Pedantica, Mind you big respect that you even decided to try to ski Le tunnel!!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
rob@rar, Yeah, but I'm sure you've seen me wallow like a beached whale the moment I end up on my backside, so that would only work where they were big enough to prop me up so I could get back on my feet!!
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?
rob@rar wrote:
finestgreen wrote:
But there's all those bumps to catch your fall! What could go wrong?
Exactly right. It might be tiring, and will get tedious picking your way down two or three turns at a time, but no particular risk other than not enjoying it too much.
Some of the 'quicker' people did seem to be adding half a dozen cartwheels for extra fun, but 'tiring' is an understatement. By the time I was half way down I was thinking 'This is ridiculous - I haven't the skills or energy to ski down and falling down doesn't work. I wonder what other options there are.'
Quote:
KILLINGTON
Outerlimits @ Killington, VT: 1002 vertical over 1892 length = 29.91*. Boasts to be the steepest and longest mogul run in New England.
626 vertical over 1064 length = 30.47*.
280 vertical over 432 length = 32.95*.
125 vertical over 154 length = 39.07*.
It's got some steep bits Pedantica. I was just too chicken to go fast enough to clear the next bump when I fell. Skied it again when I had a bit more experience and it wasn't bad. Still a fair workout though.
edit 'cos there was a typo which would upset some (OK - one) posters.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Wed 2-04-14 23:22; edited 1 time in total
Megamum, the trick is to fall over after every three bumps, thereby not building up any speed.
Damn - I was falling over after every two bumps. I should have got an instructor
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Thornyhill, right, I'll add that to list of runs to avoid too! Mind you by the sounds of it, your experience is just what I had in mind for this thread - def. one of those 'sanity should have kept me away from' jobs given your description.
Pedantica, Mind you big respect that you even decided to try to ski Le tunnel!!
It would have been fine, had there not been a panic-stricken skier stuck on every single mogul. There simply wasn't anywhere to make a decent first turn, so I made a half-arsed one and fell the rest of the way down. The remarkable thing was that I didn't take anyone else out on my way down, at least I don't think I did.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Years ago we were in L2A on a black "itiniere" narrow with moguls all the way down, about 1/4 the way down I fell for no apparent reason until I saw that the back binding on one ski had shattered after a hard landing, too far down to walk back up, so it was ski the rest of the run on one ski, not scary but hard work!!!!
I can't think of any run I have done in 28 years of skiing that has actually scared me.
After all it is free
After all it is free
I'm not sure I've ever started, or been on a run, that I didn't expect to get to the bottom of. One way or another....
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.
This one It got icier and less snow and more mandatory rappel/abseils (we did 6, there are normally 1 or 2) the lower we got....not seen it in condition without crowds since - not been back yet.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Idris, that's kind of out of the league of most of the replies in this thread.
Maybe I should just say I wouldn't choose to ski a run ending in a preposition....
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Idris, Admittedly I haven't got much of a head for heights, but I feel physically sick just looking at those photos.
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.
Idris, Nice one! Where's the usual video version?
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
Idris, I feel sick......
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Megamum, you can go down the Swiss Wall on a chairlift
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Thornyhill, where is that?! Great photo!!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Humpfknick, Killington in Vermont
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Killingtheknees, I'd say!!
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?
Not on skis, but.. the toboggan run in Val Thorens! I love sledging when it snows in the UK, so the thought of a several kilometre sledge run seemed irresistible. I was on my own, and the run itself was pretty deserted too. Blue skies, perfect conditions.
The start appeared to be on piste (being narrowly missed and insulted by passers-by who presumed I was going to sledge the whole way down the piste proper just added to the atmosphere!) Then the dedicated toboggan run itself.. and as soon as I got to it, I made the mistake of sticking my feet out the side and trying to brake that way instinctively. Kind of like waterboarding but with snow (no, not snowboarding!) Once I'd figured out the brakes and to keep my feet in, the run alternated between out of control terror (this was the good part) and dragging the bloody thing for what felt like miles along flat bits. Getting up, sitting down, bashed around, getting up, sitting down, falling out, getting up, sitting down.. with ski boots on as well - it was relentless. I was exhausted, cold and wet, and very sore from the endless buffeting and the odd falling out. I have never been so grateful to see the bottom of a run before. I was home the next day to the UK where it had snowed, and the children wanted to go sledging; I am afraid I expressed my reluctance. I think it has put me off sledging for life! You can have too much of a good thing!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
sparklies, I love it, brilliant story and just what this thread is for.
sparklies, It is a brilliant run. The 'brakes' are for steering. If you don't crash on the quick bits you don't have to walk on the flat bits. We had it down to under 4 minutes after a bit of practice. Gets expensive very quickly when you do that though.........Oh....and there is a big sign that says ski boots are not recommended
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thornyhill wrote:
8th day on skis I decided to try this.
Interesting way to learn to ski bumps. Wasn't scary.....just incredibly hard work. If you fell over you just parked against the back of the next bump.
finestgreen, I hate tracks like that. I find the easiest way is to drop over the edge and go the steep way.....down, no problem.....across - Argh, I'm going to fall over the edge
Thornyhill where is this? Looks great!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Quote:
Not on skis, but.. the toboggan run in Val Thorens! I love sledging when it snows in the UK, so the thought of a several kilometre sledge run seemed irresistible. I was on my own, and the run itself was pretty deserted too. Blue skies, perfect conditions.
