1 Harakiri - Mayrhofen
2 The Face - Val d'Isere
3 La Chavanette - Avoriaz
4 Corbet's Couloir - Jackson hole
5 Le Grand Couloir - Courchevel
The numbers arent the rank - included for reference
So who has done the lot and what would you add?
I've done 2 & 5 and would probably mention the Petite Couloir next door to the grand - not been to the other resorts yet
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Well I've done the first three and they really aren't that bad. Yes, steep and exposed/bumps but not that hard if you keep it under control.
The most challenging runs I know are in Silver Star in Canada: Doognog, Gowabunga and Kirkenheimer are all pretty challenging.
And AlderPoint is pretty tough 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?
1,2,3 & 5, Corberts is high on the list Harakiri, is short and not much to it.
Fattes13 - very close to tipping my ski helmet to you there - I originally didnt put ski in this sentence but it didnt read right
uann - this ain't my list - just a cut & paste
Johnor, Most of them are not to bad, The swiss wall was done on FIS Legal GS skis! Lets call it interesting
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Corbet's is intimidating and very dependent on the conditions. Low snow/icy it's closed and for good reason. A powder landing and it's all in the mind. Still, the worst that will happen is that you will fall to save yourself hitting the rock wall. It's fun but the audience is a little disconcerting.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Johnor, 1 & 3 - 4 was closed when there. Not been to the other resorts. Looking at corbets this time when there in Feb, if its open.
The Wall was interesting for me, as I was on someone elses skis and borrowed some poles a little too short for me. Did it twice with a lass from Scotland - she could ski. She just zipped down it on old straight skis. I took a little longer.
Probably found worse runs depending on conditions.
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These are famous black runs but I am sure there are lesser known ones that are scarier. Eg paquerettes from Toviere in Tignes definitely a lot worse than Face, thouigh much shorter. Resorts have to be careful as all manner of incompetent skiers will want to have a go off the famous runs. So there is not much publicity for Paquerettes, the entrance is hard to find, and blocked by the usual "tres bonnes skiers" signs. Epaule du Charvet is also probably more scary than Face, particularly first part where it is on narrow ledge and hard to see as piste keeps disappearing in front of you. However, I agree that snow condition is what truly decides how scary a run is, and of course runs may be closed when the snow is very bad.
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I've been down the Face with someone on their second week on snow. No way is that the second hardest piste I've skiied, let alone the second hardest in the world. Le Tunnel was worse than the Face for me.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
However you posted this in the off-piste section and obviously there are hundreds of named, frequently skied off piste runs which are steeper.
Mind you, Corbet's is exceptional - the entrance is very scary by any standards - like many North American double diamond runs, it would be classed as off piste in Europe.
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.
Corbets is like a billion times worse than Harakiri, surely?
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
As with all these things, it's all a matter of opinion, and the conditions on the day. Note that the thread title is "scariest", and they're all on piste, so "scary" seems to mean "exposure" or "compulsory cliff drop".
I have snowboarded 3/5:
The Face is just a piste usually with beginners all over it, so not too scary.
I don't find the Swiss Wall at all scary as it's generally got lots of nice bumps on it.
From memory the Courchevel couloirs have a scary entry and are narrow and too steep for bumps at the top. Those seemed fairly scary.
The torygraph has a different set; it's all down to what floats your boat.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Isn't S and S supposed to be rather harder than Corbett's?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
You have to do a big scary jump into Corbets, landing on a 45º+ slope with a rock face ahead of you that requires an immediate turn. It is in a totally different class from the others. However, after the entry there is nothing very special about it as a steep ungroomed run.
Easy Gully at Nevis is the Scottish slightly less scary version of Corbets.
Is S & S the other one at Jackson? I didn't see it let alone do it.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Mon 4-11-13 13:28; edited 2 times in total
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I think they have it all wrong, clearly the authors of these articles have never skied on a blue run full of intermediates who all think they are the next racing superstar. By contrast Grand Couloir is quiet and those souls on it know what they are doing. You are not going to be hit from behind by anyone. And if you are then they have fallen and you are doing your duty in stopping them.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
From the videos I've seen, Corbets looks way scarier than any of the others.
Skiied the Face so long ago I can't remember it at all, but I was a relatively new skier back then and even so it wasn't scary.
The Grand Couloir is the least fun of the routes under the gondola as it's the busiest and gets skied out fairly quickly. The exposure at the top is a bit over hyped too.
