 Poster: A snowHead
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For my upcoming Chamonix trip, I've booked a private lesson to learn to 'ski steeps with good technique.'
Received confirmation today that all is booked and I must meet my instructor at the bottom of the Lognan lift at Grand Montets.
Holy mother of god, the steeps at Brévent will suffice for someone of my level - never mind the some of the nasties at GM 
I know, I know, I need to WTFU. And I will. I have the same instructor booked a few days later for some basic off piste stuff. I suspect he's going to be the first man to ever scare the bejesus out of me.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 6-01-11 22:32; 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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Zero-G, You'll be fine. Given my trip to that area with a guide a couple of years ago there seemed to be plenty that wasn't steep. I think we only skied 1 pitch that was reasonably interesting.
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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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why not do the classes the other way round, then he can get a good look at your skiing on the basic off piste stuff before taking you onto steeper stuff for the steeps course?
what firm you using?
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most of the main routes on the GM are long and quite steep - the cool thing about that mountain is that from the top you have a vertical drop of 1200m ish to Lognan which is pretty consistently 30* or so. lots of fun on a powder day. you can certainly find very steep stuff on there, but there are huge areas to ski without it being silly
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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 know GM well - have skied it quite a lot but its steeper runs always get the better of me (that's when I stop using edges and revert to skiing with flat bases), hence the need for lessons.
I suppose I expected to be doing the lessons on slightly less steep steeps. Although, that's not logical... 
shoogly, I'm booked with Evolution2. Have used them every time I've been to Chamonix, except last April (when I used ESF and was reminded of why I shouldn't use ESF). As for swapping the classes around, I'd rather get the hairy stuff out of the way first so that the rest will seem like a doddle.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
| I suppose I expected to be doing the lessons on slightly less steep steeps. Although, that's not logical... rolling eyes |
less steep to learn new skill sounds logical to me.
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No worries Arno, I didn't read it that way!
That bullet-proof section of the red of the Bochard (just after it splits, with the left bit joining that wide, slanty blue) always gets my heart racing. What is it about that little section? Does it have some freakish freeze-melt cycle? I've seen really experienced skiers and boarders struggle on that section. I once saw some hardcore-looking off piste boarders (complete with full avi and crevasse accessory set) come down that section on their hands and board edges, like catepillars.
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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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Zero-G, any decent instructor will get an idea of how you ski before taking you somewhere insane.
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Zero-G,
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I've seen really experienced skiers and boarders struggle on that section.
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Oh good, glad it's not just me. It's only ever been sheet ice when I've been on it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
any decent instructor will get an idea of how you ski before taking you somewhere insane.
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of course they will. It'll be great, Zero-G. I (almost...) envy you.
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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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pam w, I almost envy me to... 
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You know it makes sense.
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Zero-G, You will have to report back on how you stop on the steeps.
Whenever I look up at a really steep bit. It amazes me when someone pelts down only to come to a nice stop to have a look at the scenery.
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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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BobinCH did a steeps course with Remy last season, sounded fun.
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Poster: A snowHead
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ph, wait... I have to learn to stop?
Swirly, I think my lesson in steeps is going to be a far cry from what BobinCH did with Remy, which, I suspect, probably involved 50 degree pitches and jump turns...
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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 wrote: |
| You have just managed to convince me not to ask my private instructor next January to help me ski steeps with confidence |
After your high-speed run through that narrow tunnel between the poma and the barrier last week, I don't think you have much to worry about 
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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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Zero-G, Ssshhhhh............no-one is supposed to know about that 
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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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Megamum, erm *cough*
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
50 degree pitches and jump turns...
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that's for next year, Zero-G.
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Had the most exciting day of my life during my steeps lesson. It had been snowing non-stop for 3 days and we hit Grand Montets at 9am. We did a warmup run on a blue, which was completely empty and covered in light, fluffy boot cuff-deep powder. Wow, now I understand why people get up for the first lift!