The start appeared to be on piste (being narrowly missed and insulted by passers-by who presumed I was going to sledge the whole way down the piste proper just added to the atmosphere!) Then the dedicated toboggan run itself.. and as soon as I got to it, I made the mistake of sticking my feet out the side and trying to brake that way instinctively. Kind of like waterboarding but with snow (no, not snowboarding!) Once I'd figured out the brakes and to keep my feet in, the run alternated between out of control terror (this was the good part) and dragging the bloody thing for what felt like miles along flat bits. Getting up, sitting down, bashed around, getting up, sitting down, falling out, getting up, sitting down.. with ski boots on as well - it was relentless. I was exhausted, cold and wet, and very sore from the endless buffeting and the odd falling out. I have never been so grateful to see the bottom of a run before. I was home the next day to the UK where it had snowed, and the children wanted to go sledging; I am afraid I expressed my reluctance. I think it has put me off sledging for life! You can have too much of a good thing!
I did the same in les arcs, dragged onto this "run" by my nephew & co, no directional control and worst of all, I had to wear a helmet!
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.
Levi215, Killington - see 6 posts above yours
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Thornyhill wrote:
Levi215, Killington - see 6 posts above yours
Ah ha indeed, perhaps I should read page 2 of the thread.....
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Levi215, I thought there was a chunk of thread missing
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.
Snowheads has caught me out a few times the way it allows you to comment at the bottom of any page, not necessarily the most recent one
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
Humpfknick, +1
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Has the thread been split? Why?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
holidayloverxx, No......one that you didn't expect to make it to the bottom and one where you didn't make it to the bottom, then Levi215 reposted Humpfknick's question as he didn't see page 2 so I thought the posts since Thursday were missing. Saturday night frivolity
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Thornyhill wrote:
sparklies, It is a brilliant run. The 'brakes' are for steering. If you don't crash on the quick bits you don't have to walk on the flat bits. We had it down to under 4 minutes after a bit of practice. Gets expensive very quickly when you do that though.........Oh....and there is a big sign that says ski boots are not recommended
I never saw the ski boot sign! It was January last year I went if that makes a difference.. or it's quite possible I was being blind or I did see it and discounted it! Would have had no way of taking anything else along anyway as I was staying in Les Menuires and didn't fancy carrying my only pair of shoes (pretty hefty snow boots!) round with me over there and back. I think perhaps fear (and maybe nobody to "race" against!) held me back from truly letting the thing go hell for leather, or perhaps I would indeed have cruised over the flat bits. In my defence, the run was not in a great way from what I recall. Big chunks of broken up ice everywhere as it was -40C with windchill that week up the top. On the hill bits they were smooth (and therefore fast) from the other toboggans, but on the flat bits it was all mashed up from people walking over it so you lost speed pretty quickly. Would have been even more miserable to ski it!
I can quickly imagine the expense in trying to beat times (4 minutes, wow!! it felt like 4 hours to me!!) I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I hadn't been trundling down on my own feeling like Billy no-mates It's clearly meant to be a sociable activity, I soon realised. Falling out the toboggan in a comedy fashion feels kind of flat when you're the only one swearing and laughing! Skiing solo is fine (and I was there on my own without husband and children just for a quick well-earned midweek break) but sledging solo really feels like you're missing the point somewhat..
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Getting "lost" off-piste under the lift line going up from Hintertux in March. Quite steep and very little snow (no more than 2or 3 m at most), and what was there pretty soft (so not much use for slowing down) and covered in trees, fallen branches and even a little stream...
It's the half-moon shaped bit here from the top "picture icon" :
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?
Idris wrote:
This one It got icier and less snow and more mandatory rappel/abseils (we did 6, there are normally 1 or 2) the lower we got....not seen it in condition without crowds since - not been back yet.
If I ended up on terrain like that, it would be by accident and I'd be clinging on for grim death, not skiing it!
It makes my palms sweat just looking at the pictures.
+1 for Le tunnel. Steep, icy, horrible ledge to start from, lots of people falling from top to bottom. Not ashamed to admit there was a lot of sideslip involved, especially after seeing a least 5 people fall the whole way after missing that first turn.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
sparklies wrote:
but sledging solo really feels like you're missing the point somewhat..
probably does. I think it was 12 euro a go when we (OH and 2 kids) did it, 10 minutes up, 4 minutes down, so a 200 Euro an hour pastime. I don't think I would have paid for a second run if the kids hadn't beat me first time. I don't think I would have paid for a third run if......
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thornyhill wrote:
... I think it was 12 euro a go when we (OH and 2 kids) did it, 10 minutes up, 4 minutes down, so a 200 Euro an hour pastime.
Justification for heli-boarding #3761: it's cheaper than paying for sledging. And you probably get more vertical.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Megamum wrote:
Pedantica, Mind you big respect that you even decided to try to ski Le tunnel!!
Had a look at it on video and it looks like first turn and bodies are the problem I guess if it's fresh and quiet it's not that bad or do the videos / pics not do the challenge justice? Difficult to tell I may be one of the ones walking back up the tunnel!
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.
Levi215, indeed, I've skied other stuff as steep and mogulled, it was the conditions wot made me fall down the entire slope when I botched the first turn.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
This was the video I watched - it was the moguls - apparently as big as small cars! - that I found most off-putting [Yikes!!]
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Yeah, but I'm sure you've seen me wallow like a beached whale the moment I end up on my backside, so that would only work where they were big enough to prop me up so I could get back on my feet!!
Admittedly I haven't got much of a head for heights, but I feel physically sick just looking at those photos.
