Look at the stars in the sky as they leave the Plaine Morte top station in the early morning
The explosions rattle our windows 1800m below them....
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 29-09-14 16:35; edited 1 time in total
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hardmen? They aren't all guys, you know.
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?
Quote:
They aren't all guys, you know
Indeed. I went out with a piste patroller last winter, early one morning - and the leader of the team, with whom I had coffee and cake after the lifts were all open, was a woman. She did look quite hard, though.
Apologies - poor use of language in title - it refers to this avalanche team (which happens to be all male) and making safe the specific peaks above us (this team on these peaks) - I'll change the title so it does not appear to generically refer to all teams in all places or edit so it doesn't seem discriminatory...
Shimmy Alcott, actually we did both at Easter in 2012 - drive to an Ibis near euro Disney on Friday night immediately after school - up early - bit chilly but very sunny day there, no crowds although still needed to queue for nearly an hour for some things - must be gruesome at other more busy times of year - then went by car that evening to b&b hotel at besancon then skiing at crans Montana by lunchtime
Done
Eurodisney hideous - terrible food - kids had a great day - have never asked to go back - snow deep and thick had a wonderful week.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Seeing something of the work behind the scenes, as in this great video, makes one less resentful about the cost of a lift pass. The morning I did the "piste opening" with a patroller was part of a new activity put on by the resort - anybody could sign up to go out with them before the lifts opened. No great skill needed - all on (beautifully newly crafted) pistes. The guy didn't hang around but as the piste was entirely empty that wasn't a problem - and every now and then he stopped to re-plant a piste marker and give me a chance to catch up! They have also started a similar session with a liftie - seeing how they get the place cleared, if there is new snow, get all the machinery going etc etc. I'll do both next season.
As well as seeing how the job is done it was also interesting talking on the lifts - about where all the workers come from (nearly all local in this case), what other jobs they do, how they rescue people stuck off piste (I saw the special sledges they use), which part of which piste sees the most accidents, etc etc.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
pam w, excellent - in Crans Montana we always do a 4pm to 10pm session with the pisteurs on the piste bashers - my 10 year got to drive 250,000 worth of basher....
After all it is free
After all it is free
PaulC1984, that was in Les Saisies. You can drive a piste basher too - but you have to pay for that, unless you have the right contacts, which valais2 obviously has, but I don't.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
pam w, Thanks Pam. Id love to know if anyone does this in Tignes. Not fussed bout driving a basher as done that plenty of times before, however going out with 'The Hard Ones' early doors and seeing all the glory that the morning brings sounds fun.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
PaulC1984, I saw a flier in val d'isere last season advertising that sort of thing. Don't know about tignes tho.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
PaulC1984, I doubt whether they'd let passengers along on explosives trips - probably just the tame stuff!
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.
pam w, Sorry, should have made myself clear - whilst I like a big bang and explosion in the morning, it would not be with semtex!! Just getting out early doors and doing the tame stuff would be interesting
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
It is definitely the best job in the ski industry. Lots of challenges, every day is different, paid to ski etc. Of course if you get it wrong people can die so it is not for the faint of heart.
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