 Poster: A snowHead
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Just a thread for the fun of it as the anticipation builds....
I know that for safety, we shouldn't really ski alone. But bearing in mind I stick to the piste, and I know the local ski area like the back of my hand, and the rest of the PdS well enough to get across it without a map, I do sometimes ski on my tod.
The highlight was in March 2010. Sanwoman and I flew out with four friends on Friday. On Monday they went home leaving me there. On Wednesday three more friends came out to join me.
So on the Tuesday I had nobody to please but myself. It was cold, clear and sunny and the snow was good. I was on the snow by 8 30, skied clean across the PdS from Champoussin to the far side of Mont Chery in Les Gets, had lunch (crepe and coffee), spent a good 90 minutes in Ranfolly and then Nyon, and was still back in Champoussin by 3 30. I reckon I took 23 lifts altogether. I was never really alone, shared chairs with lots of interesting people of multiple nationalities, conversed badly in three languages and got home absolutely kn*ckered.
Contrast this with several previous attempts at taking a mixed group (typically ages 8 to 48, skiers and boarders) on the same trip. We never made it beyond the centre of Les Gets, and barely made it home in time for the last lift up above the village (enabling us to ski home).
In a mixed group it seems that at the top of every lift there is always someone who needs to tighten/loosen boots or bindings, change hats or goggles, remove or add base layers, apply suncream, drink water, eat chocolate, take photographs, make phone call back to the office, etc., etc. Not the same person every time but if there are more than six of you, there's always one. Plus of course you all get separated in the queue so twelve of you can be spread over about 30 chairs.
While its great to ski in a group, the ability to do so being one of the attractions for me, the contrast when I was unfettered was remarkable. Has anyone else got any experiences on this?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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sanman, yes, I love skiing on my own, so long as I'm on piste (or at least on an itinerary - I've skiied the easy Grands Montets route on my own many times) within view of a few skiers, just in case something really untoward happens. For me the best lone skiing experience is on easy black runs, because the scenery is likely to be wonderful and they won't be too crowded, so the 'being at one with nature' experience is likely to be good. I've not tried clocking up lots of mileage on my own, I can see that would be fun too, and much improved by the absence of other people's faffing and the freedom to indulge my own faffing whenever I like. That said, I also love the camaraderie of skiing with other people.
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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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I've skied on my own on a couple of times; once in Whistler for 3 days, I had a business trip to Seattle and bolted on some skiing to the end of it before flying home. Second time I had an extended 4 weeks in Tignes.
The 3 day trip was absolutely incredible, and I loved it. Spoke to a few people on lifts etc but really preferred to stick to myself and get as much mileage under my skis as possible.
The 4 weeks was different; the first few days were superb, I put in a huge amount of mileage and covered the ski area, but the novelty of skiing alone wore off a bit. A couple of friends arrived for my second week, so that was great to have someone to ski with. I met some seasonaires in the local bar and skied with them for a couple of days, but when I was on my own I found I was doing much shorter days on the slopes. So for the final week I arranged a week of advanced group morning lessons with ESF, and ended up skiing in the afternoons with one of the guys from the lessons and his partner and father.
In short; skiing on your own is quite nice short term, but I much prefer being in a group just to have people there to chat with, muck about with, take pictures etc. On your own I find it all becomes a bit more functional, in a group its slower but you seem to take time out to actually enjoy it much more. Also, the first (and second and third) apres ski beers always seem to taste nicer when doing it with friends who've been skiing with you.
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Skiing in a group will always involve the element of compromise. Although my own preference would indeed lead me to being with others on the slopes (for me, the experience is enhanced with company), I think the trick is to 'find' yourself in maybe a smaller group of similar ability level and like minded individuals where possible - sounds obvious, and not always achievable though!
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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 only issue I have with skiing on my own is how much I end up knackering myself. I find that when I ski on my own that I never stop properly...
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Quite easy to get twice as much mileage in alone than with a group over a day - loo stops, photos, coffee, long lunch, afternoon drinkies, faff at bottom and top of every lift, waiting for next cable car because one of the group missed the cut off etc all add up. Like minded chargers of course may make you move faster to keep up.
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Is skiing on a busy piste classed as skiing alone? Once your heading downhill does it make any difference if your with friends or dodging the crowds?
I often leave the OH down in a cafe & take a chair to come back down to the cafe. For me its because Im still practising & want to just get on with it. Probably very selfish of us 
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Nothing wrong with skiing by yourself, I quite like it tbh, easier to focus. I've done some of the steepest/hardest skiing I've done solo (at Nordkette) - although granted, if I'd fallen, I'd have landed at the lift station so at least help would have been near at hand 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I'm not a fan of skiing alone. I want to share the experience. An hour or so alone is fine every now and then but after that it gets lonely.
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| sanman wrote: |
Just a thread for the fun of it as the anticipation builds....
