 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
How are the lifts in Switzerland?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@blueroom, timetabled.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| philwig wrote: |
I think the 3 valleys is hard to beat. |
For what? Breakfast, lift comfort, skiing or all three?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| AthersT wrote: |
| , in places such as Ischgl that a chair lift without heated seats and a sun visor is relatively unusual. |
OK. However I couldn't care less about heated seats or a sun visor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@dogwatch, good for you. I'm talking about the level of investment and customer experience. When there are 60kmh winds and its -15C I'm grateful for it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
@AthersT, just wear the right clothes or rule 5.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@rogg, So the OP suggested a negative was the old fast fixed-grips because they hurt, then I suggest when it's -15C and 60kmh winds visors and heated seats are good I get told to man up. Checks out. There's a reason why ski resorts tend to be quieter on the hill when the weather is bad.
Also I must add I go out in nearly all conditions, because I love it and will put up with uncomfortable conditions especially if it means fresh snow and an empty mountain - but as someone on snowheads/a skiing forum I'm probably more diehard than a regular 1 week per year skier who make up the majority and earn resort most of their money.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
When there are 60kmh winds and its -15C I'm grateful for it.
|
I am actually impressed that they have invested in lifts that run with 60km/h winds. Are they dual mono cables?
Personally I would rather not have heated seats, skiing is bad enougth for the environment as it is. And prefer the visor up and a clear view rather than staring through scratched perpex. One thing I used to like about Austrian resorts, however, was the blanket they put over your legs to keep you warm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
staring through scratched perpex
|
I found that a bit off-putting in the Sella Ronda, too. I lived in Barbados and Fiji without air-conditioning and I think I can cope with skiing in the Alps without heated seats. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Heated chairs - a great solution to a problem I've never experienced.
Chair canopies - I find these really annoying, only experienced them in Italy and I just felt that it took away from the atmosphere when riding lifts. Being outside in the elements is all part of the mountain experience for me. Dress appropriately for it and it's very rarely a problem IME.
I'm all for high speed chairs though. The faster they go up the better. There's one chair in particular at our resort that I wish they would upgrade from fixed to high speed. It serves a great area for powder and trees and is a key link to the other side of the mountain and back. But the rest of the lift system is quick enough though, there's only 1 other slow fixed chair and I rarely have to use it. Rest are all high speed quads and 1 six.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Quote: |
the OP suggested a negative was the old fast fixed-grips because they hurt
|
The negative was the lack of assistance from the lift attendant, nothing wrong with the lift. Thanks to this forum, I now have several strategies for this situation 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| under a new name wrote: |
@blueroom, timetabled.
|
Newbie question - what does "timetabled" mean?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| blueroom wrote: |
| under a new name wrote: |
@blueroom, timetabled.
|
Newbie question - what does "timetabled" mean? |
Like the Swiss trains - slow enough that you know exactly when you will arrive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| ris wrote: |
slow enough that you know exactly when you will arrive
|
lol - thanks ris!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
@blueroom,
Swiss trains are very good, and they do run exactly to the time tables. It's a bit of a joke that everything in Switzerland runs like clockwork. Nothing is ever late, always bang on time and your connection will be there waiting for you.
I've not skied the mega resorts, only some of the smaller ones, and the lifts were a bit dated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
The 'Funival' is so named because it is a FUNIcular train in VAL d'isere and it is most marvellous, along with the Gondola next to it if you fancy that option instead...
Altitude base station 1,797 m (5,896 ft)
Altitude mountain station 2,689 m (8,822 ft)
Climb 892 m (2,927 ft)
track length 2,300 m (7,546 ft).
length viaduct 580 m (1,903 ft)
length tunnel 1,720 m (5,643 ft)
Maximum gradient 53%
and next time you go I'm pretty sure it's Maison Chevallot on the main street in Val D'Isere htat has great croissants/pain au chocolat, coffee etc etc
http://www.chevallot.com/
When it's busy the lift queues in France can get quite hideous... but the range of options to get up the mountain and the Train Rouge bus help a lot... and it'll never compare to the astonishing level of politeness and calm behaviour i've seen in busy lift queues in Whistler - Canadians are so nice it rubs off on everyone else.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| uktrailmonster wrote: |
Heated chairs - a great solution to a problem I've never experienced.
