 Poster: A snowHead
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@Old Fartbag, ah, yeah, it's helpful to see it, thanks! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@cametumbling, I'd echo the suggestions to change your boots again. Hire boots usually aren't great but it should be possible to get reasonably comfortable boots that don't cause lots of pain. Different brands & boots have different shapes so swapping to a different brand might help (if the hire shop has more than 1). Your feet shouldn't be moving in your boots when you ski; that suggests the boots are too big and/or the wrong shape. You're aiming for a fit that feels like a firm handshake all over, with the grip round your heel and ankle being the most important bit. When you first put the boots on, your toes should just touch the front of the boots; when you flex your ankles into a skiing position, your toes will pull back a bit. My guess is that a 26/26.5 (I think most manufacturers split sizes on the whole numbers, not the .5s that @DaveoftheMarmottes suggested) is probably too big for you.
If you do have high arches then rental boots with flat floppy footbeds won't be helping and a "size 26" will just be the same shell as a 26.5 but with a thicker footbed (which may well have squashed down anyway). On the other hand if what you mean is you have a high instep (I.e. your foot is high over the top of the foot) then you will probably find that some boots are really painful when you tighten the 3rd and 4th buckles enough to hold your heel firmly. In this case, trying several different boots may help as some have more volume here than others.
If you're really struggling for motivation/confidence, why not skip a morning of lessons and use the time to get your boots properly sorted when you're not rushing to get to lessons or knackered after.
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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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Couple of things. First, it isn't freeing overnight and the very soft snow is here to stay.
Regarding terrain selection, the Altiport green runs above Meribel face north and get less sun. I would suggest going up Pas du Lac to the mid station, walking up ten metres and traversing across on the blue run. I'd lap the Altiport chair and download to Meribel on the Rhodos and return on the bus.
The snow is better higher up but the runs are steeper and you may find them too difficult.
I would avoid skiing anything below the bottom of the Altiport chair and definitely avoid both Truite and trying to ski down into Meribel or Mottaret. No shame in taking the lift down.
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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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@gorilla, thanks Gorilla, I'm trying to get the hang of directionality but not there yet. In addition to your suggestions, I was considering taking Loze over to Courchevel (since the cable car is closed) and doing some greens there, hopefully downloading on the way back to avoid hard pic bleu. (I'd love to take Creux down but I'm scared of the bowl at the top.)
Still trying to figure out the VT route, but was hoping Cretes to Jerusalem into St Martin and Gros Tougne to Les Menuires might be doable for me.
Any chance you know if it's possible to download on Loze/Boquetins chairlifts? I'm well-experienced in doing so on the gondolas  , but not sure how it works with chairs.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Davidgdg, thanks David, yeah it's been a nightmare indeed. I absolutely should have gotten the boot thing sorted earlier, I just lacked confidence in navigating that situation and that set me up for a real mess. That's good advice about sticking to one run -- I learned on a small mountain back home where there was only one green I could do, and then one blue. I felt so bored but actually that probably helped me and built my confidence.
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Today's update (so far) is in the Piste forum, "Barf-level ankle tendon pain" -- heh 
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@cametumbling, When are you leaving Mottaret and can your departure be easily delayed? Are you going anywhere else afterwards?
What concerns me (and almost certainly you), is that you are likely to be ingraining the hurt caused by those ill fitting boots, to the point where it will become too painful to ski. This needs to be avoided at all costs. They are also causing a vicious circle.....the boots hurt -> affects technique -> causes you to tense up -> confidence dives -> boots hurt even more etc.
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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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@Old Fartbag, yeah, I don't know if you saw my other post, but that is what's happened, it seems.
After that short but horrific tiny-run this morning, I did get new boots.
I'm just too scared to try them.
I want to try them to see if they've fixed the problem, and to know how to proceed vis-a-vis lessons, skiing at all, extending my stay, etc.
Because the tendon pain did go away after an hour or two on Monday, I didn't peg it as the primary cause of my anxiety yesterday. I thought it was my snowboard accident, the bad conditions, the steep run, etc. But as soon as I had gone one meter today I realized it was largely due to the fact that I've been in screaming pain. I've no idea why or how it dissipated Monday, and that gave me hope that it would again, and it seemed the more I skied that day the better it got. But, all told, I ignored a LOT of pain for quite a few days and today I absolutely could not. It was like a week ago when I thought I'd have to walk down Truite.
