@Steve Angus, I'd love to know which particular energy drinks co was on the extravagant razzle in Val this week. Are you permitted to tell?
I spent 2 hours on Monday picking empty Red Bull cans out of the hedge and ditches on the roads near our house. Total collected 94, plus two I couldn't reach . I'm trying to get that particular company to wake up and do something about their gormless customers. Perhaps it would be a start if they diverted the budget away from any champagne swilling corporate jollies (were it them in Val) and into helping us cure the scourge of messing up the countryside...
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
PeakyB - thanks. Olivia is back at school today so after a false start in the middle of the night she seemed fit and well this morning - no call from the school today so she must be OK! Yea loads more snow to come next week probably. The queue moves very quickly for the Olympic though so within a wee while it is all gone!
Bennisboy - lovely day eh yes! Yes the queues seem to have calmed down as the week has progressed this week!
gixxerniknik - this is perhaps the most asked question I get - or one of them anyway! Try Blue Note, XV and Moris - they will all be showing the rugby... getting a seat might be a problem though - be there early and you might be lucky! Id recommended Blue Note as there will be free nibbles whilst you watch!
foxtrotzulu - interesting!!!!
Perty - that sounds pretty rubbish indeed... however I can't comment I'm afraid as to whom it was - sorry!
todays..... early...... update coming up soon.
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?
gixxerniknik wrote:
Hiya Steve, two of us are arriving (hopefully) saturday and want to watch the rugby, any idea where we could maybe get a seat and watch the game with a nice beer?
My favourite for the rugby is XV bar. The XV name (as in 15, or quinze - pronounced as 'cans' ) gives you a clue as to the theme for the bar. It's not a big pub but has a big screen down the back and quite a few chairs.
What a change from yesterday and a sign of the times to come
It was only yesterday that I was saying that it felt like Spring had finally arrived but you'd never know it being out there today!
The clouds rolled in overnight and by breakfast time this morning it was starting to snow... however it was the strong 'warm' wind the Foehn that was the problem... it comes in from the South and East and boy was it punchy... in fact lots of the higher lifts could not open today and other lifts that are susceptible to the wind like the La Daille gondola.
So I headed up into town to meet my ladies and off we went... they were a tiny bit late but at least they were not hungover like yesterday! The weather was not that enticing to them... After a quick conflab we decided that some carving and some moguls were the order of the day... now that is an interesting request for lesson content if there ever was one! We headed up the Bellevarde and had a little warm up and it was evident that the light was very very flat indeed... we decided to take the 'easier' option and make laps around and down to the La Daille even though I knew the lift queues would be much bigger down low... however that was their decision. We did some work on carving and I think they have a few things to focus on each! However it also was becoming apparent that they had probably not dressed totally adequately and a couple of them were cold so headed off for a coffee and a warm up... Meanwhile the third lady and I did a couple of laps on the Tommeuse to work on some moguls stuff...
I was surprised at one point however (given the fact that the thermo at the top of the Tommeuse was saying -9 and that was before any wind chill) to see several teenage skiers fully cat suited up going for a warm up run - not sure how much warming up was being done then!!!!
Anyway the combination of cold temps, wind and lack of visibility really meant it wasnt a day for staying up high... we ended up dropping down lower again and I left the ladies to have lunch at the Trifollet whilst I headed down and (remembered) did my Periscope broadcast:
Since then I have had a nice afternoon at home with Ben and Clare and caught up with some work and jobs at home. This evening (hence the reason I am doing it now) I might pop out to the pub quick at the Hibou bar in town - I quite like a quiz. Looking out the window this afternoon I am glad I am not out there as it is quite miserable out there!
Talking of the weather the outlook for the next week or so is for a return to Winter - wind, snow and cold temperatures - Spring perhaps hasn't arrived!
The runs down to La Daille offered some shelter today. Those cables are for stringing the 'B' nets up when the World Cup racing is in town.
The runs have been pretty busy down into La Daille all day long!
The interesting piece of news I picked up on today was relating to the visitor numbers to Val so far this season... Val d'Isere last week exceeded the million skier days mark on passes. Last week alone, 75,069 skier days were recorded, thus reducing the gap with that of last year at the same time, with a drop of -5.4%. They reckon the decline is more by the fact that there has been a lot of bad weather this year than by the fact that there is a drop in attendance. So not as many passes have been sold but I should think other parts of the resort are doing rather well (bars and restaurants etc).
