 Poster: A snowHead
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hedley, -GOOD idea-I am going tomorrow really looking forward to it ...will report back
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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hedley, yes, the information you were given re development lessons is correct.
Although the full package of lessons are printed in the brochure, the Ski Snowboard School Lessons are being introduced / ramped in on a progressive basis.
So, the 1st week they opened, ONLY taster lessons (1 x 50 mins) were being offered.
At present, only taster and the beginners course ( 3 x 110 mins) are being offered.
No doubt, after the new year, the Development packages (Improver, Progression, Fine Tuning, Specialist, Coaching) will slowly progressively appear.
This is the only way they can ensure the quality of the instruction/coaching is consistenly high. Out of circa 300 instructor applications, 130 or so were invited to an assessment, and only 15 or so are teaching there on a regular basis. This is their commitment to becoming a centre of excellence.
So, IMV it's a double edged sword. They could have lauched with the full lesson package, and not been able to guarantee the quality, or to launch the lessons in stages, and keep the quality high, which is what they have done.
Do go down and ask to speak to the Chief Instructor, I'm sure he'll be able to sort you out!
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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?
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| hedley wrote: |
Surely it would be good for all interested snowheads to join as a corporate/club membership as it is considerably cheaper to do so,maybe we could organise a monthly/fortnightly club session as other organisations do??Just putting some ideas out there what do you all think. |
Sounds like a good idea to do something like that - wonder if we could get them to give us a deal where there was a discount if we skied at other times too?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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laundryman, On the car park front there is at least improvement ahead, it seems despite the regulations you mention; the council have conceded that the chaos cannot continue, so the land to right of the entrance is now being prepared as additional car parking. Perhaps this had to happen before the council would accept there was a problem!
Sunday afternoon the left poma broke and long queues started, lots of chillfactore staff walking about the slope trying get the thing started, some using poles so I gather that something was jammed.
Coffee is now available at Chilli’s, but at £1.85 for a tiny cup only ¾ full, we refused it, got a refund from the manager, who said “that’s all the machine will measure out...sorry no one told you we only have small measures...we're just a bar after all”! We bought a large mug for the same price downstairs! At least in France they try to justify high prices by saying the provisions have to be transported up a mountain. I expect food and drink prices to be ‘reasonable’ when I am already paying to use the main attraction in the place. People will only pay inflated prices once!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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hedley, just trying to pass on whatever info I can. I'm not an official mouthpiece, but whatever I know is useful I'll try to write here!
sharon1953, must have missed you by minutes. I was there on Sunday as I was passing. The Pomas trip in the middle of the cable, when some dozy skier/snowboarder pulls the Poma outside of the track sideways. This gives the biggest headache as it usually involves resetting the cable back under the pulley, and resetting the trip(s) on the mid-pylons. Ladders and/or long hooks on poles are involved.
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sharon1953, Unfortunately credit doesn't go to the council...
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veeeight, Perhaps I should wear a snowheads sticker next time I visit 
Seems odd that the pully sides aren't deep enough to prevent the cable jumping out. If it's for safety reasons surely a cut out switch is the solution, that can be reset. Beginner skiers often waver off the track, but this system of pullies and cables is used in hundreds of industries, so why are they having problems?
If the snow isn't deep enough, can't they leave it running all night while no one is there?
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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.
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beanie1, Does that mean the council were forced into it, or gladly did a U turn? Or neither?
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beanie1, veeeight, do you know if you can buy taster session or lesson gift vouchers (xmas present for the brother but you gotta think of the long term  )
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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sharon1953,
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If the snow isn't deep enough, can't they leave it running all night while no one is there?
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they do. I think the reason they are shutting earlier at the moment is to have the snow makers on for a longer time period.
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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.
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Im going to book a taster session and just bug off onto the main slope !
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cant they just leave the snow canons on all day long ?
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You know it makes sense.
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sharon1953, The lift installation is by Poma themselves, identical lifts to everywhere else in the world, and yes, everywhere else in the world has the same problems with cables being wrenched out sideways when someone decides to go out sideways. Cut out switches are installed on every pylon.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Went yesterday no problems parking was quiet 12-1.30 when we were there ....I can imagine the pass reader being an absolute pain when its busy
but a good time had by all ......techs very helpful but not sure about the machine for DIN settings some very interesting results.....................
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Poster: A snowHead
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Royal, I rather doubt you can "just bug off onto the main slope" given they appear from posts here to be reading your pass every time you get on the lift.
And even in resort, where pistes tend to be 3-4 times as wide, it isn't much fun skiing past snow guns. If they were on when people were skiing in the indoor places, it would make the experience quite unpleasant.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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veeeight, Never seen anyone in 12 years of skiing climbing up the mountain with sticks to get the button/T bar lifts working, and some I've been on were very very long, so god knows how they would do it! Perhaps it's just POMA that have the problem?
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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?
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sharon1953, well, obviously I can't disagree with your experience, but when I was in Tignes in Nov for 3 days, the Rosolin drag had to be stopped several times to over the 3 days I was there, with the lifties shinning up the pylon to untangle various cables.
