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What is the point of black slopes?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Time for a bit of controversy… Just what is the point of black slopes? I have snowed for a total of 12 days in my life, a couple of days in Turkey where I first went 3 years ago, four days in Zermatt (incredible), and five days in Wengen (also a great place). In a couple of weeks I head off with a group of friends to Meribel.

I would now describe myself as an intermediate skier, competent on blues and most reds, and capable of getting down the blacks which I have come across – which in fairness is not that many (the Lauberhorn(?) World Cup run was pretty scary and much steeper than it looks on TV – how anyone can ski at full pelt down there is beyond me!). But I would much rather go down a slope and rack up the miles going at whatever speed I felt comfortable with (and could control) than warily edge side to side down a black, killing my knees in the process. I am sure I will improve as a skier in the 3V, but even if I became really good I don’t really see the point of really steep and dangerous slopes, I prefer ‘groomed motorways’ as you guys might describe them! Plus, by virtue of its steepness a black slope is generally over that much quicker Sad

Anyone else with me? Discuss!

I’d also like to hear your opinions of the best ‘intermediate playgrounds’ in Europe – I enjoyed Wengen in that respect, though I have read several times on SH the word ‘boring’ used to describe the skiing there (which, based on what I wrote above, I obviously disagree with).
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
robinsrule, The point is that the blacks are usually less busy than other slopes and once you can ski profficiently they are as easy and enjoyable to ski down as any other run! For my part, the main reason why I spend most of my time off piste is not because of the challenge, but because there are no idiots to run me down out there!
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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?
the real question is....

whats the point in doing anything that is easy?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
robinsrule wrote:
I’d also like to hear your opinions of the best ‘intermediate playgrounds’ in Europe.

Trois Vallees, Paradiski, Espace Killy, Cervina/Zermatt, amongst other places, all offer extensive "intermediate terrain" of red and blue pistes. They also offer plenty of steeper stuff that you might want to try occasionally as you expand your comfort zone for steeper stuff.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
robinsrule, although I have skied a fair bit (probably getting on for 30 weeks in total), I have a pathological fear of black piste markers much like you. I prefer the cruisey reds and blues that flatter my skiing and don't put me at risk of falling.

However, there are plenty of people out there who crave more of a challenge. They might get that challenge from steep icy black runs that I would rule out in an instant or they might venture off-piste.

Skiers are different. Different levels and seek different things from their skiing. I don't seek thrills and challenges, I like what I can do and have no need to push any boundaries. For me it's an enjoyable holiday, first and foremost. But you can't lump everyone in categories and that's one of the great things about skiing. It's a lot of things to a lot of people.

Regarding resorts, you might enjoy Kitzbuhel. Lots of lovely cruisey pistes and other than one, I actually coped pretty well with the black runs there too.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
queen bodecia,
Quote:
Regarding resorts, you might enjoy Kitzbuhel. Lots of lovely cruisey pistes and other than one
I take it that was the Diretissima? Toofy Grin Lovely run, but one does see a lot of people get into it and then wish that they hadn't Toofy Grin
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
robinsrule, I'm sort of with you on this but for different reasons.
I haven't counted the number of weeks I've done but it's a lot and I'm quite capable of skiing pretty well down anything the majority of resorts have to offer including the blacks. I used to have to tick off every black run in a resort or felt I'd somehow missed out on something.
These days I don't bother for the simple reason that the majority of black runs are plain boring. They rarely have any interesting features or changes in terrain, just steep and once you lose the fear of steep pistes the interest in most black runs goes with it. There are a few exceptions of course.

These days I'd rather ski a red or even blue with a bit of character or head off piste, I'll leave the blacks for the trainspotters.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Steilhang, yes that's the one. I got down it without incident, but didn't enjoy it at all.
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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.
Go to Andorra. The blacks are fun because they're the same as reds in any other resort.

I see the point of them, they're just pistes like any other, and they have to categorise them so people know roughly what they're getting themselves into. Why are they there? Because resorts have to have variety to suit everybody.

I don't care what colour it is on the classification system, all I care about is having a pootle down a fun run - in some resorts the blacks are not fun for me, so I don't do them, in other resorts they are. I would be pretty bored if I went to a resort which was all blue/green, in the same way I guess advanced skiiers would be pretty bored if there were no blacks and they wanted to do something a bit more challenging.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
What's the point of starting the same post on multiple sections???
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
robinsrule wrote:
than warily edge side to side down a black, killing my knees in the process.

That's probably because you aren't ready to be on that particular slope. There's a BIG difference between getting down a black, and actually skiing it wink

Trying to get down a slope you aren't skilled enough to attempt puts you and others in serious danger.
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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.
Quote:

but even if I became really good I don’t really see the point of really steep and dangerous slopes


If you become really good you would no longer view them as dangerous and compared to whats possible off piste they're not that steep, 30-35 degrees max in most resorts. Most of my favourite on piste runs are either steep reds or blacks. Wait till you're good enough to carve all the way down la face into val d'isere and then ask what the point of steep runs are. You will probably find once you've been skiing a bit longer that motorway blues and reds start to lose their appeal.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
and why have you posted the same thread twice?
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
robinsrule, more importantly - WHAT IS THE POINT OF STARTING THE SAME THREAD SIMULTANEOUSLY IN TWO SECTIONS OF THE SITE WITH THE SAME TEXT EXACTLY.... Evil or Very Mad

wonder if a mod could lock one or the other
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
This is in the wrong forum.
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