Haggis_Trap, looks like they might be getting some decent snowfall right now too.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
davidl, sorry but the pistes in La Thuile are not 38 degrees. more like 28 - 30 degrees. The flying K in Les Arcs is only 28 - 30 degrees and it is steeper than them I think.
The Flying K and other blacks around there are steep but none are over 30 degrees. They are all now classed as nature rides which means unpisted marked and protected areas. The flying K has not been used for racing for three years since the terrible accident. So it is now a great place to get turns perfected if you are early after a fresh dump.
The question at the top was steep pistes, not sure he ment unpisted marked areas.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
snowcrazy, If you want confirmation odf the steepness of pista 3 there is a sign at the top which shows 73%, it's also referenced on the La Thuile website as 73% and 4 kilometres long. So a tad more than the 28-30 degrees you estimated.
davidl, 73% = 36 degrees - but that might just mean the maximum gradient for a few metres.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
stoatsbrother, quite agree,
davidl, as stoatsbrother, says it may have a metre or two like that, but I cannot think where. No way is it 38 degrees from top to bottom, and yes I have seen the sign that you talks about. Does not mean it is correct. But it looks good. They built this piste so that they could bid for the world cup races. So far they have not been awarded any, but it could happen. It is a very icy fast piste.
After all it is free
After all it is free
So the 38 degree seems to stacked up being the limit a piste can be groomed.
If we talk about steeper piste then it has to be a ungroomed mogual field or a marked ski route.
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saikee wrote:
So the 38 degree seems to stacked up being the limit a piste can be groomed.
I don't know where you got that idea from.
If it can hold snow, then it can (in theory) be groomed. There are quite a few pistes around where they regularly use winches for the piste bashers, some of which aren't nearly as steep as 38 degrees, but are just awkward for some reason.
I saw a piste basher using a winch on the red at the top of Neiderau on the one day it was open when I was there. I don't thinkthat was particularly steep, even for a red, but it did have a rather odd fall-line at that point.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Folks, I've done the Harrakari (got the t-shirt) and yes it was steep and yes it was quick....but as some of the others have stated, it is short.
I personally thought La Sarrenne in ADH was a much tougher piste, as did the Cime De Caron black in VT (the one that brings you back to the village)
Just a thought...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
stoatsbrother, you obviously haven't skied it, or you'd know the length of the steepest pitch, but everyone's entitled to their opinion however biased. snowcrazy, who said anything about it being 73% from top to bottom, the are lots of skiers who look at the sign and then find another route, I can only assume that's what you've done as if you skied it you'd know how long the steepest pitch was. BTW Europa cup races are regularly held using the piste.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
davidl wrote:
snowcrazy, the are lots of skiers who look at the sign and then find another route, I can only assume that's what you've done
Hahaha.
I haven't been there but having skied with snowcrazy I doubt he'd turn around from skiing a piste after seeing the local "Beware: steep" sign.
Maybe he'd turn around because he spotted a good offpiste route...
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
What do you all think of the wall in Avoriaz, that is known as one of the steepest pistes in Europe and is marked an Orange on the piste map. Have a look at our review for Avoriaz...
davidl, I skied Harakiri in 2009 and the La Thuile black run in 2010. Harakiri is by far the more challenging of the two runs. You only have to stand and watch the sheer number of people losing their edges on Harakiri and skidding all the way to the bottom to see that its a tough piste, and what happens when you come off at the top (there's just no physical way to stop until you get to the bottom). I'm pretty sure I saw not one person do that at La Thuile, and we hit that run quite a few times.
I would say that the sign at the top of Harakiri claiming it as "Austria's steepest piste" actually promotes more people to do it than they would normally. Despite the signs at the top of the La Thuile run I actually found it pretty straight forward and enjoyable. Harakiri was a real pressurised test, as you know that one small mistake would have you off and careering down the slope on everything but your skis. i always felt there was much more margin for error on the La Thuile run, and the real steep of the run was only extremely short at the very beginning and avoidable if you really needed a bail-out.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Dav, I've seen a couple of people slide all the way down the La Thuile steep bit and collapse in a heap at the bottom, so it does happen! It's pretty steep IMO and I think I'd classify the steep bit as longer than 'extremely short', but yeah it's reasonably wide and most people seem to cope OK.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
alan empty, yeah maybe "extremely" was a bit of an exaggeration, but as you say it's wide enough to not cause a problem. I just found the La Thuile run much more comfortable than Harakiri, which if I'm honest I didn't really enjoy all that much as it's a bit too steep for me to relax on it, I was just concentrating on the technicality of my turns and keeping my speed right down.
