 Poster: A snowHead
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The slope at Hemel was extremely Mowgli today (see what I did there?). I've never seen it quite like this. Deep piles of snow, and in other places paths of solid ice. Simply horrible. What on earth happened to it? Or does it sometimes just get like this and we've been lucky so far not to see it?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you can hold an edge while all around you etc...
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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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Szymon, I trust the snow conditions were actually as you described them and Just So...
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| Szymon wrote: |
| The slope at Hemel was extremely Mowgli today (see what I did there?). I've never seen it quite like this. Deep piles of snow, and in other places paths of solid ice. Simply horrible. What on earth happened to it? Or does it sometimes just get like this and we've been lucky so far not to see it? |
what time were you there - lot's of clients on it today...
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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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We were there from 11ish until 4ish. In the morning it was far from perfect, and it only got aorse as things progressed. Yes there were huge numbers of people, I sometimes wonder if they bother counting them at all. No one ever checks to see who has paid and who hasn't. The crowds definitely made it worse (in the end it was the queues that made us decide to leave early), but frankly I think they didn't even bother straightening it up from the day before.
That said, it wasn't helped by the number of people simply incapable of skiing but using the main slow anyway. You shouldn't be learning the snowplough from the top of the main slope! (As the lady in green found out after she lost control and careened into the *wall*, narrowly missing other skiers and stopping the lift). Honestly, Shere Khan himself would be better on skis!
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Have to say I went there once and the experience just seemed so removed from skiing in the proper environment that I absolutely hated it. The closed in feeling, crowds of people, the shortness of the run.
Maybe if you wanted to try a few technique things, but I really can't see the attraction of going.
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Tend to agree. Indoor and dry slopes are useful tool for beginners before their first holiday. I used one last year to see if an injury was too painful to go to the alps with. Can't see much point otherwise. Perhaps instructors have a different view.
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I think they can be useful but you need to structure your session well and work on something specific e.g. balance. Just going up and down like you're on holiday is in my opinion a big waste of money. In my experience they're very poorly controlled in terms of skier safety. The snow does of course suffer badly at times of high volume.
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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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| Ade57 wrote: |
| I think they can be useful but you need to structure your session well and work on something specific |
This is exactly what they are for if you can ski fairly competently. I can easily spend a couple of hours working on things by myself there.
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| Szymon wrote: |
| The Rudyard Kipling memorial ski slope |
Exceedingly good death cookies
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I was teaching there all day and the snow was quite soft and sugary, probably as the result of a couple of busy days. But it wasn't so bad that you couldn't do anything useful. Clearly a sign that winter is approaching when Hemel starts to get busy...
Mark1863, as a training venue is can be useful and challenging for just about all grades of skier, not just beginners. Today, for example, there was a junior race coach qualification being assessed, with some very strong skiers being challenged despite it only being a short, gentle slope. But for sure it's not a replacement for a ski holiday in the Alps... 
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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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| emwmarine wrote: |
| Have to say I went there once and the experience just seemed so removed from skiing in the proper environment that I absolutely hated it. The closed in feeling, crowds of people, the shortness of the run. |
Yes, it's all those things, in exactly the same way that a golf driving range is not much like 18 holes around a lovely golf course. But that's not to say that a gold range, or an artificial ski slope, doesn't have their uses.
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Good analogy!
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You know it makes sense.
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It was already getting a little choppy by 10am on the Saturday. Definitely getting more crowded.. I think the children going back to school and the weather taking a turn for the worse has reminded people about snowsports so off they go.
Matters are rarely helped by the various freestyle features which always seem to be out and roped off. I get that they need to be there for later on, but it's kind of frustrating skiing round them all morning, especially as channels quickly form.
What Rob said about its use! It's never a replacement, it could never be, but it's certainly better than nothing and I've been in all summer long when it's been empty, having cheap lessons in much smaller groups and really improving in most areas ready for the real thing again. As have our children improved massively. Now it's getting busier again now and surely the discounts are coming to an end, we're cutting back on lessons. Make ski while the sun shines!
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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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Their big marketing thing was about snow quality and the result was this because this is what you get with tons of skiers skiing the same thing over and over. The best is chillfactore imo which is much icier harder snow and doesn't get chopped up as a result.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| I was teaching there all day and the snow was quite soft and sugary, probably as the result of a couple of busy days. But it wasn't so bad that you couldn't do anything useful. |
Rats, would have liked to put a face to a name. Oh well, next time.  .
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Szymon wrote: |
We were there from 11ish until 4ish. In the morning it was far from perfect, and it only got aorse as things progressed. Yes there were huge numbers of people, I sometimes wonder if they bother counting them at all. No one ever checks to see who has paid and who hasn't. The crowds definitely made it worse (in the end it was the queues that made us decide to leave early), but frankly I think they didn't even bother straightening it up from the day before.
That said, it wasn't helped by the number of people simply incapable of skiing but using the main slow anyway. You shouldn't be learning the snowplough from the top of the main slope! (As the lady in green found out after she lost control and careened into the *wall*, narrowly missing other skiers and stopping the lift). Honestly, Shere Khan himself would be better on skis! |
I was there from 8-10 and thought it was busy...and yes it had started to chop up come 10, but i assure you it was pretty well groomed at 08:00.
I also saw a group of lads that shouldn't have been on the main slope, they were fairly quickly told to leave...
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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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narc, Wow Hemel must be really bad if Chillfactore is better. The snow is never hard in my experience (often about 3 times per week) except when it gets scraped in the middle. I just think it's the nature of these places.
Couldn't agree more about the freestyle features in the way. Agree they should be there but everyone compromises on small facilities, I sometimes feel the freestylers get a disproportionately good deal!
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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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| Ade57 wrote: |
| narc, Wow Hemel must be really bad if Chillfactore is better. The snow is never hard in my experience (often about 3 times per week) except when it gets scraped in the middle. I just think it's the nature of these places. |
It depends on what you like. I think the snow quality at hemel is better (ie. closer to real) but in doing this it gets cut up very very quickly. Chillfactore snow is packed and harder which means it holds up much better through the day and tbh I much prefer skiing on it since I'm on on slalom skis which is all I'd want to be on in a fridge anyway.
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Hemel was very good today, certainly up until about 3pm when it got a bit cut up. The slope guys must have removed about 20 tons of soft, sugary snow leaving a firm, smooth surface which held up really well. It was also quieter than usual, even for a Monday, so the Increasing Your Speed clinic I taught was a lot of fun 
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Glad to hear it!! Usually I'm quite happy with the slope conditions there, but then again I tend to be there first thing Saturday mornings so it's not exactly going to be chopped up.
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Not the best photo as they hadn't turned on all the lights when I took it, but the slope looked like this first things this morning:
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