 Poster: A snowHead
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Any recommendations? I'm a solo skier so would Like a group beginners x country trip. I fancy Scandinavia and Finland in particular but j guess it'll be dark in March?
Any ideas appreciated.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@poppyb, plenty of cross-country skiing in my area, the most popular location is probably Ramsau am Dachstein.
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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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Won't be dark in March. Quick look on Internet shows 9-10 hours of daylight in Ruka even at the start of March and 10 hours in Hemsedal at start of March. Even Tromso has 09:30 hours of sunlight on March 1.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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@poppyb, the spring Equinox is on the 20th of March, after this date the further North you go, the more daylight that you will receive
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks Hotel Iso-Syote Finland looks lovely and they cater to vegans. Apparently voted the best Finnish ski resort year after year.
Does anyone know it? This is a Crystal holiday.
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Adding to the others, Ylläs in Finland has the most extensive groomed xc tracks, and guided tours options. March is already bright up there.
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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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I read that TR from Yllas at the time, but enjoyed reading it again. I've done about 4 weeks of XC skiing, with lessons, and still count myself a pretty complete beginner. I'd thoroughly recommend it, @poppyb, but you do need to be quite fit. And above all, you need good tuition if you're going to do anything more than shuffle round on the flat, at walking pace (which is pointless - you might as well walk or, in deeper snow, use snow shoes - also highly recommended). XC skiing needs good balance and a readiness to fall over!
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Great places for XC are Seefeld in Tirol (expensive area but really good - Mrs M's favourite), Livigno (cheap and good) and Banff (fantastic, you really can get out into the wilds).
We haven't been to Scandinavia so can't personally recommend it.
Also as Queenie says, there is plenty of XC in the Ski Amade and up on the Dachstien glacier should be good in March but I wouldn't fancy XC at 2700 meters above 
What sort of resort were you looking for?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Another recommendation for Tracks and Trails. I did a trip with them this year & other members of the group had learnt from scratch with them. They seem to have a loyal client base. Our guide, Lindsay, was excellent.
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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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Bessans in the Haute Maurienne valley is a dedicated cross country ski village with extensive facilities.
Also, Pra de Lys has extensive cross country facilities, hire etc with travel to and from Sommand in the next valley.
Both centred around their villages with trails off out into surrounding areas.
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Exodus holidays do group cross country ski holidays in Scandinavia, as do Inn Travel and Head water holidays. Julia from Tracks and trails does group holidays in Europe and Scandinavia
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You know it makes sense.
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January = Seefeld, Austria.
February = St Moritz, Switzerland.
March = Sjusjøen, Norway.
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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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Thanks. I'd like a very peaceful resort and will be taking lessons. I was looking at a hotel or catered chalet for company as I'll be on my own.
Finland seems to fit the bill Iso-Syote in particular but its pricey of course. Also I was wondering how grey it would be in Feb? Anyone know?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Sorry just saw that had been answered. But has anyone been there in Feb? (Season ends in Feb at Iso-Syote)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I would love to do an XC holiday in Scandinavia. We were pretty into it about 15-20 years ago, never really skated but honestly, classic is fine if your goal is to get some exercise, fresh air and be out in nature. I remember our first XC trip about 20 years ago. We had no idea what we were doing but a few hours of classic lessons and by the end of the week we could do a 10k loop without much problem. I've tried skating a few times and it's a completely different sport -- think hiking vs. ultra-trail running...
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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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Oh yes, I was only talking about classic - you still need lessons though, to do it even vaguely properly, rather than just shuffle along. If I were you, @poppyb, I'd want to do a holiday with organised treks, but one designed for beginners. Thing is, you can shuffle along the flat, and you can shuffle uphill after a fashion, though it's inefficient, but you can't shuffle downhill - you tend to pick up too much speed and crash! And shuffling is no fun, even if the whole trail is flat. As the instructors kept telling us "C'est un sport de glisse; if faut glisser".
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Oh yes, I was only talking about classic - you still need lessons though, to do it even vaguely properly As the instructors kept telling us "C'est un sport de glisse; if faut glisser". |
Technically it is harder than skating but less tiring if you are no good at either.
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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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And you have the option to shuffle. With skating, you either skate, or you fall over, it seems!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Don’t mean to hijack the thread. But everyone talks about the difficulty of downhill. Even xc lesson always focus on speed control on the downhill...
I just don’t have that much trouble in the downhill. Not because I’m all that good at it. But I think if you don’t let the speed gets away EARLY ON, you shouldn’t have much problem later.
Take a ski out of the track EARLY in a half plough. If you’re still picking up speed, go into a full snow plough. Vary the shape of the plough to maintain a controlled descent.
With the exception of refrozen surfaces, a full snow plough is almost always enough to keep a controlled constant speed. (Now, if you let the speed build up a lot, you may reach a point you can’t scrub speed fast enough to make the next turn. But that’s more a “young male problem”)
I theorized most people let their speed build to a point beyond they’re comfortable. Then fear takes over, resulting in leaning back. That lean back position is detrimental to an effective snowplough. Now they can’t slow down, they lean back more, even less effective snowplough... CRASH!
I consider myself an intermediate skier. I can control my downhill speed on anything I can herringbone up!
If you think about it, if you can stop the skis sliding back going up, why can’t you stop it from sliding forward on the way down?
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I’d love to improve my kick & glide efficiency though, both on the flats and uphill. But I haven’t found any lesson program that focuses on efficiency for us “recreational, old folks”. Only such programs I found are for racers, which I’m not sure I’m fit enough to follow.
I can do a decent glide after a solid kick. But I don’t always get a solid kick, especially on mild uphill or less than ideal snow. I suspect there’s some technical flaw there. More over, every so often I got past by someone who looks like they’re dancer on skis! They don’t look like they’re working that hard, but they past me as though I’m standing still. So I know there’s plenty of room for me to improve on my propulsion technique
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| Quote: |
But I haven’t found any lesson program that focuses on efficiency for us “recreational, old folks”
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All the lessons I've had in Les Saisies (a major French XC centre) have included quite a lot of work on that, often with no poles, using the arms. And often with only one ski. When you start falling over frontwards instead of backwards you know you're making progress. It's such a lovely movement when you see somebody doing it well. So is skating. One of the joys of XC for me is being overtaken by a succession of beautiful bodies, dancing through the snow!
I have no problem with a "demi chasse neige" with one foot in the track on gentle gradients. Much the easiest way to slow down. But in Saisies, when it gets steep, the tracks disappear, then you know you need to really slow down and do a good snow plough. I struggle when the snow is icy, for sure. I can generally control my speed now but it's taken me quite a long time! When I read about XC holidays which are "suitable for complete beginners" I assume they are on flat, or nearly flat, tracks. I was a beginner XC skier about the same time as I was a beginner snowboarder, and found the latter much easier, with a socking great metal edge to play with.
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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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| Quote: |
When you start falling over frontwards instead of backwards you know you're making progress
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Excellent point!
I suspect my for-aft balance isn’t quite where it should be.
Next year perhaps, I’ll put some focus on improving my xc skiing
(except I’ve been saying that for quite a few years. So far I’ve been doing a lot more downhill skiing, improving a lot. But the same can’ be said of my xc skiing  )
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