Has anyone tried a "season" at a snowdome?

A snowHead

Bravo @Gliss - your enthusiasm and obvious progression shine through your words and made me smile - keep enjoying, progressing and get some time in the real mountains as often as you can. Boom!

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Well... it is exactly a year ago since I started this thread, so time for another update....

Since my last post, I managed to maintain my routine of visiting the snow centre roughly 3 times a week (when not actually skiing for real).

I also managed to spend three weeks getting coached in the alps with Scott via InsideOut and two more weeks skiing with my family, where I also had some coaching. So a total of about 5 weeks actual skiing on the mountain.

Going into that first week of actual skiing, I was feeling super confident having spent so much time at Hemel. But initially, silly as it sounds, I'd "forgotten" that real slopes have camber, and ruts, and bumps, and sometimes the light isn't great. So I wasn't as "good" as I hoped I might be.

However, if I compare my skiing now to how I was when I started this thread, it has massively improved. My carving skills have improved, my confidence is much higher, I am starting to rely on what I can feel through my feet rather than what I can see. I am much more patience in the transition, with far better tension in my ankles to help control the skis more precisely.

I'm starting to feel much more confident about venturing off the side of the piste, which previously I avoided. And trying to tackle deep snow (even with narrow skis). And I am feeling much more confident about skiing in poor visibility, having practising drills sking with my eyes closed (!).

In terms of reviewing my progress, I think I mostly improved over the year when getting instruction on an actual mountain. But that isn't really a surprise. However, the time at Hemel really allowed me to develop my balance, and to get better at the drills, which of course leads to better skiing on the mountain. So overall, it was complimentary.

Scott made an interesting analogy; Hemel is to skiing what driving ranges are to golf. That I think quite neatly sums things up.

As to my skiing targets for the coming year, I want to continue going to Hemel for my second "season". And next winter, I really want to further improve my carving edge angles, and my ability to ski more confidently in off-piste conditions. All being well, I will report back this time next year whether I achieved that!

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Congratulations on your determination - 3 times a week at Hemel is quite something. snowHead

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Gliss, how much per hour did your skiing at Hemel cost?

Not trying to do a gotcha - just curious. I would have thought it would be quite expensive but I am sure there are deals and what not.

Also, how did it feel mentally, was it a bit of a drudge at times? Did you make some friends/acquaintances that made it more fun?

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During the off-peak months when I can buy a monthly pass, I think the cost works out at something around £5 per session e.g. much less than the cost of going swimming or going to the gym.

During peak months (Nov - Mar) if you have purchased the monthly passes over the summer, they give an additional 40% discount. Which then costs around £12.60 for a one hour session. So not much different to a gym membership.

I have met lots of people - there is a gang who tend to be the regulars over the summer months. That's also a nice part.

Mentally, I find it fine - I see it partially as a workout to try and maintain fitness, and so I practise adding things to make it physically more challenging. The only time it becomes a drudge is when you arrive and find the place is packed with beginners and learners on the main slope, and so there are too many people on the slope, and it becomes hard/impossible to ski a consistent line. This happened on some days over the peak but rarely over the summer.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

@Gliss, cheers for the response. Not for me personally but interesting nonetheless. And I can see how it works for you.

Thanks for the updates. I'm still a massive fan of practice.

As a slight thread highjack, I was at Hemel today.
It was a little busy late morning (11:00-12:00) but thinned out from 12 through 13 or so.
The snow was the best I recall there. Car park about 1/3 full and walk-ups were not a problem.

I was practising stuff which is easier to practice there than at a resort.

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@phil_w, Gliss was there today as well Wink

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

snow reports

Now you mention it, I saw someone with "inside out" badges teaching. And a few people doing various drills.

I was the old guy trying to carve circles on a snowboard whilst shaking down a small injury I picked up a few weeks ago falling out of a tree with a chainsaw.
Both knee and chainsaw survived; I'm trying to pin down some end of season snow at the moment.

(Which answers the question someone asked about "why go to a snowdome". I mentioned "practice",
but two more reasons are (a) to check injury rehab worked at negligible cost; and (b) to show off.)

