 Poster: A snowHead
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As I first switched on the channel 4 skiing this morning, I think it was where the England skiers were training in S America, one guy was using a 5-person Poma which looked a horrendous prospect to someone as inexperienced as me - the thought of everyone's disc flying sideways off at the end............. I'm sure it's not nearly as bad as I imagine 
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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 didn't see it, but it's almost certainly one of two 'Va et Vient' draglifts at Portillo, Chile.
One of them - the Roca Jack - serves the very steep run on which world speed skiing records used to be set.
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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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Yep. You need to be a pretty good skier to use the Roca Jack Va et Vient - the journey up at high speed is as exciting, if not more, than the descent. You come to a stop at the top, still on the incline, no flat area, you are then stationary (after letting the bar slide backwards to take up the slack/play/backlash) backwards on a 38degree (or thereabouts) incline.... you then need a co-ordinated dismount with your fellow skiers, one at a time from one end (or rather from the end furthest away from the supporting cable), a quick hop off and slide backwards (down 38deg) before turning your skis to a sideways stop.
They are also known as the slingshot, for obvious reasons.
The top mountings come off the rock with alarming regularity after an avalanche, and cables, pulleys need re-attaching by climbing up and hammering back in! The regular avalanches in the vicinity are the reason why conventional lift and chairs installations are totally unsuitable - the towers and pylons would just be destroyed all the time.
Definitely NOT for beginners, nor for intermediates. Advanced/Expert skiers only!
Tourists are always screwing up the lift, they try getting off too early, dismounting from the wrong end, twisting the cables etc.
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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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Mr m and I both looked at each other and exclaimed " NO WAY" when it was shown on the tellie this morning.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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so let nobody grumble about a bit of a steep and bumpy button lift, ever again!
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I think it was where the England skiers were training in S America
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 There's gonna be some mad scots along in a minute!
Did look like a mad lift though!
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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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looks a little tricky on a board...
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Zero, imposible I would say
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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or on five boards....
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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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we were thinking the same....and that was before you explained the dismount LOL
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You just need 4 other skiers, or boarders, that know what they are doing! 
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FAQ
) so I suppose he could cope.
"T-Bar-two" as they were know in L2A would make of it with three others on there too 
