 Poster: A snowHead
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Just focussing on hours on the slopes and miles covered, what is a ‘successful’ ski/snowboard trip to you?
Do you have a goal to hit when you go on a skiing trip, or is it more a case of going wherever your skis take you regardless of distance covered?
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It’s a question I was pondering when I returned from Italy at Christmas; a combination of crowds and queues, short runs and limited areas open, meant I maxxed out at 20 miles for a day. I was initially well happy with that – I felt like I’d had a busy(ish) days, albeit it with long lunches - but seeing as I’ve not done any extensive tracking of my slope time in the past, I have nothing to really benchmark against. I started seeing friends on Strava putting in 40-50 miles per day, so it did make me question if I should have a goal or not?
Is there a point where out-and-out mile-munching starts to detract from the sheer joy of being in the mountains, or is that the secret sauce – being able to skiing fast, covering distance AND still being able to appreciate where you are?
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 6-01-25 12:34; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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At what point does out-and-out mile-munching start to detract from the sheer joy of being in the mountains
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At the point where you click into your skis on Day 1
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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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@Specialman,
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At what point does out-and-out mile-munching start to detract from the sheer joy of being in the mountains
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Personally, from the moment I clip in. I couldn't care less how many miles I've covered
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Coming back injury free and having had fun on good snow counts as successful for me.
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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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Best going at a less busy time or to less popular areas if you're wanting to cover more km.
Crowds and queues do detract from enjoyment. You want some people around for a convivial atmosphere, but not too many! 
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I can't say I've ever measured how many miles I've covered and wouldn't really know. Its more about quality than quantity.
Having said that quieter slopes and few queues are definitely more appealing.
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Having said that quieter slopes and few queues are definitely more appealing
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+1. I don't need other people around for a "convivial atmosphere". Some of my most enjoyable skiing has been on virtually deserted runs, skiing straight on to lifts.
I always did feel relieved, clicking out of skis on the last day, to have survived with no worse than swollen knees! Like giving back a hired car having not hit anything!!
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I've never understood the Strava mentality or desperately trying to cover x miles or hit y speed. Obviously there are plenty who do enjoy this and like to compare against their previous stuff or others.
My goal is to have fun and improve as a skier, preferably returning without injury. I occasionally add in a little goal or turn on a tracker out of interest (e.g for finding out how long a run is or how much I'm doing in a day, but I never use it as a target to beat
For me setting a mileage target is more likely to detract from enjoyment for several reasons. Firstly, as mentioned in the OP, you get moody if there are queues. Secondly, it promotes carrying on even when you don't necessarily feel like it (either tired or just not enjoying the skiing). Thirdly, and most importantly, the joy of the mountains for me is sometimes to just stop and breathe while you enjoy the view.
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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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@Origen, one of the reasons I like to start later and finish later is you often get to enjoy a sunset while the pistes empty out. Alleghe is really good for that, grab a beer at the top just as they're closing and then ski down in the pink and orange glow
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@SnoodyMcFlude, perfect
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Specialman wrote: |
Is there a point where out-and-out mile-munching starts to detract from the sheer joy of being in the mountains, or is that the secret sauce – being able to skiing fast, covering distance AND still being able to appreciate where you are? |
There’s no secret sauce. Either you’re a mileage hungry, Strava posting person. Or you’re a smell the roses kind of person. For the former, stopping to take photo is an annoying distraction! For the latter, a tracking app is a distraction.
Now, you don’t have to be one or the other your whole life. Some people put on the photo-bug hat for one day, and the speed record hat another. Still, trying to do both on the same day is an invitation to frustration, aka “failure”! 
In short, every ski day is a “successful” ski day, just pick your own definition. But if you can’t help to feel inferior when comparing with other’s Strava record, God help you. 
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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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If comparing your stats against a previous trip is going to risk making you feel less happy about a trip, then I'd recommend not comparing your stats against a previous trip.
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| Lozza1uk wrote: |
| Coming back injury free and having had fun on good snow counts as successful for me. |
Pretty much this, but also feeling like I’ve made progress in my learning how to ski better.
I tend to slide back down to where I was over subsequent months, but feeling I’ve made improvements is important to me.
Good question.
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You know it makes sense.
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| SnoodyMcFlude wrote: |
@Origen, one of the reasons I like to start later and finish later is you often get to enjoy a sunset while the pistes empty out. Alleghe is really good for that, grab a beer at the top just as they're closing and then ski down in the pink and orange glow
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I like to start early to have uncrowded pistes, and finish when the crowds thin out. We don't do long lunches either, but do have regular breaks throughout the day, so ski from place to place take a leg break, then off again.
