 Poster: A snowHead
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@Ascensionist, Ice climbing was my main winter sport for 15 years until I found skiing on a trip to the Rockies which kind of took over. Just did my first lead in about 18 years this winter 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks @scarpa another area to consider. Any recommendations on where to base myself near Salzburg?
Congrats on the lead! I think my second pitch on ice was on lead. Not the best idea? But certainly more fun than seconding!
I struggle with winter being so short and only having so much time to get into the mountains. Even after my short time on skis it’s already turning into a fight on how to spend my time.
Where would your preference in Europe be for the ice out of interest?
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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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Not sure really. I did a couple of trips between Ceillac (fantastic little venue with 5 or 6 long ice falls) and La Grave in France but most of my time was sent doing stuff in North Wales. I now live about 45 minutes from Salzburg in the middle of the Amade ski area but am only just getting back into the climbing. Most of the climbing happens between late Dec and early March depending on the weather. In the last fortnight we went from -19 to +10. The Bad Hofgastein area has quite a lot of climbing plus interlinked ski resorts but it can get busy mid season, it's part of the Amade region. I'm based in Eben and have friends in Altenmarkt, Radstadt and Flachau, it's fairly central.
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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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| Ascensionist wrote: |
Thanks again for all the feedback so far.
Again it might sound a bit arrogant, but I feel the combination of good fitness, good mental game and existing experience moving on snow has helped me make pretty good progress in my short time skiing so far, and I would hope it would continue to do so moving forward. |
Don't be fooled in to thinking after a couple of weeks confidently getting down some blacks is an indication of how easy you'll transition to off piste. For sure your fitness levels will help but it's nothing like when there's a breakable crust or the fog comes in the middle of a valley away from the lifts. You need a solid technique thats repeatable under pressure, if you're serious about exploring the back country you wont go far wrong with some uk based lessons with someone like inside out or join a race club. You'll be well ahead of the game come December then
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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’re not going to learn to ski breakable crust in a snow dome. Of course having sound overall technique is an important foundation but save your money for off piste training if that’s your goal.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| BobinCH wrote: |
| You’re not going to learn to ski breakable crust in a snow dome. Of course having sound overall technique is an important foundation but save your money for off piste training if that’s your goal. |
you'll learn to be in the centre of your skis and correct movement patterns. Coaches recommended this should be grooved in a comfortable non challenging environment, where there's no pressure other than getting the movements right.
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@Ascensionist,
why not look at Canada? If you can take 4 weeks at a go then Alberta is an ideal destination for both skiing and ice climbing.
Fly to Calgary- bus or hire car to Canmore. Stay at the Canadian Alpine Club Hut (cheap- self-catering / bunk rooms- which are cosy)- for ice or go further up the valley and stay in Lake Louise for ice plus skiing(there is also a hostel).
Finding climbing partners at the CAC hut is very easy. Having a hire car would be helpful- but is not essential.
Can ski in Banff or Lake Louise in bounds but in powder / steeps.
As much ice as you can shake a stick at; Cascade, Professor Falls, Louise Pillar, Weeping Wall, Hydrophobia, Carlsberg Column etc etc etc. Every angle and degree of seriousness.
Walk ins vary from seconds to as long as you want and routes of 300m plus are frequent. (Snow shoes are helpful- or would have been helpful) Have warm boots (I had neither).
I did that trip in about 1996 or 97. Bizarrely I met Terry Taylor (a mountain guide and ice specialist) on the exact same flights Manchester-Schiphol- Calgary. I climbed with people from the hut as well as with him and with Yamnuska a Canadian guiding company (Barry Blanchard and James Blench). Partners included a rather random but safe selection ranging from Carlos Buhler (K2 / Everest etc) through to 'Chad' . I ended up climbing about 30 ice routes in a month or so and skied precisely 1 day in Whistler on the way home. But I could have gone up to the hostel in lake Louise which is probably a better base to ski from. At one point the authors of the ice climbing guide books to Ben Nevis, Chamonix (Godefry Perroux) and Alberta (Joe Josephson) were there simultaneously. I think Mark Twight was also climbing nearby (I seconded a pillar in Johnson Canyon which he'd climbed the day before for a North Face advert and for a few years that was a poster in the front of Snell Spots in Chamonix- a fact I often repeat to anyone who is not listening). I was a very pedestrian climber so it was an amazing experience and I learnt a lot although I was hampered somewhat by my mid 1980's icetools and rather pathetic crampons. But I still managed a few WI5's and one (very, very short) WI6.
