Savoie Prefect warns skiers to take care

A snowHead

This all puts our slight whinging about the almost non-stop snowing in Arlberg/Vorarlberg (with a lack of sun), into perspective. Seemingly metres of the white stuff, with huge top ups every other day.

Loonatic skiers here too though - Teutonic and British males/females in the 18 to 40 age bracket shussing, with downhill turns, entire blue runs such as 64 to St Christoph amongst families and the nervous. Miraculously collisions seem rare!

A snowHead

@Sitter, I would have been unable to bite my tongue in those circs.

I have been known to chase after an out of control tw*t and give him a piece of my mind. Invariably male, usually young, incapable of anything approaching a controlled turn, and often straight lining in the “toilet seat” position. One clipped the back of my skis the other day and there wasn’t even a passing apology. As I picked myself up two went by at speed, but I wasn’t sure which it was. I think the chap I approached at the bottom of the slope probably wasn’t responsible and he gave me a blank look as a took him to task (oops!), but it won’t stop me do the same again.

Mr P and I avoided the slopes today and had a lovely peaceful walk, followed by a guilt free boozy lunch, knowing we weren’t getting back on skis to go home. No regrets about not skiing at all.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

In Puy St Vincent three seasons ago I was skiing down blues by the mid point (Altitude restaurant), next to a load of ski lessons being taken by very young kids. I stopped for a rest and saw a couple of say 20 year-olds bombing down off piste and joining the blue with a jump. One of them smashed into a kiddies group, there was sickening smash, followed by screams and crying. The perpetrators own skis had broken. Kids ski stuff everywhere.

He was alright physically. I shouted what the hell were you doing and said you’re not going anywhere, because he tried to ski off on his workable ski with his mate. I’m a passive person, I was surprised by my assertiveness. Over the years I been on courses with Ali Ross, Phil Smith and someone else, where they all explained that the person who causes a bad crash should be held until the professionals arrive.

But my surprise was that the instructor (in my opinion highly qualified, as we knew him from kids lessons) and the French young men that caused it, were very relaxed about the whole thing and were more perturbed by my reaction. The racer was allowed to go on his way.

Laissez faire, literally!!

In Canada and the USA in my experience, they come down hard on such idiots.

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Perty,

Did you avoid skiing because conditions are rubbish, or because it's crowded, or both? Puzzled

We are heading to Val T tomorrow...

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This thread is why my very good, but slightly nervous skiing wife insists we pay the premium and put up with the jet lag to cross the Atlantic. Reading all these stories makes me think she might be on to something!

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@TommyJ, or better still, wait for good conditions before you decide to ski.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@Bergmeister, I managed to wipe out just above the Masse 2 yesterday. The red Fred piste was empty but a patch of shiny icy snow surprised me. Luckily just a grazed and slightly puffy knee. Consoled myself with a tartiflette at chalet de la masse (good prices, friendly staff).
Take care, the pistes are very hard. Hoping some snow will arrive mid week.

After all it is free

@TommyJ, I've had hard and icy pistes in Whistler too, and witnessed inconsiderate skiing. They do come down hard on idiots, but only if they get caught.

I very gingerly went up the hill yesterday with my daughter, who is only out for a few days and OH.

I opted for piste skis and we went up at lunchtime with daughter on a 3hr ticket, and did not encounter any queues.

Normally OH and I would not go up the hill on a Friday as it's last day for high % and we call it T WAT Friday and yesterday was probably one of the busiest T WAT Fridays you could encounter in the season. Though friends later did say how it was nowhere near as busy as a previous couple of days.

I was still very uncomfortable with my back after fall on New Years Day, though did not notice it so much when actually skiing, more when simply poling towards the chairlift, though was in a whole world of pain 12hrs later!

As the hordes came back up the hill after their lunch I thought of this thread, as one was dealing with the people and paranoid of idiots around and about, as well as conscious of losing an edge on hard icelike pistes, so much so that I too adopted the sliding technique of out of control intermediates Laughing

That said my daughter was almost oblivious to how both I and the OH felt, which had me thinking that for many these conditions are what a high % of people are used to when on their weeks ski holiday?