I do think I have the right boots now. But I don't know how much more my tendons can take. Will they be okay now, or will even a tiny bit more skiing really mess me up? I don't know how to know. They're a bit tingly, but not hot to the touch, and palpating them gives a "this should really be foam-rolled" pain, but nothing more.
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@cametumbling, can you book yourself a 1 hour private lesson asap and take your new boots out on that? After an hour you'll know - and the instructor can assist with doing them up etc. Plenty of ski schools in the responses above. Difficult when you're on your own, so the help/someone to rescue you/someone with knowledge might calm the anxiety.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@cametumbling, To keep things simple, I'll reply on your other thread.
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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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@ElzP, I need a private benefactor
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@cametumbling, yeah, not the cheap option. 
Here's a wild thought though - do you have a day or so of the group lessons left? Go to the ski school and ask to change to a private, see if they can do you a swap deal of a private lesson in exchange. And make a bit deal of the fear and the pain. It might work... I'm sure I've read of some people on here doing similar when group lessons haven't worked out for them?
Edited to add - I realise your current ski school isn't filling you with confidence, but they might have a few kindly instructors (maybe specifically ask for someone older with good English?), and besides it's better than following the teenagers around.
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You know it makes sense.
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That's not a bad idea, @ElzP. I'll go down and ask. Even though I was in shock from the pain, the feeling of riding the gondola away from the group lesson this morning was magnificent.
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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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| cametumbling wrote: |
| That's not a bad idea, @ElzP. I'll go down and ask. Even though I was in shock from the pain, the feeling of riding the gondola away from the group lesson this morning was magnificent. |
Also, sell your case on the grounds that you don't want to hold a Class up (which could cause them complaints).
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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@cametumbling, if you’re looking for a private instructor I can recommend Andy Parker https://www.ap-ski.com/. I think he used to be one of the Ski Marmalade crew and he’s very down to Earth and has boosted my confidence in the past.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@cametumbling, ask your ski shop for a really good instructor maybe and have a private lesson with them?
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@Old Fartbag, even better again! 
@cametumbling, hope you're having a better day today and much less pain? Looking forward to hearing how you got on!
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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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| ElzP wrote: |
@Old Fartbag, even better again!
@cametumbling, hope you're having a better day today and much less pain? Looking forward to hearing how you got on! |
New Name; New Boots; New Instructor; New outlook.
Happy Days.
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Oh my lord, sorry for the delay everyone...I sat down on the couch away from my laptop and it took me several hours to get up, make food, and acquire appropriate laptop positioning...because I am so bloody exhausted FROM SKIING 
The boots were definitely better, but whoever made the point that it's tough to match women's calf size to foot size was spot on. I'm going to have to buy my own boots. So, what I did was I took my sweet time. First I did a green run to make sure it wasn't screaming pain like yesterday. When that was okay, I started my journey.
Now, I know some of you might find it silly, but I really became fascinated with the idea of the three (four!) valleys, and the mountain restaurants, and the blog posts detailing how to connect it all using only green and blue runs...it's my first time with all this stuff, it really blew my mind, and I had this vision of how this week would be. I hope I don't offend anyone here by saying it wasn't primarily about skiing, but about the whole experience. I did think if I enrolled in classes (6 days of classes is A LOT of classes!) that I would be able to ski parallel by the end, and that that would make the blues even better: I wouldn't just make it from A to B, I'd do it in style. #camecruisin'
You guys already know the frustration that I experienced instead. So, I looked at Fatmap, and the gradients of all the runs I'd done and felt okay on, the gradients of all the runs between here and there, and how I might get from A to B in my own way -- downloading, busses, greens, easy blues, all of it.
Today's goal was to get to Courchevel Moriond, specifically to the Bel Air restaurant (for no other reason than that I'd read about it and it sounded neat). Originally, following the itineraries online, I knew all I had to do was take the gondola up from Mottaret, where I'm staying, go down the Creux blue run, and I'd basically be there. Easy. Except now, looking at the gradient of Creux at the top, I knew I wouldn't be able to do it. I mean, I could, but the way things are going with the boots and my anxiety is...probably not gonna happen.
