 Poster: A snowHead
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So, here we are, back from a week of fabulous weather in the Oberwalden area of Switzerland. Apart from a little mist that filled the area on Friday afternoon after about 3pm and stayed most of the night we have enjoyed crisp, still, sunny weather all week long. There was no new snow, but that which fell the week before stayed put all week long with the sub-zero temperatures enjoyed for most of the week. The pistes were quite hard with an icy quality to them with a top layer of powdery snow, which was fine in the morning, but which started to become brushed into heaps with increased used during the day, leaving patches with a more icy quality that it was best to avoid in the afternoon.
Successes and failures:
My daughter (aged eight) won the end of ski school race against a class of 13 – hurray!! And also completed the Queen blue level grade at ski school [Pride emoticon required]
My son (aged 5) completed his Prince blue grade of ski-school
Both children went out with my Swiss friends in the afternoon and are now happy to ride, the button, T-bar and Chair lifts and to zoom down red runs with the occasional stretch on a black to link them together – sheesh………….and there was me with a vague hope of staying with them in competence – you all told me I wouldn’t – you were all right!! 
Lidls ski socks, angora thermals, polar buff, and goggles were all perfectly serviceable and excellent value for money
My DIY boot volume reducers worked fine and I think made quite a difference.
I held the ski poles properly and found this method made a lot of sense when waiting in the lift queue if there was a bit of a slope. I still can't make a pole plant when trying to turn parallel though and in the finish the instructor that I stop trying to and things went much easier.
The Wave-Magics were much admired by my ski instructor (the boss of the mountain) (and waxed for free by him!!  ). I was told they were just the right length and width for me and he would expect them to do me for at least 5 years. They were good when the hard piste had a good even layer of snow on them, but I found in the afternoon when the loose snow was beginning to be moved and collect in heaps of varying thickness on the piste, that they didn’t take any prisoners and if I didn’t pick the right spot to turn the edge of the ski almost tripped me up when it caught in the heaped snow (this may have been the fact that I wasn’t going fast enough – or maybe it is common to all skis?). I did start to parallel turn and do think that I am now getting S shapes rather than Z shapes providing the slope is not too steep. If I had the confidence to wait for the turn to happen – and the concurrent speed increase, then they did seem to go quite nicely and I think on a gentle slope I now have them mastered. Though all told I fell down more often this holiday than any other!!
I rode the chair lift!!! It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be and I will probably be OK in VT  – Hurray. I still haven’t ridden a T lift, but I can live with this.
The chair lift led to a horrid blue  (I’m sure it was really red!!). As well as going down hill the slope also fell away to one side and was really quite steep (by my standards). I could be coaxed down it by my instructor and by my Swiss friends, but didn’t enjoy the experience. About 50% of the time I fell at least once on the way down and on Monday went down quite hard, twisted by left leg up at the hip/thigh area (the muscle on the outside of the thigh is still tender). I also jarred my jaw and knocked that rotten crown loose and by Wednesday it fell out, so now I’ll get that big dentists bill in the next few weeks!! I ended up having to snowplough most of it. The confidence I had on the first Saturday afternoon, when I skied as well I’d ever done down my easy familiar blue, vanished and I ended up snowploughing everything including my easy blue. By Thursday lunchtime my leg muscles were shot to bits and nothing was fun. Then on Thursday afternoon I had a reason to need to catch up with my son who was in the process of straight lining the easy blue – I unhooked from the button and roared after him without a second thought and from then didn’t look back, but I didn’t ski the horrid slope at the top of the chair again. (Videos to follow when rendered on the easy slope – I think I’ve been zooming down the easy slope, but DH doesn’t agree!! What I’m sure I’ve finally done down the easy slope though is to relax!! And I think this has made a big difference).
So all in all a holiday of successes and failures, and I’ll finish for the moment with a final line………..have a guess what I found on the shelf in the basement of the apartments where we go to change into our boots?
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sun 17-02-08 21:12; 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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Lord Lucan?
Lord Lucan's liftpass?
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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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Megamum, it wasn't your walking boots was 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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a snowhead sticker?
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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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A piste map of La Rosiere?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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A copy of 'Fly Fishing' by JR Hartley?
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A large X marking the spot?
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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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Megamum, sounds like you had a "proper ski experience" and have more to benchmark your future experiences against. glad you found your walking boots
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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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| Megamum wrote: |
| So all in all a holiday of successes and failures, and I’ll finish for the moment with a final line………..have a guess what I found on the shelf in the basement of the apartments where we go to change into our boots? |
An iphone ?
An all-expenses paid trip to a medical convention in Val d'Isere ?
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Megamum, Some of the boys and girls (mostly the boys) were a bit naughty while you were away.
I think they have calmed down now. They were probably just tired.