TTFN
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Steve Angus your updates are well appreciated. I always seem to be working when you do your Periscope so don't get a chance to thank you then.
I am back again on Sunday and just hoping that the weather forecast is being a bit pessimistic. I know it's not that accurate this far out. Will watch out for you on the slopes. Am with a group of twelve so we will remember not to spread out across the piste! (Not that we would. That gets me so annoyed )
A random question - do you ski with a helmet? It is rare to see instructors without nowadays. Just curious.
just thought i would give my opinion on the la folie douce in val disere, you should be aware that i am a grumpy 58 year old real ale drinking heavy metal maniac.... i thought this place was dreadful, if there is a hell then this is what hell would be for me, its full of lager louts who drink far to much, smoke dope, and who dance on tables in ski boots ( check your insurance ), while some twits on a stage entice people to do unquestionable things to each other, and the music..good grief, it sounds like the same record all the time, i can see the appeal of this place for a tiny minority of the skiing population, but give me a nice pub anyday.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
^^^what he said
After all it is free
After all it is free
Why did you go?
Everyone knows what it's like...
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.
I'm 50, and quite like the Folie in small doses. I can't afford to get drunk there, so it's maybe one or two beers and a couple of hours people watching. I also love a nice quiet pub, in town Le Coin des Amis is a nice place to chill out.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
The Folie serves a purpose. It keeps a lot of people of a certain genre out of the decent bars and off the slopes at the end of the day. For that us normal folk should be grateful. Also its thumping sounds are a useful navigational aid in bad light and that should also be appreciated so long as it's not one of those days when the speakers fall and kill someone. @compostcorner, are you me?
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
red 27 wrote:
Why did you go?
Everyone knows what it's like...
my ski buddy wanted to see it
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.
carfla7 - thanks. Yes the weather could be interesting in the coming days / week! As far as the question... thats a poisoned chalice... No is the answer... I dont think its strictly true to say 'rare' - depends where / which country as well as resort, country, school policy... age of instructor concerned etc and many other factors... I'm not getting into the ins and outs, why's and why not's of it but within our school there is only 1 person that regularly wears one. Personal choice is TOTALLY the way forward and everyone wears (or doesn't) one for their own reason and everyone hopefully can make their own (informed) choice based on what they think is correct for them.
The Folie conundrum - yea its not for everyone. I think the resort and visitors have a marmite relationship with the place... I know how I feel about it but ill let you guess!
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
foxtrotzulu wrote:
rocky79 wrote:
@Steve Angus, Interesting that the price of an equivalent glass of champagne gets more expensive the bigger the bottle - you'd think it was the other way around. Though if you are dropping 4000 on a bottle of booze I guess you are not too worried about value for money!
The increased cost of producing (and handling) larger champagne bottles in very small batches massively outweighs any other production savings.
@foxtrotzulu You have got me thinking about this. Possibly, but its the same stuff from the same winery regardless, just in a bigger bottle - so the actual champagne production costs are the same. I agree bottling and handling will be different, although one could argue that these costs are actually lower as handling costs of 1 Nebucahdnezzar (15L) (I didnt even know there was one this big!) is the same as 3.3 cases of regular bottles of champagne - and 19 less corks!
Apologies gone - slightly off topic.
I would be glad to help test this theory if anyone has an expense account to use in a couple of weeks.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@SteveAngus - I am so not getting into an age thing!! I would come out on the wrong end of that one. I wear one but actually don't like it. As I say - was just curious. Agree it is a personal choice.
I am told Cocorico is better for the (slightly) older apres skier?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@gixxerniknik,
Also try The Fall Line.
My husband and son found XV rammed so nipped up to Fall Line where I joined them for the second half of a recent game. I’m currently staying next to Blue Note so as Steve mentions that’s also a good option
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
muppet wrote:
@gixxerniknik,
Also try The Fall Line.
My husband and son found XV rammed so nipped up to Fall Line where I joined them for the second half of a recent game. I’m currently staying next to Blue Note so as Steve mentions that’s also a good option
Yea The Fall Line is another option too - sorry forgot that one... quite a lot of space in there so a good choice too!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Pacific another option for Rugby?
