Why did you join the SCGB?

A snowHead

Whether or not the SC (exGB) is indulging in a spot of navel gazing, many seem to be doing it for them and asking serious questions about the purpose of the organisation.

It has even been suggested (conspiracy theory?) that the SC does not actually wish to increase its membership base, despite apparent efforts to the contrary.

I joined because I wanted to go on one of their holidays and you had to be a member to do so. I have subsequently been on several holidays and use their insurance deal. I read the magazine because I get it and I'm pleased to not buy the alternative.

However, I understand that there are about 27,000 members. I don't believe that there are 27,000 holiday places each year, and, although I don't know the figure, I doubt that that many ski with a rep on a regular basis. So why did those 27,000 join? Why did YOU join?

A snowHead

I joined with the intention of maybe going on one of their holidays, maybe using their chat and slightly out of a sense of guilt at using the snow reports. The final kicker was the insurance.

Will probably stay in for a year or two and see whats what.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I joined after I met a rep on a ski lift in La Plagne a few years ago. I spent a day or two tagging along and thought that the half price intro offer seemed good value (at the time). Since then I have spent several days on the reps guiding and bought a few items here and there to qualify for the odd discount but I dont consider the insurance is that competitive with other providers. I felt a bit hacked off with the forum fiasco back in Feb and vowed not to continue being a member. I cancelled the DD a few months ago but received a info pack recently. I think my membership is due in October so I e-mailed them this week (from their web site) notifying them I wanted to quit but it did'nt get to them for some reason. Does anyone know if you are obliged to notify them?

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Colin Vince, they'll notice when they can't collect the direct debit.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Dan, I realise so I am not too bothered either way. Since my previous post I noticed on another thread that they dont respond much anyway (not really surprised about that). I just wondered if they had a rule about cancellation.

You'll need to Register first of course.

OK I'm the first to plead guilty when it comes to thread drift Embarassed

but I would not wish to see this one go down the "knocking SCGB" road. I'm just looking for positive reasons as to why folk join snowHead

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I joined in 1962 (no, not 1912) to take a bronze SCGB ski test, because it was a tougher test than the Swiss bronze and the badge was larger. The membership price was not an issue, because my Dad paid it!

I recall reading the Club's then magazine, which had the great title of 'Ski Notes and Queries' and contained all sorts of interesting and eccentric things. At that time masses of Brits used to ski in Switzerland, rather than France. The magazine was replaced by the bizarrely titled 'Ski Survey' in 1971.

Publishing is the constant thread in the Club's history since it first published a yearbook in 1905. So the publishing activities of the Club are the things to keep an eye on.

After all it is free

I dont really know why i joined but i have been a member for a good few years and always get discounts on my Winter trips through my membership..

I joined because of the old open forum, having been led to the website by the snow reports and historical snow information.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

OK I'll be honest here. We were wandering round one of the Ski Shows a few years back and happened to drift aimlessly past the SCGB stand. We got to talking (or as I remember M. Coins got to talking to a very nice young lady rolling eyes

) and he liked the watch they were giving away as a freebie if you joined. That, together with adding up the discounts we would save against the cost of a joint membership, sold it Very Happy

.

It was only when coming back from La Plagne in Jan this year whilst trying to get a snow fix whilst living in London that I stumbled onto the SCGB forum pages, only for them to be taken away - but that's a different story....

Anyway, the only reason for us was purely financial - it's like one of those discount clubs where you pay a yearly subscription and you get a cheaper rate in hotels or at restaurants. And we're still deciding whether to keep up our membership, but just because it saves us money.

We don't go on the SCGB holidays, M. Coins has been skiing with the rep during 1 weeks' hols but to be honest I'm probably only good enough to go with them on one of their slower days. And you're very restricted as to which resorts to go to.

Will we stay with them? Who knows, but I'm afraid I have no sense of loyalty or belonging such as I do with snowHeads

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Alan, I'm going to be lazy here and just basically cut and paste what I wrote in another related thread (with some editing). By the way, despite the location noted, I've just moved back to Cardiff (I'm still in denial!) so will have to pop down to the dry slope and say hello - not the same as driving down the road to Alpe d'Huez though Sad

I joined several years ago after having a free ski day with a Ski Club of GB rep in Avoriaz. We all (myself and 3 friends) had an awesome day, and I was certainly NOT a good skier at the time. Up until then I had a very negative view of the Sk Club as a bunch of aloof Hooray Henrys - the rep we skied with couln't have be been more different to this stereotype. As a consequence I decided to join the club once I returned home (so stupidly missing out on the 2 for 1 deal!).