You might have to get them to play nicely if it happens again though.
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You know it makes sense.
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More, bits and bobs - I don't know whether I could do it as a stand alone exercise, but I have discovered that when necesssity presented itself I could do a reasonably serviceable side slip - both straight down and forwards. Also, I have been practising skating to get around on the flat with skis on with some degreee of success.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone in April too.
P.S. All donations to the Megamum dental fund gratefully appreciated!!
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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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Megamum, Glad you handled the Wave Magic's OK. Always a worry when you recommend a ski to someone. It's a shame I wont be at the EoSB to see you rip the pistes. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Megamum, well done. Just goes to show that sometimes, the less you think about it, the better. Brain out of gear, stick on some music, and go....
As for the Wave Magics, I am still in mourning for mine. Sent the heel piece off to Gavin Dunlop. Looking for replacements. If they weren't too good in the heaps of stuff on the piste towards the end of the day you can be sure that lighter, flimsier, skis would have been a lot worse. I found them very good for that - but you do need to ride them through the heaps.
there's usually a "bad day" somewhere in the middle of a week's skiing, when you feel you're going backwards, and nothing works. Sounds like you recovered well, though.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Megamum, cracking report - it's not a proper skiing holiday unless you knock a few knashers out 
Runs with a camber - side slope - are always so much more awkward. Skiing is like golf in that respect - and probably only in that respect.
Sounds like the conditions were toughish - I reckon your skis performed as well as anything would on hardpack.
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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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red 27, 'Camber' - that's the word........yes! the slope had camber - it fell away to the right as well as going downhill - I wasn't keen on the concept. My 'safety zone' slope has a more shallow slope and is square with no camber.
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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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Oh, yes.........and I have a why?
Why is it that the day that you manage to get your weight behind and do 20 foot on your backside on a powdery surface that its the only day of the holiday you forgot to do your snow skirt up? Brrrrrrrr
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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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Megamum, half a crown ? 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Megamum, but you skied it - albeit with a couple of tumbles... that's what it's all about -progress and 'pushing the envelope'as Kramer would say.
No pain, no Brain
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Megamum, glad the wave magics are back safe and sound. As pam w said about the heaps - it's true.
You're a proper skier now - any loss of tooth parts qualifies for that. Hope it's not too costly.
What DID you find 
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minx, Her walking boots.
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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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holidayloverxx, sorry - red wine clouding comprehension moment
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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minx, I'll bet you haven't had as much as me right now
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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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| Megamum wrote: |
| but I found in the afternoon when the loose snow was beginning to be moved and collect in heaps of varying thickness on the piste, that they didn’t take any prisoners and if I didn’t pick the right spot to turn the edge of the ski almost tripped me up when it caught in the heaped snow (this may have been the fact that I wasn’t going fast enough – or maybe it is common to all skis?). |
This is nothing to do with the skis IMHO, as you progress, and get both skis onto the edge, they will simply ski thru or over these kind of mounds. Or, as you correctly stated, you simply pick where to turn to avoid the mounds.
regards,
Greg
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Yes, as kitenski says, when you can carve your turns the heaps will be no problem (and may be where you prefer to turn). So long as you partly skid your turns the heaps will trip you.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Megamum, glad you had a good time and well done children, I bet they're really pleased
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Megamum, welcome back. Look back at how you skied at the beginning of last season and compare that to the end of this latest trip - and you will realise the amazing progress that you have made.
Chairs are great - time for a rest!
See you at the EOSB
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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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megamum - so where exactly did you go?
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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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Megamum, Am I correct in thinking you had a Lidl £8 ski helmet as well. I used my £8 ski helmet for the first time this year and found it very easy to wear .
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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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| rayscoops wrote: |
| megamum - so where exactly did you go? |
I think you know the answer to that  (Not Engelberg, but the same Canton).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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alex_heney, i did notice that on another thread Megamum referred to a black piste called 'the Wall', so if anyone knows or cares to find out .................. 
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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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Jo225, My tooth/crown has been an ongoing saga in 'Apres' - the crown is now shot to bits and the last re-stick a week before I left was a last ditch effort - next stop is an implant to the tune of £2K+ 
riverman, No I had a £14 one off the internet last year - its quite a good fit though - I did see the Lidl ones though and much preferred the style, but couldn't really justify another helmet and our Lidl only had the childrens ones anyway
Thanks for all your comments folks, I can't wait for April to meet lots of you - I'll post some video footage of my recent skiing when DH gets it rendered.
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rayscoops, We do actually know where it is.
The location of Resort X has been posted on Snowheads.
"The Wall" is run 8, called "Wand" (which translates as either Wall or Wound). There are 10 marked runs altogether, with 1 chairlift & 6 draglifts (two of which are very short).
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FAQ
