 Poster: A snowHead
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Not thinking, just feeling...
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potential obstacles and where to make the next turn
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That, when necessary.
Or, "that part of the trail appears to have a pocket of fluff, I wonder how deep the powder layer is. Let's get over there to find out".
Of course on a powder day, it's just linked figure 8's. No thinking.
Just feeling how smooth the support of the snow under my feet. No thinking.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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When descending down with dogs that adds another element to what you are thinking about 
Yesterday took the new mutt, Ullr out, on his first real powder tour, and had him on the harness which did help to a degree in pulling me, and then the OH up, more on that here.
Lower down the snow-pack was variable, basically, wind-blown gulleys of powder interspersed with hard icy patches where the snow had been scoured off by the strong winds as we gained altitude so there were vast open expanses of fresh, all be it windblown snow, and as you skin up you pretty well encounter what you'll be skiing down, so you know if it will be a relaxing ski or more technical.
To also add to the complexities, we're probably missing a good meter + of snow that we'd usually have this time of year so that gets you thinking about route selection both up and down.
I let OH do the first pitch holding on to the mutt and then let him go when she was around 50% of the way down, he absolutely hooned down after her, but then very cannily worked out that it was better to run down in the skin track.
As I skied down, always thinking of feeling the snow under the skis and concentrating on the telltale signs on the surface as to what should be the best quality of snow so he started to run towards me and then it was a game of changing direction while going close to him, though as I past him with him running after me he then went back into the skin track.
That's the difference between cold fresh powder a la champagne and windblown, when it's fresh even the Jacks can run through it, that's why skiing powder in Japan is so much easier than what you'll find 90% of the time in Europe.
There were some long traverses, and all the time you're thinking about the best angle so as to avoid a long pole out. Then it was a case of do we go and enjoy a descent in good snow ending up with having to put the skins back on to pole out or traverse back along the road (up to the Col du Galibier), obviously covered in the snow, and ski our usual line lower down on variable snow?
We opted for the latter and that's when Ullr decided his best strategy was to run down the wind-scoured spines in hardpack snow whilst we skied the gulleys/vallons in the deep and soft, and that's when he ended up taking a different direction.
In the end, we both understood to a degree what was going on, and I just had to keep a look out of the corner of my eye where he was, but it was almost a game to him though I kept thinking will he go too far off in the wrong direction, bearing in mind this was his first sortie, and we're talking about a big area, though luckily pretty open terrain.
I suppose it's almost stressful with the dog in much the same way as skiing with kids can be 
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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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Has my husband gone the wrong way again? (This happens a lot.)
Should I have schnitzel or Leberknödel for lunch?
Ooooh is that a jump on the side of the piste?
How can my daughter overtake me when I’m already going this fast?
Oooops, skis nearly crossed.
And yes I also sing to myself sometimes!
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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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We discuss other people’s hideous outfits and skiing techniques while we sit on the chairlift 
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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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| Tiefschneetaucher wrote: |
| We discuss other people’s hideous outfits and skiing techniques while we sit on the chairlift |
There is a particular run in Les Gets that goes up directly above a black run called Yeti. It’s steep and mogully. We normally play ‘spot the British idiot’ on this run.
It’s quite easy. It’s normally a middle aged man, ill equipped himself to do the run with any finesse, coaxing down a crying child who keeps on falling over, because it is steep and mogully. But at least they can say they ‘did’ the Yeti.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Tiefschneetaucher wrote: |
| We discuss other people’s hideous outfits and skiing techniques while we sit on the chairlift |
You can learn a lot about how not to ski sitting on chairlifts. Along with the occasional great examples (for those individuals who are confident enough to take the Hollywood line or if you go over the kids race training course).
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@Tiefschneetaucher, @Dave of the Marmottes, almost worth another thread, what do you talk about on chair-lifts 
I'm off out XC shortly, once it get's to -5, and that's a whole world of thinking about technique!