So (and apologies if this is waaaay too much detail), I planned my own route. I took the bus down into Meribel, took a gondola (Rhodos) up, took a green (Blanchot) halfway down to another chair (Loze). Took the chair up to the Col de la Loze (one of the reasons I initially became fascinated by this place, during the Tour de France). Took the easy blue cat trail across the top, a long green (Loze est, Verdons) down into Meribel, a chair up (Jardin Alpin), a green down (Bellecote), a drag lift up (Altiport), an easy blue down and around (Prameruel), a lift up (Roc Mugnier), an easy blue down (Ariondaz)...just working my way over to Moriond. It took ages and I knew I couldn't ski back, so I had about 15 minutes sitting in the sun at the Bel Air, then I hurried down (over trails that were dirt in places and should have been closed! -- Petits bosses, Indiens, bottom slush zone) and caught the bus all the way back to La Tania, took the gondola and then a lift (Dou des Lanches) back up to the top at Col de la Loze, sat in the sun again, and then downloaded on the Loze lift, waving at everyone on the way back. They all laughed and said Bonjour, which was nice of them and not too embarrassing. Gosh it's scary to take a chairlift down though! Eeee! And then I worked my way back to Mottaret (Alitport, Blanchot, Rhodos, Tougnete, Perdrix), which I should have just taken some busses to, but I was tired of that so I tried to link together some greens and that's when the tumbling and hiking happened. 
I'd love to say the day was pain-free, but that wasn't the case. Especially before I'd accepted what I needed to do, I was grinning through gritted teeth. It was amazing to go over the top and down into Courchevel, but ouch. They have those circles with numbers in them to the side of the piste. I don't know what distance they demarcate. But the green I took down went from 18 to 1, and I'd already done the blue before that. It was way too much. I realized it wasn't the grade of the piste that mattered (so long as the snow was intact!), it was the time I spent in skis. So from then on, after every few markers, I took off my skis and loosened my boots. This meant it was veerrryyyy slow going...but I achieved my goals, and did have a few short but glorious camecruisin moments!  Courchevel is as ridiculous as they say -- I took a Gucci branded gondola that went over a Louis Vuitton yurt. Aside from that, the places I went were just so gorgeous and amazing that yeah, I really wish I could just do Creux and get back there in a heartbeat...but I made it there and I enjoyed it very much. Col de la Loze and crossing into another valley was so so cool, but I also really loved Prameruel down out back through the trees (which felt like a secret and which was really hard to see on the piste map so I only discovered it at the last minute, thankfully) and then up into a perfect white expanse at the top of the next lift, completely separate from the rest of the world.
Wow that was a long post, sorry... I just feel so lucky to be here, and so glad to have you guys rooting for me -- I don't know if I would have gone out and done today if I hadn't had all your lovely advice and support.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Oh and yes, I made it back in time to sit in the sun with an aperol spritz here in Mottaret
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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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I'm glad you were able to have a skiing adventure today.
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@motyl, thanks for the rec! I've bookmarked his page.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Old Fartbag, thanks OF
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
I'm seriously impressed by your bravery and resilience, that's quite a day
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+1 Impressed, very. But I wouldn't ask that much of myself - I wouldn't ask that much thinking/planning, and I wouldn't ask that much painful skiing, either.
Don't want to be personal, but have you got large calves? I know from a lot of correspondence here, from our experience bootfitters, that that can be a real problem requiring personal attention.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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@cametumbling, my son had your issue (small feet, large calves, inflexible ankles). CEM at Solutions4Feet sent him away after the first visit to work on ankle flexibility. Second visit fitted him in a pair of boots that he can now ski all day. It’s fixable.
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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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@cametumbling, That is a truly epic day - I know quite a few experienced skiers who would hesitate at such a tour, so really well done!
As others have said, a trip (and a bit of cash) at a good bootfitter will make such a tremendous difference to your experience. BTW another vote for Solutions4Feet here.
And I totally get what you say about it being a whole experience, not just the skiing. You can ski in a big warehouse here in the UK - but skiing along through the trees, with the smell of pine resin in your nostrils and the sound of birds in your ears; or a lovely meal in a mountain restaurant with a great view through the window. That's what it's all about for me (oh, and some great turns too).