Later we bumped into friends who are in Serre Che for the first time, and they were extolling how great their week had been, and how it was far less crowded here than in the ski factories of the North at this time of the year, and yes pistes were hard but corduroy first thing was great as was the wall to wall sunshine which they'd rather have than fresh snow and white out conditions.

In the evening at Friday night drinks with seasonaires all were saying how grim it was, with those that do bother venturing out opting for an hour or two of corduroy first thing or just go up for a couple of hours at lunchtime, mind you nearly all of us are over 60. And a few couples leave the valley over the holiday period entirely!

Though one guy who is only 40 or so had his 18 yr old nephew out for the week, and even the nephew was saying it was no longer fun, and how he was sort of relieved to get off the hill.

That said today would be good as vast % all feck off leaving perfectly empty groomed pistes which the OH and daughter are hopefully enjoying leaving me to be a cynical grumpy old git Laughing

The wind of a couple of days ago really has trashed all things off-piste and we now need a substantial couple of dumps to be back to where we were a couple of weeks ago before the holidays, and there is nought on the horizon for this coming week, so looks as if I'll be on the turbo in the garage next week as I don't think I'll be fit enough for XC and should imagine with more wind forecast the XC trails will be none too pleasant either.

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Wind getting up again here in Monetier at least. Car park is quiet though.

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@Hells Bells, OH rang to say she's swaying in a bubble coming back up from Briancon.

And looks like I'm finally after all these years going to the "bains" when they eventually get back as it might just be what I currently need rolling eyes

@Weathercam, sounds just the ticket. We've been a couple of times. Once on a really cheap day when it was low season. Hope you've got your Speedos.

You know it makes sense.

All this sounds as grim(m) as a brothers' fairtyale... Sad

I'm glad we can now avoid the New Year week that we skied for 24 consecutive years. Having said that, we never seemed to encounter the hordes that are described above....

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Bergmeister, it hasn't been too bad in Serre Che as it hasn't been as icy as other places. No more crowds than usual at New Year. I was up the mountain yesterday with hubby and KenX, and it was nowhere near as busy as previous days. No real queuing for lifts apart from Casse du Boeuf, but that was a lift breakdown. We're in 2 minds, as we don't really like having to do Christmas or New Year at home.Only 2 days off and work until 6pm Christmas Eve.

A snowHead

Those who like to ski at near race speeds on family-filled pistes seem even more numerous and reckless when there’s an FIS race on in the resort. Somehow this seems to give them licence to take ever greater risks with other peoples health and wellbeing.

In Selva val Gardena when the men’s downhill race was on in December, the idiots were concentrating near the Saslong. After my nine year old had a close call with approx 120kg of Jurgen the German (who no doubt “could have been a racer”) flying down a narrow section, I gave chase. To be fair to the guy, he did accept my point that whilst he may be a decent skier he has no hope of predicting the movements of my 9yo, with whom he shares a piste.

It is right to challenge skiers who carelessly expose your family (& others...) to unreasonable risk. If this is done calmly and constructively it need not descend into confrontation, although I guess you always have to accept that it might. To say/do nothing is to be complicit.

A snowHead

A mates 24 year old son fell in Tignes on Thursday and cracked his hip, requiring a big helicopter to evacuate him. Evidently Bourg St Maurice Hospital had queues of walking wounded waiting for treatment and folk were having to share rooms if they required an overnight stay.

So I think its time for a shout out for those who put all the broken bits back together, they must have had a very taxing fortnight.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@chocksaway, tis one reason why I will not be a drain on much-needed resources, even though friends say I should go and get checked out, if I cracked a rib, then what more can I do (wearing a mates velcro girdle), and as I'm not showing more worrying signs, blood in wee, nausea, etc then I'm not going to the doctor's here (he does xrays as well) plus I can't be arsed to hang around for numerous hours.

And I know from many a previous crocking that the worst is still to come as bruising etc takes a good six or so days to come out.

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Two fatal collisions in Avoriaz this week I'm told.

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@Bergmeister, hard and icy pistes down the lower end of the valley, plus crowds put us off yesterday. Today has been bliss, virtually empty pistes and in particular the snow is still excellent in VT. Elsewhere without the crowds it’s holding up well. Skied Combe du Vallon first thing.....empty and so lovely we went back up did it again! Pramint above St M also really good, though there are a few stones and the odd hard patch. Without the hoardes the skiing is still a joy.