We then went down a red - again getting first tracks - and Michel (my crusty old instructor who is also a local mountain guide) talked me through some technique, showed me and then watched me ski it. At the end of the run he said we're ready to go steeper. It was while we were on the chair up the mountain that I mentioned I was booked on half day off piste session a few days later. His eyes lit up and said that we could try a little side-of-piste as a taster. Afterwards, I understood why he was so keen to abandon the steeps lesson and get off piste - the conditions were so good that it would have been criminal not to!
Well, we didn't quite stick to the side of the piste. After a few verbal instructions about skiing deep powder technique, we immediately veered way off piste, and did L'avancher (sp) in thigh-deep, light, fluffy powder. I had waves of snow flying past me and hitting my in the face, it was incredible. I fell a couple of times but sported the widest grin my by now completely numb face could bear.
After that, it was back up another lift and then down through the trees, still in the same fluffy, deep powder with Michel setting a fast pace that had me bouncing over bumps and through trees, skiing like I never have before. Felt like I was in a ski movie and was the best 3 hours of my life as we did more of the same.
Four days later, I was back at Grand Montets for the off-piste session with a small group of very accomplished skiers and Robert, yet another crusty old local mountain guide (not sure what happened to Michel).
After we all described our skiing levels, I categorically stated that I would be the one in the group who would be falling over all the time. This time, conditions were variable because it hadn't snowed in four days and most of what we skied was hard or crusty.
We took the cable car up to the top, hiked down the stairs and dropped into the Argentierre bowl, where I had the second most exciting day of my life. I skied terrain that I had never imagined possible to ski. I learned to do jump turns on steep, hard-packed mogully bits (it was that or take my skis off and hike down the mountain). I traversed a pitch so steep that I could just about touch it with my hand while standing upright
I got stuck over a narrow crevasse and Robert watched impassively while I struggled but eventually succeeded in extricating myself from that little situation, and I accidentally skied off a small 3m-high cliff ("taking a shortcut" as Robert put it mildy), ruining the inside edge of one ski as I went over the rocky edge sideways, frantically trying to use a hockey stop. I will add, in my defence, that both getting stuck over the crevasse and skiing off the cliff were due to the woman in front of me stopping suddenly, causing me to veer off the line set by Robert. I was obviously following too closely, though
Maybe it was ignorance or maybe it was blind faith in both guides' ability to ascertain whether I could cope with the terrain but I never felt unsafe, even if my adrenalin levels were pushed to the limit on both days.
So yes, a long blog, and I am unable to express what those two days have done for my skiing. I think I have been spoiled now and just want more of the same. The adventure of it all is indescribable and I am hooked. The remaining five days of the trip did not bring any more snow, so I have now learned to ski bullet-proof and icy terrain - not yet with style but I'm getting there. And I'm going back for more in four weeks' time.
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Zero-G, nice one - and a quality post 
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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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Zero-G, Sounds like an epic time.
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cad99uk, probably not particularly epic in the greater scheme of things but to a relatively newbie skier (with only 9 weeks under the belt over three years) it certainly felt that way.
God help the pedant in me but I had to edit the typo.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Thu 6-01-11 23:33; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Zero-G, Don't tell everyone about the magic of first lifts on a powder day though 
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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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Zero-G, Sounds fantastic. What a way to improve fast!
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read your post and it reminds me why I love the mountains and snowboarding - that feeling of adrenalin and the biggest smile possible on your face!
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You know it makes sense.
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Zero-G, stoke!!!!
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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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Zero-G, way to go girl...........time is your friend too, believe in yourself xx
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Zero-G, like like like like like!!! so glad you've had a good time.
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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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Zero-G, wow. Brilliant.
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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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Zero-G, What an incredible success - just a few hours in the right place, with the right instructor/guide, can make such a huge difference. Fantastic - inspiring post!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Zero-G, fantastic! I want to grow a pair like yours!
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