The slight diference between Chill Factore and everywhere else is that the lift installation is not mounted on towers/pylons (reduces the number of objects people can ski into), but suspended from the roof trusses. But this doesn't make a difference operationally, instead, you won't see people climbing up towers, thus the ladders and long sticks.
Next subject of disbelief, please!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Has anyone just turned up without booking and been able to ski this week? 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Anybody there?????
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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JP, i'm going tomorrow at 1pm, I booked and didn't have any problems.
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JP, I would advise you to book before you go to avoid a wasted journey.
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A bit more info: The plan is to progressively ramp to the max capacity of the main slope (160) over the next few days.
Booking in advance is still advisable, unless you turn up when it's particularly quiet, chances are that the slope is already at capacity.
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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.
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I called this afternoon and was told that they're now staying open till 10pm rather than closing at 9, so there's a little extra capacity
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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kristof, thanks for posting a positive experience! 
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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.
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Called in today at 3pm to do some shopping and managed to book for Monday morning. Apparently there are no problems for off peak times at the moment.
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| kristof wrote: |
The guy who sorted my skis asked what length and what I would like my bindings set to. Maybe it depends on who you get as to whether you'll have a disagreement about what they should be set too.
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Glad to hear this, as I don't want an argument when I get round to going - I am very wary of having someone set mine too high (based on my weight); there is no need for them to be higher than I do have them normally, as has been proved by them never coming off when they shouldn't.
Anyone know what the official policy is? Is it to use the machine and treat that as the obligatory setting? Or is it to do what the customer asks?
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You know it makes sense.
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If you press all the right buttons on the machine, and follow the instructions to the letter (roll up trousers etc.) then the machine will give you the correct setting.
Period.
If, however, you select a "medium" or "high" skiing speed, and/or overestimate your ability, then the machine will give you a correspondingly higher figure.
The machine will only output what you have input. It will give you the same DIN release figure as a human would interpret a DIN release chart.
If however you are adamant that you know better than the machine/charts, you can sign a waiver to get the DIN set to what you want.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Re the Pomas - don't forget to let go if you fall, and dismount at the top in a timely manner!
From another forum:
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Both lifts were working for the first hour and there was hardly any queing, apart from when the newbies fall over and forget to let go of the poma and get dragged up the hill, always good for a laugh .
Anyway for the last 30 mins, saw some skier forget to get off the poma at the top, spin round towards the stop bar, crash through that and flewoff the poma, which sent it flying up towards the winch wheel and it got stuck, had to be seen to be believed, honestly, the guys spent a good 25 minutes dismantling the lift and getting it going again, by which time the queue at the bottom was immense |
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Poster: A snowHead
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| veeeight wrote: |
If you press all the right buttons on the machine, and follow the instructions to the letter (roll up trousers etc.) then the machine will give you the correct setting.
Period.
If, however, you select a "medium" or "high" skiing speed, and/or overestimate your ability, then the machine will give you a correspondingly higher figure.
The machine will only output what you have input. It will give you the same DIN release figure as a human would interpret a DIN release chart.
If however you are adamant that you know better than the machine/charts, you can sign a waiver to get the DIN set to what you want. |
Roll up trouser leg? I'm intrigued!
No, I'm not saying I know better, but I have had conflicting advice which has made me wary, understandably I think. At Cas, following the charts, they decided on a setting that the tech in BOTH resorts I went to said was far too high. They said it was a matter of what the tech deemed the most important factor when interpreting the charts, weight (higher setting) or the fact I am older and very cautious (lower setting).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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veeeight,
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Anyway for the last 30 mins, saw some skier forget to get off the poma at the top, spin round towards the stop bar, crash through that and flewoff the poma, which sent it flying up towards the winch wheel and it got stuck, had to be seen to be believed, honestly, the guys spent a good 25 minutes dismantling the lift and getting it going again, by which time the queue at the bottom was immense
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Surely they should not be allowed to ski on the main slope if they do not have some degree of competance.
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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?
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veeeight, do you know when the intermediate lessons are going to commence, as I am interested in booking a course for my brother?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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minx, as I'm sure you've observed, many people overestimate their abilities  And yes, they do get chucked off if they are not competent.
hedley, I'm afraid I don't. Your best bet is to leave a query for the Chief Instructor to reply/respond. Sorry I can't help with more info.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Dunno, I avoid the place at the weekends
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As I said above, I went at 3pm Sunday and the slope was quiet with only about 20 people outside queuing to pay etc and no queues at the bottom of the lifts. So not busy at all. The main car park had spaces and the overflow was only half full. Maybe people are being put off by the stories of it being a bit chaotic, or too busy Christmas shopping? It certainly seems to have settled down over the past two weeks.
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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.
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Went at 10am today. Not busy, lifts working, no queues. Everything went smoothly. Enjoyed myself. 
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JP, ace thanks for that, we're booked in for friday afternoon
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FAQ
