 Poster: A snowHead
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I’m going to be in Mürren next January and was planning on a day trip to Wengen, specifically to go and ski the Lauberhorn.
However, the dates I’m going to be in the area will line up/overlap with the WC race weekend in Wengen. Presumably they shut the Lauberhorn in the days prior the race, but does anyone know how quickly they will re-open it to the general public? I.e could I turn up on the Monday after the race weekend and ski it, would I need to wait until later that week, or am I unlikely to be able to ski it at all?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You probably don't want to ski it immediately following the race unless you have a fondness for injected ice. If you don't know what injected ice is even more so.
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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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The course is closed in the week prior to the race. Afterwards, it takes about a week to remove all the race infrastructure - fencing, TV towers etc. During this time the course, or at least parts of it, will be closed. The upper part from the start hut down towards Wengernalp is usually the first section to open, with the lower part down to Innerwengen being the last.
And yes, as mentioned above, hardly anyone skis the course after the race until we've had a good snowfall.
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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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We went to Wengen in the mid 1990's, arriving on the Saturday of the race. The race got cancelled due to fog. They tried to re-schedule it for the Sunday, but that was also cancelled due to fog. The entire course was then open to the public again by mid week.
But don't do it, unless you're good at untangling yourself from the piste-side crash netting. The top half was ok-ish, but the bottom half, particularly the final pitch into the finish area was the hardest boilerplate ice I've ever come across. A friend took his skis off and walked down the last Km through the trees.
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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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| Judwin wrote: |
| A friend took his skis off and walked down the last Km through the trees. |
Thanks for giving me a good laugh to start my day; your friend sounds like a smart man.
Meanwhile, and I hope this isn't hijacking the post, is Wengen a chaotic, expensive place during the race, meaning don't bother? Or should I go once and put up with all that since the experience is worth it? I've been to WC races at Whistler and Lake Louise, but they aren't Wengen (or Kitz). (although home boy Rob Boyd won the Whistler race so the atmosphere was pretty special in its own way)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Scooter in Seattle wrote: |
| Judwin wrote: |
| A friend took his skis off and walked down the last Km through the trees. |
Thanks for giving me a good laugh to start my day; your friend sounds like a smart man. |
Me and another friend stuck it out till the bottom. I think the stupidity and ambition of young skiiers runs out eventually - when you reach the age of 90 ish 
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| Scooter in Seattle wrote: |
Meanwhile, and I hope this isn't hijacking the post, is Wengen a chaotic, expensive place during the race, meaning don't bother? Or should I go once and put up with all that since the experience is worth it? |
It’s a great week to be here. Prices of apartments / food / drinks are the same as any other time, and because most of the hotel beds are occupied by competitors, coaches, media people etc, it’s pretty quiet on the hill. It is pretty chaotic over the race weekend, with 30,000+ fans all trying to get as drunk as possible, but after the slalom on Sunday afternoon they all go home, and Wengen is back to its usual self.
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| You probably don't want to ski it immediately following the race unless you have a fondness for injected ice. If you don't know what injected ice is even more so. |
I happened to be in Murren when the race was on and we were over in Wengen the next day (or perhaps the day after that) and the course was open.
It was a completely eye opening and humbling experience. Having never raced I knew of injected ice but had no real sense of what that meant. Suffice to say I couldn't get an edge in and found getting down the section we attempted pretty unpleasant.
Clearly I'm not that good a skier but I would normally expect to be able to carve on even pretty icy pistes. This was qualitatively different.
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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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Lots of people think they are good skiers until they try a properly prepared race course. Frankly it is downright dangerous for recreational skiers, even those who consider themselves "advanced". I would only attempt it if you have race experience and/or high level instructor standard (even then....with caution). I have seen too many skiers coming a cropper attempting it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@under a new name, I admire your courage! Those competition slopes look very scary to me, but then bumps have never been my favourite (or best) thing.
I have survived a few injected race pistes, mostly as my daughter was keen to ski them. Although I have some race training and instructor qualifications, I was definitely in survival mode. The gap between myself and the teenager who has a lot of race experience was humbling. Too old for that sort of thing now, wise enough to turn down any invitation from her to "ramp it up", and happy to suffer the ensuing teasing!
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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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| zikomo wrote: |
| I have survived a few injected race pistes, mostly as my daughter was keen to ski them. Although I have some race training and instructor qualifications, I was definitely in survival mode. The gap between myself and the teenager who has a lot of race experience was humbling. Too old for that sort of thing now, wise enough to turn down any invitation from her to "ramp it up", and happy to suffer the ensuing teasing! |
@zikomo, "Discretion is the better part of valour". 
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| Scooter in Seattle wrote: |
| Judwin wrote: |
| A friend took his skis off and walked down the last Km through the trees. |
Thanks for giving me a good laugh to start my day; your friend sounds like a smart man.
Meanwhile, and I hope this isn't hijacking the post, is Wengen a chaotic, expensive place during the race, meaning don't bother? Or should I go once and put up with all that since the experience is worth it? I've been to WC races at Whistler and Lake Louise, but they aren't Wengen (or Kitz). (although home boy Rob Boyd won the Whistler race so the atmosphere was pretty special in its own way) |
The one week I skiied Wengen the contrast between the first half of the week & the second was noticeable in the village, with the circus turning up for downhill training Wednesday & Thursday, then the first of two downhill races on the Friday. The village had erected beer tents slope side & in the village center, which absorbed a lot of the extra bodies. I left Saturday, so missed the 2nd downhill & the Sunday slalom.
Chatting to Brits who appeared on the Wednesday there are quite a crowd who do Wednesday to Monday in Wegen then over for the racing in Kitzbhule.
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You know it makes sense.
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@under a new name, Bruce Willis made a movie about you! *
Yeah, diamond-hard egg cartons....forget that.
(*It was called Death Wish. BW owned a ski area for a short time, btw. Soldier Mtn, near Sun Valley ID)
Others...thx for input
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