Cost was very reasonable as the accommodation I used was cheap.
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@ed123, Funny enough, a Canmore /Banff fortnights ice climbing trip 18 years ago is where I learnt to ski on 4 days off from the climbing.
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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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@Scarpa, Yes- Canmore has been on the map now for a good while, it is an excellent base and I found it very friendly and price wise it levels out with Europe if you stay long enough.
In terms of value for money- a longish trip to Canmore will see a lot more feet / meters of ice climbed than the average trip to the Alps and a ski in Banff and Lake Louise will see more feet / m descent in powder. But not so good if you want / need to learn how to ski breakable crust / crud / death cookies and soup (all vital skills of course).
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Yeah, it takes a few years and a hell of a lot of big stacks to learn how to cope with everything off piste skiing throws at you. But where I am based there is a lot of more gentle off piste suitable for beginners where you aren't committing to tough lines.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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So I ended up picking the brains of a friend who has been around a bit and he is off to la grave for a couple of weeks whilst I was planning on going.
This basically swayed me on heading to that area.
I would love to go to Canada, and it will definitely be somewhere to look to head once my skiing is better. Realistically for a trip of that distance I want to make the most of it!
My current predicament is L2A or serre chevalier.
I’m guessing with deux alps and alp d’huez now being run by the same operator there should be a good reciprocal arrangement on passes (fingers crossed). My thinking is that L2A has a fairly central location so I shouldn’t ever have much more than half an hour of travel either going across or down the valley to ski or climb.
Unfortunately L2A is one of the few resorts I have already visited and as such the one I’m least excited about heading out to (always good to go somewhere new)
I have however decided to take the hit on the early season skiing (lift pass) and head to tignes Pre Christmas.
Unfortunately having written all that I’m now thinking “ooh canada”... hmmm
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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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@Ascensionist, Canada- more reliable for snow and ice.
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@Ascensionist, there are a series of good ice climbs right next to the pistes in Alpe D'Huez
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You know it makes sense.
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Imo you won't improve your skiing in Europe half as quick as in Canada. The problem with Europe is you are going to be stuck predominantly on-piste because most semi-decent off-piste skiers aren't going to want a beginner skier joining them. In Canada everything inside the boundary ropes is avalanche controlled meaning you will be skiing all types of terrain in no time, which is going to improve you much quicker (and imo much more enjoyable) than racking up miles on pistes.
My experience is that Canada is actually cheaper than Europe for long trips (2 months+) as much cheaper accomodation and lift passes easily off-set extra transport costs.
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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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@boarder2020, +1
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Poster: A snowHead
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By time I add in car rental Canada is turning out way more expensive unfortunately.
Lift passes and accommodation seem to be comparable prices, travel costs aren’t too much more to be fair, but car rental is a killer.
Maybe in a couple of years when I’m less budget constrained
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
Lift passes and accommodation seem to be comparable prices
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I'm surprised! I'm looking at Europe options for next winter in case Canada is closed and I can't find accomodation anywhere close to Canada prices. I have never rented a car in Canada, I find getting around without one is ok - there are buses, hitchhiking is common throughout BC, plus you have lots of Facebook groups and ride share apps. I agree that for ultimate flexibility car makes most sense but I would just buy some cheap second hand thing and then resell it at the end of the trip if budget is a concern. Also if you have a car and offer rides through rideshare apps you can probably get back a lot of the petrol costs.
I was going to suggest looking at the HI wilderness pass, which got you unlimited accomodation for £172! (Yes it sounds too good to be true I know) for 10 backcountry hostels in Banff/icefields parkway/Jasper areas which would have been ideal for climbing and backcountry skiing. Unfortunately due to covid it looks like they won't be running that deal next season, but something to consider for future trips.
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FAQ