In a mixed group it seems that at the top of every lift there is always someone who needs to tighten/loosen boots or bindings, change hats or goggles, remove or add base layers, apply suncream, drink water, eat chocolate, take photographs, make phone call back to the office, etc., etc. Not the same person every time but if there are more than six of you, there's always one. Plus of course you all get separated in the queue so twelve of you can be spread over about 30 chairs.
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Just be grateful they were only faffing at the top of every lift. I've known people that faff at the bottom and then join the lift queue - oddly enough it often is the same person - grrrrrr!
And breathe...
Still better than working though 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
Quite easy to get twice as much mileage in alone
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Agree, I used to think we skied a lot as a group, until I spent the day alone. And
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when I ski on my own ... I never stop properly
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That's true as well. The next day I only went out for an hour, spent the rest of the day cleaning the apartment and watching the Jeremy Kyle show on cable ...
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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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I like both for different reasons. I'm not sure I would ever ski in a group of more than 3 maybe 4 inc me and they would need to be similar in ability/enthusiasm. The mileage you can end up doing in a day alone with high speed lifts is massive.
What I have done with a mixed ability group is ski hard in the morning alone and then switch to slalom skis and and ski with the group in the afternoon - this works well because I'm not itching to go after it and am on very turny piste skis so I enjoy skiing with others more.
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Good thread this. I only started skiing in 2005 and i have 7 weeks skiing experience. My OH likes it but has dodgy knees (really annoying) so i iften find myself skiing on my own, but always on piste. When we went to Killington for 6 days during a 3 weeks break to North America i skied the first 2 days completely on my own and i loved it. I was quite scared at the start as the resort was completely dead and i was somewhere i had never been before. The second day was much better and more relaxed and i got lots of milage in. For the rest of the holiday i skied with a couple that we met who were from Jersey and it was great. My OH would meet up for lunch and breaks etc so it wasnt that bad. 2 years ago we went skiing to Chatel with the same couple and he started boarding. Obviously as he was a beginner i was always waiting for him so one day i went off on my own and i know the PDS pretty well and i loved it. Like others have said, you stop when you want, not held up all the time, and you can just go on for much longer in my view. Given the choice i would pick skiing in a small group any day of the week, but for half a day or so, skiing on your own is brilliant!
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You know it makes sense.
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I can end up skiing (on piste) on my own as the OH is not as keen as I am. It's quite enjoyable to do whatever and go wherever I want, but I feel slightly anxious if skiing a long piste I'm not familiar with and there are no other skiers in sight. On one such occasion in Whistler, another skier and his daughter appeared and asked whether the piste we were on was (gave the name which I can't now remember), to which I replied, "I hope so, because that's where I think I am!"
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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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Equally happy skiing alone or with friends. I tend not to stop if I'm alone, whereas with friends, we often stop and chat. I only ski on piste and I've never seen any reason for not skiing alone. A deserted piste by oneself is one of those rare truly peaceful moments in life.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| FlyingStantoni wrote: |
| The only issue I have with skiing on my own is how much I end up knackering myself. I find that when I ski on my own that I never stop properly... |
Exactly the same. Still, I really do enjoy going off by myself for the odd day or half day....quite exhilarating 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hate skiing solo ... half the fun for me is the social thing. Probably there is some deep psychological reason why I don't like spending time on my own! Maybe too much concentration on my sh*t technique?
Went on a trip when my ski buddy broke his leg on the second day .... ruined the holiday for me .... mind you, didn't do much for his either!
I also agree with the person who said they didn't rest enough when skiing alone.
Best solo skiing I have done was blasting round the Sella Ronda in the morning while the missus had her lesson to meet up for lunch ....
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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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I'm like Iski. My partner went skiing for the first time last year, whereas I've been a few times. So when he's in ski school I'm on my own. Besides, there's a limit to how much of my trip I want to spend on greens and blues. Equally I don't think he'd appreciate going down reds and blacks with me! We tried to arrange a group of us to go away this winter, but that fell through so it's just the two of us again.
I got bored after a while of skiing on my own last year. This year we're going to La Tania, so I'm hoping that I'll be able o find some people to ski with - either through a ski school, the tour reps, or hopefully through meeting some friendly
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I love skiing with my family.
Skiing with mates is pretty damned good too.
I'll ski by myself if necessary: generally if conditions put off everyone else!
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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.
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love skiing with a group
enjoy skiing with the missus
really enjoy skiing with the littleun especially as he can now do blues easy without stopping 50 times
have skied every year in the afternoons after skischool on my own tho when the missus is too tired and want to go shopping
its always been on-piste and to be honest i have never considered it anymore dangerous that crossing the road - at the end of the day
its me doing something that i fancy doing to my skill level
also i like the challenge of skiing in a whiteout. as long as the lifts are going
dont get me wrong i am not the worlds best skier, but its nice to get onwith it sometimes - especially as groups often stop too often for me
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| sanman wrote: |
| I know that for safety, we shouldn't really ski alone. |
I dont be agreeing with that at all really, I ski alone a lot, on the pistes and in the bc and would even go as far as saying some of my best ever days have been solo outings (i do still like a social charge about with some old reliables).
