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Aiguille du Midi North Face by the Eugster Couloir
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead

What's so impressive is that total control - I'd much prefer to watch that than those daft ones where they just drop off huge cliffs. An object lesson in how to use your edges. Amazing filming, too.
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snow conditions
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

pam w wrote:
What's so impressive is that total control - I'd much prefer to watch that than those daft ones where they just drop off huge cliffs. An object lesson in how to use your edges. Amazing filming, too.
Spot on.
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latest report
 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?

GrahamN, Great video link! - if your technique's not quite up to it, you could always do it this way
http://youtube.com/v/teY7dq9pBps Shock
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latest report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.

geoffers, Shocked Shocked
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ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

geoffers, now there's a thought Wink - I'm fairly used to being under a canopy, as I used to be a skydiver Very Happy . Bit rusty now though.
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snow conditions
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.

Is that's what meant by "unweighting"? Shocked
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latest report
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

bobinch wrote:
Looking at the gradient and rocks I assume the engagement on these routes is extremely serious - you fall, you die?


All of the routes on the nth face bar the exception of the glacier rond are mandatory no fall zones. E.g. you fall you die.

There are atleast 3 other routes down the nth face that i'm aware of, possibly more. However most of these are essentially exercises in alpinism basically climbing & abseiling between patches of snow as opposed to continuous, well near continuous, skiing that the nth face of the Col du plan, the mallory & eugster offer. The one exception to this rule is the west colouir, however as far as i'm aware it's only had a handful of descents as it's more sustained that any of the others & getting into it requires something like a 200m traverse across some particularly exposed areas of the nth face.

bobinch wrote:
How do you handle this risk in your head?

You must have serious belief in your ability but also the ability to channel out the unpredictables, like catching an edge on a hidden rock, or debris taking you out from above?


The only way to deal with these situations is absolute concentration. I did a number of seasons in cham & whilst i was never good enough to do any of the really big lines like the mallory, eugster, gervasutti, couterier, etc. i did a number of large sustained big mountain lines above 45 degrees like the NE face on the courtes. When in these situations it's not about what ifs or risk management or panic control it's just about concentration. You move from turn to turn taking in every variable & piece of information available to you. You then use that information to decide where to place your next turn. When turning all i'm thinking about is a sequence which is along the lines of - plant pole, lift leg, turn ski. Doing each item in it's turn thinking of it individually so everything goes exactly where you want it go, to the cm. It's rather zen like, like being in a deep meditation. As when doing it nothing else exists at that moment in time. Well at least that is how it is for me. My €0.02
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snow report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!

Thanks Frank. Nice insight!
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latest report
 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.

Rémy explains how you actually do it
youtube.com/v/_E2wBno6kpU&NR=1 . Easy in'it... wink
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads

XPeak, now that's one to return too - I think I'll bookmark it.
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ski holidays
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

XPeak, me too. I love the way he retains the inside pole in the snow through the whole turn. Elegant and unrushed.
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snow conditions
 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.

XPeak, that is at the limit of my French ability but is something I will be returning to. Many thanks.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much

stoatsbrother wrote:
I love the way he retains the inside pole in the snow through the whole turn.

But what else would you possibly think of doing?

Agreed though, it's beautifully
Quote:
Elegant and unrushed.

Excellent vid.
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snow conditions
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.

GrahamN, I guess I mean the way it doesn't come out a moment too soon or too late, and defines the whole turn.

I will try and keep that video in my head as an image to go for.
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ski holidays
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

The thing that strikes me most about this vid is the softness of his landings (even compared to some in the previous vids). He's got the confidence in his skis, his own ability, and the snow to allow the skis to slide a short way before coming to rest, so spreading that braking force over a longer distance, and minimising the pressure on the snow and the disturbances to his own balance. Now I think about it, that a hallmark I've heard of him looking for when assessing clients for taking on tougher descents. I've not skied with Rémy yet, but it's definitely something on my shopping list (I was too late to get on an SCGB week he was leading this year) - but I think I need to work on softening my own landings Wink (jamming on the edges too hard has bitten me in the bum more than once in the past Sad )
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latest report
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead

Next time someone is telling you they are an expert, this should sort them out. Fantastic youtube moments!!!
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snow conditions



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