 Poster: A snowHead
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When I go skiing for a week I generally go with the view that my time here is limited and I came to ski not bum.
I have a big breakfast, porridge fruit chocolate and eggs and then ski all day until 5.30 eating snacks like nuts and dried fruit on the slopes with drinks being obtained from a sugary syrup in the trusty camelpak.
I notice that many people see skiing as a relaxing stroll around the mountains intermixed with numerous breaks.
At the end of the day a holiday is about enjoying oneself, but I was just wondering what the norm was for Snowheads?
I would though promote the benefits of going at it solid for your whole ski holiday as this just leaves your body feeling super bionic!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ski until you are crying from exhaustion, however odd stop for booze allowed.
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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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plectrum, am with you. For most of us, time is short in the mountains, depends if you go for the 'holiday' idea or the skiing, each to their own.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I guess the other issue is $$ stopping for 2-3 coffees a day and a nice lunch costs a fortune!
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Depends how much time you get to spend in the mountains each season I guess. Personally I have lots of breaks for coffee, beer and socialising. Skiing for me is about enjoying the whole mountain experience, not just racking-up vertical metres, but I know that some will differ from this view.
Lots of popular resorts are completely lacking in alpine charm and atmosphere, but are nevertheless very successful, so there must be a large proportion of skiers who fall into the 'ski till you drop' category.
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Agenterre I'm just hoping medical science will fix all my aching joints when I'm older!
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I'm like Telford Mike - its a holiday and although i love boarding - I also like stopping for a coffee or a vin chaud...
A spot of lunch is essential also... especially if the sun is shining and there are some good tables outside!
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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 use to ski from first lift to last lift but then............
I discovered snowHeads, realised I should ski at least 4 weeks a season..........
and then realised I needed my own appartment in a ski resort.................. 
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9-9.30am lift up, 20 mins choccy stop in the morning, a proper lunch on the mountain, choccy stop in the afternoon 20 mins finish when the lifts cold. Often have an easier day once during the week to let the knees recover.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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OK who's going to admit to having a day off every now and then too  Very nice to go walking / sightseeing or popping off to see a nearby resort.
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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 do admit to getting a little bit twitchy sometimes when it's suggested that we stop for the nth time without seemingly having done very much. I was lucky for most of my holiday, because I was really well-matched to another member of the group, whom I had never met before. We were of the ski till we really need a break mentality, but when some of the others came on board later in the week, we were stopping for loo stops, stopping for aching boot stops, stopping for chickening-out-at-the-top-of-runs stops etc. etc. and it was driving me demented. I really love the way my body feels after I've skied hard, and all this fannying around does nothing for me.
But I treat my weekend breaks slightly differently - yes, skiing is essential to the proceedings, but so is just time spent with friends, soaking up the sun, lunch at a fab mountain restaurant and really enjoying the whole chilling-out thing. It becomes a case of 'Fri-Sun, Cheshire v. the Alps, where would I rather be' instead of 'I booked this holiday a year ago, I've got targets to beat, and a skipass to get my money's worth out of'.
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Depends who I'm with.
On proper ski trips I'll stop for 15/20mins at lunch for soup and sarnies and have snacks on the move.
With the family, we have to stop more often for rests/hot choc and have a longer lunch to allow recovery.
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You know it makes sense.
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| plectrum wrote: |
| Agenterre I'm just hoping medical science will fix all my aching joints when I'm older! |
Interesting thought but I've found the medical profession less inclined to operate/administer injections now than they were 10-30 years ago; I've found they are more inclined to let 'the body' takes its' own course. They may just have given up on me though 
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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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9.30 catch lift and ski til about 12.30
12.30 - 1.30 lunch
1.30 - 4.30 ski
Occasionally there may be a drink stop in between those times, dependent on weather and who we are skiing with etc. I don't touch alchohol until I've finished skiing or I am just a few minutes from the bottom on the last run down.
We now have a camelback, so don't buy drinks just the meal, and as I like to eat regularly I might eat some chocolate on the lifts too. I do think eating in the moutain restaurants are part of the holiday experience but as we are usually skiing on a tight budget we are careful what we order.
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Poster: A snowHead
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For me it depends on how much beer i've had the night before!
Normally it's a good ski until 2pm ish, quick butty/chips/soup stop, then out again until last lifts.
However, if i'm feeling a little "tired" i may have any earlier and longer lunch...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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a good lunch is important no matter how brief my time. much as i adore skiing i love the mountains just as much so want some time in the day just sitting amongst them. i also value the social side of the ski experience and lunch is a big part of that. plus i need much more than a few nuts and a choccy bar to ski all day.
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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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| Agenterre wrote: |
| ...... I've found they are more inclined to let 'the body' takes its' own course. They may just have given up on me though |
Cheaper, and they are less likely to be sued. Mind you, I am with them a far as avoiding operations if possible.
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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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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| 9-9.30am lift up, 20 mins choccy stop in the morning, a proper lunch on the mountain, choccy stop in the afternoon 20 mins finish when the lifts cold. Often have an easier day once during the week to let the knees recover. |
Looks reasonale to me - hope to go skiing with you
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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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achilles, Do you fancy a week starting 21st April, somewhere with good snow, fairly high perhaps
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Early start. I don't do coffee stops. Proper lunch. Ski pm till tiredness likely to cause injury. Might end up with a vin chaud / Glühwein on the mountain.
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plectrum, its a holiday im there to have fun not charge round the mountain eating the same diet as a squirell!
9:00 am Lift- board. 12:30 - Lunch 1:30 - board, 3pm Baileys break 4pm- lift down- apres!
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Some days I'm out at 8.30, normally around 9, depends on how late I went the previous night, first break is lunch. Even though I am very fit as I play competitive sport all year I think a lunch stop is important to recharge and revive my feet! Nearly always ski until the very last lift. Then depending on the resort a few apres ski drinks on the mountain.