Chair canopies - I find these really annoying, only experienced them in Italy and I just felt that it took away from the atmosphere when riding lifts. Being outside in the elements is all part of the mountain experience for me. Dress appropriately for it and it's very rarely a problem IME.
I'm all for high speed chairs though. The faster they go up the better. There's one chair in particular at our resort that I wish they would upgrade from fixed to high speed. It serves a great area for powder and trees and is a key link to the other side of the mountain and back. But the rest of the lift system is quick enough though, there's only 1 other slow fixed chair and I rarely have to use it. Rest are all high speed quads and 1 six. |
I'm the exact opposite. I like all the creature comfort. But they're not necessities, so only as long as it doesn't come at the expense of crowds.
So, fast lift is low on my list. So is grooming of the piste. But I like heated seats and canopies, though only the non-automatic ones that I can leave it up when weather is good.
I feel I got plenty of the "atmosphere" while skiing anyway. So don't insist to have it while riding the lift too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| abc wrote: |
I feel I got plenty of the "atmosphere" while skiing anyway. So don't insist to have it while riding the lift too. |
The way I see it is that you spend much more time on the lifts than on the actual slope and it's a great time to soak up the mountain views and atmosphere. As someone else pointed out a scratched perspex canopy hardly helps in that respect and I found in Italy that people insisted on using them whatever the weather. Heated seats I don't care about, I've never had a cold bum in any weather. I do like padded seats though.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Sat 7-05-16 11:23; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Who'd have thought heated seats and Perspex canopies would cause such a divide! I too prefer not to use one, but if it's blowing a hoolie there's no problem using it to make things a bit more comfortable.
I know it was definitely nice to have when it was so windy that a short lift took the best part of an hour to get to the top station. We had to huddle round the fire when we stopped for lunch to get remotely warm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
it was so windy that a short lift took the best part of an hour to get to the top station
|
 sounds like a major mistake made by the lift company in that case!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
it was so windy that a short lift took the best part of an hour to get to the top station
|
sounds like a major mistake made by the lift company in that case! |
Possibly yes. It became very gusty, the lift was stop start the whole way I assume it was a wind sensor tripping on and off.
Anyway with the bubble pulled over it meant the only thing that felt horrendously cold were our feet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| uktrailmonster wrote: |
| a scratched perspex canopy hardly helps in that respect and I found in Italy that people insisted on using them whatever the weather. |
I've found the opposite! Macho blokes (well, they think are) won't pull the canopy down even though it's freezing cold, blowing a gale and snowing in your face. You can't see anything much anyway.
Oh, and I love heated seats. Women tend to have cold bums. Just ask married men  .
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| maggi wrote: |
| uktrailmonster wrote: |
| a scratched perspex canopy hardly helps in that respect and I found in Italy that people insisted on using them whatever the weather. |
I've found the opposite! Macho blokes (well, they think are) won't pull the canopy down even though it's freezing cold, blowing a gale and snowing in your face. You can't see anything much anyway.
Oh, and I love heated seats. Women tend to have cold bums. Just ask married men . |
I don't mind any of that, makes you feel alive. My wife is normally the first to complain when it gets cold, but even she seems to cope fine without heated seats. Just need the right clothing for the job, I have seen people who look like they've wet themselves and that must be cold.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Never (knowingly) experienced heated seats, or felt the need for them. As for canopies I think they are a plus on a really miserable day and I only ever use them when I want to. Never had a situation where one person wanted to canopy down and the other wanted it up. I can't help feeling they make the lift more vulnerable to wind though.
I agree that sitting on a chairlift admiring the scenery, hopefully,in nice weather is a great pleasure. In most conditions I will take a chair instead of a bubble if at all possible. Bubbles may be convenient and fast, but they are never a pleasure. Cable cars are worst of all. Too much waiting and too many people.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I seem to remember there is a chairlift from the base station at Whistler which has a canopy. A necessity for the heavy rain we had almost every day. Although it did turn to snow higher up,it would have been very uncomfortable without the canopy and was a great way of avoiding the queues.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Quote: |
snowing in your face. You can't see anything much anyway. |
Exactly! Scratched glass or otherwise.
