 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Hoppo,Honda Kitty, oi!!
I'm sweet as...............
it must be all this perfume 
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Honda Kitty, My 1st ever ski holiday was on my own. It was to Zell am Ziller in Austria, in a very nice hotel and as luck had it, my dining companions were also 1st time skiers and we were all in the same beginners class. Since then I have been away for a week alone (no lessons so no companions) and the odd day on my own even when I've been with a group. I like it - no waiting around, stopping when I like, NOT stopping if I don't want to, lunch and breaks as and when. I think lone ski-ing can be great. Nice to have someone to meet up with at the end of the day though! 
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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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Madaboutsnow, That's exactly it - I couldn't do the hotel thing & sit in my room alone each night - I really liked the randomnness of the 'chalet guest lottery' game - I'll definitely be doing at least one week like that next season.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I suppose another advantage there Honda Kitty is if you don't like anyone else you're in with you can just pretend to be strange and have them all ignore you 
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FenlandSkier, Petal, not possible, love me or loathe me...... it's hard to ignore me
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Ive never been away by myself, but i have skied by myself for a few days. I quite like the freedom, as most people have already said, but sometimes i did get a bit bored. Its nice to complete a tricky black and talk about your journey down it with the people your skiing with! Its also quite fun to have a laugh at the person thats fallen over (if its not me !
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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 very often head off for a day by myself, I find it easier to concentrate on my skiing technique (or lack of). On my early trip this year the other 11 people were newer to the sport than myself so I used to take a few runs with some of them and then do my own thing until the lunchtime meet up. But then again, you can't laugh at each other when you fall over by doing that 
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I went away on my own for a month....was working the 1st week, so skied on my own during the day, but had lots of people around of an evening. The 2nd week I pottered around on my own...often met up and did a couple of runs with some random person. The 3rd week I spent with some mates, and the 4th was with a group of internet wierdos.
Great fun
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I always ski on my own normally cos none of my family and friends ski... I really enjoy it because of the freedom and escapism from the usual nags and stresses of parents - mum can't get me if I'm several thousand feet out of the valley!! I like the peace and the independence, I love being independant. However when I skied at the PSB I thought it was good to ski with others because they are there if you need help and trying to follow them makes you push yourself. (Ise persuading me to ski on this off piste bit past crevasses  )
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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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i love skiing on my own. I can ski at my pace and go where I want, but I worry about all these MP3 players - it's terribly dangerous on the mountain not to be able to hear the people behind you - save them for the lifts.
I skied our mountain literally alone on 08/05/05 a week after closing and it was great - no-one else at all on the mountain! My solo ski at the EOSB was rather spoilt by fog though! 
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I've only ever skied on my own for one day on the last day of the EoSB ~ I had got up late with a bit of a hangover and decided I'd just go and potter about for a bit on a few blues, then I decided I'd be OK on the red from the Peclet gondola because I'd done it before several times. When I got up there it was a complete white-out but there were a few other people about. I got half way down and saw the sign off to the Glacier black run and remember having a long debate with myself about doing it.
'Not on your own in a white out, very stupid'
"Yes, but I bet you could do it if you wanted to - you'll regret it if you don't"
'You'll bloody regret it if you do'
That kind of thing.
I must have looked a complete spod to the lifty as in my indecision I managed to get my skis either side of the barrier and had to disentangle myself before deciding I would do it after all. He was probably calling the blood wagon before I even set off 
It was an amazing experience - the chair lift was a rickety old one and was just going through cloud so I couldn't see anything or anyone else. At the top there were a few people standing about and inspecting but I hate doing that as it just puts me off, so I just went for it. I couldn't see the next piste marker because it was so foggy. It was fantastic! One of those really vivid memories that stay with you.
Have to say though, I'd still mainly prefer to be in a group - the laughs and social side of skiing is what really makes it for me and I think you mainly get that in a group.
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You know it makes sense.
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| SkiBod wrote: |
| I must have looked a complete spod to the lifty |
No sarcastic comment from him? My experience on the same lift (not in a whiteout):
| Alastair wrote: |
Managed my best cockup of getting onto a chairlift this afternoon - caught my ski tips in the snow and all three people on the chair were ejected. The Frenchman behind said "Merci pour le spectacle". The unimpressed liftie just said "You know it's a black run up there, do you?"  |
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Alastair, Exactly the same thing happened to Medders, RichardB and Myself at that rickety 3 man. One of the other 2 caught a tip, I hung on for dear life and pushed the other 2 off as they were starting to worry me and then walloped RichardB in the head with my ski. All the more ironic as RichardB was having a skibod moment before getting on, and it was his first ever black. I found it very funny. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Frosty the Snowman, I remember that, the rest of us were stood waiting at the top wondering where you'd got to.
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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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Frosty the Snowman, glad I'm not the only person! Still don't know quite how I did it.