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@Weathercam, Best if you sit quietly and don't let on you speak a language - had a doozy on a 6 pack of some Saffer tosser obviously trying to impress the girls he was with by critiquing the technique of everyone on the slope and saying how much gnarly skiing he had done. Thought it worth hanging around at the the top and sure enough a bag of spanners would have been embarassed to be compared to him.
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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 know this is off topic but back in the days when I still had my P9s and everyone else was on carvers, a group of Germans sat in a chairlift with me and loudly discussed my stupid, old fashioned straight skis. They thought I was a Brit. I listened quietly and when we arrived at the top I wished them a good day in perfect German and skied off. I hope they felt at least a little embarrassed!
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Aaaand for those of you who have never had the JOY of skiing with younger children, the normal thought process is...
"Christ, where have they gone now... "
"Turn... Turn...TURN...TURN!!!!"
"How has everyone on the mountain managed to buy the same jacket for their kids this year?"
"GAAH CRASH! OhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyG...oh, their laughing...GET UP!"
"Ok, follow me or you won't know where we are goi... oh they've gone... F**k..."
"How can they snowplow at THAT speed?"
"Jeez, if I bent my leg like that I'd be in traction for a month and looking at Ibuprofen for the rest of my life!"
"This used to be so much easier..."
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Richard_Sideways,
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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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@Richard_Sideways, comment of the day  !!
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Usually something like "Christ I should really do something about my fitness"
What I never think about is work or life problems, that's why I love it so much
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You know it makes sense.
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Usually think about how to fit snow chains correctly and whether I should be wearing a helmet.
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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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@hang11, a helmet will make wearing the snow chains more comfortable...
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Poster: A snowHead
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I have finally given in and bought a helmet. It is not as uncomfortable as I thought and crucially, it kept my ears and forehead a lot warmer than the old woolly hat did!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I wish I'd started this when I was younger.
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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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| Richard_Sideways wrote: |
Aaaand for those of you who have never had the JOY of skiing with younger children, the normal thought process is...
"Christ, where have they gone now... "
"Turn... Turn...TURN...TURN!!!!"
"How has everyone on the mountain managed to buy the same jacket for their kids this year?"
"GAAH CRASH! OhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyG...oh, their laughing...GET UP!"
"Ok, follow me or you won't know where we are goi... oh they've gone... F**k..."
"How can they snowplow at THAT speed?"
"Jeez, if I bent my leg like that I'd be in traction for a month and looking at Ibuprofen for the rest of my life!"
"This used to be so much easier..." |
Absolutely!!
I would add - "I think it's time for a Hot Chocolate stop"....which always seem to have miraculous curative properties.
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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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When boarding I think 'wow, another run done and no spinal injury, excellent'
When skiing I think how easy it is to get off lifts...
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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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Depends on the difficulty of the piste.
On well groomed pistes, when concentrating, at a technique of super G and GS radius turns. When not concentrating, just enjoying the whole thing.
On heavily churned up afternoon snow, on picking a route and avoiding out of control skiers/boarders.
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Aaaand for those of you who have never had the JOY of skiing with younger children, the normal thought process is...
"Christ, where have they gone now... "
"Turn... Turn...TURN...TURN!!!!"
"How has everyone on the mountain managed to buy the same jacket for their kids this year?"
"GAAH CRASH! OhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyG...oh, their laughing...GET UP!"
"Ok, follow me or you won't know where we are goi... oh they've gone... F**k..."
"How can they snowplow at THAT speed?"
"Jeez, if I bent my leg like that I'd be in traction for a month and looking at Ibuprofen for the rest of my life!"
"This used to be so much easier..."
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This! X10 when skiing in a big, multi-family group on the SFaB, with @Richard_Sideways, @mgrolf, @jd_evans, @sparklies... the list goes on. Such happy days, so many moments of utter fear that we might have lost one of the kids!