Anyone who insist to leaving the canopy up in that kind of condition to be "in the atmosphere" can rightly claim to be "macho", it that helps. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| abc wrote: |
| Quote: |
snowing in your face. You can't see anything much anyway. |
Exactly! Scratched glass or otherwise.
Anyone who insist to leaving the canopy up in that kind of condition to be "in the atmosphere" can rightly claim to be "macho", it that helps. |
It's just a matter of what you are wearing for the conditions. None of the lifts at our resort have canopies, so it's not an option to use one. The "macho" guys are the ones who insist on skiing in blizzards without any face protection. If the lifts are actually running then it can't be THAT bad. I've been skiing for 35 years now and not once in that time have I sat on a chairlift and thought to myself "if only this thing had a canopy and bum warmer".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| uktrailmonster wrote: |
| philwig wrote: |
I think the 3 valleys is hard to beat. |
For what? Breakfast, lift comfort, skiing or all three? |
There's plenty of information to work out from the context what that means.
Breakfast at my house is pretty hard to beat, but you're not invited.
--
"tourist", as in "visitor". We're all tourists sometimes. It's not a pejorative. As opposed to "local" or "resident" or "person working there". Both are essential to every resort.
If there's a better word to use to describe that difference on this site I'll happily start using it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
@philwig, am I invited? Cos I'm hungry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| maggi wrote: |
| uktrailmonster wrote: |
| a scratched perspex canopy hardly helps in that respect and I found in Italy that people insisted on using them whatever the weather. |
I've found the opposite! Macho blokes (well, they think are) won't pull the canopy down even though it's freezing cold, blowing a gale and snowing in your face. You can't see anything much anyway.
Oh, and I love heated seats. Women tend to have cold bums. Just ask married men . |
This!! I'd only use the canopy in heavy snow, it doesn't matter how good your gear is, it's no fun arriving at the top looking like a snowman. I love heated seats too, I always have a cold bum.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| Quote: |
Women tend to have cold bums.
|
This is certainly true, although the exact answer is surprisingly complicated. Here is just a snippet from a scientific paper on 'gender differences in thermoregulation'!:
| Quote: |
| Women differ from men in thermal responses to exogenous heat load and heat loss as well as to endogenous heat load during exercise, because they usually have a larger ratio of body surface to body mass, a greater subcutaneous fat content, and lower exercise capacity. When these differences are eliminated in experimental studies, it appears that women's sweating response to heat load is still smaller than that of men, but they are able to maintain their core body temperature on a similar level to that of men as a result of greater evaporative efficiency of sweating. In addition, the changing rate of sex hormone release during the menstrual cycle modifies thermoregulation in women, so there are differences in resting body temperature and thermal responses to positive or negative heat loads depending on the phase of the cycle. In this review, the changes in thermoregulation in young women taking oral contraceptives and those associated with the menopause and hormonal replacement therapy are also described. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| HoneyBunny wrote: |
This!! I'd only use the canopy in heavy snow, it doesn't matter how good your gear is, it's no fun arriving at the top looking like a snowman. I love heated seats too, I always have a cold bum. |
A skier who doesn't like getting covered in snow?? I've heard it all now 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Never come across or needed heated seats... but a canopy would be useful on the 'Fontaine Froide' chairlift in Val D'Isere, which is quite slow for that area and goes along a ridgeline and is notoriously cold and windy... really cold.
hang on... googled and huzzah
"Famously freezing and seriously unpleasant in bad weather, the old clockwork chairlift up the Fontaine Froide has been replaced by a new, comfy, rapid detachable 6-seater chair. This makes the cruisy green triangle of the Verte, Génépi and Grand Pré even more enjoyable this winter.
The new chairlift will deposit skiers between the top of the Olympique and the top of the Funival. The whole area between these three busy landing points and the Bellevarde restaurant just below has been re-landscaped to make it much more gentle, and to stop the bottlenecks that have often caused difficulties, especially to less confident skiers."