Feel just as safe skiing alone though as I would with buds, if not more so even, as I will tend to be a touch more aware of hazards and risks, and safe travel assessment etc if alone. Self reliance is good for the mojo.
All that said, my nipper is 2 since july this year so very much looking forward to proportionally less solo and touring trips this coming season and many seasons to come (making the days i will still punt off somewhere alone all the more appreciated!)
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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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I love skiing with others of roughly the same abilty, with people much better than I am I feel that I'm holding everyone back, with people much worse than I am I turn into a very impatient person.
The first time I skied alone was on my second week skiing when I was left behind by my class who disappeared leaving me at a fork with no idea of which direction they'd gone in. Probably not the best circumstance to raise confidence. That said people were friendly - even the ESF instructor who took pity on me and made sure I was headed towards the nearest lift before he continued his own class.
Other than that, I only ski alone when I know there are plenty of people around in case something goes wrong (see above  ). Whistler was easy because of well patrolled pistes and very good and easy to follow pistes. I spent a lot of afternoons skiing alone after my ski-buddy had worn himself out in the morning lessons. Great being able to ski at my own pace without having to worry about anyone other than myself. A few hours now and then is fine, but I don't think I could do a whole day alone, I'd get very bored.
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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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spud, all well and good, but tell us more bout the liftie girl in the hut
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You know it makes sense.
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spud, nice muff
quite the elobarate scheme to get her on camera, good work!
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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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Happy skiing in a small group, chasing the kids down the mountain (or into the trees if the 7 year old is leading the way!) or just exploring the pistes on my own. Best run so far, a lovely crisp late April morning in Val T on the EoSB, headed up Moraine when the lifts opened and got Genepi all to my self to put the first set of track the freshly groomed piste while admiring the scenery.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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End of the day, enjoying a last few runs in the still sunny bowl above Canazei in the Sella Ronda, catching the last(ish) lift back up to the top of the Col Rodella and then that long easy ride back down to Arabba, all with hardly another soul about - yes sometimes as the dusk descends and the lifts are closed I do feel nervous - but the peace and serenity make it special.
But would I want to only ski solo? I don't think so. Like so many things in life, variety seems to work best!
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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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I like both. Some days I just like getting out on the piste alone and having some me time, go where I want at my own speed, enjoy the scenery andjust generally clear my head. Especially as, being a seasonnaire, you're living, working and playing with the same people for 5-6 months. I also enjoy going out with others, if they're better than me then it pushes my skiing/boarding (depending on which I'm on), if they're not as good then I enjoy pushing them, giving them hints and seeing how they improve over time.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I love skiing alone and I am afraid that I do a fair amount of off piste without company. I try to make it as safe as possible... but it's no worse than solo climbing easy grades. I've had some amazing experiences being the only person within sight.
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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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On our Livigno trip in 2008, was dropping daughter on the final morning of lessons at the Mottolina lift, the instructor was taking the beginners class up the mountain proper for the first time. It was a bit of a white out, but off they went. Next to me was a guy who had dropped his daughter off, he shrugged and said no skiing today for him? he told me he had spent all week on the nursery slopes near the ski school as he thought it not safe to ski alone. Myself i had had 3 hours each day up Costaccio while lessons had been going on.
anyhow i offered to be his ski buddy for the morning and he got some action
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| cockerhoop wrote: |
| anyhow i offered to be his ski buddy for the morning and he got some action |
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There's a piece in this month's Fall-Line about skiing solo (sorry, don't think it's online) that it brings up some of the things talked about here. AND if you buy a copy not only can you read it but you can see my article about amateur ski races ... all of which I went to last season on my lonesome
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| Spud9 wrote: |
| I'm not a fan of skiing alone. I want to share the experience. An hour or so alone is fine every now and then but after that it gets lonely. |
Snap. And *skiing* alone is OK. Sitting alone in a restaurant for lunch or coffee when you stop is miserable as sin, I find. I spend far too much time alone as it is, what with living alone and working from home - the last thing I need in "downtime" is more solitude
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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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I usually board or ski with one or two others. Small groups of people of about the same speed/experience and i tworks well. This year I'm off with the missus, so I'll be solo for the first time in ages. It's Canada so there'll be lost of avi controlled off piste to be snagged.
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both have their pros and cons really.
when in a group i like the company, talk about the run at the bottom, did you see that jump i did etc
i used to ski alongside my then girlfriend often filming at the same time, or hammer it and wait for her at the bottom (once or twice panicing and clambering half way back up the piste to find she had slipped onto her side and was just taking a while to get back on her feet!)
skied with a couple of confident kids which was a great laugh they are full of beans so will make a jump out of any and every thing possible which i quite enjoy knackering tho
i do enjoy the odd session on my own but not more than a few runs tbh. you meet some interesting people on the lifts and the feeling of freedom is immense
if i had to choose i would say in a small group, 2 or 3 people, as good as or better than me
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FAQ
Occasionally I'd go do some blacks parallel to reds he was comfortable on which kept us both happy. And I dragged him down an easy black to show him he could do it. So it worked well.