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@Hells Bells, too feckin busy at 18:00 which surprised me, will try again 10:00 tomorrow.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@Weathercam, I think there may be Italians may be up for the weekend, it's an Italian holiday still.

After all it is free

That was my suspicion so I went anal and started looking at number plates and 80% French rolling eyes

@Weathercam, lots of homeowners then ? Most of our neighbours have gone already. Tons of Italians skiing yesterday . You can spot the kids in the identical Spyder outfits.

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Kappa surely..?

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With no sign of any fresh snow for the coming week in the French Alps, if venturing out for a walk on snow-covered trails be very careful when they are in the shade, in fact just be very careful as this is what it is like out there Laughing

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@Weathercam, looks like snow forecast this week?

Watching that penguin slipping makes my bum hurt. Icy pavements and paths are the most dangerous places in a ski resort.

You know it makes sense.

@Weathercam, @Weathercam, it most certainly is. We've been out with the dogs, but ended up just going around the village as the refreeze was starting. I didn't want another bruise.

@Boris only a cm or two by the looks of it for us.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

All the icy patches in the village here have been treated to a layer of grit, which makes it less slippery, but still best avoided. One of my wife's previous ski injuries was walking to the piste, she's ultra careful about icy patches on pathways now.

A snowHead

@pam w, I have some chains for my shoes. Luckily the short walk to the pistes is OK, and most of the pathe around the village, but there are still some treacherous bits.

A snowHead

Finally all the kamikaze tourists have gone home Very Happy

Pistes and car parks deserted, deep joy!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Had a new potential hazard on the piste today - someone skiing along studying their mobile phone rolling eyes

.

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@KenX, amen.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I am curious re the Dolomites on Piste conditions re French

They have both had limited snow,similar temps, albeit colder in the Dolomites
Xmas Crowds (pistes being hardened by Xmas skiers)

The Dolomites are known for their excellent snow making, big reservoirs
French Alps has lots of snow making too

I wonder are the Dolomites (because of snow making) on piste conditions better , or much the same as France

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Heading out to the PDS for the season on Tuesday, and don't I tend to ski until some snow. First season after knee reconstruction and I could do without falling on icy posted, thanks!

This is the first year we are not do I g a January week in Ishgl too, dammit. All that snow, that I will miss...

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@Harry Flashman, I don't think the snow is that bad... not based off what was in Cham the week before last.

After all it is free

@dublin2, the Dolomites resorts seem far better able to manage when snow is scarce as in recent early seasons. I think this is ultimately an outcome of better leadership, management and motivation. Someone - probably a small group - there has understood how important snow-making is to their economy and way of life. They have had the vision and the leadership to secure the resources (financial, technological, human, natural etc) required, and the management ability to make it all work together. I have seen what they have achieved during the last few years dodgy early winters, and am hugely impressed. The coming issue is whether the ecological cost is sustainable.

The French resorts have not - yet - got their act together in the same way. Perhaps they have not yet felt their way of life to be threatened sufficiently..?

The difference between the French Alps and the Dolomites is the difference between the north west highlands and Kent.

The factors that make the Dolomites so suitable for snow making also make it poorly suited to receiving natural snowfalls.

Shelter from the west and the north (the main snow bearing directions) do however mean that the Dolomites avoid the high humidity air and rain which are more common in the western alps. It’s also the reason it’s so sunny......like Kent!

Dolomite snow tends to be drier and stays drier (more air in it) and therefore tends to take a ski edge better than saturated snow, which can become hard packed.

In order to have a skiing industry at all, the Dolomites have had to pursue a strategy of 100% snow making. This has however given them a highly manageable piste skiing product.

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The Dolomites/Sud Tirol pistes are currently in very poor condition with a real lack of snow according to the Inghams manager we dealt with over a two day delay at Innsbruck Sat/Sun. (They’re based in Italy, but help the Innsbruck rush at weekends).

A case of don’t always go by the online published piste depths?

Help!!

Savoie Prefect warns skiers to take care

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