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
"The whole area between these three busy landing points and the Bellevarde restaurant just below has been re-landscaped to make it much more gentle, and to stop the bottlenecks that have often caused difficulties, especially to less confident skiers"
New chair, tick, but hmmmm to that part of it. Casting off from the top of the Olympic is just as chaotic as ever with and seems no gentler to me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| uktrailmonster wrote: |
A skier who doesn't like getting covered in snow?? I've heard it all now |
| Quote: |
I've been skiing for 35 years now
|
You've not heard much in your 35 years of skiing!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| uktrailmonster wrote: |
| HoneyBunny wrote: |
This!! I'd only use the canopy in heavy snow, it doesn't matter how good your gear is, it's no fun arriving at the top looking like a snowman. I love heated seats too, I always have a cold bum. |
A skier who doesn't like getting covered in snow?? I've heard it all now |
There's a difference between sitting in it and skiing in it. Do you sit outside having lunch in a howling gale and heavy snow then?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@blueroom,
| Quote: |
blueroom wrote:
intermediate wrote:
For a bargain and filling start to the day, stay in a British run chalet. Make sure you order porridge, helps keep your weight forward.
Chalet sounds good, I assume they are in other countries as well as France. How do I find them?
Not sure about porridge (not even sure what is - same as oatmeal?) How about a traditional English breakfast? Some greasy fried eggs and tomatoes and some blood sausage?
|
Yes, porridge is oatmeal, heated into a gloopy consistency. Slow carbo release, so great for skiing. I love traditional British breakfast but find the grease incompatible with sliding down mountains, or moving much. Skiers cannot live by porridge alone, but if stuck in a snow hole, it would be my food of choice for a few days.
@mooney058,
| Quote: |
Hm, bargain maybe. But would you prefer your food cooked by someone young who took week long cooking courses or by a french chef ... If bargain is what you are after then self catering and supermarket and occasional resto is a better option imo
|
Depends on the Tour Operator and individual chalet. My experience over 20 years in British run chalets is food ranging from good to excellent. Current season client reviews usually reveal the good, the bad and the ugly.
I enjoy good French restaurants too but they can be difficult to find at reasonable prices in the Alps.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| intermediate wrote: |
@blueroom,
| Quote: |
blueroom wrote:
intermediate wrote:
For a bargain and filling start to the day, stay in a British run chalet. Make sure you order porridge, helps keep your weight forward.
Chalet sounds good, I assume they are in other countries as well as France. How do I find them?
Not sure about porridge (not even sure what is - same as oatmeal?) How about a traditional English breakfast? Some greasy fried eggs and tomatoes and some blood sausage?
|
Yes, porridge is oatmeal, heated into a gloopy consistency. Slow carbo release, so great for skiing. I love traditional British breakfast but find the grease incompatible with sliding down mountains, or moving much. Skiers cannot live by porridge alone, but if stuck in a snow hole, it would be my food of choice for a few days.
@mooney058,
| Quote: |
Hm, bargain maybe. But would you prefer your food cooked by someone young who took week long cooking courses or by a french chef ... If bargain is what you are after then self catering and supermarket and occasional resto is a better option imo
|
Depends on the Tour Operator and individual chalet. My experience over 20 years in British run chalets is food ranging from good to excellent. Current season client reviews usually reveal the good, the bad and the ugly.
I enjoy good French restaurants too but they can be difficult to find at reasonable prices in the Alps. |
The best restos I visited in Fr were not michelin star decorated - if I list the first that comes to my mind in big FR areas then in Tignes "La Ferme des trois capucines" or Meribel's "La vieile creperie" are more than reasonably priced and always top, not the usual turist traps .... Difficult to find reasonably priced .... Must be joking  ussually non-French run restos in Fr are most expensive and not ussually that good.... I have eaten in quite a few run by brits or dutch and never returned to those places.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| HoneyBunny wrote: |
| uktrailmonster wrote: |
| HoneyBunny wrote: |
This!! I'd only use the canopy in heavy snow, it doesn't matter how good your gear is, it's no fun arriving at the top looking like a snowman. I love heated seats too, I always have a cold bum. |
A skier who doesn't like getting covered in snow?? I've heard it all now |
There's a difference between sitting in it and skiing in it. Do you sit outside having lunch in a howling gale and heavy snow then? |
Well I tend not to have lunch in a balaclava, helmet and ski goggles. Honestly for me sitting on an open chairlift is no big deal whatever the weather. I'm more interested in what chairs are actually running in these howling blizzards you speak of? If the chairs are running, it can't be that bad.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lucky you being such a hardman.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
