 Poster: A snowHead
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| LDP816 wrote: |
| I’ve decided to book “learn to ski in a day” at the snow dome in tamworth for her, a month or two before we go, to help her get used to it, hopefully that will mean she can pizza slice and won’t be in a group with FDB’s. I don’t think it’s bad value at £130, does anyone have any experience of this? The option to do more lessons after this is also there if she wants/needs to do them, but Tamworth is a fair way from us!! |
Tamworth's actually where my friends went and sounds like you're in the same boat as them - time and distance meant it was either the "one day" course or a couple of private lessons on the same day. Price-wise the "one day" course offered better value, even if some of them flaked out early and didn't complete it. As I said earlier, worked a treat for dad a daughters, not so much for mum - but I think that was more mum's comptetitive side getting frustrated that the rest of the family were picking it up quicker than here 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@nigelg, thank goodness it is, at long last, time for the How to Carry Skis video.
Never fails to crack me up 
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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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@LDP816, good move booking lessons at Tamworth Snowdome. I imagine you’ve gone for the all in one day course because you’ve got a lot of travelling to get there. Expect her to be exhausted, both mentally and physically after that, even if she’s fit and active.
If she wanted to progress further before March, are you within reasonable travelling distance of Manchester? If so, the ChillFactore would be a good step-up in snowdomes.
Personally I’d avoid dry slopes, even if there was one free in
my back garden. Too much risk of injury and nothing like snow.
Depending which part of Les Arcs you’ll be based in, SnowHeads may have recommendations for good pistes for her to head for, or tricky ones to avoid, when not with instructor.
Good idea to practice side slipping to perfection.
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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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I did "learn to snowboard in a day" in my early 60s. I was moderately fit but it was utterly knackering and I couldn't move for days, I was so stiff . Fell a lot. But skiing should be easier!!
One suggestion for the OP, assuming he's not a snowboarder, is to learn snowboarding while your wife learns skiing. She will enjoy the fact that you're both struggling together and that you'll fall a lot more. It'll do you no harm to remember what it's like riding a chair lift being scared of getting off at the top. Or falling off a drag lift three times! If you don't want to take this challenge, ask yourself why you are expecting your wife to do it,!!
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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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| Quote: |
Personally I’d avoid dry slopes, even if there was one free in
my back garden. Too much risk of injury and nothing like snow.
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That depends on what you are doing on a dry slope. If you are having lessons with a good instructor you shouldn't be falling over badly enough to injure yourself. We haven't yet needed to open the accident book at our slope this Winter, not even for the snowboarders.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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My family all had lessons at s dry slope in the Ayrshire coal field which had no lift. Skis on shoulders, walk up the muddy grass at the side, usually in the rain. I'm not "anti" dry slope but we were all dead keen. For a reluctant beginner, not so good!
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My wife learnt at La plagne and was good the first year but we took her sons and mine the second time and she lost her nerve,it took a long time and lots of easy runs but she is now as good as me, although rarely goes off piste,I would say always follow your wife down the slope so if she falls you can help,there is nothing worse for a beginner than having to go faster than you want keeping up with a better skier,I still carry her skis everywhere, stop when she wants to and ensure she enjoys her holiday,we are going for most of the season this time and the few weeks when it was only skiing easy runs with her were worth it now she enjoys it as much as I do.
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| PeakyB wrote: |
Personally I’d avoid dry slopes, even if there was one free in
my back garden. Too much risk of injury and nothing like snow.
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I learnt to ski up to parallel turns with pole plants on dry slopes. Only injury I had was when one of the dry slope bristles entering into my left buttock on the occasion of a light sit down and remained there unbeknownst to me at the time. About a week later I noticed what I thought was a pimple on the aforementioned buttock. Upon closer inspection, my then GF noticed the end of the bristle and was able to remove it with treesers before cauterising the wound with the tip of a rod hot poker.
I hope that helps.
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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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Private lessons and new ski boots - that's what my other half got me to get me into skiing!
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@LDP816, Vallandry is a good choice for taking a beginner. The nursary slopes are at the top of the Peisey lift. They take the lift up and down. Once they have moved from the fenced off total beginners area there is a very slow chairlift, 2300, to take them to the top a very wide area of gentle slopes to progress on. The area is so wide that she will not be bothered by other skiers hurtling past. There is a long winding blue track back to Vallandry called Foret. Resist the temptation to go down it. Use the lift or one of the other pistes
Are you near the ski school meeting area?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Sounds like you have the travel and accommodation squared away.
From experience...
Pre trip lesson or lessons. Ideally private ones.
Reasonable state of fitness, but please don't make it like going for SAS selection!
Group lesson in whatever resort you are going to, not with you though, unless you are at the same level. This will give your partner a base level and similar level skiers to associate with. Don't be surprised if you are the outsider.
Half day lessons,if available should then allow you to at least be together for part of the trip.
If you do intend to ski together, please ensure your partner is comfortable with the choice of lifts and slopes. Both can be intimidating to a beginner. A lot is taken for granted even after a few weeks. What she has skied with her instructor and group is a good start.