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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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| plectrum wrote: |
| then ski all day until 5.30 eating snacks like nuts and dried fruit on the slopes |
You sound like squirrel nutkin - do you forage for these snacks or take them with you?
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Peter Ross, what sports do you do? </nosey>
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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There is no way I can ski all day without a break. I also think its dangerous to do so. The whole experience for me is stopping for a nice, long, delicious leisurely lunch.
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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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On a good day start about 9.00, ski till lunch, ........lunch.......... ski till about 3.30. Mr HL likes to have chocolate breaks, I'm not really bothered but am happy to sit and soak up the view. On a "tired" day I might not ski after lunch and just enjoy a beer or two. I am quite happy to sit on my own, stop when I want to, and I don't expect anyone to wait for me (except Mr HL who knows he must wait where runs intersect).
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I'm obviously getting older!
10 years ago - would ski all day from first lift to closing with snacks on lifts.
6 years ago - twins born, lack of sleep meant a lunch was appreciated and an earlier finish to go sledging with then
This Xmas - morning coffee was introduced as well as lunch!
I will however aim to get one "me" ski day when I will just ski until I drop
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You know it makes sense.
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I will confess to liking a day off here and there. I'm not as fit as I used to be, I have 2 boys who love throwing snowballs at Mummy and Daddy, I love to shop and I love to take in the atmosphere of the locals wherever I go . . . but like Boris and others, I do like to get at least one ski until I drop day.
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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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I think Marc t'Mosher has hit it on the head - it really does depend who you're with. Skiing alone, I will go and go and go until lactic acid demands a rest. With friends, choc-chaud stops and a good lunch, so that you can have a proper chat - not just an "eh?" on the chairlift. With family, your lactic acid demands are not the first to kick in, so more frequent stops are the order of the day.
As a ski holiday for me is also about absorbing the sunlight without being too hot and taking in the marvellous Alpine panorama, I can still achieve these objectives while at rest. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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laundryman, Gaelic Football, have even been to Croke Park (the stadium where the Ireland v England rugby match was played), but only as a sub!
I also cycle a good bit to get around Dublin (although not competitive!). Used to play soccer and ride horses (rode a Cheltenham winner, but not on race day as at 83 kilos I'm a bit heavy!) but no time to combine sports now.
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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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I like to start early, have a ten minute coffee stop, then stop for a late lunch, then ski till you drop or the lifts close. What really drives me up the wall is faffing at the stops though. The people who sit around for ten minutes, then when you've decided to go, decide that they need to use the toilets.
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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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Kramer, I know what you mean, a nightmare in a big group. I think you are better go out hard in the morning, get your endorphin rush and exhaust yourself and then you'll be happy to be with the go slows later!
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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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Depends on the conditions - I'm afraid I go for quality, not quantity.....if the conditions are good, I ski all day, if the conditions are bad, I tend to drift towards the bar or other holiday activites shortly after lunch....
Same as why ski the crap, icy black run when the green is in great nick?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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if its forecast for good weather ill start as early as poss.. ill be waiting for the lifts to start.. smash it up till 1.30/ 2 when all the afternoon lessons start n maybe have a break then.. perhaps do a few more runs at the end of the day then find a good boozer..
if the weather is toilet then it will depend totally on my mood/hangover/who im with
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I'm a 9 - 4:30 / 5:00 guy with an 3/4-1hr lunch break. The lads I went with a couple of weeks ago end up having coffe breaks and beer breaks a la Kramer's suggestion and I get the tetch on .. also they've started having 2 big beer lunches, so I go off and circle a few runs whilst waiting. Must be more relaxed about it, but then my snow time is valuable, I can drink eat anywhere anytime. Tetch over.
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We're first lift to last lift with strictly one short stop for lunch. I can't seem to make breakfast last all day, and need something to eat mid-day. But it is usually just a stop for a hot drink and sandwich. Occasionally we have extra breaks if the conditions are poor, but usually just 1/2 hour break for a sandwich. I can't be doing with lots of stops for coffee/beer, nor with stopping at 3pm.
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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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Nearly the worst days skiing I ever had was a day in l'alpe d'huez in '91. We arranged to meet with some Bull staffers at the Gare at Grenoble at 7am. 1h30 to drive to resort. Sweet, on the first DMC at 8h45 and we could avoid the crowds all day by staying high.
The Bull lot had invited some manager who was over for the weekend from Inmos in Brissol or somesuch. Anyway faff faff faff at the Gare with the manager. Then faff faff faff at the ticket office as his credit card didn't work, he didn't know how to queue, he didn't have any Francs, faff faff faff, should he take insurance or not? Then 9h15 on a fantastic day we finally thought everything was sorted when manager decided he needed a cooked breakfast then a dump faff faff faff with his one piece purple and blue Degree 7 ski suit and rear entry boots.
Finally at around 10am we were on the Macle chair, we had agreed to take something like the Herpie but I'd had enough, at the top we zigged and he zagged with a couple of other Bull staffers. Later we heard coffee break at 11am, 2nd dump at 12, lunch at 1, afternoon beer at 3. We finally saw them at 5pm. Only we then realised he hadn't been wearing suncream all day and the bottom part of his head looked like it had been stuck in a microwave - he'd been wearing a hat so had a completely white top - like some kind of weird easter egg... by Monday he had green pustules sprouting out of his cheeks. Nice.
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Lunch out is part of my holiday, which is one reason I was not keen on Whistler, as lunch was no more than a 'pit=stop'. But it depends on the conditions.
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FAQ
Having said that if I had started skiing in my teens or 20's I would have aspired to keep going all day as well..... body will not allow more than a couple of hours now.. 