Getting the chair up to Harakiri is usually a pretty funny episode; it goes right above the steepest part of the run and there's usually at least 1 person who will come a cropper and take the slide of shame down to the bottom. You try not to laugh, and as long as there's nothing broken its always a humorous show.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Dav, sounds like you're at the perfect level for judging the steepest pistes. We just need to send you down all the contenders and make a list of the ones that you don't enjoy too much!!
I think I saw some clips of people on Harakiri a while back and it was pretty funny.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Dav, I didn't find it too humourous when I come off the top brow, I was more questioning my reasoning of being on it!! horizon, When you get off the chairlift, there's a sign that everyone get's their photo taken against (like a road sign with the gradient of a hill on it) and then you swing down about 30 metres to a flat bit which leads to the brow of the piste....go over the brow, and there ain't NO WAY you can turn back.
Whilst I was on it....I was overtaken by a faller as I traversed.
stoatsbrother, you obviously haven't skied it, or you'd know the length of the steepest pitch, but everyone's entitled to their opinion however biased. snowcrazy, who said anything about it being 73% from top to bottom, the are lots of skiers who look at the sign and then find another route, I can only assume that's what you've done as if you skied it you'd know how long the steepest pitch was. BTW Europa cup races are regularly held using the piste.
If races are held on it, that suggests that it is not a severely steep slope.
The La Daille downhill course in Val d'Isere uses the Orange and OK red pistes. The Val Gardena race also uses red pistes as does the Lauberhorn in Wengen as far as I recall.
Black pistes are usually too dangerous for ski racing. I know the Face in Val d'Isere is also used for racing and that is graded black, although I would not call it a really steep black, but there they have to put bends in the natural run of the course to slow the racers down.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
what is it with people skiing into people on that piste!!!!
the people on it are more dangerous than the piste itself!
After all it is free
After all it is free
jim1515, welcome to . How about a bit of a contribution to community discussion before you start plugging your web site?
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davidl wrote:
stoatsbrother, you obviously haven't skied it, or you'd know the length of the steepest pitch, but everyone's entitled to their opinion however biased. snowcrazy, who said anything about it being 73% from top to bottom, the are lots of skiers who look at the sign and then find another route, I can only assume that's what you've done as if you skied it you'd know how long the steepest pitch was. BTW Europa cup races are regularly held using the piste.
Never been there and got absolutely nothing against the place - even though its reputation on this site has not been helped by your incessant past pimping.
I never claimed to ski it - I simply pointed out that what the conversion of % to degrees was (steeper than someone had suggested btw) - and that (as with hill gradings in roads in the UK) - that didn't necessary mean it was the average and it might be a limited chunk of it.
jeez.
I promise not to do any more simple numerical conversions for people unless I have been down the whole piste with an inclinometer.
Right - you say it is 4km long - the piste map shows it goes from 2200m to 1441m - a fall of 759 m or average gradient of 11 degrees...
Gnarly to the max
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
I've been to La Thuile a couple of times and don't remember the pistes mentioned as being that steep.
There's a black in Madonna di Campiglio (can't remember the name, I'm sure someone can help out) that is supposed to be the steepest in Italy. 40degrees I think. It's good fun to stand on the ridge at the top and watch timid traversers being mown down as overly confident Italians - having fallen at the steepest pitch at the beginning - slide and gambol to the bottom. The first thing they check when they finally stop is not whether they've broken any bones or skis but if their mobile phone is still working.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
shoogly, It looks very average until you see how quickly the fallen 'Frau' picks up speed and takes out 'Herr'. She pays the price for having the audacity to try stem-christies. conditions look excellent.
Could any German speakers translate the single word spoken in warning near the end? It should be ACHTUNG! but aint.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
snowcrazy wrote:
davidl The flying K in Les Arcs is only 28 - 30 degrees and it is steeper than them I think.
