 Poster: A snowHead
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So we are back from our first full day on the slopes. Yesterday, we were a bit late arriving so rather than go to Flachau winkle we stoppedshort and saved ourselves 10 minutes and skied the home hill (Flachau) which clearly had a fair smattering of fresh on Friday night. The pistes were well used by the time we got up top, with the fresh already well mounded, and awkward to ski as a result.
We went back up this morning and skied the full length of the back of the hill down to Wagrain. On the whole the pistes skied well, though all the pistes skied today did have the occasional scraped areas of pure blue ice showing through I was also surprised to see one or two places that had pulled up dirt into the top surfaes.
I was lucky yesterday and didn't fall off the new skis  Thoughh they are as stiff as my my Magfires Which I was. Not expecting. [Minimum 1] is planning to post for you all, but at the moment she is having proirise some work set by her teacers.
Apologies for errors, but I am using a tablet and the keyboard is limited.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Megamum, Probably just as well you gave Flachauwinkel a miss - kooky reported there were 47 coaches there when she arrived early and the queues were horrendous. At least skiing the home hill meant you could try the umbrella bar 
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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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The children had their instructor today and reported having had a good time, going off piste, through the trees and down a black run with some ,moguls.
Late yesterday afternoon we enjoyed some apres in an umberellla bar at the foot of the achterjet, minimum_2 is an apres natural! Any suggestion that FraserP may have too many beers is likely to be vehermently denied by the man in question, but some of us know better.
We skied earlier today, and the freshly pisted slopes were lovely to ski. In my opinion they held up better today despite heavy trafic (it was very busy) I think the lack of fresh fall of snow stopped the mounding quite a much and the pistes remained flatter and more easily skiable as a result. This afternoon we took a turn down the World cup red, it is still an icier run than most, but I don't mind skiing it. I think a very icy holidayin Les Arcs a couple of years ago cured me of fearing ice LOL.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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Hmm. "Several" gluweins and a donut before 1030? Sugar loading for the trials ahead? Sounds like a fun day. 
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Minimum_1, you want ice? Skied the world championship piste at Schladming today, first day they were open after the comp, was like a vertical ice rink, respect to the racers even the slow looking ones.
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I wonder why there's so much ice around (on ordinary pistes, not world championship ones) when there's been plenty of snow, and good cold weather?
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pam w, I would agree. The snow reports suggest that snow fall has been regular and constant and I am surprised at this underlying layer that seems present. The fresh snow is a good few centimeters, even deep above it, but there does seem to be an underlying layer of very hard stuff that is def. glistening properly blue in places other than the world cup pistes. It seems to appear there the top layer has been scraped off, perhaps in very busy areas or where the snow boards do their big swooshy thing across the surfaces. At one point today I think I hit one of my rare properly carved turns right above a section of it and to say that I accelerated at some fair degree of knots would be something of an understatement!! 
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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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get ice with cold weather and traffic scraping and compressing it. It's been fairly cold for over a couple of weeks and most piste around here are north facing. Hasn't been large amounts of fresh for a week or so, a few small top ups. The off piste has generally been in great shape with soft untracked snow to be found, some crust on more south facing slopes.Pretty standard mid winter conditions I'd say.Ice will go with warmer spring weather or some major snowfall.
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waynos, There isn't huge amounts of it, and I have certainly seen much worse. It is just present on most of the pistes that we have skied so far both Flachau and Wagrain side, and as the day progresses and the top surface is pushed to one side I do find myself just watching for it as I ski and try to avoid clearly problematical patches of it. However, in comparison with some other trips, the surface as a whole is still great for most of it's length.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w, it is not ice, it is compacted snow. particularly the artificial stuff. The volume of traffic simply compacts it regardless of how much falls.
Ice is shiny, rock hard and looks blue/black when the light is on it. However most holiday skiers do not know the difference and anything their skis do not easily cut into is called ice. A few seasons skiing in Scotland will soon teach the difference! 
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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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Samerberg Sue, There were pretty big ice patches when we are at Reiteralm in January - yes they were real!
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holidayloverxx, possibly from the race training pistes - remember Reiteralm is a premier training area for national teams.
But most of the "ice" people describe is actually boilerplate, hard heavily compacted snow. Good sharp edges and edge control make it easy enough to ski on, but not at all comfortable for the vast majority of skiers, that's why people call it ice! Occasional patches of real sheet ice are often closed off to prevent holiday skiers from hurting themselves.
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You know it makes sense.
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most of the "ice" people describe is actually boilerplate, hard heavily compacted snow
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yes, I certainly agree with that - but megamum did talk about blue ice! I have very rarely seen proper ice in winter in all the time I've spent skiing, except very late in the season with a fierce melt/refreeze regime.
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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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The polished snow in Austria generally seems to be below midstation and/or in very busy areas e.g. the top of Flachau down to the Space Jet 3 lift station. It is typical artificial snow hardness but in no way compares to the glacier ice I once slid down in Les Deux Alpes. It is the same colour as snow whereas ice usually has a darker hue. My skiing is far to crap to hold a good edge in the artificial hardpack but I can ski it, unlike ICE where pointing the skis straight down and waiting for some snow to come along seems to be the only method that works.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Frosty the Snowman,
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ICE where pointing the skis straight down and waiting for some snow to come along seems to be the only method that works.