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?
endoman wrote:
Pacific another option for Rugby?
oh yea - earlier I said Moris when I could also have meant Pacific - Pacific more so than Moris - sorry brain fart!
Last day of skiing today (the holidays are never long enough), hopefully it will be a nice morning!
On another note, I've seen a couple of negative points about Evo 2 ski school, so might as well add another. One of the guys on the trip had a lesson with them a couple of days back, the instructor turned up ten minutes late, then apparently proceeded to not actually bother coaching my friend, and was too distracted by continually skiing off to talk to his friends. After an hour and 20 minutes of skiing in the general vicinity of my mate, he then ended the lesson 30 mins early by saying "I think we should just call it there" then skiing off. The guy who had the lesson has raised a complaint through crystal (who seem to book all private lessons in this resort with Evo), so we'll see what happens
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Thanks to all of you, lots of options to watch the game. Pedsonally I'd rather spend the first afternoon in resort messing about sliding but as my mate insists and as we are 53 yr old adolescents who can't be trusted with matches or sharp objects, let alone let out on our own I suppose I will have to accompany him to a bar and drink beer.
Oh well, tough life!
On a positive note, I also had private lessons with Evo2 last week (in Val Claret), and the instructor (Mylene) was excellent. We'd taken the lunch time 1 1/2 hour option, and every lesson ran longer - one of them almost to 2 hours. Her instruction was top notch as well.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
rocky79 wrote:
foxtrotzulu wrote:
rocky79 wrote:
@Steve Angus, Interesting that the price of an equivalent glass of champagne gets more expensive the bigger the bottle - you'd think it was the other way around. Though if you are dropping 4000 on a bottle of booze I guess you are not too worried about value for money!
The increased cost of producing (and handling) larger champagne bottles in very small batches massively outweighs any other production savings.
@foxtrotzulu You have got me thinking about this. Possibly, but its the same stuff from the same winery regardless, just in a bigger bottle - so the actual champagne production costs are the same. I agree bottling and handling will be different, although one could argue that these costs are actually lower as handling costs of 1 Nebucahdnezzar (15L) (I didnt even know there was one this big!) is the same as 3.3 cases of regular bottles of champagne - and 19 less corks!
What you've not factored in is the cost of manufacturing the bottle and scale e.g. millions of regular bottles vs. 5 figure of the 'show' ones. Also you can neatly fit 6 bottles of regular in a case whereas I think a 15L bottle probably needs a box/pallet of its own with additional protection.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Nice video of the disgorging process here that shows the scale of the machinery involved in champagne production.
http://youtube.com/v/GGHqMDZIlcs
All that is devoted to one size of bottle and would have to be replicated for bigger bottles, or else it be done manually. For the largest sizes, I'm sure it's manual, though there is probably a magnum production line at the larger producers.
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.
Something about not being able to organise a drink in a brewery...
Ill have to be quick this evening... in a nutshell even though I was only on the mountain this morning teaching it has emerged that now our little man has a temperature so the afternoon was rather taken up trying to sort him out... then Olivia came home and was rather tired and irritable and now a friend of Clares has arrived to spend a couple of nights with us... we have just been out for dinner (with her parents who are also out here on holiday too) and now everyone needs an early night - so yes must be quick!
So this morning it was sunny and warm and bright and once again we thought that Spring had arrived. Initially it was grey and overcast but it quickly moved away to reveal such a glorious day! I was at the meeting point and I thought I was doing an introduction to off piste with a group but when friends of friends of friends of fiends of clients all get involved in making a booking and you have large groups scattered all over town messages get lost... so there I was at the meeting point with several sets of off piste gear having made a plan in my mind and check the weather bulletins and avalanche reports etc. It turned out to be a game of chinese whispers and the various instructors that had been booked and the various people that turned up and understood different things about exactly who was coming or not coming on which lesson and what was happening. In fact some people were still rather hungover so had arranged to meet at 11am at the top of the funival. Things like that wreak havoc with lesson plans and ultimately everything changed anyway and I ended up taking someone who was self taught and I ended up taking all 3 packs of off piste gear back to our offices. It was all a complete muck up really by the clients. We did not get going until well after 9.40 having started 40 mins earlier. It was like a comedy show as the group(s) rocked up in dribs and drabs to the meeting point and the plans kept changing as someone would report plan 'a' and then another person would say that that plan had been ditched the night before and ultimately the clients could not organise a wee wee up in a brewery!
