 Poster: A snowHead
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We can get by without dynafit bindings I'm sure.
I've got Barons which, while I know aren't as good for walking as 'proper' touring bindings can at least give a feel for what we're doing, no?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yes, sure, that is the way I and most others get into skinning anyway. I'm not a "proper" tourer.
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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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Hi snowball, interested in finding out more about this (never tried it, just dabbled in some off-piste last season) but can't get there til mid-morning, so may just be spectator. However, if can participate that could be the first step from Hemel to the Haute Route!
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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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Jude1 No problem - the group will be finished but I'll stay on and do as much as I can with you (but we won't have a steeper slope for kick turns after 10.00).
Any idea when you can arrive?
Linds, might be amusing for others if you have the time.
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| Jude1 wrote: |
| Hi snowball, interested in finding out more about this (never tried it, just dabbled in some off-piste last season) but can't get there til mid-morning, so may just be spectator. However, if can participate that could be the first step from Hemel to the Haute Route! |
I think "Hemel to Himalaya" is the snappier title for the book and lecture tour so get working on that Tony Hawk tale of whimsy (no not the skateboard bloke).
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I'll get there as early as possible, maybe if have early night could make it for 9! Tony Hawk as in 'Round the M25 with a Fridge' Tony Hawk?
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snowball, sorry, I'll have to drop out. I have to work tomorrow.
The auditors have gone crazy ... they're actually doing their job properly which has come as a bit of a surprise.
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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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Probably going to be there but can't find my skins for the teles so might watch from a distance.
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I've just dropped the wee man off with his mum so I'll definitely be there.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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snowball, If I'm not there by 10am it means I can't make it. Please don't wait. Car roof has sprung a leak, 3" water inside, more a bathtub on wheels than a car  Still hope to get there but if I don't, have fun, and see you in the mountains!
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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'm afraid we didn't quite get the wilderness feeling at Hemel on a Saturday, so probably no new addicts yet, but I hope a few people now understand that there is nothing very difficult involved and they can just set out and do it.
Sorry that several more had to drop out so we were a small group of 4 - plus a couple of interested onlookers later on.
In the end Pete let us use the landing slope of the left hand jump, to do kick turns, which was perfectly adequate. Thank you Pete. The jumpers were perfectly happy with the slope as it was afterwards, without any smoothing.
I think perhaps my tuition style was a bit school of Inspector Cluseau but just about adequate, I hope.
My much older spare set of skins just didn't stick to the skis any more and kept coming off. Plus although I could demonstrate the harscheisen on my old Fritschi bindings, I realised, when I came to put on the new ones for the Baron bindings (which was what we all used), that I had only used them once last year and had had to ask the guide how they fitted on that occasion. Ummmm. A bit of fiddling and it worked OK. In every way the the Fritschi are so much easier to use, though.
Any photos linds?
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You know it makes sense.
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It was well worth having a play in the fridge before embarking on anything on an actual mountain. Kick turns when it gets steeper are a little tricky and I didn't have the tail clips tight enough at first and as soon as any snow got underneath the adhesive properties of the skin glue in that area were almost zero.
Thanks to Pete for accommodating and snowball for arranging/tuition. Next step: avalanche course...
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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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Sorry about the poor picture but you were in the darkest corner and my battery was nearly dead!
It was interesting watching you but dont think I have the stamina to do it myself  
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Poster: A snowHead
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| snowball wrote: |
| I think perhaps my tuition style was a bit school of Inspector Cluseau but just about adequate, I hope. |
As I said at the time, it's not a bad thing to be a little disorganised.... There's nothing worse than some super-efficient instructor making it all look as easy as falling off a log, and then finding out that there's more to it when trying it yourself.
Thanks for the loan of the skins, and for organising the morning. Was good to meet a few of you and skins are certainly on my shopping list now.
Also thanks to Pete for letting us use the slope. It was worth is just to see some of the bemused expressions from those on the Poma 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thankyou snowball, for arranging this with Pete & getting us together.
