| Is the best skiing found during bad weather? |
| Yes, I love skiing when noone else does. |
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47% |
[ 32 ] |
| I will ski in bad weather, but only because I only get six days a year. |
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[ 29 ] |
| Are you mad? In bad weather I curl up in front of a roaring log fire and wait it out. |
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4% |
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| I have more sense, and better things to be doing when the weather is bad. |
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5% |
[ 4 ] |
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| Voted : 57 |
| Total Votes : 68 |
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 Poster: A snowHead
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Yes, David, spring snow is luxury. Blizzards are more a case of "well, I've only got x days of skiing: I'm going to to find something good about blizzards, damn it!" I must confess, though, that I do, perversely, enjoy skiing porridge (Soupe, to the French)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Blizzards- forget it. Stay back at the chalet, build snowmen, build igloos, snowball fight (preferably outside), couple of beers and some party games.
Last yr, 1 blizzard day, 20 skied and 4 took morning off. 12 were back by 11am of which 2 were injured enough not to ski again for the remainiing 2 days (both knees). 4 back by 1pm. Other 4 came in buzzing at 5pm having had the biggest hoot of the holiday.
We worked it out that to enjoy those conditions you need lots of the following:
Fitness, Ability, Bottle. 2 out of the 3 did not suffice.
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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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Kramer, the only place you'll find me in a blizzard is the nearest bar/restuarant.
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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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Count me in with the "I love blizzards" group. Empty slopes, fresh snow, great fun.
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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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I've edited my first post to add a poll. We'll settle this dillemma once and for all. All snowheads must abide by the majority vote?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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David@traxvax, I should know with the amount of weeks I have under my belt, and I'm sure I've skied on it and very much enjoyed it, but what is ('scuse my ignorance)"spring snow?"
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Kramer, that's not unusual hereabouts! 
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Ken, spring snow is old snow that has melted and then refrozen . The snow crystals become ice flakes almost, when you ski it, your skis just sink through the crust and the ice crystals slide beneath your skis. Skiing on ball-bearings is probably the most appropriate similie,. Spring snow is found towards the end of the season usually, on south facing slopes after an overnight freeze. So an early start is essential because by lunchtime the slope is usually too slushy, that means that all the tracks disappear and you can go at again next morning, provided it's frozen. You will usually find spring snow on an avalanche prone slope, below the avalnche barriers in verbier is a great location.
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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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Intense blizzards in hard driving winds, where you cope not just with falling snow, but also spindrift snow coming at you in tiny icy shards, are very unpleasant things IMO. I wonder if we are talking about the same thing? I am grateful that I have rarely been caught in them. Part of mountain experience, but I certainly would not deliberately go out in one.
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Spring snow comes from repeated partial melting and refreezing. Each time the crystals get fewer and bigger. Early in the morning they will be all hard and stuck together in a crust. Then they melt apart near the surface but are on a firm, frozen base and are wonderfull to ski (this is spring snow). Then later still the depth and degree of melt becomes too much and you get a heavy snow. Off piste in particular, where the effect is more pronounced, the window for the best spring snow is quite narrow and the timing will vary with different orientations. A good guide will lead you from slope to slope getting the right moment on each.
Sun heated off-piste slopes on warm days should not be skied in the afternoon, since the upper crust of snow will lose its cohesion and may be undermined by free water, causing wet-avalanche danger. (Wet avalanches move slower than powder avalanches but are more deadly if they catch you).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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snowball,
| Quote: |
Then later still the depth and degree of melt becomes too much and you get a heavy snow
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You missed out the bit 'and then the boarders come down and churn it up so the following day is worthless as it is frozen gouges rather than a smooth surface' 
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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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T Bar, but to be totally fair, skiers are just as much to blame.
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ise, partly true but boarders are a bit more capable of skiing the heavier snow so probably do it more. As a skier I feel it is my duty to blame a boarder for every misfortune that befalls me 
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You know it makes sense.
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T Bar, not just a duty, an obgligation
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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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David@traxvax, you comments on spring snow absolutely right. But if there's no wind and it's dropping 50cm an hour, ooooh, I get quite excited. Sorry if I'm sad that way, but what else is Gore-tex for?
One lesson learned luckily from good experience i.e., I had awesome days, others didn't he he he... (as long as its safe) - it's always best to check out the conditions on hill and retire gracefully than bail in advance and hear just how good it was; for everyone else.
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Poster: A snowHead
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David Murdoch, you've probably hit the nail on the head there, it's just plain exciting when it's snowing, if I can get out in it I just have to 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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David, couldn't agree more, I can recall debating with a friend whether we should ski one more run on spring snow. It was in Verbier and we had to trek for 45 mins to get below the avalanche barriers. We decided not to, we'd done it twice that morning, it was getting late and the sun was warm. 20 mins later it avalanced exactly where we'd been skiing
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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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Well, so far, the Blizzard Perverts seem to be winning the vote.