Arghhhh.... however when we finally got going I had a nice young dentist from central Ireland who had done 2 weeks self taught and had had a nightmare the day before in the snow (especially with the flat light).... so anyway we headed up the Bellevarde and the first job was to unteach him all the bad habits he had self taught himself and try and install good muscle memory and totally breakdown what he was doing. This was to take pretty much the whole lesson... now he is starting to get the basics down but he needs to go away and not let the habits start to creap in. This is the problem with being self taught or being taught by a friend - it is so easy to get into bad habits and not learn the correct things in the correct order that it ruins your skiing for a long time to come! However he did ever so well and we had a very pleasant morning in the end.
I spent lunchtime and the afternoon at home and it was nice having some warm sun rays steam through the window. I caught up on plenty a job that needed doing before Olivia came home from school and the normal 2 hours of chaos returned before bed time.
And with the arrival of Clares friend we have had a lovely meal at the Tuffs restaurant here in La Daille. The traffic forecast for tomorrow is not looking too bad but certainly bad enough at 31000 cars up and down when you consider that it is not school holidays of present! The weather tomorrow is not looking too good either and with other associates of the same group booking tomorrow it could be interesting to see who turns up!
Couldnt they have waited until after the season finishes to mend pot holes at the Rond Pont des Pistes!!!
What a change from yesterday and a sign of the times to come
It was only yesterday that I was saying that it felt like Spring had finally arrived but you'd never know it being out there today!
Only 1 sleep to go before we head out. Don't worry, you can be sure we'll bring plenty of snow with us like we usually do.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
sno trax -
Oh yea another of those days
I woke up this morning to find that Clare had brought Ben into bed with us as he would not settle without her comfort for him... so that was a little shock to the system first up!
Anyway being a Saturday it could be a slow start to the day and that it was!
However before long I had to get up to the meeting point and I had a trio of an Irish family... they were rather well dressed up to celebrate St Paddys day (happy St Paddys day everyone). The weather was not really playing ball though... it was a combination of heavy wet snowy rain (lighter up high) and flat light - not nice really. For the first few hours of the day there was absolutely no wind at all although it has strengthen a little this afternoon!
The lesson was quite fun and constructive although I found myself running 3 separate private lessons in one which always makes things more interesting. However given the weather etc I thought it went pretty well!
I tried to get a few jobs done on my way home - it doesn't help that our current chalet guests seem to have lost the key to the ski locker and it turns out that the key is a coded key so can't be cut so I'm just trying to work out what I can do!!! Arghhh!
I had a really fun few hours at home... it was nice to spend some time with Olivia and Ben - the next few weeks are going to be mega crazy busy so this is one of the last days i have a spare slot before now before the end of the season and with about 150 hours of teaching to go it is going to be a crazy 5 weeks or so!
So I found a huge old cardboard box that we had lying around that a sofa was delivered in earlier in the year... and with Olivia's help we made a wendy house out of it... it was a fun couple of hours and she has been playing in it ever since!
For tea we had the parents of Clares friend around (they are out here on holiday this week) and Olivia was so tired she slept through most of it despite the temptation of chocolate cake floating around the room!
... but forgot to take any photos up the mountain - whoops!!!! So no photo for today I'm afraid apart from a snap of the wendy house!
... oh and congrats to Ireland on the Grand Slam!
The only piece of real news here in town today apart from the snow (which is likely to continue all week) is that the annual Altigliss Challenge started today - this is a large pan European students ski competition - lots of low key fun and games with a few thousand European students in town. Not a massive 'drinking' week by British Student standards but there will still be some high jinx this week I should think.
Tomorrow morning I have off but teaching in the afternoon - a few family things lined up for the morning but most importantly no real drive to get up early - yay!
TTFN
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.
Back home now, had a great time in Val D'Isere as always though. I've definitely never seen so much snow in a euro resort!
Conditions across the week were up and down, but with two blue bird days (including our last day) and some powder friendly days I'll take it!