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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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It was such a good day today that I sang a well known Lou Reed song at the top of my voice and there was no one to hear!
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Spot on! It's one I often belt out. The final line "You're going to reap just what you sow" has the added benefit of being hissed at someone who cuts you up... 
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@under a new name, +1
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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As well as thinking about snow chains and suitable protection around the noggin, I also wonder how the new CEO of the pommie ski club is settling in.
All very important things to consider to make that precious time blissfully sliding through fresh snow as enjoyable as possible
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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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On piste - as little as possible, skiing is my go to thing for clearing my head, I see it as a re-charge, the mountains are a great source of well being. Things, if any I think about:-
1. Need to keep moving to avoid the crowds coming from behind, we're usually out early nd don't like crowds. Where's best to avoid them, continually planning ahead.
2. What are the idiots up to behind me who are scraping and getting too close?
3. Enjoy the moment
Off-piste - head going in overdrive, aspect, wind-blown, safest route down, weather, keep moving
1. Enjoy the moment, this is my happy place, these moments are few and far between
2. Be safe, the mountains take no prisoners
Other than that, not much apart from hope MrsMM29 is having fun too.......need to get back soon, it's been too long for sure. 
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Did the Go-Pro turn on, is it now working?
How am I going to describe this sortie on Strava?
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You know it makes sense.
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heel - flat - toe
toe - flat - heel
leg is burning, time to ride switch
Shall I stop here & wait for her to catchup.
Shall I stop at the bar instead.
did someone just shout pizza & chips? what an odd combination to eat.
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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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When the going gets challenging and there’s a risk of getting a little defensive, then I start singing “We are the Champions” by Queen…which is kinda weird as I’m definitely not a fan of Queen…
Sorts out those negative thoughts and gets me smiling again. No idea why…rhythm? Left side/right side of the brain? Don’t really care ‘cos it works.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Posting on another thread made me think of this one......
Ooh, 5 episodes of Popmaster to listen to when i get 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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Last Wednesday evening I lost my mum to cancer, last Thursday I had a weekend skiing with mates arranged.
It may sound strange to some but I went skiing.
I’d done everything that needed to be done on the Wednesday and I knew that for the next 4 days I’d not be thinking about anything other than skiing, compared to going over what if.
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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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Weight forward, arms up, pole plant.
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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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@Jonny996, Condolences. Mine would probably want me to do the same.
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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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Ankles
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Timmycb5 wrote: |
| Tiefschneetaucher wrote: |
| We discuss other people’s hideous outfits and skiing techniques while we sit on the chairlift |
There is a particular run in Les Gets that goes up directly above a black run called Yeti. It’s steep and mogully. We normally play ‘spot the British idiot’ on this run.
It’s quite easy. It’s normally a middle aged man, ill equipped himself to do the run with any finesse, coaxing down a crying child who keeps on falling over, because it is steep and mogully. But at least they can say they ‘did’ the Yeti. |
not mogully today. So the dads are taking crying kids off piste today.
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God all these fools on the slopes are clueless compared to me. I am killing it at life. Then usually Oh poo-poo! As I faceplant it in front of a bunch of ppl.
Edit: who the hell ever says poo-poo?
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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 am usually working my way through the Farrow & Ball paint chart thinking what we could get on with when we get home. And that is then usually nothing as life overtakes us.
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Like others have said - if I'm with the kids - about a 100 things a minute, ranging from
'how am I going to explain this one my wife if they fall now'
'how can it be only 10:30 and they've already eaten the 100kg of Milka that I packed in the rucksack'
'has every child got the same orange/blue salopette combo this year - which one is mine'
'why have they chosen this run - I hate it.....'
'must be time for coffee/tartiflette/crepe'
if I'm on my own its very much about how I'm skiing- definitely talk to myself as I ski. I also find a skiing a great way of disconnecting from work for a week - so much else to enjoy/think about that I don't worry about work
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FAQ