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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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As long as I feel I have made the best use of my time, then I am happy.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Easy - having fun
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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On a list of what makes a ski holiday successful for me - The speed, distance and number of hours I have been on the slopes would be at the very bottom. At the top of that list would be:
- The company I am with and the friends that I meet there for the first time
- The simple "Good for the soul" atmosphere of being in the mountains
- How well I ski is much more important than how far
- The weather and quality of snow
- The enjoyment of eating on the mountain; Apres ski drink with friends prior to going going back to accommodation; A tipple before bed by a log fire with good company, where we discuss the day and put the world to rights.
- Remaining injury free
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 6-01-25 14:23; edited 2 times in total
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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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Everyone is different but for me I enjoy smashing miles. No strava. No tracking. A few photos. Sometimes a vid. Quick pitstops and back to the piste.
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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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@Specialman, did you enjoy yourself?
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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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How well I ski is much more important than how far
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Yes, this too. So a few hours repeating stuff with a good instructor was worthwhile.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Specialman wrote: |
Just focussing on hours on the slopes and miles covered, what is a ‘successful’ ski/snowboard trip to you?
Do you have a goal to hit when you go on a skiing trip, or is it more a case of going wherever your skis take you regardless of distance covered?
------------------------
It’s a question I was pondering when I returned from Italy at Christmas; a combination of crowds and queues, short runs and limited areas open, meant I maxxed out at 20 miles for a day. I was initially well happy with that – I felt like I’d had a busy(ish) days, albeit it with long lunches - but seeing as I’ve not done any extensive tracking of my slope time in the past, I have nothing to really benchmark against. I started seeing friends on Strava putting in 40-50 miles per day, so it did make me question if I should have a goal or not?
Is there a point where out-and-out mile-munching starts to detract from the sheer joy of being in the mountains, or is that the secret sauce – being able to skiing fast, covering distance AND still being able to appreciate where you are? |
On your point re miles covered... I discovered last year that if you record your skiing directly through the Strava app then the distance also includes lifts. If you're recording on something like a Garmin which then imports into Strava, only the ski mileage is covered. I found this out when comparing my distances (Garmin) to friends' and wondering how on earth they had managed to go so far. Then one day my watch had no battery and I recorded directly onto Strava and found how they had covered so many miles! Because I'm a data geek, I did a proper test the next day and recoreded my skiing on both my watch and directly to Strava and found it was definitely the case!
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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
On a list of what makes a ski holiday successful for me - The speed, distance and number of hours I have been on the slopes would be at the very bottom. At the top of that list would be:
- The company I am with and the friends that I meet there for the first time
- The simple "Good for the soul" atmosphere of being in the mountains
- How well I ski is much more important than how far
- The weather and quality of snow
- The enjoyment of eating on the mountain; Apres ski drink with friends prior to going going back to accommodation; A tipple before bed by a log fire with good company, where we discuss the day and put the world to rights.
- Remaining injury free |
This totally sums up a successful skiing holiday for me. Coupled with logging in here on the day you get back to look for inspiration for the next time, and wondering whether the ski stuff needs to go back into the loft already or whether it's worth leaving it out... just in case...
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@WoottonBecs, NO WAY!!! that's something I didn't know. I record using my Garmin watch as opposed to the iPhone Strava app (like I do when cycling) and just looked at a mate's ski trip who record on his phone and yep, all the lifts are included too. Doesn't make feel as lazy now LOL
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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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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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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
On a list of what makes a ski holiday successful for me - The speed, distance and number of hours I have been on the slopes would be at the very bottom. At the top of that list would be:
- The company I am with and the friends that I meet there for the first time
- The simple "Good for the soul" atmosphere of being in the mountains
- How well I ski is much more important than how far
- The weather and quality of snow
- The enjoyment of eating on the mountain; Apres ski drink with friends prior to going going back to accommodation; A tipple before bed by a log fire with good company, where we discuss the day and put the world to rights.
- Remaining injury free |
For me, the top of the list is the quality of the snow!
I do other sport trips, where company, scenery, food etc. are equally weighted highly. It’s a holiday after all. Not a work day. So none of the “stat” would come into the equation.
But for skiing, good snow condition makes for the best part of … SKIING! How many miles and vertical feet covered is irrelevant. “Junk” miles don’t count!