I guess I'll have to turn my attention to the VT thread now for the EOSB!
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
Bennisboy - glad you enjoyed your trip! Its still snowing here! Are you coming on the EOSB then - I'm teaching on it so if you are then ill see you there.
Last 'lie-in' for a LONG time
We were treated to the kids staying in bed until a sensible time this morning. In fact Olivia came in about 0730 and we had a quiet lie in together until about 0800 and it was nearly 0830 before Ben made a noise too... so all in all a very pleasant start to the day!
Family scrambled eggs started the day off nicely and some ski racing on TV too!
Olivia and I had the first of our new 'dates' this morning... we both got nicely dressed up and headed into town for a hot choc and ice-cream... Clare and I are going to alternate it as best we can over the next goodness knows how many years so we have 'dates' with the kids - basically some nice 1-1 time with them. So anyway a really nice couple of hours...
Olivia much more interested in the hot choc rather than the photo taking!
At lunchtime I had to get into ski stuff as I was teaching this afternoon.... the clouds were rolling in all day long and it would eventually start to snow therefore it was rather a grim afternoon to be getting a beginner going but needs must!
Anyway A was lovely... an American who know works in London... despite being rather nervous she did incredibly well and by the end of the session (if it hadn't been for the weather) she could have been up the mountain - however she was happy and eager for more tomorrow! Unfortunately I won't be seeing her again as I'm fully booked for the next wee while and a colleage will take her next lesson or 2.
Talking of bookings sometimes people ask how busy I am lesson wise and there is often the question: "How far in advance should I book".... there is no hard and fast answer and it depends on the time of the season etc... basically in peak season (school holidays) then everyone I know is pretty much fully booked several months in advance and the mornings certainly are fully booked months and months in advance - perhaps years sometimes! Outside of peak season then mornings can and often get booked up a month or so in advance and especially earlier in the week goes first... and again afternoons less in demand so looking ahead in my planner I am now 100% fully booked up now all the way through to when I go to Val Thorens for the EOSB on the 14th April... BAR a grand total of 2.5 days available for booking in total.... put another another way the next morning I have available is Friday 13th Aril - that means I have 25 days in a row of morning bookings to come! I do have a couple of afternoons blocked off but ill need those afternoons to recuperate! Wow its gonna be busy!
Weather wise it now looks like it could just be a weak retour that is hanging around as the fronts are weakening which is allowing a mini retour to build... who knows - dont think it is going to be a strong snow system that is for sure but colder temps for sure!
Oh I did manage to sell my old BCA Airbag tonight which is cool!
I have heard on the grapevine this evening that there was some sort of a serious incident in the Laissenant sector this afternoon - apparently a death but I dont have any more details as of present - perhaps an update for tomorrow update!
TTFN
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Whoops my periscope from today - forgot to drop that into the post - sorry!
Back home this eve after a fabulous week in Val - as always. There were a few firsts this week; firstly I've NEVER seen so much snow in Val. The snowbanks are insane, and I can't believe how high up the snow level is in the area by what was the Grand Marnier bar. They've cut in a big slope (which was sheet ice one night and I slid down it from top to bottom on my backside like a slide - closely followed by someone else, it was lethal!). The snow on the roofs is a sight to see as well.
Weather was very variable - a couple of very poor vis, windy days but a couple of fabulous sunny days. I've never seen so many people about during this week in March, the lift queues were huge on the first sunny day! It was like the whole world was in Val d'Isere to make the most of it. The second sunny day we endured the queues (Lanches chair wasn't running) to head up to the top of the Grand Motte and WOW was it worth it! The Descente black was glorious; empty, fabulous snow, no bumps and incredible views. Best run I've done in years, the whole group were on a real high. Double M was in fabulous condition too, the best I've known. In the afternoon we did Sache and I wished I hadn't because the steep bit was icy and horrible with huge bumps and knocked my confidence. Steeper than I remembered too!
My other first was I got to ski Triffolet, FINALLY!! It was gorgeous on the first run, but the second time we tried it it was bumpy and icy. It might be a few years before I get to ski it again. Generally the pistes were in wonderful nick, just a bit scraped in places. I even did Santons for the first time in years, and it was actually quite nice, if a bit busy.