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Agreed. Thought I'd cracked that on the glacier in Tignes, 18 months ago, and was very proud of myself for not getting spooked. It worked a treat, until skimottaret skied behind me yelling, 'turn, turn, TURN' every three seconds. It got a bit messy at that point!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'm one of these weird people that loves icy hardback/boilerplate. You can all keep your slushy mashed potato and give me the hard stuff any day... 
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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 can't remember who the instructor was, but when I asked once during a lesson for his tip for skiing ice, he said "don't, give up early for the day and find a bar"
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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my preferred method for ice (proper ice) unless it's a very gentle slope is a diagonal sideslip with both skis absolutely flat. On hard pack, all the weight on the one edge seems to work best - ie the complete opposite.
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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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| Samerberg Sue wrote: |
pam w, it is not ice, it is compacted snow. particularly the artificial stuff. The volume of traffic simply compacts it regardless of how much falls.
Ice is shiny, rock hard and looks blue/black when the light is on it. However most holiday skiers do not know the difference and anything their skis do not easily cut into is called ice. A few seasons skiing in Scotland will soon teach the difference! |
What a load of dangly bits! It was:- shiny, rock hard and looks blue/black when the light is on it. And I do know what i'm talking about.
Any more enlightening comments about the snow Sue?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| Samerberg Sue, There were pretty big ice patches when we are at Reiteralm in January - yes they were real! |
holidayloverxx Yes, it must be the same type of conditions we were on, no issues really, just an observation that we thought would be useful.
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| The polished snow in Austria generally seems to be below midstation and/or in very busy areas e.g. the top of Flachau down to the Space Jet 3 lift station. It is typical artificial snow hardness but in no way compares to the glacier ice I once slid down in Les Deux Alpes. It is the same colour as snow whereas ice usually has a darker hue. My skiing is far to crap to hold a good edge in the artificial hardpack but I can ski it, unlike ICE where pointing the skis straight down and waiting for some snow to come along seems to be the only method that works. |
Frosty the Snowman, It was just like the stuff in LDA, but only in a few patches of it. Lots of hard packed but that's really kids stuff and not worth any consideration. in the general scheme of things.
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Samerberg Sue wrote:
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| However most holiday skiers do not know the difference and anything their skis do not easily cut into is called ice |
TBH I rather resent the implication that a degree level chemist can't tell the difference between compacted snow and ice. Holiday skier I certainly am, but we are not a lower life form, and I have more than sufficient experience of skiing ICE to know when I have seen it. Good Lord! It shouldn't be necessary for me to post a ruddy picture of the stuff to be believed!!
Last edited by After all it is free  on Tue 19-02-13 21:57; edited 1 time in total
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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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Megamum, I believe you; there are often patches of proper ice at the top of the Star (or is it space) jet 3 - the one to the left of the Achterjet; small enough just to slide over and turn when you get to snow. In fact I think I have probably seen real ice in most resorts in odd patches.
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Now, shall we get back to the half term blog? What did the minimums get up to today?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Megamum wrote: |
| TBH I rather resent the implication that a degree level chemist can't tell the difference between compacted snow and ice. Holiday skier I certainly am, but we are not a lower life form, and I have more than sufficient experience of skiing ICE to know when I have seen it. Good Lord! It shouldn't be necessary for me to post a ruddy picture of the stuff to be believed!! |
LIKE
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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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Minimum_2, I hope your sister's hands are better tomorrow - have you got any of those warming tea bag things? If not, buy her some - she'll love you forever.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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But sisters can be a funny sometimes when it comes to loving brothers for ever.
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yes, I guess you're right!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Minimum_2, I love that umbrella bar! the music is great fun!
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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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Sounds like good fun! I like the sound of your lesson
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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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Anyhow, back to a report for today. We got going really early today and were at the Achterjet as it opened. A light breeze at the bottom developed into a howling gale at the top, but you didn't have to go so far to drop out of it. I fancy it was windier on the Wagrain side than on the Flachau side. We went over a lot of the mountain and had a lovely ski down the world cup run which is rapidly becoming my favourite run in the resort. It is nicely flat, hard, compact (more compact than ice today as they had bashed a top surface onto it), it has few people on it and I thought it was skiing really well today.
This evening we went to the umbrella bar near the foot of the Achterjet. The Minimums have become local stars gaining a round of applause from the entire bar for their performance of Gangnam style, and Minimum_2 endeared himself to many with a solo effort to the Blues brothers 'Everybody loves somebody'. It was a good night............. it must have been a good night - FraserP was even seen to dance the twist!!
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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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queen bodecia, the WM run at Schladming is open now - and unaltered - PERFECT for you! I took the gondala down! Ange x
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Megamum, that sounds like a great day.
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Megamum, Sounds fab
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Great stuff - excellent posts all round!
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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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Last night we had some snow (2-3 inches at least).
Today we are having our ski lesson with our instructor. I expect it to be fun with all the fresh snow off piste and on.
Just looked out of the window and its still snowing.
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FAQ
Loving your reports, singing and dancing in the umbrella bars eh!!!! Good on you 