That may be true of the main slope, including everything that punters used to ski when allowed onto the track. but the top gets progressively steeper. The slope is convex over its length, though the convexity in the central section is not so apparent. I am not sure what the highest (steepest) point it has been skied from is.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
snowball wrote:
.. . but the top gets progressively steeper. The slope is convex over its length, though the convexity in the central section is not so apparent.
If it's steeper at the top, and so less steep further down, surely that makes it concave
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
stoatsbrother wrote:
Right - you say it is 4km long - the piste map shows it goes from 2200m to 1441m - a fall of 759 m or average gradient of 11 degrees...
Gnarly to the max
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
snowball wrote:
snowcrazy wrote:
davidl The flying K in Les Arcs is only 28 - 30 degrees and it is steeper than them I think.
That may be true of the main slope, including everything that punters used to ski when allowed onto the track. but the top gets progressively steeper. The slope is convex over its length, though the convexity in the central section is not so apparent. I am not sure what the highest (steepest) point it has been skied from is.
I was in Les Arcs at the time of the 1992 Winter Olmpics, when speed skiing was included as a demonstration event.
The competition took place over four days. The start point on the first day was probably two thirds of the way up. The slowest competitors were eliminated each day and each subsequent day the start point was moved further up the slope. On the final day as I recall, they were going from the top or at least very close to it.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
this is a nice little visual aid: http://www.visualtrig.com/ (I have no connection with the site, by the way, just googled it)
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
RobW wrote:
If it's steeper at the top, and so less steep further down, surely that makes it concave
Oops, yes Must have switched off my brain when I typed that.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
The Eisfall at St Anton is pretty steep. It maybe short, but some serious moguls, often icy, makes it quite mean. Here it has been groomed for the World Cup: http://youtube.com/v/CifZHuzbBCM
I have skied many of the pisted runs mentioned by others e.g Mont Fort but the unpisted are undoubtedly steeper and scarier. For my money Flypaper at Glencoe is one of the scariest because it is a) Concave at the top (ie you cannot see the slope when you start down it) and b) Has lots of rocks to hit if you fall. If it is not open it can avalanche (a patroller broke his back in one) or be a sheet of ice. It is not the steepest pisted run in Europe as it has never ever been pisted, but it must be one of the steepest marked routes regularly skied.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I've done quite a few of the slopes mentioned here (Mont Gele & Mont Fort, Harikiri etc).
In my opinion Harikiri is not very difficult, and mostly good for bragging.
The "Piste du tunnel" in Alpe d'Huez is the steepest one I know, and most importantly, it is very steep not over 100 metres (like Harikiri) but over hundreds of meters.
Below here first a picture, and then 2 helmetcam videos.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quote:
The "Piste du tunnel" in Alpe d'Huez is the steepest one I know, and most importantly, it is very steep not over 100 metres (like Harikiri) but over hundreds of meters.
Really? I didn't think it was that steep or that sustained after the first bump section after the tunnel. But the snow was good when I did it. Snow conditions matter so much more than a few degrees of angle.
After all it is free
After all it is free
In Idre fjäll, Sweden, there's a piste called Chocken that's 46 degrees at the steepest part. It's a very short piste though. It used to be 48 degrees but they leveled it a little for saftey reasons. The speed ski record there is 170 something km/h.
Another place in Sweden called Hundfjället has the piste Väggen (swedish for Wall) at 45 degrees with the speed ski record of 194 km/h I think.
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I think all pistes should have the colour of the piste markers removed, especially when skiing with the OH
Saves any arguments when you accidentally stray onto a black and the OH has been skiing beautifully all morning on reds and blues but goes to pieces when confronted with a black piste marker Take the marker away and it isn't a problem. Its all in the head don't you know
Seriously though,steepness is MUCH less of an issue that the prevailing conditions, be it visibility,snow, other skiers that really shouldn't be there etc etc.
Ski a black after a week of no snow, with rock hard scraped off ice and its going to be fairly unenjoyable no matter what your ability. Ski the same black then next day after 6 inches of squeaky fresh snow that has been groomed and its going to be a completely different experience.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
. How about a bit of a contribution to community discussion before you start plugging your web site? 
Never been there and got absolutely 
Must have switched off my brain when I typed that.
Take the marker away and it isn't a problem. Its all in the head don't you know 