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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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ive boarded alone quite a bit, but never gone on the holiday solo.. i thinki'd get a bit bored.. meeting new people is ok but nothing beats a trip with the lads or watching family or frds getting the hang of it..
the biggest downside to soloing is if you pull off something special there is no one there to see it.. my biggest crash had two witnesses, you kind of feel the pain is worth it as the story is retold and exxagerated over beers.. the same with your fist jump or when you pull some hi G turns in powder.. its the stuff you talk about all summer till your next fix, and much more fun if someone who saw it can tell the story..
as with most things.. its not how good you are but how good you look .. well unless your a surgeon or something...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I skied alone this last season as we had out little one with us so we'd take turns to play with him whilst the other skied etc. Again was good to focus on yourslef for a while but the chairs can be a bit lonely, especially in bad weather. You do tend to hammer about though, I did a complete circuit of the Espace Diamont area in about 3 hours including a looooooong section of poling in slush but at least i wasn't worried about when i wanted to stop, how many pictures i wanted to take etc and you can hone your skills a little too (well what's left of them anyway).
I do still prefer to ski with others but alone has its advantages too - oh and no music, strangely the sound of nothing but squeaky snow, wind rushing by and happy voices does it for me much more than an ipod (I do that commuting in and out of the office when I have to travel....)
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When I ski on my own, I've learn't not to bother to make contact when I hear English voices. Most of the time a greeting has been met with a suspicious look of 'why are you talking to me?' or 'what are you after?'
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I try to ski on my own but all these other people keep finding their way onto the pistes.
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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 ski about 3 weeks each year, two with a friend(s), and one with my wife and kids. The wife and kids week usually means that I end up skiing off on my own, rushing back to pay for Lunch, skiing on my own for a couple of hours, then drifting back after the last lift has closed.
Admitidly I was a bit worried initally that, my own company all day everyday might push me over the edge. However I found that being on your own is great, Consider;
1) your own decisions.
2) don't have to worry about friends being able to keep up or wether they can handel the slopes trees jumps etc.
3) Stop when you like.
4) no need for tedious chat with the same person on llifts time and time again.
5) no need for tedious chat with the same person over breakfast/diner/lunch.
6) no waiting.
7) Usually meet new people to ski with (old and young), this has proved to be great fun.
Bob
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What an anti social and selfish bunch you lot are.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Kramer, ever since you helped me ski my first black run, people tend to look up to you as an expert!
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Cymru am Byth, I suspect we have more in common than either of us would wish 
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Poster: A snowHead
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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 have never booked a holiday and went skiing on my own, but I have went up the pistes a few times alone for a fast run.
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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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TalkSki.com, I don't consider getting in a sneaky run as skiing alone. Usually it's still within the group dynamic, such as getting a quick run instead of a toilet break, or another quicky while the others have a more leisurely lunch.
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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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My very first ski trip was on my own. It was in 1990 and I was supposed to be going with a mate from the UK (I was in the RAF based in Germany) but he let me down the week before. Christmas week in Mayrhofen. I had myself booked in for ski lessons in the mornings and spent the afternoons wizzing around practising my new found skills. I met up with loads of different people throughout the week, mainly British with a few Aussies mixed in.
I spent a cracking couple of nights drinking in the Scotland Yard pub and a few more in the Sport Hotel with a couple of girls and a guy that were staying there.
Didn't have to worry about anyone else but myself. How I long for that sort of freedom. Unfortunately with mrs stocky and stocky jnrs 1+2 I can't see that happening till I do my BASI course next season.
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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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I've often turned up a day earlier than the others, going out by train, and skied a great day on my own, doing a little of the safer off-piste ( in sight of the pistes and under lifts etc), but even then I've often picked up a companion on a lift. Last time I only did one run on my own and then skied with, at first two girls (about half my age) and then, on harder off-piste, with just one of them who was the much better skier, doing small drop-offs etc
In the past I've also done week-ends in Scotland like that.
Skiing generally 80% or 90% off piste I need to ski with others and much of the time with guides. But most of the time I anyway like, and prefer, skiing with others of a similar standard - sharing their and my experience, while still skiing for myself. If they badly hold you up that's a different matter, but at 57 I can often do with a breather - without having to admit it!
However the odd day alone does give a kind of feeling of freedom. Skiing with others and with guides gives a different kind of freedom - that of skiing things I might otherwise never ski and often wouldn't dare ski alone - except very, very rarely, knowing I'm taking a chance and sweeping down a slope far from anyone, alone with the mountain - moments of heightened awareness, and heightened awareness of the mountains.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Yep - I don't do it often and I only do it when conditions are optimal, but skiing an interesting off-piste route alone is one of the most rewarding things you can do IMO
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I've done plenty of solo skiing & lots with other people. The best I found is the sort of skiing you get to do as a seasonnaire - go out with a few people, head off on your own when the fancy takes you, meet up with other people you know casually a bit later. Its a bit hard to do this unless you've travelled in a big group.
I find skiing in a group of more than 3 or 4 difficult unless they are all "no stop" skiers. There will generally be someone held back and someone a bit too pushed when there's more than 4.
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| fatbob wrote: |
| There will generally be someone held back and someone a bit too pushed when there's more than 4. |
Yes, that's the advantage of making up a regular group of skiers of the same standard and arranging a like-minded guide yourselves (there aren't so many, I find). Then 5 or even 6 can be fine. Though some guides will only ski the steepest slopes with 3 clients, but that gets expensive.
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