Will be buying my monthly pass for June .. Ill be the fat bloke on teles

You know it makes sense.

Thought I would give another progress update, since it has been a few months since my last post.

So I went ahead and purchased all the monthly passes over the summer, and as per usual, I've continued to visit usually 3 times per week over May - Oct.

The monthly passes have actually just finished at the end of October so, if I want to continue going over the winter, I will be back to "pay as you go". However, the Snow Centre have given the same 'peak' season offer as last year i.e. a 40% discount if you purchased most of the monthly passes in addition to a membership discount. It makes a 1 hour session cost around £13 each.

Overall, progress has continued to be gradual but slow. Probably the most notable point is the continued improvement my boys and I have made by going over the jumps at Thursday evening 'park night'. In fact they now both want park skis for Christmas so they can benefit from twin-tips and a lower swing weight which helps with tricks.

In addition to off-piste and deep snow, going over any kind of jump has always been my nemesis - I just didn't have the confidence. However, whilst I am still mostly a novice in this regard, my timing of jumps continues to improve as well my balance together with the height I can now achieve. Overall, I just have more confidence so I can tackle those features with verve rather than being tentative.

In terms of ski technique, I don't think I've improved dramatically over the last few months. However, I do think my balance has improved, and the feel of the skis through my feet has also improved. I find I have a bit more time to think about where I am applying pressure, whether from the ball of my foot or the centre of my foot etc.

The other area I have really tried to improve this 'season' is keeping good ankle tension - in fact, with the benefit of hindsight, this was probably my biggest fault, as it hindered so many other aspects of my skiing. I'm hoping that when I get back to skiing on a mountain, that translates to better performance in deeper snow and more variable conditions.

With that in mind, I'm due to go to Meribel with InsideOut on their 'Season Opener' on the 9th Dec. Very much looking forward to that. Last year, I was initially slightly frustrated that all my practise at Hemel didn't translate quite as directly as I hoped to the mountain. That was probably due to all those changes in camber and conditions you get in real skiing which Hemel just can't replicate.

However, this year I'm hopeful that I will see a more obvious improvement in my real world skiing vs last year. Will do a another update when I get back to see if that is what happened!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

The only way to progress to expert level is continuous weeks on snow.

Odd days here and there are a complete waste of time and money.

The body, brain, and muscle memory forget quickly what they learnt.

Do a whole season.

Or a minimum of 2 weeks straight, in a steep resort (like Verbier), 2-4 times a year.

There is a reason why 98% of skiers are not experts.

They never ski for long enuf.

A snowHead

For sure, I agree time in the mountains is absolutely the ideal way forward. I started this thread initially though with a question; what progress could I make in the summer months at Hemel if I visited on a regular basis 3 times per week.

Last winter I did spend 5 weeks skiing in resort, with three of those weeks being coached by inside-out. This coming winter, I have 4 weeks booked so far, and I hope to squeeze in an extra week (or two) depending upon other commitments. But, unfortunately, it isn't realistic at this point in time to spend a whole season in resort - I do need to spend some time working!

A snowHead

@Whitegold, Bollux

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Gliss, Wot @skimottaret, sez....

If you keep skiing year round you will keep improving. If you haven't already have you considered adding some Race training into the mix? This can be done on plastic as well as snow, so doesn't need to be too expensive. It's great fun and will certainly improve your skills.

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@Gliss, I too feel I have improved my ski technique by regular visits to the Hemel'ayas.
I try to get there most Wednesdays. I'll have to look out for you there.

Oddly enough I purchased a monthly pass for October and did not get to use it except for 2 hours in the Chill Factore (Manchester).

There are some good deals with lessons at Hemel, I think a particularly good one is “Skills Development Coaching” where you can get a bit of coaching as cheap as chips.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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Hi @Gliss, I won't be there this Wednesday but I'm booked in for Wednesday 15th at 10 am, I try and get there for 9:30 to be able to have a leisurley phaaf. I'll be there till about 1:30, wearing a yellow Snowhead buff.
It was pretty busy last Wednesday in the morning.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

Help!!

Has anyone tried a "season" at a snowdome?

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