Finally, it is supposed to be a holiday, ensure there is plenty of downtime to relax and recover.
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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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Make sure you know where the toilets are, and make sure she knows how to get out of her gear quickly. altitude does things to women and they need to go a lot, and it takes ages, and just when you're ready to ski, she'll need to go again. And don't tell her what the colours of the piste mean, leads to irrational thinking. Do not try to teach her yourself, you will never say the right thing. And....... good luck
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You know it makes sense.
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| MikeSk1er wrote: |
Finally, it is supposed to be a holiday, ensure there is plenty of downtime to relax and recover. |
That!
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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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@pam w, @karin, @Gerry, yes, I learnt to ski on dry slopes too. The first one was short, steep, broken fence at the bottom, before a 3m fall off onto a car park. Instructor rugby tackled out of control complete beginners to prevent more serious injury. Also skied several times at Gloucester, where Eddie the Eagle used to fly through the air. Then the Ackers in Birmingham, where Citizen Khan learnt to ski. Even Sheffield a couple of times and one over in N. Wales, not far from Harlech I think. Don't remember any celebs there though.
Based on that experience, IMO, real snow is far better for learning, especially as a complete beginner. On account of it's what you slide on, give or take, in the mountains. I'd concede that dry slopes are marginally better than no skiing at all. But I would never have gone on one on a snowboard.
| Quote: |
later I noticed what I thought was a pimple on the aforementioned buttock. Upon closer inspection, my then GF noticed the end of the bristle and was able to remove it with treesers before cauterising the wound with the tip of a rod hot poker. |
Sums it up for me @Gerry, dry slopes are a PIA.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Coco,
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Make sure you know where the toilets are, and make sure she knows how to get out of her gear quickly. altitude does things to women and they need to go a lot, and it takes ages, and just when you're ready to ski, she'll need to go again. And don't tell her what the colours of the piste mean
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Speak to her VERY LOUDLY and slowly too. Call her dear or luv a lot to make her feel all mollycoddled and safe...just before you lead her down an icy black piste.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| pam w wrote: |
| My family all had lessons at s dry slope in the Ayrshire coal field which had no lift. Skis on shoulders, walk up the muddy grass at the side, usually in the rain. I'm not "anti" dry slope but we were all dead keen. For a reluctant beginner, not so good! |
Newmilns?
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Coco,
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OMG, you are my wife, I didn't know you posted on here!!!
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Like all wives, omnipresent and omnipotent.
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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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All great advice (I have been in your other half’s position). I took a half day course at MK snow dome. I was glad I did but wish I’d done a few more hours in the fridge before I went to the mountains. Nice ski gear. Sharing private lessons with the other novice Sounds like a fine idea if you can stretch to it. Great to have company but group lessons are much less efficient for progressing unless she’s a natural. Coffee stops and nice mountain lunches. Take it super easy if visibility is poor. I preferred to follow my husband on unfamiliar slopes as it’s not always easy to pick your line as a new skier (he got pretty good at side stepping up to pick me up). And assuming she gets the bug like I did some years ago, going back to the same resort pays dividends. I still enjoy cruising a red without a thought that I have lost my nerve on in the past! I also try to have one or two snowdome visits over the off season (if you can get to Hemel, Inside out improver clinics are absolutely great).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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How old is she?
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@jilly29,
Good point, most of this discussion appears that we are talking about a child
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Aside from all the great ski-specific advice already given, I would just treat it like any holiday that you wanted her to have a brilliant time on, and make sure the trip as a whole is enjoyable. So, nice hotel, well-timed flights, find out where the best lunch/dinner places are and go there, have walks around the village / wander round the shops, see if there are other cool things to do available and see if she thinks they sound fun/interesting. If you make the holiday as a whole fun, she'll want to go back, even if the skiing part doesn't go perfectly to plan.
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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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| johnE wrote: |
@jilly29,
Good point, most of this discussion appears that we are talking about a child |
Once a thread gone to the 2nd page and/or 2nd day, it may not bear any resemblance to the original question.
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| abc wrote: |
| johnE wrote: |
@jilly29,
Good point, most of this discussion appears that we are talking about a child |
Once a thread gone to the 2nd page and/or 2nd day, it may not bear any resemblance to the original question. |
Thanks again all!
We’re both 30, she does a fair bit or horse riding so so hopefully won’t be in complete tatters after day two! On that note, how does one broach the subject of fitness with their partner?!?!?! 
So I think, I’ve got the list sorted......
I’ve booked learn to ski in a day for early January, the idea being that she can top up in Feb if needs be!
We will book private Lessons for the two beginners for 3 or 5 mornings depending on budget, ESF seems to be the nearest, Evo 2 seem to have a very confusing website! Any comments on ESF in Peisey-Vallandry!?
I’ll make sure we only do runs that she’s done before, I’ll ski behind her and offer plenty of encouragement. I’d also welcome some input on easy beginner runs in les arcs other than those mentioned.
Make her life easier (I might struggle with that one!!!)
Plenty of stops
Some decent kit!
Treat it as a holiday!
Anything I’ve missed?
Thanks again!!! Hopefully she enjoys skiing as much as I do 
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