My take on the Folie; I used to love it but now it's sooooo busy and showy I don't often bother with it. Didn't go this year as it was too rammed on the sunny days. It's fun for a quick drink and to watch the spectacle of it, and I actually like the music. However Cocorico knocks spots off it in terms of apres, it's just brilliant. I think I made it there about 3 or 4 times - and the rest of the time went to the Moris.
No new black runs ticked off this year, I nearly did Pramecou but it didn't happen. My friend was also trying to persuade me to do the Aguille Percee, but nope!
All in all, a brilliant week. Oh and the big fireworks last night right in front of our hotel were a nice little send off.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@HoneyBunny,
Great TR. Sounds like you had a blast!
I’m looking forward to a mid April return, when most of the crowds have gone
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Steve Angus,
we ended up changing last minute to La Tania for this week, instead of Le Lac. Still tentative after knee op when in very flat light and worse. Found the tree lined stuff around La Tan and easy stuff above 1650 more comforting than my usual blasts around the reds & blacks of EK.
Scheduled to return EK 14-21 Apr but sounds like you’re off to 3V then? Hope to get lesson sometime soon before legs finally collapse
Great idea for ‘dates’ with your own kids. Especially hot choc ones. Easy for busy lives to distract from real priorities like that.
How’s O enjoying skiing? I stayed sometimes near school in Rosset bit of Tignes and they did half day skiing on standard timetable. What a good idea!
Beats swimming a width and diving for rubber brick like I did.
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?
compostcorner wrote:
just thought i would give my opinion on the la folie douce in val disere, you should be aware that i am a grumpy 58 year old real ale drinking heavy metal maniac.... i thought this place was dreadful, if there is a hell then this is what hell would be for me, its full of lager louts who drink far to much, smoke dope, and who dance on tables in ski boots ( check your insurance ), while some twits on a stage entice people to do unquestionable things to each other, and the music..good grief, it sounds like the same record all the time, i can see the appeal of this place for a tiny minority of the skiing population, but give me a nice pub anyday.
I'm 55 this week and I love the Folie. It's just great fun. It's loud, it's OTT and it's house/dance music, so that helps too.
But then my idea of hell is a real ale pub with a heavy metal band playing and full of grumpy middle aged men.
Vive la diference!
That said, most afternoons you will find me in Cocorico.
My colleague Chris witnessed what looked like the aftermath of a nasty accident around the Laisinant at the end of the morning. There were pisteurs, gendarmes and a helicopter, all of which add up to serious trouble and Chris seems to think there was a fatality. I don’t have any more information than that at the moment.
I'm not entirely surprised by this. We skied L on Wednesday last week and one of our group was clipped by a snowboarder who was straightlining the bottom section at a ridiculous speed. The boarder had the good grace to apologise when we caught up with him at the lift, but a split second difference could have resulted in something horrific. He was really motoring. On another occasion over in Tignes another of our party was very narrowly missed by a rocketing snowboarder just as he (the skier) was pulling in to the side to stop. Here again the outcome was mere millimetres from something awful, and the miscreant in this case was doing it in flat light with poor visibility! What on earth possesses these people?
If it does turn out to be a fatality, RIP to the deceased.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Whilst not defending people descending too quickly (on skis or on snowboards), everyone can do themselves a massive favour by actually checking it is clear behind, before coming across the piste and stopping.
It may be the responsibility of the uphill skier to avoid everyone below, but that counts for jack in Bourg St Maurice hospital.
After all it is free
After all it is free
HoneyBunny - glad you had a good trip - yes the amount of snow is insane and yes the slopes have been busy haven't they! The Trifollet piste is in excellent shape this year - like Santons etc!
PeakyB - take it easy on that knee. Yea i'll be in VT that week in April unfortunately! Yes the 'dates' are hopefully going to be a regular thing. Olivia loves her skiing - she has skied down to La Daille a few times already and loves her hot choc stops!
The whole Folie thing - yea I guess it appeals to some people and definitely NOT to others...
Bennisboy - great - ill be there - might end up in your apartment but shall be there that week!
moosepig - yes there are some idiots out there but we can certainly help ourselves.... looks like the accident was (from what I can gather) not ski related as such... a heart attack and ultimately a death but pisteurs etc were needed on the scene.
bar shaker - yes agreed - I'm a big believer in the 'basic's' and checking up the slope etc for starting off etc... massive believer in all those things!
