OK prompted by another thread and really a bit Mrs Merton but what are the contenders for resorts with the highest overall standard of skiing/boarding? Maybe leave steep and deep heli operators out of it as that's fairly obvious.
I've always traditionally said Red Mountain, BC - it's a fairly isolated location with enough local population thanks to the stonking great aluminium smelter who have time and money to ski heaps, but it is out of the way for mass market tourists so people have to be fairly keen beans to be there. Even the nearest US city Spokane is not really a huge metro area. And the skiing is tight tree lines and deep snow if not the ultimate in steeps.
But that's just anecdotal. I can see you might say La Grave because definitionally somewhere without groomers cuts off a lot of people.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
From my observation, Chamonix. Never seen so many gnarly men clanking with metalwork and zooming over cliffs as you mind your own business on a chairlift. But then I've not been to many places!
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?
From my observation, Chamonix. Never seen so many gnarly men clanking with metalwork and zooming over cliffs as you mind your own business on a chairlift. But then I've not been to many places!
From my observation, Chamonix. Never seen so many gnarly men clanking with metalwork and zooming over cliffs as you mind your own business on a chairlift. But then I've not been to many places!
It may be Chamonix but there are a lot of people into the "extreme/steep" thang who are not great skiers. So it depends what is being measured.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 3-04-20 17:39; edited 1 time in total
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Chamonix - only in low season, at busy times it has at least it's fair share of numpties (the sort who think they can rent some kit and teach themselves to ski!)
After all it is free
After all it is free
Any resort where the only valid-reason to go there is for the mountain and the skiing.
La Grave, Craigieburn Valley, Glencoe, Kicking Horse.
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For those who are saying Chamonix can I remind you @midgetbiker skis there which must drag down the average even when he does put on his mountain jewellry?
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Dave of the Marmottes wrote:
For those who are saying Chamonix can I remind you @midgetbiker skis there which must drag down the average even when he does put on his mountain jewellry?
Chamonix is *the* global mecca for list accessed ed steeps and touring.
However it is also full of wannabes and holiday-skiers who would be better off down in Les Contamines / St Gervais.
As a rule of thumb the average standard of skiing is higher in smaller / less commercial ski resorts.
Suspect there will be plenty places in Norway <etc> where the average local rips by age of 5.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Highest average ability: Kicking horse, bridger bowl, la grave
Red mountain get an honourable mention.
A disproportionately high number of the very top skiers live in Chamonix, but average ability is probably diluted down a bit by more tourists than the other places.
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.
Any skiable glacier in the autumn has a significantly higher than usual ability range. It's always a blunt reminder of average when you go from mid-November to mid-December.
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
Yad Moss
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Alta? Definitely at Ski Patrol mad half hour.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Hillend, or any dendix slope
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Haggis_Trap wrote:
Craigieburn
That’s a good shout!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
rob@rar wrote:
Any skiable glacier in the autumn has a significantly higher than usual ability range. It's always a blunt reminder of average when you go from mid-November to mid-December.
That was my first thought..,
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?
Quote:
Any skiable glacier in the autumn has a significantly higher than usual ability range.
This pretty much - Kitzsteinhorn in November the lowest standard is often the aspirant Instructors doing their first level in the Austrian system.
Only the keen skiers will ski at that time of year. And the spring snow is pretty challenging. So anyone who tried will either get better or change their date to earlier in subsequent years.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
rob@rar wrote:
Any skiable glacier in the autumn has a significantly higher than usual ability range. It's always a blunt reminder of average when you go from mid-November to mid-December.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
davidof wrote:
Wow, that's rare, 4 snowheads agreeing!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Glacier here is just full of race teams in Summer and when we opened at Toussaint. Including French and other national teams.
I saw a friend about a month ago walking through town with more rope and ironwork on his back than I've ever seen. With another guy who is an ESF moniteur. Luke is a boarder and gnarly I know, I have been to La Grave with him once, usually boards with an ice axe in his hand. Although I took the wee wee he posted some photos later, they'd been down Rodage du nord at La Grave which I couldn't find. The descent finished down on the main road I think. Looked terrifying.
Standard of skiing is noticeably better on Saturdays when locals come out to play.
Last edited by After all it is free on Fri 3-04-20 19:33; edited 1 time in total
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Best average standard I've seen has been in Tignes at the begining of Dec as there are so many instructors and racers training and very few 1-2 week a year skiers.
And yes, I drag the average down considerably!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Quote:
Best average standard I've seen has been in Tignes at the begining of Dec as there are so many instructors and racers training and very few 1-2 week a year skiers.
And yes, I drag the average down considerably!
yes, I agree, but that's hardly yer average resort, is it? I felt I skied better just for being in such august company. I went up one T bar with a Frenchman, only to discover he was one of the trainers for the French men's team. I felt reassured that if I started wobbling he could probably keep me on the lift!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
St Anton but that was a while ago. Full of hulking great scandis and Germans towering above me in the Valluga cable car (and I’m not short).
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.
I had a week in Grimentz at the start of January. I was there for the touring but had a couple of weekend days on piste and the standard of skiing was almost universally excellent. I suspect 90% of the skiers were locals who’d skied since infancy and had race training all through their school years.
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 others have said the level is quite high in Chamonix, especially in the sliding down something that should only realy be tackled with crampons, axe n rope. And amongst that crowd there are a fair number of world class athletes. But show them a piste an most of them are not what you might call tidy skiers. Courmayeur on the other hand. Go there mid week, pre christmass and almost everone on the slopes can carve a turn on whatever is masqurading as a piste!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Some of the best skiers I know are from Scotland. They all live in the Alps now but they clearly had a good grounding.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Verbier’s where you’ll find the highest % of past and present FWT skiers from the legends Xavier de le Rue, J. Heitz, Leo Slemett, Geraldine Fasnacht to the current generation Yann Raussis, Carl Renvall, Hedwig Wessel and Elizabeth Gerritzen
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Poster: A snowHead
Ski lots wrote:
Glencoe.
Low standard.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I see Kicking Horse mentioned ...
The first time I went there there was only 4 of us on the mountain...
a couple of very senior brits.. heading for the Eagle Eye restaurant.
A very pretty lady who was warming up for a ski test week, she was a journalist for some some powder magazine.
And Me,
So I dragged the average right down.
Also I went to Revelstoke one day and there was just 3 of us on the mountain.
Myself and an Instructor giving me a guided session.
Then we were joined by a Canadian race coach this was very early December.
One of my best lesson days, both the instructor and myself picked up some great tips.
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?
Any of the clubbies round there would be the same. To be fair the “lift” system is a very effective gaper filter
The Nutcracker!
Awful things for us snowboarders especially backside. Even worse if you’re a bit portly
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Had the « pleasure » to experience it back in 2005. Looked like an amazing area. Alas we got it with a fresh thick rain death crust on top of a 30cm dump which was pretty challenging on the skis if the day! Would love to go back...
Brings back memories - worked for a weekend there in '99 during a season at Hutt - supposedly race training but we ended up freeskiing mostly - great terrain.
Have never seen as much rum consumed in one night by the crew who were up to resplice the access tow rope...!!
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Sat 4-04-20 15:49; edited 1 time in total
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