would encourage folks to look into the issue and boycott CGM for now. Difficult request as Aviemore is a great place to stay for a snowsports break but Natural Retreats need to get the message that this is unacceptable.

Bitten the bullet and booked an Easter apartment in Val Thorens, hopefully there’ll be some snow left. Was OK last year 🙂 Probably mix it up with board and skis depending on conditions/inclination. Kids aren’t doing lessons this time, hoping to get a couple of proper Big Days Out…

And they’re off at Cairngorm

https://www.facebook.com/CairnGormMtn?

Will be interesting to see what if any base there is down. 😯

Glencoe opens this weekend. Lecht are hoping to open, but Glenshee and Nevis are both saying there’s not enough base yet.

As LD says above though, much as it pains me I’m avoiding Cairngorm until the situation with NR improves. IN any case, Glencoe’s the best place

Looks like it has been dumping it down in Austria this morning. I arrive in Leogang tomorrow afternoon 8)

After a couple of years of missing out on any fresh, I’m trying not to get overexcited!

Webcam

Anyone in grands massif area?

Tempted by a quick pre Xmas few days if snow is ok

So my next toddler skiing question. Sweajnr is a very tall (3’7″ or 1o5cm) 3 and a half year old. His skis are 100cm long and were purchased at a local ski shop and fitted there. This morning the instructor comments that they’re a bit long for him. The logic being that despite being as tall as some 5 year olds he’s only got limited balance and strength and would do much better with shorter skis.
This has made sweamrs a bit grumpy as we’d hoped to buy ahead of the season etc. Being a gear obsessed dad I’m all set to go and buy more kit but wondering what other people’s opinions might be…..

I’d listen to the instructor.

This:
I’d listen to the instructor
Plus y+1. And He’s going to use the bigger skis at some point.
May as well make it easy to ski if not on your wallet.

Or hire some shorter ones for a session or two and see how he gets on. Go back to same hire shop if you choose to buy. Don’t they usually refund the hire if you buy?

Or hire some shorter ones for a session or two and see how he gets on. Go back to same hire shop if you choose to buy. Don’t they usually refund the hire if you buy?

Sage advice.

Thanks all. I shall show this to sweamrs and break out the credit card. The instructor implied the local ski shop will help out here and it won’t be too painful on the wallet.

From a person with too many pairs Of skis in his loft and hidden at work.

Get him a snowboard and stop trying to fight it

Is the instructor any good? Or are they a glorified baby sitter? If it’s the latter I’d not sure I’d trust them. Some of them rock up here and can hardly ski themselves….

That’s a bit long. 3.5yo they still have reasonably weak levers so shorter is better.
You buy skis on ability, strength and weight. Height has nothing to do with it-femur length has more relevance !
I have a 4.5yo, 109cm tall but skinny and she will run 90cm skis for another season.
Col ex instructor and instructor trainer.

Instructor seems good. Not a babysitter as we’re hanging around close by. He was in his 50’s and spent time chatting ski touring with us as we’re both on semi AT kit.

From a person with too many pairs Of skis in his loft and hidden at work.

See page 8 of this thread. 😳

Not sure if I’m more impressed with sweajnr forward or sweamrs going backwards….

Have seen a few posts concerning UCPA. If you can, go on a UCPA week, they are really really good and once you factor in the tuition fees/ lift pass/ food they really are pretty cheap. I went to Tignes UCPA on my own and had a great time.

Not sure if I’m more impressed with sweajnr forward or sweamrs going backwards….

Nice! Sounds like the instructor knows his stuff. He’ll grow into the current set by the sounds of it.

So based on the above 80cm or 90cm? 80cm seems short but 90 still too long?

The renting suggestion is actually more hassle as I can visit ski shop at lunchtime at least for a preliminary conversation.

Shorter better to begin with

Is there not a load of used kit in circulation out there?
Especially kids kit.
Get on FB local family group?
I haven’t bought new skis for a while.

Just bought a second hand cool bean

I’ll be pairing it with these bindings I got at the end of last season. A strong look

Union Bindings. Mmmmm. All others are second class.

Except of course for the new Burton Step-In system. But my god have you seen the price! Robbery!

Can’t wait until a cheaper version comes out though… talk about saving half your energy up on the hills.

What makes union bindings so good???

i cannot wait to go away snowboarding…………just saying