Spring snow is great if you can find it, but usually means skiing with someone who knows the resort extremely well.
As for the definition of a blizzard, I guess what I mean is a snowstorm, and generally in a sheltered area below the treeline. I think that what David Murdoch says is correct, you have to force yourself to go and try it when the weather is bad, because otherwise you might end up missing out on a great days skiing.
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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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The more the better.
The harder the more enjoyable.
My favorite days skiing are when all you have to do is make sure to avoid the trees--there's snow everywhere else.
I love jumping on the lift and seeing my tracks filling in on the ride up.
Tomorrow?! When's the next blizzard??!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Kramer wrote: |
| As for the definition of a blizzard, I guess what I mean is a snowstorm, and generally in a sheltered area below the treeline. |
That's not the correct definition. What you describe just sounds like a good snowfall. A Blizzard is snow accompanied by strong winds I think gale force is the grade required (can anyone verify this?). Apart from the possibility of good snow to ski on, it will not be pleasant (or safe?) to be out in.
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A quick trawl through the web gives a consensus of wind speeds over 35mph though one site said as low as 40kph, along with temperatures below 10F (-12C). Of course many of these sites copy from the same source and none of them was English - by that definition England almost never suffers blizzards (not cold enough). Many sites said the storm should last at least 3 of 4 hours to qualify. One site pointed out you don't need falling snow - wind blow will do.
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Thanks for the spring snow definition, I know exactly what you mean, and yes its fantastic.
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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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Pete Horn, I will change the title of the thread then. Instead of "The best skiing can be found during blizzard conditions", I shall change it to "the best skiing conditions can be found in bad weather"
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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"Meaning is use" (Witgenstein)
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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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Pete Horn, no offence taken, more a pedantic response to a pedantic suggestion.
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David@traxvax, I agree with what you say about spring or corn snow. It's just gorgeous to ski on, and not so busy at that time of year. I've had some fantastic spring snow high up in the Portes du Soleil.
But I still love skiing when the snow is falling heavily, not a blizzard, which I call snow being blown horizontal by very strong winds. Off piste in the trees above the Ardent (again in the Portes du Soleil) is just perfect for those conditions. I think that's where the term 'snow bunny' comes from!
This was the day after a blizzard last Christmas
[Moderator's note - sorry, converted this lovely picture into a link. We have an unwritten policy (must publish it someday  ) of embedded pictures only appearing in 'Après Zone' & 'Buy, Sell, Exchange'. Also at 38KB it slows the download condsiderably for those on slow connections.]
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You know it makes sense.
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Well, pedantry aside, I thought 'Blizzard Pervert' was such a great term I've changed my signature ...
... got a much better ring to it than 'Heavy Snow Pervert' (although 'Powder Pervert' isn't too bad ...)
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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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Rachel, I know that run, down past Le Village des Chevres to the gondola at Ardent. Looks fantastic.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Legal Steve wrote: |
| Well, pedantry aside, I thought 'Blizzard Pervert' was such a great term I've changed my signature ... |
Just don't type it into google. I just did, it returned one entry, a site probably run by "Illegal Steve". 
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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 are you sure you didn't type Buzzard Pervert?
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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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Don't tempt me! 
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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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Yes David, that's the one. Specially good if you start from the very top looking down at Avoriaz, stop for a vin chaud with grand marnier at the Pomme de Pins at Lindarets while waiting for everyone to go back down the mountain for their tea, and then ski the second half to the bottom with no one else around. Bliss!
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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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One skiers bad weather, is another skiers great day
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| Quote: |
Well, so far, the Blizzard Perverts seem to be winning the vote.
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Hmmm, not necessarily, Kramer. Although it's got the highest percentage so far, you could lump the other three answers together in a kind of "No" vote - leaving the Nay's outvoting the Yea's by 52% to 48%.
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I once had a lesson in a blizzard. I fell over whilst stood still. unbeknown to me I was moving slowly and was totaly unprepared for a movement however slight. VERY strange experience
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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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Am I getting the feeling that alot of people who are commenting on the plus side for bad weather seem to actually prefer skiing in nicer weather just after the bad weather?
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Legal Steve, are you a lawyer by any chance? Loopholes a speciality? 
Mark Lehto, I'm not so sure, you can't get the "freshtracks every run" feeling when it stops snowing. The first run when the weather clears is sublime, but for the continued excitement of excellent powder conditions, I prefer the bad weather.
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FAQ