A change in the weather
It looks like this really weak weather system that is floating around that is producing a mini retour (amongst other 'flat' weather systems) is fading... the fronts that might have formed substantial snowfall potential seem to be fading away and it now looks like this week will see a lot more sun than previously thought.
Anyway today was a day when it was not promising much but the clouds pretty quickly started to break up (although never totally broke up) and it was a very pleasant day all in all!
Clare woke up feeling like s**t so yours truly was on 'getting the kids up and ready for school / breakfast' etc duty as well as sorting myself out.... eeeeek Anyway Olivia behaved and it was OK in the end.
I got to the meeting point and K and A turned up... ready for action. We hit up the Bellevarde and the Fontaine Froide and OK Orange were the usual stomping grounds... we initially worked on 'powder' as there was a good 15cm or so of fresh all over the place up there and we had a good time... some comedy falls though...
I shouldn't laugh but nice face plant A!
So it was a good morning - some things to work on but food for thought.
Lunch was a 'catch up' lunch - catching up on emails, calls and lots in-between.
The afternoon session had an interesting start as I bumped into them in the loo of all places under the Sun Bar.
So the afternoon team was a team of ex seasonniatres from Val from a good 10 years ago. A nice and fun group and the plan was to work on piste technique before in the next session we will head off piste.... that is on Wednesday afternoon.
We lapped around on the Arcelle all afternoon which gave a good balance of challenge (I hope). I was actually surprised at how chopped up and bumpy it was. It was one of those sessions whereby all 4 people had 4 different things they needed to work on. It doesn't usually work out that way but today was one of those days.... not to worry just takes a little longer to get info across thats all!
So we worked on general piste technique before it got so chopped up that we moved onto working on moguls... it was a good session.... see you Wednesday folks!
Ummmmmmm not the best idea - blocking the top of the magic carpet atop the Solaise! Just move out the way people!
I think that is all for today.... back on it tomorrow.
TTFN
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.
Ah, sorry to hear of any death in resort however caused.
@bar shaker, I'm with you 100%, however in the second incident described the skier had already moved safely to the side and was just coming slowly to a stop. The boarder passed between the skier and the stationary group with virtually nothing to spare on either side of him. It was reckless and could easily have resulted in a death, such was the speed involved. Personally I always look up the slope when moving over and signal my intentions in advance (like a cyclist would) if there's anyone nearby. Shouldn't be necessary to indicate but better safe than sorry.
On the plus side, there seemed overall to be a lot less reckless idiocy on the slopes last week than in previous March visits to the EK despite it being busier than usual. I guess the generally poor conditions played their part in that.
@Steve Angus, that photo of a clogged unloading area could have been taken anywhere in the EK last week, it was a struggle to get away at the top of many lifts. On one occasion a stationary ski school group blocked the entirety of the narrow exit from the Loyes chair, the instructor apparently oblivious to our inability to pass. Not the best example to set the students.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
moosepig wrote:
I'm not entirely surprised by this. We skied L on Wednesday last week and one of our group was clipped by a snowboarder who was straightlining the bottom section at a ridiculous speed. The boarder had the good grace to apologise when we caught up with him at the lift, but a split second difference could have resulted in something horrific. He was really motoring. On another occasion over in Tignes another of our party was very narrowly missed by a rocketing snowboarder just as he (the skier) was pulling in to the side to stop. Here again the outcome was mere millimetres from something awful, and the miscreant in this case was doing it in flat light with poor visibility! What on earth possesses these people?
If it does turn out to be a fatality, RIP to the deceased.
Yes all boarders are evil . Spent last week boarding around Les Arcs trying to avoid totally out of control skiers. It is also a great help to boarders when skiers get of lifts and just stand there blocking any route off. All skiers should try boarding and see the difference in peripheral vision. Rant over but there are far more out of control skiers on the slopes than boarders. Everyone should take care.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
. I'm trying to get that particular company to wake up and do something about their gormless customers. Perhaps it would be a start if they diverted the budget away from any champagne swilling corporate jollies (were it them in Val) and into helping us cure the scourge of messing up the countryside...
)
Don't worry, you can be sure we'll bring plenty of snow with us like we usually do.