I don't agree with the Telegraphs bit about Tortin either; the snow is always better to skiers right than going straight down at the entrance.
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?
Lift queues & any busy blue run at the end of the day, give me an alternative tree run, bump run, steep off piste any time.
As this is the "off piste" section... actually if you ride at a resort after most of a season in the back country, anything is fairly scary.
Even more scary is a UK snow dome - they generally have no effective police, and you can be exposed when clearing the bottom of the slope, so even if you're the fastest there you're still at risk from the out of control crew. I just don't go there near the start of the season as I can't bare the thought of some idiot breaking my bones. So my vote would go for Hemel Hempstead on a rainy day.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
At Val, I find the blue run Santons scarier than either Face or Epaule de Charvet.
I think we all agree that this is a stupid list! I skied the face on my 3rd week on snow, was a little bit scary then, not at all now. Runs shouldn't be on the list if they don't have a mandatory air, and a decently narrow choke.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Blah blah blah, skied the Harikiri switch last year. They must be struggling for material for the Times these days!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Corbetts isn't scary if you do it right. Skip to 3.20
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Corbett's is a different league from everything else which are just pistes. But if you're playing the names of recognised runs McConkey's (formerly Eagle's Nest) at Squaw for instance craps all over the poxy Swiss wall - think Gaffney measured it at 68 deg and it's usually just rock.
I might do Corbett's in good snow but that - no way.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
jimmer wrote:
I think we all agree that this is a stupid list! I skied the face on my 3rd week on snow, was a little bit scary then, not at all now. Runs shouldn't be on the list if they don't have a mandatory air, and a decently narrow choke.
But people who've competed on the Freeride qualifying series probably don't count as the metric of scary
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
crazy, you could tell from the way he was moving while sitting down he shouldnt be anywhere near the place
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
johnE wrote:
I think they have it all wrong, clearly the authors of these articles have never skied on a blue run full of intermediates who all think they are the next racing superstar. By contrast Grand Couloir is quiet and those souls on it know what they are doing. You are not going to be hit from behind by anyone. And if you are then they have fallen and you are doing your duty in stopping them.
This is so very very true, some of the scariest runs I have done have been in Valthorens where beginners or intermidiots haven't learned how important it is to be in control and they are everywhere.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Mosha Marc wrote:
I don't agree with the Telegraphs bit about Tortin either; the snow is always better to skiers right than going straight down at the entrance.
I agree - Peter Hardy must be bullshitting us to try and keep it fresh out on the right for himself! Its normally actually quite nice out there!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
From videos I've seen nothing in Europe on piste is in same league as Corbetts. But are N American ungroomed trails truly comparable with pistes. In any N American ski area there must be many hazards in the inbounds area including cliffs, rocks etc. Trails are the routes down between these hazards. Because of high treeline this allows trails to be easily definable. An ungroomed piste in Europe would never contain a "hazard", or if it did, these are very clearly marked. You can do the equivalent of Corbetts if you go "off-piste" though, even inside the "inbounds" area.
The one major difference between the likes of Corbetts and European off-piste is that Corbetts will be avalanche controlled if open.
What I don't understand is that in Europe, all black pistes must still be easy enough so that no-one can make a claim that the piste is excessively dangerous in case of injury. Is this not a consideration in N America? Surely, like Face, there are skiers who really aren't up to it having a crack of Corbetts. Or do they pass disclaimer notices saying resort not liable for the state of the trail or hazards en route?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
snowball wrote:
Easy Gully at Nevis is the Scottish slightly less scary version of Corbets.
I've only skied Easy when it had next to no cornice and it was still sphincter-twitching stuff to me. Some Easy skiers enjoy all that 'turning in the air' stuff though ...
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?
Surely the run down from the Moose should feature? Dark. Vestibular senses 'impeded'. Almost impossible to resist trying it backwards. Many other moving hazards in a similar state to you...
To my knowledge the Chavanette aka Swiss Wall is not actually a pisted run but a Swiss itinerary.
That said my 8 year old skied it last season with more finesse than most of the adults apparently, no falls and nice steady turns down rather than across. He was cleared to ski Tortin by his instructor at age 6, though I didn't let him. He's a very good little skier. I haven't skied either and now have the problem that I am too chicken for tough runs yet don't trust my hubby to take the young 'un down such runs alone in case he -hubby- comes unstuck!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
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