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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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The general theme, which you have taken on board is:
- Nobody can ski if in agony from Boots - let alone somebody grappling with the basics (which is hard enough if fit and not in pain).
- Sort problem with a good Bootfitter.
- When not in pain, get some Private Lessons with a recommended Instructor. Class lessons, with a group of Teenagers, who have the suppleness of a Contortionist, the fitness of a Racing Snake, the energy of an Eveready Bunny and the bravery of a Kamikaze Pilot - is not ideal.
- Practice. Practice. Practice.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Been wondering how @cametumbling has been getting on after the epic day - hopefully well!
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| ElzP wrote: |
| Been wondering how @cametumbling has been getting on after the epic day - hopefully well! |
"cameknackered"? 
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Thanks everyone!!! It was epic and although it seems like the distant past, I might have to rest on those laurels...
I took yesterday off and planned how I would tackle the rest of the 3 Valleys, then I went to the tourist office and asked how I could get back from Val Thorens by downloading. It turns out you really, really can't -- there's no way from VT, the piste down the valley to Les Menuires/Belleville is melted by now, and the bus between the towns doesn't accept skiers. I analyzed the long blue that is the key route, Lac de la Chambre, and thought it might be high enough that the snow would still be good and I could do it.
But yesterday afternoon I went over to Mont Vallon and back using lifts, and talked to people that had just come down that piste, and they said it was horrible.
Today was my last day of pass/skis, so I had planned to do a route over and down into Belleville and Les Menuires and back.
But when I woke up I really wasn't feeling well, and my neck still hurt from the tumbles, so I had a bit of a lie in, and when I got up properly it was already 20° -- it just didn't feel right. Walking around the past couple weeks, I've never seen so many injuries, especially in women of my age. I had a good day over to Courchevel, and I didn't want to be just slipping and sliding down to Belleville, on what's supposed to be a gorgeous and famous run (Jerusalem). If I'd gotten an early start as planned it probably would've been good (but maybe not, since it definitely hasn't been freezing overnight), but I didn't, and I didn't want to put myself in a pickle.
I know several people have said that spring skiing is good. But the conditions here are really sloppy, even at the peaks. I do see everyone sliding and cursing. Other people have told me that being heavy shouldn't hurt me (I'm not fat, just "Germanic", according to my orthopedist ), because you have more weight to grip the snow. But in these conditions that logic doesn't seem to hold, pun intended!! All 5 foot 10 inches of me is just hurtling all over the place, with a waterfall to hold me up.
I did extend my stay here a week, and I'm going to get the pietons pass (way cheaper than a ski pass!) so that I can visit those incredible views and have an overpriced beverage at altitude on a daily basis.
The weather is supposed to turn mid-week, and I have my fingers crossed that that might mean more skiing before I have to leave next Saturday.
In the meantime, I'll continue my work of trying to get a job in the UK (that's the real reason I'm in Europe!) so that I can visit Solutions4Feet before next season!! Hopefully you'll find me at Hemel (or...where?) perfecting my parallel before I wind up in the alps again. Besides that, lining up one of the private instructors you've recommended, and doing a lot of Pilates and losing a stone or two, any suggestions of how to prepare so I don't repeat this somewhat-lost opportunity would be much appreciated.
And if I am able to hit the slopes again later in the week, I will be sure to update everyone.
For now, I sit with spritz in hand, getting far too much sun. Happy Easter/Passover, everyone!
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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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Just reading this now and wish I had read it on 12 April when posted. Just back from 3 weeks in France and we were in Meribel 9 to 17 April so could have met up. I could have skied with you and as we have 3 BASI 4 instructors in the family could possibly have sorted you out. One thing to know - the snow was absolutely foul in the afternoons and took a lot of effort to ski. I see that on 12th April we skied Courchevel in the morning but abandoned it as so soft. We had the whole family with us including 5 children and a beginner adult. Mrmogulski and I went and did our own thing round the 3V in the mornings while the snow was crisper and then met the family in the afternoons to go round and round the Altiport (green) and Combes (blue) with the children. Hopefully next time will be better for you. Good luck and get those ski boots fitted properly!
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