As always, it is good to meet some SNowheads and chat and ski and dream of sun, snow and magnificent mountains.
I got my skins 'wet' for their first time, and it all went surprisingly well. I now have the confidence to leap off the back of the big hill in Andermatt, skin up to the ridge and enjoy miles of untouched powder in the Guspis valley.
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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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Linds, I wore my lime green ski trousers, no problem with brightness there.
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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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'Skiing' down with skins on and bindings free was a bit odd. Skins slide forwards on snow, but nowhere near as slippy as waxed bases, but they also limit the sideways movement of the ski, so even when standing still discussing technique, there is a risk of falling over as the usual little slipping movements we make to keep balanced sideways just don't work.
THen when going down, slowly due to the drag, the skins slow suddenly and the heel lifts and it feel like you will end up on your face...Telemark technique is required.
Hmm...telemark....another fun thing to learn...(but requires different kit).
And at the end, I did skin all the way from bottom to top, just for the hell of it. Actually, I used the opportunity to skin up the side of the jump beside the lift track, where I could get the feel of having to edge or lay the skis flatter to the snow - a counter -intuitive move on steeps.
Having walked up part of the slope just in ski boots, I can say that skinning is a good way of getting up mountains where there are no lifts...its not as crazy energetic as you might think.
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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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lampbus, snowplough is the answer for heading downhill. Nothing dramatic but it's much easier to steer. You're also in a much easier to balance position.
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| meh wrote: |
| lampbus, snowplough is the answer for heading downhill. Nothing dramatic but it's much easier to steer. You're also in a much easier to balance position. |
Any XC skier will agree! Srsly I have scared myself way more on XC skis than alpine skis over the years.
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| Quote: |
'Skiing' down with skins on and bindings free was a bit odd.
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In what circumstances would you do that? when I had my beginners go at touring, last winter, in real mountains, I found it surprisingly enjoyable - and I preferred the ascent to the descent, really, as I am pretty hopeless on the steep and deep especially when there are lots of bushes with narrow paths between them! The guide had to extricate me from a bush at one point. I only climbed about 400m but that was enough for a first go, especially with lots of kick turns. I suspect they are sometimes easier for women, as we tend to have more flexible hips . What is the French name for kick turns? I've forgotten.
I loved the touring boots - light and easy - and given that I don't do anything very gnarly on piste I might consider buying some as my main boots, if my present boots don't see me out. The skis were fine, too (I rented the gear for a day before my trip, to get the hang of the bindings and the skins as I had no experience). I wondered about getting touring skis too, till I saw the prices Au Vieux Campeur. 
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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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pam w, I expect that mostly the skins will be used uphill only, but I can envisage going up, and perhaps a short downhill bit to the next 'up' which you don't want to fiddle about taking skins off/ on again for.
My marker duke bindings cant be locked down with the boot in, so that is also an extra fiddle step. I could see a quick flip to lockdown may have helped the skiing. some other bindings are better in this regard - can be locked using the end of a ski pole without even bending over.
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| lampbus wrote: |
| ... I can envisage going up, and perhaps a short downhill bit to the next 'up' which you don't want to fiddle about taking skins off/ on again for. |
This, especially if you are trying to put skins on and then take them off in bad weather. Much easier to ski downhill with care rather than take skins off and then put them back on again.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Oh yes, I see, that makes plenty of sense.
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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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| mountainaddict wrote: |
I know that you're all southern-based, but if you ever get the chance, Scottish ski areas (and Cairngorm in particular) are good for beginners - with wilderness skinning/descents only yards from the piste. |
At Nevis Range it becomes possible to ski off piste off the back even when Braveheart chair isn't working. Just a 10 minute skin-up and you are back on the lowest traverse. I'm hoping the Scottish Snowheads weekend in March will happen this year.
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FAQ
Should I bring a camera? 