Frankly, Strava is for wannabes. If anyone is any good, they’d be racing against the clock or a race course! Same day, same course, same snow condition, with gates, head to head… If they’re not good enough to join some kind of racing club, or pass the Euro test, they’re really just little fish in a pond full of shrimps playing it big. I.e., Strava is for posers.
As for how well I ski? There’re good days and not-so-good days, even bad days when nothing seem to work right.  But I’m not doing it for work, so there’s no pressure to “perform”. And I’m not even the least bit ashamed to say I’m as good as I possibly can be, however poorly I’m.  If I were any good, I would be doing it for pay. The fact I’m not, well, it’s a clear indication I’m really not that good. And I’m fine with it.
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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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So what's important to me? Good snow and plenty of sunshine (yes I know, but I'm a fair weather skier) beautiful views, congenial company, a comfortable bed, decent plumbing and good food (including on the mountain) and knowing that, mostly, I've skied as well as I can. If on an instruction week, good instruction, knowing that I've done my best and seeing signs of improvement. That'll do. Oh, and not causing annoyance to my fellow-skiers or injuring myself or others.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Mon 6-01-25 15:32; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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If I was a cyclist - which I am not - I would be much more interested in measuring my cycling performance, as it would be an aid to fitness (and thus keeping track of my metrics would be beneficial).
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@boarder2020, told you I wasn’t serious . 10,000km
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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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@abc, yeah, that seems to be the disconnect between cycling and snowsports (and I also equate this to gravity MTB). I like the thrill of going downhill on my road bike but I get more enjoyment knowing I got myself to the top of a hill through effort.
With snowsports and downhill MTB, that enjoyment just isn't the same and has to be derived through the very nature of throwing yourself down a hill, which seems a bit daft because anyone can go down a hill (it's just how graceful you look doing it I suppose), hence why I settled on distance being something that maybe means more in terms of stats.
On that last part, I know a guy who only rides Strava segments with the wind (to grab KOMs) and he gets his wife to meet him to drive him home. Not my thing unfortunately.
Anyway, cycling done - back to skiing.... 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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1 - Have fun / relax
2 - Come back in one piece (zero injuries to either yourself or others)
3 - Learn something new / improve if poss
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For me, in miles/slopes terms the answer is "It depends".
If it's good conditions, I'm with fellow advanced skiers, and we're just piste skiing then the more miles the better, with maybe not first lift/last lift but at least early lift/late lift.
But if it's spring skiing/brass monkeys/which way is down? conditions then it's limited by "Is this actually fun?" so the number of coffee stops goes up/lunch gets longer/someone says "Is it time for a beer yet?" then nobody cares about miles.
Or if it's a guided off piste week it's about where you go, not how far you go.
Or if it's a family week, well a happy family is much better than a hangry/over tired one.
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Yes, mountains are lovely and getting injured is to be avoided, but as an Escapadeur, I really like to see big numbers, ideally while colouring in the map as @v1cky24 puts it (piling up km lapping the same route doesn't have much appeal). But the Escapade is a bit much: 40km+ downhill and 6k+ of vert, where I've gone a fair distance as the crow flies, make feel like I've gotten VfM for the lift pass on a typical day with a moderately leisurely lunch. I'm also a bit of an OCD completist and will often insist on taking every lift in a valley or making my way to the further possible point, just to see what's there.
When I'm trying to learn something new, like, erm, snowboarding, success is more of an aesthetic thing.
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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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@Specialman, a friend of mine has a weathervane for this reason
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| Specialman wrote: |
| Anyway, cycling done - back to skiing.... |
Though I don’t do Strava, I do measure how many miles I bike on each outing. And as I ‘enjoy’ climbing up under my own power, I count my verticals on bike rides too.
Further, even speed has meanings while on bike, again because we had to work against the air resistance any time we are over 10mph.
The whole reason we get such a kick out of cycling, and the suffering of climbing up steep grades, is because it’s a “on” switch to our body’s endorphin engine. The harder we work, the longer we stay in that zone, the more endorphin we get! Happy (and healthy) drug addicts we are! 
Downhill mountain biking and downhill skiing are more about the thrill of dodging obstacles. It’s a different kind of drug we’re telling our body to generate. The faster we ski/bike, the more adrenaline the body generates! Again, happy albeit slightly less healthy drug addicts we are!
To replicate the cycling experience on snow, you need to do cross country skiing! There, miles DO matter, vertical meter too.
Happy drug addicts we all are!
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FAQ
guessing you mean 10k km?