 Poster: A snowHead
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are there any mini practice black runs in europe??? i find it odd that of all the resorts ive been i havent seen or heard of it. im at a level where i can ski at a good intermediate level but really cant do a long black. 100m lenght on practice route would be great if they exsisted!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Take up slalom racing, gates make you a better turner, skier and give a better buzz, it has also has another lot of nice kit to buy and really hurts if you crash particularly on plastic, which covers the fear factor and stamina training you are looking for. Racing circuits exist in GB and are very keanly supported, England racers taking part in leagues near you.
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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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KURWA100,
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100m lenght on practice route would be great if they exsisted!!
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there is a very short black run in St Foy, maybe only 100m if that of proper black its called the Cret Serru du Haut, also the Morion in St Foy is not very long mabye 400m but its off piste and the drop in scares most people off 
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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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KURWA100, there are a couple of what I would call tame and short blacks in the resort of Les Gets (Myrtilles and to a lesser extent Yeti)... and while you're in the PdS there is also a cheeky little black section on the Pauvre Conche near Les Crosets.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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short blacks in the resort of Les Gets (Myrtilles and to a lesser extent Yeti)
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Yes - they must be as I did them last week while we were there!
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KURWA100, length isn't all that it's cracked up to be and judging a run by its length could get you out of your depth. Long blacks tend to be much gentler than short blacks. For example, Glencoe's 'Fly Paper' is very short and Alpe D'Huez's 'Sarenne' is very long but the long one is much, much tamer than the short one. 
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St Anton has several black runs that are regularly bisected by blue or red alternatives - for example run 35 from Kapell or 25 from Gampen. You can do any or all of the black sections and, when you've had enough, return to the gentler alternative.
It has to be said that these aren't exactly epic runs. Great for training, though.
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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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MoodyFFS +1
There's also a steep red section next to it - so you can build up.
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KURWA100, I forgot , Black 3 in La Thuile would fit your needs exactly, steep, only one entrance as it in a couloir and under the gondola to the village, you could circulate on that, it is not skied by many so you have it usually to yourself if you ski at a reasonable rate. There is an excellent Gellato bar in the village which serves superb tequila sunrises, after a few trips on black 3 both should be in order for your celibration.
Or the Ahorne black, again not skied by many as small resort with few agressive customers, again under the cable car to the village so plenty steep, but this time in pitches unlike Black3 which only has a jump at the bottom.
or the black "Olympic Luc Alphand" in Serre Chevalier which is agian served by a gondola and chair, usually full of hillmans unfortunately and is heavily cannoned, but a good workout particularly after any competitions when the art of 40mph sideslipping may be learnt.
Or the ladies downhill at House, just round the corner from Schladming, north facing, cold, dark, always in race condition one can practice a change of direction in the air off a jump and marvel that it is done at 60mph+ in race. See 40mph side slipping.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Head to Austria.
Saalbach is one example.
Austria tends to have shorter blacks because their mountains are smaller and lower.
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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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Whitegold, dude........Saalbach is for losers 
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KURWA100, Montgenevre has some blacks that are steep, but not silly steep - les Rhodos, Tetras and Chaberton are the ones you want.
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You know it makes sense.
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... and while you're in the PdS there is also a cheeky little black section on the Pauvre Conche near Les Crosets.
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I did this in Jan for my first ever black - I just needed to cross the psycological "never done a black" barrier and I felt like I could ski anything afterwards - then I looked at the map so that I could always remember "my first black" and its the smallest black line in the world 
Still, it worked, it increased my confidence and blacks are no longer the scary, unknown thing that they were before!
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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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Two that spring to mind as being short and not especially intimidating are:
La Clusaz, FR - Choucas.
Verbier, CH - Lac de Vaux.
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Poster: A snowHead
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There's a fairly short black in Val Thorens as well, Goitschel, which is at the top of one of the "3-vallees" link lift. Not too bad as a black, not too long and some options to bail out to a red at a couple of points.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Saint Gervais - Michel Dujon
Saint Gervais -Arcosses short (300m)
Megeve - Princesse black
St Nicolas Grand Choucas
Les Contamines - can't for the life of me remember the name but it's maybe 400m and hardly qualifies as black
Les Houches - Kandahar (but possibly not the week after race day)
All just have a short steeper element but are otherwise very easy.
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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 would echo Goitschel in Val T.
Also Ecureills (?) in Peisey Vallandry is quite pleasant , very few people do it and the crowded icy blue it leads in to scares me more !
And I would say the top of the red Saulire run in Courchevel 1850 is as steep as many blacks but then is a proper red - you can recognise it by the bodies lying on it - and the sign that says " Easier Route " ( which I think is hardly any different ).
Enjoy !
John
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Why not just do difficult reds - which will inevitably be more difficult than easy blacks?
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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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Why not just take the steepest line on whatever you're on be it blue or red and not pay attention to colour? After all there is almost no consistency between run gradings in different resorts.
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A black in a tame resort will be a red or even a blue in a harder resort. Similarly there is no jump from red to black within a resort, just a gradual progression. Do the hardest red and then ask which is the easiest black and do that.
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Madesimo, The Canalone, launch off the cable car restaurant balcony.....................
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In my experience, which is admittedly limited, if its a short run and still black there's usually an interesting surprise hidden somewhere 
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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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Schwarzen run from Eigergletscher down to Kleine Scheidegg in Berner Oberland is pretty short and for a black not too steep
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This is indeed a very very gentle one. More like a very light red and the view (especially in your back if it does make sense) is superb.
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FAQ
If it's a long black, can't you just stop more? No rules to say not 
