 Poster: A snowHead
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| krankie wrote: |
How is the Face into Val D'Isere holding up? We usually try to do that early to mid morning when the legs are fresh.  |
Speaking as a much worse skier than Steve, we were in Val last week and the Face was considerably easier than Rhone Alpes, which was very hard (and slippery) towards the bottom. I ended up side-slipping a small section of the latter, which wasn't needed on Face.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Steve Angus, so, does this mean you don't subscribe to the 'If you don't fall over, you're not really trying' school of thought? (I don't very often fall over, at least not on piste.  )
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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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Any advice on how to find it balance on it and stay on it Steve. Just seen a vt of my self on some variable and it wasn't my best. Hoping it was stage freight of being on camera, but I've never seen you get stage freight!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sorry guys fright. Kind of know freight is on lorrys and ships!
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| Pedantica wrote: |
| Steve Angus, so, does this mean you don't subscribe to the 'If you don't fall over, you're not really trying' school of thought? (I don't very often fall over, at least not on piste. ) |
... I do like that quote in general but people seem to equate falling over with lack of ability. Finding the middle of the ski makes things so much easier.
Chris Ski H - in your case - as we have discussed (and you have been told this week) your technique is very strong - mileage and getting yourself into new situations such as the Spring snow you have found this week is one of the best ways you will improve. However doing things like ski with boots undone makes you find the middle of your skis as well as moguls!!!!!
One particular drill people can do to find the middle of their ski - or see whether they are in the middle of the ski is a drill called braquage... essentially link side-slips with 180 rotations of the feet (i.e. turn one way and then next). The skill lies in whether the feet move straight down the fall line or whether they (and the skier / skis) drift across the slope. The skis must be kept flat as possible too. You can pole plant if you like. The more 'plum' the feet move down the slope the more the skier is balanced over the middle of the ski on that slope.... the steeper the slope the harder. Some momentum is allowed but it is harder (and more skilful) at slow speed where friction is greater. Even tougher - try and do it down moguls (have to be well spaced and rounded moguls!). There are lots of other ways of seeing whether someone is centred or not... but i'd be doing myself out of a job if I gave all the answers here - haa haa
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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'm all booked now for Val d'Isere for March 25th Steve. Staying in the Moris (haha yes I know - party time!) so will have to try and say hi at some point. I absolutely cannot WAIT - and it's even going to snow for me.
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Piccadilly, i'm heading across on saturday for 2 weeks if you get the chance to say hi 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Curtains, I'll be there from Saturday for a week, so maybe will catch up. Sorry I'm going to miss you Piccadilly.
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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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Curtains, would love to! I'll have internet access so we'll have to arrange a mini-meet up.
Scampi Dellahanti, awww shame  but have a wonderful time though..
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You know it makes sense.
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Many congrats to Clare! Did she enjoy La Grave?
Cheers for the number, will drop you a text after the 25th when I arrive. I am SOOOO excited about going back to Val, you do know you have the best job in the world Steve?!
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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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Hey all, i'll be staying in the UCPA in Tignes from the 24th for a week.. Any recommendations of interesting and fun slopes to try when I get there.. Will have a day free to sight see before lessons start on the Monday..
Cheers!
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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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Steve
Do you have a web site for your chalets?
Thx
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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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| tspill wrote: |
Steve
Do you have a web site for your chalets?
Thx |
Thanks tspill for your post. Our chalet (not plural) details can be found on www.freshchalets.co.uk.
Please do not hesitate to drop me a PM or email from the website if you have any questions or anything.
Thanks,
Steve
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Other Snowheads were in La Grave on Friday too from the SOPB ..... me plus SharkyMarky and Gavin with Nick Parks from Mountain tracks..... did classic descent to St Cristoph .... excellent spring snow .... but a bit sketchy at top and bottom !!
Didn't see Clare 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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Steve Angus, How are the trails to the lower levels of VDI and Tignes Brev looking?
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| Whitegold wrote: |
| Steve Angus, How are the trails to the lower levels of VDI and Tignes Brev looking? |
They have pretty much all got 100% coverage so no worries that side of things.
As it has generally been hot it has gotten pretty slushy later on in the day but nothing too drastic.