I found the website a great source for information, particularly for resort info and snow reports; and the staff were always very helpful and friendly whenever I phoned for information I started skiing a lot more with other reps each time I went on holiday, and as my skiing imporved making use of the guiding days in conjunction with qualified guides organised by the Ski Club Rep. Meeting other members on and off the slopes was also great. I also did one of their instruction holidays in Verbier with the great Warren Smith - awesome!

After doing this for a few years I plucked up the courage and did the reps course last season. I repped for 3 weeks last year and loved it and intend to do so again this coming season.

As for the open forum, personally I think it was a bad idea to close it and the way it was communicated was not good; though I think this is now recognised by those at the Ski Cub. I would like to see a open forum, however Snowheads now exists so is there any point? I'd also like to see a link on the SCGB site to Snowheads - there's room for both. We all love skiing, so let's be friends. I've had the pleasure to ski with Snowheads as well as Ski Club members.

snow reports

Red Dave, be good to see you at the slope - and you can advise me on how one gets to live in Grenoble! snowHead

I'll be completely honest i joined because i missed the forum and after stumping up £50 i found it had died Crying or Very sad

but i think it was worth the money just to hear about this place although i must say i was given a very warm welcome by the members and the discounts may cover the costs hopefully more people will join and it'll get back to being like it was looks good here though so thankyou to alan and david and a few others who recomended this site
Best regards Steve

You know it makes sense.

Well better late than never Steve - welcome to snowHeads

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

It would seem that the main reasons that people join are:
1. To use the reps in resort
2. To get the discounts
3. To go on a SCGB holiday
4. To use the forum.

I would be interesting to note if there were other reasons apart from those that I have listed.

I was a member for a few years when I could take advantage of the discounts and partly to use the reps. If in the future Easyjet/Ryanair start giving discounts, I may rejoin.

A snowHead

I haven't joined because 1 and 3 don't appeal, and I can't get enough information to find out if 2 is worthwhile. But I know that I've sounded negative about the Club on other threads (almost entirely tongue-in-cheek, I hasten to add

), so now's the time to chuck in a positive idea or two.

David's comment about publishing is the hook that would grab me if it were strong enough. I'm an informationholic and it's very difficult to get unbiased data about the ski industry. I'd actually be willing to pay for some of the free information that SCGB provides, such as historic snow reports - but, hey, it's free! And if the Club allowed you to talk to the reps while you were planning your holiday, rather than skiing with them when you get there, then I might be sold on joining.

A snowHead

We joined because we were going to Saas Fee and thought it would be good to ski with the Rep - my conscience said we should join before using the service Little Angel

, so I phoned up and joined after explaining why.

Got there, skied with the Rep and had a brilliant time, but obviously discovered that if I hadn't been "good" and joined in advance we could have got 2 years for the price of 1 - Hmmm... they must have forgotten to mention that to me Confused

!

That said we've renewed, skied with other Reps, made good use of the discounts in UK shops and artificial slopes, and the magazine is usually a good read. However after a particularly bad "Rep experience Shocked

" this year we will think carefully before paying again.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Alan, I'll certainly pop along some time and would be glad to share any information about how one gets to live in Grenoble. However since I'm now back in the UK (not through my own choice), that advice may not be so good!

There is a wealth of information on the site, particularly the (Reps') snow reports and historic snow information; as well as the exhaustive resort information from the 'Good Ski and Snowboard Guide'. And there's also the information service avaialble by phone or email - could be usefull for you Jonny for planning a holiday. Having lived in Grenoble,and repped in Flaine, I can give you a fair bit of information on Alpe d'Huez and Flaine (feel free to PM me, or post a note here). Of course there are a lot of other people here with plenty of info on resorts, including many that live in or around the Alps (PG spring to mind immediately, but there are plenty of others).

The discount thing was not really a consideration for me, though I have easily paid for each years' membership fee through discounts.

Sarah, sorry to hear you've had a bad Rep experience.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

I joined mainly for the information it gives out, and like Red Dave the discounts have paid for the membership costs for the last couple of years.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I joined because of ther memebers discounts , I got a good discount on my ski holiday (much better than the 5% offered by Ski SOlutions now, I think there was a dedicated phone no for THomas Cook then) . However I can get all these elsewhere now, and no longer use travel agents, so I'm not renewing this time.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Thanks everyone who's replied so far. Overall I'm getting the impression that people see the SC as not so much a "Club", more perhaps as something like the "AA" of skiing. Is that a reasonable comparison to make? The only major difference as I see it would be the reps activities. Funding for these must come from the bulk of "renewals" such as my own - I pay every year but do not use the holiday or reps service every year. I do use the insurance and I read the mag and the website, but are those worth £50 or so a year to me? At least with my AA subscription there is an "emergency service" to get me out of trouble even if I never have to use it. I can't think of an SC equivalent to that.
So my subs pay for reps and infrastructure even in years when I don't use them. What an altruistic guy I am Little Angel

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

You've got it, Alan. And this situation is unlikely to change with reps holding political sway within the organisation.