Now we have had another cold snap with fresh snow is will not only provide some cover but being cooler the snow should settle and compact down so give even more season out of the snow.
Unless we get weeks on end of hot weather over the next two / three weeks (not forecast at this stage) then I see no reason why the pistes will not remain in good condition for this time of the year until well into April. The second half of April and after pro-longed periods of hot weather the general rule is get up early, ski high, ski long, late lunch and go home!
I have to say I have not been Brev way for a while so can't say exactly how it feels down there but from the road today it looked pretty damn good!
Hope that helps.
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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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^ It does. Merci.
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I am so looking forward to doing Sache again next week. Last year it was slushy but still nice, so this year should be even better. As I have new skis, I will have to tackle Face again too, and hopefully make a better job of it this time. I just kind of survived it last time.
6 days and counting...
Great photos by the way Steve!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Steve Angus, how are you finding the Whitedots, if you don't mind me asking?
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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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shoogly, What's the aim of that last drill for kids? I'd guess it's to try& get them parallel but wanted to check!!
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You know it makes sense.
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Isn't it just to get them to make turns intuitively rather than by getting them to follow a 'technique'?
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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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kitenski, As far as I could tell, it's as paulio suggests.
It was designed to get them to turn without having to think about it too much. Some of the kids (all 3 year olds) wandered a bit when there wasn't something to help guide them, but put something like this down and they all managed to turn pretty well.
Not so much to get them parallel, but more to get the idea in their heads that if they pressure their skis in a certain way, it's cause things like turning to happen.
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Poster: A snowHead
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shoogly, looks beautiful!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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shoogly, glad you made it home ok, good to meet you last week - shame about your back - at least you got one good day out in the Col Pers eh? Beautiful week in the sun and snow was pretty good all over so no complaints and the kids had a great time - until next year!
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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.
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Piccadilly Thanks - always trying to get as many photos up... must try and get around to getting a better camera so the quality will be even better.
bobmcstuff The Whotedot Ones' - loving them. Really nice all mountain sort of skis... pretty useless for carving and making 'active' turns that are not skidded but great for general skiing, moguls, freestyle, off-piste etc.
shoogly Nice photos, thanks for posting them... yes it was lovely and sunny wasn't it... bit cooler with some snow this week. Col Pers - snow in there at the moment is just perfect... but the entrance is meaty non the less. Sorry to hear about the back - what on earth happened? Hope it mends soon!
As far as the last picture is concerned. It partly gets the kids more parallel but gets them used to making round shaped turns without needing the visual queue of the instructor and having to follow them.... the instructors line has already been put down for them to follow and in general by having a visual stimulus kids of this sort of age will generally work out how to turn. With young kids very often the difficulty is getting them into snowplough initially.... once they are in the plough then turning comes relatively naturally and they learn how to press and rotate to achieve the turn... all the time the line (in this case) shows them where they should be going. When they leave the 'pen' they are much more skilled in being able to follow the instructors line (one hopes anyway).
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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 only asked since I have some too... The older, stiffer ones though.
I did enjoy skiing moguls on them, which was pretty much a first for me!
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shoogly, Ditto Sir. And best wishes from Diana too.
Bad news on the back - hope it gets properly sorted so you can have a proper crack at it. Think we might be booking with esprit again for next year in Val d - I'll let you know if/when.
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Steve Angus, damaged my back pretty badly a few years back, worked really hard to get it fit, especially over the past year, then skiing out of gorges malpessat onto that snowy road to fornet, I jarred it on a teeny bump and somehow managed to herniate a disc again and retear some scar tissue. Sucks, but at least the weather was nice!
I'll put more pics in a trip report tomorrow. Best area I've skied and will be back next season.
lib-banana, ditto.
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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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| shoogly wrote: |
skiing out of gorges malpessat onto that snowy road to fornet, I jarred it on a teeny bump and somehow managed to herniate a disc again and retear some scar tissue.
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DAMN IT... get well soon.
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Very sad news about the man above. Always sobering to hear about deaths in ski resorts, especially on piste. Very disrespectful of people to stand and watch as well, it's just like when there's a nasty crash on motorways. Must put a real downer on the day when you see something like that.
Quite a few deaths sadly reported in this thread, in fact.
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