It's not a unique situation. 'Special interest groups' can steer political bodies, viz. the oil industry 'reps' within the Bush regime, or the trades unions 'reps' within Old Labour.

It's best that clubs, political parties and other electoral bodies remain true to the interests of all members.

After all it is free

Alan, I'm not sure I would agree wit the AA analogy personally. I make not have stated it overtly, but I do see it as a 'Club' that is worth being a member of. Yes my primary concern has been the reps - I've skiied with many reps over the years and many members, and count a fair few as friends now.

David, although I agree with your calls for more openess in the running of the club (particulary with regards to publishing of Council minutes, and getting items onto the AGM), I'm not sure I agree totally about reps holding political sway. Certainly not true in my case - I'd rather be out skiing with other members than sitting in smoke filled rooms

Every other club i've ever been a member of and its a fair few has offered a copy of the council meeting minutes if requested surely this isnt too much to ask as its our money that keeps thier butts skiing every year hate to think i'm paying for gerry to ski jesus

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

True PG but in every thread i've read both here and at SC he seems to argue and stick to the company line no matter what when all people are trying to do is give opinions on how it could be made better

snow reports

it does seem to be just gerry or the company think differently than the other members though and all his replies seem argumentative eg quite a few replies to david over on sc

You know it makes sense.

Have to agree with you there bootneck! I'm afraid you have to read it to believe it PG

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Cathy Coins, I'm only interested in how debate is conducted on snowHeads! By keeping it constructive the exchanges are far more interesting.

A snowHead

Too true PG

A snowHead

... not forgetting, as I Saques hints in a nearby thread.... legal!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Red Dave, I've been thinking a bit more about my AA analogy and maybe there is a "service" comparable in some ways - say I was in a repped resort on my own but wanted to ski with others. Meeting up with the reps groups would be a way to do it and might even make me feel that I was actually a member of this "Club", an entity which otherwise is quite remote as far as I'm concerned.

You will say I'm stating the obvious but I've never really considered that as a potential benefit of membership, having never been unlucky? enough to have to go skiing on my own! When with friends (including other club members) I've either been in non-repped places or have never felt a desire to seek out the rep.

The Club Holidays mabe slightly different in that I've always thought that the price included the cost of sending the accompanying rep(s), so one is effectively paying for a "tour guide" at the time. Is that the case or does the cost of their trip come out of general club funds or do they, even, pay for it themselves?

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Alan, I think you've made some good points there. I've often been away with friends and the group has been very mixed, so on the odd day myself (and sometimes others) have peeled off to join the rep for the day; particularly if there is a guided off-piste day - here I mean one where the rep organises a qualified local Mountain Guide. I spoken to a lot of members who do this.

When I 1st moved to Grenoble (December 2nd 2002

), I didn't know anyone but I was determined to ski as much as possible. Although I'm happy to ski on my own now and again, it was more fun to find the rep and ski with a group, even if the level was a little lower than I would normally ski to (thinking of Sundays in particular). I've spoken to many members who will ski with a rep on the 1st 2 or 3 days, then peel off on the more difficult days and ski together.

If I couldn't persaude any friends to go on holiday with me now, I would just book a holiday then meet up with a rep and other members to ski all week; or go off on my own depending how I felt. A good service I believe.

On the holidays front, I really don't know. I assume the cost comes from the holiday; I don't think it paid for by the rep, though I do know the rep doesn't get paid (thinking of another related thread).

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I joined for the holiday discount - saved £200 for 2005.

You'll need to Register first of course.

I joined for the chat forum, and then discovered there was nobody there anymore as everyone is here!(Hello Alan!) I like the magazine you get though!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Hi Helena, and a warm but snowy welcome to

snowHeads

After all it is free

Helena, welcome to snowHeads

Holidaying on my own in St. Anton and still quite a novice skier. It was low season January with only 5 people in a 14 person chalet, one of whom was a SCGB member & suggested I went skiing with the Rep. In fact there were 2 reps as next weeks was out a week early to learn the area, and there were 17 of us sking together.

They skied the socks off me. My thighs were red hot burning. I had a big silly grin and I had drinking partners for the rest of the week.

As the saying goes: I never looked back...

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

You know, I can't remember why I joined. I had just discovered skiing and as truly smitten: I think it was a combination of thinking a club would be quite useful, the mag was quite interesting, and discounts were possible. No forum then. The discounts have covered the membership each year. The mag has gone all glossy and formal (not to my liking). And just when I discovered the forum it suffered a global disaster that wiped out most of the residents. I stay for the discounts.

Help!!

Why did you join the SCGB?

snowHeads Forum Index >>> Ski Club of Great Britain